August 26, 2025 • 13 mins
The thunderstorm rolled in faster than I had expected. One moment, I the trail was silent except for the rhythmic sound of my boots hitting the damp ground.
The next, a wall of rain swept through the trees with a roar, and the sky cracked open with lightning.
I made it to the shelter just in time—barely enough room for me, my soaked pack, and the gathering shadows of dusk.
The wind howled through the gaps in the rough-hewn logs, and thunder rattled the boards beneath me. I was cold, wet, and grateful. And I had the perfect thing to pass the time.
From the side pocket of my pack, I pulled out a dog-eared journal that my brother back home had had for left me.
It was a handwritten note along with the journal that had been tucked inside and it read : “Read this on a rainy night. Trust me.”
The next, a wall of rain swept through the trees with a roar, and the sky cracked open with lightning.
I made it to the shelter just in time—barely enough room for me, my soaked pack, and the gathering shadows of dusk.
The wind howled through the gaps in the rough-hewn logs, and thunder rattled the boards beneath me. I was cold, wet, and grateful. And I had the perfect thing to pass the time.
From the side pocket of my pack, I pulled out a dog-eared journal that my brother back home had had for left me.
It was a handwritten note along with the journal that had been tucked inside and it read : “Read this on a rainy night. Trust me.”
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
The thunderstorm rolled in faster than I had expected. One moment,
the trail was silent except for the rhythmic sound of
my boots hitting the damp ground. The next a wall
of rain swept through the trees with a roar, and
the sky cracked open with lightning. I made it to
(00:40):
the shelter just in time, barely enough room for me,
my soaked pack, and the gathering shadows of dusk. The
wind howled through the gaps in the rough hewn logs,
and thunder rattled the boards beneath me. I was cold, wet,
(01:02):
and grateful, and I had the perfect thing to pass
the time. From the side pocket of my pack, I
pulled out a dog eared journal that my brother back
home had left for me. It was a handwritten note
along with the journal that had been tucked inside, and
(01:25):
it read, read this on a rainy night, Trust me.
And as I prepared for my expedition, stuffing this away,
little did I know I would actually be reading it
on a stormy, rainy night. So here I was listening
to the wrath of the mountains outside while I flipped
(01:46):
open the worn cover and found the title Wappy's Story,
The Old one of the forest. The storm faded in
the background. As I read on. The elder named Wapi
sat by the fire, his face a road map of
ancient stories. Each wrinkle held a tail, and each tail
(02:10):
carried the weight of generations. The flames licked at the darkness,
casting long, dancing shadows around their small camp, nestled deep
in the woods. His little grandson, Nico, snuggled into his blanket,
wide eyed, the firelight shimmering into his pupils. Grandfather Nico whispered,
(02:35):
voice trembling slightly. Is it true that the Sasquets walk
in these woods? Wapi gave a quiet chuckle, the kind
that came from knowing far more than one would ever say.
He stirred the glowing emberors with a stick, sending a
spray of sparks into the night sky like tiny stars.
(02:58):
The Sasquets is not a monster, little one. He is
a protector. Our people have known him for generations, long
before roads and fences and buzzing lights. Nico clutched the
blanket tighter, eyes darting to the dark beyond the fire's reach.
(03:19):
But he's big, right and hairy. Wappi nodded slowly, Yes,
very big, very hairy, black as the ravens that guard
the mountain's edge. But don't let stories from outsiders fool you.
He doesn't hurt those who show respect. He is the
(03:42):
forest's shadow, a guardian who sees all, hears all, especially
when people stop listening. The old man leaned back, his
gaze rising to the night sky above, where stars had
poked through the canopy like ancient watchers. For a time.
(04:03):
Neither of them spoke. The wind whispered through the trees,
and somewhere in the distance an owl called. But slowly
the forest began to quiet, not in peace, but in pause.
The crickets went silent, even the wind seemed to hold
(04:25):
its breath. Then it came a low crack, like a
branch breaking under heavy weight. Nico froze Grandfather. He whispered,
barely audible. Wapi's eyes narrowed. He leaned forward slowly, his
ears tuned to the space beyond the firelight. Another sound
(04:49):
followed close, this time a deep, deliberate shuffle. Not the
skittering of a raccoon, not the soft pad of a deer.
