The Shadow Moon: Wolf Awakenings

by Caroline Frye

  My heart skips a beat as I enter the community. Today, the busy little town buzzes with activity. The shops and streetlights are decorated with ribbons and balloons and a small group of school kids are putting up more of the same. A sign near the courthouse reads Spring Fling.

  But as I enter my old stomping grounds, I shiver. The same small shops that I had known and loved during my childhood seem different somehow, even though nothing looks out of place. I shake off the eerie feeling and turn the throttle, giving my bike a shot of gas.

  The mixed smells from the magnolia trees that still line main street and Grams’ sweet pastry shop bring back memories of my after-school jogs in the park with Gracie. We would go for a run, and then stop by Grams’ for sweet rolls and tea afterwards. Someone else runs the shop now. Those were the good old days when nothing mattered except fun, food, and boys.

  I do a little exploring before heading to Gracie’s. I start by cruising over to the local grill. Gracie and I always hung out there after school. We lived for the moment. Back then—we had no worries. Just thinking about it makes me feel like an outsider now.

  The grill doesn’t look busy so I go inside and sit near the window where I can watch the locals for a familiar face. I stay long enough to drink a latte and draw the attention of the only person in town I don’t want to see. I’m completely taken by surprise when a shadow falls across my table, I look up and an old classmate is smiling down.

  “Hey, Tala, when did you get back into town?” he asks, grinning that hypnotic smile of his that used to turn me inside out with excitement. I used to have a crush on him, but now, he’s just another guy.

  I shouldn’t have stopped in here. Gritting my teeth, I force myself to stay calm. I’m totally in control. I’m totally in control. “Just this minute,” I say, as he slides into a chair opposite me. I don’t have time to chat—not with him. I sip the last drop of my latte and rise. “Sorry, I’m really in a hurry. Got to go.” And with that I’m out the door and straddling my bike. No need to let him think I care. I’m not going there. No more ‘little miss nice.’

  It is almost noon by the time I turn my Harley into the Pendulum Inn. The inn stands near the woods with the town circled around it like a clasp. The inn looks the same, except for the fresh pieces of porch trim and a new coat of paint. Even the old clock below the tower is still working.

  Gracie is curled up on the porch with a book. She glances up when she hears the bike pull in, and after mysteriously sliding her book beneath a cushion, she runs off the porch, bouncing toward me with arms outstretched.

  “Girl…look at you. I’m so glad you’re finally home!”

  I put one foot on the ground and throw the other one off the bike, smiling. “Yeah, me too.”

  After that, Gracie helps me gather my things and take them inside. “Mom made dinner,” she says, smiling. “We’ll unpack later.” We hurry up the stairs and Gracie shows me where I’ll be staying, tossing one of my bags on the bed. The room is at the end of the hall with four tall windows in the corner, each framed with lace curtains allowing the sun to highlight the room. The walls are covered in a blue paper with little flowers. The canopy on my small bed is tied back with ribbons that match the wallpaper. I am relieved and grateful to have such a pretty pace to stay. I heave a breath. “Good, I’m starving. I’ll be down in a few.”

  “Go ahead,” says Gracie, plopping down on the bed. “This is just like old times. We can talk while you wash up, and then we’ll go down together and surprise Mom. She said you are more than welcome to stay with us if you like. And I think it will be awesome if you do. But first, tell me about the breakup—how did it happen?”

  I sit on the bed swallowing back flashes of the memory of them together. “I caught him cheating and flipped out. I threw him out of the apartment, packed my things, and left—that’s about it.”

  Warm-hearted Gracie throws her arms around me. “I’m so sorry for you, Tala. If there’s anything I can do to make you feel better…”

  I shrug my shoulders. “I’m okay…I just need time to forget the pain and move on.”

  Gracie makes a declaration. “Frankie is a loser. He doesn’t deserve you.”

  I jump off the bed and face her. “You’re right.”

  We high-five.

  “I know what may take your mind off your troubles. You can work on fixing up your Grams’ old place later.” Gracie smiles and leans in with a bottle of tequila.

