The Howling

Keith stayed silent. Whatever it was that weighed on his mind he wasn’t going to share it. He turned off the highway and entered Baltimore airport. He parked the car, got out and picked up her bags from the back seat.

Lena followed Keith to the counter. He put her bags down where they were checked in for the flight. She carried her laptop and her plane ticket to the security check point.

“This is as far as I go Lena.” Keith smiled.

“So, this is good bye then?” She smiled weakly in return.

“It sure is.” He kissed her cheek softly. “Take care of yourself.”

Keith turned quickly and started to walk away. Lena put her laptop in the tray and turned around for one last look. He hadn’t gone far.

“Keith!” She hollowed over the crowd. He turned back to look.

“For life, it should have been with you.” She called out.

Keith just smiled, waived his last good bye, and vanished into the crowd. Lena was shuffled through security and as she sat looking out the window of the plane she recalled it all with sadness. She would go back and find him. She had to.

Lena had only closed her eyes for a second. When she opened them she stared at the ceiling of her own bedroom. She looked over at the clock, rubbed her eyes, and cursed aloud. She launched herself out of bed.

“It couldn’t have been a dream.” She told her own reflection in the mirror.

Lena’s eyes lit up when she saw it. The scar on her shoulder remained. Joyfully, she raced back to her room. She threw a few outfits in a duffel bag, stuffed her phone in her pocket, and grabbed her purse, keys, and laptop, and then raced out to the car. Her stuff hit the passenger seat, the engine roared to life, and her cell phone rang in her pocket. It was Kyle.

“What?” She answered impatiently, ready to leave.

“I’m on my way over to pick you up for your fitting.” He replied.

“Fitting for what?” She replied annoyed.

“The award ceremony in a week, remember?” He sounded agitated.

“Don’t bother, I’m already on my way out.” She stated.

“Out, where?” He asked.

“I’m going back.”

“You can’t be serious.” She heard him sigh.

“Look, Lena, we’ve been through this. You can’t possibly believe yet another one of your fanciful dreams were a reality.” He argued.

“Go feed your bullshit to someone else Kyle. You were there. It was real and I’m going to find him.” She demanded.

“Yes, I came to see you. Yes, I played along with your delusions because that always makes for a better story with you. But I don’t believe they were anything more than strange people from a small town on the east coast.” He countered.

“I’ll prove it to you and to everyone else. I’m not crazy. There is more to this world than meets the eye.” She huffed.

“Well, you’re not doing it today Lena. Shut your car off and get in mine. I’m right around the corner. I refuse to accept another award for you. If you want to hunt down your fantasy afterwards, that’s fine with me.” He stated as he pulled into her driveway blocking her in.

Lena gave up with a sigh. Kyle had her beat on the argument. She shut off her car annoyed that her quest would have to wait. She already didn’t recall how much time had passed since she had returned from North Beach. They could be anywhere by now. She grabbed her purse and climbed into Kyle’s car slamming the door behind her.

“You’re going to have to forgive me eventually Lena. Your job comes first.” Kyle said as he pulled out of the driveway.

“Whatever happened to the days when I could just write and not have to play nice with fans?” She sighed as she stared out the window.

“You gave that up when you signed with my company.” Kyle laughed. “You used to not mind it. After these last two novels though, you haven’t quite been yourself.”

“It was all so real.” She replied letting the conversation drift away.

Kyle pulled into the parking lot and picked a spot near the store. Lena recoiled at the amount of people packed into the tiny shopping center. Something within her had definitely changed during her time away. She sighed knowing it was only going to get worse, and climbed out of the car.

Kyle ushered Lena into the dress store and steered her toward the sales clerk. The dress was ready, hanging on the railing near the changing rooms. Lena had no idea what it looked like. Kyle had done all the designing for this party and its included ceremonies. She was all too surprised when the clerk unzipped the garment bag and she stood there staring at a pink sequined dress with a long black train and an open back that had cross straps held together by a sparkling diamond clasp.

“You’re kidding me right?” She asked Kyle as the clerk unzipped the hidden zipper on the side of the dress.

“No, I’m not. Now go put it on.” Kyle replied folding his arms across his chest.

