“Hey,” I prompted, but he didn’t reply. He started striking the nail harshly with the hammer ignoring me.
“What’s the matter,” I grabbed his upper arm. He threw the hammer on the plywood and pulled his hand from my grip and walked aside. I followed him. “Why you are behaving like this,” I yelled.
“Don’t bother me, I have work to finish,” he spoke with a firm face pushing me aside. I walked back to the counter and found Evelyn was not there. I peeked out, but I didn’t saw Evelyn there either. I stepped outside of the store and saw at the corner of the street Evelyn was standing with Ethan and they were having some sort of conversation. Ethan was holding a box which he was trying to give Evelyn. Mason stepped out at that moment and seeing Evelyn with Ethan, he rushed furiously toward them. He snatched the box from Evelyn’s hand and threw it on the road. Ethan picked up the box. I couldn’t hear what they were yelling about at each other. Mason pushed Ethan with his hand, Ethan looked around and backed off. Mason grabbed Evelyn’s hand and dragged her into the store and started shouting at her.
“I warned you earlier that you will not go near him.” Mason's face tensed and his eyes reddened as he speaks. Nerves stimulated on his face and arms. Mason stroked his fist on the wall in rage, and the wall cracked slightly. Seeing his behavior, I panicked too.
“Next time I see you with him, I am not going to tolerate any further,” he shouted in anger, “Do you hear me, Evelyn.” He patted his arm on the counter. Evelyn breathed deeply and stared at Mason in rage. Her eyes turned red and seemed like it will burst in blood. She pushed Mason with enough force to make him fall on the floor. She ran out of the shop. I was stuck at the corner of the counter watching all this. Mason stood and ran after her. I stepped out and saw Mason running toward Primrose Path. My brain froze seeing all these things out of a sudden. Somehow I pulled myself together and trailed Mason.
*****
I reached Mason’s barn and saw him knocking and pushing the door. Evelyn had locked herself inside. Mason shouted, “Please open the door, Evelyn.” A harsh growling steered out the house leaving me stunned. Mason stopped pushing the door for a while when he heard the growl. He looked at me I was standing at the stairs attached to the porch. Mason came near me and huffed, “Just leave, get away from the compound.” He ran at the door hitting it with his shoulder. The door broke open, and Mason went inside shouting for Evelyn. I was frightened seeing all this, I had no clue of what was going on. I was questioning myself on what to do. Should I enter the house or leave the barn. Finally, I decided to hop in. I moved inside cautiously with my heart beating with fear. As I reached the hall, I heard another growl from upstairs. The voice was harsher and sounds like some wild animal howling in anger. I steadily stepped on the stair to reach the upper floor. I heard Mason’s voice, “Please Evelyn calm down.” I unlocked the room and slid it open slowly. What I saw was unbelievable for my eyes. My body shivered, my nerves stimulated. A silver werewolf was standing in front of me. It swayed its strong arm and stroked Mason. Mason bumped at the side wall and fell on the floor. He stood and stretched his arm sideways puffing his chest outward and shouted, “That’s enough.” The next thing I saw made me think whether I should rely on my eyes or not. Within a flash of my view, Mason transformed himself into a huge monster, a brown werewolf. By the time I had guessed the other silver beast was none other than Evelyn, Mason leaped toward Evelyn and hit her face with his elbow. Evelyn fell to the floor. Mason pushed her face on the floor and locked her legs. He growled in Evelyn’s face. He pushed her hard not letting her free to move. Slowly the heavy breaths calmed, and they regained their human form. Mason moved aside from Evelyn’s body and sat on the floor. Evelyn slipped in the corner of the room.
