The Timber Effect

by Jacklyn Reynolds

  "My respect is for those who earn it," said Timber as her temper rose. "Not for petty, childish people who talk about others behind their backs, especially when what you were saying is completely untrue. I am not sleeping with anyone. I sleep in my bed, by myself, in my house. See, this is why there is not one student on campus who likes you, you ugly old bat. Now if you will excuse me, I have a meeting with someone I actually do respect. Good day."

  Timber spun on her heel and walked down the hall to the principal's office. She knew Mrs. Holborn was a reasonable woman. Timber had spoken to her several times in the hallways in between classes. She was an older African-American woman in her early sixties and she was not above being amused. Timber entered her office only to find her and Henry laughing.

  "What's so funny?"

  "You," said Henry.

  "I've been waiting for someone to put that bag of wind in her place for over three years," said the principal. "I see what you mean when you said she could be overly direct, Henry. Timber, please sit down."

  "Am I in trouble, Mrs. Holborn?" asked Timber as she took the seat beside Henry.

  "No, nothing like that," said Mrs. Holborn. "Henry here has kindly filled me in with the circumstances that have led you to becoming engaged so soon. But I have to ask you. Are you sure that you want to do this?"

  "Yes, Ma'am," said Timber. "I love Henry. I've been in love with him since the first night we met. That was a month before I found out that he was my teacher. Before I knew Henry I had put up walls to protect myself because I had a traumatic experience early in life. I was afraid to cry and afraid to show any real emotions. My aunt and uncle had tried to take down my walls for years. It took Henry a couple months. Because of him, I'm not afraid to show or say how I feel. He's made me a better person."

  "I'm very pleased to hear that," said Mrs. Holborn. "I'm now curious. You don't have to answer but I can't help but wonder what made you put up walls?"

  Timber looked at Henry, unsure if she should answer. Henry nodded and Timber took a breath.

  "When I was nine, I watched my parents get mercilessly shot to death. I was out of sight and no one knew I was there because I wasn't supposed to be. I was alone for two weeks before I was found. The experience left me cold and weary. I got better in time with lots of love from my aunt and uncle and some nurturing from my cousin, but it was Henry who really saved me."

  "Timber, I'm so sorry!" said Mrs. Holborn and she genuinely appeared grieved. "Well, I'm glad you two found each other then." She then became very serious. "Normally student teacher relationships are forbidden because of issues with the law. But as far as I'm concerned, neither of you have broken any laws. You waited to get into a relationship until Timber was legally an adult, and her guardians have consented to your relationship. You also informed me early on. I can't guarantee everyone will see it the way I do, as Timber saw upon her arrival. You'll be faced with opposition for the rest of the school year. Unfortunately, the office knows about your relationship which means that the rest of the staff will know by lunch time. It's not going to be easy for you two."

  "I'm not afraid of words," said Timber.

  Mrs. Holborn got up and shut the door, then sat back down and looked at Timber. "You're not afraid of much, judging by the fight you got into with the Vanquisher." Timber and Henry both stared at Mrs. Holborn in pure disbelief. "Yes, I know what you are Timber. I was your mother's nurse maid and I was there the day you were born. I never knew what happened to her, but when I saw you on your first day of high school three years ago I was surprised at how much you look like her. Your wolf eye color is rare. That's how I knew it was you that day."

  "So you know about Haven?" asked Timber.

  "Yes, and I know what Henry is too. But I was placed here because of you, Timber."

  "So what are you?" asked Timber.

  "I'm a human," said Mrs. Holborn. "My father was bitten. Because I didn't have a mother, I was raised in Heiligdom under extremely high protection since I was six. Anyway, a werewolf is the reason I was placed here. Lord Frost has kept an eye on you, Timber, since your parents died."

  "Fabulous," said Timber sardonically. "I'm being monitored."

  "Actually, that's a good thing," said Mrs. Holborn peering over her glasses. "It means that you're under the Highers protection."

  "Why do I need protection? I'm safe where I am."

