Moonweavers (23 page)

Patty
’s mood changed from excitement to concern.  “What did they say?”

“
Those people went to town to attack and they stopped them.”

“
You mean the ones that were missing?”

“
Yeah and some got away.  They all just split up and went different directions.  And when the moon cycles appear in the skies, they turn to hairy wolf like beasts.”
“Oh, my God, like werewolves?  Look, Frank, you better not be bullshitting about this shit.”  Patty says with an irritated scowl on her face like she just bit into a lime.  Then she blows the hair out of her eyes and lightens up the look in a nonchalant way.  As her mind reels around the whole idea of werewolves, she walks to the counter and grabs a cup out of the cabinet and pours her a cup of coffee.  She sits on Franks lap, puts her arms around him and ever so gently caresses his cheek, running her soft lips up and down the stubble.  She slowly releases with a smack of her lips.  She quickly straddles him and holds his cheeks with  both hands and positions him in front of her and kisses him hard.  He grabs her lower back and lifts her.  She tightens with her legs straddling him.  He carries her up the stairs in front of the threshold, kicks open the door, walks to the bed and throws her on it.  They have hot, sweaty, passionate love until the morning light, getting woke up by the rooster out on the fence.

Frank turns to get out of the bed.  As soon as he lands his first foot on the floor, the rooster begins its
‘cock a doodle do’ again.  Patty purrs as she watches Franks jiggle of his butt cheeks as he walks to the bathroom out the door and down the hall.  As Frank flips the switch to the bathroom light, the third ‘cock a doodle do’ from the rooster outside, sounds again.  The third and final one, sounding just a bit muffled from being in the bathroom and farther from the window.  As the sun appears over the high mountain side, naked missing people start to appear from the confines of the woods onto the roads and towns surrounding the county, all seeming to have scars and bite marks healed on their bodies.  An intern at the hospital coined it in an interview, ‘the mark of the wolf.’  All of the hospitals came out with the same conclusions, that the bites and claw marks matched some kind of animal attack, but how the wounds were  healed was a complete mystery, leaving old red or white scars and none had any recollections of any of the events after the attack.  They were all thoroughly checked with blood tests and other various exams before released to their families or friends.  They all had a strange look of devastation in their eyes and expressions.  Almost like grief, but yet had no recollection of any events.  Newer psychiatrists were very intrigued with the problem and came from all over to investigate the victims.  They even try a few with hypnotists as well.  The ones that were hypnotized all had the exact same results.  The same phrases were repeated in every single study with different doctors and different facilities as well throughout the county.  They all could remember their childhood and remember after the event, but during the event, the same phrases would reappear. 

The spokesperson starts to read from the paper: 
‘Zoth is my master.  Zoth is my master.  Zoth is my master.  Silence, voices, silence, voices, silence, voices, silence, voices.  Everyone of the victims were silent after this for twenty minutes exactly.  Then you hear the victim growl and bark like a dog.  Then they would howl a long howl, with their heads straight up in the air.  Then there was silence once more and then a whimper.  After the whimper, every one of the victims stopped and opened their eyes and were immediately out of the trance.  Even without us taking them back out.  It’s known for victims to do this, but not very often.  It is totally remarkable when that all happens at once with so many of the same victims at the same scene of the same accidents.  More than a coincidence from our analyzations.  For now, more studies will have to be done and more conclusions to all of the questions we need to still ask ourselves on this terrible, terrible event that this small town and its community surrounding it will have to endure.  We would like to thank the community as well, for all the people who came in this hour of need.  Too many to name.  We will just leave it at that.  Goodnight.’  The man walks away from the press conference completely.

Links turns off the television set and looks at all the ghosts in the room.  After a strange silence, he breaks it with the words, “Could have been worse.”

“
Aye,” the captain says.  “We shall never be more than we ever are.”  He raises his tin mug of rum and drinks it, letting a third of the strong liquid run down his beard and on his coat as he lifts his head higher to empty his prize. 

Links takes a big sip of his coffee in reply with a
“Here, here.”

