“Holy mother!” Rodriguez said, lighting a cigar.
“That’s not all. We found bullet shells on the side of the road,” Talley said, covering Madison’s body back. “As for his car, whoever did it drove it off the road.”
“We’re gonna be up all night typing this up. Pick up some coffee and meet me back at the precinct,” Rodriguez said shaking his head.
“Will do, sir,” Talley said, shutting the doors to the ambulance.
Jay sat in his truck outside his house, trying to calm himself. He was wet, bleeding, and tired. All he wanted to do was take a bath and go to sleep, he thought as he shut off the engine.
He almost died tonight. Maybe he should just forget about this and stop looking. Maybe Arnie was right; maybe he should kill him. Despite what that would accomplish, there would still be a howling mad wolf running around. Killing Arnie wouldn’t change things. The two dead people he saw kept popping up in his head; no matter how hard he tried to erase their faces, they were there. He should have forced that man to get in the car. He had his gun. He could have got him in the car, but he didn’t. He had never felt so scared in his life. Seeing something as terrifying as that creature that chased him through the woods like a hunted animal is far from easy to handle. Jay didn’t want to turn around and look to the side because he was scared that if he did, the beast would be there waiting to kill him. He could only imagine what Arnie was going through. What it must be like knowing he keeps inside the very thing he fears. Knowing that every full moon his nightmare becomes reality. The fear of killing someone you love and not being able to do anything about it. No, he would keep on looking and keep on trying because Arnie was dealing with far worse than he was; and he wasn’t going to let down the only person, who, besides Danny, had been like a brother to him. He wasn’t going to give up, no matter how afraid he was. If anything, he’d see this through for Danny. He’d find the one responsible for this terrible dream and kill them and hopefully save Arnie from this curse. A curse that would hopefully die with the one that did this to Arnie.
Jay took a deep breath and stepped out of the truck. He started toward his front door and stopped. It was almost as if he could feel something was watching him. Jay forced himself to turn around and look. When he did, he breathed a sigh of relief as the street was completely empty. He looked in the sky and smiled as he could see the sun beginning to rise. For the first time in his life he welcomed the sun and thanked God that he got through the night. He was never high on religion and really didn’t go to church much, but he had seen enough tonight to maybe consider to start going. Almost dying can do that to a person, he thought as he finally walked into his house.
CHAPTER 22
Arnie could hear the leaves crunch against his shoes as he made his way through the forest. The sun shone through the branches of the trees, sending a stream of light to the center of the forest, as if God was looking through. This is where it all began, he thought, kneeling down to the spot where he had been attacked. The person he had been died that night. Jay almost died the night before coming to these woods, kneeling on one knee, he fumbled through the leaves on the ground. He had told Jay to stay away from here. If something had happened to Jay, he would never forgive himself. What is it about this place? Why here? Arnie looked at his surroundings. He walked slowly through the wooded area as the wind blew through his hair.
“What are you searching for, boy?” a voice said, startling Arnie.
“Who’s there?” Arnie asked, looking around for the voice that seemed to be using some kind of voice changer to talk.
“In time, it will all be revealed,” the voice replied.
“It’s you, isn’t it?” Arnie asked.
“The question is, who am I? Is that not what you and your troublesome friend are trying to find out?”
“Why me?” Arnie asked.
“Why not?” the voice replied.
“It’s far too boring being the only one doing all the killing.”
“What do you want?” Arnie asked.
“I want you to leave me alone,” the voice replied angrily.
“Accept what you’ve become and do yourself a favor and rid yourself of your friend before I do it,” the voice told Arnie.
“You stay away from him. He’s only trying to help me.”
“By chaining you up every night and starving you? It’s useless to fight. In the end, the beast always wins.”
“Not if we kill you,” Arnie replied angrily.
“Is that what you believe? You believe that killing me will cure you?” the voice said with a laugh. “You truly are a silly boy.”
“Maybe, but we’ll find you no matter where you hide. We’ll find out who you are.”
“Who says I am hiding?” the voice answered.
Suddenly the tone of the voice changed as a vicious growl roared into Arnie’s ears. Just as Arnie turned to react, a huge claw grabbed on to his head, sending his head crashing into a nearby tree. Arnie screamed in agony as another claw crashed through his chest. The beast slammed Arnie’s head against the tree, cracking his skull. Blood flowed down his face, into his eyes, blinding him. The vicious beast slashed his face ripping the side of his cheek open, revealing Arnie’s teeth through the wound. The beast ripped Arnie’s chest open with its claws, tearing away at Arnie’s flesh. The beast then slammed Arnie’s head against the tree again, sending three of his teeth flying out of his mouth.
After a few moments the pain stopped, all Arnie could hear was the tearing of his flesh, until finally there was nothing but the cold darkness of an inevitable death.
