Lycanthropic (Book 2): Wolf Moon (The Rise of the Werewolves)

by Morris, Steve

  James shook his head fearfully. ‘No, you mustn’t tell them anything. Just give them the food, please. I’m going to hide behind this tree.’ He gave her the bags of food and went to stand behind one of the bare sycamores that stood at the edge of the Common. He felt vaguely ridiculous hiding there, but it was the only way he could watch and remain out of view.

  Melanie crossed over the road and opened the gate that led to the house.

  James watched intently as she rang the doorbell and waited. For a while he thought that the house was empty and that no one would come, but then an old woman came to the door, huddled over and wrapped in an old cardigan.

  James stared at the woman in surprise. Had Melanie gone to the wrong house? Had he been away for so long that he’d forgotten where he’d once lived? Or had strangers moved into the house in his absence? But then he looked closer and saw that the old woman was his mother. Her hair was almost white in the weak winter light. It had been blonde before. It had always been blonde. She said nothing, just stood on the doorstep looking at Melanie in a state of puzzlement.

  An old man came to the door to join her, gaunt and stooped. ‘Who are you?’ he asked Melanie suspiciously. ‘What do you want?’ The voice was his father’s, but it was cracked and broken. Both his mother and father were broken.

  James turned away, unable to look. He had done that to them. He had broken them by his thoughtless and careless actions. He forced himself to look again.

  ‘These are from a well-wisher,’ said Melanie, holding out the bags of food.

  James’ father took the bags, his eyes full of confusion.

  His mother shot out an arm to grab hold of Melanie’s. ‘Have you seen him?’ she croaked. ‘Have you seen my son?’

  Tears flooded James’ face. He hid his face in his hands, unwilling to look or listen any more.

  After a minute Melanie returned empty-handed. ‘They took the food,’ she said gently. ‘They said to thank the person who had sent it, to thank them for being so kind.’

  ‘No!’ wailed James. It was too much. He turned from her and began to stride away down the street.

  He stopped. A man was watching him from a little farther down the street. A man with a thick beard, wearing a black leather jacket. A motorbike stood behind him. The man stared at him a while longer. Then, as James watched, he turned and mounted his motorbike. A white wolf was emblazoned on the back of his jacket.

  James shuddered. A Wolf Brother. The jacket was identical to the one Warg Daddy wore. He had hoped never to see that white wolf again.

  The man fastened a crash helmet onto his head and started his bike with a roar. He revved the engine hard, making black smoke belch from the exhaust pipe, and rode away down the road, not giving James another glance.

  ‘Who was that?’ asked Melanie. ‘A friend?’

  ‘No,’ said James grimly. ‘Not a friend, an enemy.’ He turned to face her. ‘We can never return here, you understand? We can never come back.’

  Chapter Sixty-Three

  Brookfield Road, Brixton Hill, South London, waxing moon

  ‘Is no room in here,’ complained Mihai. ‘And Grandpa Kevin snores like a horse.’

  It was pitch dark, but Liz could feel the boy’s hot breath against her face. His dark eyes glinted like coals in the blackness.

  The boy had a point. The three of them now all slept in Liz’s bedroom. Mihai shared her bed and Kevin had squeezed his mattress into the tiny floor space at the foot of the bed.

  ‘You know why we have to share a room,’ she told the boy.

  ‘Yes, I know,’ he said in frustration. ‘Is because Dean and Samantha and Lily can sleep in spare room. Mihai knows that.’

  Since Dean had shot and killed the two intruders at their house, Samantha had been too terrified to stay there alone with Lily. Liz had offered to put them up in her spare room temporarily, although quite how long that might be she had no idea. Mihai and Kevin had reluctantly agreed to make space for them.

  ‘But still, is no room in here,’ insisted Mihai obstinately. ‘And I cannot sleep when Grandpa Kevin makes big honking noise.’

  Her father was the only one getting any sleep tonight. He lay on his back, sleeping soundly, the air snorting loudly in and out through his wide-open mouth.

  Kevin had helped her move the bodies of the two intruders from Dean’s house. They had debated whether or not to report the killings, but technically Dean should never have opened fire on a man with a knife, and certainly not on one who had already dropped his weapon and surrendered. They could have lied about the sequence of events, but Liz hadn’t been able to think clearly, so they had panicked and buried the bodies in shallow graves out at the abandoned factory where Dean had taught her to shoot.

