Sasquatch: From the X-Files Ch. 03

Mount Baker, National Park, August 25th 1:02pm

Scully signalled with one shaky hand for Mulder to back off, she was hunched over by the water's edge vomiting up the contents of her stomach. Mulder took a step back, his gun still clutched in one hand, he could hear Mears talking to Haskell a little way off, mumbled words from him weeping from her, Mulder's own stomach tightened and he thought he would be joining Scully at the water's edge to get re-acquainted with his breakfast.

Mulder's shot had blown wide that was his guess as the creature had not fallen or reacted to being shot instead it had let out a sickening roar at the two of them which seemed to wake Mears from his paralysis and he let a shot fly. 'Missed on purpose' Mulder said to himself, he could tell, somehow he knew that Mears had flinched at the moment of pulling the rifle's trigger. The creature fled quickly, one step took it into the tree line by the second step it had vanished. It was long gone Mulder knew it, Mears knew it but both men still kept their weapons ready as they approached the two women, both now looking disorientated and rather pale. "I'm going to be sick!" Scully said hiccupping as she scrambled to her feet grabbing her jeans and pulling them up as she half ran, half hopped to the water's edge.

Haskell clung to Mears sobbing uncontrollably as she pulled her clothes about her covering her exposed breasts with one hand. Mulder raced to Scully where she turned him away with one hand as he vomited into the water. Scully stood up straight, her hands shaking violently as she did the clasp on her jeans, she turned holding her shirt together with one hand, breasts now concealed but nipples poking at the material, "What happened?" Mulder asked, Scully looked awful, her eyes were rimmed in red and not just from being sick, she shook all over as if frozen, he got to her before she collapsed holding her up as her arms flopped to her side and she passed out.

"How is she?" Mears asked as Mulder moved away from the now sleeping Scully. Both men had scrambled to get sleeping bags unrolled, leaving the women on the shingle shore for the time being, though neither of the women complained or even stirred on the sharp stones that must have surely been digging into them.

"Bit of a temperature and exhausted but okay," He looked over at Haskell who was asleep too, "Haskell about the same?" Mears nodded his response, both men were at a loss of what to do, they had walked in on something that in another setting would have been erotic but had taken on a twisted and terrifying angle. They took a few steps away from the sleeping women though making sure they were close enough if anything untoward happened. "What happened back there?" Mulder asked. Mears looked at him a shrugged, "You know what I mean, why did you freeze?"

"I don't shoot bears for fun Agent Mulder!" Mears shot back quickly, a finger jabbing into Mulder's shoulder as he spoke.

"Bullshit!" Mulder retorted back, "That was no bear and you know it," Mears turned his head, lips turning bloodless as he clenched his teeth, "That was no bear and it certainly wasn't a guy drugged up on magic mushrooms, that was a bigfoot clear as day." Mears spun back round his face had gone red, hands clenched at his side as if he were ready to punch Mulder. "Why did you freeze?" Mulder asked quietly and calmly.

Only three people knew Ben's story, himself, his father and up until a few years back no one else until he had told Sarah one night in bed. He had gone fishing with his father as they always did during the school break. It was a yearly tradition it got them both out from under Ben's mother's feet and gave them some father, son time together. It was late September and already the forest was showing signs of Autumn, the leaves were not quite as vibrant on many of the tree's, the flowers that at the height of summer covered the forest floor like a carpet had finally wilted and the wind spoke of the chill that would soon be here.

They were three days in to their wilderness trek when they pulled up next to a fast running body of water, Ben's father had caught trout here previously and he had decided that the chances were high enough to try again. After about an hour he had stepped from the water in waders resigned to the fact that perhaps today was not going to be The Day. Ben asked if he could stay and his father had ruffled Ben's then dark hair, smiled at him and agreed, their camp was only a couple of meters away and if Ben did happen to land a catch, Costigan Mears was within shouting distance to come lend a hand.

At twelve Benjamin Mears had dreams of making his own Lewis and Clark expedition he saw these yearly trips as trial runs leading up to the main event. Ben found a lot of peace in fishing it let his mind wander to places far off as well as deal with events happening closer to home his mother always said he was older than his years. The splashing further upstream brought Ben out of his daydream, he tugged on his fishing rod out of habit feeling a little disappointed that the almost invisible fishing wire was loose and not taunt with a juicy catch.

