WEBVTT
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When the moon is high and glowing bright, something stirs
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in the shadows, something with teeth. Tonight, I'm unleashing a
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pack of terrifying tales from Weekly Spooky's vault about werewolves,
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shape shifters, and fur covered horrors you'll wish had stayed
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in the dark. From small town monsters to teenage terrors,
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these stories will make you think twice about going out
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on a full moon. So grab your silver bullets and
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remember to make sure you're subscribed on your favorite podcasting
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app as the full moon fears begin right now Woo
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by Joe Song. Daria looked up into the night. Was
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that a scream? She turned to her boyfriend of three years.
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His face was illuminated by the dancing flames of their campfire.
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The look in his eyes told her that he had
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heard it too. His hand subconsciously went to his belt,
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where he had a knife attached in a sheath. It
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was probably coyotes, Brandon said, reassuring her. Sometimes they can
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sound like babies yelling. That was no coyote. Wasn't there
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a car we passed up a little ways ago. Maybe
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something happened to them. We should check to see if
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they're okay, Daria said, I'm sure it's just a bunch
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of drunks having a good time. I haven't heard anything since,
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Brandon said, looking back towards the old logging road that
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traveled its way around the small lake where they were camping.
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We're in the woods, I'm going to hear things we
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aren't used to. That's half the reason we come out
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here to experience new things, he said, and smiled at her.
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Do you need another beer, he asked, No, she said
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sullenly and stared into the darkness towards the sound she heard.
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She looked back at the flimsy tent and wondered what
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kind of protection it could actually offer if something did
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come into the camp tonight. It was her first time camping,
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she was having a hard time relaxing. Brandon, on the
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other hand, grew up in the woods and had no
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problem enjoying the outdoors. It was fine during the day,
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but once the darkness started to settle in her anxiety
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started her eyes. She knew somewhere inside that she was
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just being foolish, but he wouldn't listen to her. The
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full moonslight played off the trees and cast shadows just
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out of the firelight. She constantly found herself looking around,
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thinking she saw movement. Brandon said she was just nervous
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because it was her first time in the woods. He
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had told her that he'd camped here before and knew
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the area well. The fresh air was great, she had
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to admit, and the quiet was unbelievable. No hustle of
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the city and no loud cars cranking bass driving by,
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no fireworks or gunshots. You never really could tell. It
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felt like they were the only people in the world
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until that other car drove up the road. Brandon said
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there were other spots to camp around the lake, but
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it wasn't a well known area. She had tried to
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fish earlier, but grew bored after about an hour of trying.
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Brandon laughed at her for being impatient. She looked over
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at the folding table where they had some of their
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supplies sitting, everything from pans and paper plates to utensils
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and even a tube of pringles. The rest of the
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food had been packed away into a sealed container and
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put in the back of their suv to keep the
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bears away. She looked up as she thought she had
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heard another scream. She turned back towards Brandon, but he'd
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fallen asleep in his camp chair. She stood and approached
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her boyfriend, who was lightly snoring. If tonight was any
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other drinking night, then he would sleep soundly through the
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entire night. She undid his belt and pulled the knife
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and its hold her off and slid it into the
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front of her shorts. She grabbed a flashlight from the
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table and walked the little path up the logging road.
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She looked both ways on the road, the dirt illuminated
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by the full moon through the gap in the trees above.
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There was no movement or sound coming from either direction.
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She debated if she should check out the other camp.
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She wanted to make sure they were okay. It would
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give her a peace of mind as well as making
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sure they were all right. She couldn't bring herself to
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start walking down the road. She was afraid. She hated
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to admit it, though, even to herself. I'm being silly,
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she said out loud, and turned back towards her camp.
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The fire looked inviting from this far out in the
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cool night. She stumbled on a route as she entered
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the campsite, and it awoke Brandon. He rose from his chair.
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Are you ready for bed, babe, he asked. Yeah, she replied,
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and poured the rest of her beer onto the fire
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to put it out. That's a waste of beer, Brandon said,
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and then zipped his pants. He started to piss on
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the fire. Daria headed to the tent disgusted. A babe,
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we should do it. It'd be fucking intense. Get it,
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fucking intense, Brandon said, and burst out laughing. He turned
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around and saw her slip inside the tent. No sense
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of humor, he said, zipping up. A few minutes later,
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Brandon was snoring next to Daria, wrapped up in his
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sleeping bag. If only she was that lucky, she thought,
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as she watched the faint light from the moon dance
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in the shadows cast by the leaves. Every time the
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breeze kicked up, she thought it was something approaching her camp.
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There was no way she was going to sleep that night.
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She played with the idea of sleeping in the car.
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She might feel safer that way. As she looked at
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the knife she still carried, she slid her fingers across
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the edge of the blade to see how sharp it was.
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A thick trail of blood ran down her finger. As
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she misjudged howard to press, she stuck her finger in
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her mouth. A howl erupted out in the night. She
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didn't know wolves lived in these woods. She turned towards
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Brandon to see if he had heard it, but he
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was still snoring. She tried to place where the howl
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had come from. In her mind. She thought it came
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from the same area as the screams they thought they
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had heard earlier. It's just my imagination, and she whispered
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and tried to close her eyes, but she was filled
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with nervous energy. She thought about how if Brandon was awake,
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she would take him up on his offer, just to
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have the companionship. At that moment, she thought about waking
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him up. She knew if she did, he would be pissed.
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Was that a twig snap? She sat up in the tent.
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It sounded really close to the tent. The hairs on
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her arms rose up and gave her goose bumps. She
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looked down at the knife and realized she was holding
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it as hard as she could. The handle was sticky
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from where she bled from the cut. Okay, that time,
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it was definitely close to camp. She tapped Brandon on
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the shoulder. He could be as pissed as he wanted
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to be. She needed him right now, but he didn't stir.
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It was then that she saw the shadow pass over
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the tent. What the fuck was that, she wondered, and
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poked Brandon harder. The large shadow stopped near the flaps
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of the tent, and she could hear a sniffing sound. Fuck, fuck, fuck,
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it's a bear, she whispered and started to shake in fear.
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A low growl came from outside. A shadowy appendage rose
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in the darkness, and she could see claws of the beast.
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She punched Brandon in the face and he woke up.
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What the he started to say, but she put her
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hand over his mouth and pointed to the tent entrance.
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His eyes grew huge as he saw the shape in
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the moonlight. The sniffing continued. He reached down to his
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waist for the knife, but it wasn't there. The shadow
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moved toward Daria's side of the tent, and she practically
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leaped on top of Brandon. She saw the thin fabric
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stretch as the animal pushed against it, with its face
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still sniffing. She looked down at her hand. Oh shit,
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she whispered, and showed Brandon her bloody finger. He took
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the knife from her and rolled his eyes. He pulled
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his pants on his A growl came from behind them.
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The tent shook from the animal probing it. He grabbed
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her and pointed towards the flap on the tent as
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he handed her the car keys. She tried to protest,
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but he shook his head. Her heart pounded in her chest,
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but her limbs felt heavy, almost frozen. She wasn't sure
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she could make a run for it. The growling stopped
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and all was silent for a moment. The shadow moved
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off the tent into the woods. They could hear footfalls
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of whatever it was. Brandon made his way to the
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zipper on the tent and undid it. Slowly now, he said,
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and opened the flap. She hesitated for just a moment,
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and he pushed her out of the tent, following right
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behind her. She scanned the campsite for whatever it was,
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but didn't see anything. A great howl came from behind
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the tent that made her move. She took off to
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the short trail towards the car. In the darkn she
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heard Brandon behind her. Oh shit, oh shit, he said,
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and she turned around to see what he was talking about.
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A great black shape in the darkness charged after them,
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and she ran to the car and yanked the door open.
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She turned her head towards Brandon and saw him fifteen
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feet from the car. The large black shape bounced with
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lightning speed and landed on his back, driving him to
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the ground. No, she screamed, and the beast looked up
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in her direction. Its yellow eyes glowed reflecting the moonlight.
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She'd never seen a bear up close before, but she
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knew instantly that it wasn't a bear. Close the door,
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Brandon called out to her from under the beast, which
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had put a clawed hand down on the back of
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his head, driving his face into the ground. She yanked
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the door closed and plunged the key into the ignition.
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The engine roared to life, and she turned on the
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headlights and threw the car into reverse. She lined the
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front of the car up with the camp so that
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she could see what was happening. The beast, he didn't
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know what else to call. It stood on its hind
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legs like a human. Its face had a snout like
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a dog's, and Its body was covered in cordid muscle
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and silvery black hair, shining in the moonlight. She beat
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the horn several times. Get the fuck off him, she
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yelled at the the werewolf. There was no other way
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to describe it. It was a goddamn werewolf. The beast
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roared and leapt onto the hood of the car with
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a metallic clang on impact, its snarling face a mere
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inch from the windshield. She watched as saliva dripped from
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its canines as long as a thumb. Tears streaked across
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her face, and she wiped her hand across her brow.
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Behind the werewolf, she could see Brandon getting to his
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knees in the headlights. She waved her hands around, trying
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to keep the creature's attention, its yellow eyes darting back
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and forth watching her movements. Snarls escaped its mouth as
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it watched her. A clawed hand so much like a human's,
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pounded on the glass, making tiny cracks in the windshield.
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Brandon darted around towards the passenger side of the suv.
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The movement caught the werewolf's eye, and within human speed,
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it dove on top of Brandon. Daria watched as its
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clawed hand sunk into Brandon's back like a hot knife
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through butter. Blood began to seep from the wounds as
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Brandon screamed out in pain, so much like the screams
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she had heard earlier. Frantic, she looked around the front
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seat looking for anything to help, but she came up empty. Go,
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Brandon managed to say between screams. She didn't want to
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leave him here. She put the car in gear and
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backed it up a little. The headlights illuminated a grizzly
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scene in front of her. Brandon was lying face down.
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His back was covered in blood. The werewolf still had
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its claws embedded in her boyfriend's back. She beated the
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horn to get its attention. Fuck you, teen wolf, she said,
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and floored it. The car struck the beast on the
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left hips, spinning it around. As the car drove across
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the narrow, dirt logging road and struck a tree, smoke
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rose from the dented hood in the headlight. Shit, she said,
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and looked in the rearview mirror. She saw Brandon lying
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there in the road, but she didn't see the beast.
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Maybe she'd taken it out. She tried to back the
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car up but it was stuck. The tires spun in
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the ditch the front end had fallen into. Brandon moved
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an arm. He was still alive. She had to help him.
