I'm a retired cryptozoologist. I use the term retired in this context very loosely. I was

never paid for my work, and there was no pension to speak of. Cryptozoology has always been

a passion of mine. One, that, in my old age, I no longer have the energy to pursue. But,

I didn't leave empty-handed. The treasures of the trade are not monetary ones. They are

so I'm passed around from 100 to the next, others gain from experience on the front lines.

The one that I keep coming back to, even now, is a personal one. It's been many years,

but I think I finally have the nerve to share it.

Before we get started, a little background. I'm a journalist by trade, and in the mid-80s,

there was a spike in submissions to the paper I worked for, which shall remain anonymous,

pertaining to unexplained phenomenon. Sightings are remarkable, but horrific beasts in the local

forest. They were a trip to read, but not worth investigating, according to my boss.

Our mantra was clear. Straight to the news. The paper was known for neutral, unbiased,

fact-based articles. That meant no sensationalist headlines, no opinion pieces, and nothing that

could be dismissed or disproved. Still, I'd so much fun reading these bizarre tales. The highlights

of any given workday when one landed on my desk. On one particularly slow day at the office,

I was handed three separate letters. Or, when new submissions, describing similar incidents,

too similar to be written off with the others. According to these first-hand accounts,

there was an ominous creature that stood at the edge of the forest when driven by.

There was a humanoid entity covered in grass-like fur all over. Other than the greenery,

there were no identifiable features. It blended in with a tree line,

but jarred the three drivers when it moved, running into the road at great speed.

If this was a prank, it was an elaborate one, especially for the time period.

...