Hills of Virginia.

Hands shaking a little as I groped for the bottle in the dark. I took a swig of whiskey to calm my nerves. I got it for warmth in the night but now... Before they drove off a low gruff voice he said, "Eaiggghhh." Which to my imagination was "ged ou-dda he-a." I was setting up camp for the night, a bend in a road, gate 50ft. away. The overgrown pasture beyond and tall untrammeled grass told me that this was a seldom used if not forgotten driveway. It's not late, only 8pm but I just got into Virginia, into the national forrest and wanted to bed down before it got too cold. Slip into my warm down bag and relax for a little while. There's not much further left to D.C. and the countryside was so beautiful on the ride in I was excited at the prospect of finding my new home. I rode down the road for a good half hour looking for a suitable spot. You have to be prepared to drive for an hour or two, never know what you might find. Finally a drive without a mailbox. Pulled over to turn my wheel, shine headlights down the narrow path. The darkness looked promising. Overgrown, nobody has been here for some time. I have her where I want her but the ground is soft and nothing to put under her kickstand. If I don't she will sink right in, topple over in the middle of the night. I've never been with such a big woman before, I love it, but at times awkward. Can't push her back out, She out weighs me by about 300lbs, nearly drop her on my own feet. But eventually I get her up and stable. Unload and get to setting up camp. Poles into loops, orange and black, I've done this countless times. Stop. Wovles? No dogs? It's a strained noise. My breathing stops, heart stops, freeze, just listen. It's gone. I set about my work. I hear it coming like a bat out of hell. Pickup truck, I can tell by the lights on top. 150ft. of woods between us, not enough. Camp's up, finished, I freeze standing next to my tent. Waiting. Wondering what I will do. My mind imagining two baseball hats with riffles slung over their shoulders. Me with nothing but my wits. Their lights illuminating the trees. I look down the drive, waiting to see their shadows. Frozen, waiting. That same sound again. Painful almost human, agony. The dogs, only this time much closer. Sound coming from up the hill beyond where the truck sits frozen, me frozen. Seconds. Seconds. Seconds. "Eaiggghhh." They drive off.

I'm typing on my laptop inside my tent. I'm reminded of the friendly face that came out of the darkness the night before. Our mutual respect for one another. A man just like myself in many ways. But the United States is vast, never know what to expect. Would rather not find out in the middle of the night. In Charleston, WV I stopped at a cafe run by teenagers.

"I'll have the Rawanda."
I hesitated for a moment, "but I think Ethiopian girls are the cutest."

He gave me a look of disgust. Half child half man. He already knew… They're on the drive. Spitting distance away. I can see their lights shining against my tent. Moving across scanning it from one side to the other.

"Anybody want a motorcycle?"

Heart.

Pounding.

Put on your shoes. Can't find glasses. I get out and walk towards the three trucks. Pounding. See the cages in the back of the trucks. Dogs. Walk over to the cab. Can't see them but I start talking.

"How's it going guys?" Trying to sound as confident as I can. The whiskey helps.
"You boys hunting tonight?"

"Yup."

"Those dogs sound almost human." Consider it and then say, "I'm just looking for a place to sleep tonight, hope I'm not offending nobody."

"Don't worry you're on gov. land!"

I watched as a blue flashing light disappeared off into the trees. "That's pretty cool, I figured you just followed the dogs by sound."

"Most of the time we do!"

I walked to the back of the truck, two dogs in cages. Barking. The boys in the back truck got out, Now the front two. They walk off towards the barking dog. The five of them and me following behind. Beams of light looking up into the tree.

"I dun-o."
"I dun did see it."
"Where?"
"Oda there."
"Wha?"
"Da possum."


I can't follow the light, can't see without my glasses. Another man, big, flannel, walks out of the darkness with a riffle aimed low. I can see his hands cocking the barrel. I can feel the anticipation of the gun. The sound, breaking the air. He steps up and the others egg him on.

"I cin't shoot wha I cin't see."

Now I can see the possum climbing down the branch, quickly disappearing into the night. I start walking back to my tent and they to their trucks. Climb in.

Take another swig of whiskey.