The Bear

Chapter 4

The two began the journey to the next trap.
I really need something besides a rabbit. I’m not complaining. But God, if you are listening to me, I need something besides a rabbit. Can you give me some beaver? I just need a few of them. The market is still good enough that I could probably get about $10 a piece for them. That would be enough to get through the winter.
Jud went on pleading with a God he wasn’t sure existed. If he did exist, he wasn’t sure he ever listened to HIS prayers. This God that he had learned about since he was a little boy was supposed to be loving. He was supposed to care about people. But Jud hadn’t seen it. If God really cared about him, then why was his family dead? If God really cared about him, why was he in the middle of the Idaho woods chasing beaver pelts? If God really cared about him, then why was his closest friend a damn horse? He had tried to talk to him at various times since it all happened. And every time…silence. There was nothing. He didn’t get any answers. He didn’t feel any peace. All he ever felt was emptiness….
So why in the hell did he keep trying? Why in the hell did he always start talking to this Cosmic ghost in the sky when he felt like he was at the end of his rope?
Jud was contemplating this spiritual dilemma as he was approaching the next trap. That familiar feeling of apprehension began to build inside him. He bit his lip in anticipation. They inched closer and closer. But it didn’t take long to see that this trap was successful. A beaver. A big beautiful beaver. This is what Jud had prayed for. Was God actually listening? Or was this just merely coincidence…and odds?Whatever the reason, there was a beaver. Jud jumped off Nugget and practically ran towards the trap. He bent down to get a closer look at his prize.
It was large. Perhaps one of the biggest beavers Jud had ever caught. From the looks of things, this rodent weighed as much as 60 pounds. The pelt on this animal was large enough to make a coat for a small child. Jud touched the animal to see if there was any movement or signs of life. It was dead. Very dead. The trap had closed on its neck and punctured the jugular. The creature had bled out. Jud touched the blood and realized it was still warm. This kill was quite fresh. Perhaps within the last six hours.
Jud looked to the sky. Just for a second. He didn’t want anyone…or anything…to know he was saying thanks.
I don’t know if I believe in you. But if it helps, I will continue to pray.
His eyes went back down to his catch. He grabbed the trap and again, slowly pulled it apart. He grabbed the beaver and quickly yanked it out as he let go of the teeth.
Jud stood up and went towards Nugget.
“Look boy! Ain’t he a beaut! Have we ever caught something so big?”
Nugget stared at Jud’s hands.
“By golly, I think our luck might be changing. I mean, last trap, there was a rabbit. And now, the biggest beaver we’ve ever caught! Watcha think boy? Do ya think that we might have som’n even bigger in the next trap?” Jud asked.
Nugget just stared. He knew Jud was a little happier than he was this morning. He was pretty sure it was because of the thing in his hand. But, beyond that, Nugget wasn’t really sure why Jud was so excited.
Jud, took the beaver and tied it to the back of the saddle using a rope. It was securely fastened and ready for the journey.
Three.
Three traps down. Twelve still left to check. But Jud was feeling confident. If the rest of his traps were like these last two, it was gonna be a good day. How could he not be a little excited to see what the next trap was going to hold?
The morning sun was rising in the sky. It was pushing about 9 a.m. If he kept up this pace, Jud was estimating that he would be done checking all the traps around 7 that evening. This time of year meant that he would be pushing darkness. He was planning on making camp after the last trap, which was located at the mouth of the upper lake.
Jud’s mind wandered to what he was going to do with the money from the sale of the pelts. He was planning on taking a trip to Eagle Rock next week to stock up for the winter. Of course, most of his money was going towards necessities. Food, shells for the rifle, a few new traps. But with the size of this beaver’s pelt alone he was going to have some extra money to buy some “frivolous” things.
Tobacco.
Pipe tobacco.
More specifically, cherry.
Although cherry pipe tobacco was common in the South, it was a rare luxury in the territories. Idaho was no different. Eagle Rock was lucky to have one store that sold it. And it was bound to be on the expensive side.
But it would be worth it. Jud loved it. Jud loved the smell of it. The taste of it. The feeling of the leaves as he smashed them into his corn cob pipe.
