“What?” The silence of the two had become unbearable at this point.
“Two people were found dead last night in Summerville near the Chattahoochee National Forest.” Her voice couldn’t hide the distinct fear behind it.
“The police said that it was an animal attack,” Daniel shot in. His eyes followed up to mine.
Last night’s conversation with Daniel suddenly came back to me when I glanced at the television. Uniformed men moved white bagged bodies away to a large black van.
The news reporter announced: “No one knows what type of animal it was. Police could only say that it was a large animal. A special forensics team has been assigned to determine the type of animal that caused such brutal killings. In the meantime, police have warned all individuals to stay away from heavily wooded areas and not to go out after dark. Keep your houses locked and stay inside. These are the second bodies found within a ten mile radius of one another.”
The ringing phone broke my concentration, taking me away from the horrifying images. Reaching over the counter, I grabbed the phone and placed it to my ear.
“Hello?”
“Julie?” It was Thomas. “Listen, I just saw the news. You are to gather your things together and come over here with us immediately. I don’t want you to stay in that house another minute.” His stern voice sent fear through me.
“I… ”
“Julie!” His voice commanded by full attention.
“Okay, I understand. I’ll be there.” I pushed the off button and placed the phone back on the receiver. “That was Thomas. He said that I should get my things and stay with you.”
“Well, I think that’s a great idea. Let‘s pack your stuff together now.” Casey forced out a smile.
Daniel didn’t speak. With the same worried expression on his face, his attention remained on the news. Reluctantly, Daniel tore his eyes from the television and gave me a stern look.
“I will wait and then follow you both to the house. I need to run into town and then meet you at the funeral.” His voice trailed off into his own thoughts.
Not putting too much thought into his plans, I had to concentrate on my own. Glancing at the clock, it was eight-fifteen. The dark clouds caught my eye when I glanced out of the window. A nasty storm approached from the east. At least we would be inside the church during the funeral. My father requested that he be cremated. His urn would rest in a vault beside my mother in the cemetery.
Casey helped me pack and between the three of us we loaded Daniel’s car with my belongings. They were surprised by my protest when I wanted to take my car. Convincing them that I hadn’t had the chance to drive it, I wanted to enjoy my father’s last gift. My reasoning may have been a little different, but the car provided me with the opportunity for time alone.
The little black Mercedes headed out first, followed by my new Eclipse Spyder. Daniel followed close behind in Charlotte’s white Lexus. We made it through the long wooded driveway to the main road. Casey sprinted ahead in her shinny BMW. Not sure exactly what this new car would do, I gave a little more pressure to the gas and she was off. In the rear view mirror, I saw Daniel quickly approaching the rear of my car. I settled in the seat and turned on the stereo. The car was nice, I thought. My father knew me better than I knew myself.
The car rode so smoothly, I didn’t realize I was speeding until I caught a glimpse of Daniel when he flashed his headlights in my rearview mirror. Quickly glancing down at my speedometer, it said I was going ninety. My foot pulled off the gas, and I tapped the brakes lightly to slow down. Luckily, he was there to warn me. When we approached the hilltop, a police cruiser waited with a radar gun pointed in our direction. Ahead, Casey slowed down to make the turn into their driveway.
Pulling up to the huge house, I followed her around to the garage. Daniel pulled up behind me. He jumped out of the car before Casey and me. Daniel appeared in a rush, pulling items out the trunk left and right. Walking behind him into the house proved to be a challenge, his fast paced long strides made it difficult for Casey and me to keep up.
Once inside I heard Thomas and Charlotte. Her tense voice clearly indicated she was extremely upset. Daniel dashed up the stairs with my suitcase. Following Daniel up the stairs, Charlotte caught my attention and I stopped abruptly.
“Julie, go ahead and start getting ready. The driver will be here in an hour and a half. Are you all right?”
“Yes, I’m fine.” My suspicions ran wild. Secrecy filled the air. I knew they were hiding something from me. Daniel ran down the stairs, catching my full attention.