CHAPTER 23
Sarah’s mangled body lay drenched in blood as Arnie walked into the room. Arnie screamed in anger and sorrow, looking at a huge snarling wolf sitting on the floor of the room. Elena sat smiling and ran her fingers through the beast’s black hair, as if it was a pet. Then to Arnie’s disbelief, he found himself feeding on Sarah’s body. Elena began to laugh and laugh as the beast beside her flung its body at Arnie, and as it did, Arnie screamed in terror, only to find himself screaming in the sanctuary of the woods.
Arnie looked around, not believing what had happened, instinctively running his hand across his chest, searching for the huge hole that had been made. To his relief, his chest was intact, except for a scar in the middle. His clothes were in shreds, and his body was stained with blood. Arnie ran his fingers across his head, where it had cracked, and could feel a fresh scab across his skull. I have survived somehow, and I didn’t just dream my encounter with the wolf, but I have died a second time. Arnie struggled to get up.
Daylight, Arnie thought thankfully. His gratefulness ended with that thought, for the wolf had attacked him when there was no full moon – only a sky filled with light, sunlight. Arnie continued to think with a sick feeling in his stomach, for one part of the legend of the werewolf had just been proved fiction. He had come to realize that other parts, even the one important part to him, might be proved to be equally false. He finally had word with the one that had made him. A lot of what it had said made sense, and a lot of it also scared him. What if he was right and eventually the beast would take him over? He had to admit that the dreams he’d been having were disturbing because in many of them he’d been enjoying himself. Then he realized what he’d been doing and woke up.
Arnie can’t explain the rush he has in the dreams, but it’s exhilarating. It’s almost as if a part of him wants to accept what he’s becoming. That part would be the wolf, he thought. That part isn’t him. Somehow he would have to fight the feelings and ignore his inner cravings.
The beast could have killed him again but didn’t. Jay must have really pissed that guy off because he wanted Jay dead. If he knew who they were, then he must be someone they had known, unless he’d been watching and studying them.
Arnie took off his bloody, ripped shirt. He threw it to the ground, thinking how close he had again come to dying. He had escaped death a second time. This time was different: he didn’t fear
what might have come, he welcomed it. One thing he knew was that the wolf he had kept inside had grown more and more impatient. With every day that passed he could feel it inside him, changing who he was. He would have to find this mystery person and kill him. What reason would this person want him alive? What if he was just waiting for Arnie to accept what he had become? The voice said eventually it would happen. Maybe that was why he didn’t kill Arnie. If this person knew who he was, then this person not only knew about Jay but also knew about Sarah and his parents. It was only a matter of time before the beast would go after them.
Time was running out. They needed to find out who this person was before someone else close to them died or before the beast in Arnie took over and hurt someone he cared about.
Jay walked toward his dad’s car, which he had borrowed. Arnie started the engine, looking in the rearview mirror and finding the scar the wolf had made.
Maybe silver was the only thing that killed a werewolf. The whole legend that the horrors happened only when the moon was full was proved false. He hated to think what other things might not be true and how many awful truths he had yet to discover.
CHAPTER 24
“Hi, Sarah,” Jay said, letting Arnie’s girlfriend into his room. “What do I owe the pleasure of this visit?” he asked.
“I don’t know. Arnie’s become very distant,” she said, sitting on Jay’s bed.
“He’s just going through a lot, Sarah,” Jay told her.
“I know, but I wish he’d be more open with me. Ever since Danny died, it’s almost as if he’s another person.”
“We all are, Sarah. Losing Danny was like losing a brother. We all knew each other since kindergarten, and now he’s gone. It really isn’t easy, not to mention the fact that he was there when it happened. Arnie could be just as dead as Danny, but he’s not. He can’t remember what happened, and he keeps on asking himself why he was left alive.
“He’s had a couple of near-death experiences in the last couple of months. It’s a lot for one person to handle,” Jay said, patting Sarah on the back.
“I know, but I just can’t help but think that there’s something he’s hiding from me. I just want him to trust me,” Sarah said with a frown.
“He does trust you. He just doesn’t want to burden you with his problems.”
“I know, Jay. You would tell me if you knew something, wouldn’t you?” Sarah asked.
“Yes,” Jay replied, giving her a hug.
“I hope he never leaves me. I love him more than anything. I sometimes dream that one day we’ll get married and be together forever. Stupid dream, huh.” Sara turned red.
“No, it’s not. You love him,” Jay replied.
“Yeah, I do.” Sarah giggled.
“Speaking of love, when are you going to find somebody, Jay?”
“That’s not my best department. Ever since Jasmine left me, it’s been pretty hard for anyone to compete with her.”
“She left you for some bum in the service. I warned you when you started dating her. She was way too old for you.”
“She was only twenty-two.”
