“Guys, don’t struggle,” Luna said from behind them. Kenny came out from behind the counter and grabbed Jack’s wrists.
“Jack, is that you?” Paul called out from somewhere in the store.
“Paul!” Jack replied. “Where are you?”
Jack elbowed Kenny in the stomach and broke free. “Let’s go,” he said to Nelson and Zeek. The three boys darted for a door toward the back of the store.
“It’s heavy,” Jack said. He tugged on the handle. “Help me!” Zeek and Nelson grabbed the handle too, but it wouldn’t budge.
“It’s locked,” Luna said. She stood next to the boys. “You really can’t escape.”
“If you don’t believe my granddaughter,” Grandma said, “take a peek through the window in the door.”
Jack glared at her. He got up on his tiptoes and looked in through the window. “It’s Paul!” he said. Inside, Paul was hunched in a corner, chained to the wall by his ankles.
“Jack!” Paul said when he spotted his brother at the window. “You have to get me out of here.”
Across from Paul was a big iron gate, dividing the dank-looking room in half.
On the other side of the gate, in the corner as far from Paul as possible, a dark figure was curled up.
“Is that . . . ,” Jack whispered.
Suddenly the figure sprang from the cement floor. It was huge and covered in hair. It, too, had a chain around its ankle. It saw Jack and tried to jump at the door, but the chain kept it far away. It growled and snarled, then let loose a wicked howl.
“It’s the werewolf,” Jack said. He spun to face Luna and Grandma. Then he said to Nelson over his shoulder, “They’ve got the werewolf in there with Paul.”
Grandma chuckled. “That isn’t the werewolf you saw,” she said. She pulled something from her pocket and rubbed it between her thumb and first finger.
“That’s the werewolf’s father in there,” Luna said. “Gary, the gas station owner.”
“Gary?” Jack repeated. “Then . . . you knew! You knew who had attacked Zeek all along. You knew my brother was walking into a death trap.”
Luna shrugged and smiled. “It’s what has to be done,” she said as she fiddled with the charm on her necklace. “When they’ve eaten, the beasts are calm. They don’t terrorize Ravens Pass, once they aren’t hungry anymore.”
“So you’re going to feed them my brother?” Jack snapped.
“And you three, as well,” Grandma said.
Just then, Kenny appeared behind the three boys. Grandma unlocked the door and swung it open.
Kenny and Luna shoved the three boys, sending them sprawling into the cold cement cell.
Jack got up quickly and went for the door, but it slammed shut in his face. He heard the bolt lock.
Past the gate, the werewolf father paced back and forth, eyeing the boys. His mouth hung open. His big, sharp teeth were shiny with drool and stained by old meat.
The boys were doomed.
Chapter 7
Family
“You can’t do this!” Jack shouted through the window in the door.
“We must,” Luna replied quietly. “Try to understand. If the werewolves do not eat, they terrorize Ravens Pass. This keeps them calm until the full moon has passed.”
“But why us?” Nelson called.
“You are not from here,” Grandma said. “No one in Ravens Pass will miss you.”
“Now we must go,” Luna said. “Gary’s son — the other werewolf — is still out there. We’ll capture him and bring him back. He will have supper with his father.”
Jack turned to the others. “These people are crazy,” he said.
Paul nodded. “Tell me about it,” he said.
Nelson ran to the door. “But if you can catch them,” he said, “why don’t you just chain them up for good? Don’t feed them at all!”
For a moment, there was no reply. Jack and Zeek ran to the door and tried to listen. “Did they leave already?” Zeek said.
“No,” Luna said. “We’re still here.”
“Why won’t you answer?” Jack asked. “Why don’t you just not feed them at all?”
“Your questions have upset Grandma,” Luna said. “If we don’t feed the werewolves human meat during the full moon, they’ll die.”
Nelson shouted back, “So what? Let them die!”
A great sob came from the other side of the door.
“There, there, Grandma,” Luna said. “They’ll be gone soon.” Then her voice got suddenly louder and angry. “You’ve made Grandma cry,” she snapped at the boys. “Don’t you see? We can’t just let them die!”
“Why not?” Jack asked.
“Because Gary and his son are family,” Luna said. “Gary is my uncle. Grandma’s son. Caleb is my cousin.”
Chapter 8
The Plan
“We have to get out of here before they come back with Caleb,” Jack said.