The splashing made Ben turn his head and his breath caught, not much further up the stream on the opposite bank a figure sat hunched over the water, two long arms were submerged in the water up to the shaggy haired elbows. Ben's twelve year old mind tried to make sense of the shape, of the fur or hair it wanted to say bear it was almost instinctual for his mind to report back bear hadn't his father told him time and time again to be on the lookout for black bears. But those arms, impossibly long with thick light brown hair those were not part of a bear. The arms flicked in the water and were suddenly pulled up, long fingers closed round the body of a large fish that was chucked onto the ground before the arms went back into the water.

"Dad!" Ben called out his voice shaky and high pitched, the creature turned its head instantly even from that distance and over the sound of water it had heard Ben's call. It pulled its arms from the water and stood up slowly. Ben dropped his fishing rod, which caught in the flowing water and was washed away, he wanted to take a step back, to turn and run but the creature was watching him. It moved forward on the other bank moving cautiously, wet hair clung to its powerful looking arms and dripped water. It came to a halt almost opposite the stricken Ben, its features almost human behind a layer of downy hair, it lifted its large head sniffing the air, 'sniffing me' Ben realised.

"What's up Champ?" Costigan asked as he walked up to his son, he stopped cold as he caught sight of the creature across the way. The creature crouched down unsure of the new intruder it sniffed the air again taking in the new scent. It growled and clicked at the two humans, giving Costigan the oddest sensation that it was trying to talk to them. Costigan lifted his hand slowly, palm open "Hello there," he said in a voice that sounded strong but still wavered with nerves. The creature stood up abruptly, it gave two deep hoots then scampered back to its catch, without slowing it grabbed the fish and disappeared into the trees. "No one, we cannot tell anyone about this." Costigan said more to himself than to Ben, but Ben understood.

Mulder could tell by Mears' expression that he was waiting for Mulder to smirk or laugh, had they not just seen such a creature Mulder would have taken the story with a grain of salt had he not seen the earnest look in Mears' eyes, "Was it the same one we saw today?" Mulder asked.

Mears felt drained from talking so much but also relieved that he had been able to tell someone his story, someone who for the time being believed him, "I think so, but I couldn't say for certain." But he had paused there was something about the face and the eyes in particular, there was a familiarity but through a rifle scope how could he really be certain.

"Did you notice anything odd?" the question seemed odd to Ben who looked at Mulder questioningly. "A cut, a wound something like that,"

Mears now understood and smiled inwardly, Mulder was growing in his estimations, here was an agent that wasn't fuelled by the shoot now ask later stance. A creature that is wounded would act out of character, oddly and in cases viciously. Mears' brow knitted together as he played back those few seconds, the scope sight moving across the body 'a lot of hair' Ben told himself, 'matted in places, maybe blood,' he saw it in slow motion the scope rising to the nape of the neck then the face, now even more familiar the more he focused. He shook his head, "Nothing that stands out, it was sweating a lot that's about it."

"Sweating?" Mulder asked and Mears nodded. "How much?"

Mears let out a soft laugh, "You want that in litres or gallons? It was sweating enough for me to see it on his face," Mears paused the creature was no longer an It but a He, Mears was beginning to accept the fact, his mind letting him free to speak unguarded, "looked like someone had thrown a bucket of water at him. But under that hair in this heat who wouldn't be sweating."

Mulder shook his head, "No I don't agree, sightings have been prolific, we'd have to say more than one creature which means a definite breeding pattern, they would have adapted to the climate. Maybe a fever though?" Mulders mind was connecting dots that were perhaps not quite there yet but he had to try and make sense of the situation.

"Sweat a lot with a fever, I've seen people with malaria and worse do crazy things," Mears chimed in more comfortable with the idea that the creature was injured or sick and acting out, either scenario meant it could be healed or cured though that still left the death of four people to deal with. "But that doesn't explain why those two were acting the way they were?" Mears pointed over his shoulder at the sleeping women.

Even Mulder was stumped there, the way the women were acting for Scully it was totally out of character and as for Haskell, well judging by Mears' reaction it was not part of the Sheriff's normal proclivities. "Only they'll be able to shed light on that." Mulder furrowed his brow as he looked at the sleeping figures, "Were not going any further today, we need to set up camp."

