Soul Catchers

by Carrie Pulkinen

“What’s that supposed to mean?” My stomach drops. How could he know I’m becoming the wolf? He didn’t even know Todd was dead. I’m being paranoid.

  “It doesn’t mean anything. I’m just saying.”

  We walk in silence for a while as I try to clear my head and focus on the task at hand. Step one is to go to the mountain and find the people there. After that . . . well, I’ll figure it out when I get there.

  Liam seems genuinely upset about Todd’s death, which is strange to me. I imagined the wolf roaming the forest doing wolfy things. I never thought about the fact that he turned into a human during the day. That he might have some semblance of a life outside the curse. I never thought he could still have people who cared about him. A glimmer of hope flits through my heart, but I squelch it. There’s no one left who cares about me—wolf or no wolf.

  “There’s a river just over that hill.” Liam points ahead. “It’s slow moving here, so you could jump in and wash up if you want. You know . . . change your clothes and stuff.” He shrugs.

  “Yeah.” I jog up the hill and laugh as the river comes into view. It’s deep and wide and meanders through the trees like a lazy Sunday afternoon, its emerald water sparkling in the morning sun. It’s glorious. I slip out of my boots and dive straight into the icy, clear water. The chill takes my breath away, and when I come up for air, I can’t help but smile. This is the best I’ve felt in days.

  “Is it safe to drink?” I yell to Liam on the shoreline.

  “I wouldn’t. No telling what kind of chemicals have been dumped in it along the way. I’ve got something to drink here if you want it.” He holds out a canteen.

  I’m reluctant to leave my crisp, refreshing bath, but my toes are going numb, so I climb onto the shore. He hands me the canteen, and I take a long drink. My stomach rumbles.

  “I’ll share my lunch if you want.” He sets his rifle down and pulls a bag out of his pack. He hands me half a sandwich with some kind of delicious meat, and I inhale it like I haven’t eaten for days. We sit on the riverbank sharing an apple, letting the sun warm our skin. Liam stares at me intently, his gaze heavy and mixed with emotions. A fluttering forms in my stomach, and I shift to turn my back toward him.

  He’s a lot cuter than I remember—broader shoulders, more chiseled features . . . on the side of his face that I can see, anyway. He’d look even better if he’d pull his hair back. I squeeze my eyes shut. What am I thinking? Liam’s cuteness doesn’t change anything that’s happened. He’s still the reason I was locked up in the first grade. The wind picks up, and I shiver.

  “Why don’t you put your dry clothes on?” he says.

  “Okay. Turn around, and no peeking.” I pull the clothes out of my backpack.

  “Don’t flatter yourself.” He winks and turns his back to me.

  He’s always had an infectious smile, and I can’t stop the corners of my mouth from turning up as I change. I lay my wet clothes on a rock to dry. They’re stained, but at least they’re clean now.

  I’m not sure why I’m sitting here with Liam of all people. I’m still furious with him for starting that fire ten years ago, but for now, it’s nice to be around another human who doesn’t want me locked up for the rest of my life. Of course, if he ever found out what I really am . . .

  Then again, he knew Todd was the wolf, and he didn’t turn him in. His dad said there were people out here who could help me. Are they the same people who helped Liam? Can Liam help me?

  “Your wrists look pretty raw. Let me see.” He takes my hands in his and closes his eyes. My skin tingles, and I watch as the wounds stitch themselves closed, leaving only a thin pink line. My eyes grow wide in wonder. I’ve never seen anyone heal like that. Even my mom would have to use herbs and oils, and a wound like this would always leave nasty scar. His hands are warm, and he doesn’t let go, even when my wrists are healed.

  “This line’ll fade in a few days.” He traces his finger across the back of my wrist, and I shiver. “You won’t have a scar.”

  Once the shock subsides, I yank my hands away. “How did you? Are you crazy? Using the Sense is illegal!” I stare at my hands, turning them over and over. Even my mother couldn’t heal that quickly. How did he?

  He laughs. “Nothing’s illegal out here. The government doesn’t even know we exist.” He pauses for a second, looking thoughtful. “Or everything’s illegal. Just depends on how you look at it, I suppose.”

