The Boys Who Cried Sasquatch

Chapter 4

I switch off my phone knowing Dad will be calling me, wanting to know when I will be home to take care of Sally. He is going to kill me once he finds out that Julian and I had decided to stay at the campgrounds all afternoon, waiting for everyone to leave. We didn't want anyone to know what we were looking for.

By the later afternoon families started leaving the grounds. Once they were gone, Julian and I search the campsite, hoping to find clues to what really happened to Sasquatch. I don't think he would have gone too far if he had wandered off, could he? Maybe he is just hiding from the crowds so no one could discover him.

"What do you think happened to him?" I ask Julian, kneeling on the gravel ground, searching for clues. I have no idea what I'm supposed to be looking for exactly. Footprints maybe?

"Maybe someone found him and moved his body."

"How? I mean, that creature weighs a ton. There's no way anyone can move him. You will have to use a crane to move him."

"Yeah, you have a point. If no one took him then what happened to his body?"

"What if we didn't kill him at all? What if he was just knocked unconscious and is still roaming the campsite?"

"Then he might just be hiding somewhere around here."

"You don't think he could be injured?"

Julian shrugs. "Who knows? We better find him then."

It's late now and the sun is setting. Bigfoot still hasn't appeared. We might as well give up. We are never going to find him. It was just a fluke when we saw him, but what are the chances of seeing him again? People who claimed to have encounters with Sasquatches only ended up seeing them once. They have never come across them the second time.

We head back to the campsite before it's pitched back. There is no use in trying to find him. He is long gone now. He will probably terrorise another campsite.

As we walked, I hear twigs snapping behind us. It doesn't sound like our own footsteps making the noise. Julian and I freeze for a moment. The footsteps continue, snapping twigs. We turn, and just as we did, we spot Bigfoot disappearing behind some trees.

"We have to follow him," I say, hurrying to catch him, not even caring how dark it was getting now.

Julian follows. "And what do we do once we follow him, David?"

"I don't know. You're the one who wanted to look for him."

"I know, but I only wanted to make sure he was alright, not follow him."

We follow him, being careful not to scare him or make him think he is being stalked by humans. He goes down to a river. Julian and I hid behind a tree, watching him.

"We need to report him to someone," I say.

"Like who?" Julian asks. "No one will believe us."

"Yes, they will."

I pull out my phone, ignoring the miss calls I got from Dad once I switched it on, and snap a picture of him, hoping the flash wouldn't startle him. There. People will believe us now. I then dial a number, asking the operator to put me through to the local TV station. I need to get the news crew down here. They need to film Bigfoot for the world to see.

"What are you doing, David? There is no reason for you to be calling the TV station."

"Yes, there is. If we can get the news crew down here, then we can prove to the world that he exists."

"David, no. We can't let anyone know about him. This place will be swarming with people. Scientist will want to capture him and do experiments on him."

"So? You would call them if you spotted an alien."

A woman at reception answers the phone before Julian could argue with me. She asks what she can do for me. I ask for the news team and I'm directed to another department. I wait for at least a minute or two, listening to what sounds like elevator music until someone picked up the phone.

"Hi, my name's David Wilson. I would like to make a report that my friend and I have spotted Bigfoot."

"Bigfoot?" the lady repeats, not sounding very convinced. "Sir, we do not accept hoaxes."

"This isn't a hoax! We seriously have spotted him. We are watching him right now."

She is silence for a moment. She still wasn't convinced or sounded excited that an actual sighting of the legendary Sasquatch has been discovered by two local teenagers, but she asks for my location anyway. I give it to her and she promises someone will be on their way.

"Julian, could you go back to the car park and wait for the news crew?" I tell him once I hang up the phone.

He gives me a look as to say 'This isn't a very good idea'. "Why me? Why can't you go? You're the one who called them."

"I know. I will keep an eye on Bigfoot."

Without arguing, he heads back to camp.

I watch Bigfoot, not taking my eyes off him in case he disappears, especially with it getting darker, I didn't want to lose sight of him. It's almost pitched black now and soon I wouldn't be able to see anything. I have no idea how long it was going to take the news crew to get up to the mountain, but hopefully it won't be too long. I press the torch app on my phone, being careful not to let Bigfoot see the light as I shine it in his direction. Minutes past, and he still hasn't moved from the area. He stands by the river, staring at it. I'm not sure what he is doing. Maybe he is deciding whether or not if he should go swimming? After standing there for a few minutes, he soon makes a move and enters the water. He splashes in the water and I soon see what he is trying to do. He is trying to fish like a bear.

I press record on my phone. I have got to get this on film.

I was so focus on Bigfoot that I wasn't looking where I was going. I slip on the rocks, hitting the ground hard. My phone slips out of my hand. I curse softly to myself, hoping Bigfoot hadn't heard me. The torch goes out and I'm now lying on the ground in the dark. I feel around for my phone. When I find it, it's lying face down on the rocks. I pick it up. As I run my fingers over it, I notice the screen is crack. I switch it on, but it doesn't turn on. Great! Just what I need!

"David?" I hear Julian calling for me.

I turn to the direction of his voice. I see torches guiding his path behind him by the news crew. I follow the light as it shines out over to the river. When it shines on the water, I no longer see Sasquatch fishing.

Where did he go?

I turn back to the news crew. What am I going to tell them about Bigfoot? I'm going to look like such a fool.