"I'll get some wood, if you want to put the tents up," Mears said, he did not wait for a reply from Mulder instead he headed off towards the tree line keeping well away from where the Sasquatch had disappeared.

Foothills, Mount Baker, august 25th 1:05pm

Brad held his hand up silencing the group with one simple gesture. Cathy had voiced the question the moment they heard the popping sound, "what was that?" before Brad had silenced them, a few seconds past then a howl perhaps a mile or so away rolled over them, Angelica took in a sharp breath as if she was getting ready to scream then a deeper pop sound followed swiftly afterwards. "That was gunshot!" Cathy said and no one argued that point.

"What do you think? A Bear?" Todd asked he was looking in the general direction of where the sounds had come from but they were so deep in the tree's that any chance of seeing anything other than bark and leaves was slim to none.

Brad nodded slowly, he had heard Bear's plenty of times it had not sounded like a Bear, but it was far enough away that the wind, the trees even the Mountain could have thrown the acoustics off enough plus he did not want the group especially angelica panicking. "Someone's probably trying to keep their picnic safe from Yogi." Brad said his smile forced as he turned to face the group, he could feel how tense they had all suddenly become. Angelica looked close to tears and Cathy was chewing her bottom lip as her eyes darted left to right as if some beast was stalking them. His joke fell flat, yet they all smiled wearily. "Come on it's not much further to the lake." He moved between the motionless group taking the lead from Daniel, Brad motioned to everyone to move on and a little apprehensively they followed.

That lake sat nestled in a bowl made up of low tree lined hills in all directions and to the north the intimidating stone edifice of Mount Baker loomed over it all, its reflection dominating the lake's still surface only broken by a small island that sat a hundred meters or so from the shore line just beneath the group. "Wow!" Rebecca exclaimed as she stepped into the small clearing, her mouth hung open as she took in the sight. Out of the tree's the air felt less cloying, the heat was still there even though the sun had reach it apex and was already descending but the breeze that came from the lake felt wonderful on her skin.

Suddenly the strange noises from earlier seemed an even further distant memory, "I don't know about you guys but I need a bath." Rebecca shrugged out of her back pack dumping it with little ceremony at Daniel's feet and began to walk down the slight incline to the Lake's edge as she went she removed her clothes. Her t-shirt landed on a small bush, her bra tossed casually over her shoulder landing crumpled on the ground as she continued to walk. She looked over her naked pale shoulder at the rest of the group, "Who's joining me?" she asked as she bent over slightly sliding her shorts and white knickers off in one slow movement her toned backside visible to all.

Daniel dumped his backpack without a second thought rushing down the slope to join Rebecca as she waded into the water squealing with the sudden coldness as the water enveloped her first up to her knee's then her hips before she jumped forward and dived under the surface. Daniel stripped quickly at the shore tumbling onto his backside as his trousers caught on his boots. He cried out pitifully as he worked his feet free of the boots then yanked off his crumpled trousers, Angelica turned to look the other way as she saw Daniel's erect cock before him as he ran into the lake. Cathy leaned in towards her and whispered, "Different is good remember?" and winked conspiratorially at her.

Rebecca and Daniel swam back and forth in the water splashing on another or chasing one another while the rest of the group unpacked at the shoreline. Brad as usual took control, he kept looking over at the two in the lake smiling it was not difficult to see how badly he wanted to join the two of them but instead he gave out quick orders to get the tents up. Cathy waved Brad off, "Not me honey, this sun is too good to waste." She lifted her arms and pulled her tank top off, her dark breasts bra-less and now exposed to the warmth of the sun puckered slightly and her almost black nipples grew hard. Cathy grabbed a patchwork blanket and spread it out on the ground before lying back, sighing and closing her eyes.

Brad threw up his arms in mock exasperation though he smiled through it all and shouted at Todd to do the work instead. "Do you need a hand?" Angelica asked him,

Todd smiled, "Man work, woman cook." He replied in a gruff caveman type voice and shooed Angelica off. For a moment she stood still looking around, the scenery was breath taking, the opposite shoreline was lost in a heat haze that left it shimmering like a mirage, birds sung lazily in the tree's and the sky was an unblemished blue. Angelica had not seen another human being in over two days maybe more it was like they were the last ones on earth, survivalists in a harsh empty land. Angelica shook her head, she felt so timid still even with two naked people splashing in the water right before her and another girl topless not two feet from her. They had seen no one in two days, who was going to stumble onto them now; the others certainly didn't seem to care.

