“What about the people who can’t leave Circa?” asked Brian.
“There are a handful of people who can’t leave, so they stay inside their homes during the nights of a full moon cycle, lock their doors, and shut their lights off early, mostly for precaution. I choose to stay here with them, just in case they need help or supplies, and I also want to be here for Buck, to support him. And all of the homes in our village have heavy doors and steel bars on the windows, for precaution, but thankfully, they haven’t been tested yet. We once found Buck’s werewolf tracks in the snow here in the village, where he somehow managed to wander into during the night, even after I dropped him off far outside of Circa. But thankfully, nobody’s house was attacked or broken into by it.”
“So that’s why you wanted us to lock the doors, shut off the lights early and not wander outside during the night at the bed and breakfast cottage,” responded Carl, “for precaution.”
“It sounds like you’re a very important, unselfish, and helpful person to everyone here,” said Brian.
“I agree,” chimed in Carl quickly. “The world needs more compassionate and selfless people like you.”
“Thanks,” replied the humbled and blushing Phyllis.
“Does anyone outside of Circa know about this?” asked Brian.
“No, and please, promise you won’t tell anyone, please!” pleaded Phyllis. “No one can know about this! The authorities will come here and take Buck away, and make him a lab rat! I just know they will! And I’m afraid I’ll never see him ever again!”
Brian placed his right hand on top of her left hand, gently squeezing, hoping to help comfort her. “We promise you that your secret stays here in Circa,” he said.
“Yes, me, too,” added Carl. “I promise also.”
“Thank you so much, you both!” replied Phyllis. “We also don’t even have a state policeman here in Circa; we’ve never needed any in the past. Our council members usually do a great job at keeping the peace here. No one except for us even knows about Doctor Jones’s death. After his wife passed away from cancer, he really had no family left, and considered us to be his closest friends and family. I know that he would have wanted it all to be kept a secret in order to protect Buck.”
“Where is Buck now?” asked Carl curiously or with curiosity.
“He’s sleeping in his cabin,” she replied. “He has to sleep at least six hours the day after his transformation, just for his body and mind to recoup or recover back to normal again. It’s like he was on some kind of super stimulated drug or speed all night and came mentally crashing down the next day. And it doesn’t seem to matter how far out I drive him before nightfall, he’s always in his cabin by early morning, sleeping. Somehow, his creature makes it back to Circa before retransforming back into the human Buck again.”
Just as Phyllis finished with telling them her story, several loud knocks were heard on the front door of the store. With that, Carl and Brian stood up, preparing to leave for the bed and breakfast, and thanked her for allowing them to stay there.
“If there is anything the two of us can do in order to help you while we’re here, please let us know,” said Brian.
“Thanks,” replied Phyllis as she gave them both a quick hug. She walked with them to the front door and reopened the store. She longed deeply to hug and kiss Buck. But she also felt as if a huge burden was taken off her shoulders after talking with Brian and Carl about Buck. Confession is good for the soul, she thought and realized.
CHAPTER 6
10:00 AM
Phyllis opened the front door of the store as Carl and Brian walked outside, and past a stranger, who also happened to be the person responsible for the loud knocking sounds on the door. Carl gave him a quick glance and head nod before passing by, as to acknowledge the stranger with a hello, but was unacknowledged and ignored in return, as the stranger’s eyes were focused and affixed solely on Phyllis, who was standing just inside the door.
Jerk, thought Carl briefly as he and Brian walked to their truck. “That dude sure doesn’t look like he’s from around these parts, either,” he muttered to Brian.
“I’m sorry, Carl. I didn’t notice or see him. But perhaps he’s a new doctor for the clinic. If so, don’t ask me how he got here, with an avalanche blocking the summit and apparently no vehicle or transportation that I can see anywhere, either. It’s possible he flew into here with a small airplane, but who knows and who cares?”
Carl and Brian climbed into the truck and drove off toward the bed and breakfast for a while, to eagerly clean up, eat, and relax.