Scott sits next to his bowl in the kitchen and looks deep into Links eyes.  Links catches it and knows immediately that Scott wants to talk.  Scott waves him over to the refrigerator and asks Links to get him a beer.  Links being around as long as he has, knew that Scott was concerned about something.  He gets up before anyone can even notice that Scott called.  The big ape man has to duck a little to get through to the kitchen, being well aware  of where the ceiling fans were placed within.  Ceilings in the cabin were pretty high, except for in the kitchen where it lowered down another level and the fans were a constant reminder of the ceilings presence when ever Links entered it, well aware of when to duck from the routine of it all.  Links goes to the refrigerator and opens it and pulls out a brown bottle of beer.  He twists the cap off and pours it into a bowl and sets it down for Scott to drink. 

“Stay right there, Links, we need to talk,” Scott says.  Then he buries his muzzle into the bowl of beer, slurping it up noisily, splattering a little bit of it on the tile floor as he gulps the beverage from the bowl on the floor.  He looks up at Links and licks his chops. 

“
I am sure that you came to the conclusion, as I did, that them people are going to change into werewolves as soon as the next full moon rises, right Links?”

“
It is more than likely I am afraid, Scott.”  The massive beast bends down to one knee to get closer into the conversation with Scott, the wolf.  “Ah, my mooner friend.  It didn’t take you as long as the others to figure this one out, did it? It is not as bleak as you think, Scott.  Only very few of them are carriers that can spread it.  Most of them will just become beasts though, which is a bad thing.  But it could be a lot worse.  If it spreads, it would be very bad.”
“But how can you be so sure, Links?  How do you know that?”

“
Oh, it has happened before.  Many times, throughout the world in different locations, of course.  I guess you can say it has kind of always been around.”

“
From previous mooners you mean?”

“
Yea, some.  And other things.  Things like curses.  Like the wolf man movies.  I guess in a way if you are inflicted in any way, you are in a way cursed.  Don’t you think, Scott?  These people didn’t ask for this.  It isn’t like they were a vampire or asking to get bit to live forever.  Which by the way, they don’t.  They live their lives quite normally actually.  Some of them even help us.  But they are still cursed when the full moon comes out.  There’s not many though.  The majority of them stay secluded in the mountains or isolated areas where they cant really harm anything but other animals.  It’s just the thrill of the hunt that they thrive on.  You and I, we understand this more than humans can.  Don’t you have urges like me, Scott, to just hunt?”

“
Yea, I suppose so.  I can understand that.  It just kind of takes you over.  Kind of like the way I am wanting another beer.  How about filling up my bowl, buddy boy?”

“
Your wish is my command.”  Links opens up the old refrigerator with a sturdy pull.  “Oh yea, I love this thing.  It’s the only one I haven’t pulled the door off on accident.”  He gives the wolf a wink as he grabs another bottle and twists it open and pours it into Scott’s bowl on the tile floor once more.  “We will look hard and find most of them.  But usually they head out to the woods.  They know what is coming after the first time they turn.  It all kind of depends on the individual.  But then again, I guess you’ll never be entirely the same now, would you?  How do you feel about it, Scott?”

“
Well, I guess it’s the first physical body I ever been in, so it’s not bad.  I would rather be a Bigfoot like you.”

“
There is downfalls to this, believe me.  I can’t show my face to any human.  It gets kind of lonely.  That’s why I am so pleased that these ghosts keep my company, as a matter of fact.  I guess I have always gravitated toward the human race though.  The Indians and the Incas worshipped me, but that was long ago.  This has been my home for a long time.  It might not have been where I was born, but it Is where I live.  That being said, it is my duty to take care of it.  In a way, I think that’s just what we did tonight.  That’s really all that we can ask of ourselves, now isn’t it?  We will give them the fighting chance.  If they turn evil, we will come get them.”  The wolf looks up at Links and says, “Damn straight we will,” and finishes off his beer, a little more gentler now, savoring it, not letting half of it spill onto the floor like before.  “This is a good area for whitetail deer.”

Links raises an eyebrow. 
“We could go hunting sometime, Scott.”

“
You’re on.”

There is nothing the wolf would rather do than get an adrenaline high from a deer hunt. 

