I was finishing a smoke in the back of the bar when Mike poked his head out the door. It was dusk, mid November, a chill in the air. Typical for South Jersey.

“Ashley, you ain’t smokin weed, are ya?” He asked.

“Noooo,” I answered, rolling my eyes.

“A bear has gotten into the dumpster again. I called animal control. Can you wait for them to get here?”

“Are they sending that cute girl out or the grumpy old man?” I asked.

“Idaknow, just wait for ‘em. I gotta get these wings started.” His head disappeared back inside.

I hoped it was the cute girl; yeah, she had a boyfriend, but one could always dream.

I peered out back beyond the dumpster to look closer at the mess. I blinked a few times. Did I see something stir?

The back of the Pic-a-lilli Inn had an open area with tables for the bikers, who often preferred to sit outside near their bikes. Some trash cans were tipped over, which wasn’t too unusual. The dumpster was located further away to keep the trash smell to a minimum.

I sauntered out toward the dumpster. That’s when I saw the tail.

It wasn’t a bear. At least not now.

I could see a trail of rubbish leading from the dumpster toward the scrabble pines. I knew I had to get moving before I was needed for the dinner rush. Currently just a couple of Pineys getting happily sloshed at the bar.

“Don’t see any bear,” I scoffed.

I blew out a last lungful of smoke and tossed the butt into the sand.

But Something was definitely scuttling around back there. I decided to just take a walk to check it out.

It looked like a large snake had gotten into the trash. Chicken wing bones were spread all around an area of several feet, along with strands of pasta, pizza bones, and potato skins.

The sound it made —- a snuffling, hungry gobbling—gave me pause.

My boot crunched on sand and dead leaves, and I cringed, hoping whatever it was didn’t see me —

Then it growled.

The thing came from behind the dumpster, rising up to full size, a snake or a bird or both — black leather wings 6 feet across, lizard-like feet with vicious claws, a head like a dragon’s, mouth bursting full of chicken wings. It shrieked at me, eyes blazing red, then hurled itself toward me — just then flapping off ground, into the air, disappearing into the cold lonely pine forest.

Then I passed out.

When I came to, Melissa from animal control was holding me in her arms. Had I died and gone to heaven?

This was only Monday, I thought.