“I promise to be there as soon as I can,” he shot to Thomas.
“Be careful,” Charlotte shot back at him with a worried look on her face.
Casey’s hand touched my shoulder. “Come on, let’s get dressed.”
The agony hit hard in the pit of my stomach. There was too much going on for me to try to be calm. The horrific events consumed my thoughts. Was this a coincidence? On the other hand, were there just some strange events that just happen to be related to my father’s death? Everything became a blur to me.
≈≈≈
Sitting on the end of the pew in the chapel, still not fully aware of the ride there, I looked around nervously for Daniel. The sound of Charlotte’s voice added to my suspicions and fears. Something, perhaps she knew or found out. Thomas sat rigid. Casey remained quiet and not her normal self. All of this wreaked havoc on my nerves. I inhaled deeply to try and calm myself. I wasn’t worried about the box at this point. The agonizing feeling of not knowing took over.
We all stood when the Pastor stepped forward to give a moment of prayer. I could barely focus on what he said. My hands trembled and my thoughts ran wild. I heard the AMEN, managed to raise my head, and felt a nudge to the left of me. It was Daniel. I moved over to my right and sat down leaving him enough room.
Family, friends, co-workers, business partners and the socials packed the large church. Even with my father’s faults, many people thought well of him. It pleased me to know that all these people cared about him. I took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.
The Pastor stood behind the wooden podium in front of the church. He opened his Bible and began reading. Daniel’s hand slid around mine. Squeezing it lightly, I was surprised how much it helped calm my overactive nerves. Casually, he released my hand and slid his arm around me. Whatever instinct he felt toward me, he knew what I needed. I relaxed and my focus returned in time to watch Thomas give the eulogy.
Who better to speak of my father than Thomas, the longtime friend of my father? He spoke clearly and earnestly about my father, their friendship and Martin’s dreams for the people he loved. He spoke of Martin’s love for life. The love that led him to support different charities and to find cures for certain diseases. My father’s work to find cures for childhood cancer and how his donations and work saved over a thousand lives. Thomas also reminded everyone that even though Martin departed from us physically, his work and his love remained with us all.
My heart shattered when the memories of my father filled my head. The warmth of him, the smell of him, and the heart he had. Thomas's words stirred all those loving memories of my father.
One memory was the Room of Secrets. Dad and I spent hours in conversations where whatever we spoke of would never leave the walls of that room. There were many things I told my father, he never judged me, but lovingly understood and corrected me when necessary. The reflections of how he loved life, of how, indeed, he was a wonderful and loving father. How he brought his fatherly love out, not just to the community but across the country. I felt for some reason, all the things he did were because of his love for humanity. My hands trembled again. The box had slipped open. I took a deep breath, no good. Another breath, no, not good. My body trembled, fighting back the threatening tears. Daniel shifted ever so slightly, drawing me closer against his warm body. His lips pressed against my ear, whispering softly words only I could hear. “It is okay, Jewels. You are okay. I am h
ere.” I pulled on his strength and fought back the tears. One last deep breath and I managed to tightly close the box.
The ceremony ended. We rose and then headed toward the back of the church. A warm sense of awe filled my heart when I noticed the number of people who came to honor my father. Joy filled my heart from the people I knew who felt the same way about my father as I did.
A strong squeeze around my waist guided me to the limousine that waited. I paused outside the church doors, eyes lifted to the dark sky. Sprinkles of rain filled the air, drifting quietly down to the wet ground. I hurried inside the limo to the destination of the final resting place of my father‘s ashes.
Everyone consumed in his or her own thoughts remained silent for the ride home. Daniel followed us in his car. He pulled the white Lexus in front of the limousine and parked it in the garage. Thomas stepped out first to help the rest of us out. Silently I walked behind the rest through the front door and then followed Casey up the stairs. I wanted to change clothes and knew she had the same idea. We left Charlotte, Thomas and Daniel downstairs in the great room.
