Winter Camp, 1975

a MidnightMind.com original
by Jack Bowman

He left the well worn copy of “Frank Edwards’
Strange World”
in the confines of his sleeping bag and
wandered out of camp leaving the flaps of the tent
to fall back into place on their own
the others had gone,Scout activities
for Frank, it was too cold to fossil hunt
or get involved in meaningless macho rituals
he was up for exploration
ahead lie the woods
his imagination, a region unexplored
mystery,

the strange silence of this place
as snow fell without sound
he froze in his tracks suddenly
as he saw them

large impressions in the snow
that began, circled a few yards then
ended just as suddenly

an awkward pattern in the general direction of the
woods
a claw, 3 toed, two legged set of imprints
each clawed foot over 6 inches in length

he looked up at the dead grey wood in the trees
a dark look came over his eyes
young pale skin
broke out in a sweat
he took a few steps to follow
then returned to camp
the warmth of his tent
a story he would keep to himself.