Darkness Plus

Last night, long after darkness, my cat decided he wanted out the front door.  As always, he pressed up against the door in anticipation as I approached to open it for him.

As soon as I opened the door wide enough, my cat slipped out.  An instant later, he backed himself inside again.

Something was out there.

Somewhat reluctantly, I opened the door a bit wider and leaned out into the darkness.

I saw ears.  Big ears.  I found myself in staring contest with a doe mule deer.  She had been raiding the birdfeeder.

I shrunk back inside.  “Dude,” I said to my cat., “it’s just a deer.”  I nudged him a little.  He slowly walked outside again.  I closed the door.

Doe mule deer are not scary.

— Mitchell Hegman