It was already the early afternoon when I started driving.
If there was one thing to say about the Cancry, it is that it is very tech oriented.
The main thing I'm referring to is the heads up display projecting onto the windshield, along with the AI integration.
The display showed my speed, the speed limit of the road, managed how centered in the lane I was, and even had car / pedestrian tracking with built in auto braking.
I was honestly surprised with how advanced cars had gotten.
However, no matter how easy or relaxing a drive may be, eventually, it gets boring.
I had spent just about three hours driving around the country backroads, just enjoying exploring places I hadn't been before.
I was still enjoying seeing new places, but it was getting dark and I had to pay more attention to the road.
We live in the country where deer will absolutely throw themselves in front of cars.
As I was driving down the country road the large trees blocking out the orange sunset barely peeking through. I was alone on the thin twisting road, with my head lights shining a path ahead.
I drove around another bend on the outside, the edge of my headlights catching something standing in the other lane.
With a slight panic I quickly glanced out of my window as I passed to see what it was.
Only to be faced with a deer, no, NOT a deer. But a stag, standing on its two back feet. Completely unfazed by my car speeding by.
I looked into my rearview mirror and saw the creature casually continue walking on its hind legs across the road.
I felt a feeling of dread, goosebumps, chills, and an insane desire not to be here any longer.
I sped around the next corner, trying to get just a little farther away.
Once I was another ten minutes down the road I finally felt a little safer, at least safe enough to think back on what I had seen.
It was definitely a stag-like thing standing there but for some reason, instinctually maybe, I could tell it wasn't a stag.
It was something else, something wrong, something unnatural, and something real.
I still get the chills just thinking about it.
…
I quickly made my way back to the warehouse, back to Layla.
Once I was back, I had calmed down, I still felt the creepy vibe.
But, I was back, and I'm an adult.
Things like ghosts, or folklore, don't exist. There has to be a reasonable explanation for this.
Yeah, I can just Foolgle it.
I got out of the car and scanned the surroundings, then quickly made my way over to the door.
The door didn't open right away which made me panic a little.
I jiggled the door handle a few times before I fully turned the handle and the door opened.
I quickly made my way inside and locked the door behind me. Finally breathing a sigh in relief.
Then I just about jumped out of my skin when I heard a voice right behind me, "What are you doing?"
I flinched, turned around to see Layla looking at me. I clutched my chest and felt my heart beating a mile a minute.
Layla asked, "What? What happened?"
I held up my hand and took a moment to catch my breath. Then I said, "I saw something creepy while driving back. There was a stag, a male deer, standing on its hind legs in the middle of the other lane."
"Really? That is creepy."
"Yeah, it didn't even react when I drove past. When I looked into my rearview, I saw it just casually kept on walking. Solely on its hind legs. Completely unbothered."
"Ok, that is weird."
"Yeah. So, I'm going to Foolgle it."
I walked over to the computer and Foolgled, "Stag standing on 2 legs".
The search I got was, "stags standing on two legs is a natural, though uncommon, behavior typically used for feeding, fighting, or establishing dominance. Deer, including stags, can rear up to reach high vegetation, such as berries or to "box" during mating season, often described by observers."
"Ok, so there is a reasonable explanation. See? Nothing to worry about."
After a moment, my curiosity got the better of me. I added "legend" to the end of the previous search.
What I got was, "The legend of a stag or deer standing on two legs often refers to the "Not Deer," an Appalachian cryptid described as a deer-like creature that walks upright, acts menacingly, and has "wrong" features. These creatures are sometimes confused with shapeshifters, skinwalkers, or the antlered, humanoid Wendigo of folklore."
"Ok, I should not have looked that up, my bad."
I looked up "Not Deer" and what I got was, "The "Not Deer". A recent online urban legend (gaining traction around 2018) detailing creatures that look like deer but behave unnaturally. Often moving on two hind legs, having unnatural joints, or forward-facing eyes."
"Ok, cool cool. That definitely doesn't help me feel any better."
I went down a rabbit hole looking into the other folklore creatures. Let's just say I'm glad they are folklore and not reality. Because man, I am not equipped to deal with things like that.
I am definitely going to struggle going to sleep tonight.
Layla had made great progress on the car removing lots of rust, but that just showed how much damage there actually was.
As for my few hours of driving I did indeed upgrade the car.
But that is something I can worry about later, right now I am more concerned with getting home in one piece.
Layla and I called it a day, we got into the Cancry and made our way back home.
Down the familiar country roads that now seemed significantly more ominous than they had ever before.
The drive however was uneventful, the roads were eerily empty. With only the occasional truck passing in the opposite lane.
We made it home, and when we did I felt myself relax for the first time since I saw the creature.