Lena huffed, and took the dress from the clerk before disappearing behind the closed door of the dressing room. She took her clothes off one piece at a time and laid them down on the chair. For a while she held out the dress in front of her before she stepped into it and pulled it up. There were no straps to hold it up. The whole design depended on being tight across her ribcage. She zipped it up and stared herself down in the mirror.

Lena hated to admit it. But the dress looked good. The see through black over the bright pink front of the dress fell half way between her hip and knee. The train of the dress landed at a central point on the floor behind her. The open front shimmered in pink sequins as she turned to take a look at the back of it. The diamond pin fell directly in-between her shoulder blades and the black contrasted against her pale skin perfectly.

“Are you planning on showing the rest of us?” Kyle asked through the door.

She shrugged as she replied, “I don’t see why not.”

Lena opened the door and stepped out. Kyle gasped as the clerk returned with the knee high black boots with the bright pink strap across the ankle. Lena took the boots and slipped into them. They felt oddly stable for the height of the thin heel underneath her foot.

“It’s perfect.” Kyle gushed. “You look stunning.”

“Well, you did design this whole event so it had to be perfect.” She said feeling strangely cheerful about the upcoming event.

As Kyle looked over the craftsmanship, Lena’s mind wandered. She realized then that she was slowly forgetting how it felt at North Beach, and how she felt about Keith. She pushed back against her own mind, swearing she would not rest until she found him. He was not a dream, he was real. This reality that Kyle wanted her to be a part of would have to wait.

Lena was allowed to change back into her clothes but Kyle wasn’t finished with her yet. He took her out to lunch and continued to berate her with the schedule for the week and the award ceremony protocols. She felt as if she wanted to hurl. She had no appetite but ate anyways just to keep his incessant questioning at a minimum. It seemed to take all day but at long last he returned her to her house and left her alone with her thoughts.

Lena’s first thought was anger. She didn’t want to sit around her stupid house and wait for the week to pass. She abhorred the idea of going to yet another award ceremony and pointless after party. She wanted answers now. She wanted Keith back, she wanted the pack back. She wanted it all to be real, not like the memory of Jack that stopped haunting her dreams when she met them.

It was all so confusing and exhausting. All Lena could do was crawl into her bed, pull the covers over her head and pray for the week to pass her by. But even then she couldn’t sleep, so she turned to the next best thing. She pulled a dusty bottle of Johnny Walker Red label out of the cabinet and took it to the couch with a glass hoping to drink enough to put her to sleep. She ended up drinking until sunrise still unable to rest.

Lena plugged in her laptop and turned it on. She logged into her messenger hoping that Keith would want to contact her as much as she wanted to hear from him. She left it on all day, drifting in and out of consciousness on the couch. By late afternoon, there were still no messages. She left it on anyways and walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. It was going to be a long week for her.

Lena stared at the computer until her eyes felt like they were going to bleed. She rested slightly, ate very little, and prayed a lot. But, nothing came to her screen that she wished for at all during the week. It was time to pull herself out of it and clean herself up. She had to be presentable for her fans.

Lena stepped into the dress and zipped it up. She pulled on the matching boots and headed for the bathroom. As the curling iron heated up she carefully covered the dark circles under her eyes with makeup. By the time she was finished with the cover up she felt like she had caked it on so thick it would be noticeable. But, the mirror disagreed so on went the eye shadow and lipstick.

The iron was heated so Lena sprayed her hair with hairspray and began to twist up one piece at a time until it fell in ringlets down her back and chest. She took several deep breaths as she stared at herself and tried to look beyond the heartache she felt. She picked up her small purse and made her way out the door. The limousines horn had been honking for several minutes now. No doubt, Kyle’s patience had been worn thin, afraid that she wouldn’t show for the evening.

Lena could almost see Kyle’s surprise through the window as she closed the door behind herself and climbed in beside him. She sat down across from him and reached for the first bottle of alcohol she could fish out of the compartment.

“I’m here Kyle, stop looking so amused.” She said as she poured herself a glass.

“I was expecting something different.” He shrugged.

“You were expecting to be honking at an empty house?” she almost smiled and took a drink. “I said I’d do this. Let’s get it over with, ok?”

“Sure thing,” He scratched his head the best that he could without screwing up his hair. “Do you think you could lay off the alcohol until after your speech?”