  "The Highers disagree," said Mrs. Holborn. "More specifically, Lord Frost. The werewolf has been missing for three years. He's nowhere in Haven and they can't find his scent. All werewolves have an individual scent. His has been untraceable and he's escaped from Haven more than once. Someone on the outside is keeping him alive and young, but we don't know who."

  "What does he have to do with Timber?" asked Henry.

  "It was discovered several years ago that this particular monster is responsible for the deaths of Daniel and Elizabeth Brogan and attempted murder of Timber Brogan."

  "What?" Timber sprang to her feet, white-faced and shaking.

  "The scars on your forearm where your fur is missing," said Mrs. Holborn, "are from a werewolf attack. He tried to kill you when you were four years old. From what I was told, he attacked you while your parents were out. Whoever was watching you that day wounded him severely and he ran off. They reported him, and he was arrested. I don't know how he got out but he must have had outside help. The troubling thing is that was the second attempt on your life. I don't know who did it first but your mother stopped them."

  "But he couldn't kill Timber with werewolf venom," said Henry. "She's immune."

  "That wasn't known at the time though it is now. According to a certain group of werewolves that live in Haven, there is not supposed to be a cure or immunity to their venom. They think it takes away their power."

  "So I have a pack of werewolves after me, how wonderful."

  "Not a pack. Thankfully it's only one that we've lost track of though I have not been told his name. The others are all accounted for and they've been on lockdown for three years, much to their dissatisfaction." Mrs. Holborn sighed. "Timber, Henry, I need you to listen to me very carefully. I don't know where he is but the Highers believe that he may be hiding in the area and biding his time. If he has found Timber, he knows what she is, and he's waiting to get her alone and defenseless."

  She took a breath and looked at Henry. "Henry, you need to stay with Timber on full moon nights. I know you have been taking medicine to help keep your mind human, but it shouldn't affect your strength. The Highers think that if he is in the area, he may attack soon, before Timber gets stronger. Don't look at me like that," she added to Henry who was glaring at her in disbelief. "I know what you're capable of because I have seen you fight before. I'm well aware of how dangerous you are on the full moon."

  "Wait a minute," said Timber. "How long ago did this werewolf get out again?"

  "Three years ago," said Mrs. Holborn.

  Timber's brain thought so rapidly it hurt. "You can't find his scent.... The area...." Timber's eyes got wide with fear. "I think I know... What am I supposed to do if he attacks me?"

  "The Highers have issued out a decree that he is to be killed immediately. Do you know where he is?"

  "I have reason to believe he's living on my street," said Timber.

  Henry turned to face her with wide eyes. "Greg?"

  "I may be jumping to conclusions, but it makes sense to me," said Timber. "He moved to the neighborhood two years ago. He may have gone to Nebraska first, and then tracked me here. I know he's been watching me. His house smells horrible and so does he, but that morning I smelled him following us something was different. There was a different smell about him."

  "Do you know what it was?" asked Mrs. Holborn.

  "No," said Timber. "But it reminded me of something rotting and dead, like he had been lying next to a body or something."

  Mrs. Holborn sprang to her feet. Her face was alert and worried.

  "Timber, you need to go home. Now. Henry, go wi
th her. I'll get a substitute to cover your classes. I don't want you walking down the street when he's expecting you. I need to call your aunt and tell her to pick up Emily and lockdown your house. If your nose is on point, which it always had been, that's who we're looking for. He has a habit of keeping his victims when he can. Lock your doors and windows as soon as you get home. I need to contact Lord Frost immediately. Henry, I know you're a little weak after the full moon last night but do not let Timber leave your sight. This werewolf is not someone to be underestimated. He's not a soldier like you but he is a skilled killer."

  Timber and Henry got up and left immediately. They walked the long way to Timber's house to avoid Greg's sight from the front window. The house behind Timber's was conveniently vacant so they went through the back yard and over the back fence. Timber stopped halfway across the yard and looked at Henry.

  "He's inside. He knew. Somehow he knew. I can smell him and..." she sniffed and cringed in disgust, "...he's upstairs."

