Hairwolf

Later, the Creature-Stef sits atop her cliff, eating roots and apples, looking down at the lake. This is where Lillian, her play-thing, was shot. And where it fell into the lake. And where she jumped in to rescue her which led to those men. She considers her claws, the fur on her legs. She knows what she is at the moment but not what she was. She’s different and it’s perplexing.

She notices activity at the shoreline below. Standing by the fire is the male she rescued.

He’s fanning his shirt near the fire. She doesn’t see the other one. The boats are on the trailers and

parked on shore. She looks out over the treetops to the horizon. She cuddles up with her back

against a boulder, taking in the precious gift of the wilderness. A glare from the lake catches her eye. She can’t make it out and doesn’t try.

Foster, standing at the water’s edge with binoculars raised up to his eyes looks right at her. The moon reflects off of the lens as he dials in the focus ring for a better view. She’s just a silhouette at this distance and he can’t see any real detail. What he does see is enough for him to know what he’s looking at. He lowers the binoculars, curious as to what it’s doing. Then it dawns on him. He calls Brizzbee over, handing him the binoculars. “Up there. On the ledge. See it?”

“Yeah. That’s him. What’s he doing? Looks like he’s enjoying the view. Animals don’t do that.”

“No, they don’t. This thing is somewhere in between.”

“Definitely a new species. I don’t see the woman.”

“I’ll bet she’s up there. It’s the only place we haven’t searched. I’m going up,” Foster says.

Dawn threatens as Foster approaches a small trail leading up to the top of the tiny mountain. He knows it’s going to be a tough climb, but he has no choice and takes the first couple steps of his ascent.

In another section of forest, Jesup awakens to a disturbing realization. He’s covered in the intestines of the bear he skinned and left behind. Also, the bear trap he used is wrapped around his ankle bent and twisted. It’s not going to be easy releasing the tangled metal. He pulls out his bowie knife and starts working on freeing himself. That’s when he discovers the soles of his boots have been torn off. Some would take this as a warning or even consider how fortunate they were to escape serious injury. After all, this was an unknown creature that could have done far worse. But Jesup is a man who’s been pushed to this lifestyle due to none-conformance not necessity. A determined man, he will find the creature and he will get his payday.

At the top, Foster works his way off to the side of the ledge, hoping to approach in plain sight. It’s a shear drop to the lake below. He’s careful to keep his footing but his eye-sight is threatened by stinging sweat. One slip and he’s going down. He moves in slowly and quietly. He peers out between the thick brush. He can hear something rustling but he can’t see it. It’s close and surprisingly still there. His heart starts racing and pounding. He checks the condition of his sidearm and holsters it. He takes a breath and then emerges from the brush.

Foster navigates the rocky ledge stepping ever so slowly. He sees the back side of the fury beast, sitting in the shadows, it’s back towards the lake. It’s somewhat larger than he remembers. Wider. Definitely wider. He freezes, absolutely sure this is not what he hoped to find. It’s a black bear.

And it’s not going to like being startled. Foster searches for a quick exit but there’s only one. And

it’s down. A long way down.

He looks back to the bear who is now looking at him. The bear rushes him. Foster’s only escape is to jump off of the ledge, which he does.

Brizzbee, on the banks of the shore, binoculars in hand, tracks Foster’s descent into the lake. He waits for him to submerge. Finally, Foster surfaces and starts swimming back to shore.

Daybreak and Stef is curled up in a ball under a bed of pine branches near her truck. She’s sound asleep and back in human form. Lillian’s sitting by her side, staring at her in a dead gaze.

She brushes Stef’s hair from her face trying to make sense of the impossible. She removes the pine branches to see if she’s awake. A helicopter passes overhead causing her some concern. “Stefanie. Stefanie. Wake up.”

Stef isn’t moving. She’s out like a light. Lillian’s attention is drawn to dogs barking in the distance. A lot of scenarios play out in her mind but only one makes sense. And that is to get the hell out of there now and fast.

Lillian notices Stef’s eyes are opened. “You’re awake.”

Stef doesn’t answer. She doesn’t move either. “Hey – there’s people coming. We have to get out of here.”

Stef isn’t responding. “Come on. Get up,” Lillian demands. But it’s to no eval. “Oh, shit. You got that paralysis thing going on.” Lillian reaches under Stef’s arms and drags her to the truck. She struggles with pulling her into the rear seat. This isn’t going to be easy. She props Stef against the opened door and crosses to the other side.

“Sorry if this hurts. I don’t want you to think I hold a grudge against you for my getting shot – while hanging from a root over a ledge – after being chased by you – through the woods in the

middle of the night. No. I do that shit all the time. Especially when I’m bored. The real curve is getting your big fat ass in the truck before I’ve had my breakfast.”

Lillian shows no remorse as Stef’s head and body bounce back and forth off of the door frame, ceiling and seats.

Lillian climbs over the seat and sits, pressing her legs against the door frame for leverage and drags Stef from the outside of the truck, to the inside of the truck. It’s a sloppy endeavor and no doubt painful or could be if Stef were fully functional.

“So, remind me to ask if you feel any pain with all of this paralysis shit.”

