Summary: On a hunting trip, Adam sees something in the woods he’s unable (and refuses) to explain to his family. That is until it comes out in the newspaper.
Rating: G, Word Count: 1677
The Mystery of Sasquatch
Leaves rustled through the trees and birds sang songs to each other as Adam was hunting and walked through the woods when he heard a noise in the trees.
“Who’s out there? Show yourself now,” Adam called out trying to keep his voice from shaking.
He looked around but didn’t see anyone walk out of the trees. Suddenly, something big in the trees caught his eye. He squinted trying to see what was going on. Whatever or whoever it was moved around in the darkness of the forest. Adam then saw it. It was huge and hairy! Hearing its loud growl Adam ran to his horse.
Adam camped out that night and heard footsteps and a low growl. Standing up he looked around, scared. He was rarely a man to be scared easily but this was one of those times that he was. There was a full moon and therefore he was able to see shadows of animals or anyone else lurking about. The grumbling stopped and he slowly sat back down. There would be no sleep at all this night.
The next morning, Adam got up and headed for home, knowing he was going to arrive very late. He thought about what he saw the day before, and as he rode home, he realized he had to tell his family as to why he was late, but did not look forward to the laughter and teasing.
I am an intelligent man, a logical man. I know I could not have seen what I thought I saw. I mean, I did see it. When I saw it, or him, or whatever that thing was, I was transfixed and had to follow it to see if my eyes could deceive me so much. I know now exactly how Hoss felt when he saw those little green men. Unlike Hoss, I can’t go home with a fantastic tale like he did about the little green men. I remember what happened when he told his story. The humiliation would be too much for me, but what do I say when they ask what took so long for me to get home from completing a simple errand? I can’t lie. There has to be a logical explanation for what happened, but at the moment, I can’t think of one. The truth may be all that I have left. How could I possibly tell them I saw a creature that looked like a man but was taller than any man and covered in hair like a monkey and ran as fast as an antelope? It’s the truth, but if I said that and there was a smirk or a chuckle, I know I would likely lose my temper because this has me so rattled. That would really make me look like a rational man, now wouldn’t it? Oh, they’re going to enjoy this, and I’m going to be miserable, no matter what I do.
He got home late that night and quietly went inside after taking care of his horse. There was a lamp still burning and he saw his father sitting in his chair with his head on his hand sleeping. Adam tried to move quietly but accidentally hit the corner of the table behind the settee which woke Ben up.
“Adam?”
“Sorry, Pa, I didn’t mean to wake you,” Adam apologized, rubbing his leg.
“Why are you late?” Ben asked standing up.
“I, uh, I ran into a few things,” Adam said not wanting to tell his father the real reason of his being late.
“All right. I’m just glad your back safe. We’ll talk in the morning.” Ben yawned.
They both went upstairs.
The next afternoon, Joe and Hoss came riding into the yard where Adam and Ben sat on the porch playing checkers. They got off their horses and joined their father and brother.
“We got today’s newspaper. Red Hogan spotted a Sasquatch,” Joe said handing the paper to Ben.
Ben took it and opened it reading the headlines and grunted.
“Who believes such nonsense?” he asked slamming the paper on the table.
Adam picked it up and read it. Red Hogan had gone out for a ride and saw some big hairy man in the woods. “It was a big Sasquatch thing,” he said. Adam folded the paper and put it back on the table but kept silent while listening to his father and brothers talking about the report.
“I wonder if anyone else has seen it and if they’ll go to the papers about it?” Joe asked.
Adam had had enough. He stood and snapped at his brothers. “Who cares? Red’s the town drunk. Why do we listen to what he says? By the way, it’s about time you two got back. We should have been out checking on cattle by now.”
Hoss and Joe looked at each other and followed their older brother.
They rode around looking for any stray cattle in the canyons. Joe brought up the news of Sasquatch again.
“Do you think that it’s real? Maybe we’ll see it!” Joe said looking around like he was expecting it to come running
from behind the rocks after them.
“Joe, shut up about the Sasquatch,” Adam snapped.
“Oh come on Adam, don’t you even believe it just a little?”