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She craned her neck around and saw no sign of
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the monster. She opened the car door and raced to
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her boyfriend. Why didn't you go, he asked between gurgles
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as blood escaped his mouth. She lifted the blue flannel
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shirt he was wearing and saw the hole in his back.
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She had expected a few puncture wounds, but this was
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a gaping hole. I'm not leaving you behind, she said,
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Can you get up? No, just go, he said, I
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can't feel my legs. She looked at his injury again
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and it suddenly became clear. The hole in his back
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was where his spine should have been. A good nine
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inches of it was missing. She heard a snarl behind her,
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and she turned. The beast was backlit from the crashed car.
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She looked at its clawed hand it held Brandon's spine.
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It approached her and swung it at her, striking her
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in the face with her boyfriend's backbone. She fell over
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backwards on the far side of Brandon, who screamed again.
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The beast stood on top of him and sniffed toward her.
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It was her blood that had brought the beast to
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their campsite, she thought. It snarled at her and put
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one hairy, clawed finger on the back of her boyfriend's neck,
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as if teasing her. The werewolf's intelligence was apparent in
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its cruel eyes from this close, Please, she begged between sobs,
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Please leave us alone. The werewolf looked down at Brandon,
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then back at her, as if deciding who it wanted more.
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Leave him alone, you son of a bitch, she yelled out,
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and the werewolf sent her tumbling with a back hand slap.
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She rolled into a pine tree, and it knocked the
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wind out of her. She tried to get to her feet,
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but her body wouldn't yet respond. She heard a wet,
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snapping sound coming from the road, and she winced, knowing
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it came from her boyfriend. A moment later, she could
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finally move. She stood unsteadily, using the tree to help
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her up. The werewolf had its back to her as
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it snacked on Brandon, gnawing into his upper arm. Brandon
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wasn't screaming any more. He had to be dead, she thought.
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She wiped her hair out of her face and took
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a step towards the monster. It didn't seem to notice
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her yet. Two more steps, and she watched in horror
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as the monster devoured the love of her life. Her
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fright started to fade miraculously, and a calm it took
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over her. Cold and calculating, her mind thought of all
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the stories she'd heard about werewolves and how to kill them.
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There were no silver bullets or silver anything around for
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that matter. She wondered if fire would kill it, but
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the campfire had gone out, and she doubted the werewolf
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would wait for her to start another another step. She
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could smell the animal. She could smell Brandon's blood on
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the beast. As it huffed and growled, Its blood lusted ecstasy.
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A glint in the moonlight caught her eye, and she
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couldn't believe her luck. Just behind the beast, by Brandon's
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feet was the knife. She crouched carefully and grabbed it
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in her hand. With a surge of courage, she jumped
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on the creature's back, swinging the knife around and plunging
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it into its neck. A scream rutted from the beast.
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She felt it reverberate through the werewolf's body. It tried
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to stand, and she held on with everything she had.
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As the beast thrashed around, she heard ripping as the
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00:17:14.240 --> 00:17:17.240
knife cut deeper into it. It swung its arms around,
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00:17:17.319 --> 00:17:20.799
trying to grab her, but failed. It did manage to
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cut her legs and hips up with its wild swings,
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00:17:23.359 --> 00:17:26.480
though it stood at its full height and started to
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back up while trying to swing its head around to
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00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:31.480
bite her. She put her free hand around the thing's
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neck under the jaw, but not before it nipped her.
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She screamed in pain and could see the blood poured
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from her forearm. With a better grip, she pulled the
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00:17:40.640 --> 00:17:44.200
knife towards her, ripping into the werewolf's flesh. Carving her
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way around it. She could see a gap in its flesh.
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She pulled harder. The beast backed its way into a tree,
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trying to crush her beneath its weight and the hard surface.
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She nearly lost her grip on the knife as it
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00:17:56.839 --> 00:17:59.960
grew so slippery from all the blood. It howled in
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pain and fell down to all fours. Daria sat on
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its back, pulling on its doglike ears to expose the
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throat better She pictured what it looked like from down
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00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:14.039
the road and smiled thinking about someone finding her writing
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on the back of a werewolf. It's funny how the
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mind wanders at the weirdest times, she thought. She reached
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00:18:21.559 --> 00:18:24.240
around as far as she could and replanted the knife
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00:18:24.279 --> 00:18:27.759
into the werewolf's throat. Its frantic movements had begun to slow,
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and she finally had some hope she might come out
302
00:18:31.400 --> 00:18:35.000
of this alive. The werewolf fell over on its side
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00:18:35.039 --> 00:18:38.240
and she lost her grip. The knife was under the body.
304
00:18:39.160 --> 00:18:42.200
Disgusted with even the thought of doing so, she wrapped
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her undamaged arm under the jaw of the beast and
306
00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:48.680
yanked upwards as hard as she could. Tissue ripped and
307
00:18:48.799 --> 00:18:53.079
gave way, and the beast wasn't fighting anymore. She adjusted
308
00:18:53.079 --> 00:18:55.720
and got a grip with both hands and yanked. She
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00:18:55.759 --> 00:18:59.319
heard a loud pop and the head came loose. She
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00:18:59.359 --> 00:19:02.519
fell over back backwards, still clutching the severed head in
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her hands, She dropped it and got back to her feet.
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She stumbled around the body back to Brandon, but it
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00:19:09.559 --> 00:19:14.480
was too late. He was dead. She wiped blood from
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00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:17.599
her arm on his flannel shirt and removed his belt
315
00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:21.079
for a tourniquet. She looked at the monster that had
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00:19:21.119 --> 00:19:23.680
ruined her life in the light from the full moon
317
00:19:24.319 --> 00:19:28.000
and spit on it. A few moments later, she'd started
318
00:19:28.039 --> 00:19:30.400
the fire up again and walked back to the road
319
00:19:30.440 --> 00:19:34.480
to grab the body of the monster to burn. When
320
00:19:34.559 --> 00:19:40.319
she arrived, there was no creature. A naked, middle aged
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00:19:40.319 --> 00:19:43.920
man's severed head stared back at her as she dragged
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00:19:43.960 --> 00:19:47.759
its body to the fire. She wasn't taking any chances.
323
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The smell of the burning body was too much to bear,
324
00:19:51.440 --> 00:19:53.279
and she headed back to the road to see if
325
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she could get her car unstuck. She tried to rock
326
00:19:57.640 --> 00:20:00.559
it back and forth, but it wasn't going to budge.
327
00:20:01.160 --> 00:20:04.440
She gave up and looked down the logging road. It
328
00:20:04.519 --> 00:20:07.640
was about two miles to the highway. She could walk
329
00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:10.359
that and hope to hitch for a ride back to
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the city. She put one foot in front of the
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other and started out down the road. The winding path
332
00:20:17.240 --> 00:20:19.839
was illuminated from the full moon through the break in
333
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the trees above. After about three minutes, she saw a
334
00:20:24.720 --> 00:20:29.119
fire and hope swelled up inside her. There was another camp.
335
00:20:29.920 --> 00:20:31.880
She could hitch a ride with them and get out
336
00:20:31.880 --> 00:20:34.880
of here. As she approached the site, she could smell
337
00:20:34.920 --> 00:20:41.279
a sweet smell. It was nearly intoxicating. What was that?
338
00:20:41.799 --> 00:20:46.200
She thought? Was it some morse? It was more enticing
339
00:20:46.279 --> 00:20:49.680
than anything she'd smelled before. She approached the camp site,
340
00:20:49.720 --> 00:20:55.000
slowly peering through the trees at the campers within. Ow Thomas.
341
00:20:55.319 --> 00:20:58.799
That really hurt. Look, look, I'm bleeding, came a female
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00:20:58.880 --> 00:21:02.519
voice from within. I'm sorry, babe, I was only joking,
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00:21:03.359 --> 00:21:06.240
she heard a male voice call out. She licked her
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00:21:06.240 --> 00:21:09.160
lips at the smell and was startled to find her
345
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canine teeth felt so much bigger. She felt something moving
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under her skin and watched in surprise horror as her
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nose grew into a snout. What was that noise? Daria
348
00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:26.759
heard the woman say. It was hard to make it
349
00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:30.079
out now that all the other four sounds were suddenly louder.
350
00:21:31.079 --> 00:21:34.519
She stepped into a clearing, trying to calm the campers,
351
00:21:34.960 --> 00:21:40.400
but the woman's scream surprised her. Where wolf. The woman
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00:21:40.480 --> 00:21:44.720
screamed and pointed at her, but she didn't notice because
353
00:21:44.759 --> 00:21:57.039
she was focused on the woman's bleeding wound. Eh. Real
354
00:21:57.079 --> 00:22:05.640
Monsters from Nepa by Michelle Adler. I don't know about
355
00:22:05.640 --> 00:22:08.400
the new kid. Don't you think he's a little weird.
356
00:22:08.799 --> 00:22:12.279
Tom McCullough whispered, leaning slightly over his desk to get
357
00:22:12.319 --> 00:22:16.240
closer to his friend. A little weird. Come on, he's
358
00:22:16.279 --> 00:22:20.279
a freak. Jacob nodded. They both snickered. In front of
359
00:22:20.359 --> 00:22:24.720
them sat Patrick Marshall Sherwood, the third, the aforementioned new kid.
360
00:22:25.160 --> 00:22:28.920
His incredibly formal sounding name wasn't really befitting his posture,
361
00:22:29.519 --> 00:22:32.960
hunched over, staring at his desk and wincing at their laughter.
362
00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.559
His dyed black shoulder length hair, eyeliner and all black
363
00:22:37.599 --> 00:22:41.200
wardrobe should have succeeded in making him look dangerous, but
364
00:22:41.319 --> 00:22:44.720
in reality it just made him look tired and pale.
365
00:22:45.240 --> 00:22:48.279
I have to admit I felt bad for the kid.
366
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The rumor around school was that his dad had been
367
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killed by a pack of feral dogs while he and
368
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Patrick were camping somewhere in the mountains of Georgia. Patrick
369
00:22:58.599 --> 00:23:01.839
had somehow escaped me his end there, but he hadn't
370
00:23:01.880 --> 00:23:05.880
gotten away easily. His face and arms were covered in
371
00:23:05.920 --> 00:23:09.759
a multitude of deep, gnarly scars from the event, a
372
00:23:09.799 --> 00:23:14.240
permanent reminder that he and only he had survived something
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00:23:14.359 --> 00:23:18.960
truly horrible, and not by much. To be fair, he'd
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00:23:19.000 --> 00:23:21.720
have been an ugly kid even without the scars. He
375
00:23:21.839 --> 00:23:24.200
was just a little too lanky and awkward for me
376
00:23:24.279 --> 00:23:27.640
to believe he'd ever been cool. Life ain't really fair,
377
00:23:28.000 --> 00:23:31.319
I guess. I didn't know how much if any of
378
00:23:31.359 --> 00:23:34.720
the story was just dumb rumors. I wasn't even sure
379
00:23:34.759 --> 00:23:39.160
if Georgia had mountains. But if it was true, he'd
380
00:23:39.160 --> 00:23:41.599
picked just about the worst town to move to if
381
00:23:41.599 --> 00:23:44.519
he and his mom were trying to escape their tragic passed.
