Bigfoot Crossing by Gail Anderson-Dargatz

Author:Gail Anderson-Dargatz [Anderson-Dargatz, Gail]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orca Book Publishers
Published: 2022-12-22T20:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

I slide the night-vision goggles back in place. Right away I see the Bigfoot again. As I run after it, I put the pieces together and finally figure out what really happened earlier.

Back at the truck, the real Bigfoot tried to tell us that Hank had kidnapped Dad. That’s what it was doing when it put on its “play” in the truck headlights.

Later it waved us down the trail, trying to get us to follow it back to the fire lookout. But then we ran into Hank, dressed in his Bigfoot costume. It was him I followed. And then the Sasquatch threw those boulders and rocks on the roof to get Hank to run outside so we could save Dad.

The Sasquatch is trying to help us.

At least, I think it is. But why did it just kidnap Rose?

Then I get it. The Sasquatch thought Hank was going to hurt Rose. So it carried her away to safety. Now I have to get Rose back.

But I hear something on the path behind me. I turn to see Hank running after us. And he’s got that tranquilizer gun.

What do I do? What do I do? I stumble over a root and do a face-plant inches from a banana slug.

And then I hear Mom’s words going through my head. Break it down, she always says. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, break the problem into pieces and focus on one piece at a time.

I push up from the wet ground and start running after the Bigfoot again. Okay, I can do this. I have to do this. For Rose, for Dad, for me. Break the problem into pieces and focus on one piece at a time.

The first piece is, I’ve got to lose Hank. Or he’ll put all of us to sleep with that gun.

I look back again. I can see Hank working his way through the forest, following our trail. But he doesn’t have night-vision goggles. I do.

That gives me an idea. I start running in the opposite direction of the Sasquatch and my sister. I try making a lot of noise, breaking sticks underfoot and pushing young trees. Just as Dad told me to, I start banging on trees with a stick. I’m hoping Hank will think I’m the Bigfoot and follow me.

And, weirdly, it works. Hank veers off the Bigfoot’s path and follows mine. I run, hitting trees. When I figure I’ve gone far enough, I grab a few rocks and hide behind a big tree.

With the night-vision goggles, I can see Hank approaching, but he can’t see me. In fact, he walks right past me. Good.

But then, a bit farther along the trail, he stops to listen. To keep him moving in that direction, I throw a rock so it lands just up the trail from him. Hopefully he’ll think the noise is the Sasquatch and keep chasing it. Then I pitch another rock. It works. Hank takes off, running down the trail away from me. And then he’s gone.

I slip out from behind the tree and double back down the trail.

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