Fumbling through my suitcase, I found a pair of jean shorts and a cool light blue cotton tank top. Quickly I dressed and pulled my hair into a ponytail. I turned to face Casey who waited for me on the bed.
“You okay?” The grim expression on Casey’s face didn’t shock me.
“Yeah, I guess so. I’m just having a hard time believing that… ” she paused, her teary eyes lifted to mine. “Mom says lunch is ready,” she continued. “She figured that no one was in the mood for anything big, so she put together some ‘comfort snacks’ as she calls them.”
Poor Charlotte, she wasn’t taking this well. The feeling was mutual. My arms reached over to Casey, holding her tightly until she exhaled softly. We let each other go and walked out the room and down the stairs to meet with the others.
“Comfort snacks” was an understatement. We walked into the kitchen where a large array of food items sat waiting to be devoured. Thomas stood by the counter holding a cheese cracker. Daniel changed into jeans and a blue T-shirt which stretched over his muscular body. His head lifted, sporting a solemn smile when he noticed my entrance.
“So what’s good?” I gestured toward the array of food.
“Everything. Mom seems to have gone overboard this time.” Daniel pierced his fork into a slice of meat and cheese.
“Charlotte, have you ever considered catering?”
“Oh, heavens no!” her excited tone rang. “I would not be able to handle the stress of owning a business.” Somewhere with her last statement, we all roared in laughter. We were not sure if she meant that as a joke, but it really was one.
Thomas's voice broke through after the laughter settled. “Julie, there are some things that we need to go over concerning your father’s will.”
“Thomas!” Charlotte hissed at him.
Pretending not to hear the warning in her voice, he continued. “There are several corporations your father owned major stock in that will fall into your hands. These companies all work together in a sort of … network.” He glanced toward Daniel. “One of which, is co-owned with Daniel. DalMar Corporation. I have arranged for each of the heads of these companies to give you a presentation of their work. You will be able to see firsthand what they do. I have scheduled the presentations tomorrow around ten. Of course, if you are not up to it we can reschedule.”
“No, it’s fine. I will be there.” Dad had more than one business venture, surprising news. Holding my plate, I reached for the fruit in front of Daniel. It would be nice to have time to myself, to enjoy my car for a change.
After the little lunch ended, I wanted nothing more than to go back to the house. The careful eyes of the Maxwell’s remained glued on me, so my chances of slipping past them were not going to be good. Tomorrow would give me the prime opportunity I needed. Since I’d left my computer at the apartment in Virginia, I decided the best excuse was to shop for new clothes, buy a new laptop and, of course, buy some CDs for my new car. At least they would think I was pre-occupied. Eventually they would have to trust that I would be all right in the big house all by myself. There were still many things to be considered, and I needed the alone time to sort them through.
The sheets of rain poured down, lightning streaked through the dark sky making it the worst storm of the century. I finally found my peace while I sat quietly in the large glass Florida room, listening to the storm wail outside. The trees bent back and forth in the howling wind. I wrapped my arms around my knees, pulling them closer to my chest while I snuggled deep against the wicker sofa.
“Ah, enjoying the weather?” Without even looking up the voice was without a doubt recognizable.
“Actually, yes. I love a good storm.” My heart took a different direction.
“I do to, actually.” His warm and soft voice lured me to him. Daniel looked extremely handsome when He sat down across from me on the sofa.
“Doing okay?”
I nodded slowly and forced out an awkward smiled. He followed my gaze out beyond the glass walls, watching a bright light flash that was followed by a loud grumbling of thunder.
“So what are you thinking about?” The question posed something new for me. It wasn’t so much the question, but the question as it was directed to me. No one has ever asked me my thoughts before. I found it interesting.
“I guess,” I paused not knowing where I should begin. Bore him with my insane thoughts of werewolves, or rather give him the obvious choice of my thoughts of my father?
