An Ugly Way To Go - and other Quintessentially Quirky Tales

by Iain Pattison

  * * *

  Jake grinned to himself, letting his sly eyes scan the totally enthralled tavern audience, each listener perched on the edge of his seat in excitement and suspense.

  “The werewolf was deceased, defunct, departed. Slain in a heartbeat,” he whispered dramatically.

  “But how?” Eye Patch demanded.

  “What killed it?” Betsy asked, agog.

  Jake took a final swig of his ale. Not a drop remained. Time to divulge the punch line.

  “It were poisoned, having ingested a most deadly substance, the one toxin that could destroy its hellish being,” he reported. “For what the unholy fiend didn’t realise was that our cook was no other than Long…”

  He paused for maximum effect.

  “John…”

  And held out his arms wide.

  “SILVER!”