Sheep's Clothing

by Gary Lewis

  His right ankle stung a sharp pain with his weight on every step and his hip and neck pulled him back with chains of soreness as he approached the exit. Vance unlatched the lock, turning to look back as he swung open the door. The werewolf snarled at the flapping birds that surrounded it, baring teeth from its long snout as it slashed a few bloody swipes through them, clearing a gory path. He watched until it set its eyes on him once again with renewed vengeance gleaming deep within.

  Vance slammed the door shut as he flicked on the flashlight and ran through the clearing toward the woods just ahead. "Just a little further," he panted, finally gasping fresh air. As the bushes grew closer, he looked for the giant oak hanging above the woodline. "There!" Vance shuffled sideways a few feet before slipping slowly into the brush.

  The blast of the door snapped Vance's attention back to the chicken house where he saw the distant creature limp out. It stood just outside. The door now laid flat beneath its feet along with its busted frame. As it hobbled off of the wrecked doorway, pausing to sneeze again, Vance waved the flashlight wildly through the air. "Down here, loser!" he yelled.

  The werewolf tilted back its long ears, raising its snout for a bone chilling howl while spreading its extended fingers tipped with razor claws. Vance shuffled to the side a few feet. "Careful, now. Easy does it," he said to himself. He crept further into the dark tangle of sticks and leaves. "There," he said, laying the flashlight snugly between the fork in a branch, aiming the light toward the clearing. He paced a few yards to the side before crouching down quietly to hide behind the weeds.

  It seemed as if the entire night would pass by while Vance waited in place, listening for every click of a twig or rustle of leaf. The silence weighed long and heavy on his patience as he considered breaking his cover. Just as he flexed his thighs to stand, a heavy object brushed through the edge of the forest. It gradually snuck closer until it broke into a scurry. Vance's heart jumped inside his still body as a raccoon crept onto a nearby log. He shook his head with a smirk.

  Vance almost gave up hope of attracting the predator until a loud snap brought a yelping roar that blew out from the swaying branches, slinging a chain from one of the bear traps. Vance stood and backed behind the glare of the flashlight. The dark form destroyed the saplings in front of it, lunging through the undergrowth. Another pop caused it to jerk to the side, yelling out monstrous howls of torment. Then another pop and another. As Vance slowly backed up, the creature flailed within the dense plant life. It slapped chains across tree bark in all directions from numerous bear traps that clamped onto its arms and legs.

  "Just a little closer," he said as he pulled a crossbow from the bag and racked an arrow in place. The beast stopped and let out a roar that punched Vance's eardrums into his brain. It suddenly hurled its way toward him, only to trip into a tangled mess. "Rusted barbwire." Vance smiled. "My treat." He continued to grin as he took aim at the creature, now rolling around the ground, swiping and yelling growls of fury to get loose. He fired a shot into the dark mass around where the neck should have been before locking another arrow into his sights.

  As he took aim, the growls got deeper. So deep that they seemed to rattle the earth around them. Vance hesitated as he slowly paced back. "I don't like the sound of that.” He could see its back raise through the darkness, inflating with strength. The barbed wires that tightly wrapped around it started to spring apart one by one. Vance continued stepping backward even faster, the adrenaline pumping havoc through his breath.

  His foot caught a tree root and he tripped back through the dark as the creature rose to its feet, taking the time to pull one bear trap after another free from its body. It turned its glare toward Vance who fired his arrow into the dark form. Whether or not it hit, it did little to faze the monster as it walked closer into the opening beside a large oak tree. The werewolf's shoulders rose and fell with every deep, angry breath. Its eyes and teeth were just barely visible in the dark, wooded space that closed between Vance and the beast.

  Vance continued scooting back as the creature got closer, one step at a time. It seemed to take its time, savoring the moment. "There!" Vance shouted, slinging his buck knife from his ankle sheath and slamming it into the tree beside him. He snapped the tied rope in one swipe and the heavy, metal cage crashed down on the werewolf. As it stood growling, Vance rushed over and forcefully slid the bottom panel through its track, stumbling the creature on its feet before Vance quickly locked it in place.

