Song of The Moon Artemis Lupine

by Banks, Catherine

  Billy licked his lips then looked at me. “You don’t have to drink if you don’t want to.”

  I shrugged. “I’ve never tried it before.”

  Jess laughed. “Oh, girl, you are in for a great night!”

  We walked into the house and sat down around the kitchen table. J.D. grabbed four red plastic cups and poured some of the alcohol into each glass. I sniffed the cup and gagged. It was horrible smelling, like rubbing alcohol.

  Billy laughed. “Don’t smell it! Just down it.”

  I stared at the brown liquid. “Down it?”

  J.D. tipped his cup up and gulped down the drink in one swallow. “Woo!” He yelled.

  Jess smiled. “Like that.” She held up her cup towards me. “Ready?”

  I lifted mine up and hit the side against hers. “I guess.” I looked at the liquid one more time then tipped the cup up and swallowed. The liquid burned my throat and I exhaled and set the cup down. “Whoa.”

  Billy poured another round and raised his cup. “Cheers!”

  We all hit cups then downed the alcohol. My stomach felt warm for a moment as the liquid settled then the warmth disappeared. J.D. frowned. “You sure you haven’t drunk before?”

  Jess giggled beside me. “I’m a lightweight no matter how much I drink!”

  Billy snorted. “You’re just a lush!”

  Jess rolled her eyes. “You’re a boozer!”

  I could see the difference in Jess already, but I didn’t feel any different. J.D. poured another round and we touched cups then downed yet another drink. Billy took out a deck of cards and taught me a drinking game which consisted of taking as many shots as corresponded to the card you pulled. Jess and J.D.’s eyes became glazed over and they started acting drunk. Billy was slurring his words and smiling a lot. I frowned as I realized I didn’t feel any different. I went to the bathroom for the fifth time and as I walked out of the restroom ran into Billy. He wrapped his arms around me and I felt instantly disgusted as his alcohol breath stole my fresh oxygen. He tried to kiss me and I pushed him away heading for the door.

  Billy frowned and followed me. “What’s wrong? Aren’t you having any fun?”

  J.D. scoffed. “No ‘cus we’re drunk and she’s not. Artemis has been holding out on us.”

  I rolled my eyes and smiled at Billy. “I have to see my dad, remember?”

  “Are you coming back tonight?” He asked.

  I shook my head. “No, but you can come over in the morning and I’ll make you breakfast.”

  He pulled me against him in a hug. “That sounds great.”

  I pulled away from him feeling released and grabbed my backpack. “Bye.”

  He let me go and waved as I walked down his porch steps. Once I was in the night completely I stopped and inhaled. I had always loved the night time. It was like more sights and sounds and smells came alive in the dark. I stared up at the half moon and smiled. The full moon would be here soon. I could feel her song flowing through my body like a second pulse. The full moon always made me feel safer and more powerful. As if that made any sense. I jogged across town towards my house and inhaled loudly trying to separate the different smells. I reached the house much faster than I had wanted to and looked up at the moon one last time before walking up the porch. Darren sat in one of the chairs staring at me. I smiled. “Hey, Dad.”

  “What did he tell you?” He asked with a big frown on his face.

  “Nothing really. He said that if I had known about our past that I would probably be with them right now. Then he said that they would be coming to visit in a few weeks and we would know for sure in the next week.”

  Darren frowned. “Why would they visit? They have no reason to come here.” He groaned. “Unless it’s to discuss a punishment for me not telling you. Dammit.”

  I shrugged. “I’m not worried about it. He said that mist won’t be harming our town so I’m not scared anymore.”

  Darren smiled. “The mist would never come near our town with me here. Bastards.”

  I frowned. “You say that like the mist are people. What the hell is it?”

  He shook his head. “If you knew they would definitely come for us.”

  Darren’s evasiveness proved that he was hiding something big. I needed to find a way to get out of the town and soon. Someway, somehow I would leave. I took out a frozen bean burrito and popped it in the microwave. I heard Darren come in and ignored him as he sat down on the couch and turned on the TV. The microwave dinged scaring me. I took out the burrito which had split open and hurried to my room. I sighed and ate my burrito slowly. A quiet chiming made me stop eating. I looked down at my pants and remembered I had the cell phone still. I took it out and stared at the number. “Koda.” I smiled then frowned wondering why he was calling. I flipped open the phone and answered, “Hello?”

