By Derrick
At the time, I was a student at Utah State University; I grew up in Wyoming but moved to Logan to go to school.
I lived off campus with a few other guys also going to USU. I woke on a Friday in early October to rain. I had one class at 10am on Friday, but I wasn't feeling it. I had just started my senior year, and a month in, I was feeling burnt out. I looked at the clock; it was 7, and the light was just breaking. I got up and grabbed my fly pole. I was going to hit a few holes in Logan canyon and see how I felt about the class. It was still quiet in the house, everyone else was night owls, but I was an early bird. I grew up working on a farm, and early was in my blood.
I grabbed some pizza from the night before out of the fridge and heard out.
I got to the first hole up Logan canyon, where I usually fished, it was raining, and no one was up there fishing but me. I fished for a bit, then drove up to my next spot. I was walking up the river, fly fishing when a flash of light caught my eye. I looked to my right, and through the trees, a bright light was moving through the brush and trees. I wasn't afraid at first but confused. The light was a bright white with blue dancing, but it was hard to see through the trees and brush. I walked up the river and got to a clearing. The light came out of the trees about 50 yards from me. It was the size of a beach ball and was blue and white, with what looked like electricity running over it. I was shocked (no pun intended) as I watched it glide into the clearing. I let out an audible gasp, and it stopped. I had a distinct feeling it was watching me.
Suddenly it silently floated toward me. As it got about 20 feet from me, I stumbled back and almost fell into the river. The ball stopped. I watched as it turned from blue-white to red-black. It was a deep glowing red with black, virtually smoke swirling inside! After what felt like forever, the ball rose 10 feet, then shot up and was gone.
I stood in shock, questioning what I'd seen. That's when I noticed a burnt electrical smell, like a burning smell I'd never experienced before or since.
I walked back to my car and went home.
That night I told my roommates what I'd seen. One an electrical engineer student thought it was ball lightning, but I don't know. To this day, I don't know what I saw.
Author notes; Balls of light/plasma are not uncommon in Logan canyon. However, seeing something this close is fascinating. Some aspects of this say ball lightning, and some elements don't. Derrick had the feeling this had an intelligence to it that would lend to something more….. paranormal
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