Ian didn’t really comprehend the whole picture, but regardless, he felt trusting Charlie was as good an idea as not. “Okay. All right, Charlie. That’s our plan then.”
Charlie set Bud’s head far away from both the Blazer and the van, fetched the gas can from the Blazer, then heavily doused both vehicles inside and out with gas. He created a trail of gas on the ground that branched out to both vehicles. Finally, Charlie took the gas can and set it far away from danger over next to Bud’s head.
Then, after what seemed an eternity of final contemplation focused on details, Charlie glanced one last time over at Ian. Ian nodded, once again showing his solidarity regarding the plan. Charlie then lit a match and tossed it onto the gas trail. Within seconds, both vehicles were raging infernos.
Charlie walked as fast as he could and picked up both the gas can and the bag containing Bud’s head. Ian caught up to Charlie in seconds. Charlie held out the bag just to see if Ian would instinctively reach out to take it. Ian looked at Charlie with disgust, knowing that Charlie was just trying a bit of levity to ease the tension, then reached over and took from Charlie’s other hand the now half-empty, six-gallon plastic gas can.
As Charlie and Ian looked intently around the scene, both men suddenly realized the remains of Marsha Steward were nowhere in sight. Without speaking, they both surmised that her head and torso had most likely been hauled off by Chastel.
Both men knew they needed to put serious distance between themselves and the burning vehicles as quickly as possible. Charlie and Ian started heading towards the falls and the pathway which led up the mountain; at a pace that was just short of jogging.
This time, they didn’t bother bringing flashlights. The unwanted truth was it would be daylight before they could reach the cabin even if they could maintain their present pace, but both men knew they couldn’t.
Chapter 40
Harsh
When they reached Harmony Falls, Ian noticed Charlie was holding onto his side and breathing hard and shallow.
“Charlie, let’s take a quick breather before we head on up the trail.”
Charlie looked at Ian, who appeared to be fit and ready to continue. He immediately realized Ian was just thinking of him.
“Nah, Ian, it’s okay. I appreciate the thought, but we’ve got to get up there before Chastel has had time to hightail it on out of here. Ha! High tail … That’s a good one. Get it? Tail?” Charlie managed a small laugh. Ian smiled at Charlie’s comment as well as his unrelenting determination.
Ian reached over to Charlie and took hold of the bag containing Bud’s head. Charlie held firm to the bag for a couple of seconds. After seeing that Ian was determined to relieve him from the burden of his load, Charlie let go of the bag. He stood there for a moment looking at Ian, who was carrying in one hand the half-filled gas can and Bud’s head in the other.
“Ian, you sure you can handle all that? We’ve still got a good hike on our hands from here to Chastel’s cabin. All uphill from here.”
Ian smiled at Charlie. “I’ll make it. No worries! I’ll set the load down, rest my arms now and again as I need to.”
The truth was Ian didn’t know if he could make it that far with that much load or not. But he was determined to give it his all.
Just then, Charlie and Ian were mildly startled by hearing two explosions in succession. The noise came from way back in the direction of the parking area. Both men knew the explosions were the grand finale of Bud’s Blazer and the van that they’d torched not ten minutes previously.
Ian looked at Charlie. “That wasn’t all that loud, was it? You don’t figure Chastel could have heard that from way up the mountain, could he?”
Charlie shook his head as he replied, “Not likely, even if he’s got some kind of heightened hearing. Too much forest and up and down terrain between here and there to muffle the sound. At least I hope!”
The two men started up the trail heading to the cabin. Charlie led the way. His pace was considerably slower than what was typical for him. Ian knew it was due to the level of pain Charlie was in, and for Ian’s benefit as well.
Charlie glanced back over his shoulder towards Ian.
“Maybe Chastel can only make the change at night?”