  The person on the other end was silent for a second and then sighed heavily. His voice made me shiver in delight. “I thought you were a figment of my imagination at the hotel, but everything is the same.”

  I felt my hands shaking and my heart beat pick up as I recognized the voice. “Who is this?”

  He laughed softly. “Do you really need to ask?”

  “No. I…I’m just confused.”

  “I know you are and it’s your father’s fault. You would be able to understand the connection an alpha male has with a new female if he had told you.”

  “Alpha male? You mean like wolves? What are you talking about?” I asked, clearly confused.

  He scoffed. “That’s what I mean. You have no idea! I can’t talk long because Koda will have a cow if he finds out that I am talking to you since it breaks all the rules, but I had to hear your voice. I had to know that you weren’t just a girl in my dreams that I made real at the hotel.”

  I gasped in shock. “You’ve been dreaming of me?”

  He laughed quietly. “Yes, every night for the past ten days. I can’t explain what’s going on between us because I’m not completely sure. Has Koda told you that we are coming to get you?”

  “Get me? Where are you taking me?” I asked, suddenly nervous, though I wasn’t sure if it was a good or bad nervousness.

  “We are taking you with us to where you belong. You do not belong in that town with those…people. I’m not sure how long before we get there, but I will come for you. I have to go.”

  I felt my heartbeat becoming frantic. “Wait! Don’t go! Please!”

  “Don’t worry. I will speak with you again and I will see you soon as well. Sweet dreams, little wolf lover.”