  It had been a mistake, but there was no going back.

  So now she was sheltering two murderers, Kevin and Dean. It seemed to be something of a habit. The second time had been much easier to accept than the first, she reflected grimly. The more deceptions she engaged in the easier they became. Soon she would be telling lies quicker than truths.

  It was enough to keep anyone awake long into the small hours, regardless of Kevin’s snoring and Mihai’s complaints. But it wasn’t just the lies and the cover-ups that were bothering her. The next full moon was approaching and Liz was scared about what would happen.

  They were calling it the wolf moon. She had no plans to find out what effect another full moon, wolf or otherwise, might have on her. She would be sure to stay indoors this time, and keep her loved ones safely inside too.

  That was the one bright part of this whole situation. She’d always dreamed of having a family to look after. Now she had one in abundance. First Mihai, then Kevin, now Dean, Samantha and Lily too. And when Samantha’s baby was born? They couldn’t possibly fit a new-born baby in the apartment as well. The newcomers would surely have to move out before then. But while they were still here, Liz was enjoying their company immensely.

  ‘Why you no sleep too?’ demanded Mihai from the other half of the bed.

  ‘Because you keep talking to me,’ said Liz.

  ‘Is no one else to talk to,’ said Mihai.

  There was clearly going to be no sleep for her tonight. ‘Tell me what you get up to with Grandpa Kevin all day when I’m on duty,’ she said.

  Mihai rolled in the bed. ‘Is not doing anything wrong.’

  ‘I didn’t say you were,’ said Liz, although she’d have been surprised if her father wasn’t up to something dodgy now and again.

  ‘Is mostly helping Gary the butcher,’ said Mihai.

  ‘Is that where you get all the food from?’ asked Liz.

  Samantha had expressed amazement that they had so much food in Liz’s house. ‘I’ve really struggled to buy groceries,’ Samantha had told her the day she’d moved in. ‘The shops are all sold out most days.’

  Liz hadn’t even thought about it before. The food just appeared in her kitchen cupboards and fridge-freezer, and she hadn’t ever asked Kevin where he got it from.

  ‘Is no problem finding food,’ Mihai told her now. ‘Not if you know where to look.’

  ‘And the food Grandpa Kevin finds, is it all legal and above board?’ asked Liz.

  ‘Of course,’ said Mihai crossly. ‘Grandpa Kevin is good man.’

  From the foot of the bed came a huge reverberating snore, sounding something like a cross between a warthog and a foghorn. Liz smiled to herself. Despite everything, she was glad her father was back in her life. In fact she had a lot to be grateful for. It seemed that there was nothing better than a crisis to make you appreciate what truly mattered.

  ‘He is a good man,’ agreed Liz. ‘Even if he does make a great honking noise all night long.’

  In the darkness beside her, Mihai giggled happily.

  Chapter Sixty-Four

  West Field Terrace, South London, wolf moon

  The first fingers of day began to push weakly through the curtains of Rose’s bedroom. She lay in bed starin
g at the ceiling, her arms bathed in sweat that had now turned icy cold. She had barely slept all night, fearing what the wolf moon would bring, fearing even to dream. When she had finally drifted off, an hour before dawn, the nightmare had come again.

  Fire swept through her ravaged dreamscape, swallowing all who stood in its path. Burning people staggered through the flames, their cries as terrible to hear as their faces were to see. Wolves ran in packs under the firelight, blood and drool slipping from their open snouts. Soldiers fired at the wolves with their rifles, but the wolves ran on under the full moon, cutting the soldiers down like rag dolls.

  Rose screamed in her dream, but the nightmare did not let up.

  A succession of horrors came to greet her.

  The headmaster, Mr Canning, the blood gushing from his empty eye socket like a fountain, his mouth twisted in a rictus smile. ‘You’ll be sorry, Rose,’ he whispered. ‘So very sorry.’

  The dead dogs from the kennels limped past her in a line. ‘We trusted you, Rose. But you let them kill us.’ She raised her hands protectively in front of her face, but the dogs didn’t savage her this time. They stood in a circle, watching, their dead eyes accusing.

