Monster Run

With the hill beneath my toes I took off just before dusk. The sun was shallow and weak at my back sending a few weak sorties at the rear of my neck. Ra's light was dominating its heat. My visible breath shot out in front of me every six footfalls.

A blinking light on my forehead was a brilliant hood ornament. It is still unknown how the large white pickup truck didn't see me until a few yards away. Betcha he was short fella.

Deer in the cornfield to the left of me and cows in the lea to the right of me. Shots fired in the distance...hopeful that Mr. Hunterguy can tell the difference in the low light. "Honey, this venison tastes just like beef."

Turning right I pass a Christmas tree farm and the road rises above my toes. In the absence of fitness little inclines are the Matterhorn.

Something runs up behind me in an almost-sneak attack. I turn like the victims in monster movies before the devouring: mouth agape; eyes wide like white Frisbees; hands raised to my face like in Munch's The Scream. What would get me tonight? Zombie Pit Bulls? Vampire Holsteins? Crazed robot Christmas trees? Bigfoot? Was it the Yeti, Sasquatch come to feast upon me, leaving nothing but a bloody pair of Reeboks and a blinking light attached to my hat sans head?

No, it was a dried leaf somersaulting between my feet on its way to the ditch. Whew, that was close.

Darkness landed just across the farmer's fields and the clouds looked more sinister than just a few minutes ago. I turned my light to a steady stream and out of the corner of my eye, just down a side road I caught a fluorescent-yellow roller-skier and his buddy, the-almost-invisible-cyclist coming my way. I passed the intersection as they stopped, scratched their noodles and pondered their next move.

My run was over at the mailbox and I scooped out a few catalogs and slid my way up the icy driveway. My lower stomach was chilled nicely where my jacket was a bit loose.

Best part of the run was climbing the stairs that was redolent of cooking beef. I could see Kitima through the warmly lit kitchen window whipping up some culinary masterpiece as her new hooded grill vented furiously. It looked warm inside. She smiled and waved.