  “Bye, Ares,” I said quietly. I’d wanted to say more, but it didn’t seem right. I turned the phone off and tossed the left over burrito and plate in the trash can. Paper plates are very convenient sometimes. I took my pants and bra off and climbed into bed under the covers. I played his voice over in my head and smiled knowing he was coming for me.

  ~~~~

  Chapter Three

  The rest of the week went by quickly with Billy coming for breakfast every morning in place of Bret and us spending the entire day together. He was extremely understanding and fun and luckily hadn’t tried to kiss me again. Darren grumbled a lot, but didn’t say anything to us. The news stories continued on the television with no new leads. Darren watched the news and told me that he would let us know if anything new came up. I didn’t worry because I knew Ares was coming for me. I never told Darren because it seemed like he didn’t like Ares. I had gone without worrying almost a full week until Friday night, when Bret ran into our house. It was just before eight o’clock and the sun was starting to set, casting purple and red hues across the sky. I could feel night coming like a chill creeping up my arms to my neck. Bret spoke quickly to Darren and Billy, then turned and ran from the house.

  Darren sighed and turned to me, “Apparently there is new information we need to hear. Everyone is gathering at the pub.” We walked quickly from the house towards the pub.

  The town’s streets and buildings sat deserted with an
unnatural silence. The only light and noise was coming from the pub. Children were placed in a separate room, left to play, so that they wouldn’t watch what was happening. I stood in front with Darren as the news reporter began talking. Billy had walked to the back with the other teens.

  The reporter, a man with a deep voice and salt-and-pepper hair, sat in front of a stone wall wearing jeans and a t-shirt. He whispered and looked around warily, “The scene here in Washington is chaos and devastation. Some are calling it the end of the world. Revelations and doomsday. I don’t know what to call it, except gruesome. It started three hours ago at full dark. Humans started falling down, their throats cut or ripped out by something with claws. Some found in dark alleys with their blood completely drained from their bodies and two small puncture wounds on their necks. No one has been able to catch a glimpse of the attackers as they move faster than the wind and just as quietly.”

  The cameraman crept forward showing the hundreds of bodies littering the streets of Washington. Blood ran down the drains like rain. Cars were turned upside down and some were even on fire. The street lamps cast a halo around a group of three teenagers’ bodies lying on top of each other.

  The reporter cleared his throat making the cameraman turn back to him. “It appears to be the same situation as what is happening all over the world, but we appear to be the only survivors in town. We don’t know if the attackers are moving on, or have stopped. I wish we could be more help, but…” The reporter was seen suddenly flying through the air, screaming as he sailed into the side of a building, smacking it with a solid thud.

  The cameraman panned around frantically, trying to see what had done it, but nothing was visible. We all watched as he stared down a dark alley, his breathing speeding up. He swallowed hard and whispered, “Fuck.” It looked as though the mist sped forward and wrapped around him, but the camera fell and the screen went black as we heard his screaming begin.

  Darren turned off the television and turned to everyone with sad eyes. “We have to start our plan.”

  Glen, the oldest in town, nodded his head. “Darren’s right. Something killed those people and its getting closer.”

  Darren spoke before any of the others could. “Tomorrow morning, meet at my place at five. Bring your guns. If we all know how to use a gun we might stand a chance against them. Or at least go down swinging.”

  I walked back to the rest of the teenagers who sat in the back of the room, whispering quietly. “Hey guys.” The three girls and four boys looked up at me. I sighed. “Come on. It’s not that bad. We are in such a small town that I doubt these things would come after us, whatever they are.”

  Trixie, Skankzilla’s youngest sister, shook her head. “No. Did you see what happened? Whatever it is will find us. It was like fog. How can fog hurt you?!”

  Bret sighed and stood up. “Artemis is right. We just have to get ready and prepare for any possibility. Nothing is invincible.”

  Skankzilla rolled her eyes. “Of course you agree with her. When haven’t you agreed with her?”

  I ignored her comment because it didn’t matter anymore. I would leave soon and this would all be over with. The children came in from the other room and were reunited with their families. The quiet whispers of each family showed how scared each was. Each group began to disperse to their homes, to get ready for bed. Billy led me from the pub out to the dark night. I pulled away from him and inhaled the sweet smell of night and basked in the moon’s glow. I closed my eyes and stopped walking. I love the night.

  Billy laughed. “I swear, if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were a vampire or something.”

  “Yes, let me suck your blood.” I said in a mock accent.

  Skankzilla smiled. “I bet he has something you could suck.”

  I turned to her and let my anger loose. “Shut up you dirty whore! I’ve had enough of you!” I started to move towards her, and then smiled. “You know what…it’s not worth it. I’ll be out of here in a week anyway.”

  Billy frowned. “A week? Where are you going?”

  I was about to answer him when Darren came up. “Tomorrow we are waking up early to start preparing, so we need to go home.”

  “What are we preparing for?” I asked.

  Darren sighed. “Come on girl, let’s get home.”

  Billy kissed my cheek then waved. “Later, Chicky.”

  I smiled at him. “Later, B.”

  Bret growled behind us. “Great, she already found someone else.”

  I ignored his comment and started walking towards home. Darren smiled and spoke to the teens, “Five a.m. we are doing shooting practice. I expect you all to be there with your gun of choice.”