382
00:23:45.119 --> 00:23:49.160
Our town, located in a quiet corner of northeastern Pennsylvania,
383
00:23:49.279 --> 00:23:52.359
was mostly rural, encompassing part of the valley and a
384
00:23:52.400 --> 00:23:55.880
lot of the surrounding woods. That might sound fine, though
385
00:23:55.960 --> 00:23:59.759
maybe boring on paper, but incidents involving feral dogs at
386
00:23:59.759 --> 00:24:03.480
ollds been common here. Usually it was just pets and
387
00:24:03.559 --> 00:24:07.319
small animals that went missing, but lately some cows had
388
00:24:07.319 --> 00:24:11.240
been found halfway eaten, dotting the nearby farms. Some more
389
00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:15.440
people were on edge than usual. Not really a vacation
390
00:24:15.599 --> 00:24:18.720
from their grief, is what I mean. So back to
391
00:24:18.759 --> 00:24:22.440
the story. Those chuckleheads kept up with their insults for
392
00:24:22.480 --> 00:24:25.200
a while, calling him every name they could think of
393
00:24:25.640 --> 00:24:28.599
poking him, sticking gum on his back, you name it.
394
00:24:28.880 --> 00:24:31.960
You'd probably have thought that our English teacher, missus Alder,
395
00:24:32.119 --> 00:24:35.680
just kept blathering on about Shakespeare during all this. I
396
00:24:35.720 --> 00:24:38.519
wish she'd take notice, but she was so hard of
397
00:24:38.559 --> 00:24:40.680
hearing that I wasn't sure she could even hear what
398
00:24:41.000 --> 00:24:44.559
she was saying half the time. She was so old
399
00:24:44.640 --> 00:24:47.960
and fragile looking that I often wondered if she'd escaped
400
00:24:48.000 --> 00:24:51.359
a nursing home every morning just to come and teach us.
401
00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:55.200
It wasn't fair, though. I sat directly behind Tom in
402
00:24:55.240 --> 00:24:57.839
the last row of desks against the window, like a
403
00:24:57.880 --> 00:25:02.839
true delinquent. I was bouncing my leg waiting for I
404
00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:06.279
don't know, a sign that I should jump in. I'm
405
00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:08.680
not proud of the fact that it took Patrick brushing
406
00:25:08.720 --> 00:25:11.960
teardrops off his desk for me to do something. I
407
00:25:12.000 --> 00:25:14.880
reached forward and punched the back of Tom's chair hard
408
00:25:15.000 --> 00:25:18.880
enough to get everyone, including our teacher's attention, stop making
409
00:25:18.920 --> 00:25:20.559
fun of him, or the next thing I punch will
410
00:25:20.559 --> 00:25:24.000
be your face, I shouted. I saw Tom and Jacob
411
00:25:24.039 --> 00:25:30.200
flinch from behind. Marisa, missus Alder, spat sternly, miraculously cured
412
00:25:30.240 --> 00:25:33.440
of her partial deafness for a moment. How many outbursts
413
00:25:33.440 --> 00:25:37.519
do we really need to have this week? But they were,
414
00:25:38.160 --> 00:25:41.480
I tried. No one will be picking on poor Patrick
415
00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:44.640
in my classroom. It's not his fault. He's covered with
416
00:25:44.720 --> 00:25:49.480
horrible scars, she continued. I watched Patrick cringe and the
417
00:25:49.519 --> 00:25:54.119
whole class began to giggle. There I go, again, making
418
00:25:54.160 --> 00:25:58.400
matters worse. I left school late that day, long after
419
00:25:58.440 --> 00:26:02.160
the buses and carpools had gone, basically my normal routine.
420
00:26:02.720 --> 00:26:06.160
Gotta make sure I don't run into any trouble. You see,
421
00:26:06.599 --> 00:26:09.319
Like our scarred up sad boy, I too was the
422
00:26:09.359 --> 00:26:12.960
subject of the other kid's hatred. But unlike him, I
423
00:26:13.000 --> 00:26:14.880
actually knew how to stand up for myself and I
424
00:26:14.920 --> 00:26:18.119
could hold my own in a fight. Still, I didn't
425
00:26:18.200 --> 00:26:20.799
like to start trouble. I just relished in it when
426
00:26:20.799 --> 00:26:24.240
it came calling. But even if I won, bites and
427
00:26:24.319 --> 00:26:27.480
scratches do hurt, after all, So it was better to
428
00:26:27.519 --> 00:26:31.240
avoid the rest of the student body when we were unsupervised,
429
00:26:31.640 --> 00:26:35.359
especially in the middle of the afternoon in broad daylight.
430
00:26:35.960 --> 00:26:40.119
Who needs that kind of attention. However, on this particular day,
431
00:26:40.200 --> 00:26:43.640
waiting until my usual time four pm to leave wasn't enough.
432
00:26:44.240 --> 00:26:47.160
I pushed open the side entrance, and there was Patrick.
433
00:26:47.799 --> 00:26:50.559
He sat on the curb, his posture the same as earlier,
434
00:26:51.160 --> 00:26:54.160
the cool autumn breeze blowing his hair over his face.
435
00:26:55.160 --> 00:26:58.839
I held my breath, trying to be comically quiet and
436
00:26:58.960 --> 00:27:02.359
sneak away before already noticed. I just wanted to get
437
00:27:02.400 --> 00:27:06.799
home and not do my homework. Until again I realized
438
00:27:07.279 --> 00:27:11.240
he was crying. I sighed and plopped myself down next
439
00:27:11.279 --> 00:27:13.960
to him, waiting for your folks to pick you up.
440
00:27:14.640 --> 00:27:19.240
Oh right, I forgot dead dad. Your mom running late,
441
00:27:19.559 --> 00:27:24.599
I corrected myself. I don't think she's coming, he said, softly,
442
00:27:25.119 --> 00:27:27.920
continuing to focus on the puddle of tears collecting on
443
00:27:27.960 --> 00:27:31.559
the asphalt. I realized this was the first time i'd
444
00:27:31.599 --> 00:27:37.680
heard him speak. She's been different since. I can tell
445
00:27:37.720 --> 00:27:40.359
she doesn't like to look at me. Sometimes I think
446
00:27:40.359 --> 00:27:43.799
she forgets me on purpose. I would just try to
447
00:27:43.839 --> 00:27:46.960
walk back, but I don't know how to get home
448
00:27:46.960 --> 00:27:49.119
from here. I can't even look it up because a
449
00:27:49.160 --> 00:27:52.480
couple of kids from class pushed me and my phone
450
00:27:52.480 --> 00:27:56.519
broke my fall. You just gonna sit here all night, then,
451
00:27:57.480 --> 00:28:01.960
I was hoping to I like the dark. I honestly
452
00:28:02.000 --> 00:28:04.519
couldn't tell if that line was supposed to be sarcastic.
453
00:28:05.440 --> 00:28:07.799
Come on, tell me where you live. I'll walk you home,
454
00:28:08.359 --> 00:28:10.640
I offered, as I stood up and brushed myself off.
455
00:28:12.680 --> 00:28:15.359
You're not going to trick me and leave me halfway
456
00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:20.039
and steal my wallet, right, he asked expectantly. Well, geez,
457
00:28:20.160 --> 00:28:24.599
not anymore. I'm not. Patrick let out a little chuckle. Okay,
458
00:28:24.720 --> 00:28:28.480
maybe we could make this work. I'm Marisa, I said,
459
00:28:28.559 --> 00:28:32.160
helping him up, and I promise I won't hurt you us.
460
00:28:32.160 --> 00:28:36.240
Freak's got to stick together. As it turned out, Patrick
461
00:28:36.279 --> 00:28:38.440
only lived one block over from me and the cute
462
00:28:38.440 --> 00:28:41.519
little cape cod that old mister Patel owned before he
463
00:28:41.559 --> 00:28:43.559
got sick and had to move in with his kids.
464
00:28:44.240 --> 00:28:46.359
It was great because I didn't really have to go
465
00:28:46.400 --> 00:28:49.440
out of my way, but also a little sad because
466
00:28:49.480 --> 00:28:52.359
I only lived six blocks from the school. He was
467
00:28:52.400 --> 00:28:55.319
crying over a ten minute walk. I agreed to help
468
00:28:55.400 --> 00:28:57.480
him find his way back to school the next morning
469
00:28:57.799 --> 00:29:01.160
and walk home with him again the following afternoon. Like
470
00:29:01.200 --> 00:29:05.759
I said, freaks need to stick together. So is it
471
00:29:05.799 --> 00:29:08.400
true about what happened to your dad? I asked on
472
00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:11.960
our walk home. The following afternoon, Patrick stopped dead in
473
00:29:12.000 --> 00:29:15.559
the center of the sidewalk. Isn't it obvious it is?
474
00:29:16.599 --> 00:29:18.920
He touched one of the scars on his arm tenderly.
475
00:29:20.039 --> 00:29:23.039
My dad is dead, my mom probably blames me, and
476
00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:26.319
I look like some villain from a slasher film. My
477
00:29:26.440 --> 00:29:30.920
life is totally ruined. Oh that's a little dark, dude.
478
00:29:31.319 --> 00:29:34.880
I'm sorry. No, it's better if I just lean into it.
479
00:29:35.119 --> 00:29:37.039
I'm a monster now and I have to get used
480
00:29:37.079 --> 00:29:40.880
to it, he sighed. Us monsters got to stick together.
481
00:29:41.240 --> 00:29:45.400
I said, like it was my tagline or something. Marisa,
482
00:29:45.799 --> 00:29:49.759
he said bluntly, you are not a monster. I furrowed
483
00:29:49.759 --> 00:29:52.720
my brow. He was silent the rest of the walk home.
484
00:29:53.279 --> 00:29:55.880
I felt bad for bringing up his dad and wouldn't
485
00:29:55.920 --> 00:29:58.000
have blamed him if I didn't even get a goodbye.
