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〃Those tracks were going in a circle； as if the dog had been chasing his tail；〃 Partridge explained； 〃though he never did that。 And that was that。 I couldn't see them go off anywhere； though I did see a series of fresh tracks which apparently led from the porch to the spot where he ran in circles。 There were no other tracks of any kind。〃
Bandit simply vanished into thin air。
〃I think that the hardest thing to explain is the feeling involved 。。。 except to say it was an eerie feeling。 I have never had this sort of feeling before。 It was as if you knew something was wrong； but couldn't place just what it was。〃
Sudden fear。 Eerie feelings。 Something unnatural was stalking the hills of West Virginia that November。 The fear would bee contagious。 Those frightening red eyes would settle in Point Pleasant； while Mr。 Cold and his crew of cosmic zanies would spread their propaganda in Mineral Wells； forsaking their flying lantern chimney for a black Volkswagen。
6 … Mothman！
I。
High explosives were manufactured in Point Pleasant during World War II。 Seven miles outside of town part of the 2；500…acre McClintic Wildlife Station； an animal preserve and bird sanctuary； was ripped up。 Miles of underground tunnels were dug； linking camouflaged buildings and factories。 One hundred 〃igloos〃 were scattered across the fields and woods…huge concrete domes with heavy steel doors where the finished explosives could be safely stored。 Dirt and grass covered the domes so from the air the whole area had a harmless； pastoral appearance。 A few scattered buildings linked by unimproved dirt roads with no suggestion of all the activity going on below ground。 It looked like nothing more than what it was supposed to be； a haven for birds and animals in the Ohio River valley。
After the war most of the explosives were carted away。 The factories were dismantled。 The entrances and exits of the tunnels were plugged with thick concrete slabs。 Some of the igloos were given to the Mason County government as possible storage vaults。 They still stand empty。 Others were sold to the Trojan…U。S。 Powder Co。 and the LFC Chemical Co。 Some were leased to American Cyanamid。
The years washed away the camouflage and now the igloos stand out starkly on the landscape； row upon row of white mounds with deer and rabbits running between them。 The old factory buildings are broken shells。 The big generator plant near the entrance to the area still stands； its boilers rusting； its windows gone； water dripping shyly across its floor while the wind rattles the high steel catwalks and pigeons flutter in its rafters。
Local teen…agers use the decaying dirt roads for drag strips； and further back； where the woods thicken； lovers park in the deep shadows during the summer mating season。 While the TNT area had witnessed many biological events over the years； it had no reputation as a haunted place。 The local police cruised through it every evening； occasionally flashing their lights into a darkened car。 Everyone raised in the area knows every corner of the place。 Sportsmen clubs have built an archery range and picnic area there。
At 11：30 P。M。 on the night of November 15； 1966； two young couples from Point Pleasant； Mr。 and Mrs。 Roger Scarberry and Mr。 and Mrs。 Steve Mallette； were driving through the TNT area in the Scarberrys' 1957 Chevy。 They were looking for friends but no one seemed to be out that night。 All of the twisting back roads were deserted。 The few homes scattered among the igloos were dark。
Roger； then a strapping blond eighteen…year…old； was driving。 They aimlessly made the circuit of the roads around the igloos； returning to the old generator plant near the unlocked gate。 As they pulled alongside the plant； Linda Scarberry gasped。 They all looked into the blackness and saw two bright red circles。 They were about two inches in diameter and six inches apart。 Roger slammed on his brakes。
〃What is it？〃 Mary Mallette； a strikingly attractive brunette； cried from the back seat。
The lights bobbed away from the building and the startled foursome saw they were attached to some huge animal。
〃It was shaped like a man； but bigger；〃 Roger said later。 〃Maybe six and a half or seven feet tall And it had big wings folded against its back。〃 〃But it was those eyes that got us；〃 Linda declared。 〃It
had two big eyes like automobile reflectors。〃 〃They were hypnotic；〃 Roger continued。 〃For a minute we could only stare at it。 I couldn't take my eyes off it。〃
It was grayish in color and walked on sturdy manlike legs。 It turned slowly and shuffled toward the door of the generator plant which was ajar and hanging off its hinges。
〃Let's get out of here！〃 Steve yelled。
Roger stepped on the gas and they shot through the gates； spun onto the exit road； and headed for Route 62。 Suddenly they saw it； or another one like it； standing on a small hill near the road。 As they hurtled past it； it spread； its batlike wings and took off straight up into the air。
〃My God！ It's following us！〃 The couple in the back seat cried。 Roger swung onto 62 on two wheels。
〃We were doing one hundred miles an hour；〃 Roger said； 〃and that bird kept right up with us。 It wasn't even flapping its wings。〃
〃I could hear it making a sound；〃 Mrs。 Mallette added。 〃It squeaked like a big mouse。〃
〃It followed us right to the city limits；〃 Roger went on。 〃Funny thing； we noticed a dead dog by the side of the road there。 A big dog。 But when we came back a few minutes later； the dog was gone。〃
Panic…stricken； the red eyes still burning in their minds； they went directly to the Mason County courthouse； charged into the sheriffs office； and blurted out their story to Deputy Millard Halstead。
〃I've known these kids all their lives；〃 Halstead told me later。 〃They'd never been in any trouble and they were really scared that night。 I took them seriously。〃
He hopped into a patrol car and followed Roger's car back to the TNT area。 At the edge of town they looked for the dog's body。 It was gone。
Back at the power plant there was no sign of the red…eyed specter。 Halstead switched on his police radio and a very loud signal blasted out of the speaker； drowning out the voice of the police dispatcher in Point Pleasant。
It was a loud garble； like a record or tape recording being played at very high speed。
Deputy Halstead； an experienced cop； looked taken aback but said nothing。 He switched the radio off quickly 。 and peered unfortably into the darkness； reluctant to really search the old building。 But he was convinced。
The next morning Sheriff George Johnson called a press conference。 Local reporters interviewed the four witnesses。 Mrs。 Mary Hyre sent the story out on the AP wire and that evening the 〃Bird〃 was the chief topic at supper tables throughout the Ohio valley。 Some anonymous copy editor gave it a name； spun off from the Batman ic character who was then the subject of a popular TV series。 He tagged the creature Mothman。