A Monster in Six-Mile Canyon

Let’s be done with it. I’ve been trying to think of how to say this and not sound like I’m completely off my rocker, but I think I was attacked by a Spirit in Six-Mile Canyon near Virginia City.

After parking my truck, I walked in further, following an animal trail. My intent was to snap a few photographs of the rugged terrain as the sun began to disappear.

The first time I realized I wasn’t alone was when I saw a shadow move over my head. I saw it out of the corner of my left eye and turned to my right to watch it fade behind a grouping of rocks.

My first thought was that I was simply imagining things; my second thought was perhaps a mountain lion. So, I stood there for a couple of minutes to see if the big cat would reappear.

It didn’t, instead I heard the clattering of stone behind me. I turned to where I thought the noise had come – and was met instead by a large, black mass that overwhelmed me.

It struck so quickly, that I had no time to react to it. Instead, I fell backwards and down the small pile of tailings I’d been standing on.

Contact with this mass left me feeling sick to my stomach, sad and very afraid. I didn’t wait for it to come back – I simply got to my feet and took off running back down the trail I’d jus’ come from.

By this time my panic was overwhelming me and I was fumbling with my keys. I could also hear whatever it was behind me – not only did it sound like it was running after me, it also make a shrieking like I’ve never heard.

Once in my truck, I fired the engine up and backed out of the area as far as I could; only turning around when I thought it was safe. I was very happy when my truck-tires found the surface of State Route 341’s asphalt.

Only when I got home and started downloading my pictures to my computer, did it come to me that I had taken jus’ one picture while in the canyon. That was of a bunch of obsidian shards, left I supposed by Indians years ago.

Maybe I dragged something along with me from the Virginia City Cemetery, which I had jus’ finished photographing. While I’m still not sure what happened to me, I do know this– I won’t be returning anytime soon.