486
00:29:58.640 --> 00:30:02.400
But when he was halfway up his he stopped. Marisa,
487
00:30:03.119 --> 00:30:06.079
I need to tell you something, he began without turning around.
488
00:30:06.799 --> 00:30:09.880
Can you keep a secret? What did I say five
489
00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:13.599
minutes ago about us sticking together? Patrick paused for a
490
00:30:13.640 --> 00:30:19.079
long time, like he was having trouble finding the right words. Listen,
491
00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:23.160
you're gonna think I'm crazy, But that's okay. Even I
492
00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:27.519
think I'm crazy sometimes, He clenched his fists tightly at
493
00:30:27.519 --> 00:30:32.559
his sides. But when we were camping, when those dogs
494
00:30:32.599 --> 00:30:37.279
showed up, they attacked me first. My dad fought so
495
00:30:37.440 --> 00:30:39.519
hard to stop them and lure them away from me.
496
00:30:40.799 --> 00:30:45.920
That's why he's dead, and I'm just this thing now.
497
00:30:47.359 --> 00:30:50.079
It's not your fault. No, that's not what I mean.
498
00:30:50.599 --> 00:30:52.839
When I was lying there, when they were tearing my
499
00:30:52.920 --> 00:30:55.240
dad to shreds, I could have sworn I heard them
500
00:30:55.279 --> 00:30:59.279
talking to each other. I could have sworn they were laughing.
501
00:31:00.559 --> 00:31:03.319
What does that even mean? I guess it's possible that
502
00:31:03.400 --> 00:31:06.599
I was delirious from blood loss. But if that's true,
503
00:31:06.599 --> 00:31:11.160
then how come even now, when it's really quiet, I
504
00:31:11.160 --> 00:31:14.680
can almost still hear them laughing. His voice was shaking
505
00:31:15.000 --> 00:31:17.519
at this point. He was staring directly at me again,
506
00:31:17.880 --> 00:31:22.319
his eyes full of fear. Are you saying, I don't
507
00:31:22.359 --> 00:31:29.319
think they were dogs. I think they were something else, wolves, maybe,
508
00:31:29.440 --> 00:31:33.440
I offered, Patrick let out a little pitiful laugh. No,
509
00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:39.640
not wolves. So now you know the truth. I'm crazy.
510
00:31:40.359 --> 00:31:44.799
Nice knowing you. I don't think you're crazy, Patrick, I said,
511
00:31:45.359 --> 00:31:48.160
not sure if I was lying or not. Either way,
512
00:31:48.240 --> 00:31:50.119
I don't think that's a good enough reason for us51300:31:50.160 --> 00:31:53.240
to stop hanging out, he smiled in a mix of51400:31:53.279 --> 00:31:58.519
confusion and relief. Thanks, Marisa, It seemed that letting someone51500:31:58.519 --> 00:32:00.799
else share his secret took a lot of weight off51600:32:00.799 --> 00:32:03.920
the poor guy's shoulders, because after that, he was a51700:32:03.960 --> 00:32:07.279
lot more outgoing around me. The edges of his sadness51800:32:07.279 --> 00:32:09.480
had been sanded down a little, and he actually let51900:32:09.480 --> 00:32:11.880
me get to know him. And as it turned out,52000:32:12.160 --> 00:32:15.119
Patrick was a pretty good kid. We were into the52100:32:15.119 --> 00:32:18.079
same comics and video games and even got each other's humor.52200:32:18.720 --> 00:32:20.960
We walked to and from school together every day for52300:32:20.960 --> 00:32:22.759
the next couple of weeks, and my mom let him52400:32:22.759 --> 00:32:25.759
stay for dinner most nights and sleep over on the weekends.52500:32:26.319 --> 00:32:29.119
As much as I considered myself something of a lone wolf,52600:32:29.400 --> 00:32:31.440
I had to admit it felt good to have someone52700:32:31.480 --> 00:32:34.000
around that really got me. I guess this is what52800:32:34.000 --> 00:32:37.079
it's like to have friends. Huh. Things stayed good for52900:32:37.119 --> 00:32:39.480
a while. When the other kids realized that I had53000:32:39.480 --> 00:32:42.039
taken him under my wing, a lot of the bullying stopped,53100:32:42.559 --> 00:32:44.920
and when he was picked on, he had gotten pretty53200:32:44.920 --> 00:32:48.079
good at standing up for himself. This, however, leads us53300:32:48.160 --> 00:32:50.519
to the incident that threatened to shatter the small bit53400:32:50.559 --> 00:32:53.920
of peace we'd begun to carve out for ourselves. Tom53500:32:53.960 --> 00:32:56.960
and Jacob, the only two kids still brazen enough to53600:32:57.039 --> 00:32:59.640
constantly mess with Patrick, had come up with a new53700:32:59.640 --> 00:33:03.319
way to get under his skin. You see, whenever Patrick53800:33:03.400 --> 00:33:06.359
tried to speak in class, or passed them in the hallway,53900:33:06.880 --> 00:33:10.920
or even entered a room, they'd howl like wolves. Because54000:33:10.920 --> 00:33:13.519
it was a relatively easy and safe way to upset him,54100:33:13.559 --> 00:33:16.119
they were usually able to get whoever else was around54200:33:16.160 --> 00:33:19.319
to howl along with them. I know it doesn't sound54300:33:19.359 --> 00:33:22.440
that bad, but after three days of it, Patrick wasn't54400:33:22.440 --> 00:33:26.119
looking too good. It happened in missus Alder's class, as54500:33:26.200 --> 00:33:29.559
most bad things did. Man, she was a terrible teacher54600:33:29.880 --> 00:33:32.599
and was discussing another terrible book that they tell you54700:33:32.599 --> 00:33:35.799
as a classic and has all this symbolism, but was54800:33:35.839 --> 00:33:38.240
just written by some dumb guy who probably didn't even54900:33:38.319 --> 00:33:42.200
know what symbolism was. So who can tell me why55000:33:42.240 --> 00:33:45.119
they think the author decided to make the badge read?55100:33:45.559 --> 00:33:50.640
She asked. Everyone stayed perfectly still, dead eyed, hoping to55200:33:50.720 --> 00:33:55.559
avoid being called on having to discuss colors. Well, everyone55300:33:55.599 --> 00:34:00.160
except Patrick. He actually raised his hand. Ah, Yes, mister55400:34:00.279 --> 00:34:05.400
Marshall Sherwood, please enlighten us. You see, there's not actual55500:34:06.079 --> 00:34:08.960
was all I could hear before a cacophony of howling55600:34:09.000 --> 00:34:13.679
delinquents overtook his quiet voice. Now, students, settle down and55700:34:13.760 --> 00:34:16.079
let him finish. You can howl all you want on55800:34:16.119 --> 00:34:19.440
the bus home, she said, sternly in her traditionally tone55900:34:19.480 --> 00:34:23.559
death sort of way. Silence returned to the room. Patrick56000:34:23.599 --> 00:34:28.639
tried again, there's not actually a The howling returned, then56100:34:28.800 --> 00:34:35.400
quickly abated, go on, not actually a howling, then silence again,56200:34:36.159 --> 00:34:40.199
a reason that howling, then silence. This pattern continued for56300:34:40.239 --> 00:34:43.760
a tragically long time. I thought maybe he'd be struggling56400:34:43.760 --> 00:34:45.880
to say that one sentence for the rest of the class,56500:34:46.280 --> 00:34:49.960
until during that last interruption I saw something change in56600:34:50.000 --> 00:34:55.440
his eyes. Patrick had finally snapped. He waited patiently for56700:34:55.519 --> 00:34:59.679
the noise to calm and took a deep breath. Let56800:34:59.679 --> 00:35:04.320
me art over. There's not actually a reason. This time.56900:35:04.400 --> 00:35:07.679
He didn't stop when they began again. He just slowly57000:35:07.719 --> 00:35:11.360
turned to Tom, who was directly behind him, grabbed him57100:35:11.400 --> 00:35:14.159
by the collar, and punched him in the face repeatedly,57200:35:14.199 --> 00:35:17.360
all the while continuing to relay his point. About the book.57300:35:18.000 --> 00:35:20.800
When he was done, Tom's face was a mess and57400:35:20.840 --> 00:35:25.320
there was no more howling. Ever, again, the rest isn't57500:35:25.320 --> 00:35:28.440
really important. Patrick went to the principal's office and got57600:35:28.480 --> 00:35:30.480
detention for the rest of the week, and Tom went57700:35:30.519 --> 00:35:33.599
to the nurse and got everyone's sympathy. Even though he'd57800:35:33.599 --> 00:35:37.960
gotten in trouble, Patrick's attitude drastically improved. The tension was57900:35:38.000 --> 00:35:40.440
a small price to pay for being able to speak again.58000:35:41.400 --> 00:35:43.719
This did mean that we couldn't walk home together for58100:35:43.760 --> 00:35:46.960
a while, though on Fridays he would usually pack an58200:35:47.000 --> 00:35:49.519
overnight bag and come straight home with me for the weekend.58300:35:50.000 --> 00:35:53.079
But with detention and his mom grounding him for beating58400:35:53.079 --> 00:35:55.800
Tom to a bloody pulp, Patrick told me we'd have58500:35:55.840 --> 00:35:59.639
to skip our normal weekend hangouts. It was actually relieved58600:35:59.639 --> 00:36:01.639
to hear it. It was a weird time of the58700:36:01.639 --> 00:36:04.639
month for me, and our hangout would have been super awkward.58800:36:05.400 --> 00:36:07.639
I felt I dodged a major bullet, and was also58900:36:07.800 --> 00:36:10.039
thrilled that his mom was paying enough attention to know59000:36:10.119 --> 00:36:13.159
he'd gotten in trouble and that she actually seemed to care.59100:36:14.280 --> 00:36:16.920
I expected an easy Friday night, so I was surprised59200:36:16.920 --> 00:36:19.599
that as I finished washing dishes from dinner and turned59300:36:19.599 --> 00:36:22.360
off the water. I was alerted to a frantic knocking59400:36:22.440 --> 00:36:25.760
at our front door. Maybe Patrick's mom had changed her mind,59500:36:25.800 --> 00:36:29.519
I figured, disregarding the overwhelming panic that seemed to loom59600:36:29.519 --> 00:36:32.159