“May I come into your store, madam?” the stranger elegantly asked Phyllis with a charming foreign accent.
“Wow, I’ve never been called madam before,” she replied with a giggle. “Yes, of course, you may come in. Please do.” She felt her face blushing as the very handsome and elegant stranger casually walked into the store, dressed in a dark-colored, wool sport jacket, with a blue dress shirt underneath, and wearing black jeans with casual black shoes. His light, black-colored and medium-length hair was combed and parted perfectly to his left, resting on top of his stern-looking face. He had blue eyes, a slender, soft nose, and narrow jaw, giving him the appearance of European decent. Phyllis estimated his slender, but solid, muscular frame, equivalent to that of a soccer player, to be around 6’0” tall and 190 pounds, and his age at possibly thirty. She couldn’t help but feel attracted to him, and enamored with his charm and classy, appealing appearance. “You’re the third stranger to come here in the last few days,” she said to him. “And I definitely haven’t seen anyone dressed like you in a very long time. It’s a pleasant surprise!” She then remembered and realized the possible danger that Buck’s werewolf could present to him. “How did you get here with the summit’s highway blocked and closed, and how will you leave?” she asked him, hoping that he wasn’t planning on a long stay. “And you could freeze to death around here dressed like that!”
“I came here from a different direction, from the north, on the Yukon River,” replied the stranger.
“Yukon River?” asked the befuddled Phyllis. On a snowmobile dressed like that? she thought silently to herself, before settling on the idea that he must have landed on the frozen Yukon in a small airplane with skis.
“I’m sorry,” he said. “Let me introduce myself. My name is Dietrich. And your name is?”
“Oh,” she replied after a brief pause, and with another giggle. “My name is Phyllis.” She extended her right hand to shake his, but instead, Dietrich pulled her hand gently up to his mouth, kissing it softly on top. Phyllis began feeling her face blushing even more with excitement, but quickly followed with feelings of guilt for being so infatuated and attracted to him.
“Phyllis, have you ever been outside of Circa?” asked Dietrich. “How about Alaska? Have you ever dreamt about seeing other places, like Canada or Mexico, or anywhere else for that matter, anywhere but here? Would you like to leave here and see exotic places, or the Western Hemisphere, maybe even the world?” There was a twinkle in his eye. “I can, and will, take you to wherever you want to go, and we can leave tonight.”
Phyllis was surprised with his tempting offer, to the point of feeling overwhelmed by it. “Wow! Really?” she asked. “Wow! You must be super rich, and I just don’t really know how to respond to that. I’ve never been farther away than Anchor town, and on top of that, I don’t even know you. You’re a stranger and I just...” She paused briefly, battling herself against new feelings of exciting emotions over such an enticing offer. “That’s a lot for me to think about. I couldn’t accept a big offer like that without thinking about it longer and getting to know you better. And I also have responsibilities here, with managing this store and a boyfriend, too. I need more time to think about it.”
“Well, I highly recommend that you don’t take too long in thinking about it, and lose out on such a great proposition, or, as you might say, a great deal,” replied Dietrich with a sinister smile. “I don
’t plan on staying in Circa past 10:00 PM tonight, as I am just passing through. No offense to you or your small village of Circa, but there really isn’t enough people here at this time to satisfy me. I prefer to be in a location that’s slightly more populated. May I come back later in the afternoon and ask you again before I prepare to leave tonight? It’s the best offer I can give you at this time.”
“Yes, of course, you can,” answered Phyllis. “I can’t promise you anything, being that it’s such a short notice, but I will think about it hard until you return. I promise.”
“Excellent! I will see you again this afternoon, when I return at around 3:30 PM,” he replied before he disappeared out of the front door.
