In the Ancient Lands of the Pemigewasset Read online

ahead,” said Chip.

  “Ever since the chief died, local residents have always believed that these hills are haunted. This belief is enhanced by an unusually high number of people that have mysteriously fallen off the edge of the cliffs for no apparent reason at all.”

  “Are you trying to discourage us from going up there,” asked Jake.

  “I wouldn't go up there at night. But a daytime walk along the edge of the cliffs might be nice. The view is terrific.”

  “So .... You've been up there,” said Jake.

  “Quite a few times,” replied Dorothy.

  “And you never encountered any ghosts,” said Jake.

  “I just go to pick blueberries.”

  “I'll keep that in mind.” said Jake.

  “Please do,” said Dorothy.

  “One more question,” said Chip.

  “What's that,” said Dorothy.

  “Do you sell beer?”

  “I wish I did – cause I would make a fortune,” said Dorothy. “But you need to go to the state liquor store for that item.”

  “Will do,” said Jake.

  Jake and Chip left the store, hopped into Jake's old Dodge Dart, chose to pass on a beer run and headed straight for the parking lot for the trail to the top of Pemmican Cliffs. Much to their surprise the parking lot was almost full.

  “Looks like nobody pays any heed to the legend,” said Chip.

  “Or perhaps that lady was just pulling our leg with all that Injun talk,” replied Jake.

  “That wouldn't surprise me one bit,” said Chips. “She really liked to wag her tongue.”

  Quickly, the two hikers ascended the trail that lead to the top of Pemmican Cliffs. The rocky ledges continued for several hundred yards and looked down over a 100 feet to the canopy of the forest below. As Jake and Chip walked the edge of the ledges they encountered several groups of picnickers and one couple with two kids picking blueberries.

  Towards the end of their stroll along the top of the cliffs, the two young men chanced upon a pair of sunbathing beauties, wearing nothing but a G-string bikini. Both women lay face down on the warm rocks with their feet stretched towards the edge of the cliff and their heads pointed slightly up hill. The two women faced each other, as they lay on the rock, but their eyes were closed. Both were in their young twenties and fully filled their swimming attire.

  Jake and Chip stopped about 20 feet away, mostly to admire the two sunbathers and bask in their good luck at having chanced upon such a scene.

  Chip was the first to notice the venemous reptile that lay stretched out just a few feet from the young woman with the long blond hair.

  “Look Chip! There's a rattlesnake sunning itself right on the rocks.

  “Holy Moses! It's right next to the girl with the white bikini.”

  “I can't believe it. That's a Black Massauga, the rare swamp rattler,” said Jake.

  “I can't believe you,” then Chip yelled. “Hey girls, there's a rattlesnake on the rocks!”

  Just as the women started to roll over and get a glimpse of the new arrivals, the viper became startled by their movements and promptly slid under the nearest rock into a deep crevice.”

  The girl with the dark hair and light rouge bikini looks at Chip and Jake and demands.

  “What are you two trying to tell us?”

  “There was a rattlesnake just four feet away from your friend,” said Chip.

  “Yeah right! And there's probably a Yeti right at the bottom of the cliff, also.”

  “No, my friend's telling the truth,” said Jake. “In fact it was the rare Black Massauga.”

  “Will you two creeps get lost?”

  “Well, just in case the snake returns – don't forget it is better to get bit by a poisonous snake than to jump off a cliff. Snakebites are rarely fatal, especially to a full-grown person.”

  “Hey, guys! The state funny farm is just 30 miles down the road and if you two clowns don't start heading in that direction right now, I'm going start yelling at the top of my lungs for help.”

  “No need for that we'll leave you two alone.”

  “Get out of here, now!”

  Then the girl with the white bikini spoke for the firist time. “That goes for me too. I want you two guys to leave. There's no rattlesnake here.”

  Slowly, Jake and Chip left the area, where the girls were sunbathing and headed down the steep embankment that lay next to the cliffs.

  “Wouldn't it be cool if we ran into another Black Massauga,” said Chip.

  “No, it wouldn't. Those snakes can be very aggressive when cornered. And a steep cliff is no place to be cornered by a scared snake.”

  “I get your point.”

  “You know we missed out on a golden opportunity.”

  “Yeah, that reptile was something else.”

  “No, your idiot – I meant the girls.”

  “Oh yeah, they looked really fine all covered with oil.”

  “Too bad that snake didn't reappear, while we were there.”

  “I know it was like that dam critter was almost human.”

  “How can you say that?”

  “Well, I think it's like he wanted the company of the girls all to himself.”

  The End

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