Night of the Wolf

by Sean Kikkert

  “Fine,” Telemachus growled. “If this is the way it’s going to be, we’ll go. We’ll find somewhere else to live—we’ve always managed before.”

  Red Riding Hood shook her head. “It’s not that simple this time, Telemachus.” She pulled out a fat wad of papers from beneath her scarlet cloak. “We want it in writing. There’ll be no going back after this point—I need you to sign this agreement.”

  Telemachus eyed the papers the girl thrust beneath his nose. “What do you expect me to sign this with?” he snarled. “I have no ink or quill.”

  A cruel smile crossed Red Riding Hood’s lips. “Don’t you worry about that,” she said.

  Two colossal men grabbed Telemachus’ arms tightly as Red Riding Hood unsheathed her long, curved dagger. The blade gleamed wickedly as she held it aloft with quite the dramatic flair. With a suddenness that shocked everyone, Red Riding Hood thrust the dagger deep into Telemachus’ flank.

  The pack leader’s eyes bulged as he stared into Red Riding Hood’s with shock and sadness. The wound was not quite deep enough to kill him, but Cassandra could tell it burned with a cruel intensity; Telemachus fell to his knees as the two men released him. He clutched at his side with trembling hands as a crimson, pulsing stream of hot blood seeped through his fingers.

  “You won’t be signing this agreement with ink,” Red Riding Hood told him with glee, “you’ll be signing it with your own blood.” She put her hand under Telemachus’ chin and lifted his head for his eyes to meet hers. “Do this, and I promise I’ll allow you and your people to go in peace. If you do not, you and every one of your people will die here today.”

  Telemachus struggled to his feet. He snatched the piece of paper from Red Riding Hood’s hands and studied it with despondency. He then dipped his finger into the oozing wound in his side. Pulling out his bloodied finger, Telemachus marked the paper with his signature.

  “Good.” Red Riding Hood’s face beamed with satisfaction.

  “God bless you, Telemachus!” Cassandra called out from the crowd. “You’re not alone! We love you! As long as we’re together and have you as our pack leader, everything will be fine!”

  Cassandra espied a movement that froze the words on her lips and made her heart stop. As she stared in disbelief, a tall, muscular young man crept toward Telemachus—it was Ajax!

  Feeling icy cold all over, Cassandra’s eyes grew wide with horror. She raised a finger toward Ajax. “M-Mother.” Her voice trembled.

  As Helen followed her daughter’s gaze, her mouth dropped open, and every trace of color drained from her face.

  Nausea flooded Cassandra’s body. She tried her best to choke down the panic and scream out to warn Telemachus.

  “Watch out!” Cassandra yelled. She looked around for help, but people just stared at her, oblivious, as if she were some madwoman.

  Ajax made his way toward Telemachus. Entirely focused on the pack leader, he shoved aside anyone who got in his way. Some of the pack called out insults and shot him nasty looks, but no one tried to stop him. He was one of them, after all, and no one would ever have suspected he had murder on his mind.

  Cassandra tried to call out to Telemachus again, but no sound came from her throat—she was literally choking with fright.

  Ajax grabbed Telemachus by the shoulder and stabbed him in the back with the silver dagger. Telemachus’ eyes bulged out in surprise and agony as Ajax twisted the dagger and pushed him toward the cliff’s edge.

  Weakened by the silver, Telemachus dangled half over the edge of the cliff with his whole upper-body resting on nothing but air. Red Riding Hood looked on with an amused expression as Telemachus struggled to keep his balance.

  Cassandra gasped as, with one hard, final shove, Ajax sent Telemachus tumbling over the cliff. Telemachus let out a shrill, choked cry, and Cassandra watched in horror as the pack leader plunged down, down, down.

  Chapter 27

  Cassandra’s heart stopped as Telemachus’ scream cut through the night air—it was a scream she’d hear over and over in her dreams for the rest of her life. The scream stopped abruptly—cut short by a loud, crunching thud.

  “No!” Cassandra shrieked.

  Ajax stared in her direction with sadness and guilt written all over his tear-streaked face.

  Cassandra ignored him, the only thing on her mind being to get to Telemachus. Almost tripping over her own feet, she sprinted down the cliff’s near-vertical footpath.

  Upon reaching the rocks that sprawled at the foot of the cliff, Cassandra saw Telemachus lying sprawled on his back. One of his arms jutted out at an unnatural angle, its bones quite clearly smashed. The pack leader’s forehead was ripped open and bleeding profusely. The blood from the gaping wound matted his thick, dark hair and created a halo of crimson on the jagged rock beneath his head. His spine was twisted and broken, his legs sprawled at unnatural angles, and his face swollen and bruised—but it was the wound from the silver dagger that was to be Telemachus’ undoing.

  Kneeling down, Cassandra clasped his hand in hers. “It’s going to be okay,” she whispered. Frantically, she looked around and hoped against hope the pack’s doctor had followed her down the cliff’s precarious path. To her dismay, she was all alone.

  “Yes, Cassandra, everything will be okay,” Telemachus gasped. “God loves you, and He has a plan for you. He’ll always be with our people, even though times seem dark. I’m just going home to Him, that’s all.” Telemachus then closed his eyes for the final time and embraced his eternal rest.

  Cassandra couldn’t believe that Telemachus, who’d always been there for her and the pack, was dead. And now, after all their hard work, after everything they’d been through, they were to be driven away again. Telemachus had labored tirelessly and sacrificed everything to keep his beloved pack free and safe, but in the end, everything he’d done—even giving his own life—had not been enough. Cassandra didn’t even have tears left to shed, as everything just felt numb.

  Chaos followed as the pack rushed to leave the village. Some searched for missing family members while others carried away what few possessions remained in the smoldering husks of their homes. Most, however, left empty-handed, as everything they owned had been destroyed or looted by Red Riding Hood’s merciless mob.

  Ajax called out to the pack as they fled. “You don’t have to leave! I’ve made a deal! You can all stay here under my leadership!”

  But the pack ignored him.

  As Cassandra walked by Ajax, he gave her a sad, vacant look. Cassandra refused to look back at him.

  It was Nestor who spoke next to the ragged, wounded group of refugees. “Take heart, my brothers and sisters!” he roared. “We will find the place that God has prepared for us! We will then finally have a home where no one can hurt us—somewhere we can live in peace!”

  Cassandra, Helen, and Harmonia stopped to give their burning village one final look before walking away for good. Harmonia stared at the place where her home had once stood, and a single tear rolled down her smooth, young cheek.

  Although the pack’s survivors were bloodied, tattered, and heart-broken, they were not defeated. Both Telemachus and Cassandra’s father had promised her everything would be all right—and she believed them with every part of her heart and soul. They would work—and fight—for the day they would live in peace.

  About the Author

  Sean Kikkert was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He spent the early part of his childhood in the Netherlands, where his father worked as a scientist, before returning to Australia. As a teenager, Sean loved to stay up late reading thrillers. Sean served in the Australia Sydney South Mission. He then earned an honors bachelor’s degree before completing a law degree with honors.

  Sean’s first job after becoming a lawyer brought him and his family to Canberra, Australia’s capital city. Sean spe
nt the following decade working as a government lawyer before opening his own law practice. A gifted advocate, Sean has travelled throughout Australia to appear at hearings. But once the working day is over, Sean writes thrillers that keep young people up at night, just as he was kept up late all those years ago. His published works include Home Evenings for Families and three young adult thrillers: The Trek, Night of the Wolf, and Dark Past. Learn more about Sean and his books by visiting www.seankikkert.com.