  Bret saluted Darren. “Yes, sir.”

  Darren shook his head and walked after me. He smiled at me as I walked beside him towards the house. The streets were still eerily empty, but a soft glow fell from each house’s porch light. We walked in silence, as we always did at night, enjoying the smells and noises only available in the dark. I looked up at the moon and smiled. Only a few more days until the full moon. Darren had said the reason I was named Artemis, Goddess of the Moon, was because I had been born on a full moon, and every milestone I ever reached was on a full moon. I think he just wanted to make me feel special.

  We arrived home and I hurried to bed. The image of the three dead teenagers was still in my head. I sighed and prayed Koda was right and the town would be okay, even after I was gone.

  “Artemis, get up.” Darren said.

  I opened my eyes and looked at the dark sky. “Dad, it’s still night time. I just went to sleep.”

  He laughed. “Come on lazy. You just have to shoot once, to show that you can handle your gun, and then you can come back to bed.”

  I sighed and got out of bed, changing into my jeans and putting a bra on under my shirt. I hurried through my morning routine and walked out to the kitchen, where Billy, Bret and Darren were eating breakfast. I smiled at Billy’s excited face. Billy patted the chair beside him, but I shook my head and took my normal chair across from Darren. I ate the eggs, bacon and toast which were already on my plate. Bret had added strawberry jelly to my toast as usual, which made me feel sad that we weren’t really friends anymore. The milk was a little warm, but still delicious. Darren and Bret placed their plates in the sink and started towards the door. I sighed and followed their leads. Billy followed behind me. I pulled on my boots and grabbed the hunting rifle Darren had given me last year for Christmas. Bret held his hunting rifle down by his leg. We had been taught since we could walk that you never point a gun at something you aren’t willing to kill. Billy followed us with two revolvers. I looked at Darren’s empty hands and asked, “Where’s your guns, Pop?”

  “I’m teaching, not shooting. I’ll practice later tonight.” Darren answered.

  Bret shook his head. “I don’t understand how you and Artemis can see those targets at night.”

  Darren and I shrugged then walked out the door with Billy and Bret following closely behind. The entire town was sitting on our front lawn, waiting to start the lessons. The children had already started playing in the tree house and swinging in the tire swing my father built for me and Bret. Bret smiled at the children and nudged me with his arm. “That used to be us.”

  I nodded my head, and felt a twinge of sadness at the thought that I wouldn’t see Bret again for a long time, if ever. “Yeah, used to be.” I walked away from him, with Billy following me, around the back of the house to the shooting range Darren had set up. Darren believed that everyone needed to know how to use a gun in case of emergency. Now, with the threat of some unseen monster, it was even more important.

  I stood at the mark for the first target and chambered a shell. I sighted down the barrel at the beer bottle that had been set up and exhaled. I pulled the trigger and smiled as the bottle shattered. I heard Trixie say, “Wow” from behind me. I lowered my gun and walked to the back porch setting my gun in the safe and locking it with the key. Bre
t walked to the next mark and aimed his gun. He pulled the trigger shattering another bottle just like I had. Skankzilla clapped her hands and cheered, “Yay, Bret!” I fought the urge to take my gun back out and end her miserable existence. Bret pointed his gun at the ground, ignoring Skankzilla, as he walked towards me. He motioned at the gun safe and smiled. I unlocked it and waited while he put his gun inside. Billy waved at me. “I’m going to go listen to your dad.” I nodded my head and walked into the house. Darren rolled his eyes at us and began instructing the rest of the town who did a lot less shooting than Bret and me. I walked inside the house with Bret following closely behind. I sat down on the couch and turned on the television flipping through the channels in search of cartoons. Bret sat down behind me, stretching his long arms along the back of the couch. I groaned as every channel was a news alert. The light in my head clicked on and I stopped on one of the channels. Bret leaned forward beside me, his mouth dropping open.

  The reporter spoke softly, standing in the middle of Oregon, surrounded by dead bodies. “The scene here is a duplicate of every other city. No one saw it coming and whatever has done this has vanished with the morning light. Every human found is dead. Hundreds are missing. The only clues as to what monster has done this are the claw marks we found on one body left beside a dumpster in an alley. Police from surrounding states have come to investigate this tragedy. Thousands are dead, leaving us to wonder what or whom is doing this. We found one surveillance tape which showed us this. Please be warned, this tape contains graphic scenes not suitable for some audiences.”

  The view changed to a grainy surveillance camera. A man stood pressed against a brick wall as a large dark shape moved towards him. It looked like mist, but moved unlike any mist I had ever seen. The mist covered the man, who screamed in terror. A sharp crack resonated through the alleyway, and the man stopped moving. The shadow disappeared. The reporter from our local news came back on, “This is replayed footage from New York. We have been told that there are indeed no survivors living in New York City, or any of the surrounding cities. The President has issued a warning to all states, saying, ‘We need to prepare for the worst. There is no way to tell where it will strike next.’ The reports are conflicting, but with the mist and claw marks, we do know that something is killing and kidnapping humans. Yes, you heard right, not all of the bodies are accounted for. We can only assume that with no signs of any of their personal belongings that they’ve been taken.”