4:24 pm

The animals are behaving strangely. While sitting at the campfire, a daring chipmunk scurried up my pant leg and sat upon my knee. I didn’t know what to make of it, I confess, I froze. After a moment, I shooed it with a quick jerk of my hand but it merely tilted its head slightly and looked at me. I shook my leg and it ran off under the nearby brush. Just moments ago, 3 owls flew into the campsite and perched in the trees, making a triangular stake out. They are gazing at me as I write this. I’m a little shaken by their solid black stare. They seem very intent in their inspection of my situation.

5:02 pm

The owls are still here. I watch them as they watch me. They seem to be communicating with each other in an odd squeaking tone. When I moved to throw another log on the fire, they stared intently but seemed to know that I would not hurt them. Although the thought of throwing a rock at them crossed my mind, for some reason I quickly dismissed it. They appear to be settled in where they sit and they are not acting in any menacing way but the blackness of their stare is a tad disconcerting. And I have to wonder what they are saying to each other. I’m wishing now that I’d allowed Cindy to come on this camping trip with me. Not that she would ‘save’ me. LOL! (Just picturing my beautiful 108 lb girlfriend fighting off a randy chipmunk…) I’m being stupid. I came here to write and reclaim the solidarity of my singularity! Yes. Ok, so I’m going to write now.
Yep… I’m gonna write.

The sky was dripping with darkness- pink evening light fighting to swallow each drop but losing the battle. She rode a silver mare slowly across the horizon as I admired her stalwart presence from a safe distance. She was a vision of beauty, pure and untainted in her adept freedom. Although I outweighed her in stature and strength, she was clearly dominant in her mere existence. She stopped abruptly to look out upon the radiant sunset. A gust of wind ran its fingers through her long brown hair, brushing it from her face, her shoulders. I stirred in my hiding place, adjusting my stance to accommodate the rising desire within me. I had to follow her.
She

5:46 pm

Ok, a deer walked out of the brush and stood on the other side of my campfire. As he looked at me, a chipmunk (maybe the same chipmunk as before) came out as well and stood between his front legs! The owl nearest them started bobbing his head and squealing in a threatening manner. Then he swooped down and went for the chipmunk! The deer reared up, the chipmunk ran back into the brush, and the owl was pegged under hoof. The sound was awful! There was a clash of feathers and hooves, squawking and snorting, and then the deer ran off. The owl wandered around with one wing outstretched for several minutes. He seemed to be pretty confused and disoriented, but now he’s back to his perch up in the tree. He’s much more alert now. It seems like he’s looking at me as if the whole situation was my fault. I don’t like the look he’s giving me, or the looks of the other owls as far as that goes. They seem very agitated and on edge now. I think I might take myself and my notebook into the tent until this weirdness stops.

OMG! I barely made in here! Just as I unzipped the tent, a raccoon ran out of the weeds followed by 3 others and they surrounded the tent! I kicked at them and they hissed at me. I heard all of the owls start in their squawking, felt the air of one of them just brush the top of my head! Holy shit! My heart is still pounding. What the hell is wrong with these animals! I think I need a minute.

6:29 pm

I can still hear the raccoons out there walking around the tent. They’re making weird noises, they almost sound like they’re in pain but I don’t know. They’ve been bumping into the tent every once in awhile but I don’t think they’re trying to get in. It’s freaking me out anyway. All I have here in the tent is my pocketknife. The hatchet is still out by the fire. Dammit! That was stupid. I’m so glad Cindy isn’t here right now.

She shook her head as if to clear away the falling stardust from her mind, her thoughts. I wondered what she was thinking at that precise moment. Was she dismissing stagnant thoughts of her last lover? Was she missing the warm hearth of her home? There were secrets locked inside that beautiful head. I wanted to feel those secrets caress the outer curve of my ear. I wanted to feel the heat of her breath there as she whispered unspoken longings just for my pleasure.
She prodded the horse to move on- a swift and firm kick of her tan, muscular legs. The horse abided, a st

7:45 pm

The raccoons are fighting. I can’t keep my train of thought going to write. They’re hissing and squealing and they’ve rammed into the tent hard several times now. I don’t know if they’ve gone rabid or what the hell is going on. I wish I’d grabbed the hatchet. I wish I’d brought a gun or something. Wait… did I bring a gun? No. Wow... my mind just wandered off or something. My watch reads 8:52 now and it's dark in here. Not sure what just happened there. Maybe I should lay down and sleep a little.

9:58

I slept. I think. It’s very dark out now. I can still hear my campfire popping just once in awhile, I think it’s almost spent. It’s quiet, I believe the raccoons are gone. Thank God! But it’s almost too quiet. I don’t even hear the chirp of crickets. It’s as if all the insects have gone to sleep. Or died. I don’t know. My head really hurts and I forgot to bring pain killers. That was stupid. Really wish I’d come more prepared. Cindy wo

I hear footsteps outside my tent

Fuck! They stopped! I’m not sure what to mak

These are the last known words and thoughts of world-renowned author, Michael Kents, taken from a partial journal found approximately ¼ mile from his campsite in upper Michigan. Michael Kents has been missing for 49 days as of July 15th, 2011. If you have any information regarding the disappearance of Michael Kents, please contact the Michigan State Police at (231) 549-4035.

©Jen2011 7-15

*Disclaimer: This is purely a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual events is only coincidental. As if I have to add that! LOL!