in the constant banging. I was totally shocked when the59700:36:32.159 --> 00:36:36.079
opening door revealed none other than the devil himself, Tom McCullough,59800:36:36.360 --> 00:36:38.599
still bruised from his run in earlier in the week.59900:36:38.920 --> 00:36:42.800
Panting hard, Why are you here? I asked. I really60000:36:42.840 --> 00:36:45.800
couldn't think of a single reason he'd want anything to60100:36:45.840 --> 00:36:50.559
do with me. He tried to catch his breath. I60200:36:50.719 --> 00:36:56.559
where's Patrick? He pleaded, What you want a rematch? No? No, listen,60300:36:56.760 --> 00:36:59.119
I think I messed up. He was still trying to60400:36:59.159 --> 00:37:01.639
catch his breath. Had he ran all the way here?60500:37:02.239 --> 00:37:06.320
You want to apologize? Well, he isn't here. He's at home, grounded.60600:37:06.920 --> 00:37:08.840
I was ready to close the door and get back60700:37:08.880 --> 00:37:12.360
to my evening. No, he isn't. I went there first.60800:37:12.639 --> 00:37:15.239
His mom said he never came home. After detention, I60900:37:15.280 --> 00:37:17.480
was hoping I was wrong and that he's here. But61000:37:18.280 --> 00:37:22.400
oh no, I really messed up. His voice trembled. What61100:37:22.440 --> 00:37:25.320
are you trying to say? Tom? Maybe I already knew.61200:37:26.599 --> 00:37:28.639
My dad was pretty upset that I got beat up,61300:37:28.679 --> 00:37:31.679
and I was really angry, so I said some things61400:37:31.719 --> 00:37:35.239
about Patrick that maybe I shouldn't have. You know, we61500:37:35.280 --> 00:37:38.320
own the farm on Schoogl Road, right, and you know61600:37:38.480 --> 00:37:41.159
some of our animals have been killed lately. Right, well,61700:37:42.000 --> 00:37:46.119
he he thinks. Tom struggled with how to say the61800:37:46.159 --> 00:37:49.960
next part. I could feel adrenaline creeping into my limbs.61900:37:50.760 --> 00:37:53.440
I heard him talking to his friends this afternoon, and62000:37:53.480 --> 00:37:57.800
I saw him load silver bullets into his shotgun. Marisa,62100:37:58.639 --> 00:38:04.119
he knows everything felt fuzzy. Where would they take him?62200:38:04.440 --> 00:38:08.000
I had to think, clearly, there's woods on our property,62300:38:08.599 --> 00:38:11.280
fifteen acres of it. We can basically do anything we62400:38:11.320 --> 00:38:14.599
want out there. Okay. I pushed him out of the62500:38:14.639 --> 00:38:18.000
way and proceeded down my steps. The sky was already62600:38:18.000 --> 00:38:21.119
turning pink and purple with the coming of evening. There62700:38:21.239 --> 00:38:23.320
was no more time. There was going to be a62800:38:23.320 --> 00:38:28.760
full moon tonight. Wait, I'll come with No, it's dangerous62900:38:28.760 --> 00:38:32.119
and you've messed up enough, I thundered, not bothering to63000:38:32.119 --> 00:38:35.039
look back. This is why we don't tell adults things.63100:38:35.360 --> 00:38:40.320
They always get all murdery. Marisa, you have to understand63200:38:40.360 --> 00:38:42.679
I didn't mean for this to happen. Sure, I've been63300:38:42.679 --> 00:38:45.039
messing with Patrick, but I would never want him to63400:38:45.039 --> 00:38:49.880
get He paused, hurt. I tried to stop. My dad63500:38:50.000 --> 00:38:52.000
tried to pretend I was lying about the whole thing,63600:38:52.039 --> 00:38:56.360
but he's so set on well you know that he63700:38:56.360 --> 00:38:59.280
wouldn't listen to me. I turned toward the direction of63800:38:59.320 --> 00:39:03.320
the farm and off running Marisa. Tom called out, but63900:39:03.400 --> 00:39:06.000
he was far behind me. Now there was no way64000:39:06.039 --> 00:39:08.280
I could be there before the sun went down, but64100:39:08.360 --> 00:39:11.199
maybe I could still get there in time to stop them.64200:39:11.599 --> 00:39:14.320
By the time I reached Tom's family farm, the last64300:39:14.360 --> 00:39:17.639
threads of daylight were fading from the sky. I was exhausted,64400:39:17.679 --> 00:39:20.159
but confident that I was about to get my second wind.64500:39:20.639 --> 00:39:22.920
The woods were dark and cool, and I could feel64600:39:22.920 --> 00:39:26.199
myself returning to my senses. I picked up speed, heading64700:39:26.239 --> 00:39:29.119
in the direction I was now confident I would find them.64800:39:29.880 --> 00:39:34.480
Please let me make it in time. Eventually, distant chatter64900:39:34.519 --> 00:39:39.119
alerted me to Patrick's location. I approached quietly, hiding myself65000:39:39.119 --> 00:39:42.519
in the underbrush while I gaged the situation. Crickets and65100:39:42.559 --> 00:39:45.199
frogs had begun to sing in the blackness of the evening,65200:39:45.800 --> 00:39:50.119
seven adults with flashlights were gathered in a circle. I65300:39:50.119 --> 00:39:52.800
couldn't see him, but I knew Patrick was in the center.65400:39:53.320 --> 00:39:56.000
Each man was carrying a firearm on his shoulder or65500:39:56.039 --> 00:39:58.840
holding one in his hand. I was not relieved to65600:39:58.880 --> 00:40:02.760
confirm that Tom had been telling the truth. Please, I65700:40:02.800 --> 00:40:05.480
don't understand what you're talking about. What would I want65800:40:05.519 --> 00:40:08.800
with cows? I'm a vegetarian. A voice that had to65900:40:08.840 --> 00:40:11.199
be Patrick's pleaded in the back of my mind. I66000:40:11.199 --> 00:40:14.800
got a weird feeling that something wasn't right, but brushed66100:40:14.840 --> 00:40:18.320
it off. Listen, we know it was you. I mean,66200:40:18.559 --> 00:40:21.559
a kid who's been attacked by feral dogs shows up66300:40:21.599 --> 00:40:25.320
and we just coincidentally start losing livestock. I don't need66400:40:25.400 --> 00:40:28.360
to be a statistician to see the connection. A man66500:40:28.400 --> 00:40:32.119
that was probably Tom's dad was saying, confess now, and66600:40:32.199 --> 00:40:34.440
maybe we'll be kind enough to let you live out66700:40:34.440 --> 00:40:37.400
the rest of your life in a cage. I swear66800:40:37.679 --> 00:40:40.400
I didn't do anything bad. I don't know what you've heard,66900:40:40.400 --> 00:40:44.480
but please, I'm telling you the truth. Patrick begged. We'll67000:40:44.519 --> 00:40:48.880
see about that in a minute. Any minute now, mister67100:40:49.000 --> 00:40:51.559
McCullough said, looking up at the sky. One of the67200:40:51.599 --> 00:40:55.000
other men cocked his rifle. I'm tired of waiting. Let's67300:40:55.039 --> 00:40:57.920
get this over with. I'm missing my shows. A few67400:40:57.960 --> 00:41:00.559
of them began to argue about the merits of killing67500:41:00.559 --> 00:41:03.199
my friend now as opposed to later, and that was67600:41:03.239 --> 00:41:07.079
really enough for me. I moved forward slightly, twigs snapping67700:41:07.159 --> 00:41:10.280
under my weight, and let out a loud, guttural cry67800:41:10.400 --> 00:41:13.519
that just about shook the earth. The entire forest went67900:41:13.559 --> 00:41:18.760
completely silent and stayed that way. I saw fear overtake68000:41:18.840 --> 00:41:21.280
the murderous group as they tried to find the source68100:41:21.320 --> 00:41:25.239
of the noise. I emerged confidently from my hiding place.68200:41:25.639 --> 00:41:29.599
Let him go, I howled. The blood collectively drained from68300:41:29.639 --> 00:41:31.360
their faces as they got a good look at me.68400:41:32.000 --> 00:41:35.559
I positioned myself to look as large as possible, my dense,68500:41:35.599 --> 00:41:39.280
wiry hair standing on end, teeth exposed in a snarl,68600:41:39.480 --> 00:41:43.280
saliva dripping from my jagged mouth. They pointed their guns68700:41:43.280 --> 00:41:46.119
in my direction, but I charged forward and latched onto68800:41:46.119 --> 00:41:48.599
the closest one, pulling it away from its owner and68900:41:48.679 --> 00:41:50.719
smacking him in the head with it. He hit the69000:41:50.719 --> 00:41:54.119
ground with the resounding thud. I bit into the rifle69100:41:54.159 --> 00:41:56.679
and broke it into pieces with my massive jaws as69200:41:56.679 --> 00:41:59.480
easily as if it had been a cracker. You really69300:41:59.519 --> 00:42:03.559
think your tiny bullets can stop me, I wailed. They69400:42:03.599 --> 00:42:07.440
inched back, still surrounding Patrick, but I was winning. Just69500:42:07.519 --> 00:42:12.920
one more push, guys, shoot him already. Oh thanks, mister McCullough.69600:42:13.440 --> 00:42:16.280
I've had enough. I lunged at them, ready to do69700:42:16.320 --> 00:42:18.719
whatever I had to, But that was enough to send69800:42:18.760 --> 00:42:22.199
them running for their lives, scurrying away like the cockroaches.69900:42:22.239 --> 00:42:27.719
They were cowards, I huffed. Patrick was still on the ground,70000:42:28.039 --> 00:42:30.760
His hands were tied, and he looked a little beaten up.70100:42:31.599 --> 00:42:34.239
He stared up at me, his whole body shaking and fear.70200:42:35.159 --> 00:42:37.920
I poked my nose in closer and sniffed at his face,70300:42:38.280 --> 00:42:41.840
trying to wrap my mind around the situation, then went70400:42:41.880 --> 00:42:44.920
for his hands. He flinched at my hot breath, not70500:42:44.960 --> 00:42:48.039
seeming to realize that I was chewing through the ropes70600:42:48.239 --> 00:42:54.039
and not his fingers. It's okay, You're okay, I assured him,70700:42:54.239 --> 00:43:01.840
but he was just hopelessly confused. Suddenly his posture shifted. Marisa,70800:43:02.639 --> 00:43:08.519
you're why are you a werewolf? Patrick? Why are you70900:43:08.679 --> 00:43:12.599
not a werewolf? I don't know how to answer that.71000:43:14.119 --> 00:43:18.000
You aren't going to eat me, are you? Well? Not anymore?71100:43:18.039 --> 00:43:21.920