Lena shot him a dirty look, so he replied, “Never mind then.”

She sighed and took another drink as he continued on, “This really has you all tore up doesn’t it?”

“More than you know,” She replied finishing the glass and pouring another.

“Explain it to me,” He said thoughtfully.

“Twice now, at least in my mind, I’ve had love worth holding on to forever. I still don’t know if Jack was real. But I know Keith is. In my soul, I can still feel him.” Lena admitted.

“Why do you continue to chase this fantasy life when you have a perfectly good life worth living right here?” He asked sadly.

“It’s the curse of my creative mind I guess. I want to know everything, experience everything, breathe every word.” She let her words trail off as the pulled into the pavilion parking lot.

As much as he wanted to say more, Kyle had to let it go. It was time to go to work and Lena looked as if she had nothing left to say to him anyways. So, he exited the car, walked around to the other side and held open the door for her. As she took his hand and stepped out the crowd surrounding them erupted with shouts, cheers, and clapping. She put on her best smile and waved as Kyle led her inside.

Just as Lena and Kyle were taking their seats, a man made his way up to the podium. His wild grey hair was pushed back by his reading glasses and he wore his tie tightly tucked behind a vest. Everyone in the room knew him. They were all authors and guests of authors. But he felt the necessity to introduce himself anyways.

“You all know me as Thomas Gherret, most of you have read my works and I have read most of your works. I have to admit, it is quite the honor to stand before my peers and hand out this award this evening. This year’s winner has not failed to excel in her chosen field. Time and time again she amazes us all with her creativity and devotion. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Lena Crawford.” The man said turning the podium over to her.

Lena stood up from her chair and made her way through the crowded room as they applauded appropriately. She stepped up on the stage and shook Thomas’ hand properly. He handed her the golden book award that he had been holding and stepped aside. She stepped up to the microphone and let out a deep sigh. The crowd silenced themselves and listened intently.

“Wow,” She began. “What an honor it is to be here amongst so many great minds. It’s even more staggering that you all placed your votes for my work this year. I will carry this honor with pride and gratitude. And I thank you all for your continued support.”

The crowd applauded again as Lena stepped away from the spotlight. Kyle breathed a sigh of relief. He had worried she would stumble or slur or even fall in her drunken state. But as always, she was flawless. She took her seat gracefully next to him and set the award at the center of the table.

A meal was served, and then the tables taken away so the real party could begin. There was an open bar and Lena was all too eager to head straight for it. Kyle wanted to stop her but it was all he could do to keep up carrying her discarded trophy behind. She went straight for the hard liquor, no mixer and downed three before he could put his hand over her cup.

“You got what you wanted Kyle,” She grumbled. “I came to your stupid ceremony. I’m at this wretched party.”

“Well, if you’re going to drink and make an ass of yourself at it, perhaps it’s time for you to bow out gracefully.” He hissed at her.

“Good idea, I’ll get a cab. You can take that stupid limo home.” She replied slamming the glass down on the bar. “I have places I’d rather be anyways.”

“You’re not getting on a plane tonight are you?” Kyle asked as he followed her across the room.

She smiled and waved at people she passed, “If not tonight then tomorrow morning.” She replied through her fake smile.

“Don’t go,” He begged taking her by the arm.

“It’s not up to you.” She replied hailing the cab as it pulled up to the curb.

“Stay here with me, for once in your life Lena. You are loved here. You don’t have to seek it out in some fantasy world.” He said softly.

“I’m going back Kyle.” She stated harshly.

He released her arm and replied, “Well, at least keep me posted and call me when you land.”

“I will,” She replied and climbed into the cab.

Kyle let out a sigh and once again, he let Lena go. The cab drove away. She didn’t even turn around and wave good bye. She just headed off into the darkness leaving him alone once again.

Baltimore was colder than Lena expected. She left the airport in a rental car and drove south. The miles droned on until at last she came to the coast. She parked at the board walk and set off walking. It didn’t take long for her to realize she didn’t recognize a thing.

The only similarities were the boardwalk and the restaurant. Lena made her way into the restaurant. When the waitress saw her she nearly dropped the coffee pot she was carrying. The crowd went silent as they all turned to stare. A portly man pushed himself off the barstool and rushed over to her.