  He watched as it slammed and pounced into the side of the cage, growling and roaring at him. Slimy strings of saliva hung from its teeth. Finally, it tumbled the cage on its side, but the locked bottom door seemed more than it could force open.

  Vance's awe returned to the anger that drove them both to this point. As the werewolf beat viciously at the locked side of the cage, Vance yelled. "You took everything from me!" His rage echoed through the hills. The creature bared its teeth and its snarl subsided for a moment. Vance eyed the monster in the face. "I promise... I will be the one to kill you."

  He pulled out a sawed-off shotgun, the final tool in his bag of torture. As Vance slowly took aim, the werewolf backed up with a pause. Then it charged into the cage with such force, the metal prison flipped over at Vance. The steel beams knocked him back and he dropped the gun on the ground. He clambered to his feet and noticed the locking door now swung open as the beast rushed out with no hesitation.

  Vance burst into a touchdown sprint for the abandoned well, breaking through saplings and weeds like nothing was there. He could feel it rush behind him, gaining closer as he approached the well. The force of a train plowed into his back, slamming him into the old stone landmark as a swipe slashed his right shoulder then his left. Vance turned with a roundhouse punch that could have taken out a brick wall. It didn't connect. Thrown off balance, he reached behind for anything to catch his fall as the beast missed a final swipe for his face.

  Vance fell into the dark hole of the well, plummeting into its abyss as his head cracked against the stone wall before splashing into the shallow bottom. He tried to raise his blood covered face, but was unable to see a thing. A horrible howl blew from above, reverberating through the vertical stone tunnel. The world faded as Vance's face fell into the muddy pool and all became blank.

  Chapter 19

  #Sarah#

  Sarah rolled awake from the comfy cushions that engulfed her as memories of the night before flooded her mind through the migraine that permeated her skull. Her phone lit with notifications. With a swipe of her thumb, David's name popped up in her inbox. "Sometimes I just don't understand you. After what happened… then you just rush me out the door." She then read Terry’s post in the group chat. "Willy Perkins is dead. The Big Buck Hunting Club is on the warpath. Tony and Vance's dads are both dead, Vance and Officer Benning both missing."

  Sarah slowly lowered her phone as reality kicked in. "Hey," she fired a quick text to David. She waited, staring at the screen until it timed out and went dark. She considered calling, but waiting a few minutes seemed best.

  Her slightly sore legs popped as she rose to her feet and stretched. Not even coffee could fix the heavy lethargy that hung over her entire body as she strolled through the kitchen, searching for a morsel to devour. Her ear twitched at the sound of footsteps pounding up the steps until a hard knock startled her and she shut the refrigerator door.

  As Sarah rounded the wall dividing the kitchen from the living room, her front door swung open and David rushed inside. "Just who in the hell invited you to just storm inside like that?" Sarah asked while she studied David's nervous face.

  "I was just worried about you, Sarah," David swung his arm out to raise his palm. "You heard about everything that happened, right?"

  Sarah bit her lip for a moment as she studied him carefully. "That’s what it's about... isn't it?" she asked slyly.

  "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" David asked with a touch of childish whine that aggravated her further.

&n
bsp; "Wanted to make sure I was being human at home?" she asked, waiting out David's long drawn pause as he studied the ceiling for an answer. "That's what I thought." She turned back toward the fridge.

  "I mean, it did cross my mind, but I still think-"

  "Think what?" Sarah interrupted.

  "Look, Vance's dad is dead. The only reason Tony is in the picture is because Vance brought him up. Why would Tony contact him now and nobody else? Now Pops is dead and Benning, who'd been eyeing Vance..."

  She already heard the news, but hearing him say "Pops," really made it click together. "I'm sorry about your step dad, David."

  She watched his eyebrows press as he looked away. "I don't really care. He wasn't so great in the end anyway." It wasn't a very nice thing to say, but she understood why he would feel that way.