Paul groaned. “But how?” he asked.
Jack shook his head, and Zeek went to the window. “Hey, Kenny,” Zeek called out.
“Hmm?” said the young guy at the counter. He didn’t sound too interested.
“Can’t you let us out of here?” Zeek asked. “Gary’s not your uncle, right?”
“Nope,” Kenny said. “But he is my boss. If he dies, the station will close. I’ll be out of a job.”
“Real nice,” Nelson said. He slumped against the wall next to Paul.
“Sorry, guys,” Kenny added. “Nothing I can do.”
Then Jack had an idea. He whispered to Zeek, “Follow my lead.” Zeek nodded.
“Say, guys,” Jack said, loud enough so Kenny would hear. “Look at this cool charm I have.” He winked at his friends.
The other boys gathered around, except Paul, who was still chained to the wall. Jack held out his hand, which was empty.
“Wow,” Nelson said. “Where’d you get that?”
“I pulled it off that girl’s neck,” Jack said. “What’s her name? Luna?”
“Yup,” Zeek said. “I recognize it. It’s pretty cool.”
Soon the boys heard footsteps coming toward the door. Jack closed his hand and shoved it into his pocket, pretending that he was putting the charm away.
“What are you talking about in there?” Kenny called.
“Oh, nothing,” Jack said. He winked at his friends, then nodded toward the door.
The three unchained boys went to the door quietly and stood just to the side.
“Don’t lie to me,” Kenny said. “Do I seem stupid to you? I heard you say you have Luna’s charm. Now hand it over.”
“No way,” Jack said. “I stole it fair and square. What do you care, anyway?”
“It’s important to her,” Kenny said. “Toss it through the window and I won’t tell anyone you stole it.”
“If you want it,” Jack said, “come on in and take it.”
“Okay, you asked for it,” Kenny said. “I’m coming in. And don’t try anything. I’m bringing a crowbar to defend myself, got it?”
“Oh, we got it,” Jack said. He nodded at his friends. A key scraped in the lock. The bolt opened. Kenny stepped into the cell.
“Now!” the three boys cried together. Then they leapt on Kenny. His crowbar wasn’t enough to defend himself against the three boys. Soon he was pinned on his stomach, with Nelson and Zeek on his back.
“Let me up!” Kenny shouted.
“So you can turn your monster on us?” Zeek said. “Let me think about it. Um, no.”
Nelson and Jack laughed. “I’ll go through his pockets,” Jack said, “to find a key to free Paul.”
Kenny’s keychain was easy to find, and soon the boys were free. They held Kenny down while they got ready to go.
“Is everyone ready to run?” Jack asked. He stood in the open doorway. His friends nodded.
“Let me grab that gas can,” Paul said. “I filled it before they grabbed me.”
The boys headed outside and found Paul’s gas. Then they ra
n off down the road.
Chapter 9
Running in the Rain
It was still pouring, harder now. The boys were soaked to the skin in moments. The road was slippery, so they couldn’t run as fast as they wanted to.
When Jack tried to really sprint, he slipped and fell into the guardrail. “Ow,” he said, struggling to get up.
“We have to keep moving,” Paul said nervously. He took his brother by the arm to help him up.
Zeek, clutching his belly, jogged past them. “What’s the big hurry?” he said. “Luna and her grandma are out hunting that other werewolf. They won’t be looking for us.”
A howl filled the night sky.
“But the werewolf might be,” Paul said, “if they haven’t caught him yet.”
Nelson nodded. “Good point,” he said. “Let’s get moving.”
The boys ran on until they came to the overpass where they’d first met Caleb.
“I have to rest a minute,” Zeek said. He dropped to the sidewalk, holding his stomach.
“Let me see that,” Paul said. “It looks like the bleeding has started again.”
“We can’t stop now,” Jack said as a howl screamed across the sky. “The car isn’t much farther. Maybe a hundred yards. We’re almost to safety!”
Zeek looked up at him and nodded. “Okay,” he said. “I’ll try to keep going.”
The other boys helped him to his feet, then turned to keep moving. They stopped dead in their tracks.
The young werewolf stood blocking the other side of the overpass. He crouched there, eyeing them, ready to pounce.
“Run!” Jack shouted. The four boys turned back the way they came.
“But the car,” Zeek said, gasping for breath. “It’s the other way.”
“We can’t fight that monster,” Paul said. “Keep running.”
