Chapter 4. Revisiting the Creek
After a few nights of long, but fitful, sleep, I wanted to see the creek again and retrace my steps with a light to see if all these animals really existed. My ribs still hurt, but at least I could stand it. I charged both light batteries, the electric motor battery and got plenty of gas for the outboard motor. I didn’t even take a fishing rod, I just wanted to see the creek at night with a light when I was fully prepared. There was no chance of rain and the ground was fully dry by then. Being careful every step of the way, I headed back to the creek with a gun in hand. Thinking back, I think I know what the rifle and shotgun shells were doing on the bank. Probably, for defense, I reasoned. Anyway, I was anxious to see if I could find the cause of so much grief the previous few nights.
As I arrived at the launch site, I immediately saw my “snake.” It was a rope, about one inch round, hanging from the bush with a knot tied in the end of it. It was very old and had a mixture of slime and algae growth on it. No wonder it felt weird to the touch. I parked the truck and walked over to check it out. Also, I looked where my “octopus” grabbed me to see if there was anything dead near there that I could’ve stomped to death.
I’ll be dog! Found it! Not an octopus however! No wonder I couldn’t think of what it was. Mono-filament fishing line all wrapped up in the bush. I guess when I jumped into the water for the boat, I must’ve put one foot right through the middle of the snarl of line. Of course, as I pulled up to get out, it tightened on my leg, and the harder I pulled, the tighter it got. But, with the night I was having, it was easy to see how my mind went haywire with such wild thoughts.
I put the boat in the water and the gas for the motor. Everything seemed to be going so smoothly now. Go figure! It was already late in the evening, but I wasn’t worried. I was prepared! I wanted to get to the edge of the woods before dark and see if I could figure out why the birds attacked. I had no intention of getting in the open again.
I arrived at the edge of the woods without a single problem, and just about dark. The trip didn’t seem to take as long as the last time. Of course, I didn’t fish any either. I just sat there waiting for the birds to do their thing, and watching. Sure enough, right before it got completely dark, here they came. I was about ready to crank up and get out of there when I saw what they were doing. Going to roost in the weeds and reeds! There were thousands of them descending on the weeds. I don’t know where they all went, but they just kept disappearing in the weeds. The air was so thick with them, I don’t know how they managed to keep from hitting each other. I guess I was just in the wrong place at the right time. That mystery was solved.
Next, I fired up the motor and headed back to the “Hippo attack.” Although I didn’t find, or see, any Hippos, I did figure out what happened. Yes, I should’ve thought of that too. Hogs! Their tracks were everywhere. They had a good-looking “wallow” just off the sand bar. I guess one was laying in the water and I probably surprised it about as much as it did me. A little smile crept on my face thinking how silly it seemed now. But, that’s the thinking of a scared mind in the panic mode.
With the light, the creek didn’t seem such a hostile place now. I wanted to get to the log jam and wait for the “badger” to come back. With the light, I motored to within about fifty yards of the log jam and turned the light off. I started the electric motor and eased up to the jam. I let the boat rest against the logs and just waited with the light ready. I heard the night sounds again, but they didn’t seem so scary tonight.
I was listening to the hoot of an owl about the time I heard the teeth snapping again. Just like a few nights ago, the snapping hesitated, or stopped, and moved a little closer. I let it get to within about fifteen feet of me and I saw the black object moving on the bank, then stop and snap it’s teeth again. I was ready this time.
I flashed the light on the “badger” and it instantly turned into a “raccoon.” How about that! It didn’t seem scared of me either! Even with the light on, the ‘coon ambled on toward the log pile. I watched and discovered what the snapping was. Another for my memory banks. The snapping was when the 'coon splashed the water with whatever it had. ‘Coons always wash their food before they eat it for some reason. I’d seen that many times on nature TV shows, but never heard the splashing. I watched it move a foot or so, reaching into every nook and cranny of the bank line, and usually finding something. It splashed the water a few times then ate whatever it found. How about that! The snapping teeth was certainly the thinking of a panicked brain. As I watched the 'coon, it started up the log like it was going to cross the creek. Seemed like this was it’s nightly routine. It got about half way, even with the light on it, but stopped. I guess it probably smelled me. It turned and ran back up the bank line. So much for the “badger.”