What he liked most of all, was the memories that came flooding back to him. Memories of his father smoking every evening after a long day of working in the fields. Memories of his own time being a father doing the very same thing. His children loved the smell of pipe smoke.
“It smells like your baking a cherry pie daddy.” Maggie would say. Both children would climb up into his lap and watch the smoke rise from the pipe. They would laugh when Jud would blow smoke rings. And, eventually they would begin to doze off as the sun set in the west, and the first stars appeared. Loretta would come over and grab Robbie as Jud held Maggie. They would head into the house and tuck both children in bed before heading back out on to the porch to discuss the day and spend time with each other.
These were the moments that Jud would always cherish. The simple ones. The tiny details. The pipe smoke. With cherry tobacco.
Nugget neighed to let Jud know they were approaching the next trap. The apprehension he had been feeling was gone. He was excited. He couldn’t wait to see what had wandered into this trap. This was his day. He could feel it. God might be on his side for a change.
Jud jumped off Nugget’s back and jogged the remaining 100 feet to the trap.. Jud slowed his pace. The trap had come into view. It wasn’t empty. It wasn’t full either. The trap had done its job. It had captured a poor unassuming animal as it had tried to eat the bait.
But only part of the animal remained. The rest was gone.
It had been mutilated.
Pulled apart.
Blood stained the trap. And the ground around it.
As Jud walked closer, he examined the gruesome scene. It had been a coyote. Its leg had gotten caught in the trap. That was the only part that remained. Clumps of fur riddled the landscape. A bone here. An intestine there. Jud looked around and found the head….or what was left of it. Whatever had done this, had gnawed on the skull and left very little. Entrails were scattered around like confetti at a children’s party.
Jud normally had a strong stomach. But this was a nightmarish scene. He had never seen anything like it.
Sure, he had times where his catches were stolen. But the predator had always either ate the catch right there. Or, had taken it somewhere else to enjoy its free meal.
But this. This almost felt…unnatural.
It was almost as if they had played with it. As if it was ripped to pieces simply for pleasure. There were so much of it left behind. Big pieces of perfectly edible meat the thief didn’t take.
Jud couldn’t take the murderous scene any longer. He turned his head and walked back towards Nugget. Nugget seemed to sense that something wasn’t right. He was nervous. And jittery. As Jud walked closer, Nugget backed away.
“Whoa, buddy. It’s alright. Calm down. Calm down. “Jud told Nugget. “I don’t know what this was. But I don’t like the look of it. Let’s get out of here.”
What the hell made this mess? First you give me some hope. Then you dash it. I don’t know what to do. Are my other traps gonna be the same way? God, you got a real shitty sense of humor.
Jud straddled Nugget while he took another look at the mess, and turned to head up the creek. He was a few miles away from the next trap. His mind was doing sprints.
What the hell was that? I have never seen anything like that. Was it a cougar? A bear? Something else? Whatever it was, it certainly seemed like it was just playing around.
Jud couldn’t help but look at his surroundings. Every sound he could hear made him jump. It was hard to hear anything over the sound of the rushing water. But he thought he would hear a twig snap and look in the direction of the sound. He would hear a bird chirp and fly away. He couldn’t help but think that maybe he was seeing something in the woods. The trees were so thick, they were almost black. It was hard to know if his eyes and his anxiety were playing tricks on him. He couldn’t be certain.
His mind jolted back to walking into his families cabin back in Tennessee. He had been waiting for this moment for months. All he could think about was his children’s faces when they saw their dad for the first time in months. Feeling the tender hug and caress of his wife.
Instead.
Silence.
The bodies lied limp on the floor. Each child had one bullet hole in their temple. Each child’s eyes were still open. The look on their face was one of fear. And disbelief. The look was frozen. Forever in time.
Loretta had been used for their own pleasure. Her panties were lying on the floor beside her. It was obvious they had their way with her before they ultimately ended her life. She lay on the floor. Motionless. Eyes closed. She looked peaceful. Like she was sleep. Except for the hole in her head.
The blood.
Everywhere.
Stained.
Just like the trap.