Yes this did happen.
A military camp has several setup requirements. A motor-pool can't be near main camp as we store fuel and other volatile liquids. So to protect the main base from any accidents (intentional or otherwise) it is a couple of hundred yards away. As a member of the motor-pool (Acting Jack Sgt I was) one gets used to living off to the side of the normal(s).
One night I was down at base camp enjoying dinner at the KP area and stuck around at the R&R tent watching a movie. After the movie I proceeded to walk "home". Being mostly cloudless but a waned moon night, I could mostly see the ground I was covering. I could even see some light sources, a touch, here and there as my motor-pool guys worked. So I started walking home.
As I was walking I then saw a wave of fluid washing my direction. "Crap, who burst the fuel bladder!!!" was the thought in my head. I then proceeded with ominous vigor to find out who did it and what we'd have to deal with in that case. I wasn't worried though as we stored diesel on hand and it takes more than open flame to ignite diesel.
I continued to "Home" and let the fluid wash over my boots. Continuing to walk I heard the hish and sizzle of fluid washing over sand. Wasn't worried until I heard a lot of click-click-clicks. I then looked down and say that it wasn't fluid - at all! Apparently our construction activities disturbed a huge scorpion nest and they, as a group, were moving to a new home.
Here I was surrounded by about a million scorpions, late at night, without a flashlight or surrounding light source and all I could imagine was falling down and disappearing under stingers and claws quick. So I then launched into a run... through the scorpions they way they came from as that was the shortest distance to get the heck out of there. I ran with the balls of my feet the only thing touching the ground and my knees hitting my chest I was so scared.
And the entire time I ran... I screamed like a little girl.
A military camp has several setup requirements. A motor-pool can't be near main camp as we store fuel and other volatile liquids. So to protect the main base from any accidents (intentional or otherwise) it is a couple of hundred yards away. As a member of the motor-pool (Acting Jack Sgt I was) one gets used to living off to the side of the normal(s).
One night I was down at base camp enjoying dinner at the KP area and stuck around at the R&R tent watching a movie. After the movie I proceeded to walk "home". Being mostly cloudless but a waned moon night, I could mostly see the ground I was covering. I could even see some light sources, a touch, here and there as my motor-pool guys worked. So I started walking home.
As I was walking I then saw a wave of fluid washing my direction. "Crap, who burst the fuel bladder!!!" was the thought in my head. I then proceeded with ominous vigor to find out who did it and what we'd have to deal with in that case. I wasn't worried though as we stored diesel on hand and it takes more than open flame to ignite diesel.
I continued to "Home" and let the fluid wash over my boots. Continuing to walk I heard the hish and sizzle of fluid washing over sand. Wasn't worried until I heard a lot of click-click-clicks. I then looked down and say that it wasn't fluid - at all! Apparently our construction activities disturbed a huge scorpion nest and they, as a group, were moving to a new home.
Here I was surrounded by about a million scorpions, late at night, without a flashlight or surrounding light source and all I could imagine was falling down and disappearing under stingers and claws quick. So I then launched into a run... through the scorpions they way they came from as that was the shortest distance to get the heck out of there. I ran with the balls of my feet the only thing touching the ground and my knees hitting my chest I was so scared.
And the entire time I ran... I screamed like a little girl.
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