Memory told of a possible sighting on a back road west of Hardin witnessed in Calhoun County, Illinois

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I was riding with a friend in the summer of 1974, on the back roads at night when we had to stop to relieve ourselves. First thing we noticed upon opening the car doors was the worst odor we had ever smelled. We walked to the back of the car and heard deep breathing. I looked toward the breathing sound up a 5 foot embankment. Standing still, next to a fence post was a dark tall wide figure facing me. I could clearly see the outline and it appeared dark with the skyline behind it. The fence post it was standing by only came up to its waist. Its shoulders raised and fell with its deep,loud breathing. That was enough for us, as this was about 20 feet away. We jumped in the car and sped away. We didn't talk for 10 miles or so down the road. When we did talk, we swore never to mention this to anyone else because we would have been ridiculed to no end.