As they came out from the overpass, though, a voice called out from above: “Here he comes.”
The boys looked up just as the werewolf leapt at them. From above, a big net fell, catching the werewolf and sending him tumbling to the pavement.
“It’s Luna!” Jack said. “She caught Caleb!”
The other boys looked up as Luna stepped to the edge and realized she’d saved her own victims. “It’s them!” she said. Her grandma came up beside her.
“Well, don’t let them get away,” Grandma snapped. She didn’t look so kind anymore.
“To the car,” Jack said. “We can make it if we run.”
The boys ran past the netted werewolf and into the rain. Soon they reached the car.
“Hurry!” Jack said as his brother fumbled with the keys.
The doors opened and the boys climbed in.
“We made it!” Nelson said. The others cheered and laughed.
“I can’t believe we’re okay,” Zeek said. “I can’t believe we made it out of Ravens Pass alive.”
Paul, smiling, slid his key into the ignition and turned it. Nothing happened. Then he realized the gas can was inside the car — with them, and still full of gas.
Jack laughed. “It’s okay,” he said. “Go fill the tank. Hurry.”
Zeek shook his head as he looked out the rear window. “No way,” he said. “Too late.”
Jack turned around. Behind the car, smiling at the boys, were Luna and Grandma . . . and a young werewolf on a leash.
Chapter 10
Fever
“We’re trapped,” Zeek said. “That’s it.”
“Come out of there and give yourselves up,” Luna shouted.
“No way,” Jack said, shaking his head. “If we stay in here till the sun comes up, he’ll turn back into a normal human, right?”
“That’s not for hours,” Paul said.
“Then we’ll wait for hours,” Jack said. “The doors are locked, right?”
They were, but the windows were made of glass.
Luna walked off into the weeds and came back carrying a softball-sized rock. “If you don’t come out,” she said, “I’ll smash the window and let the werewolf boy climb in to get you. Understand?”
“She’s serious,” Nelson said. “What are we going to do?”
Jack put his hands up. “Wait, Luna,” he said. “We’ll come out. Just keep the werewolf back, okay?”
“Of course,” she said. She nodded at Grandma. The old lady backed away from the car and pulled Caleb with her.
“Okay, I’m unlocking the door,” Jack said. He flicked the lock. “Luna, you come open it and we’ll climb out.”
Luna went to the door and lifted the handle. The moment the door was open, Jack reached out and grabbed her necklace.
“Hey!” Luna snapped, trying to grab it back. She wasn’t quick enough.
Jack took the necklace and ran over to Caleb and Grandma. He held the necklace out, toward the werewolf. The monster recoiled and snarled.
“I knew it,” Jack said. He spun to his friends. “The charm on this necklace keeps Luna and Grandma safe from the monsters. Grandma has the same thing in her pocket.”
Paul jumped out of the car and filled up the tank. Jack stayed at his side, holding out the necklace.
When the tank was full, the boys got back into the car. It started on the first try.
“Let’s get out of here,” Zeek said.
Jack nodded. He opened his window and held the necklace out to Luna. “Here,” he said. “You can have this back.” She grabbed the necklace and the car sped away.
“Release Caleb!” Luna shouted. But it was too late. The car was zooming down the highway as fast as Paul could drive.
The drive back home was a long one. Soon Nelson was asleep in the back seat.
“I don’t feel so good,” Zeek said quietly.
“We’re going to get you to a hospital,” Paul said. “You’ll be okay.”
“No,” Zeek said. “It’s not my stomach. The bleeding stopped.”
“Then what’s wrong?” Jack said. He turned in his seat. In the dark, he could barely see his friend’s face.
“I’m not sure,” Zeek said. “I feel feverish. Maybe I’m coming down with something.”
“Well, the doctors at the hospital will take care of you,” Jack said. “Try not to worry.”
Zeek nodded. “Hey, can I use your headphones?” Zeek said. “Nelson’s snoring is bugging me.”
“Sure,” Jack said. He took his mp3 player from the bag at his feet, then held it back toward Zeek.
Zeek leaned forward, and his face caught the light from the dashboard.
Jack dropped the mp3 player and stared at his friend. Then he screamed.
Zeek’s nose had grown longer and turned black. His eyes were yellow and fierce. And his face was covered in thick, brown hair.