  Her mother appeared, then her father, then Oscar. She knew what would happen. The wolves rushed forward eagerly and cut them down, tearing at their throats. She stood helplessly as flames advanced, swallowing their bodies.

  And something new. Vijay. She had not seen him in her nightmares before. He crept forward uncertainly out of the hellish gloom, not knowing what to do or where to go. Then, when he saw her, he came toward her, smiling with relief.

  But Rose felt no relief, only a new dread. ‘Why are you here?’ she asked him, but she already knew the answer. Everyone she cared for was doomed to die. The wolves came for him, leaping, tearing, biting. They tore him to pieces under the moonlit sky. She woke with the sound of his scream still in her ears.

  For a while she lay still, wondering if it had already happened, or if she might somehow still be able to stop it.

  Then she remembered. The wolf moon was coming. It would rise tonight.

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  Brixton Village, South London, wolf moon

  Ben Harvey couldn’t remember ever feeling quite so angry. He stared at Vijay in disbelief. ‘The man said what?’ he demanded.

  Vijay cowered in alarm as if he feared Ben might hit him.

  ‘Look, I’m sorry,’ said Ben quickly. ‘I’m not angry with you. You did the right thing coming to tell me. I just can’t believe what that man said.’

  Vijay had taken up Ben’s offer to help out with the Neighbourhood Watch. He’d been going door to door, taking food to the older residents and anyone who had trouble getting out. The old ladies in the neighbourhood had quickly taken a shine to him. ‘Such a nice, polite boy,’ one of them had told him that morning. ‘Always so patient and happy to help.’ Ben had smiled. Everyone had a hidden talent, and it seemed that Vijay had found his. But this latest news had come as a shock.

  ‘Tell me again what happened,’ said Ben.

  ‘I went to the Polish shop to fetch food as usual,’ said Vijay. ‘One of Mr Kowalski’s sons always puts some baskets aside for me to take to the old people. But today he wasn’t there. I spoke to Mr Kowalski instead, and he told me there was no food left. But I could see that he’d just taken a delivery. Mr Stewart was bringing in boxes from the truck outside. There was tinned soup, fresh fruit and vegetables, all kinds of food.’

  Ben nodded. He’d helped arrange the delivery himself, with the help of Kevin and his friend, Gary the butcher. They’d managed to secure a big supply of food and groceries, enough to last a good few days.

  ‘So I pointed to the boxes and said that I needed food for the old people,’ said Vijay. ‘Mr Kowalski said that he was sorry, but he couldn’t help. He wouldn’t explain why. Then Mr Stewart came in with another box. That’s when he said it.’

  ‘What did he say exactly?’

  Vijay looked nervous. He couldn’t meet Ben’s gaze. ‘Mr Stewart said that it wouldn’t hurt the old people to go without food for a day, especially since they never do anything to help. I said that they had nothing else to eat, and he said that they are old, so they don’t need as much. Then when I said that they needed to eat to keep warm in the cold weather, he just laughed. He said that if they got cold enough they’d never need to eat anything again, and there’d be more food for the rest of us. Mr Kowalski didn’t say anything. He just looked embarrassed.’

  ‘I can’t believe it,’ said Ben. ‘I mean, I don’t doubt what you said about Mr Stewart. I just can’t believe the man would be so cruel. And I’m surprised that Mr Kowalski didn’t do anything to help. I’ll go and speak to him immediately.’

  ‘Wait,’ said Vijay. ‘There’s one other thing I need to tell you.’

  ‘It can’t be worse, surely,’ said Ben.

  ‘It’s about Oscar,’ said Vijay, ‘Rose’s brother.’

  ‘I already spoke to Salma Ali about getting medical supplies delivered to the sick,’ said Ben. ‘She assured me that she’d make arrangements. Kevin’s managed to get hold of a big pharmaceutical delivery, or so I’m told. So that shouldn’t be a problem.’

  Vijay nodded. ‘Yes, I know. But when Mr Hallibury went to ask about it, Kevin told him that he was under strict instructions not to release any of the medicine until further notice.’

