"Kickapoo Creek"

It had just started to get dark when my friends and I arrived at Kickapoo Creek. We paid the person at the gate that led into the grounds where we were going to spend the night camping style.

All fifty something men out on a fishing and camping trip that we had enjoyed for the last ten years together.

Winston who set this trip up every year got out of the truck and started to

Set up the tents, while Jeremy and David were unloading the fishing equipment. I walked down to the lake and noticed that it was down from the year before, however that never stopped us from catching our limit before.

I walked back up to the truck, got the seine out, and walked back down to the shoreline to start catching our bait for the night. My first throw caught about two dozen skipjacks and I put them in the air controls bucket that kept them alive for a while.

Winston called down to me "Dobie how many skipjacks you caught?"

I told him, and he said were going to need a lot more than that.

I jokingly told him that I was milking this cow and that he should just hold his tail. Everybody had a good laugh and finished getting set up, then we all had a late dinner that Winston's wife had prepared for us.

After we ate, we all walked down to the shoreline, set up our poles, and hammered in the holders.

Winston was first to throw his bait into the water and sit back in his lucky chair. Jeremy was the second to cast and he threw a beauty into the darkness.

He commented that it was going to bring in the big one.

David was having a little trouble with his rod and it was really pissing him off.

I threw my cast into the darkness and went over to help David get his rod going.

David was complaining "why me? And I said, because you don't prepare man, you don't touch your equipment until it's time for us to leave each year to come down here. Knowing I was right David just let it go, and tried his rod again, this time it went out fine.

I'm getting a bite! Jeremy said with a hushed voice. He picked up the rod and got to his feet, tightened up his string very slowly until the slack gave him the vibe, he was seeking. He knew he had it by the feel on the string so he jerked violently above his head and the tip of the rod bent opposite his pull.

We all said wow! Then ran over to his location to witness this fight, while at the same time keeping our eyes on our own rods.

Jeremy finally got that fish to the bank and it was a big blue. We weighed it and it weighed 16 pounds. We dropped it into the tank and watched it explode on the water fight a bit then relax and sink to the bottom in defeat. Still in awe of that big fish we all went back to our seats while Jeremy baited his hook again and couldn't stop saying "I told you boys!

After everything settled down and we all got back into our seats, we heard something make a splash out there that wasn't your regular splash, we all knew it and commented about the same time "What the hell?

"Dobie" what do you think that was? Said Winston. That wasn't a fish!

I said no, that wasn't a fish. But what it was, I don't know!

David got up and moved his chair back a lot, and said "Don't look at me like that! That was enough to scare a grown ass man!

Jeremy said what, you think there is a monster in the creek? Then cracked up laughing but soon stopped when he noticed nobody else was joining him. Jeremy said, "Come on guys! Let's get back to fishing.

We stood there awhile just listening...

Then everybody just went back to fishing.

About 12 minutes later David got a bite and jumped up.

He lurched into the air over his head with his rod and said, "I got it!"

He ran down to the shore and kept the line nice and tight to avoid the fish diving into the wooded area of the creek. He looked back into the light of the campfire and said, "This one is bigger than Jeremy's! Get the net!

He walked out into the creek up to his knees and Winston had the big flashlight on him as he fought this huge fish. David turned to us and said

Somebody bring me the...

The water exploded! We all fell backwards from the blast of the water and David was gone. Winston got up and screamed out David! David!

Winston's voice echoed because of the quietness of the creek all of a sudden.

The insects, the waves in the water, the birds and everything holy suddenly were silenced.

People from down the way came over asking did we hear that, and we told them what was happening. One of the neighbors called 911 and they contacted a Security watercraft to come to our location. When they arrived they slowly floated around the area we told them we saw the blast.

The lights on the security boats made it seem like broad daylight out there and we saw no signs that David was ever here, not even his rod was found yet.

We sat at the shoreline watching the security boats searching the creek.

Time passed until we saw the night sky start to light up and there was nothing still on where David was.

I looked over to the guys and they both were asleep in their chairs. I called to them and said, "Let's get some breakfast. Jeremy and Winston got up and walked up to the tents with me close behind.

We all had the look of the living dead on our faces; I still can't face the fact that David is gone.

Winston started a fire and Jeremy got the breakfast food out of the ice chests.

Jeremy puts the big skillet on the fire and started to fry the bacon. Winston asked, "How are we going to tell his wife? What are we going to tell his wife?

I said we don't know that... Winston interrupted me and said "you know he is gone Dobie" We all know it.

We looked at each other with out saying a word then went on to have breakfast. After we ate, we got a visit from the Police. They separated us and asked us the same questions about the prior night to compare our stories. Winston freaked and started to scream at the officers saying " what? You think we killed our friend. This is crazy! They let him walk it off.

When they finished questioning us and left, we started to pack up the gear in the truck and we heard a Lake Patrol Boat coming to the shore.