“No, I do not,” Adam said quickly.
Joe caught Adam’s quick answer and a smile spread across his face.
“You do! You do believe in it! Did you see it?” Joe laughed.
Adam didn’t answer.
“You saw it. What did it look like? You should tell the newspaper about it,” Joe said.
“No, Joe. You and Hoss say nothing,” Adam said angrily.
Both Joe and Hoss howled with laughter.
“I always thought Adam was the sensible one. And he didn’t believe me about the little men,” Hoss said between laughs.
Adam grumbled under his breath and rode off.
The next day, Hoss ran in with the newspaper with Joe trailing him.
“Hey, Adam, you’re in the paper.”
“What?” Adam asked dropping his book and standing up.
Ben joined them and looked over Hoss’ shoulder at the paper, reading the headline, “Adam Cartwright sees Sasquatch!” Adam’s jaw tightened in anger and he pulled the paper out of Hoss’ hands.
“Joe, did you put this in the paper after I told you to keep it a secret?” he asked angrily.
Joe scratched the back of his head.
“I might have.”
“Joseph, how could you after you promised your brother?” Ben asked firmly but trying to hide his smile.
“I thought everyone needed to know that even the great Adam Cartwright sees Sasquatch,” Joe said.
Adam looked ready to hit his youngest brother but instead he walked upstairs and heard an explosion of laughter
below him. Adam slapped the doorframe of his room and slammed the door.
A few days later, Adam had been cleaning out the stall when he heard his brothers walking in and talking. He slid back into the shadows and listened.
“Since Adam’s going hunting this afternoon, let’s get things ready to attack him with the costume. We can have some of the townspeople there too to see how the high and mighty Adam Cartwright falls,” Joe said smugly.
Hoss chuckled. Adam heard rustling of whatever items they were getting and they left. Adam smiled and made his own plans to get his brothers.
Adam gathered a few things for his own tricks for his brothers before he followed them [this sounds like it’s right after the barn conversation so I changed the above section of what Joe says]. He tracked them and found their horses. There were other horses and Adam figured it had to have been a few townspeople to join in on the fun. He got off his horse and slid behind a few trees and heard voices. He watched Joe climbing onto Hoss’ shoulders and then put on the costume. Adam saw the townspeople giggling as they were told to hide. Adam quietly walked away and went to his horse. He pulled out rope and tied it between two trees low enough not to be seen. He went back and began to make camp.
A loud growl came and Adam turned and saw Sasquatch. He pretended to be scared and ran. He heard the townspeople hooting and hollering calling Adam “yellow”. Adam leapt over the rope without looking suspicious and heard a grunt and a thud. Adam turned around and saw Sasquatch on the ground but his head had fallen off revealing Joe. The four friends of Hoss and Joe joined gathered around and saw the Cartwright boys on the ground. Adam knelt by them and smirked.
“You’ve got to try better than this to get Big Brother.”
He stood and helped them up. Someone walked up to Adam and he recognized the town drunk Red Hogan.
“So what do you think of Sasquatch now?” Adam asked.
“I thought it was him when I first saw him. I think I was drunk that night,” Red admitted.
“I thought so. Well, what do we tell the newspaper now?” Adam smirked again.
Joe and Hoss mumbled something Adam couldn’t hear. Still smirking, and well satisfied, Adam walked to his horse and rode into town.
The next day, Adam had gone into town for the newspaper. He laughed when he saw the front page and couldn’t wait to show his brothers. He rode home and walked in the door.
“Joe, Hoss, I have something for you,” Adam sang out.
The two brothers walked in the living room. Ben walked out of his office and joined his sons.
“Sasquatch really Hoss and Joe Cartwright” it read. Ben read the article and burst out laughing. Adam had decided to wait until it came out in the paper to let his father know what happened.
“Serves you right to try and outsmart your brother.” Ben chuckled.
Hoss and Joe made faces and grumbled. Adam laughed as they turned and walked out. They were now the laughingstock of Virginia City. That is until something else comes along.
From the Brandsters. The story was originally written and published on the Bonanza Trail Riders site. Brand is happy to offer this story a new home.
