Dugan's Creek

by Estelle, Penny

  Heather looked around to see if there might be an easier way and turned to go back, when she saw her greatest fear was about to come true. Two wolves stood just inside the cover of the trees. One, a mangy gray, the other, all white. The white lowered its head, emitting a low ominous growl. Heather froze, unable to even scream.

  They slowly walked toward her, growling low, teeth bared. A scream bubbled inside, ready to erupt, when a flash of brown jumped from somewhere behind her and stood between her and the two wolves. This wolf was bigger than the white one and a deep black/brown in color. His jaws snapped and he growled, walking on the rocks, a few steps to the right, then back to the left. It was almost as though he were protecting her.

  The mangy gray one high-tailed it out of there but the white one was not so intimidated. They seemed to size each other up, when the brown wolf jumped to attack first.

  Heather took a step back and when her foot hit only air she fell backwards, her head bouncing off the boulder and blackness overcame her.

  ****

  A sigh…a long, contented sigh, escaped from Heather as butterfly kisses, starting at her toes, traveled upward. Steve hadn’t done this for so long. God, she missed these times. She quivered as teeth nipped at her knees. “Steve,” she moaned, “don’t be mean.”

  There was no answer, only the low, deep growl as tiny sucking kisses targeted her inner thighs. Heather knew this drill. She spread her thighs wide, giving Steve complete access to what she craved, what she needed.

  Heather smiled, peeking through closed eyes. Something wasn’t right. Crackling sounds invaded her thoughts. There was a fire. We don’t have a fireplace. “Open your eyes!”

  “Shhhh. Relax.”

  Her eyes fluttered open. Steve’s blue eyes were not what she saw. For a split second, eyes, the color of emeralds, hovered above her then disappeared, replaced with deep shadows and….stars?

  Heather couldn’t remember. What in the hell was happening to her? All questions fled from her mind when lips found and nibbled at her very core. Her breath caught and she arched her back for more. Spasms jerked her entire body. Hands found her breasts, massaging each one, gently, and then a tongue took over, sucking, sending Heather almost over the edge.

  She was gently turned onto her stomach. Hot feverish kisses rained from her shoulders to her buttocks. Her hips were lifted and spread. Heather was ready for it. She pushed back, wanting the release, but was denied with his teasing. A hand snuck back around to the front, finding her once again, stroking.

  Heather was whimpering, begging when he finally entered from behind. She tried hurrying the pace but he was not ready to end her torment. His slow and steady penetration, along with the continuous probing fingers, had Heather bucking and pleading. Finally, giving in to her needs, he rode her hard and deep, with Heather matching his every thrust. She collapsed, trying to catch her breath. His weight shifted to her side, pulling her against him into a cocoon of warmth.

  One eye squinted open. Her head was pounding. That fire was still there. Red glowing coals looked like neon lights in the dead of night. There were stars and she could hear gurgling water. She was outside. She tried to remember, but couldn’t. Her head hurt so badly.

  Through the shadows of the fire, she saw a movement. It was a wolf. A white wolf. That triggered something in her mind, but what? Close by a low, menacing growl broke through her pained senses. Dear God - a brown wolf lay right at her side. She couldn’t have screamed if she wanted to. She watched as the white wolf turned and disappeared through the trees. The green eyes of the brown wolf glowed in the fire light. He looked at Heather for several seconds, then, as if dismissing her, laid his head down to go back to sleep.

  Heather shut her eyes, a tear escaping down her cheek. Please Steve, get me out of this nightmare!

  ****

  “Heather! Someone was calling her. She shifted, moaning as pain pierced her head. Fingers were caressing her face. “Baby, please wake up.”

  She knew that voice. It was Steve! Her eyes blinked open, trying to focus. Seeing him there released a flood of emotions. A soul wrenching sob escaped as she threw her arms around his neck, despite her pounding head.

  “Thank God we found you,” he whispered in her ear, hugging her tight. Steve helped her to sit up. Her muscles protested, stiff and sore from laying on the hard rock all night.

