Episode 7

Ben was standing inside the editor’s office waiting patiently for his next assignment. The recent events had given this reporter a new view of tortured reality, and it was a view he seriously did not like.

“Ever heard of the Saskatchewan ape man?”

Ben rolled his eyes and said, “Who hasn’t? That story came to an end in the twenties when some bloke admitted to faking it.”

“The story is up and running again my boy. Allow me to introduce you to someone.”

The editor pressed an under desk button and moments later the door opened and a very strange bloke walked in.

He was tall and graceful, sporting an Australian floppy hat and a safari jacket. Tufts of long hair hung around his shoulders as he smiled at the reporter.

“Hunter John,” Ben said with some distaste.

“You know of me then?”

“I made a note never to meet you.”

“Tell him what you know,” the editor insisted.

The big game hunter pulled a tuft of stringy hair from his pocket and handed it over.

“I found strands of this along the north slopes and deep depressions that only an ape man could make.”

“Sure you didn’t make those yourself?”

The hunter was offended by the suggestion.

“I take my profession quite seriously. That hair is genuine enough.”

Ben rubbed it between his fingers and muttered, “I certainly don’t recognise it, but anthropology was never my strong point.”

“I want you to accompany him on a short safari. I need photos and a body.”

Ben looked at his boss in shock.

“You want to kill it?”

“It would make a great edition.”

“If this ape man is genuine sir, killing it would be a crime against nature and science.”

“Those are my orders Ben,” the editor insisted. “Now off you two go.”

The hunter led the reporter out to the car park and pointed to the safari style four by four.”

“It’ll take an hour to get there but this baby can climb anything.”

Ben climbed inside as the hunter settled down. The engine was gunned and he took the north route out of that peaceful sleepy hamlet.

Once the town fell behind, the landscape became wild and rugged as the climb began toward the north slopes. At a junction, the vehicle turned onto a dirt track and approached the tall and quite ancient pine forest.

“Nearly there chum.”

“I just hope that this is not a wasted trip,” Ben muttered as the vehicle came to rest.

Stepping out, hunter John opened the rear and produced a high velocity hunting rifle and a shoulder band of ammo.

“You could stop an elephant with that.”

The happy hunter smiled gently.

“It came in handy during my sojourn in Africa. Follow me.”

Ben watched him hike off into the dark woods, and shrugging his shoulders began to follow.

“It was along this trail that I found that hair,” the hunter commented.

“Do you come here often?”

“Every chance I get mate. Nothing like the wilds you know.”

A sudden sound of flapping wings made Ben’s heart leap into his mouth.

“That was only a bird mate. You should try to calm down.”

The path veered left and the hunter suddenly pointed to a low branch. When Ben reached it, he saw the wiry ball of hair hanging loosely.

“There is more of it,” the hunter commented.

Ben examined it before snapping a couple of photos with his phone cam.

“You could still have placed it there.”

The proud hunter shook his head and muttered, “As if I would.”

They lowered their heads as the incline continued until the trapper stopped dead in his tracks.

“Get lower my friend.”

Ben knelt, as the hunter appeared to hear something.

“There is something nearby,” he whispered.

The reporter strained his ears and heard a soft tramping from somewhere far ahead.

“Could be hikers.”

“It could also be our ape man,” John suggested. “Let’s follow eh?”

They crept forward until the hunter hissed.

“There are clear tracks here. You had better photo these.”

When Ben joined him, he saw the deep imprint of a four-toed animal that was clearly not human. He snapped away before saying, “They certainly look genuine, but who knows for sure?”

The trapper moved forward slowly until he hissed again.

“Well what do you know? We seem to have an encampment.”

They moved toward a circular series of stones and around it what seemed like simple stone tools.

“Reminds me of cavemen,” the reporter said softly.

“I think that is proof enough my friend,” John commented as he examined the circle closely.

The reporter snapped once more and gazed around.

“I can’t seem to hear anything now.”

The hunter placed his fingers to his lips. A soft tramping seemed to be approaching slowly.

“He’s coming our way. You want a body? Your editor will soon have one.”

Ben watched as the hunter disengaged safety and levelled the rifle in earnest.

“You just cannot kill it.”

“Then close your eyes mate. I’m a hunter remember? Not one of your damn zoo keepers.”

Ben saw something dark appear about a hundred yards distant and saw the fingers close around the trigger. He lunged forward, driving the muzzle into the air as the rifle barked once.

The hunter responded by striking with a balled fist that knocked Ben onto his back.

“That a stupid act my friend,” John hissed.

Ben wiped the blood from a cut lip and saw the something peering at them.

“It appears to be curious about us.”

The trapper ignored this and rapidly reloaded from his ammo belt. As he did so, a sudden growl from the rear startled both of them.
Ben swung around just in time to see a large hair covered humanoid bearing down upon them.

“Damn it!” John yelped as an arm smashed Ben to one side.

A pair of strong hands tore the rifle from his hands, before he too was smashed into dark oblivion.

When Ben came too, he was moaning loudly.

“Oh my damn head...”

When there was no response, he opened his eyes slowly and saw the flint-crusted cave of his new home.

“Where are you John?”

One of the humanoids heard his plea and approached carefully. Ben crawled back as the seven-foot biped eyed this human suspiciously.
Ben saw the dark wiry hair and the strange orange glow of its eyes. A pair of ears grew from the side like humans but the jaw was built for tearing raw flesh.

“Nice to meet you,” the reporter stammered.

The animal simply grunted and hobbled into the darkness in the manner of an ape. Ben could not see the cave mouth and rightly concluded that he was deep within.

“I hope my camera still works.”

He took it out and started snapping at the cave wall. A sudden growl made him stop at once.

The humanoid returned from the darkness and grabbed his arm roughly. He was dragged into the darkness and finally thrown down when the rear wall came into view.

As it lurched off once more, the reporter spotted the bones.

“I just hope those are animal.”

He crawled toward them and a quick scan convinced him that these were human. After all, the skull was a dead giveaway.

“Now I’m in serious trouble. I have to get out of here.”

He managed to snap a few photos before the animal lurched back into view. Within its right hand hung a bloody piece of meat. Ben could guess whom that came from.

To his surprise, the animal tossed it toward him and watched for his expected reaction. When the reporter did nothing the animal began to demonstrate.

He watched the right hand move to the jaw and simulate chewing.

“I can’t eat that,” Ben protested. “We don’t consume our own species.”

The creature moved forward and picked the meat up. It suddenly lashed out forcing Ben onto his back before squatting over him. As his hair was gripped painfully, the bloody remains of trapper John was smeared across his trembling lips.

Ben kept his mouth tightly closed as the humanoid pressed a little harder. Ben tried to struggle but the animal’s grip was quite lethal. After a few moments, the humanoid gave up and dropped the meat in apparent disgust.

As Ben lay panting, the creature lurched off toward the cave mouth and soon returned with a large piece of carved stone.

As it raised its arm, Ben realised that his skull was in imminent peril.

TBC...

Wow, :)...Good Read!

Ta..Thought I'd bring some action to your neck of the woods..

could use a little Action down this way, :)

I suspect its coming my dear...