Ian didn’t answer right away. After several long seconds of contemplation, he replied, “Well, if werewolfism stays consistent with most of the legends from not only central Europe but all around the world, including Native Americans, though the stories vary a lot culture to culture, most agree on one thing. The classic shapeshifter can make the change at will, day or night. Though I believe, based on what I’ve heard and read, its powers are directly linked with the cycles of the moon. So if I had to make a wild guess, I’d say our guy can make the change into the beast anytime. But I’m guessing his powers and strength are less during the day than at night and are greater when the moon is full or nearly full than other times of the lunar cycle. The reason I believe in the idea that the shapeshifter can change anytime is if you think about it, it’s always nighttime somewhere. The moon is always out somewhere in the world. But again, this is only speculation. Hey, I know. We could always ask Chastel!”
Charlie didn’t look back. Ian saw him shake his head and heard him chuckle shallowly as he replied, “Yeah, you can do the asking.”
Charlie and Ian continued their trek up the pathway for nearly an hour before they finally came upon the open clearing. They stayed near the tree-line and kept as low as they could. They kept moving forward and uphill until they could see Chastel’s cabin and the smoke pouring from the chimney.
Charlie and Ian crouched down onto their knees, staring at the cabin, which was around a hundred yards from their position. Ian was relieved to finally be able to once again set his load down. His arms ached severely from carrying the gas can and bagged head nonstop for the last half-mile.
As they contemplated their next move, their luck, along with the weather, changed. The early morning sky grew dark as charcoal grey clouds suddenly came rolling in from nowhere. The storm clouds moved directly above them and filled the sky for as far as they could see in every direction. Thunder started to rumble. There were a couple of flashes of lightning off in the distance. All at once, the heavens opened up with near golf ball-sized hailstones. Charlie and Ian were being bombarded. They pulled their jackets over their heads and moved under an enormous fir tree for protection. To their great relief, the hail began to lessen. Unfortunately, the reprieve only lasted for a couple of minutes before the weather switched from hail stones to torrential rain mixed with snow. The temperature in minutes went from tolerably cold to near freezing. As a great north wind swept across the mountainside, old fir trees, giant monoliths that had withstood for decades all that mother nature could unleash, began succumbing to the great winds. The typical forest sounds of birds and small, furry creatures ceased to be audible. All Charlie and Ian could hear was the near-deafening sound of the roaring wind and massive trees whose branches whipped wildly. Ian couldn’t help but flinch now and again from the occasional massive cracking and snapping sounds created by storm-defeated branches that would then periodically crash to the forest floor.
Both men were drenched head to toe.
Charlie’s long, grey-streaked ebony hair had come undone from his ponytail from the strong winds. Even heavily soaked, his hair blew in every direction. Large strands relentlessly stuck across his face, forcing him to continuously wipe icy water and hair from his eyes. Ian began to shiver uncontrollably, and was beginning to succumb to the severity of the near-freezing effects created by the storm. Both men strained to hold their heads up just to look at each other to effect any further communication. Their eyes stung from the sideways-blowing snow, and rain, as it hammered their faces, and made numb their exposed hands.
Charlie knew making a move on Chastel was either now … or never.
Chapter 41
All In
Charlie stood three-quarters upright and motioned for Ian to follo
w. Ian picked up the gas can and head and stood crouched over as both men proceeded stealthily towards Chastel’s cabin.
Once the two men were within fifty yards of the cabin, Charlie motioned for Ian to come close to him. Charlie leaned up against a large fir tree and clenched his side. He was breathing rapidly with short, choppy breaths. Ian could see by the look on Charlie’s face and by the way he was holding himself even tighter than before that Charlie was more than just in pain. He was in trouble.
Charlie spoke to Ian in just above a whisper, “Ian, I wish I could tell you otherwise. But this is gonna be largely up to you now. I’m pretty much spent. If you don’t want to go through with this … Hell, I’d be the last man on Earth to fault you for it. Tell ya the truth, my side feels like it’s about to burst open and spill my guts out. It’s just about to double me over. I can’t even hold a weapon with a steady hand, let alone fire one.”
