tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667620598366061914.post4541633979607828306..comments2023-11-28T16:46:27.400-05:00Comments on The Blog Where Horror Dwells: A Random Bedtime StoryStephen Mark Raineyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10338247201048681867noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2667620598366061914.post-5414114194736733772015-01-30T21:51:43.345-05:002015-01-30T21:51:43.345-05:00Some of you who know me, also know that I’m an avi...Some of you who know me, also know that I’m an avid geocacher. If you’ve ever listened to any of my stories about my geocaching adventures, this is definitely my all-time favorite and Mark really captures these events in this story of our first real meeting. I hate scary things and always believed the monster must live within the man that can write such vivid horror stories, so of course I was nearly out of my mind with fear when I found myself all alone with him, in the woods, late at night, surrounded by hundreds of reflective tags nailed into every tree around us. It was beyond freaky. It was ghoulish, perhaps demonic, and certainly contrived. Now throw in a chainsaw . . . <br /><br />I never “saw” the “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movie, but watched maybe 10 or 15 minutes of it before fleeing to the snack bar where I remained for the rest of the show. I had nightmares about it for weeks, my personal "boogey man" safely encapsulated in the recesses of memories, long put behind me until Mark brought it up again. I was definately on the crest of hysteria. While Debbie had vouched for his character, didn't most mass murderers live in "plain sight"? Yep!<br /><br />In addition to the pure thrill of finding the next cache, my next favorite thing about caching is that it has introduced me to some of the most amazing people I have ever known. Many of them are a part of my heart, members of my inner circle whom I hold dear, and I know we will always be friends. Luckily I got to know Mark better and better (I even went out caching with him without body guards!) over the following months and years, but it was no time at all before I realized he is such a great person, fun to be with, and has a wonderful sense of humor. <br /><br />Mark can tell you many more stories of our adventures together, and each one is precious; short stories of adventure (ghost stories by a campfire with my students), bonding (drinks around the "cache bar"), pushing personal limits (remember crossing the river on the downed log?) and never giving up on the thrill of finding the next treasure. Thanks for remembering, Mark!Beth Waltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02942957577292880894noreply@blogger.com