Jeremy started down to the boat, Winston and me followed.

Two people on the boat got out and asked our names.

After they identified us they said that they had found a an arm in the water

And wanted us to see if we could identify it.

Jeremy turned and ran as fast as he could back up the sandy hill to the truck.

Winston and I walked to the boat where the other Patrolman was opening an ice chest.

We boarded the boat and walked over to the chest and Winston threw up his breakfast all over the boat as soon as we looked down into the chest.

We recognized his watch, it was David's arm. Winston was hanging over the boat crying like a baby. I went over and tried to console him but he was inconsolable.

He jumped off the boat and ran back up the shoreline to Jeremy, and I watched them both fall to the ground in each other's arms.

I just stood there looking at two grown men crying in each others arms and thought to myself, this has got to be the worst thing that's ever happened to us in our lives, and we have been friends since high school.

His wife will absolutely die when she gets the news and it is time to give her that news now that we know for sure that David is gone.

But what are we going to tell her happened? What could have done this to David?

I walked back up the hill to Jeremy and Winston and told them that I was fixing to call Ruth, and Winston said what are you going to tell her happened?

I said I'm going to tell her he is dead, and we don't know yet what happened.

Jeremy said "Oh man, she is going to blame us for this for the rest of our lives.

I said though we all feel responsible for this you know that it is not our fault,

You know that Jeremy, don't beat your self up man.

I went and got into the truck and took out my cell phone and dialed David's home phone, It rang for awhile then Ruth answered and said "What's wrong?

I know you wouldn't be calling if something wasn't wrong.

And before I could get a word in she asked is David in jail? I said no Ruth listen to me...

David's gone; she said "What? David is dead, Ruth said" What are you saying Dobie? Don't play like that, that's not funny.

I said Ruth I'm sorry but I am not joking. She started to scream and the phone went dead.

I tried to call her back but she wouldn't answer, and I knew she was just sitting there crying and looking at the phone.

I finally hung up and got out of the truck, eyes full of tears, and walked down the shoreline to compose myself.

Jeremy and Winston sat on the back of the truck talking with each other when a news crew approached them. I turned and started back to the truck when I saw this because I did not want the guys saying something they would regret later.

Before I could get back to them Winston had already jumped off the back of the truck and pushed the guy asking the questions. I started to run toward them to stop this before it got worse.

When I ran up to the crew they turned to me and the interviewer asked me "What's with this guy? I am just doing my job man!"

I apologized for Winston and said we are still in shock about this whole thing, and we are going to need a little time before we can talk about this further. The interviewer said "wait a minute sir, you guys were the only people that witnessed what happened" can't you at least tell us what you saw?

We saw nothing! I yelled at the camera, Nothing! My friend was there one minute, and then he was gone. That's all we have to say.

Go away!

They turned and walked back to their truck and left.

I told the guys let's not talk to anyone else about this until we know.

Winston said "I am staying" I said What? He said again "I am staying"

We paid for the weekend, and I want to stay.

Jeremy said "there is no way I am going to fish this creek again!"

Winston said "We have to stay and find out what did this."

Jeremy's cell phone rang and he walked away to speak with his wife. I sat down with Winston and said are you sure you want to do this?

He "said we have to man." We owe it to Dave to find what this was so we can give an explanation, a good explanation to his wife as to what really happened.

I said to Winston I will stay with you man, It's crazy but I will stay if you are going to. He said again "We have to."

Jeremy walked back up and said his wife was coming to get him and she didn't want to hear anything else about it.

We told him that we were staying and he said "you guys are crazy! Why would you stay and put yourselves in danger? Why?

Winston said "We must find out what happened to Dave and what it was that killed him."

"If we don't, we are not going to be able to live with ourselves for the rest of our lives man."

"We are going to throw bait out in the water and wait to see if what came here last night comes back."

I said that if it shows back up we will be ready to kill it on sight.

I had a four ten shot gun and Winston had a semi automatic handgun.

We intended to set up a net in the water that spanned 24x24 across the inlet that we were fishing in.

If something came into that inlet we would pull the net shut and trap it long enough to kill it.

Jeremy said guys! You are not trappers! You have no experience trapping anything! You guys are thinking irrationally! You can't do this!

Winston said "We have to try."

Jeremy cursed into the sky and walked a ways down the shoreline and pulled out his cell phone...

Jeremy was having trouble telling his wife that he was going to stay, but he finally made it clear. He came back up to us and said "my wife is coming anyway, and she is bringing reinforcements."

Jeremy's Father was a gun salesman before he died a few years ago and left all kinds of weaponry to Jeremy.

We didn't know what she was bringing, but we had a feeling it was going to be big.

We started to unload the truck as it was going to be dark soon.

Winston and I took the giant net out into the water and set it in place then ran the lines back to the shoreline where we would be lying in wait.

Jeremy threw bait that we were going to use to catch fish into the water.