  He lies back, putting his hands behind his head. “On Saturdays, Todd and I always went hunting. I’m gonna miss my hunting buddy. Days like this will always be the hardest.”

  My chest tightens with guilt. I killed his friend, and there’s nothing I can do to bring him back. “I’m sorry. Today is Thursday, though.”

  He turns toward me. “Nope. It’s Saturday. Checked the calendar this morning.”

  I sit up abruptly. “It can’t be Saturday. That means I slept for two days!” The sinking feeling in my stomach turns to nausea as I consider what this means.

  “Trauma will do that to a body sometimes.” He looks at me with concern in his eyes. “Hey, are you okay?”

  Scrambling to my feet, I throw my backpack over my shoulder. “I have to go.” I stumble over the rocks. “I’m sorry. Please . . . stay away from me!” I take off running, though I’m not sure where to go.

  “Wren, I can help you,” I hear Liam call as I veer deep into the forest. But no one can help me now.

  If there are people on the mountain, I can’t go there yet. In a few hours, I’ll be transforming into a murderous wolf. I can’t go back to the city. I have to get away. Away from everyone.

  Chapter Seven

  Liam

  All I can do is watch as Wren runs off into the woods. She doesn’t trust me yet, so helping her tonight is impossible. My chest aches to think about her going through the transformation all alone. She has no idea what she’s in for.

  As soon as she told me Todd was dead, I knew she’d been the one to kill him. I looked at her soul, and sure enough, there was Makka’s silver glow at the base of her skull. He’s ready to take control tonight; I just hope he can’t get back into the city. Surely the sympathizers will find some way to close the secret entrance.

  At least now I know why we haven’t seen a trace of the wolf the past few nights. It would’ve taken four days for his soul to fuse with Wren’s body, and by the way she reacted when I told her it was Saturday, I’d say today was day number four.

  I sling my rifle over my shoulder and meander in the direction she ran off. I don’t want her to think I’m following her. I am following her, but she doesn’t need to know that. It doesn’t take me long to find her, and I keep my distance so she doesn’t see me. She’s huddled under a tree, examining that wicked knife like it’s the most interesting thing in the world. She watches the blade glint in the soft light that filters through the thick canopy of trees, and for some weird reason, she touches the tip of the sharp metal with her finger. As she winces and yanks it away, a drop of blood pools on her fingertip. She tosses the knife into her pack and stares at the blood.

  She’s just as pretty as I remember, with eyes so dark brown they’re almost black and long raven hair. Well, it used to be long. It’s a shame she cut it all off, but I understand why she did. It’s a nice way to honor the loss of someone you care for; maybe I should cut mine too.

  She wipes her bloody finger on her shirt and looks up at the trees. Her long lashes are damp with tears, and it takes every ounce of self-control I can muster to keep from running over there and trying to comfort her. Because I’m the last person she wants comfort from. She hates me, and she has every reason to—even more so now.

  So what are my options here? I can grab her, force her to come back to camp with me. She’s got that ginormous knife, but I have a gun. And what would that accomplish? Sure, we could keep Makka locked up for the night, but I have a feeling as soon as we let Wren out the next day, she’d bolt. If I’m going to help her, first I’ve got to earn her trust
. How I’m going to do that after all the trouble I caused her when she was little—and now the pain I’ve caused with her mom’s death—I have no idea. But I’ll figure something out. I always do. My best bet is to head back to camp and let everyone know Makka is back.

  I take one last look at the beautiful girl whose life would probably be a whole lot better if she’d never met me, and I turn toward the mountains. The sun is starting to set, and I don’t want to be around for Makka to take out his frustration on. Even with my rifle, I’m no match for the wolf. Especially since I refuse to kill him.

  I may not be able to help her tonight, but I’m gonna do everything in my power to help Wren bear this curse. It’s my fault she ended up this way, after all.

  Chapter Eight

  Wren

  Huddled under a maple tree, I hug myself tightly and squeeze my eyes shut as the last golden rays of sun disappear behind the mountain. Under different circumstances, being outdoors and watching the sunset would be a beautiful experience. Today, it’s dreadful.