  “How did you know to come find me?”

  “First Pam called and said you were a no show and you weren’t answering your phone. Right after hanging up with her, I get a call from the New Mexico Police Department, and they say they have found your car with your keys and cell phone inside. Apparently you have my name and number as your first contact with a 911 next to it.”

  His voice cracked. He dug his thumb and fore finger into his eyes, fighting for composure. “I didn’t get the call from the cops until 5:30 last evening and I was in the air, on my way to Albuquerque by 7 pm. I rented a car and two hours later I was stopped on some Rt 60, for speeding. After hearing my story they escorted me to a town called Quemado.” He hugged her hard. His voice ragged, he whispered, “We’ve been searching for you all night.”

  Steve started to help her get to her feet. “Didn’t you see the smoke from the fire?” she asked. A wave of dizziness washed over her. She clutched Steve’s arm, waiting for it to pass.

  “Are you okay?” Steve asked, alarmed.

  Heather gingerly touched the side of her head. A huge goose egg is what she found. Her hair was matted and glued together.

  “Let me look.” Sucking in his breath, he said, “Jesus, Heather, this is dried blood. How did you do this?”

  Heather looked at the creek. It was coming back to her. “I fell. Yea, my car stopped, so I thought I would walk to the next town, but it was hot so I came down for some water, I think.” She looked around. “I remember the sun was setting, so I saw this ledge and was going to cross the creek and stay there, thinking it would be safe.” She paused, pointing to some trees. “I remember now. Right over there were two wolves, white and gray. They started toward me when a big brown wolf jumped from behind me and was growling at them. I stepped back……and that’s all I remember, except waking up and seeing that white wolf across from the fire.” Visions of wolves, green eyes, red fire coals and shadows floated in and out of her memory. But that was not all she was remembering. Kisses – hot kisses and a night of raw sex that she hadn’t experienced since her first year with Steven.

  “Heather?”

  She jumped as though being caught looking at other naked men’s pictures or something.

  “Honey,” he said slowly. “There’s no sign of a fire here.” She looked to the ground and there wasn’t.

  Most of the policemen that had been helping with the search had gone, but a few still hung around. “And let me tell you this, little lady. We ain’t had wolves in this area for some time. I’m thinking you’ve got yourself a doozy of a concussion and that ain’t something you want to mess with.” He was hiking up to the road and called over his shoulder. “I’ll get directions to the local hospital in Springerville and you can get that pretty little head checked.”

  Heather looked down at her clothes. She was a wrinkled, dirty mess, but she was dressed. Did she imagine it all? Tears popped into her eyes as she searched Steve’s face. “I’m telling you, I saw those wolves.”

  He had no answers. He hugged her close.

  The last policeman was on one side, while Steve was on the other and they helped her up the bank to the road. “I can call ahead and get this car towed to Quemado if you would like,” he said.

  Steve thanked him for that and then hurried down the road to retrieve his rented car.

  “Funny thing about that wolf story," the policeman said, leaning against a tree. “Awhile back there were rumors of werewolves in this area. Can you imagine? Rumors were flying, but like all bazaar rumors, they ended up going by the wayside.”

  Heather nodded and turned just as Steve drove up.

&n
bsp; “Thanks for your help,” Steve said, shaking the cop’s hand.

  “My pleasure. I’m glad there is a happy ending.” Taking his sunglasses off, he turned to Heather. “Now you take care of yourself miss, hear.”

  She looked into the greenest emerald eyes she had ever seen!

  ****

  Steve was driving her to a hotel for the night and they would leave for Pam’s house the next day. The Dr. had told her she was very lucky to be alive. She listened to him berate her for driving alone, leaving the car when it broke down, going down to some obscure creek, trying to cross the creek to get to the other side, and on and on and on. His ten-year old daughter would have known better!

  “Did you pay him to say those things to me?” she asked, smiling.

  “Innocent,” he laughed. “I am chalking it up to one horse town doctors.”