I'm not, I groaned. Us monsters got to stick together,71200:43:22.039 --> 00:43:33.920
after all. The Wolf of Fagan County by David O'Hannon.71300:43:35.719 --> 00:43:39.639
Maybe Whistler was a nice town once. It seemed that71400:43:39.719 --> 00:43:43.360
way until the summer of eighty six. The old folks71500:43:43.400 --> 00:43:47.760
always whispered about certain places, about the places you don't go,71600:43:48.000 --> 00:43:52.360
and the boogeyman that dwelled within. Everyone in Fagan County71700:43:52.440 --> 00:43:56.960
knew a local ghost story. Back then, I loved to71800:43:57.039 --> 00:44:03.480
hear those stories. Nowadays, not so much. My dad trucked71900:44:03.519 --> 00:44:06.679
crops from the farms into the neighboring states of Louisiana72000:44:06.719 --> 00:44:10.519
and Mississippi. I didn't see much of him. He left72100:44:10.559 --> 00:44:14.519
before dawn and got home after sunset. The day before72200:44:14.519 --> 00:44:18.159
my thirteenth birthday, he took a load to Shreveport. I72300:44:18.199 --> 00:44:20.960
awoke to a stack of used horror comics the next72400:44:21.000 --> 00:44:23.559
morning with a note that read, you're old enough for72500:44:23.599 --> 00:44:28.159
the good ones now, Soldier. I loved the way those72600:44:28.199 --> 00:44:31.800
pages smelled After all these years, I still have a72700:44:31.840 --> 00:44:33.840
couple of them in the suit cases I live out72800:44:33.880 --> 00:44:36.960
of I'd read through the entire bundle in a week,72900:44:37.639 --> 00:44:39.760
I flipped through them and found the one I'd enjoy73000:44:39.840 --> 00:44:42.559
the most for a second visit. When my mother called73100:44:42.559 --> 00:44:47.920
from downstairs, Connie, come quick, she shouted. I hated when73200:44:47.920 --> 00:44:51.800
she called me that it was bad enough being named Conrad.73300:44:51.840 --> 00:44:55.079
The effeminate nickname caught on with my friends in second grade,73400:44:55.440 --> 00:44:57.480
and then with the rest of the student body by73500:44:57.519 --> 00:45:01.280
the end of recess, something said rounded off in her voice.73600:45:01.480 --> 00:45:04.480
As I trudged down the narrow staircase that descended into73700:45:04.559 --> 00:45:07.559
the kitchen. Mom was sitting at the table, with her73800:45:07.599 --> 00:45:11.119
elbows pressing into the vinyl top and her hands hiding73900:45:11.119 --> 00:45:15.440
her face. My sister Lisa had her head down, shrouded74000:45:15.440 --> 00:45:20.960
in her arms, her body convulsed as she bawled noisily inside.74100:45:21.199 --> 00:45:23.199
I held my breath all the way to the table.74200:45:24.559 --> 00:45:26.559
No one spoke to me. As I slid the chair74300:45:26.599 --> 00:45:29.519
away from the edge and eased my way into it.74400:45:30.280 --> 00:45:34.440
Mom reached over and put her hand on mine. Something74500:45:34.559 --> 00:45:40.320
terrible's happened, she whispered. Something terrible had happened a few74600:45:40.400 --> 00:45:44.599
weeks ago too, and a few weeks before that we'd74700:45:44.679 --> 00:45:48.199
discussed both of those events as a family. No one74800:45:48.320 --> 00:45:52.039
was crying, then, sure, Mom, had been shaken up by74900:45:52.039 --> 00:45:55.400
the discovery of the first body, but it seemed like75000:45:55.440 --> 00:45:58.880
nothing to worry about. We all knew old man mcgera75100:45:59.000 --> 00:46:02.159
from around town. He would pop out like a magician's75200:46:02.239 --> 00:46:04.960
rabbit to grump about what a bunch of slack jawed75300:46:05.039 --> 00:46:08.079
hippie spawn all the kids were whenever you least expected it.75400:46:08.519 --> 00:46:11.079
The police said it was a heart attack that took him,75500:46:11.239 --> 00:46:15.079
and that coyotes took to eating his remains. Grotesque and75600:46:15.159 --> 00:46:18.119
unseemly as it were, my folks delivered the news to75700:46:18.159 --> 00:46:20.960
my sister and me with just the facts and reminded75800:46:21.039 --> 00:46:25.599
us to stay away from the woods. Coyotes rarely attacked people,75900:46:25.719 --> 00:46:29.880
but Dad said there's something different about any animal, including man,76000:46:30.440 --> 00:46:33.840
once they got a taste for blood. The second time76100:46:33.880 --> 00:46:36.920
we were called to the table, it was clearly more bothersome.76200:46:38.079 --> 00:46:41.400
Mom wasn't handling it well, but she remained calm as76300:46:41.400 --> 00:46:44.400
she told us about the bodies found along Country Road76400:46:44.480 --> 00:46:47.840
sixty three. A couple of teens gone to make out76500:46:47.880 --> 00:46:51.199
got cut up real bad. Chief Hardesty said it was76600:46:51.320 --> 00:46:54.480
just a freak occurrence, a crime of opportunity, and that76700:46:54.519 --> 00:46:58.519
the killer was likely long gone. Our parents told us,76800:46:58.519 --> 00:47:01.639
to be home thirty minutes before sundown after that, and76900:47:01.719 --> 00:47:06.960
to never go anywhere alone, just in case this time77000:47:07.119 --> 00:47:12.039
was different, Connie, she started tugging at the silver locket77100:47:12.119 --> 00:47:17.880
dangling from her thin neck. Her voice trembled. It's Brenda.77200:47:18.280 --> 00:47:22.360
My stomach nodded. Brenda Knowles had been Lisa's best friend77300:47:22.440 --> 00:47:26.199
since kindergarten. She'd babysat for me on a few occasions,77400:47:26.199 --> 00:47:29.159
and came to eat dinner with us every Wednesday. She77500:47:29.320 --> 00:47:33.480
was my first crush too. I sniffled, but held back77600:47:33.559 --> 00:47:37.800
any other reaction until Mom could finish. Maybe it wasn't77700:47:37.840 --> 00:47:41.360
what I thought. Maybe those old tales from the Crip77800:47:41.440 --> 00:47:44.960
comics were poisoning my imagination the way Father Dean said77900:47:45.000 --> 00:47:49.360
they would at youth service. Maybe she was just moving away.78000:47:49.719 --> 00:47:53.239
That would explain why they were so upset, Chief Hardesty78100:47:53.360 --> 00:47:58.920
Founder this morning. Mom continued, Nope, it was exactly what78200:47:59.000 --> 00:48:03.119
I thought it was. I don't remember the exact moment78300:48:03.199 --> 00:48:07.199
that I realized the killings were exactly one month apart,78400:48:07.960 --> 00:48:11.039
but I do remember Lisa raising her face to stare78500:48:11.079 --> 00:48:14.840
at Mom and then me in turn. Her lips quivered,78600:48:15.360 --> 00:48:17.639
and then she stood up fast enough to knock the78700:48:17.719 --> 00:48:21.119
chair to the floor. She slammed her fists onto the78800:48:21.159 --> 00:48:28.519
table and screamed that I'll never forget that look and78900:48:28.599 --> 00:48:40.400
those words. She was eaten. Lisa cried until she passed out.79000:48:40.400 --> 00:48:43.559
That night, I watched the news with Mom to see79100:48:43.559 --> 00:48:47.840
if the police had anything to say. The station's newest reporter,79200:48:48.039 --> 00:48:51.519
Rex Willetts, looked like he'd been sick as he raised79300:48:51.559 --> 00:48:55.320
the microphone close to his chin. His hand shook slightly,79400:48:55.320 --> 00:48:58.840
and his trademark smile was nothing but a thin line79500:48:58.880 --> 00:49:03.480
of white teeth below his bushy mustache. Rex nodded slowly79600:49:04.079 --> 00:49:06.199
and started his report. When the phone rang in the79700:49:06.280 --> 00:49:10.400
kitchen and Mom went to answer, I'm here at the79800:49:10.480 --> 00:49:13.800
Ridley Funeral Home in Fagan County to report on a grisly,79900:49:13.960 --> 00:49:19.079
unimaginable crime, Rex started. He swallowed hard. The body of80000:49:19.159 --> 00:49:22.119
fifteen year old Brenda Knowles was found just before dawn80100:49:22.199 --> 00:49:25.599
this morning. Brenda had been babysitting for family friends the80200:49:25.639 --> 00:49:28.639
prior evening. She started the short walk to her home80300:49:28.800 --> 00:49:32.519
just before eleven PM. I turned my attention to Mom's80400:49:32.519 --> 00:49:36.400
shouting in the kitchen. What do you mean two days, Paul,80500:49:37.079 --> 00:49:39.559
She growled, It doesn't take two damn days to get80600:49:39.599 --> 00:49:44.000
a mechanic. Dad's truck broke down. That happened a lot80700:49:44.039 --> 00:49:47.639
when he was hauling rice to Shreveport. Only then though80800:49:48.400 --> 00:49:51.440
Mom noticed two. She had a pretty good idea of80900:49:51.440 --> 00:49:55.159
what was going on. What about the kids, she wailed,81000:49:55.440 --> 00:49:57.760
You know what's going on here? You're leaving us alone?81100:49:57.800 --> 00:50:01.320
So you Her voice became mu and I scooted closer81200:50:01.320 --> 00:50:03.800
to the television to hear what Rex had to say.81300:50:04.400 --> 00:50:07.360
I heard the phone slam against the receiver several times,81400:50:07.840 --> 00:50:12.199
and Moms stomping up the steps. I've seen the body,81500:50:13.000 --> 00:50:16.760
my God in heaven. I'll never unsee it now, Rex said.81600:50:16.760 --> 00:50:19.880
When movement caught his attention, he snapped his fingers and81700:50:19.920 --> 00:50:22.440
pointed his cameraman in the direction of the police chief.81800:50:23.000 --> 00:50:25.960
Other reporters rushed in around him. Rex elbowed one of81900:50:26.000 --> 00:50:27.480
them out of his way and reached in with his82000:50:27.519 --> 00:50:31.199
mic don't you buzzards have anything better to do? Chief82100:50:31.199 --> 00:50:35.880
Hardesty barked, a child's dead. For Christ's sake? How Rex asked,82200:50:35.920 --> 00:50:40.119
how did she die? Violently? Hardesty answered, in his low82300:50:40.360 --> 00:50:44.239