Phyllis felt a bit overwhelmed by various kinds of new emotions, sensations, and imaginations flooding her mind, which only seemed to further confuse her. A spirit of adventure enticed her, along with excitement and joy, only to be followed by emotions of guilt and sorrow when she thought about leaving her family and friends behind in Circa, who needed her. Especially Buck! I’ll call Ron, she thought to herself, and ask him if he can come over this afternoon and talk about it. I’ll tell him about the offer that Dietrich made to me, and get his opinion on what I should do. Maybe Ron can even meet him, too.
Phyllis felt perfectly comfortable with confiding in him about her new temptation and possible decision, to leave her village behind, and go with Dietrich. She had known Ron since early childhood and her feelings toward him were as if he was the brother whom she never had, and entrusted him fully for personal advice. Phyllis hung up her phone after talking with Ron for five minutes, asking him if he could come by the store later to help advise her in an enormous, life-changing decision she needed to quickly make. Ron was currently in his garage and changing the oil in his truck, but promised her that he would come to the store at around 3:00 PM to talk.
CHAPTER 7
3:00 PM
Ron walked into the store to see Phyllis, and she quickly ran up, giving him a hug when she saw him, despite the old grease and oil stain residue on his jacket, which didn’t seem to deter her.
“Thanks for coming,” she told Ron.
“Anytime,” he replied. “What’s this big, life-changing decision you need to talk to me about?”
Phyllis proceeded to tell him about the stranger, Dietrich, who came by the store, and his big, exciting offer to her. Ron eagerly listened to every word from her with great attention, as she continued in detail about her story for ten minutes, finding it difficult to get a word of his own in edgewise, which ended with Phyllis finally asking for his advice.
“No, that’s crazy!” responded Ron in a scolding tone, seeming to be upset with her after hearing her story. “You don’t know him, or who he is, or what he’s like! He’s a complete stranger, and he could be running from the law, or even a killer, for all you know! And how about Buck? Do you really want to leave him, your friends, family, and responsibilities so you can run off to who knows where with a complete stranger?”
“No, of course not,” she answered with hesitation. “I love Buck more than anything, and I would never want to hurt him, but sometimes, I wonder what kind of a life and future we could have together, with him turning into a monster every month. And if we were ever to have kids, what of them?”
“I think that you should talk to Buck about that sometime, and if you decide to run off, he deserves to hear it from you. Just tell this strange guy that you need a lot more time to think about it, and that you can’t decide right now. And if he doesn’t want to wait, tell him no!” demanded Ron of her, albeit wanting to talk Phyllis out of leaving because of his own selfish reasons, like his strong feelings toward her.
“Well, maybe you’re right, Ron,” replied Phyllis, disappointed and feeling as if she was sorely chastised by him. “It is a crazy idea, I guess, now that I think about it more, and after listening to your input and advice. Thanks for caring about me and talking some sense into me, too.” She had just finished her humbled response when the front door of the store opened, followed by the chimes overhead, alerting them to someone’s presence coming toward them, and the sound of footsteps walking on the hardwood floor. It was Dietrich.
“Hello, Dietrich. This is my good friend, Ron,” she said, trying to introduce the two of them, albeit unsuccessfully. “And I asked him to come over and meet you, and asked him for his advise also.”
Dietrich ignored Ron, much like he had done to Carl earlier, only being interested in Phyllis, and her decision. “Have you made a decision on my offer, my dear Phyllis?” he asked her with a little prompting.
“I’m sorry, Dietrich, but I’m afraid that I can’t. I really appreciate that you offered it to me, and for asking me, and it is very tempting, but I just can’t at this time. I have far too many friends and family here who need me at this time,” answered Phyllis. “Maybe another time, though, in the near future,” she added, not wanting to fully close the door on his offer.
“Indeed? I am really disappointed to hear that, but I’m afraid that I find your answer unacceptable. I cannot accept a no, Phyllis. Not from you!” responded an agitated Dietrich with determination to force his will on her. He lifted his nose slightly in the air, as to smell the precious and unique blood flowing through her arteries and veins, as well as feeling aroused from the wonderful smell of her perfume and sensual aroma. He took one step toward her. “Phyllis, you are such a magnificent young woman, so young, pure, innocent, and full of virtue! Certainly, I haven’t met a young lady like you in many decades, and you must come with me!” He gracefully raised his left hand to the right side of her head, gently stroking his fingers through her shiny, soft, and silky, long, black hair, caressing her cheek.