Angelica took a slow shaky breath in and as she let it out she undid the buttons on her top, she slipped the top of and reached behind unhooking her bra as she did this she quickly looked about, no one was gawping at her they were busy and didn't seem to care. The bra pinged free and her heavy breasts sagged with relief as she pulled the fabric and wire from her body. "Room for one more?" Angelica asked Cathy. Cathy opened one eye and smiled at the sight of Angelica topless above her she shuffled over on the blanket and patted the spot next to her.

Angelica lay there for a few minutes, her heart had stopped its frantic hammering and she found herself enjoying the feeling of being bare out in the open. Her breasts were heavy and pale she had heard people sniggering behind her back in the past especially when she was in a bikini or worse the hurtful things some girls spat at her when they saw her dressed up, cleavage deep and on show. But here no one cared, no one sniggered or said hurtful things, Angelica opened her eyes a smile forming on her lips, she turned her head and noticed Brad looking at her he smiled back his face turning red suddenly and he turned quickly away bending down to hammer a tent peg into the ground. "He's been watching you for the last five minutes you know." Cathy said dreamily her eyes still shut.

Angelica let out a jittery laugh, arms going up to cover her warm soft breasts "I'm sorry." She said an automatic response she had learnt early in life.

Cathy sat up on her elbows, "Why? I've been looking too, those are pretty impressive honey. If I had those boys I'd show them off whenever I could."

"Really? Yours are so pert," Angelica said taking in the round chocolate coloured breasts and currently soft dark nipples, Cathy gave a good natured laugh "I'm sorry." Angelica blurted out.

Cathy shook her head, "There it is again, stop being sorry for everything." Rebecca gave a squeal in the water as Daniel grabbed hold of her from behind lifting her bodily from the water her breasts glistening with water before she splashed back down both of them disappearing beneath the surface. When the pair came back up they were holding each other close and kissing. "You think those two are sorry for anything? How about Brad or Todd? Hell how about me?" Cathy leaned in on one elbow, "we're not sorry for anything it's time to forget the Angelica of yesterday let the Angelica of today free." Cathy leaned further in, "Or are you still sacred?" The tone was mocking, and Angelica felt a pang of hurt deep in her stomach at the taunt but wasn't that the idea?

Angelica was on her feet, not really thinking, perhaps that was for the best as she rose she was certain she was going to go to Brad just to be spiteful to Cathy instead her feet took her to the lake, she took hold of her own cargo pants and took them off aware that the hammering behind her had abruptly stopped. Angelica did not risk a look behind, if she did she knew all would be lost and she would blush terribly, fumble over her words and probably run off naked with embarrassment. Instead she waded into the water her breath catching in her mouth and she let out a yelp at the sudden coldness yet she continued further in. Rebecca had pulled away from Daniel smiling a little at Angelica whose eyes remained fixed on Daniel.

Daniel had been enjoying the sensation of his cock pressed up against Rebecca's belly the water acting like a lubricant as he rubbed it back and forth across her toned stomach, when Rebecca had pushed away Daniel had gone to call out then he had seen Angelica. His cock twitched beneath the surface at the sight of Angelica's large breasts unbound and heading in his direction. She was stood before him within a few more steps she hooked one hand around his neck and pulled him in for a kiss. Daniel's ears roared with blood but he could just about hear someone cheering behind that. When the kiss broke his first view was of a rather scared looking Angelica then of Cathy on the shore clapping and cheering.

Angelica had almost squealed when she felt the hard head of Daniel's cock nudge against her stomach as she pulled him in for the kiss, then she had almost fainted as his tongue parted her lips and explored the inside of her mouth, his cock now firmly pushing against her belly. She broke the kiss to prepare herself for the onslaught that she was pretty certain was going to come flying from Rebecca. Instead Rebecca beamed from ear to ear and even joined Cathy by clapping softly. Angelica felt Daniel's hands on her hips holding her firmly and pulling her closer she turned and met his lips for the second time, opening her mouth willingly to his tongue.