  Ben shook his head. ‘I don’t understand what’s happening here,’ he said. ‘I’ll speak to Mr Kowalski first, then Ms Ali. I’ll let you know what happens.’

  The Polish shopkeeper was behind his counter when Ben arrived at the shop. Mr Stewart was there too, stacking the shelves with fresh vegetables.

  Ben pushed the door open violently and strode up to the counter. ‘What the bloody hell is going on?’ he demanded. ‘Vijay Singh just told me you refused to let him have food to distribute to the community. Is that correct?’

  Mr Kowalski looked awkwardly around but said nothing. He shuffled some paperwork about and pretended to read it. Mr Stewart stopped what he was doing and came over to join him, a sneer of triumph on his face.

  ‘So it’s true,’ said Ben. ‘I left strict instructions about the fair distribution of food. Why would you disobey me?’

  ‘I just do what Ms Ali says,’ said Mr Kowalski sheepishly. ‘You must speak to her. Is not my problem.’

  ‘Really?’ said Ben. He turned to leave.

  ‘They’re going to die anyway, sooner or later,’ said Mr Stewart. ‘Probably sooner, the way things are heading.’

  Ben turned back to face him. ‘What did you say?’

  The man stared insolently back at Ben. ‘Just thinking out loud. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. Why don’t you run off to Ms Ali and tell her all about it? Be a good little mummy’s boy.’

  Ben fought down his rage. He felt like flooring the man, but what good would that do? Something was very wrong here, and he needed to go to the top, where he could fix it once and for all.

  Salma Ali was in her home, and seemed almost to be expecting him. She ushered him into her front room and sat on an elegant chaise-longue, her legs crossed neatly. ‘Please take a seat, Ben. May I offer you a coffee?’

  Ben remained standing. ‘No. Thank you. I’ve just been speaking to Mr Kowalski.’

  She smiled politely at him. ‘Where would we be without men like him?’ she wondered aloud. ‘He works tirelessly helping the community, doesn’t he? As you do yourself, of course.’

  Ben was in no mood for games. ‘He told me that you ordered him to stop giving out food packages to the older residents.’

  She made no reply, but continued to offer him her smile.

  Ben pressed on, determined to say everything that needed saying. ‘I also heard that Kevin is refusing to allow medical supplies to be distributed. Is that true? And did you order it?’

  ‘I did order it,’ admitted Salma Ali calmly. ‘And I instructed Mr Kowalski to ration food to the elderly.�
��

  ‘But why?’ asked Ben.

  ‘Because we need to plan ahead. I mean to ensure that this community survives this crisis. The food shortage will get worse before it gets better. You know that. There will come a time when there won’t be enough to go around. Perhaps that time has already come. What then? Must we all go hungry? Hard workers like you and Mr Kowalski? Brave men like Mr Stewart on the night watch? If that happens, the whole community will crumble. Who will care for the sick and the elderly then? We need to prioritize resources if we are going to survive, Ben. It’s a hard fact to swallow, but if you think it over, I’m sure you’ll realize the truth of it.’

  Her words sickened Ben. ‘You’ve planned this all along haven’t you? Those questionnaires you circulated asking how old people were, whether they had any special needs, and so on, that wasn’t so you could help people, was it? It was so you could decide who to help and who to abandon.’

  ‘Without my organization and planning, we might all be starving already,’ said Salma Ali. ‘How would that have helped?’

  ‘So you get to decide who lives and who dies, is that it?’ asked Ben, raising his voice. ‘You get to play God?’

  ‘Not God, no,’ said Ms Ali. ‘But someone has to make these decisions. And the people have put their trust in me. You can agree with my decisions or not, but you don’t get to decide.’ The smile had gone now and her voice was edged with steel. She had one final thing to say before she dismissed him. ‘I hope you won’t decide to oppose me, Ben. But if you do, I’ll take you down, I promise. Don’t doubt me for a second.’

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  West Field Gardens, South London, wolf moon

  Vijay was waiting to intercept Drake the next time he came to the house to visit Aasha. He opened the front door even before Drake had a chance to ring the doorbell.

  His friend seemed surprised to see him. ‘Hey mate,’ said Drake. ‘How’s it going?’

  Vijay regarded him coolly. ‘Come inside,’ he said. ‘We need to talk.’