by statesofminds

Created on: April 21, 2008

I smiled as the blood curdling scream pierced the noisy summer evening, thinking to myself that one of our campers had just had the crap scared out of them. Not wanting to be left out, I set my course towards the action, taking advantage of my night vision in the dim moonlight on the trails and emergency roads instead of using the normal route.

I heard a loud commotion caused by campers inside the first campsite, so I stopped in the shadows to watch and listen, making sure all was well. As I was standing there, I caught movement to my right; without moving my head, my eyes evaluated a large human form moving very cautiously, with his head swiveling back and forth so often, I was afraid he would have whiplash in the morning.

I recognized Carl easily-at about six and one half feet tall and around 250 pounds of (mostly) muscle, he was by far the biggest and strongest staff member we had. Something, though, had terrified him; since I could not in good conscience pass up a good opportunity, he was about to be even more terrified!

His course brought him within a couple feet of me. Although he was looking around feverishly, he was not seeing anything. He certainly did not see me. I did take some pity on him-instead of snarling like an animal, I simply used a loud firm voice to ask what he thought he was doing. He really was scared of something because the effect was immediate-a familiar long piercing scream! I wish I'd had a camera to catch his priceless expression! I also thought I caught something about "not again."

It took me longer to stop laughing than it did for Carl to calm down. He did so quickly, having another person with him, and even he could not help but laugh at himself. I asked him if he wanted me to show him the shortcut back to the off duty quarters more for his peace of mind than anything else, then asked if this was the first little incident of the evening. He chuckled as he said there had been one other and began to tell the story as we walked.

It seems Carl was going off duty that night and for some reason he could not fathom, decided to take the emergency trail where people rarely venture, especially at night. The night was bright enough that he was not using a light-at first. Within about one hundred yards of his campsite, he had heard something moving, which is a common occurrence, in the field in front of him.

Carl looked up to see a small fawn (baby deer) coming the opposite way down the trail directly towards him. He turned on his bright light, trying to scare the animal into changing course. When it did not sway, Carl shuffled across the wide trail. Then the deer did change course, heading directly for him again! Back the other way Carl went, only to see the deer change again, still running directly at him!

By then the deer was very close to hitting him; Carl panicked and screamed like a banshee, or as he said, like a five year old bully victim! That changed the deer's mind, and it turned to bound off through the field. Carl, knowing that his little outburst would worry anyone hearing it (meaning everyone within a mile!), then was forced to endure the torment and teasing of campers and other staff when he went back to report that he was unharmed, only to let loose another healthy scream when he ran across me!

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