This story is true.

It happened last Thursday night.

Sunset is about 6:20.

The sun hits us from a southern locale at this time of year. It is full dark by 6:45.

Karl, Bob and I have a last outing about 8:30.

Moonrise is 10:00

The last outing, down the driveway and through the woods, is in the dark.

About 8:30 on Thursday evening, I put Karl’s blue light special collar on him, outfitted myself with bear spray (pepper spray) and flashlight, said my prayers and opened the front door loosing the dog, the cat and myself to the dark of a Montana woods.

Bob typically ventures out on his own around the garage and the adjacent wood pile for his evening errands

Karl and I head down the driveway. Karl has a regular stop to starboard and then we trot purposefully to the road, hang a left and head for the far southeast corner of the property for the serious business of an evening.

Mission accomplished and the return is either back to the driveway or along the eastern most property line. On this evening, we returned to the driveway.

Karl, ever vigilant, was on the alert. No barking, but he was often stopping and “huffing” to the east. I shined the flash I carried into the woods…at eye level, above my head, low to the ground…nothing. We continued toward the house with occasional sweeps of the flash.

A rustle!! I heard a rustle in the woods! – My flash returned nothing. Karl stood at alert but did not bark. We continued.

I kept up a regular sweep behind and around us with the flash…looking, looking, looking – into the dark for telltale red eyes. When the flash hits the eyes of human or animal, the retinal reflection is bright red.

Karl and I were 2/3 of the way up the driveway to the house. I turned and swept behind us with the flash. RED EYES! In the driveway!!! The red stopped AND THEN STARTED TOWARD US!

My heart thumped. The red was not deer. Deer eyes are close together and about my own eye level. This red was lower and wider.

I did not know what to think.

The eyes moved toward us.

Mild panic set in.

I commanded Karl, “INSIDE”!

Inside is a command that I use when I want Karl IN the house. I use it ONLY for that reason and he responds.

As Karl and I headed for the house, I glanced back and did a quick sweep with the flash…the red eyes continued toward us!

Mild panic turned to alarm. I grabbed Karl’s collar, commanded “INSIDE” again and we both took off at a run for the house.

Approaching the porch, I yelled for Bob…worried that whatever was following us would trap him outside. He was not to be seen.

I got Karl inside.

I turned and yelled for Bob again…nothing.

I doused the porch light and stood in the dark of the house…heart pounding…thinking of those eyes following…unnerved…

Tiptoeing into the sunroom, I waited a few moments…and then turned on the sunroom spots to catch whatever was following us…

Bob!!!, It was Bob. He must have uncharacteristically followed Karl and I on our down the driveway walk….

Spooked!