Lillian flops her onto the seat like a bag of laundry.

“Oh, did that hurt?” Lillian says. “You want to talk about pain? I’ll show you pain. Here’s my pain. Right here. A dart in the ass. Try that. The shit I do for you.”

Lillian’s alerted to the barking dogs and helicopters. She covers Stef with a blanket and grabs a coat for herself. She slowly reverses away from the ditch and departs, following the same road out that they took in.

As she approaches the exit of the park they come upon two Maine Fish and Wildlife officers standing post at the entrance into the state park. Her hands clench the steering wheel revealing the tension and stress she’s about to face. She isn’t good under pressure and she’s had lots. She checks Stef and notices the blanket has fallen to the floor, exposing Stef. She notices Stef’s shirt is pulled up, exposing her stomach. She has an idea. She reaches over and pulls Stef’s shirt up just below her breasts, exposing more skin. She pulls up to meet them. One approaches the vehicle.

“Everything alright, Miss?” he asks, instantly noticing Stef and her bare skin. This of course throws him off his guard. “Wow. Rough night, ah? She’s out like a light.”

“Oh, yeah. She doesn’t play well.”

“Glad you’re safe. The park will be closed for some time, so check for status before returning. Okay? Have a good day. Drive safely now.”

He waves her on, checking the back of the truck as it moves past. Lillian sighs in relief.

Lillian spears her hand into the bag of donuts, feeding on crumbs, while driving. Then, from the back seat, “LILLIAN!” Stef shouts.

Lillian jumps out of her seat, losing temporary control of the vehicle. Stef slaps the doors with her body has Lillian struggles to regain control. Stef rises from the floorboards.

“Jesus, God almighty!” Stef complains.

“Scared the shit of me. Stefanie. That’s not funny. Jesus. You’re a werewolf! A werewolf!”

“I told you. Where are. . .”

“. . .You did not tell me ...” Lilian argues.

“I did so,” Stef demands.

“You did not tell me! I mean, you did, but you did not tell me the way you should have told me.”

“How many ways are there to tell somebody you’re a werewolf?” Stef, asks.

“Seriously! That’s how you tell somebody. You sit them down and you tell them seriously,” Lillian professes.

“You’re in shock, Lil. Calm down. It’s all right.”

“Oh, I’m not in shock. This ain’t shock. This is pissed off. You’re a friggin werewolf, Stefanie. And that’s not all right. It is so not all right that it’s very, very wrong.”

“So, did you need the toilet paper?”

Angered, Lillian crosses two lanes of traffic for the truck stop and slams on the brakes. She throws the truck into park and spins around in the driver’s seat, glaring at Stef.

“Too soon?” Stef asks. “Did you get shot last night?”

“What is the matter with you?” Lillian asks. “Don’t you realize how bad this is? You’re a werewolf. I’m scared to death for you and you’re sitting there cracking jokes like nothing happened.”

Stef takes Lillian’s hand in an attempt to comfort her but then notices a scratch on her arm. “How’d you get that? Did I do that? That scratch. How’d you get it?”

“What? Why? Am I going to die?” Lillian checks it. “God in Heaven. They’re pine needles.”

“Do you have English blood?” Stef asks.

“Where would I get English blood from? What are you a Vampire, too? What do you need English blood for? I want to go home. Want to go home, now.”

“I’m sorry, honey, but you can’t go home now. You have to play with Schteffy Wolf again. She really likes you.”

“Yea, me.”

“Are you English?”

“No. I don’t know. What are we going to do about this?”

“Nothing. I’ve been doing this all my life. It is my life. You okay?”

“They shot me with a freakin dart. Some kind of drug. They’re on to you.”

“I know.”

Stef drops back in the seat realizing the complications ahead. They appear to be more problematic than serious.

“Now I’ve got to find another place. Damn it.”

Stef sits poised in the back, thinking about other places, the new circumstances and the scratch on

Lillian’s arm. Maybe it is pine needles. But maybe it isn’t.

“Just like that?” Lillian asks. “You’ll find another place? You just push it right aside.”

“I have to. Believe me, this is nothing compared to the sacrifices I’ve had to make. You have no idea. I have to live my life ready to drop everything in a heartbeat and just go with what I can carry. Fortunately, it’s never come to that. But I still have to live that way. I can’t have any relationships. Which means I’ll never get married or have kids or any kind of family. I’ve had to change my territory more times than I can count due to constant development. Sacrifices are never easy, but they do get easier.”

“How did I survive that fall from the cliff?”

“Hell if I know.”

“She didn’t know me, Stef.”

“I know. But she does now. Got your scent. And you didn’t need the toilet paper. Good for you, Lillian. Brave girl.”

“The day is young,” Lillian warns. Then her attention is taken across the highway to a swarm of Maine State troopers heading towards the park.

“They’re looking for you, Stef.”

“No they’re not. They’re looking for you.”

“What did I do?”

The more Stef thinks about it, the more of a problem it becomes. “You’re missing. At least that’s what they think.”

“Oh my God! No wonder they have dogs and helicopters. They’re looking for body parts. What have we done? We have to tell them.”

Stef knows. She just doesn’t know how she’s going to do it.