The bait was bloody and it covered the water, not to mention it stunk very badly.

We all went back to the truck and started to load our weapons and wait for Jeremy's wife to arrive.

When she finally made it we noticed two other people in the car.

Winston's Wife, who Jeremy's wife had called and picked up, and Jeremy's older brother Jarrod.

They all got out and Jeremy said "What the hell are you doing here Jarrod?

While Winston was questioning his wife about coming.

Jarrod said "Bro, "I brought the fire power that you are going to need to extinguish whatever this thing is in the water.

Jeremy's wife hugged him and asked him was he crazy risking his life like this, and also told him that he wouldn't be coming ever again.

Jarrod opened the trunk of the car and to our surprise he had brought a portable missile launcher. Jarrod! Said Jeremy "We will all be arrested if we shoot off that thing!

Winston intervened and said "hopefully we won't need it."

Darkness has fallen on Kickapoo Creek and we all are sitting around the truck with lanterns lit. The waves from the creek came upon the shore with force and returned back from which they came. We noticed big white birds flying over the water in the darkness making weird sounds. We looked up and the stars were shining brighter than we had ever seen them in the years we had been coming here.

Winston said it was David shining his light down on us then he grabbed his wife and held her close. Jeremy's wife was also holding him and kissing him on the cheek.

I got up and walked down the shoreline a little ways so they could have a little me time, and it gave me a chance to reflect a bit on how life was so short.

Then it happened! Boom! The water exploded, I turned and ran for the pull strings while Winston was running straight down the shore to his side.

Winston got to his pull string first and waited for me to get to mine; as I got there we pulled and Boom! The water exploded again, we knew then that we had it. I yelled to Winston "Stake it!" I drove a stake in my pull string and this thing in the water was almost pulling it out.

We ran to the weapons, and as we got ready to run down and fire this thing up, the lights of the lake patrol shined on this creature, It was a giant gator!. They had been tracking this creature all day and had no idea we were still here.

Winston ran down with his semi- automatic and started to fire.

The lake patrol sounded off on the speaker system "Cease fire and put your weapons down! We have control of this situation.

The gator rose into the air straight up and was spinning at the same time.

The net broke, the stakes failed, and the gator went straight for the lake patrol boat. This monster rammed the boat so hard that one of the patrolmen fell into the water. We cut our spotlights from the truck on the water and saw this thing taking the officer under water as he screamed for his life. The other patrolman fired into the creek with a high powered rifle but he hit nothing.

The gator rose into the air and grabbed the officer sideways and took him into the water, that's when we ran toward the water with our weapons. We were all letting this thing have it and Jarrod came running down the shoreline telling everybody to move.

He ran to the waters edge fell to his knees, opened the little arms on the front of the missile and loaded it. Then he fell on his stomach and pointed it towards the gator that had already killed both officers and was headed up the shoreline towards us.

Jeremy called down to Jarrod "shoot it now!" Jarrod said "A little closer" then we all started to shout" Shoot it!

The gator opened it's incredibly large jaws and Jarrod fired... Boom!

Gator meat was everywhere! We all shouted "YEAH! BABY! YEAH!

We all ran down and piled on Jarrod like he had hit a walk off home run.

Then we all sat there in the sand and thought about the officers and David,

Who lost their lives before we killed the Great Gator of Kickapoo Creek.

Keyword: Kickapoo Creek Gator

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Comments (5)

Posted by Tarhead Mugwump 2008-08-22 22:53:37 kickapoo creek when i lived down on the texas coast i went fishing with a guy... as we got onto the flatbottom boat he loaded an ice chest, fishing rods, food, a hunting bow, and a rifle... huh? alligator gar... format made it a hard read. write on! + Report this comment
Posted by Zombie Punk 2008-08-22 22:54:17 .... dude, you need to fix your formats. + Report this comment
Posted by sebcoco 2008-08-23 10:20:35 .... Interesting story with a nice plotline. Strange layout, it doesn't push readers to keep reading. Write on! + Report this comment
Posted by darrinbouley 2008-08-23 20:40:49 A rocket launcher? First, let me say that I was entertained by this piece. I've always been a sucker for the monster story. But there were several things that I must address. Your picture pretty much leaves nothing to the imagination in terms of the "mystery" category. If you notice the other comments, the format made it somewhat difficult to read. Then there was the issue of skipjacks and a 16 pound blue being caught in a wooded creek. Ummmm, might want to check on that one... (Are we talking about a salt water lake?) I would remove the "to be continued" line near the end. And finally, the rocket launcher was borderline comedy. No, it was full-fledged comedy. But I must say, despite all these little burrs, I read this thing right to the end and even pumped my fist when they capped the gator! + Report this comment
Posted by harmattan 2008-08-24 16:45:14 Kickass fishing story Block the whole thing. Click on Left Justify Then you've get something. I am a salt creek angler. No gators here, but some very mean snakes and rays...... Harmattan + Report this comment

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