I got the boat back over the log pile without problems this time. I left the light on and could see so much better. Leaving the log pile, I used the electric motor and, sure enough, found the “wasps” just as I expected. I went up the cut-off and ran into the saw vines and limbs. However, I figured that out before. Back out in the channel, I started to fire up the motor when I remembered my next stop was the “panther” attack. I turned off the light and used the electric motor. I wanted to do the same thing I did last time, but with the light in hand.
I eased around the creek bend and could barely make out the tree in the distance. I put the motor on speed one and eased ever so quietly toward the limb. With no clouds tonight and the moon up good, I saw the tree well, as I got closer. With the light ready, I eased quietly to within several feet of the limb.
I saw movement on the limb again and, for an instant, I felt the hair on my body stand up. Inside me, even with the light, this might’ve been a mistake. There was a real possibility that this was really a panther. I flipped the light on well before I got under the limb. The light beam seemed like a laser. As it hit the limb, there was the awful scream and squawk. I felt the air from the movement again. However, this wasn’t the “panther” swinging at me that I expected. It was the roost of a Great Blue Heron. Two of them, in fact. If you’re ever around water and see one of these birds take off, they always squawk and scream. I never even thought about that. With all the limbs on the branch and their wings hitting the limbs, that made even more noise.
I watched as they picked their way through the branches trying to fly going back toward the trunk where there was a clear path to fly. As their weight left the branch, it bounced up and down. The “claws” I felt were the little limbs at the end of the large branch. There were several broken limbs with stubs about three inches long. I guess as the boat drifted under the branch, those stubs scratched my face and dug into my shoulder. Even with the light on, the noise scared me a little. I checked out the branch good, and saw exactly how I could’ve made that into claws and a panther. What a relief! And yes, the smile was back on my face again. How silly, I thought. I guess there’s no end to what you can conjure up in a panic.
Next, was the “alligators.” I fired up the motor and got to about a quarter mile of the attack site. Then, I turned on the electric motor to ease up on the “gators.” With the reflections on the water, I saw movement well before I got there. Again, there were three of them and all in the same general location. I put the motor on speed one and got the gun ready. This night was going to be different. They seemed to not pay me any mind as I slowly got close to them. With the gun ready, I shut off the motor and flipped on the light. Almost instantly, there was the familiar pop and big splash that I heard last time. However, I had the light on one of them long enough to see what it was. Yes, “Beaver!” I should’ve known. They swim with their nose and tail out of the water and have a parting wake in the water. Sure enough, I watched them a few seconds. Even with the light on, they only went under when I was right up next to them. I turned on the electric motor and eased by one. It was right beside the boat. I guess it didn’t fear the light beam since it didn’t feel anything. I got within a few
feet of one and all it did was get out on the bank until I passed by. Boy, they sure looked like “gators” a few nights ago. Plus, attacking the boat, was probably when they tried to swim under it, but ran into the side. No wonder they splashed water on me being that close.
Well, that was the answers to my fears in Sulfur Creek. In fact, I looked at a map and discovered the real name was Sanders Creek. I guess the guy told me wrong. However, there is a north and south Sulfur creek south of Paris, TX.
This creek really was just another active creek much like anywhere else I guess. I went on back to the truck and had no problems getting out. What a difference a few nights make! I looked briefly at the mono-filament line and the “snake” with the light. It was easy to see how I could’ve mistaken both without a light. That smile crept back on my face as I just shook my head.
Boy, what a difference a light makes. All my nightmares will cease now, knowing that there aren’t any real “boogers” in the woods, they’re only in our minds.
NOTE: This is basically a true story, except for the fabricated “boogers.” There IS such a creek and the events described are actual occurrences with true explanations. The disclaimer at the beginning is having a little fun as a spin-off of reading a few medicine warnings.
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About The Author
Victor Cox is an aspiring writer. After growing up in northern Louisiana, he was drafted into Military service and chose the Air Force as a career. Married at the time, his son was born when he was in Vietnam. His son was eight months old the first day Victor saw him in person. Victor and his family moved to many stateside locations in the Air Force, including one tour in Germany. Victor retired from the Air Force after twenty eight years of service. His military service encompassed being an aircraft maintainer, a flying Crew Chief, aircraft maintenance instructor, and manager. He is a retired Chief Master Sergeant (E9). After completing a tour in Vietnam, he pursued his educational opportunities. After such a precarious start in High School, he earned three Associate of Science Degrees and a Bachelor of Science Degree. He graduated valedictorian from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale. He regrets telling people he was the only one in his family to graduate High School and go to college. He has one son and three grandsons. He presently resides in Powderly, Texas.
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