  They drove in silence for a few minutes. “You know you were absolutely right?”

  “About what?” Steve asked.

  “What you said in Denver.”

  “Heather…”

  “No, please let me finish. I have become stiff and I have taken you….and us, for granted. Our sex life used to be amazing. I miss it Steve and I want it back….if it’s not too late.”

  They pulled into a parking spot at the hotel. Steve took her face in his hands and kissed her softly.

  He pulled his mouth from hers and looked at her. Would this be a farewell kiss? Was it too late for him?

  “We always hear about people who just disappear off the face of the earth and their loved ones say that they will never give up hope and know everything will be okay, but when I heard you were missing and your car was deserted on the road, I lost ten years off my life. Hope was nowhere in the equation, only dread and a fear I have never felt before. I was so afraid I would never see you again to tell you how much you mean to me. I love you with all my heart, Heather. I will do whatever it takes to make things right between us.” The corner of his mouth quirked into a half smile, “As far as the amazing sex…we will probably have to practice.”

  Heather laughed. “Oh yea, lots and lots of practice.”

  Steve went in to the office to pay for the hotel room. Steve loved her and this second chance was all Heather needed to prove how good their life could be...if she didn’t have puppies, that is!

  THE END

  I hope you enjoyed my story, Dugan’s Creek. I write under both Penny Estelle and P A. Estelle. I write for adults and for the middle grade kids.

  More of my stories can be found on my webisite and my Amazon author page.

  http://www.amazon.com/Penny-Estelle/e/B006S62XBY/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1377115636&sr=1-2-ent

  http://www.pennystales.com/

  I am attaching a story that I entered in the 2013 WORDS, short story contest. My story reached the finals, but alas, didn’t win! I hope you enjoy The Red Cloak.

  The Red Cloak

  The school cafeteria, in the town of Hampton’s Meadow, was packed, standing room only. Ranchers, farmers, and the townspeople were there to make a point, and be damned the environmental bullshit! “Do you have any idea what’s been happening around here?” John Chester yelled. “I have lost four calves and my best heeler. You got any idea how much money that is to me?”

  “I’ve also lost one of my milk cows! She might have been getting up there in years, but she could still give me milk!” cried Sally Taylor. The old woman dabbed her eyes with a hanky. “Since my Tom passed away, I don’t have any money to replace her. Can you tell me what I’m supposed to do about that?”

  Brenda Childs, sat at the front table with two other men. Her platinum bleached hair, was short, curled in a tight flip, right out of the seventies and her blood red lipstick looked smeared. She glanced at her watch, shuffled some papers and held up a hand for silence. That only infuriated the people more. Men were standing pointing fingers, everyone yelling, trying to be heard over the other.

  She stood and grabbed the microphone. “People, please. If you would let me get a word in, we might be able to make some headway.” Things quieted a bit. “Thank you. Now it was decided by the Federal Dept of the Interior, that Hampton’s Meadow was the perfect place to reintroduce the gray wolf before they become extinct. The climate and altitude is perfect for their habitat. We need to learn to live with our canine friends.”

  The room exploded in anger. “Lady, do you know how a wolf takes down a cow. Grabs them by the hamstrings to bring them down, is what they do. Then they start eating them from the back, so the cow stays alive longer for the next meal. Are you getting any of this? They are being eaten alive. You people need to pull your bureaucrats heads out of your ass!”

  “Sir,” Brenda started, but was interrupted by an angry woman in the front row.

  “And what about our children? What are we supposed to do when we come face to face with one or two of those animals? I have young children.”

  Brenda was on her feet. “You all need to calm down! Wolves will not hurt humans! I do think you will need to keep a tighter watch on your children, but you need to get used to this because these wolves are here to stay.”

  From the back of the room, Sandy Drake, leaned against the wall, taking it all in. She was in her early twenties, chin length sandy blonde hair, and had lived in Hampton’s Meadow most of her life. She didn’t have cattle, but she did live with her mom on a few acres outside of town. She was friends with all these people and, unfortunately for this Brenda chick, the wolves and the townfolk are going to have a come to Jesus meeting.