gruff drawl, is this related to last month's double homicide?82400:50:44.360 --> 00:50:48.039
A woman asked, we don't have conclusive evidence linking the two.82500:50:48.119 --> 00:50:52.199
This early in the investigation. Hardesty said his shoulders sagged.82600:50:52.719 --> 00:50:57.639
There are similarities. Were the other victims missing flesh and muscle?82700:50:58.000 --> 00:51:00.760
Rex quizzed him, were there bitemarks on them as well?82800:51:01.599 --> 00:51:05.360
Hardesty glared at Rex and then spoke with forced restraint.82900:51:06.199 --> 00:51:09.800
At this time, I'm asking all residents of Whistler in83000:51:09.840 --> 00:51:13.239
the outlying areas to stay indoors at night. The curfew83100:51:13.400 --> 00:51:16.840
is merely a request. However, the wail of sirens cut83200:51:16.880 --> 00:51:20.079
the report short. We wouldn't find out until the morning83300:51:20.119 --> 00:51:23.880
that they'd found another body. Crazy Dolores lived in a83400:51:23.920 --> 00:51:26.960
shack on the edge of town. She sold herbal remedies83500:51:26.960 --> 00:51:30.280
and told fortunes for a dollar. No one knew how83600:51:30.320 --> 00:51:35.119
long she'd been dead. I climbed into bed, but didn't83700:51:35.159 --> 00:51:38.119
dare go to sleep. I opened a comic and thought83800:51:38.119 --> 00:51:42.559
about Dad. Maybe the rig really broke down, but I83900:51:42.599 --> 00:51:45.719
didn't buy it. He was spending time with some woman84000:51:46.360 --> 00:51:50.320
in a strange way that made me feel better. He84100:51:50.400 --> 00:51:52.519
was more worried about getting laid than he was about84200:51:52.559 --> 00:51:55.400
the killer on the loose, so maybe it wasn't a84300:51:55.440 --> 00:51:59.920
big deal. My door creaked open, and Lisa slipped through84400:51:59.920 --> 00:52:04.599
that gap. I laid the comic down. I didn't know84500:52:04.639 --> 00:52:07.840
what to say. Sorry, your friend was brutally murdered and84600:52:07.880 --> 00:52:11.199
partially eaten. Really didn't seem like it helped the situation.84700:52:12.159 --> 00:52:15.079
Then again, we're going to find Brenda's killers. Wasn't a84800:52:15.119 --> 00:52:18.039
winner either, But that's exactly what Lisa said as she84900:52:18.159 --> 00:52:22.000
leaned on my dresser. I gawked at her and waited85000:52:22.039 --> 00:52:24.159
for what felt like an eternity for her to say85100:52:24.320 --> 00:52:30.039
something else. Look, Connie, she started, then paused and chewed85200:52:30.079 --> 00:52:33.800
her bottom lip. Chief Hardesty is a scumbag. He's going85300:52:33.840 --> 00:52:35.639
to pin all this on the first person that ain't85400:52:35.639 --> 00:52:38.559
Baptist enough for him. Then the murderer is just going85500:52:38.599 --> 00:52:42.920
to drift away. I was still too young to know85600:52:43.000 --> 00:52:45.800
how common that sort of thing was around there, or85700:52:45.840 --> 00:52:49.679
what kind of man Baxter Hardesty really was. I did85800:52:49.719 --> 00:52:52.280
want to make sure that Brenda's killer got caught. However,85900:52:53.840 --> 00:52:57.880
the killings are about a month apart, I said, hesitantly,86000:52:58.360 --> 00:53:02.639
unsure of exactly what I discreted, I shrugged. What if86100:53:02.639 --> 00:53:06.400
the killer travels and just stops through here every few weeks,86200:53:06.920 --> 00:53:09.960
or lives here and returns home once a month. Lisa86300:53:10.039 --> 00:53:13.840
offered Dad's friend, Ted is a long haul driver. I86400:53:13.920 --> 00:53:17.360
remembered Ted tried to convince Dad to work with him86500:53:17.400 --> 00:53:20.519
all the time. I also remembered Ted coming to my86600:53:20.519 --> 00:53:24.320
birthday party. I shook my head. I'm pretty sure he's86700:53:24.320 --> 00:53:27.400
out of town right now. I scratched the two recently86800:53:27.440 --> 00:53:31.280
sprouted hairs on my chin. What about a delivery driver,86900:53:31.840 --> 00:53:36.039
Brown's only gets a few deliveries a month. Lisa thought87000:53:36.039 --> 00:53:39.440
it over and nodded, okay, we'll go by and see87100:53:39.440 --> 00:53:42.679
when they got a delivery. Thinking the conversation was done,87200:53:42.719 --> 00:53:48.000
I lifted my comic. What is that, Connie, Lisa asked, shakily,87300:53:48.960 --> 00:53:52.480
what are you reading? I closed the issue and looked87400:53:52.480 --> 00:53:56.000
down at the cover. Bright yellow eyes stared up at87500:53:56.000 --> 00:53:59.800
me above the fang's dripping blood over a broken skull.87600:54:00.519 --> 00:54:03.480
I looked up at my sister. I knew what she87700:54:03.559 --> 00:54:05.679
was thinking, and I wanted to tell her that she87800:54:05.840 --> 00:54:11.320
was stupid. I wanted to, but I didn't. The same87900:54:11.400 --> 00:54:14.440
thought hit me when I looked at those fierce yellow88000:54:14.559 --> 00:54:17.920
orbs on the black cover. My stomach pitched as I88100:54:17.960 --> 00:54:21.719
thought about the recent events. My eyes left the stare88200:54:21.760 --> 00:54:25.480
of the beast and met my sisters. It's a werewolf,88300:54:26.239 --> 00:54:32.280
I finally said. We tried to put the notion back88400:54:32.320 --> 00:54:37.480
into our imaginations where werewolves were supposed to stay. Lisa88500:54:37.519 --> 00:54:39.920
and I rode our bikes to Brown's General store just88600:54:40.000 --> 00:54:43.559
past noon. The curfew officially started at sundown and was88700:54:43.599 --> 00:54:46.960
no longer a request, not that it mattered. The streets88800:54:46.960 --> 00:54:50.760
were already deserted. The baseball cards sputtering, and the bike88900:54:50.840 --> 00:54:54.559
spoke signaled the arrival of Brad Breaker. Brad was between89000:54:54.599 --> 00:54:57.079
Lisa and myself in age, so we hung out with89100:54:57.119 --> 00:55:00.159
both of us. He was the definition of cool with89200:55:00.199 --> 00:55:03.960
his acid washed jeans and his torn middrift Bruce Springsteen89300:55:04.039 --> 00:55:08.960
t shirt. Brad could play guitar and football. He was89400:55:09.000 --> 00:55:12.480
also muscular, with aquiline features and sandy blonde hair that89500:55:12.599 --> 00:55:15.840
made him look like Patrick Swayze and Red Dawn and89600:55:15.880 --> 00:55:19.920
made Lisa's brain stop working. My mom spazed when I89700:55:19.920 --> 00:55:22.599
said I was leaving. Brad looked at the grocery store89800:55:22.639 --> 00:55:24.760
and turned back to us. But you said it was89900:55:24.760 --> 00:55:28.960
an emergency. You won't get in trouble, will you, nah?90000:55:29.400 --> 00:55:34.000
Brad shrugged. My old man said experience builds character, and90100:55:34.159 --> 00:55:37.360
that I needed to bring back more folgers. Lucky. This90200:55:37.519 --> 00:55:41.079
is our first stop, I said, so why are we here.90300:55:41.840 --> 00:55:45.280
Lisa looked to me, telling him our theory would have90400:55:45.280 --> 00:55:47.800
been the right thing to do, but she thought he90500:55:47.920 --> 00:55:51.239
was cute and hoped I, being closer to the childish90600:55:51.320 --> 00:55:53.599
age to believe such things, would do it for her.90700:55:54.400 --> 00:55:59.199
I did not. We want to find Brenda's killer, I said,90800:55:59.199 --> 00:56:02.719
and waved at the street. Everyone's scared to death, but90900:56:02.800 --> 00:56:07.280
we want to help. Why, Brad asked, I mean, why91000:56:07.280 --> 00:56:10.039
do you think you can do it faster than the police.91100:56:10.199 --> 00:56:13.679
I removed the wrinkled, somewhat neatly folded newspaper clippings and91200:56:13.760 --> 00:56:17.239
handed them to him. Mister mcgara died and his corpse91300:56:17.320 --> 00:56:20.920
was eaten by coyotes. That's what they say. Anyhow, there's91400:56:20.960 --> 00:56:23.679
been a killing at the same time every month since.91500:56:24.199 --> 00:56:27.559
Each of those victims was partially eaten as well, I said,91600:56:27.639 --> 00:56:30.320
rattling off the facts as quickly as I could. I91700:56:30.360 --> 00:56:33.719
think the killer comes to town once a month. We91800:56:33.800 --> 00:56:36.039
think the murderer might be a delivery person or a91900:56:36.039 --> 00:56:38.360
truck driver. So we want to ask the Browns if92000:56:38.360 --> 00:56:42.920
they've gotten any shipments this week. Lisa added gnarly. Brad92100:56:42.960 --> 00:56:47.400
nodded slowly. Let's get to work. The Browns deliveries turned92200:56:47.440 --> 00:56:50.760
up bupkiss. We checked with every business in town for92300:56:50.800 --> 00:56:54.199
the same results. That theory was as dead as Brenda,92400:56:54.639 --> 00:57:00.599
which left us with only one other possibility till seven.92500:57:00.639 --> 00:57:03.039
We stopped by the ice cream shop and got Sundays92600:57:03.039 --> 00:57:06.559
for a quick sugar rush before dinner. I debated sharing92700:57:06.559 --> 00:57:09.920
the werewolf idea. I'd been trying to dismantle it as92800:57:09.960 --> 00:57:12.880
we asked around. If it was a werewolf, why did92900:57:12.920 --> 00:57:17.400
the killing start only recently? Was anyone acting differently around town?93000:57:18.239 --> 00:57:22.880
Was anyone new? What made someone a werewolf? So many questions,93100:57:22.920 --> 00:57:26.719
but none of them ruled out the possibility. What if93200:57:27.639 --> 00:57:31.079
it's stupid, Brad said, staring up at the now full moon.93300:57:32.960 --> 00:57:36.400
What if it's a werewolf? Lisa choked and stared at me,93400:57:36.519 --> 00:57:40.239
wide eyed over puffed cheeks full of banana split. I mean,93500:57:41.079 --> 00:57:43.840
my pops tells me to stay away from Snyder Creek93600:57:43.880 --> 00:57:47.159
because some kids died back in the twenties. Everyone says93700:57:47.239 --> 00:57:52.079