THE FORGOTTEN KID CASE
Case number: 484546588
Date reported: August 29
Crime scene: Gary’s Gas, Ravens Pass
Local police: None.
Civilian witnesses: Impossible to say—most of Ravens Pass. This weekend’s witnesses were Zeek Harbage, age 14; Nelson Robs, age 13; Jack Kipping, age 14; and Paul Kipping, age 17. Harbage is now at large.
Disturbance: Established group of werewolves. This is part of a longterm investigation into the werewolves of Ravens Pass.
Suspect information: The core group consists of Edna Canis, age 73; Gary Canis, age 45; Kenny Henderson, age 19; Caleb Canis, age 16; Luna Canis, age 14; possible others.
CASE NOTES:
THIS WAS ONE OF THE MOST FRIGHTENING CASES IN MY CAREER. WEREWOLVES ON THE LOOSE, A TOWN THAT NEEDED TO BE PROTECTED — AND I COULDN’T TELL THE LOCAL POLICE BECAUSE THEY WERE IN ON IT, AT THE TIME.
I KNEW ABOUT THE PROBLEM LONG BEFORE THESE BOYS FROM OUT OF TOWN WERE LURED IN BY THE YOUNGEST WOLF, BUT THIS WAS WHAT I WAS WAITING FOR. OUT-OF-TOWNERS HAVE BEEN DISAPPEARING IN RAVENS PASS FOR YEARS. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME A NEW ONE WAS BITTEN.
SOMEHOW THESE BOYS MANAGED TO FIGHT OFF THE WEREWOLF THAT THEIR FRIEND TURNED INTO. THEY PUSHED HIM OUT OF THE
CAR. THEN THEY DROVE INTO TOWN AND WENT TO THE POLICE. THE POLICE KNEW ABOUT IT, BUT I’M A GOOD LISTENER — I PICKED UP ON TOWN GOSSIP, GOT IN TOUCH WITH THE BOYS, AND THROUGH THEIR STORIES, WAS ABLE TO SMOKE OUT THE WHOLE DEN OF WOLVES.
THE REST IS HISTORY. EXCEPT THAT ONE MISSING KID.
DEAR READER,
THEY ASKED ME TO WRITE ABOUT MYSELF. THE FIRST THING YOU NEED TO KNOW IS THAT JASON STRANGE IS NOT MY REAL NAME. IT’S A NAME I’VE TAKEN TO HIDE MY TRUE IDENTITY AND PROTECT THE PEOPLE I CARE ABOUT. YOU WOULDN’T BELIEVE THE THINGS I’VE SEEN, WHAT I’VE WITNESSED. IF PEOPLE KNEW I WAS TELLING THESE STORIES, SHARING THEM WITH THE WORLD, THEY’D TRY TO GET ME TO STOP. BUT THESE STORIES NEED TO BE TOLD, AND I’M THE ONLY ONE WHO CAN TELL THEM.
I CAN’T TELL YOU MANY DETAILS ABOUT MY LIFE. I CAN TELL YOU I WAS BORN IN A SMALL TOWN AND LIVE IN ONE STILL. I CAN TELL YOU I WAS A POLICE DETECTIVE HERE FOR TWENTY-FIVE YEARS BEFORE I RETIRED. I CAN TELL YOU I’M STILL OUT THERE EVERY DAY AND THAT CRAZY THINGS ARE STILL HAPPENING.
I’LL LEAVE YOU WITH ONE QUESTION—IS ANY OF THIS TRUE?
JASON STRANGE
RAVENS PASS
GLOSSARY
charm (CHARM)—a small ornament worn on a necklace or bracelet
exhausted (eg-ZAWST-id)—very tired
exposed (ek-SPOHZD)—revealed the truth
fidgeted (FIJ-it-id)—made small quick movements
figure (FIG-yur)—a shape or an outline
guardrail (GARD-rayl)—a rail that prevents people from falling off or being hit by something
ignition (ig-NISH-uhn)—the electrical system of a vehicle that uses power from the battery to start the engine
overpass (OH-vur-pass)—a road or bridge that crosses over another road or a railroad
superstitious (soo-pur-STI-shuhss)—having beliefs about good and bad luck affecting yourself
suspects (suh-SPEKTS)—guesses or supposes
terrorize (TER-uh-rize)—frighten
torrent (TOR-ruhnt)—a violent, fast stream of water
Full Moon Horror Page 2