Since I was afraid to let the box open, I decided to go with the first choice. “Wolves and the whole Lycan thing.”
“Oh.” Daniel’s face remained expressionless. “Any luck with that?”
“No, not really. The only thing I have to go on is a memory of a dream, and old movies. I don’t think that’s enough to answer my questions.”
“Like?”
“Well, for starters, what are werewolves? Secondly, what are Lycans?”
Daniel contemplated his answers. When he spoke, his words came out softly and distinctly making sure any emotion remained covered in his voice.
“The legends have it,” he began slowly. “Around the late fifteen hundreds, two Frenchmen, Pierre Burgot and Michael Verdum, made a pact with the devil. To avenge the ones they loved, they traded their souls to be turned into a terrifying killing machine, a werewolf. Although, after they sought their revenge on the town’s people, their souls were condemned to walk on the face of the earth in the daytime as a man, and at night to turn back into a werewolf by the light of a full moon.” Looking into my eyes, he could tell I was neither afraid nor nervous, but interested in the story tale. I raised my eyebrows slightly for him to continue.
“That is the short version of the legend of werewolves. I guess similar to your dream. On the flipside, there was another kind of animal created. See, the universe is a delicate creation. You have heard the ‘ everything is in balance’ theory. Ying and Yang. Good and Evil. Hot and cold.” I nodded to let him know I followed along. He continued. “So whenever there is something new added, there always has to be an opposite created to balance it.”
“The Lycans.” I whispered. He nodded.
“Lycans do not live by a curse. They are born this way. The Lycans are the ‘protectors’, so to speak, of mankind. They weight the balance against the oddities from evil creations.”
“So are Lycans wolves?” I asked totally intrigued with the conversation.
“Lycans are similar in many ways to werewolves. Most of the legends you hear are about spirit wolves in the American Indian Folklore, of a boy or man taking on the spirit of a great wolf. Actually, it is a bloodline. Lycans are wolves, larger than a normal timber wolf. They have their own wills and are not condemned to the thirst of killing or revenge.
They live peacefully.”
“So, the Lycans are actually a form of a wolf, only good wolves. How can you tell the difference?”
&nbs
p; “Well, the werewolf can walk on its hind legs, practically making it eight feet tall. The head and neck are similar to that of a wolf; the body is more similar to that of a man. The Lycans, on the other hand are large wolves. They walk on all fours, and have thick fur. They are extremely strong, and have razor sharp teeth. Again, the strength is carried to the person who is the shape-shifter. Their bodies protect them from the sharp claws and teeth of the werewolves.”
“So the Lycans, were borne, or created to kill the werewolves?”
“Yes.” His smooth voice became silent.
Waiting for a moment to compose my thoughts, I realized that the werewolf was the animal that killed my father. My eyes widened, unfolding myself I sat straight up. “My father… ” I breathed out.
“I think you have heard enough for one day, Jewels. Try not to ponder on it too much.”.
“But you do think that it was a werewolf that killed my father?”
“We think so. Like I said, do not ponder on it. We should go inside. It is late.”
≈≈≈
That night I lay in the bed and couldn’t sleep. Ignoring Daniel’s advice not to ponder his words was asking something of me I couldn’t give him. My thoughts went from my dream, to the events of my father’s death. I envisioned a human-like wolf killing him and taking him from me. My father, who loved life more than anyone I’d ever known. He was a man who would give up his own life to protect and help others. Now he was gone. Just like that. No warning. No time to prepare. Not even to give me a chance to say, “I love you Daddy” just one more time.
My heart felt the crushing pain. The box had come undone. Hot tears ran down my face. He was my friend, I thought when I sat up in the bed. Whenever I had a problem, I could always run to him and he would be there. Now, I had no one. The pain erupted like a volcano through my mouth. I slapped my hand across my open mouth to try and stifle the mournful cry that had come out. My tears ran like a river down my face. I wrapped my arms around myself and rocked back and forth, trying to silence the grief inside.
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