“Miss Crawford, it’s an absolute honor to meet you!” He gushed as he shook her hand.

“I’m Mayor Bishop. Please come have a seat. Lunch is on the house.” He shoved her toward a table.

“Thank you,” She replied, slightly shocked by his greeting.

People began to gather around Lena. Some wanted autographs; others were content for her to just know their name. Food and drinks arrived without them ever placing an order. Eventually the crowd dispersed to talk amongst themselves.

“Your novel has brought more tourists than ever to our town.” Mayor Bishop grinned.

“They come here in search of the wolf pack. We’re more popular than any other fictional character in over fifty years!” He beamed.

“They’re not here are they?” She smiled already knowing the answer.

Mayor Bishop slipped Lena a sealed envelope as he stood up. With a smile he left her seated in silence. She opened the letter and read it to herself.

My dear Lena,

This is the end of the road for us. Please stop searching. Thank you for everything you are and everything I am not. Go home, live your life, and stop chasing shadows. My love to you and our respect for you will always stand. Good bye.

Lena stuffed the letter in her pocket. She had her confirmation. They were real but now they were gone. North Beach was behind them and although try as Keith might, she was not ready to give up her search. So, she got back in her car and headed north. What little she could remember of the place the final battle had happened in, it was in West Virginia. That is where she would go next. She would attempt to locate where he grew up by what little memory she had left of it.

Lena took the expressway that led her from Maryland into West Virginia. She watched closely for anything that looked familiar. She could recall water falling from the mountains, but now, every mountain looked desolate and similar. So she drove on hoping something would come to her. When the expressway ended, she found herself in a town called Elkins. She knew the place had to be near a lake and you got there by going under a train bridge. So she stopped at a store and decided to ask for directions.

Lena walked inside and made her way up to the counter. The thin man with the red vest looked at her like he knew her for a moment but didn’t say a word. She shook her head took a deep breath and decided to ask.

“I’m looking for a lake with an access road that goes under a tall train bridge.” She said calmly.

“The only one near here is just up the road a bit.” The man replied. “You go past the Indian lady statue, follow that road straight until you take the first right you see. From there, you can’t miss the entrance. The tracks run across that entire road.”

“Thank you,” she replied and rushed quickly out the door.

Lena followed the directions the best she could. She passed the statue and took the first right. She followed the long road through the woods and past deep ravines and steep rock walls. For a moment, it almost felt like coming home. She came around a bend in the road and that’s when she saw it, the rail road tracks seemed to come out of nowhere off the ridge and went straight across the small access road on a tall bridge. She hit the brakes just in time to make the turn.

Lena’s tires squealed on the pavement as she slowed down and drove over the one lane bridge. It wasn’t much further than that when the pavement ran out and she was left with a choice of three different dirt roads. She pulled the car off to the side of the road and looked at the park map trying to guess which way she should go. The lake was directly in front of her which left only the two dirt roads to her right.

One road veered off the original trail only slightly, while the other seemed to disappear into the darkness of the overhanging trees. Lena got back into her car and took the dark road. It was only wide enough for her car to pass through without scraping the trees and shrubs that lined the dirt her tires crunched over. Below her she could see the ravine of swamp land just through the trees but soon even that disappeared. The road split again, she took the left fork knowing it led back toward the lake. She only hoped it would lead to the cabin as well.

There were several homes at the top of the mountain. None of which Lena ever recalled seeing. Then again, if everything that had happened to her was true, she couldn’t blame herself for not paying attention to her surroundings. So she drove on until she could go no further. In front of her a thin line of trees separated the top of the mountain from the sheer drop into the lake below. She turned off the engine, put the keys in her pocket, and exited the car.

Lena started walking. She kept the water to her left and made her way through the trees. At one time it looked as if the road may have continued through where she placed her feet. But now, things were long overgrown, as if no one had been around the area for years. She pushed her way through the underbrush until she came to a clearing. She could see the light pouring through as she stepped out of the darkness.

There it was before her, the weathered old shack. It looked familiar as Lena raced toward it. She made her way up on the porch and looked through the dust covered window. There wasn’t much she could see so she made her way over to the front door and gave the knob a twist. It was locked. She genuinely remembered Keith saying he kept it unlocked there was no reason to use locks in the mountains. Frustrated, she made her way around back in search of the back door.

