Post by Tawnya on Jul 22, 2006 20:36:34 GMT -5
The Dogman Lives
***
So. You asked me about the dogman. Well, I can tell you, but you’ll have to listen carefully, and please don’t interrupt. It’s hard enough to remember as it is.
Well, it was the summer of 1987, July seventh, and Rob Whitman and Candy Phelps were the perfect couple in our class at Traverse City High. I was Candy’s best friend, and I was there that night. I helped her get ready for her ‘anniversary date’ with Rob. He was taking her out for dinner and then to the drive-in to see The Princess Bride.
Candy was excited as she slipped her burgundy dress over her head.
“We’ve been going together for a year. Do you think he’s got any plans for tonight other than dinner and a movie?” She smiled a naughty smile at me as I got ready to curl her hair.
I snapped the curling iron open and captured a lock of hair with it.
“Well, you know guys,” I replied, twirling her hair up in the iron, “They’ve always got ‘plans’ for other things.” I released the new curl from the iron and repeated the process on another lock of Candy’s light brown hair.
“I hope he doesn’t think I’m an idiot or something,” she said. She applied eye shadow, liner, a touch of blush, and mascara as I finished with the curling iron.
“You’ve been going out with him for a year. He’s already formed his opinion of you. What are you worried about? If he thought you were an idiot, he wouldn’t still be going with you, would he? Or would he…”
Candy smacked my shoulder. “No! … at least I hope not… er…” she sighed. “Maybe I am an idiot. I don’t even know what I’m talking about anymore!”
The doorbell rang just as I was combing her curls into submission. I sprayed her new hairdo lightly and then shooed her downstairs.
“Have a good time,” I told her, and then she was out the door.
***
Well, I am ashamed to say that I followed them. That’s right, I went along on their date, so to speak.
What’s that? Why? Well, I’m not sure. Maybe because I wanted to feel like I was a part of it. I didn’t have a boyfriend, you see. But the reason is not important; what is important is that I followed them. Now don’t interrupt again if you want to hear this.
Well, they went to the Bowers Harbor Inn, and it didn’t take too long for them to eat. I guess because they didn’t want to be late for the movie. Candy had been wanting to see it for a long time. So they went to the drive-in and I followed them there too. The movie was a fantasy-type story, and it was pretty good.
I guess Rob did have other plans, because after the movie, they drove out to the woods, to a place by the river, where a lot of couples ‘parked.’ Yes, I followed them there too, but I wish I hadn’t. I wasn’t prepared to see what I saw there. Neither were they, I’d guess, but we all did see it. We were too afraid to report it, though. Me, because I’d followed them, and was ashamed; them, because it’s kind of embarrassing to admit that you went out parking with your boyfriend/girlfriend. And also, it’s hard to report things that you don’t think anyone will believe.
Anyway, they parked and they were doing something for awhile—I guess kissing and such, and then Rob gave something to Candy, and she hugged him for a long time. I found out later that it was an engagement ring.
Then suddenly, there were noises in the woods nearby. Like something running or walking around. Candy’s head turned toward the sound, and so did mine. I couldn’t really see anything in the woods, but the noises continued for a few minutes. Then there was a scream-like howl and I could hear Candy scream and Rob asking what the hell that was.
I was as quiet as I could be. My car was shut off, and so were my lights. I was parked a little away from them so as not to be noticed. The howl came again, and the hair stood up on the back of my neck. Then this thing came out of the woods and went for Rob’s car.
It stood on two legs and it was huge. In the moonlight, I could see this thing, and it looked like what my grandfather had described when he told me about seeing the dogman, or a werewolf, maybe. It had dark hair all over, about an inch long and its eyes were yellow. It stood about 7 feet tall or so, and it didn’t look very heavy, about 240 or 250 pounds, I think.
It looked in Candy’s window and I heard her scream again, and Rob started the car. He backed up and the thing made a grab for the car, but Rob gunned the engine and took off out of there. I was afraid to start my car, so I sat there watching this dogman thing. I could barely move.
Then it saw me and started in my direction. I shook myself and reached for the key in the ignition, but it was at my window before I could start my car. I was afraid to look at it, but also felt compelled to look at the thing. I turned my head. It grinned at me.
I screamed.
It bit me through the open window, but I somehow got my car started. And I screamed again as it tried to grab me. I stomped on the gas and got the hell out of there, my arm bleeding all over the place. I was sobbing uncontrollably. It was chasing my car and I sped up until I finally lost the thing, and then I pulled over. I looked at my arm and it was still bleeding. I wrapped my handkerchief around it. Then I started my car again and drove home as best I could. When I got home, I fell into bed and passed out.
I didn’t wake up until after noon the next day. My arm was throbbing. I started crying again as I cleaned the wound. He had sharp teeth. The cuts were half an inch deep in some places.
It took a long time for me to get over that fright. And when I finally did, I didn’t think of it again for nigh on ten years. Then that song came out on the radio and it gave me the goose bumps. But there was something else. A calling I had to answer. I had to go back out there.
The next night after I heard the song, I drove out to the river. I found the place with no difficulty, and somehow, it didn’t seem quite so scary as I thought it would. Then the dogman came. And I didn’t run this time.
Somehow, I had changed since the last time I was there. I got out of the car, and joined him… joined… them. There were four or five of us, all out running and howling and scaring people. A few, we changed; the ones we got close enough to bite. At the end of the night, I changed back and went home. I wasn’t scared anymore.
That was ten years ago…
And next year is 2007, and July seventh comes quick after school lets out... and that song is right, you know…
“Somewhere in the Northwoods darkness, a creature walks upright. And the best advice you may ever get...
Is don't go out at night.”
***