This was something far heavier then The eyes twin orbs
high off the ground, reflecting the firelight like molten amber.
(05:13):
They hovered unmoving, just beyond the tree line on the
far side of the fire, too high, easily over eight
feet tall, and they were staring directly at them. Nko
gripped his grandfather's arm. A voice caught in his throat.
(05:35):
What is that? Wapi didn't answer immediately. He rose slowly
with reverence, placing himself between the boy and the fire.
Stay still, he murmured, and stay quiet. The figure stepped forward.
First came the outline, a towering silhouette framed in the
(05:59):
flickering orange light. The creature was immense, at least eight
and a half feet tall, if not more. Its shoulders
were broad, nearly four feet across, and it moved with
a presence that dent the air around it. The thick
black hair covered its body, shimmering slightly damp with dew
(06:24):
or sweat. Each step was careful, calculated, as though it
understood the weight it carried. Then it crouched the fire,
revealed more a powerful hand the size of a dinner plate,
braced against the earth, a thick torso built like stone,
(06:47):
and then its face mostly hidden under the cover of
a heavy brow and a curtain of hair, but its
eyes those were clear, and they were locked on Nico.
The boy couldn't move, his body betrayed him, rooted in fear.
(07:08):
His heart pounded so loudly he was sure the creature
could hear it. The sasquettes did not look at Wapi,
nor at the fire, only the boy. Wapi slowly knelt
beside him, placing a hand over his chest. He sees you,
he whispered. Nico didn't blink. Nico didn't blink. The creature's
(07:34):
gaze bore into him, not with anger, but with a strange,
unnerving intensity. It was as if it were looking through him,
into his spirit, measuring something. I'm scared, the boy croaked.
Wapi nodded gently, keeping his voice low. Good. What means
(08:00):
you understand the moment, but do not run, Do not cry.
Let him see your heart. The cess gets head tilted slightly,
and then, still staring, leaning forward. Its mouth opened slightly,
but no sound came out. Its chest rose and fell
(08:24):
with deep, controlled breaths. The fire cracked, casting the eerie
patterns across its face, and then something even stranger began
to happen. Time slowed, or maybe it stopped the fire
continued to burn, but the crackles sounded distant, as if underwater.
(08:50):
The cold of the forest deepened, wrapping around them like
a second skin. Nko could still feel his heart pounding,
but it felt like minutes had stretched into hours. Neither
he nor the creature moved. It was as if the
world had paused, the moment crystallized into something sacred. Then,
(09:18):
just when Nico thought he might scream from the presence
of the silence, the creature blinked once, slowly. Then it
rose to full height, towering above them a living wall
of shadow and power. It gave a low, almost inaudible grunt,
(09:41):
something between a sigh and a hum, and turned, disappearing
into the trees with impossible grace for something so large.
As soon as the last hint of the shadow vanished,
sound returned. The wind rustled the leaves again. The crickets
(10:02):
resumed their song. A lone bird chirped uncertainly. Unsure if
dawn had come, Nko gasped and looked up the sky
above them. The stars had faded. A faint, pale blue
had crept into the horizon. Dawn was near, but it
(10:25):
was midnight. It was just midnight. The boy murmured, rubbing
his eyes. Wasn't it? Wapi slowly nodded, looking into the
forest with a knowing gaze. He came in the stillness,
in the space between seconds, and when he left, the
night had gone with him. Niko stared, stunned. We were
(10:49):
only just sitting here. It felt like minutes. That's how
it is with the Sasquts, Wapi said softly. Time ben
around its presence. The old stories speak of it. Some
say he walks between the moments where men cannot follow,
(11:11):
and if he lets you see him, it's because he
wants you to remember. The fire was low, now, barely
more than embers. Nico sat in silence, heart still fudding,
but his fear had given way to something deeper, something reverent.
Why me, Wapi smiled, the first rays of morning, beginning
(11:37):
to paint the trees with silver. That is a question
only time can answer. But tonight the forest chose you,
and the Sasquets revealed himself. That makes you part of
the story. Now, and far beyond the circle of firelight
unseen but not gone, the forest shadow walked again. Lightning
(12:05):
flared outside my shelter, illuminating the trees like ghosts. I
paused and looked up. The forest beyond the overhang was
shrouded in mist and rain, but for a second I
thought I saw a movement, a shape too tall, too upright,
(12:25):
too still to be wind blown branches. Then it was gone.