  Timber's human figure disappeared from beside Henry. Instead, there was her gorgeous silver wolf figure, though, at the moment, there was nothing gorgeous about her. Her long teeth were bared and her fur was standing on end. She focused her sense of smell and pinpointed it to her bedroom. Henry opened the sliding back door quietly and Timber let the years of hunting training she was put through by her mother take control of her body. She motioned for Henry to get low. He looked at her to tell her no, but Timber showed him her teeth to show she meant business and he reluctantly obeyed.

  Timber lowered herself closer to the ground and moved so silently across the dark hardwood floor that she couldn't hear her own footsteps. She heard Greg come out of her room and go into Emily's. He clearly didn't know which room belonged to which girl despite them both having their monogram above their beds. Both girls spent so much time in the others bedrooms, the scents were mixed together.

  Timber saw the broken glass in the dining room. That's how he got in, she thought. She positioned herself and looked up in time to see Greg come around the corner. He looked nothing like Henry did after a full moon. Greg looked wolfish still. He wasn't weak and tired at all, but alert and ready. His teeth were longer and sharper than Henry's but Timber was not intimidated. She flattened her ears back and growled.

  "I figured that since you and the pathetic excuse for a werewolf were engaged, you would be speaking with Holborn. It was only a matter of time." He spoke with a cold emotionless voice that sent chills down Timber's spine. "I figured if I was going to get a chance to kill the abomination, I might as well do it today though I wasn't expecting you home so early."

  Timber was taught never to start a fight. Her mother had said to let the other person begin and try to dodge until she had a clear understanding of their preferred stance and swinging arm. So Timber waited for Greg to make the first move. Greg walked down slowly, calling Timber every insult in the book which only fueled her rage. Unfortunately, while Greg was trying to make Timber reckless, all he was doing was giving her time build her strategy.

  As a human, Timber was defenseless because she lacked strength. As a wolf, she was a skilled killer. It was something her mother had made sure of since she was four and now Timber understood why. This is different, though, thought Timber. She was trained to fight but she had never actually fought a werewolf before. She would have to relearn how to fight and she would have to learn fast. The Vanquisher was just attacking. Greg would have a strategy that she would have to adjust to. In the corner of her eye, Timber saw the faint shadow of a woman rapidly charge at Greg, but she passed through and vanished. He shuddered.

  At last, Greg made his move. He went for her back but Timber sprang away. She was going to tire him out before she struck. Again he launched and Timber dove under him. Timber was surprised that he moved so quickly for such a large man. She growled at him, showing her teeth in an aggressive display. Greg was wolf like in his movements which caught Timber off guard but she adjusted easily. Greg leaped up and as he descended, Timber swiped, ripping half of the left side of his face to pieces. Timber was sprayed in blood as he faced her, the jaw bone showing through the gash she had torn. Greg circled her angrily as blood dripped from his face. Then, his wound healed itself. Holborn was right. Greg had outside help.

  Timber didn't move for several seconds. She was watching him circle her through the vibrations he was making in the floor. She could see every step he made through her paws. He went for her back again and she sprang. Greg caught her in midair, sunk his claw-like fingers into her and threw her. Timber adjusted herself in midair and landed hard on her feet, stumbling slightly.

  In the back of the house, Timber heard an angry growl and she saw Henry struggle to get up to aid her. Greg suddenly made a move towards where Henry was. Timber jumped on to Greg's back. She sank her large claws into his back and her teeth in the side of his neck and held on tight. Greg howled, and backed up, ramming Timber into the wall repeatedly, but Timber would not let go until the side of her head was slammed into a corner.

  Henry came running and pulled something out of his cane that Timber did not expect. It was a narrow sword that looked as though it had been sharpened and polished recently. Henry swung but Greg dodged with ease. Henry was still too sleep deprived to fight properly but managed to hold his own. He managed to get a clear shot and sliced at Greg's flabby chest, cutting it clear to the bone but it too, healed itself. Greg tried to bite into Henry's boney shoulder in retaliation but Henry threw up his cane and used it as a shield. Greg's teeth sunk into the hollow cherry wood, nearly snapping it in half. Using both his arms and his full body weight, Henry pushed him away. He was trying to defend himself against an opponent that wouldn't die.