  As moonlight bathes the forest in a silvery glow, I can feel my body changing. I expect pain—to feel my muscles ripping, my bones breaking as I transform into the animal. It’s nothing like that. Instead, I feel a vibration in my core. It travels outward to my bones, my muscles, my skin, until I’m enveloped in warm, fluid movement. In a matter of moments, my body changes, and I morph into the wolf.

  I can see through his eyes; the forest is almost bright as day. I can hear with his ears the sound of leaves falling, of ants marching, and of prey scurrying to hide. I can feel the leaves crunch under his massive paws as he stretches and prepares to hunt. But most of all, I can feel what he craves—the taste of blood.

  I have no control over this massive body as it bounds through the forest, searching for something to quench its insatiable lust. The wolf’s instincts guide him toward the city, and all I can do is ride along, a soul of light trapped inside a body of darkness.

  Closer and closer to the city we prowl, his intention set on the kill. An owl hoots off to the left, but the wolf looks straight ahead. Straight to the lights burning in the distance, the beacon calling the beast home.

  Please don’t do this, I plead with the wolf.

  Though I sense no thoughts, I feel his reply. He must.

  But I can’t. I can’t go along for this demented ride without doing something. I have to try. With all my might, I will the wolf to stop. To hunt where we are. I send my intentions deep into his mind, imagining my light swirling behind his eyes. He slows his pace, seemingly confused by the second set of thoughts in his mind. The fates are shining upon me today because, just as I convince the wolf to stop, a deer crosses our path.

  Take it, I plead. Take it and be satisfied.

  The wolf hesitates, his gaze flicking toward the city lights, but his mouth begins to water. He can’t fight the ravenous hunger, so he grunts and lunges for the deer. I feel his teeth sink into the flesh. I taste the blood on his tongue. It’s not what the wolf craved, but for tonight, the beast is satiated.

  Chapter Nine

  Wren

  Sunlight filters through the trees as I open my eyes. The morning rays are dim, but they’re still daggers into my pupils. I groan and turn away from the light, shielding my eyes with my hand.

  My hand.

  No fur. Not a paw, but my own human hand. I feel my chest, and my clothes are still intact. I’d say that’s impossible, but the way my body transformed last night should have been impossible too. Laughter bubbles from my chest but stops abruptly as soon as I make a sound. The force of the laugh makes my head feel like it’s cracked open, and someone is pounding my brain with a hammer.

  My memories of the previous night are fuzzy at first, but they come fully into focus when I see the deer carcass discarded a few feet away. My stomach wrenches at the sight. I try to stand, to get away from the carnage, but my head is a twenty-pound bowling ball balancing on a stick. Resting my back against a tree, I hang my head between my knees and try to breathe.

  “There you are!” His voice assaults my senses, and I groan. “I’ve been looking for you all morning.” Liam plops down next to me.

  I don’t even look up. “Here I am.” My throat scratches like sandpaper, and a coppery taste fills my mouth.

  “I thought you might be looking for this. I found it a ways back.” He sets my backpack on the ground.

  “Thanks.”

  “You took off in an awful hurry yesterday. I was worried about you.” He leans down to see my face through my knees. “Hey, are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. Please leave me alone.”

  “You don’t look fine to me. Tell me what hurts, and I can fix it for you.”

  “No!” I try to yell, but it comes out as a strangled whisper. “No Sense. Bad things happen when people use the Sense.”

  He laughs. “Well, all right, if you say so.” He leans his back against the tree. “Hey, did you get a look at that deer over there? Looks like a mighty big creature got ahold of it. You don’t know anything about that, do you?”

  What would he think if he knew? “No, I . . . please go away.” I rub my temples, trying to subdue the pain.

  “It’s a headache, ain’t it?” He moves to face me. “A killer headache. Am I right?” Placing his hands on either side of my head, he closes his eyes. I want to stop him, but as soon as he touches me, my skin tingles and the pain subsides. In moments, I’m left with nothing but a dull throb at the base of my skull.

  I glance up at him, and his eyes are so full of emotion my breath catches in my chest. I inhale and rub the back of my neck. “That’s amazing.”