Ian saw blood was forming around the hand Charlie held to his side. The gashes that Doc had taped up were opening again. Though he didn’t think it was likely, he couldn’t completely rule out that there could be some possible organ damage as well. One thing Ian knew for certain was Charlie was tough. Double tough! And for Charlie to admit to succumbing to pain, that was all Ian needed to hear to imagine just how bad Charlie was hurting.
Ian quietly replied, “Charlie, if you can hold on a while longer … I figure we didn’t come all this way not to see this thing through. As I’m sure you know, I’m no hero, but goddamnit, that thing attacked and killed those hikers and Bud. Hell, it damn near killed your son and his girlfriend. It probably turned that local fellow who was hospitalized into a monster too. So for their sakes and anyone else that thing has or will slaughter or infect with the curse of the beast, we’re gonna finish this thing or die trying. Should the worst happen, I can accept that. But after all we know, all we’ve seen with our own eyes, things that nobody will ever believe … even if somehow we could prove Chastel’s the killer, keeping the whole werewolf thing out of it, what jail cell could ever hold him? Even if he got the death penalty, it could never successfully be carried out! Christ, the only capital punishment that would work would be decapitation, possibly total incineration, or death by a firing squad using silver bullets! Nah, the only way I see it, we’ve got to put a stop to Chastel here and now ourselves, or he will go on and on for generations killing and infecting! But don’t worry too much, ‘cause just between you and me, I’ve got no intention of dying here today. I’m … we’re gonna put that thing down and for good! All I ask, Charlie, is we form a pact. If Chastel does attack us and one of us, you know, was to get bitten and lives through it …”
Charlie looked into Ian’s eyes and nodded firmly. It wasn’t necessary for Ian to complete that sentence. Charlie understood and agreed.
Leaning there against the tree, trying his best to catch his breath, Charlie, who over the last couple days had grown to really like Ian, additionally felt tremendous respect for him. Up until that moment, Charlie had largely thought that Ian, though likeable and capable, was predominantly a passionless man, one who was drowning in self-pity and giving up on himself and the world albeit for reasons Charlie could understand. Charlie could easily see himself climbing into a bottle and losing his reason to live if he was to lose Elaine and Jeremy like Ian had lost his wife and daughter to such a senseless tragedy.
What Charlie saw in Ian now was a man who had undergone a total reclamation. Charlie imagined that Ian had been like this not so long ago: a confident, courageous, focused man of purpose and conviction. Somehow through the course of recent horrific events, Ian had managed to salvage himself.
Charlie thought about how pressure and situations of great stress affect people differently. Some bluff. Some fold. Some raise. Ian just went all in!
Chapter 42
Surprise
“So what’s the plan?” Ian asked quietly as they both looked up ahead at Chastel’s cabin. Smoke was pouring from the chimney and billowing in every direction. The ever-changing storm had once again transformed. The temperature continued to drop as the weather changed to a blizzard-like snowfall.
Charlie gasped for air. “Ian, you’re in charge now!”
Ian knew he had to think of something, and by the looks of the way Charlie was shivering, the sooner the better.
“Okay. All right, Charlie, you follow behind me up to say around thirty feet or so in front of the cabin. Then lay down on your gut facing the cabin. That way, you can rest your pistol on the ground. You’re gonna cover me. Your gun might not be lethal to him, but I’m guessing it won’t do him no good either. It probably will sure as shit sting like a son of a bitch if you open up on him. Something like you or me getting shot with pellets. Now, I’m gonna get close. I’m not gonna knock or anything. I’m going straight in and fast. Maybe, if I’m lucky, I can catch him by surprise. I’ll open fire on him on sight. If it takes silver to bring him down, hell, I don’t want to miss. I’ve only got three silver bullets. We might only get the one chance!”
Charlie was shivering uncontrollably but managed to nod.
Ian picked up the gas can and the black plastic garbage bag. He and Charlie began the final march towards the cabin. The bag Ian carried was starting to make crunching, crackling sounds with each step he took. Its partially-thawed contents were beginning to re-freeze. They bowed their heads, attempting to protect their faces from the blowing, frigid snow. Steamy vapors exited their mouths and noses with each breath.