  “We need to trap these killers!”

  Brenda yelled into the mike, making it screech. “Let me make this as clear as I can.” She held up a badge and said, “This gives me absolute authority as far as those wolves are concerned. I have complete jurisdiction here. We have already been informed that a few wolves have been killed with arrows, and an investigation is underway. The person involved will be charged and held to the fullest extent of the law!”

  She straightened her suit jacket and said in a calmer voice, “We are to understand somebody in a red cloak has been seen wandering through the forest and…”

  The entire room burst into laugher. “Well of course! It’s Little Red Riding Hood! She’s on her way to grandma’s house! Old Red has a bone to pick with that wolf!”

  Brenda huffed and put her papers back in her briefcase, the two men following suit. “If anybody knows anything about the death of these wolves, a reward will be offered with the arrest and conviction of this killer. We will be staying in the area until the investigation is over.” The woman bulldozed her way through the crowd, followed by the two men and slammed out the door.

  Most of the community lingered. John Chester took his cowboy hat and slapped it against his thigh. “Can you believe all this? I’m not going to take too many more of my calves being killed. I’ll take matters into my own hands.” The hum of agreements vibrated through the cafeteria.

  “You know what has my skin a crawling?” said Mandy Blake, the owner of Mandy’s Hair Salon, “I was a driving down Joot Rd, and passed that old shack by Stumpy’s place. Ya’ll know where I’m talking about?” Everybody nodded. “I’d a sworn I saw someone jump behind that shack. And the queer thing is, I remember thinking, why would some lady in a red dress be out here all by herself.”

  “Now that you bring that up, Mandy, I saw a flash of red on the edge of the woods when I delivered some hay over to Milt’s. I figured I just seeing things.”

  “And what about these wolves being killed with arrows?” Jim Bolson, the principal, asked. “I’ve seen most of you shoot arrows at the competitions we hold on the fourth of July. Now don’t take any offense, but none of you are any Robin Hood!” The got the crowd laughing.

  “That’s true.” John chimed in. “There were only a few good archers around here, and other than Walt, who’s weighing in somewhere around three hundred pounds, the rest have passed on. There was Drake, Winston, maybe Tim Engles.” He put his cowboy hat back on and
started for the door. “Well, if we have a wolf vigilante somewhere out there who like dressing up in a red cloak, more power to him!”

  * * * *

  She munched on an apple as she walked through the woods. The wind was picking up, lifting her red cloak to sway in the breeze. The sky looked as angry as she felt. Dark black and gray clouds hung heavy over the forest. A storm was coming. She shivered, not sure if was the weather or the knowledge of what was to coming her way. A fire had blazed through their forest a few years back, leaving fallen dead trees, resembling what she felt like sometimes. Dead, lifeless, sad, and alone. She had lost so much, but she was getting back her pound of flesh, one-way or the other.

  Brenda Childs and her cronies were visiting the few businesses in the town, asking questions about the killings. More wolves had been found in the weeks following the town meeting, arrows the cause of death. Rewards were posted, along with a phone number to call with information.

  Some of the folks in the area were bow hunters. In the fall, they would all dress up in their camouflaged suits, taking off a whole week to go hunting. Most came back with nothing, except stories to tell at the next town gathering. Brenda Childs checked on hunting licenses, pulling those who used bows. She paid those people a visit asking questions like, “How long have you been using a bow? Are you upset the wolves are here?” The answers were pretty much the same. “If I could, I would be out there getting rid of those damn wolves. They don’t belong here!”

  * * * *

  A noise caught her attention. She stilled, holding her breath, listening. One was coming. She lowered the red cloak and put an arrow in the bow. She slowly raised the bow, putting the kisser button to her lips. There it was. The arrow flew through the air, hitting its target. The wolf never knew it was coming.