Mason stared at me. I was still shivering in panic. He crawled on the floor and approached me. “Now you know who we are,” he said. I was speechless. “I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s the truth we are the descendants of the cursed,” his voice faltered. I went on staring him with my still eyes fixed on his face. “I know you would think us as the accused ones for the savage killings going on in Breckenridge.” After witnessing this, it was obvious for me to think exactly the same as Mason said. Mason continued, “But I assure you neither Evelyn nor I am behind this. We had overcome our savage nature.” He stretched his hand toward me and gripped my shoulders, “Avery….” I broke my gaze and nodded my head down. “I want to go home,” I muffled. I was not in a state of saying or understanding anything, who could be in a conscious state of mind after seeing such things. Mason gave his hand and helped me to stand. He fisted my palm and walked me out his house. I was numb. I looked at his arm it looked human, his hairy arm flashed in my thoughts. I looked on his face it was human too, his wolf face flashed in my mind. I was drowned in a complete state of perplexion. Millions of thoughts crossed my mind all the way to home. Mason helped me upstairs to my room and left saying he will see me tomorrow. I fell on my bed.
It took more than an hour to make myself believe what I saw at Mason’s house. Now I started to solve the puzzle before me. I began to arrange the pieces from the beginning. I reasoned every possible way, why Buffy behaved awkwardly and resisted entering Mason’s compound, why Evelyn gawked at Buffy and soon we went out of sight of Buffy he disappeared. Why right after the night when Mason and Evelyn saw the moose in my backyard it was found dead. Now I have figured the reason why Mr. Murphy and my dad were dubious about Mason and Evelyn. Everything indicated that either both or one of them was responsible for the savage killings of the animal. My mind was convinced about them being the accused ones for the mishaps in the town, but my heart denied my brain. I have looked into Mason’s eye filled with affection and love. My heart remembers the way he made me feel happy. There is something which is missing here.
The more I thought, the more I found myself baffled. I am reminded of the way Mason and Ethan looked at each other. Evelyn is a reclusive girl, but why was she so friendly with Ethan? What the hell was in that box that Ethan was trying to give Evelyn. There is something which is still out of sight. The only way I could possibly find out the truth is Ethan. I called Ethan and asked him to meet me at the café near the ski center.
*****
I drove to the cafe around 8 pm in the evening. Ethan was already there. I sat in front of him, he wrapped his palm around my hand and queried, “What’s the matter, you look pale, is everything all right, dear.”
I took a deep breath and muffled, “Nothing’s fine, I don’t even know what I am going to tell you, you will believe it or not.”
He tightened his grip on my hand and said with a confident voice, “Try me.” His hold on my hand and his confident tone gave me the strength to speak everything to him.
“Remember the first day you met me, and you told me about people are rumoring about seeing werewolves.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“What if I say they are not rumors, it's real.”
On these words I felt Ethan's palm loosening on my hands. His brow shrank, and nerves stimulated on his face. He took out his wallet and flipped a few dollars on the table and stood up grabbing my hand.
“Let's go somewhere alone.” He drew me to his car and drove into the Aspen forest. He halted the car inside the woods. Taking a deep breath, he said: “So who are they.”
“Mason and Evelyn,” I revealed. He kept silence for a while engaged in thoughts.
“What else do you find out,” he asked.
“Ethan, I am so confused now, though things appear like they are the culprits. But for some reason, I believe they couldn’t do this, though I am not confident about Evelyn, I know for sure Mason is innocent.”
“Don’t fool yourself, Avery, If they are not to be blamed then who else would do it?” he reasoned. “How many werewolves do you have encountered in your life?” In his reasons he was right, the brutal act was a deed of a savage animal, and I have witnessed them.
“Stay away from them,” he warned.
> “I have doubts,” I shook my head.
“What,” he asked.
“Do you know about them being werewolves?” I asked.
“I suspected,” he murmured.
“I think you are hiding something from me. The day you met Mason, it didn’t seem that you both met for the first time, and what about Evelyn, you were trying to give her something on the street which outraged Mason,” I gawked.
“I have worked with cops so I can sense evil, and when I saw Mason, I had the same feeling. I was just trying to take Evelyn in favor so I could find out the truth. That’s it,” he looked upon my dubious face. He raised his palm and gently caressed my cheeks, “Oh, dear don’t be so stressed, I care for you.” He leaned his face and kissed my forehead. He pushed his palm around my neck and leaned my face on his chest. It was soothing for me. I felt the warmth of his body and haven in his warm grip. I could hear throbs of his heart, and every beat I heard, calmed me.
