She always hiked and camped alone
friends warned her hiking
and camping solo was unsafe
she didn’t listen to them,
said they were too paranoid
watched too many horror movies
hiking along a trail late afternoon one day
far from her campsite
she stopped and sat down
soon had a feeling of dread
that turned into a feeling of
approaching danger
frightened, she scrambled back down the trail
took a wrong turn and got lost
darkness had covered the forest
making it harder for her to find her way
a hulking dark shadow appeared
under the barely moonlit night
walking steadily toward her
each cracking step on the falling leaves
more ominous, more foreboding
when it came face to face with her
she saw it was a giant Bigfoot and passed out
she woke up in the morning
inside her camping tent safe and secure
and wondered if it had all been a dream
until she saw giant footprints outside her tent.
Bob Boyd