  I’m usually not one for drinking, but I grab the bottle and chug a drink before Gracie’s mom calls us for dinner. Her mom used to be a teacher but studied and built her way up to become the mayor of Witherfell. She’s a tall blonde woman with a serious attitude who worked hard for everything she has. She usually stayed up late at nights reading and mostly kept to herself, but she loves Gracie and always treated me as if she were the mother I never had.

  After supper, Gracie says she’s already talked to her boss about a job. She tells me to call at her work the next day and she’ll let me talk to her boss.

  Gracie suddenly stands with her hands on her hips. “We could go out tonight, if you’re up to it?” Her eyes twinkle.

  I’m too depressed for a girls’ night out. “I’m a little loopy from the tequila. If you don’t mind, I think I’ll just go for a run to, you know...clear my head.” I could already see the disappointment in her eyes, but I needed the time alone to settle my mind.

  Gracie nodded. “Sure. You deserve time to set your mind straight. But if you go jogging...be careful out there. It’s easy to get lost in the dark.”

  I stand, shoving Gracie’s warning aside. I’m not much of a runner, but it’s time to change a few things, and running is a good routine to begin with.

  By the time I am dressed, it’s dark outside, but I’ve jogged in the woods before. I take it slow at first, building up my strength while I recall my breakup with Frankie. I’ll forget him. I’ll forget him, if it kills me.

  After running for what seems like an hour, my legs feel wobbly and I’m gasping for breath. The park is lit with streetlamps, so the path ahead is clear and even in my weakened state I reach the edge of the woods before I realize it. I inhale the crisp night air, enjoying my new freedom. As I enter the woods, it seems darker than usual, but they are still comforting. The moon is bright and casts long shadows along the winding path. Dry leaves and broken twigs crunch beneath my feet and the scent of musk and rotten logs fill my nostrils.

  The faster I walk, the clearer my mind becomes. In the midst of it all, a bit of regret stews inside my gut like poison, twisting my thoughts back to Frankie. Gripped by the morbid thoughts controlling me, I bolt to escape. I run aimlessly, not knowing which way I’m going. What looks like a well-worn trail at first, soon changes. The further I go the more I realize that I’m no longer on a path. Now I’m angry for letting my emotions control my actions. I take off, running through the tall trees, watching for a path. My anger fuels my run, but the betrayal plays over and over in my mind. I can’t stop.

  I run on, stubborn as hell, refusing to stop. Because if I do—Frankie wins.

  Then, I realize I’ve lost all sense of time and I stop running. Crickets are chirping through the trees like mad. The pungent scent of rotting logs and dead leaves enters my nostrils, awakening my sense of awareness. I glance over my shoulders left and right. The sound of dry sticks breaking in the tall trees around me heightens my anxiety. Something runs through the forest. Fear stiffens my body. A nearby owl’s call snaps my muscles tight. My mind fizzes with panic. What the…How far in the woods have I gone? And which way is home? I whirl around but I see nothing. Grams used to say look up at the stars when I get lost, so I do.

  I gaze up searching overhead, but the trees are tall and thick. I can’t even see the sky, let alone the stars. I’m lost, and I wonder just how long I have been running. Instantly alert, I freeze when I hear a voice in the dark. I hear nothing now, maybe I imagined it. My eyes dart around nervously, shifting back and forth. Where
am I now? There are no signs on a path. There’s nothing to guide me home, and the darkness wraps around me. I can’t breathe. Then suddenly, I see lights in the distance coming toward me. I feel a moment of relief—I’m saved! But then, what I thought were lights turn red. My stomach drops when I realize they aren’t lights after all. They’re eyes. Oh, sh!!!

  A wolf slowly appears in front of me in the clearing just ahead. I gasp. My stomach cringes with a deadly fear. This is no ordinary wolf. This wolf is huge, standing tall between two trees, it’s coat rippling with dark fur, and its eyes glowing in the darkness. My instincts say run, but my legs tremble, feeling like rubber. I clutch at a nearby tree and steady myself. I slowly step backwards away from the animal, unable to look away. Or breathe. Then, I hear a snarl behind me. My skin crawls as I spin around. It’s another wolf, and another, and another.