I rested on his broad, warm chest for a while and then Ethan drove me back home. He told me not to tell anybody about this, and he will deal with these things in his own way and left. I went upstairs and found my father was waiting for me for dinner.
“Mr. Murphy is going insane. He is just too obsessed with his dog,” Dad worried.
“Poor Mr. Murphy. Is he all right?” I sympathized.
“I don’t know. He was talking about werewolves and hunting them. Can you believe he is convinced Mason’s sister is a shape shifter?” He shook his head, “It’s disgusting to hear shit from elderly people like Mr. Murphy.”
I gave him a hesitant smile. He measured in a moment that I am tensed. “Is everything all right dear, you look pale,” He asked.
“Yes, yes I am fine, it's just I’m tired a bit,” I bumped my shoulders and went in my room.
The night was heavy on me, I found it hard to get sleep. All the incidents were flashing around my thoughts. I was unable to conclude whom to trust and whom not to. What should I do? Should I tell my father or should I go to cops? What should I do when Mason pays a visit to me? And what about Ethan? Is he telling the truth? I have seen love for me in Mason’s eyes. I have felt the warmth of passion in Ethan’s arm. I passed the night with awakening eyes.
***
Morning has come, Dad has gone for his work, and I do not have the strength to face anyone. So I decided to let the shop stay closed, and I will remain in my room. It was 9 am, the doorbell rang. I understood it must be Mason. I grabbed the pillow and covered my face so that I could avoid hearing the bell rings. Bell rang stopped, and I heard a thud on my back window and in no time Mason was standing in front of my room.
“What the…” I agitated, “how did you enter the house.”
“From your back window, there are advantages of being a werewolf,” he smiled subtly, “I know it's hard for you to accept all of a sudden such facts, but please don’t ignore me.” He approached my bed and sat near me. He gently moved his palm on my head. “Avery, as now you know everything about me, I want you to know one more thing,” he whispered. “I like you very much, and I have never felt for anyone as I feel for you. I am fed up of running and hiding from people and now I want to rest, I want to rest my life to you.” His eyes expressed that every word he said right now was true.
I have already observed it in his eyes right from the night we skated together. And he was not alone in his feelings I, too, have mutual feelings. His presence around me made me feel happy and lively. He was the one who ignited the feeling of love again in my soul. But right now I am not in a state to decide anything. I didn’t say a word and kept staring at him.
“All right if you don’t wanna talk that's fine, I know what’s hurting you, but I assure you one day you will know the truth that I was right,” he said. “And please do me a favor, keep this secret with you, I can’t risk Evelyn’s life.” Saying this he stood and turned to leave.
“Mason…” I called.
“Yes,” he turned around.
“I am sorry, I was so confused yesterday, I talked to Ethan last night about this,” I said.
“Oh, Avery you have no idea what you did. You have put your life in danger too,” he said impatiently. “I must go to Evelyn now.” He nodded his head twice and said again pointing his finger at me, “You must not be alone, rush to your father and be there.” Then he rushed out of the room.
I grew impatient and frantic I snatched my hair and yelled: “What the heck is happening to my life.”
*****
I woke up from my bed and got down at the store front. I stood there and looked on the either side. One way leads me to the skiing center where my father is and the other to Primrose Path. I was in thought and unable to decide where should I go. Suddenly I saw Mr. Murphy driving his car down Primrose Path. He stopped and yelled in agony from his car, “I know who is responsible for my Buffy, I will make her pay for what he did to my poor dog.” And drove past away from the store and took the street which led to his home. I astounded, and I didn’t know what judged me that I rushed toward Mason’s barn. As I drove through the Aspen forest, I caught glimpses of a man rushing in the woods. I pulled over my car and gazed peered through the woods it was Mason. I got out of the car and trailed him. Mason headed inside a small wooden tattered cabin. I crawled slowly to reach one of the walls and found a gap to peep inside.
I was shocked by what I saw inside. Mason was holding Ethan’s neck and pushed into the side wall. He was shouting and asking Ethan, “Tell me where Evelyn is.”
“I don’t know, let me go,” Ethan tried to pull of Mason’s hand.