I smiled to myself, not sure if the story or
the storm had stirred my imagination. Either way, I pulled
my sleeping bag a little tighter, turned another page, and
kept reading. I wanted to take a moment to say
(13:06):
thanks to all the listeners of Bigfoot's Wilderness. It's been
a while and I truly appreciate each of you sticking around.
Life happens and things get in the way, but your
continued support means a lot. A special thanks to Dave
over at where Bigfoot Roams. Without your encouragement, I'm not
sure I would have kept going. Thanks everyone, see you
(13:27):
on the next one.
The thunderstorm rolled in faster than I had expected. One moment,
the trail was silent except for the rhythmic sound of
my boots hitting the damp ground. The next a wall
of rain swept through the trees with a roar, and
the sky cracked open with lightning. I made it to
(00:40):
the shelter just in time, barely enough room for me,
my soaked pack, and the gathering shadows of dusk. The
wind howled through the gaps in the rough hewn logs,
and thunder rattled the boards beneath me. I was cold, wet,
(01:02):
and grateful, and I had the perfect thing to pass
the time. From the side pocket of my pack, I
pulled out a dog eared journal that my brother back
home had left for me. It was a handwritten note
along with the journal that had been tucked inside, and
(01:25):
it read, read this on a rainy night, Trust me.
And as I prepared for my expedition, stuffing this away,
little did I know I would actually be reading it
on a stormy, rainy night. So here I was listening
to the wrath of the mountains outside while I flipped
(01:46):
open the worn cover and found the title Wappy's Story,
The Old one of the forest. The storm faded in
the background. As I read on. The elder named Wapi
sat by the fire, his face a road map of
ancient stories. Each wrinkle held a tail, and each tail
(02:10):
carried the weight of generations. The flames licked at the darkness,
casting long, dancing shadows around their small camp, nestled deep
in the woods. His little grandson, Nico, snuggled into his blanket,
wide eyed, the firelight shimmering into his pupils. Grandfather Nico whispered,
(02:35):
voice trembling slightly. Is it true that the Sasquets walk
in these woods? Wapi gave a quiet chuckle, the kind
that came from knowing far more than one would ever say.
He stirred the glowing emberors with a stick, sending a
spray of sparks into the night sky like tiny stars.
(02:58):
The Sasquets is not a monster, little one. He is
a protector. Our people have known him for generations, long
before roads and fences and buzzing lights. Nico clutched the
blanket tighter, eyes darting to the dark beyond the fire's reach.
(03:19):
But he's big, right and hairy. Wappi nodded slowly, Yes,
very big, very hairy, black as the ravens that guard
the mountain's edge. But don't let stories from outsiders fool you.
He doesn't hurt those who show respect. He is the
(03:42):
forest's shadow, a guardian who sees all, hears all, especially
when people stop listening. The old man leaned back, his
gaze rising to the night sky above, where stars had
poked through the canopy like ancient watchers. For a time.
(04:03):
Neither of them spoke. The wind whispered through the trees,
and somewhere in the distance an owl called. But slowly
the forest began to quiet, not in peace, but in pause.
The crickets went silent, even the wind seemed to hold
(04:25):
its breath. Then it came a low crack, like a
branch breaking under heavy weight. Nico froze Grandfather. He whispered,
barely audible. Wapi's eyes narrowed. He leaned forward slowly, his
ears tuned to the space beyond the firelight. Another sound
(04:49):
followed close, this time a deep, deliberate shuffle. Not the
skittering of a raccoon, not the soft pad of a deer.
This was something far heavier then The eyes twin orbs
high off the ground, reflecting the firelight like molten amber.
(05:13):
They hovered unmoving, just beyond the tree line on the
far side of the fire, too high, easily over eight
feet tall, and they were staring directly at them. Nko
gripped his grandfather's arm. A voice caught in his throat.
(05:35):
What is that? Wapi didn't answer immediately. He rose slowly
with reverence, placing himself between the boy and the fire.
Stay still, he murmured, and stay quiet. The figure stepped forward.
