The Encounter.

It was the pounding of my heart in my ears that brought me back to reality. That deep whomping sound, bouncing within the walls of my cranium.

In this moment I was at a loss on whether to run, quite literally for my life, or stay very still. I'd never been in this circumstance before.

In this moment, I couldn't even muster up some inkling of brain power to veto all executive function and flip on primal mode.

In this moment, primal mode may have very well put me in the unpleasant position of imminent death. What exactly does one do when faced with a legend of lore, playing with a blade of grass just a mere 18 meters away?

Thump, thump, thump.

I'll tell you what I did. I froze. I may as well have come across Medusa, because I went stone still. I understand now, how paralyzing fear can be.

My subconscious took over, diving into the cinematic saga of my life leading right up to this juncture.

Birthdays, my first kiss, my first heart break... people I loved, people I hurt. People who hurt me. Graduating. My first paycheck. My cat, my apartment. That earring I never fished out of the heater vent.

None of it mattered; yet all of it mattered enough to hurl me back into my immediate senses. As I was tail spinning down memory lane my lizard brain took over and dredged up a plan that was the most practical in dealing with this random, one in a million chance of coming across - a Sasquatch.

From the second I rounded the last bend on the hiking trail to seeing what lay ahead, time became obsolete. My brain split in half; one side pinning for self-soothing memories as an attempt to blur the sure coming mauling, and the other screaming for my body to do something, anything to get away from the mountain of fur and terror that was just a way off.

Thump, thump, thump.

The compromise came when a single word formed in my mind's eye.

Phone... phone... PHONE!

If I'm to die right here and now I may as well attempt to leave photographic evidence of my ultimate demise. Or better yet, if I'm to make it out alive, how sensational would it be to have a legitimate photographed encounter with Bigfoot? Of course, I'm sure I'll be discredited and lopped into the cluster of fakes and chastised as a photoshopping fanatic.

But I'll know.

I'll always know.

Perhaps this thing was like a T-Rex, unable to see you if you stood perfectly still. Oh wait, wasn't that debunked? Regardless of my bright yellow slicker and neon purple leggings, I took comfort in this fallacy. In this case, ignorance was my only bliss. I reached down to my jacket pocket at a snail's pace.

That's when the terror set in deeper. It wasn't enough with the whole coming across a woodland mythological creature. It was coming across a woodland mythological creature and realizing that opting for a jacket with Velcro pockets was quite possibly the most regrettable unforeseen mistake I've made since purchasing my prom dress. It was abundantly clear in that instance that foresight is not my strength, nor have I learned ANYTHING from horror films.

It was too late anyway. I must have been upwind of the giant ape creature, or perhaps it was nothing like a T-Rex and my clothing choice was in fact my conclusive undoing. It suddenly sprang up on its gargantuan feet and locked its 10-gallon bucket sized head in my direction. Have you ever gulped so deeply that it feels like your throat has taken up a permanent residence in your gut?

All bets were off at this point, it was now or never. It's funny how a body can convert to overcooked pasta when it's overwhelmed with fear. We've all heard stories about incredible feats performed by people under massive amounts of adrenaline. How I wished in this moment I was one of those people. How I wished my adrenaline was in the vein of Herculean strength and not hot dogs for fingers.

I fumbled with the flap of my pocket, making sure not to take my sight off the bipedal hulking mass.

SCCCrreeeCCCChhhhhhhhh!!!!

The Velcro gave way, anchoring my position in the woods like a beacon of light. The seconds are flying faster than the buttered side of toast falling to the floor. My fingers are doing the best they can after having their bones replaced with Jello, all while operating under the pressure of having my whole being turned into a bullseye.

A symphony of forestry being crushed and plowed filled the air. This thing was on the move. Though my eyes never left the creature, the loudness of its movement was convincing enough that I would end up as the next headline boasting 'Lost Hiker in the Woods'. It stepped over saplings like they were weeds. Easing through the thick underbrush with a grace that surpassed gold winning Olympic figure skaters.

My adrenaline shifted gears. Going from Jello bones to a concrete buzzing defeat. The numbness felt like morphine. I HAD to look down at my screen. Everything in my body was begging not to take my eyes off the beast. My lizard brain had given up and logic in the face of death took over.

'You're going to die, get that picture. It'll help the homicide detectives as they're bagging up the pieces of you left behind.'

My fingers, more emboldened with its acceptance of being Squatch food, regained composure and wrapped around the phone, haphazardly swiping on the camera icon.

As I aimed my phone up to snap a shot of teeth careening towards my face, I realized then that the noise of deforestation was carrying away from me. My eyes adjusted away from the tunnel of light and grandma waving me over. Which was just as much a surprise to see as a Bigfoot. Let me tell you, I honestly didn't think she'd end up there.

I commit myself back to earth and look around desperately, trying to get my wits about me, still frozen in place. I spot it once more, running like a drunken frat boy swinging its arms to and fro with a hopping gallop. It seemed to be going vertical up a hillside, effortlessly. Even a professional rock climber would need several days to figure out a path up such a sheer mountainside. This only added to the shock and awe of its terrifying stature. How could such a large cumbersome looking animal move like this?

My arm wavered with phone in hand. A clammy sweat had seeped from my skin, making it difficult to make contact with the touch screen. He'd disappear soon, time was of the essence.

Click.

Click.

Click.

It was over before my brain was able to catch up and comprehend what had just unfolded. One moment I was preparing to cross over, and then next I'm staring into a serene, wooded grove. Dead silence crashed against my clamoring thoughts, and we all know what happens when a positive and a negative meet. Zero.

Blankness had me in its clutches. This encounter couldn't have been more than a minute from start to finish. My arm was still extended out, quivering from a mixture of the fallout of stress and my skeletal system trying to remember it exists. That it exists, apparently, very much like the Sasquatch itself.

As the panic started to subside, reasoning began to trickle in. Was it still out there? Would it follow me once I figured out how to walk again? I found myself gasping for air, as all bodily operations had come to a screeching halt during that entire 60 seconds. I stood there in stunned silence, breathing heavier as I felt the weight of dread finish its course. I needed to leave. Go back to my car.

My knees finally broke character and I almost crumbled to the ground. The shaking set in and I could feel the pulsing of blood through my arms and legs, tingling and electrifying. My head throbbed after being rocked by the intensified palpitations on my heart.

I still couldn't believe it. I had a Bigfoot experience. And lived.

I tested out the reliability of my footing and slowly eased myself around to the direction I had come from. The terror hit me like a ton of bricks, knowing I had turned my back from the spot I last saw the Sasquatch. I bolted, unthinking and uncaring.

I didn't know what to expect with my clumsy departure, giving away my whereabouts and leaving a trail of distressed pheromones behind. As I ran, the images of pulling into my driveway and letting myself into my home were enough to put logic back in charge. Run. Run fast. Get your keys ready. Don't look back.

I've never been a strong runner up until this moment. It was as if the trail had become one of those conveyer walkways you see in airports. It didn't even feel like my feet were touching the ground. I was gliding. The air whistled around me; my hiking pack jostled around, slamming against me like the heel of a jockey on a prized steed.

My eyes caught sight of the parking lot in the distance. The glint of sunshine bouncing off the roof of cars was my North star. I could feel my pace quicken, knowing the car was just up ahead. My heart was pounding in my head once more, from the strain of explosive running combined with a bag of mixed emotions. This time however, it was much less terrifying.

This time, it was much more rewarding.

Thump, thump, thump.