  "I'm sure there's more there that will come out later," she said, looking up at him. She reached for his hand as his eyebrows relaxed and a light smile grew larger around his face.

  “I saw you managed to get some work done on your yard,” David said, pointing his thumb back behind him.

  Surprised that he noticed, Sarah let a little of her smile out from its usual hiding place as she gracefully strolled toward the fridge.

  While she slowly walked, David remained anchored to the spot where he stood as he spoke with conviction. “I’m sorry I didn’t help you with it.”

  Sarah’s smile tightened and she glanced back with a wink. “You did.”

  David’s voice grew more confident. “It sure looks nice in here too,” he said, looking her up and down with a smile.

  Sarah faced the fridge to hide the huge smile that she could feel stretched across her face. He finally got it.

  “Listen,” David said. "We could just split town. Run away." Sarah pressed her lips tightly into a smile that dared not rise into a giggle. "What?" David asked with a suspicious glance.

  Sarah’s mouth still pressed into a silent giggle. "Are you saying we should run away together?" she laughed.

  "I just mean that we need to get out of here and take care of ourselves. Jan too."

  Sarah could feel the pit of her stomach apply heavy gravity to her face, sweeping her smile out from under her.

  "What is it babe?" David asked.

  "Babe?" Sarah raised an eyebrow at him. "Now you're going to get all baby on me?" She hissed as she turned her back to him, retrieving a few burritos from the freezer before walking right past him, intentionally avoiding eye contact. Sarah slung her frozen meal in the microwave while David pulled out his phone.

  "Who's that?" she asked as she watched him hold the phone to his face.

  "Terry," he whispered.

  She pulled her plate from the microwave, flipping the burritos before throwing shredded mozzarella on top and putting them back in.

  "Yeah. Hey," David said on the phone. "So, I was thinking. Maybe we should all leave town for a while." Terry's voice was barely audible from where she stood, pretending not to listen. "What do you mean? How can they even do that?" David's voice seemed to rise with frustration as he slapped the counter. "I mean, it's not even on the news." Sarah's mind began to wander with the possibilities. "Yeah. I know," David said before pausing to listen. "Well, I think it's him, but I guess either way we should definitely check it out."

  She had almost entirely forgot about her breakfast by the time the microwave beeped. Sarah watched David lower the phone to hang up. "Well?" she asked.

  "Terry says they found Vance's truck crashed into the chicken houses near his place. Also, that some of the football team told him where Vance set the traps for the thing." Sarah waited while David paused. "You remember? The traps?"

  "Yes," she scowled. “I didn't forget, dumbass." Sarah rolled her eyes as she turned toward him with her steaming hot plate of food in hand. "I just thought you were... I don't know... leading to a point?"

  "Oh," he said with a glance at the floor. "Terry thinks they probably haven't found it all and that we should go check it out."

  "Sounds like a plan," Sarah said, blowing on her steaming plate she carried in front of her as she walked around to the living room. "You going to bring your girlfriend this time?"

  "Sure." David leaned to the side giving her a big half grin. "I'm bringing you."

  As Sarah got specific directions from Terry, they climbed in David's car. He took the wheel and the two of them set off.

  #Janice#

  Janice strode down the deserted gravel forestry road toward her destination. It was about a half mile from where she left her mom's minivan parked. "I need the exercise anyway," she said as the hidden gap in the foliage became visible just ahead. She opened the group chat on her phone and read the last message Terry sent. "Vance set the traps in the woods behind the chicken houses. We should check it out. I know exactly where it's at so call me for directions."

  She strolled gracefully to the right through the narrow, hidden path into the woods where many days old tire tracks overlapped one another. Trees surrounded her as she stepped downhill toward the wooded clearing. The smell of pine and honey suckle brought back memories while she passed the old stone well. She caught sight of several bent metal bars that haphazardly littered the clearing surrounded by chips of busted bark. They were the remnants of a recent war that had been long lost since before it began.

  Distant voices raised louder in argument as footsteps approached from the gravel forestry road. "I'm just saying that you have this damn problem where you get blinded by the people you like. Tony fits. Nobody has found his body, have they?"