  He shrugs. “It’s what I do. Still hurts a little, though, doesn’t it?”

  I nod.

  “Yeah, Todd used to get those too.” He glances at the deer carcass and looks at me.

  My heart thrums. “Surely you don’t think that I . . .” I decide not to take the bait. I’m still not sure whether I can trust him, so it’s best if I don’t give him any more information. And what if he’s just acting like he’s my friend so I’ll let my guard down? Then he could tie me up and turn me in . . . like Seth. My heart aches at the thought.

  “Todd Mason was your uncle, right?” I say.

  He settles back on the ground beside me, staring straight forward. “Yes. Yes, he was.”

  “So that means your uncle killed your mom, then? His own sister? And you forgave him for that?” It’s inconceivable to me that he could forgive his mother’s murderer much less befriend him. I’ve never even forgiven him for getting me into trouble with the fire at school.

  He glares at me and smooths his hair over the right side of his face. “I told you, that’s not how it works. Todd didn’t kill my mom. Makkapitew did.”

  “Makka-who?”

  “Makkapitew. It’s the spirit wolf’s name. You know . . . a named thing is a tamed thing. Anyway.” He squares his gaze on me. “And I don’t want to have to say it again: Todd didn’t kill my mom, or your mom . . . just like you didn’t kill that deer over there. Makka did it, and all you could do was watch.”

  I stare at him, my mouth hanging open. How can he know so much about all this? And how can he be so calm? “I didn’t . . . It wasn’t . . .”

  “I know you didn’t, Wren. That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, ain’t it?” He sighs, rises to his feet, and holds out a hand to me. I take it. “The way I see it, you’re gonna need some help, and I know who can give it to you. We’ve got about ten hours of daylight left, so you can either come with me and get the help you need, or you can stay here and go through that again.” He nods to the dead deer, and I shiver.

  I definitely don’t want to go through that again, but can he really help me? I guess it’s worth a shot. “My mom told me to go to the mountain.”

  He grins. “That’s exactly where we’re headed. Though we were a lot closer yesterday at the river. Figures Makka would take you back toward the city.” He picks up a tree branch and uses
it as a walking stick as he climbs up the hill.

  I stand there, watching him go. Should I trust him? I probably shouldn’t have told him where I was going, but he’s so easy to talk to, and his smile is so . . . infectious. If I hadn’t seen the hurt in his eyes when I told him about Todd, I’d swear nothing bothers him at all. Still, it’s best if I keep my guard up. Don’t get too attached to hope—or to the boy. The knife of betrayal cuts a lot deeper when someone you care for is wielding it.

  “Are you coming or not?” he calls to me, beaming a grin.

  “Yeah.” I bend down to get my backpack, and a gunshot echoes through the trees. I instinctively drop to the ground and cover my head. Fast footsteps approach, and a hand grasps my wrist. My eyes are squeezed shut, and I try not to scream.

  “Just because you can’t see them, doesn’t mean they can’t see you. Didn’t hide and seek teach you anything as a kid? C’mon.” Liam drags me to my feet and ushers me through the trees. “Looks like you’ve got a fan club. I guess someone saw you kill the wolf?”

  “Everyone saw.” I clutch the backpack to my chest as we zigzag through the forest.

  “Well, that complicates things, doesn’t it?” We duck around an enormous tree trunk, and Liam starts digging through the leaves and dirt surrounding it.

  “What are you doing?” I pant. “We have to keep running. They want to lock me up!”

  “Oh, I’m sure they want to do a lot worse than that.” He doesn’t look at me. “Aha! Found it!” Reaching through the leaf pile, he finds some sort of door and slides it aside to reveal a dark, damp tunnel under the tree. “Ladies first.”

  I stumble back. “In that tiny space? Oh no. I’m not going in there. No way.”

  “Well, all right, but I’m going in. Tell the enforcers hi for me.” His face turns serious. “No, don’t tell them that. I’m supposed to be dead.” He drops feet first into the hole, disappearing into the darkness.

  “It’s close!” I hear a man’s voice say. “I found its kill.”