It caused Phyllis to feel uncomfortable, and she stepped away from him. Dietrich increasingly became more irritated by her moving backward and out of his reach.
“Get your hand away from her now, you pervert!” yelled Ron angrily at Dietrich. “And I heard her tell you no, that she won’t go with you!” He stepped toward Dietrich, intending to grab onto him and throw him out of the store immediately, but instead, unexpectedly, he found himself two feet off the floor and in the air, gasping for his breath!
Dietrich had clamped his powerful right hand around Ron’s throat and neck like a vice, and with one fluid upward motion, he easily lifted him off the floor with his outstretched right arm, as if Ron were just a little rag doll.
Phyllis became instantly frightened and horrified at the sight of Ron dangling in the air, and unsuccessfully struggling to free himself. She desperately began pleading for Ron’s cause, as his face was now beginning to turn red, and then followed by a bluish color, because of lack of oxygen from being suffocated. She begged Dietrich to release him. She felt powerless to help Ron, with her only being able to beg and plead for his mercy while Ron continually struggled, kicking his feet and desperately gasping for air like a drowning man. “Please don’t hurt him. Please let him go! You’re killing him!” Her pleas were in vain, as Dietrich sadistically continued to toy with Ron, killing him slowly. “Why are you doing this? You’re an evil, sadistic creep, and I hate you!” She was now pounding her fist on Dietrich’s chest with as much force as she could, albeit in vain, hoping to free her friend from his relentless grip, as Ron was nearly unconscious now. With one last desperate fight for Ron’s plight, she pulled a jackknife from her right pocket, opened it, and thrust the three-inch blade hard into Dietrich’s left ribcage, surprising even herself at what she was capable of when trying to save one of her close friends.
Dietrich responded with an angry, sinister smirk, undaunted from her attack and ignoring the knife. “Let me make you an even better and more tempting offer, my Phyllis, one that I know you will have to agree on! You’ll remain here at the store and not leave or go anywhere until I returned for you again at 9:00 PM. Then I’ll take you with me wherever I decide to go! If you try to leave, or hide, or call anyone for help before I returned, I will find every living p
erson remaining in this village and kill them tonight! And their blood will be on your hands!”
Phyllis felt sickened by his threats to her, and Ron was now unconscious and no longer moving, but Dietrich still held him in the air, as a display of his power and control over her.
“And just in case you don’t think I will do what I said, or think that I’m only bluffing, let me educate you and give you a quick demonstration, Phyllis, as to show you who you’re dealing with, and that I am serious!” Dietrich’s facial expression turned to pure rage in just seconds, and ferociously transformed from the handsome European into a ghastly, horrific-looking, evil creature with semi-pointed ears, horrid, yellow eyes, and a grim, pale-white forehead and face, with dark eyebrows that made his features look deathlike! Long and black fingernails, appearing to be some sort of talons, had extended from his left and right fingers, which were still clamped around Ron’s throat and neck.
Phyllis felt paralyzed with fear and was unable to move at the terrifying sight. Two upper fangs, at one-and-one-fourth-inch in length, had protruded from his upper gums, along with two smaller fangs, at only half-inch in length, protruding from his lower jaw, when he opened his mouth, and bit the unconscious Ron in the jugular after pulling him close and exposing the side of his neck while still holding him in the air, drinking his blood for five seconds, before extending Ron outward again. And in one fluid motion, he snapped and broke Ron’s neck with one twist of his powerful right wrist before her very eyes! Ron’s limp body fell to the floor, motionless, as Dietrich finally released his death grip, dropping him like a lead weight.
Village of the Full Moon Curse Page 6