  "Look, how the hell do you expect me to find this place when you keep pissing me off anyway?"

  "Terry said the fourth curve past the two cedar trees and an opening on the right, okay? How was I supposed to know it would be so complicated?"

  Their bright clothes became visible through the gaps in the brush as they got close. "Hell, I didn't even know this road led behind the chicken houses. I would have never found it." David's arms could be seen swinging as he spoke.

  Janice sat down on a giant stump, crossing one leg over the other as she propped her chin on her fist, waiting patiently as she listened.

  "Have you heard anything from Janice this entire time?" Sarah asked.

  "No. But can you blame her? I mean would you want to talk to me if it was your dad?"

  "Sure. I wouldn't mind," Sarah said with a light chuckle that sent fire up Janice's arms. "David. Just tell her. I don't care anymore." Janice listened intently to Sarah's words. "I'm the one who killed the guy."

  "Hey, here it is," David said so casually, as if they’d just got done talking about what they ate the night before. Their footsteps beat louder as they jogged down the hill into the woods and came into view. "Something definitely happened he-" She saw David freeze solid as he caught sight of her.

  "What?" Sarah asked as she stepped around past him, jumping with a startle when she looked across the small wooded clearing at Janice.

  She watched Sarah and David look wide eyed at each other and then back at her without a word. Finally, Sarah spoke up. "Why are you... here?"

  Her words kindled a blaze in Janice's chest. She swiftly swung her phone above her head. "What? 'We should check it out,' doesn't include me?"

  "Are you okay, Jan?" David asked softly as he slowly reached out his hand from his place about twenty feet away.

  "Don't call me that," she snapped back at him.

  "You just don't sound like yourself," David said with his exaggerated look of concern as Sarah slowly reached over to lower his arm as if to protect him.

  "Sure...?" Janice paused, attempting to hold her composure before continuing. "I wouldn't mind," she said.

  David and Sarah both looked at the ground. "Listen, I'll do it," Sarah said quietly to David.

  Janice folded her arms with a sardonic laugh. "Do what exactly?" She watched Sarah's mouth fall open as David sat in a slump on an old log and rested his face in his hands.

  "Kill me? Go ahead
," Janice said as her eyes began to take on water. "This whole curse around here is my fault anyway."

  "Janice," Sarah said slowly with round eyes. She leaned down as she clasped her hands together. "I'm so sorry."

  "Sure sounded that way a minute ago," Janice said.

  "I don't expect you to be able to forgive me. But it was my fault. Not David's." Sarah kneeled on the ground in front of Janice as she remained stationed on her stump, focusing the fire in her eyes on Sarah only to take a brief look at David.

  "You even used my camera to take pictures of it?"

  "Listen," David said as he plopped his hands into his lap. "I was jealous that you were with Vance and we'd both been drinking. We thought it would be funny to... well, use your boat."

  "My dad's boat," she said, sternly correcting David.

  "Janice," Sarah's pleading voice returned slowly. "I think that was my idea too."

  Janice raised her voice louder. "Oh. It's no big deal. Water under the bridge. You're the one 'who killed the guy.' David was just along for the ride."

  David sat up and looked at her. "Please, Janice. I know I fucked up. It's haunted me all year and probably will for the rest of my life."

  "Me too, Janice," Sarah said. "It's just how I deal with it and try to move on. I left school and everything fell apart after the accident."

  "Accident?" Janice shot back. "You still have the nerve to call it that?"

  "Listen," Sarah said. "You have every right to be angry and say what you want, but it was an accident."

  "Whatever," Janice said.

  After a few moments of watching Sarah pace around and David mope, Janice finally rose to her feet and walked over to the cage.

  "What do you think happened here?" Sarah asked. Janice didn't say a word to her as she elegantly slid her fingers across the bent metal bars.

  David strolled closer, sticking to the other side of Sarah. "Looks like King Kong versus Godzilla happened here," he said.

  "I think it started over there." Sarah pointed as she stepped further.