                                                       
17
             

The day after the incident, Frank is out doing his chores.  He still constantly stares at that bluff.  That mysterious ridge.  It looked like a plank on a pirate ship, he thought.  He walks to the red pump and pumps a tin cup of water that he had set next to it earlier that day, knowing that it would get hot outside.  He takes a little break from scooping poop out of the barn.  He sees Patty’s truck and waves, putting down the cup.  Patty is driving fast and suddenly stops.  The whole truck is submerged in dust, making it hard to see the truck completely.  Frank stops and patiently waits for the smoke to disperse from the air.  He calmly walks to the truck to help Patty with her items.  She pulls out a giant round Tupperware bowl and three square ones.

“
Aunt Shirley gave us this to munch on.  Here.”  She hands him the big bowl and starts piling the other ones on top.  She reaches back in and grabs a six pack of beer.  “And I got beverages.”  She gives Frank a sly wink with a side grin to match.  All the dogs run to the truck to greet their master.  Patty stops and pets them all and returns to the ranch.  “Grab a couple of them paper plates and beer glasses.  I’ll get the silverware and we’ll get to eating.”  She lays out some of Shirley’s home made fried chicken with the secret breading that only Shirley knew.  She would make it at home and bring it in.  People would come from three counties to eat that chicken.  The sides were potatoes and gravy and a big bowl of corn.  It all stayed surprisingly hot in the Tupperware bowls.  Frank realized that Patty wasn’t using her fork for once on the fried chicken, which delighted him so much because he wanted to pick it up so bad but he was afraid he would make a fool of himself.  But once Patty did, he had no problems devouring all of the chicken that he could consume.  Patty was surprised the paper plate survived the third setting. 

“
You sure do like that chicken,” she says.

Frank quickly swallows a big gulp of the chicken down and refreshes his throat with a quick sip of the beer next to him forgetting the glass all together.  He then grabs a napkin and wipes off all the grease off of his chin and fingers.

“This chicken is the best thing ever if you ask me,” he answers.

“
Well, thank you.  I brought it home myself,”  Patty says with a smile.  “Don’t worry I will clean up.”  She grabs the paper plates and throws them in the trash.  She wipes her hands and says, “All done.” 

Patty sits on Frank
’s lap at the table and puts her arm around him.  She looks him in the eyes and says, “It’s against all of my better judgement, but I do believe you, Frank.  I have no reason to other than that mind melt thing that you put in my head.  But I like the thought of my mom watching over me, protecting me still.  One of the patrons at Aunt Shirley’s bar gave me a card and it said that these people were ghost hunters and I think with your abilities, you could probably help them out quite a bit.  Maybe even help put some people at ease about things, you know?”

Frank gives her a big kiss and hug. 
“I think that would be a great idea.” 

They continue looking into each others eyes, like lovers do and touch each others noses like the Eskimo
’s . 

“
I love you,”  Frank says without hesitation.

Patty is taken back but immediately says,
“I love you too.”

They hear a beep from the television set in the next room.  It was a sound that became all to familiar the last couple of days.

‘This is JTS channel seven news.  A man was shot and killed today outside of an army base in St. Louis.  He tried to ram the fence and the guards shot and killed the man.  After he broke through the first fence, the second fence slowed him down enough for them to take aim and fire on the person driving the truck.  All names have been withheld at this time, but from our inside information, the truck and maybe the person who caused the incident were at the scene of another crime a day ago from a small truck stop and apparently the semi was stolen from that particular incident as well.  Our sources also tell us that the man had similar scars to the ones found on the other victims outside of Marblehead Ridge and could have possibly been one of the truck drivers.  This also raises questions on how quickly these people should be released back into the public.  Even if they are not contagious at this time, are they really stable after seeing such events remains to be seen.  Could this possibly be one of the first incidents to come from this tragedy?  Although our small town will never be the same, will this community be able to survive after having one of the biggest, if not catastrophe, but mysterious events that unfolded in the last forty eight hours?  For the family of the victims and the victims themselves, I say not.  JTS News Seven will have more  information coming in as the events unfold.  Now back to your regular scheduled programming.  Thank you.’