They slowly began their final trek on the hillside leading to the cabin’s front. As they walked up the hill, they had to high-lift their knees with every step as they trudged through the snow, which was accumulating in depth by the moment. By the looks of the clouds, it wasn’t going to be letting up anytime soon. Ian glanced back over his shoulder at Charlie, whose face was nearly covered with ice and snow. Tiny icicles hung from his bangs. Ian was beginning to worry that frostbite and hypothermia would soon become a real threat, perhaps as great a threat as the one they would soon be facing up ahead. They were completely exposed and not just to the harshness of the elements. They stood out boldly in contrast to the newly-formed white world that encompassed them.
The only thing remaining in their favor was the noise created by the wind and snow. That at least offered them some hope that they still might be able to successfully launch a surprise assault.
Charlie and Ian stood hunched over around thirty feet from Chastel’s cabin. Charlie made eye contact with Ian, then nodded to show he was ready. He then unsheathed his pistol from his shoulder holster, chambered a round, and made ready his weapon. He dropped to his knees and proceeded to lay belly down on the snowy ground. Holding his Glock with both hands, Charlie aimed at the cabin’s front door just as Ian had planned.
Without hesitation, Ian set down his loads. He bent over and retrieved Ole Caretaker from his ankle holster, making double certain it was primed and ready.
Ian glanced over at Charlie. “Okay, let’s do this!” He started towards the cabin, making sure to stay just over to the side far enough to allow Charlie a clean shot in the direction of the doorway.
Ian picked up his pace. His heart was pounding so hard it felt as though it might burst through his chest. But he kept on moving faster and faster. When he was just a few feet from the cabin, Ian turned his body sideways, ran, and slammed his right shoulder into the front door with everything he had. The door broke away from its hinges upon impact. It didn’t offer anywhere near the resistance he’d figured on, and Ian crashed into the one-room dwelling, slipped on the bear-skin rug, and fell smack onto his back in the center of the room. Upon impact, Ian’s head flopped back and struck the wood floor. His pistol slipped his grasp and slid across the room. Ian was completely stunned, barely conscious, and couldn’t move. He gasped with all his might for air, but none would come. The wind had been completely knocked out of him. Ian lay momentarily helpless, barely conscious. He was acutely aware of one thing: If Chastel was in the room or
nearby, if found in his condition and weaponless, he was a dead man.
After a few eternal seconds, Ian finally managed to re-inflate his lungs with great difficulty. His breath came back to him first in short, painful sips, but moments later, he was able to take in a full, chest-expanding gasp of air. Moments later, Ian was finally able to turn over, place both hands on the floor, and lumber himself up onto his left knee. He straightened himself up, recovered his balance, and quickly retrieved his pistol. After a quick glance around, Ian walked to the threshold of the front doorway and gave Charlie a thumbs up. He then waved his left hand repeatedly towards himself, signaling Charlie to join him inside the cabin.
Chapter 43
Mark of the Beast
Ian noticed that Charlie had troubles of his own standing up, but once on his feet, Charlie quickly joined Ian at the cabin. Ian held his pistol in his right hand and panned his eyes and his gun all around the room.
Charlie paused in the doorway to check out the remains of Ian’s frontal assault. The door frame was completely busted into fragments. The door itself was completely intact, but it lay on the floor, barely hanging onto its twisted-beyond-repair lower hinge.
Charlie said in a quiet voice, “Nice entrance, Ian. Subtle!”
Ian couldn’t help but chuckle at what he must have looked like when he burst through the door. He grinned at Charlie. “Well, it’s nice to see you’re still among the living.”
Then Ian pointed to a number of icy, mud-covered old tin coffee cans atop an old, hand-crafted table that sat up against the cabin wall.
Loup-Garou: The Beast of Harmony Falls (The Ian McDermott, Ph.D., Paranormal Investigator Series Book 1) Page 17