One Night Cont.

We were wrong.  So very wrong. Dani thought to herself as she ran through the thick forest, scraping her face on the branches.

            The moon was bright and full, and a terrible howling could be heard.  In the background her village was aflame.  She was the only one left.

            It didn’t take long for her neighbours to turn on one another.  Fear does that.  It takes a rational mind and twists it.  If only Henry was still with her.  How she wished to be in his strong embrace, whispering encouraging words to her.

30 Days Ago

              Jed was always up with the first rays of light, as they poked his face through the wooden shutters.  He put on his wool coat and went on his daily walk around the perimeter of his farm with his faithful companion Rusty.  Jed was a sheep farmer and provided his community with wool to last the winter months.  Rusty ran ahead and atop the crest of one the hills on his land and started barking furiously.

              "What is it, Rusty?" asked Jed.  "What is it boy?"

            Jed reached the top of the hill and leaned down to comfort his dog.  He looked up and saw a field of blood.  All of his sheep were shredded.  Torn apart by some wild animal.

 

            "What are we going to do?" asked Mary.  "What of warm coats and blankets for the winter?  We're to be harvesting soon.  What are we to do?!"

            "Calm yourself Mary, we'll set things right," Logan was a man of tall stature and had a commanding presence.  He led the village through other disasters, and he was determined to do the same with this.

            "Jed, see if you can salvage any of the wool.  We should also have some stores of it from last harvest.  Henry, you and Mathew survey the lands around the village, see if you can hunt down whatever did this.  The rest of yeh' go about your business.  We'll sort this out."

 

            The townsfolk of Brookshire dispersed.  They whispered their concerns to each other but trusted in their leader.

            "What do you think happened to poor Jed's sheep?" asked Dani.

            "Oh, I dunno, could be coyote.  Maybe a wolf," replied Henry.  "Don't worry about it love, Mathew and I will track it down.  Him and I have had a good season, may not have left enough for the predators in this region.  They're probably just hungry and ventured into our village to hunt for food."

              "May get a bit cold, but we definitely won't starve," Mathew said with a chortle.

 

              Henry and Mathew ventured out beyond the boundary of the village, hoping to find whatever could have torn-up poor Jed's sheep.  They tracked for hours, and only passed a few small critters, some rabbits and squirrels.  Even caught a few for themselves.  

            Dusk was setting in, and it was about time the pair returned to the village.  A cold wind snaked between the trees and whistled in the tall grass.  A rustling came from some bushes, deep within the forest they were travelling out of.  With their torches lit and help from the rising full moon, they decided to investigate.

            Mathew made a gesture for the two of them to split up, and surround whatever was making the noise.  They each made a wide pass around the trees, keeping an eye on each other, until only the dim light of their torches could be seen.  Mathew heard a faint scream and saw Henry's lantern disappear.  He rushed over to his friend, rifle at the ready.  He darted his head in all cardinal directions, desperately trying to see any sign of his friend in the pale moonlight.  He heard a sort of choking sound, and turned around to see Henry covered in blood, and his clothes torn.  Henry fell to the ground, and a moment later something big and hairy ran the other way.  Frightened, Mathew took off towards the village and didn't look back.

 

            "It got em'!"  Mathew cried.  "It got Henry!"

              Lamps could be seen being lit through the opaque windows, and villagers poured out their doors to see what all the commotion was about.  

              Dani ran up to Mathew, frantic, "What happened Mathew?  Where's my Henry?"

              Logan made his way, with Pastor Abel in tow.

            "I- I'm sorry Dani, I couldn't help em'," Mathew sobbed.

              "What happened Mathew?" Asked Logan.

              "It got em'" Mathew replied.

              "What did?" questioned Logan.

              "I- I dunno," said Mathew, his voice quivering.  "But it was big.  I- I didn't get a good look at it.  I- I'm sorry, I was scared.  I ran the other way.  It got Henry though."

              Logan dropped his head for a moment, before lifting his chin-up high to address his people.

            "Alright, this is what's gon' happen.  Zeke, you, Peter, and Luke, along with myself, will take watch tonight.  Elizabeth, if you could tend to Mathew.  We'll go look for Henry in the morn' and bring him back to us.  Until then, try to get some rest."

            “You take care of yourself, you here me Zeke,” Mary said worriedly.

            “It’ll be alright love, I’m just keepin’ watch.  I’ll have Peter, Luke, and Logan wit’ me,” Zeke replied.  He kissed Mary’s forehead in reassurance.

            “Poor Mathew,” said Peter to his wife.

            “Aye.  I’ll make him some calming tea.  Poor man’s in shock,” Elizabeth replied.  “Be careful tonight, would ya Pete.  I have a bad feeling about what’s going on.”

 

            Calm was the night after the events that transpired mere hours ago; still, the four men stood like sentinels, ready to protect their quaint little village.  Dawn approached, and nothing more happened.

            Logan led a small team to the woods Henry and Mathew were in in search of Henry’s body.  Without Mathew they didn’t know where to look, so they stayed close together and walked a line trawling the forest floor.  After a few hours of searching, they came upon a patch of bushes with blood splatter.  No Henry though.  They could see a smear of red and some big prints heading off away from the village.  Whatever got Henry must have run off with him.

            Disheartened, Logan and the others went back to the village to mourn their loss.  It was a solemn day.  Pastor Abel led a service in memory of Henry.  Dani was distraught and wouldn’t get much sleep that night.  None of the villagers would.

            Deep in the night a howling could be heard, the kind that made the hair on your arms stand on end.  The villagers each looked through their windows to see if they could catch a glimpse of whatever was making the sound.  It was close. 

            Luke peeked through the curtains, he lived near the edge of town facing the forest and so watched for any movement.  Cutting through the darkness a large figure raced past his window.  He grabbed his rifle and darted out the door.  His neighbour Tom ran out having seen the same thing.

            “What in god’s name was that?” asked Tom.

            “I dunno,” Luke said, “A bear maybe?”

            Tom clutched his lantern tightly, peering around in the dark.  Luke used the dim light to aim his rifle, following Tom’s movements.  Whatever it is it was still close, Luke could hear the panting.  A heavy thud sounded behind them.  Luke spun around ready to blast a hole in whatever was there.  Another thud, this one much quieter.  Luke turned around again.

            “Tom?” Luke said, puzzled.

            Tom’s lantern was on the ground, but Tom was nowhere to be seen.  Luke carefully walked backwards towards the door.  He reached back, fumbling with the handle, but making sure he kept his sight in front of him.  Still having difficult with the handle he looked down for just a second to get a firm grasp on it, when he looked back up he saw the creature lunging at him.  He fired a shot, but the creature got his meal.

 

            Back in the village, Logan along with Pastor Abel, Zeke and Mary heard the shot ring out in the dark, followed by a scream coming from the edge of the village.

            “What was that?” whispered Mary, her voice quaking in fear.

            “We should go check it out,” Logan said confidently.

            “Aye, sounded like it came over from where Luke and Tom live,” said Zeke, “Perhaps Luke got a shot off on the animal?”

            Logan nodded his head in agreement.

            “No Zeke!” Mary’s voice squeaked, “What if the animal got Luke, just like it got Henry?”

            “Come now Mary,” Pastor Abel gently started to lead her back to her house.

            “It’ll be alright Mary,” Zeke assured her, “I’m sure Luke got whatever it is.  He’s a decent shot.”

            “Then what of the scream?” Mary retorted.

            “Probably just startled him,” Zeke said, trying to convince himself now.