  Suddenly, there’s a loud, roaring growl and a flash of fur. Another large wolf with piercing blue eyes pounces from the darkness behind the tall trees. His growl rips through the night with such fury my bones rattle. I feel the wind from the force of him and fall back against the rough bark of a tree, smelling the wild scent of his fur.

  My legs become powerless. I slump to the ground, heaving and breathless. I watch through the darkness as this huge wolf tears into the pack like a tornado, grabbing the other wolves one at a time and heaving them into the air like broken toys. Slinging them away from me into the tall dark trees. Then he stops and looks at me, breathing hard. Those blue eyes flash like diamonds in the night.

  The wolf turns and disappears.

  I’m left alone, trying to regain my composure. My stomach trembles, and my limbs are weak from the unbelievable horror I just witnessed. I look around to get my bearings—to calm myself. What just happened? I have to get out of here.

  I moan as I struggle to my feet, still feeling the shock, still feeling the fear. Stumbling over the lifeless bodies of dead wolves.

  I stagger through the woods like a mad woman, stumbling over gnarly roots and clutching at thorny outstretched branches. The moments seem so unreal. And the darkness surrounds me—pulling at me, dragging me down. I force myself onward, one step at a time, until, I see a streetlight.

  My heart lurches inside my chest as I run away from the ravaging teeth of the wolves still too present in my mind.

  Chapter 4

  CHANNING

  Dark clouds always follow me, Will Channing, or is it just something surreal about the town of Witherfell? The grumbling little resort town that’s nestled high in the Black Mountains, surrounded by woods, hidden from the rest of Ashville, North Carolina. At the foot of the mountains is a winding river which makes for great fishing for the locals and swimming for the kids. As secluded as Witherfell is from the rest of the county there are always events going on, even in the summer months, especially at night. That’s usually when the townfolk come mingling and sometimes so do the skeletons from their closets. No one seems to notice—it’s as if...Witherfell has been cloaked, hidden from the rest of the world, in a veil of disbelief like a fairy story.

  That’s where I come in. I have a large log cabin at the far side of town near the woods. It stands in a clearing surrounded by tall pines that not only guarded against the wind, but also intruders. I spend most of my time watching over the events, the people, and the skeletons. Tonight, I hurry through town patrolling the streets, but dreading the night ahead that will demand my full attention. I eye the small crowd that has already gathered in the town square decorating for the Witherfell spring fling dance. There will be a large crowd turning out tonight. Some of them for fun and some for mischief.

  Arriving at the station, I slam the car door as I hurry up the steps—my long legs taking two at a time. I sniff the air, breathing in the scents stirred up by the drizzling rain. Streaks of red mingle with the clouds confirming my worst fears. Bad weather is on the way.

  The station door slams shut behind me as the click, click, clicking of my Laredo boots echo my approach down the narrow hall. I take off my cowboy hat and whack it against my leg, knocking off the rain. Witherfell police station, I have arrived. I nod as I pass a couple of other officers hanging up their jackets. Rafe is tacking a notice on the bulletin board. I met him on my first day at the station. As my patrol buddy, he later became my best friend. I pat him on the shoulder and nod as I pass on my way through the station.

  I’m a loner who never speaks unless I have something important to say. I often catch glances from the ladies, but I’m a guy who was raised with common sense. My grandfather taught me to look before I step. We lived in California most of my life and only recently moved back to Grandfather’s old stomping ground, Witherfell. Today, my instincts are going wild. There’s something brewing in the air. Something big and ugly.

  Most days there are only ordinary everyday problems that crop up: a cat up a tree, a missing dog, or an electrical outage. I deal with most of the problems myself, thanks to the sergeant who usually conveniently becomes busy whenever someone needs him. I don’t mind, I love the responsibility—it kind of makes me indispensable.