“Yeah, but you didn’t even have a job, and girls that age, well, they need something more.”
“I thought my body was enough,” Jay said jokingly.
“Wow, you still have this picture,” Sarah said, changing the subject and walking over to Jay’s desk.
“Yeah,” Jay said as she picked up the picture of Arnie, Danny, Jay, and her. It was a picture of them hugging on the sands of Padre Island. “That was such a good summer,” she replied with a smile.
“I agree,” Jay said, smiling.
“I kissed Arnie . . .”
“I know, for the first time,” Jay said, interrupting.
“He told you?” Sarah asked.
“We are friends,” Jay said, bumping her with his arm.
“What else has he told you?” she asked suspiciously.
“Oh, just everything,” Jay said, laughing.
“You guys are such pigs,” she said, embarrassed.
“Relax. All you and Arnie’s dirty little secrets are safe with me.”
“They better be,” she warned playfully.
“How are you doing?” Jay asked seriously.
“I’m okay. Like I said, I’m just worried about Arnie.”
“I’m sorry about Elena. I know she was a good friend to you,” Jay said sincerely.
“Well, it’s been hard,” Sarah replied, wiping away the forming tears. “She was a good lady; she didn’t deserve to die like that.” Sara walked over to Jay’s window, which was still broken. “What happened here?” Sarah asked, referring to the window.
“I don’t have air conditioner, so I made me one,” Jay answered with an uneasy laugh.
“Sure you did.” Sarah looked outside.
“I went to her funeral, and seeing her lying in that coffin just made me realize how short life really is. It was different when Danny died; we didn’t get to go to his funeral. One day he was here, and the next day he was gone. We never got to tell him goodbye,” Jay said.
“Thanks for talking to me,” Sarah said, excusing herself out.
She stopped outside Jay’s door and turned around to look at Jay. “I hope Arnie knows how good of a friend you are to him because if he doesn’t, he should,” she said, waving goodbye. Jay waved back, closing his door, thinking how lucky Arnie was to have someone loving him so much.
CHAPTER 25
Officer Talley opened the rotten old wooden door and Inspector Rodriguez followed, covering his nose with a white handkerchief. He and four other officers walked into the old deserted barn.
“Jesus Christ!” Inspector Rodriguez said, looking up as half a dozen bodies hung lifelessly by their guts. Flies and maggots infested their decomposing bodies, which filled the barn with an unbearable smell of death and rotting flesh. Several other officers walked out, trying to block out what they had just seen. Officer Talley puked all over the dirt ground and wiped his mouth in embarrassment, covering his mouth with his hands.
“Who the hell would do such a thing?” Officer Talley questioned, not being able to comprehend how anyone could ever be driven to commit such an unspeakable act.
“A monster, Talley,” Rodriguez said, frustrated, knowing that they still had nothing to go on. The farm was vacant; there were no owners. If it weren’t for those two kids, Bobby Hanson and Tommy Fox, they would have never had found these bodies. Hell of a thing for a couple of eight-year-olds to find. Rodriguez’s adult mind could barely handle the images he had been forced to see lately. How could a couple of kids cope with this? Rodriguez wondered. A few months ago he thought he was on to the killer, but he checked all of Arnie’s alibis. They all checked out. Fifty-seven bodies in the last year. It’s amazing Stallison Valley even has anybody living left, judging by how small the town is, Rodriguez thought, walking out of the barn as reporters surrounded him.
“So are you going to tell me what happened yesterday, or are you going to just sit there and look in dead space?” Jay said to Arnie as he sat on his couch in his room.
“I saw it,” Arnie said with a cold expression. “Except it was daylight. There was no full moon, and he still changed.”
“You bumped into our friend, the wolf?” Jay said, running his hands through his hair in frustration. “What happened?” Jay asked.
“I talked to him,” Arnie replied, biting his bottom lip.
“Did you recognize his voice, what did he say?”
“No, he had some kind of voice changer.”
“Did you see his face at least?”
“He changed before I could see his human side. He told me that eventually I would change. That eventually the beast inside would win.”
“You can’t believe that. Whoever it is wants you to think that,” Jay said, pacing up and down his room.
“It knows who we are Jay. It knows who you are. It wants you dead. It knows what we are trying to do,” Arnie told Jay hoarsely.
“How could it know? It has to be somebody close to us,” Jay said, sitting next to Arnie.
“Who though?” Arnie asked.
“I don’t know. Someone at school maybe,” Jay said, confused.
“Look, Jay, maybe you should get out of this while you still can. I mean we don’t even know if killing him will cure me.”
“It has to,” Jay said, refusing to hear what Arnie was trying to say.
“You don’t understand; it beat me to the point of death, and then when it could have killed me, it left me there. It wants me alive.”
“Why you?” Jay asked.
Bark (The Werewolf Journal's Book 1) Page 6