Lena found the fire pit and the breath taking view of the lake below. For a moment she just stood there looking it all over. Her eyes weren’t playing tricks on her. Her body had really been in this place. It was written down in every word of the novel. The exact details couldn’t be ignored. She pushed on the old back door. It might have been locked at one time but the old wood gave way under her weight and she made her way inside.

Lena passed through the tiny hallway that separated the bedroom and bathroom. It led directly into the sitting room. The kitchen and furniture was just as she remembered. She looked around through the dust for some sign that Keith had been there recently. She couldn’t find one thing that suggested it. It looked as if mold had started to form on the walls and the thick layer of dust that covered everything was a bitter sight.

“Son of a bitch,” Lena cursed aloud as she unlocked the front door and made her way back outside.

They had to be somewhere. A whole town full of wolves doesn’t just disappear into thin air. Lena could feel Keith there in the yard. She could remember the fight and the way the pack had surrounded him and Barry. But just where would they go? She was completely defeated and out of ideas. She kicked stones over the edge of the cliff as she made her way back to the car.

As Lena climbed back into her car, she slammed the door. She didn’t want to give up. But what other choice was there? Everything that she could recall she had tried. There was no more North Beach. There was no more West Virginia. They were gone, without a clue, and without a trace. Frustrated, she returned the car to Baltimore airport. She wasn’t going home empty handed. She still had Keith’s letter, the one that told her to give up. She wasn’t ready to let go. So she returned home on the plane, ready to re-read everything she had written in hopes she would find something that would lead her to him.

Half way through the flight, Lena must have fallen asleep. She knew that she was dreaming but it felt real as she recalled a conversation she and Barry had.

“What’s one beach bum from another?” she heard him say.

The tires from the plane screeched as they hit the runway, jolting Lena awake. Keith always carried a surf board. That had to be another good place to look for him. She took the cab home, flipped open her laptop and began searching for where surfers could catch the best waves this time of year. Santa Monica was on the top of the list. She didn’t bother unpacking. She just threw everything she had in the car, ignoring her exhaustion, and began the long drive from Los Angelis to Santa Monica.

It was dark by the time Lena arrived. She could see the near full moon hovering over the water. It cast the same white glow in the darkness that reminded her of North Beach. Silently she wished that she had found the right place.

Lena drove on until she found a motel with a view of the ocean. She pulled into the parking lot and pulled her car into a parking space as her phone started ringing. The caller id told her it was Kyle. She answered quickly figuring he was beyond annoyed.

“Hey Kyle, how are you?” Lena chirped.

“You never checked in.” Kyle growled.

“I know, I’m sorry, I was a little busy that’s all.” She replied.

“Well, did you find what you were looking for?” He asked.

She could hear the animosity in his voice.

She shivered as she answered, “They weren’t there but I wasn’t wrong Kyle. He left me a note to leave them be and move on.”

“Well, good, when will you be home?” He asked.

“Actually, I’m already back in California.” She replied seriously.

“Really?” He said with genuine surprise.

“Of course,” She laughed. “I’m down in Santa Monica taking a break. I started thinking about a new book already.” She lied.

“Fantastic!” He exclaimed. “So, you’re done with this chasing shadows and back on schedule then?”

“Absolutely,” She lied. “I’m going to lay in the sand, work on my tan, and be home before you can even miss me.”

“Sounds like a plan,” He stated. “This time don’t forget to check in every couple of days just in case I find something to put on your schedule.”

“You got it Kyle,” She laughed again, “Take care, I’ll talk to you soon.” Lena hung up before he could say anything else.

Grateful to be rid of him, Lena threw her phone into her purse and made her way into the motel. She paid cash for the room pleased that she wasn’t recognized. The man behind the counter turned and pulled key number thirteen off the board on the wall and dropped it into her hands.

Lena nodded her thanks and left the office making her way back to the car. She parked in front of room thirteen and carried her things inside. She dropped her clothes bag on the floor at the foot of the bed and closed herself in. As she set up her laptop she stared out the window at the beach and wondered aloud.

“Where are you Keith?” She sighed as her computer came to life.