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Story - A True Story
Posted By: Capt D
Date: Sunday, 1-18-15, at 11:43 a.m.
Way back when, mid 50's, family had a cottage about 20 miles from nearest city. This Capt 12 years old. Cottage somewhat primitive...had an outhouse. It was rural to say the least. A mountain lion was killed about 2 miles away the year before dad bought the cottage. Spent 6 days a week in summers there for 7 years. Lake, river, nearby and fished every day. (That makes this legal post as rest of the story nuthin to do w/ fishin).
Parts of following recollection includes excerpts from sworn affidavits.
Was a Sunday night in July after rain most of the day. Very hot, and humid enuf to cut w/ a knife. Mom and dad had neighbors over playing cards. Front and back door open - no air conditioning back then. Heat lightning flashing to the north. Totally still outdoors. About 10:00 PM dogs started barking from the east. The barking continued, getting closer and closer. Suddenly our dog went berserk barking and throwing himself at the screen doors. That was a first, as he never did anything like that. Went on for about 10 minutes. Dad finally went out w/ 5 cell flashlight (weapon of choice) to "look around". Came back in a few minutes, found nothing. Neighbors left round midnite. No other incidents that nite.
Next morning, had chores including to weed sizeable vegetable garden before could go fishin. Out early w/ sister to get it done. Had been out there only a few minutes when we found large tracks btw plantings. We were familiar w/ tracks but never any like that. Immediately went to shed for plaster. Poured a cast. Soon as back home went to library to see if could I.D. track thru books. No luck. Dad took track cast to the big Natural History museum in town. He was literally asked to leave. They accused him of trying to perpetrate a hoax.
About a month before we found the track, the big city newspaper reported for 2 weeks cries like a woman being strangled coming from wooded area about 30 miles east of our cottage. Women kept kids in yards in daytime and no one went out at night. Authorities attempted to track w/ dogs and on one occasion the dogs ran away from whatever they were tracking. The cries finally ended, but nothing was ever found.
About 25 years later, a deathbed confession by a carny worker told of a train derailment in that area. Animals escaped and all but one were recaptured. Recovery was done w/o notifying authorities. Worried about liability. The one animal not recaptured was a freak, whose cry was "like a woman being strangled!!"
Hypothesized it was that animal, travelin SW, that crossed thru our property that July nite.
Track cast in cigar box (remember those??) in basement now. Made the rounds thru the years. Kids and grandkids all made school reports, w/ the visual evidence and affidavits to back them up.
As Fox Mulder said so frequently..."The Truth is Out There."
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