MEDIA COVERAGE

“On September 8, two homeless men seeking shelter near Pigeon Creek encountered and killed who they thought and claim is Big Foot.”

Sophia Hayden, a reporter for an Evansville television station stares into a camera manned by another reporter. This is her second take of what she hopes will be her news report for the 6 and 10 news shows.

“I am standing in the guest bedroom of a man wishing to remain anonymous who claims the deceased is not Big Foot, but another homeless man named Harold Piegrand.”

Ms. Hayden runs her hand back and forth across the front of her neck to signal the filming to stop, “Are you certain you want to remain anonymous?”

“I want this to be about Mr. Piegrand, not me.”

“I have lots of questions for you that will need to be answered. It will be easier if I could ask them directly on camera.”

“I’m sorry.”

Sophia Hayden turns and shrugs to her partner who relaxes the camera off his shoulder and down to his side.

“Did you find anything like a birth certificate to confirm his identity?”

Sophia Hayden has other questions. Questions like that for which I fail to have adequate answers. Her questions cast a gray shadow on the authenticity of my claims: that Harold is not Big Foot and these documents originate from him.

CORONER’S OFFICE

At the same time, Harold Piegrand’s corpse lies stiff and lifeless on a cold metal table at the Vanderburgh County morgue. The medical examiner jots down on an iPad his finding that Big Foot is a man. As requested, the examiner also emails this conclusion to the county prosecutor’s office.

COURT APPOINTED LAWYER

“Who started the fight?” London Christianson, a court appointed attorney asks Gavin.

“Big Foot attacked us – Owen and me.”

London waits to see if Gavin might add to that. He believes awkward silence can often generate more information. It seems to produce more frustration on the countenance and actions of his appointed client.

“Why do you think he attacked you and Owen?”

Gavin leans forward resting his folded hands and his outstretched arms on the table that separates him from London.

“I don’t know. You’d have to ask Big Foot.”

“I can’t. You killed him. He’s lying in a morgue with several stab wounds in his back and sides.”

Gavin grips tightly to his interwoven fingers and through grinding teeth replies, “What are you trying to say? Who’s side are you on?”

“I’m trying to say that you’re facing possible serious criminal charges and I want to help you get justice. But I need to know what happened or neither I nor any other lawyer can truly help you.”

“We were in this cave, me and Owen. This giant, hairy monster comes in and comes after us. I didn’t stop to ask him why. I looked for the first opportunity to get away from him.”

“Why couldn’t you and Owen just run?”

“We were in a cave with one exit and Big Foot had that one exit blocked.”

Gavin appears to be annoyed with the questioning and his words spew out angrily. London continues reluctantly knowing the importance of getting Gavin’s accounting of the incident.

“But you managed to get out. Owen must have been able to escape the cave also because the struggle occurred outside the cave. Correct?”

SOPHIA HAYDEN

Sophia looks up from her notes and hovering over her with a funny crooked smirk is her filmographer partner. Sophie stares back blankly and gives her partner a “what is it” shrug.

“Coroner confirms that Big Foot is a male human being.”

“We have a story,” Sophia jumps up and does a little dance that would make MJ proud.

OWEN AND LONDON

London glances down at his phone when a text pops up from his law office. Coroner’s office confirms deceased is a man.

For several silent ticks of the proverbial clock, London just sits facing Owen without really looking at him. Owen waits impatiently, frustration and anxiety mounting.

“You’ll probably going to be formally charged with manslaughter or worse.”

Owen’s releases his pent up anxiety, “I saved my friend from being killed by that monster.”

“The Law sees him as a man.”

Categories: Author Confession

Douglas Knight

I write about what I'm thinking or what I've imagined in an effort to regain that childhood imagination and marry with my many years of real experiences. I'm getting better at it the more I write.I am a published author of two romantic intrigue novels.My books can be found at Amazon.com or if you want a personalized copy, by emailing me at douglasknight85@gmail.com.