“Ethan just tell me where she is or I am going to rip your head off,” Mason raged.
“I swear I don’t know where is she. Why should I do anything to her,” Ethan kicked Mason’s belly. But Mason stood firm.
“It’s all because of you, you are only responsible for everything happening here, I regret letting you live.” Mason smashed his face. Blood oozed out of his mouth. Ethan spit out the blood.
“So you have got guts to kill your brother, huh?” Ethan raged.
“Brother! I am ashamed that you are my brother,” and Mason again smashed Ethan’s face.
Brother! Did I hear it right, what the hell is going on here? Mason and Ethan are brothers.
“It has always been you behind everything, because of your deeds Evelyn and I had to suffer,” said Ethan. “The day I saw you at Avery’s shop I understood it was you who took the dog,” Mason gripped his neck and tossed him to the floor. “I knew it was you who intentionally killed that moose,” Mason forced his knees on Ethan’s leg. “You are a monster. You can’t overcome your hunger for flesh and blood. You are the one who has been hiding in the woods all these days and killing the animals in the town,” he shouted. I was stuck behind the walls watching Mason’s spat with Ethan. Ethan was lying beneath Mason’s knees of, and his face was bleeding. I watched Ethan slowly stretched his hand underneath the wooden shelf fallen beside him and grabbed a wolf trap and threw it on Mason’s leg. Mason’s leg got stuck in the trap, Ethan pulled the chain fixed with the trap and wrapped it around the wooden angle on the roof. Mason was stuck, and he was hanging upside down. Nerves stimulated on Mason’s face, his eyes blushed with anger. He shook his leg to get his ankle out of the trap but failed. He cried, and his cry soon echoed into a loud growl, and in a fraction of the time, he was transformed into the beast.
“Look who the monster is now,” Ethan grabbed a piece of wood and stroked Mason. “You know what, you are right.” He spit out blood from his mouth saying this, “I am an animal and savaging is what an animal does. But you are such a pity, you forgot your nature and want Evelyn to make a coward like you.” Ethan walked around the cabin in agitation. He suddenly went on knees approaching Mason and tugged his hair. He said in shivering voice, “You know what Mason you should actually die. If you won’t die, Avery will never be with me. She already knows your disguise, it won’t be hard for me to convince her that you were behind ev
erything.”
I heard Ethan’s every word clearly. I was fallen numb. Everything was as clear as water. Now I had understood what Evelyn meant when she said, “… It won’t be possible, my brother won’t let you marry,” on the day when we sat in my backyard and Mason repaired the fence. All the parts of the puzzle were solved. Ethan was one who was to be accused of the brutal killings of the animals. While this thought hovered in my brain, I saw Ethan go to the corner of the cabin and pull out a gun from his overcoat. Tension gripped me, my hands and legs trembled. What was Ethan going to do? Will he actually shoot Mason? I was going anxious. I would have to save Mason. I need to act now.
“You know brother, there is still some brotherhood left in me. That’s why I will not taste your flesh. Instead, I will pierce a bullet right here, in your heart,” Ethan walked toward Mason and forced the barrel of the gun on his heart. Mason growled heavily.
“You know Mason before you die I would you show you the place where I will throw your dead body to rot,” Ethan pushed the table laying to the side of him and opened a secret door on the floor which led to the basement. He prodded his finger to the hollow opening and said, “That’s where Buffy’s body rotted and yours will too.” Ethan stretched his arm pointing the gun at Mason. I grabbed a piece of log and rushed toward the door. Ethan loaded the gun. I crawled to his back. The moment he was about to pull the trigger, I stroked his head with the log. The gun fell from Ethan’s hand on the floor, and he stumbled into the basement. I rushed to Mason and freed him from the trap. His hairy brown leg was messed up with blood. He stood and pushed me aside in the corner of the cabin. Mason tugged the wooden flooring and pulled a couple of joints widening the secret door. He jumped inside. I leaned forward so that I can see inside the basement. It was dark inside nothing was visible, only sounds of growls and cries echoed.
Inextinguishable Love: Firefighter and Interracial Romance Page 34