First came the outline, a towering silhouette framed in the
(05:59):
flickering orange light. The creature was immense, at least eight
and a half feet tall, if not more. Its shoulders
were broad, nearly four feet across, and it moved with
a presence that dent the air around it. The thick
black hair covered its body, shimmering slightly damp with dew
(06:24):
or sweat. Each step was careful, calculated, as though it
understood the weight it carried. Then it crouched the fire,
revealed more a powerful hand the size of a dinner plate,
braced against the earth, a thick torso built like stone,
(06:47):
and then its face mostly hidden under the cover of
a heavy brow and a curtain of hair, but its
eyes those were clear, and they were locked on Nico.
The boy couldn't move, his body betrayed him, rooted in fear.
(07:08):
His heart pounded so loudly he was sure the creature
could hear it. The sasquettes did not look at Wapi,
nor at the fire, only the boy. Wapi slowly knelt
beside him, placing a hand over his chest. He sees you,
he whispered. Nico didn't blink. Nico didn't blink. The creature's
(07:34):
gaze bore into him, not with anger, but with a strange,
unnerving intensity. It was as if it were looking through him,
into his spirit, measuring something. I'm scared, the boy croaked.
Wapi nodded gently, keeping his voice low. Good. What means
(08:00):
you understand the moment, but do not run, Do not cry.
Let him see your heart. The cess gets head tilted slightly,
and then, still staring, leaning forward. Its mouth opened slightly,
but no sound came out. Its chest rose and fell
(08:24):
with deep, controlled breaths. The fire cracked, casting the eerie
patterns across its face, and then something even stranger began
to happen. Time slowed, or maybe it stopped the fire
continued to burn, but the crackles sounded distant, as if underwater.
(08:50):
The cold of the forest deepened, wrapping around them like
a second skin. Nko could still feel his heart pounding,
but it felt like minutes had stretched into hours. Neither
he nor the creature moved. It was as if the
world had paused, the moment crystallized into something sacred. Then,
(09:18):
just when Nico thought he might scream from the presence
of the silence, the creature blinked once, slowly. Then it
rose to full height, towering above them a living wall
of shadow and power. It gave a low, almost inaudible grunt,
(09:41):
something between a sigh and a hum, and turned, disappearing
into the trees with impossible grace for something so large.
As soon as the last hint of the shadow vanished,
sound returned. The wind rustled the leaves again. The crickets
(10:02):
resumed their song. A lone bird chirped uncertainly. Unsure if
dawn had come, Nko gasped and looked up the sky
above them. The stars had faded. A faint, pale blue
had crept into the horizon. Dawn was near, but it
(10:25):
was midnight. It was just midnight. The boy murmured, rubbing
his eyes. Wasn't it? Wapi slowly nodded, looking into the
forest with a knowing gaze. He came in the stillness,
in the space between seconds, and when he left, the
night had gone with him. Niko stared, stunned. We were
(10:49):
only just sitting here. It felt like minutes. That's how
it is with the Sasquts, Wapi said softly. Time ben
around its presence. The old stories speak of it. Some
say he walks between the moments where men cannot follow,
(11:11):
and if he lets you see him, it's because he
wants you to remember. The fire was low, now, barely
more than embers. Nico sat in silence, heart still fudding,
but his fear had given way to something deeper, something reverent.
Why me, Wapi smiled, the first rays of morning, beginning
(11:37):
to paint the trees with silver. That is a question
only time can answer. But tonight the forest chose you,
and the Sasquets revealed himself. That makes you part of
the story. Now, and far beyond the circle of firelight
unseen but not gone, the forest shadow walked again. Lightning
(12:05):
flared outside my shelter, illuminating the trees like ghosts. I
paused and looked up. The forest beyond the overhang was
shrouded in mist and rain, but for a second I
thought I saw a movement, a shape too tall, too upright,
(12:25):
too still to be wind blown branches. Then it was gone.
I smiled to myself, not sure if the story or
the storm had stirred my imagination. Either way, I pulled
my sleeping bag a little tighter, turned another page, and
kept reading. I wanted to take a moment to say
(13:06):
thanks to all the listeners of Bigfoot's Wilderness. It's been
a while and I truly appreciate each of you sticking around.
Life happens and things get in the way, but your
continued support means a lot. A special thanks to Dave
over at where Bigfoot Roams. Without your encouragement, I'm not
sure I would have kept going. Thanks everyone, see you
(13:27):
on the next one.
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