  As the sheriffs’ deputy of the Witherfell station, most everyone comes to me for advice or assistance whenever anything happens. I’m always in control of the station. I keep my eyes on the town and on the people. I know who comes to town and when they leave. And if anything happens out of the ordinary, I step in with both feet, and there is a reason for that. I see both sides of trouble.

  Today, I nearly fall into my chair with exhaustion. I throw down my keys and shove back my hair just as a buddy approaches, grinning from ear to ear. “Better let that hat dry before wearing it again,” he says, glancing around at another officer. “We don’t want that hair of yours to get out of control.” They all have a good laugh.

  I smile good-heartedly without getting up. “I hear you. I don’t want to end up looking like the two of you either.” At hearing that, they grin and return to their desks. I shake my head. When will they learn they can’t outsmart the best? They just aren’t crafty enough.

  Sometimes it’s not easy starting the day. I get comfortable with a hot cup of coffee and prepare for another day of whatever, just as a blast of thunder cracks. Rain begins pouring outside my window. Just as well—maybe I’ll get some work done. I barely get started when the phone rings. It’s a call from someone who lives near the waterfall at Trundledown Bridge. They just found a body.

  “Okay. I’ll be right there,” I say, grabbing my keys off the desk. I motion to the other officers. “Let’s go. We’ve got a victim, and they said it looks bad.” The other officers head towards the door and Rafe and I follow close behind. "I hate these kinds of calls," he says, a scowl on his face. "There's never a good ending."

  I nod, agreeing with him and hoping there’s a good explanation for the death.

  I arrive with two other officers at the scene on the bank of the river half an hour later. The guy who called about the body waves me over speaking rapidly, shuffling from foot to foot.

  “I was rabbit hunting,” says the man. “I always go rabbit hunting down here near the bridge. There are lots of rabbits here, and I figured I’d catch one for dinner, but I never thought I’d find a dead girl. I never thought that.”

  “Slow down. What time did you find the victim?”

  The man wipes his face. “About an hour ago, I suppose. I wish I’d never seen her. I sure do. It’s pitiful. Just plain pitiful! I might not have found her if it hadn’t been for her shoes.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Her shoes...they were bright red. I spotted one of them from up on the ridge while I was searching for rabbits.”

  “Hm. Did you see anything else? Did you notice anyone down here recently, swimming or hunting maybe?”

  “No,” the man says shaking his head. “Looks like a wild animal found her first. Probably came down from the mountains.” The man pauses before gagging. Quickly stepping away, he pukes.

  The other officers and the
coroner examine the body and the crime scene, measuring the area and taking pictures.

  “Well, what do you think?” I ask the coroner.

  The coroner looks up, wiping his forehead. “I’ll be able to tell you more later, but from what I see, this looks like an animal attack.”

  I nod. “Let’s get the body to the morgue.” I walk back to the man who found the body. “Thanks for calling it in. I may have more questions later.” The man nods, and we leave the scene.

  Rafe shakes his head as he slides into the car. “That girl can’t be more than twenty. And being torn apart like that? It’s just not right. What could have done it?”

  I frown, knowing perfectly well what probably killed the girl. But I can’t tell him. I can’t whisper a word about it to anyone. No one would understand, they would just freak out. I’ll handle this myself. “Beats me buddy. But I hope it doesn’t happen again.”

  When I return to the station, I fall into my chair again and start researching online for missing persons. The body is too mutilated to identify. The person could be from around here or from out of state. The coroner will call sooner or later with more details. But one thing is certain—this is no hunting accident or drowning. I know a kill when I see one. This is death by wild animal. The only question is...which one?

  I’m pretty sure I know the answer. But there’s no way I can tell the other officers that a pack of rare-breed wolf shifters have taken up residence here in our town. A group of humans with rare blood types, whose physical anatomy changes for a few days each month. They meet up just as the moon grows full to fulfill their bloodlust undetected. Other bodies have been found in the past. And it appears they are now on a mission of obliterating all female tourists. A shadow moon is coming the end of this month. I’ve got to figure out a way to stop them for good—but how?