  Greg stumbled backward a few steps and charged again. Henry was using his sword and his cane that acted as a sheath in a way Timber has never seen even in the movies. Greg could not advance on him at all without injury despite Henry's clear exhaustion. Greg repeated the move to bite Henry and again, Henry threw up his cane. This time, Greg pushed back, causing Henry to lose his balance. He was grabbed and thrown against the mirror above the fireplace. He landed on the ground on his hands and knees, surrounded by shattered glass.

  The front door opened and Timber heard the sound of Emily's scream. Greg made a threatening move towards her and Timber lost all sense of human consciousness. Her wolf took complete control. She got to her unsteady feet. Over by the fireplace, Henry was trying to get to his feet and move to Emily and Grace as fast as he could but Timber got to Greg first.

  She was now relentless. She launched her two hundred pound body, clamped her jaws around Greg's shoulder and pulled him down onto his back. She tore into Greg with a ferocity such as she had never felt before. She shook her head and his shoulder began to detach from his body. Timber was clawed in the face and she let go of her prey and backed away, yipping in pain. He pounced and landed on Timber's back causing her to collapse, and her left hind leg to break under his immense weight. He bit her but Timber would not give up. She reached her head around and grabbed his injured shoulder and pulled. He fell off and she sprang to her feet.

  Right before she could get to the throat, she was picked up and thrown across the room. Her body smashed into the wall and crumpled to the floor. Before she could even attempt to get up, a blinding flash of gold light flooded the room and Greg was suddenly struck down by an invisible force. He fell dead onto the floor.

  The source of the gold light landed in the middle of the living room. Timber had never seen anyone like her before though her scent was familiar in a way she couldn't explain. This girl was the true definition of beauty. Her long hair was naturally glossy and fell in perfect spiral curls of light pink. Her fair skin was smooth and flawless and her large eyes were a lovely shade of soft lavender. Emerging from between her shoulder blades was a pair of snow-white wings that were longer than she was tall. On her head, she wore a beautiful gold crown with roses and feathers.

  "Aiyanna!" said Henry. "How -?"


  "I flew here," said Aiyanna in a gentle silvery voice. "Do not forget, I can go fast enough to remain unseen. Lord Frost and Lord Avanti are on their way. I suggest we get the little one out of here. Come here, Honey."

  Emily cowered back into Grace who looked more frightened by the dead man in the front room than Aiyanna.

  "Grace, Emily, this is Queen Aiyanna," said Henry gently. "She's a Nephilite. That means she's half human half angel. She won't hurt you."

  Grace and Emily let Aiyanna approach and wrap her wings around them. Timber watched the wings glow gold as Aiyanna sang softly. When she finished, Grace and Emily walked right past Greg and up the stairs. Timber Turned but stayed on the floor.

  "What did you do?" she asked Aiyanna a little more forcefully than she meant to.

  "I removed the blood and body from their sight," said Aiyanna. "They did not see it as they passed by. They will also have no memory of anything after Holborn's phone call. It was for the little one. They are so prone to nightmares at that age. You are all grown up, Timber." Aiyanna smiled at Henry. "She is lovely, Henry. She is going to look marvelous in white."

  "I'm confused," said Timber looking from Henry to Aiyanna.

  "Aiyanna can read minds," explained Henry. "She's probably referring to our wedding day."

  "I am. I kept telling you that you would find love and you never believed me," said Aiyanna.

  "Well, I believe you now," said Henry with a smile.

  "Your Majesty, may I ask - umm - I mean... "

  "You are with Henry. You may call me Aiyanna. To answer your question, I am one hundred and fifty three years old," said Aiyanna. "I stopped the aging process around the age of thirty. Come here. You need some healing. Your head is bleeding."

  "I can't stand."

  So Aiyanna walked over and as she had done with Grace and Emily, Aiyanna wrapped her beautiful wings around Timber. She sang with an angelic voice that sailed in a silvery arch and made Timber relax to the point of wanting to sleep. Her sore head and back, and her broken leg seemed to heal miraculously and after a few seconds, the pain was gone. When Aiyanna stopped singing, the glow faded from her wings and she smiled at Timber.