that was a monster. Why couldn't this be one? Darn it?93800:57:52.519 --> 00:57:54.880
I snapped my fingers and scooted my chair back with93900:57:54.920 --> 00:57:58.320
a screech of steel feet against the sidewalk. Why didn't94000:57:58.360 --> 00:58:03.320
I think of that? Think of what? Lisa asked. I've94100:58:03.360 --> 00:58:08.800
heard that story too, I answered, the Snyder Creek ghoule.94200:58:09.159 --> 00:58:13.360
They never found out what really happened, Lisa, we need94300:58:13.400 --> 00:58:14.840
to go to the library and see if we can94400:58:14.840 --> 00:58:18.239
find any old papers about it. Not a chance, Connie,94500:58:18.719 --> 00:58:22.159
She pointed to the Sherbert Skyline. We need to get94600:58:22.159 --> 00:58:27.000
home before dark. It's a long ride. The library's probably94700:58:27.039 --> 00:58:31.000
already closed anyway, Brad offered. The cops are never going94800:58:31.039 --> 00:58:35.480
to believe us. Lisa said, after tonight, he'll just be94900:58:35.559 --> 00:58:39.159
a man. I reassured her. We'll have a month to95000:58:39.280 --> 00:58:43.320
find out who the werewolf is and prove it. Crap.95100:58:43.800 --> 00:58:49.440
Brad let his head hang most non triumphant. What Lisa95200:58:49.480 --> 00:58:53.679
and I asked in unison. I forgot the coffee. He95300:58:53.760 --> 00:58:56.519
put a foot on a pedal. I'm going to hustle95400:58:56.519 --> 00:59:06.199
the Browns. See you later, he will. Brad's body wasn't95500:59:06.239 --> 00:59:10.360
found for six days. Worst of all, strange as it95600:59:10.440 --> 00:59:13.639
sounds to say, it like a bad thing. He didn't95700:59:13.639 --> 00:59:17.000
get eaten. It would be a while before Lisa drew95800:59:17.000 --> 00:59:20.679
a startling conclusion from the fact the curfew started an95900:59:20.679 --> 00:59:25.039
hour earlier. After that, a citizen's patrol was organized as well.96000:59:25.679 --> 00:59:28.559
It wasn't much more than a dozen yokels with spotlights96100:59:28.559 --> 00:59:31.840
and guns driving the paved roads. However, they wouldn't go96200:59:31.960 --> 00:59:35.239
down the miles of gravel paths where there weren't any96300:59:35.239 --> 00:59:38.199
street lights to keep them safe. They didn't find the96400:59:38.199 --> 00:59:41.880
werewolf either. All they accomplished was shooting a drifter who96500:59:41.920 --> 00:59:45.880
was busking at the Crispy Chicken truck stop. Chief hardest.96600:59:45.880 --> 00:59:48.480
He tried to pin the murders on that poor soul,96700:59:48.599 --> 00:59:52.199
like Lisa had suspected he would, No one was buying it.96800:59:52.840 --> 00:59:55.519
By that point, Dad had decided that between the new96900:59:55.559 --> 00:59:58.440
woman and a monster running roughshod back home, he had97000:59:58.480 --> 01:00:02.039
all the reason he needed to move to Louisiana. He97101:00:02.159 --> 01:00:05.599
came while we were asleep to collect his things. We97201:00:05.639 --> 01:00:09.639
spent every day tracking down information and investigating whatever absurd97301:00:09.719 --> 01:00:12.519
idea came to us. It was two nights before the97401:00:12.519 --> 01:00:17.039
next full moon when Lisa told me her troublesome theory.97501:00:17.199 --> 01:00:22.039
He didn't eat bread because he was warning us, she97601:00:22.199 --> 01:00:26.800
said somberly across the table. The local library had few97701:00:26.840 --> 01:00:30.239
books on lycanthropy. We'd been reading them every night and97801:00:30.280 --> 01:00:32.880
comparing them to the two clippings we had from nineteen97901:00:32.920 --> 01:00:37.079
twenty six. When the Snyder Creek ghoule had struck, I98001:00:37.119 --> 01:00:38.880
put the piece of paper I was using as a98101:00:38.880 --> 01:00:42.199
bookmark between the pages of the tome and closed it.98201:00:43.480 --> 01:00:47.960
What do you mean, I whispered, We were asking around98301:00:48.000 --> 01:00:52.199
about delivery schedules, about people from out of town. She98401:00:52.280 --> 01:00:58.079
shook her head. The wolf isn't a stranger. We know him,98501:00:58.360 --> 01:01:01.480
and he heard us talking. He wants us to leave98601:01:01.519 --> 01:01:05.719
him alone. I checked my watch and reached under the table,98701:01:05.800 --> 01:01:08.679
wrestling with the zipper from my fanny pack. Then he98801:01:08.719 --> 01:01:12.360
shouldn't have killed our friends, I growled. I pulled my98901:01:12.440 --> 01:01:14.480
prize and set it where Lisa could see with a99001:01:14.519 --> 01:01:18.480
heavy thump. Her eyes widened at the sight of cold99101:01:18.559 --> 01:01:22.400
blue steel. Dad forgot it when he packed, I told her,99201:01:22.480 --> 01:01:25.280
and lifted the Saint Christopher medallion our aunt had given99301:01:25.320 --> 01:01:29.320
me for my birthday. I've got this and six silver dollars.99401:01:29.920 --> 01:01:33.360
We can make two or three bullets with that. We99501:01:33.440 --> 01:01:37.280
don't know how to make bullets, Otto Dickens does, I99601:01:37.360 --> 01:01:40.119
pointed out, We have time to get to his store99701:01:40.119 --> 01:01:42.639
and back home. If we go right now, we're not99801:01:42.800 --> 01:01:46.360
hunting this damn thing. Connie. Lisa stood quickly and looked99901:01:46.400 --> 01:01:49.960
around at the mostly empty library. She lowered her voice.100001:01:51.000 --> 01:01:54.320
We should stop this. If he killed Brad to scare100101:01:54.440 --> 01:01:57.400
us off, then he knows who we are. We need100201:01:57.480 --> 01:02:02.199
the bullets. Regardless her face face twisted with contempt. She100301:02:02.320 --> 01:02:05.320
knew I was right and scooped her backpack before heading100401:02:05.360 --> 01:02:08.159
to the exit. We rode our bikes to the fork100501:02:08.199 --> 01:02:11.000
in the road, left to our house or right to100601:02:11.039 --> 01:02:15.239
otto Dicken's gun shop. Lisa didn't speak as she leaned100701:02:15.280 --> 01:02:18.599
and pulled her shwind down the right hand street. I100801:02:18.679 --> 01:02:23.480
smiled softly and followed. Most families in Whistler had lived100901:02:23.519 --> 01:02:27.480
no further away than the county line for generations. Otto101001:02:27.639 --> 01:02:31.320
just seemed to appear one day. Despite what you might101101:02:31.360 --> 01:02:35.480
have heard about southern hospitality, it doesn't apply to strangers.101201:02:36.159 --> 01:02:40.679
Otto had an uncanny ability with firearms. However, small towns101301:02:40.679 --> 01:02:44.760
of rural Arkansas might have hated strangers, but they certainly101401:02:44.840 --> 01:02:48.159
loved their guns. Otto was soon a welcomed member of101501:02:48.159 --> 01:02:50.079
the community and set up a shop on the far101601:02:50.199 --> 01:02:53.400
side of town. A couple of miles past the old cemetery.101701:02:54.719 --> 01:02:57.840
The tarnished bell over the door announced our arrival with101801:02:57.880 --> 01:03:00.559
whatever the hell a bell's version of us smoke cough101901:03:00.679 --> 01:03:04.079
is Otto looked up from the reloading station, his face102001:03:04.119 --> 01:03:07.800
twisted with curiosity as two teens entered his tiny store.102101:03:08.519 --> 01:03:11.480
A long scar parted his wild white beard on the102201:03:11.559 --> 01:03:14.599
left side of his face. He held up the cartridge he102301:03:14.679 --> 01:03:18.239
was working on between his thumb and index finger. Best102401:03:18.239 --> 01:03:22.039
goddamn rifle round in history, he said, in a voice102501:03:22.039 --> 01:03:26.039
that sent a shiver racing up my spine. Forty five seventy.102601:03:26.719 --> 01:03:29.440
I kept the chopped down Winchester in this caliber for102701:03:29.519 --> 01:03:33.559
clearing tunnels. Can't hear much of shit anymore as a result,102801:03:33.639 --> 01:03:36.360
but it could turn old Victor Charlie inside out in102901:03:36.440 --> 01:03:41.159
those confined spaces he ever shot a man. Lisa and103001:03:41.199 --> 01:03:45.639
I exchanged bewildered glances. How many kids could say yes?103101:03:47.199 --> 01:03:51.000
Didn't think so? Otto deposited the finished cartridge into a103201:03:51.039 --> 01:03:55.960
cardboard box beside him. Well, what can I help you with? Then?103301:03:56.559 --> 01:04:01.280
Too early for hunting, Not where we're hunting, I said, Lisa,103401:04:01.320 --> 01:04:04.039
elbowed me in the ribs and cleared her throat you103501:04:04.079 --> 01:04:08.280
can make bullets, right, reckon, I can. Lisa held out103601:04:08.280 --> 01:04:10.159
her hand and I gave her the items from my103701:04:10.280 --> 01:04:13.719
fanny pack. Otto left his stool and prowled to her.103801:04:14.480 --> 01:04:17.239
He bounced the coins and pendon in his palm. His103901:04:17.360 --> 01:04:19.639
amber eyes darted from one of us to the other104001:04:19.719 --> 01:04:24.239
before he snorted, you want silver bullets. He set the104101:04:24.280 --> 01:04:27.519
materials on his counter and shook his head. That's a104201:04:27.639 --> 01:04:32.159
shit idea. Silver's too dense. It won't take the rifling.104301:04:32.639 --> 01:04:35.760
Unless you plan on shooting at a barn. You won't104401:04:35.760 --> 01:04:38.960
be hitting nothing from more than a few feet muzzle104501:04:39.000 --> 01:04:42.679
velocity with nosedive too, because the round is heavier than104601:04:42.719 --> 01:04:47.119
your powder load. You won't mushroom either. They'll go clean104701:04:47.199 --> 01:04:50.719
in an clean out shot shells. That's what you need104801:04:50.760 --> 01:04:53.440
if you're lookin' to use silver. Lisa looked at me,104901:04:53.559 --> 01:04:57.719
completely lost in the gunsmith's lesson in ballistic science. I105001:04:57.800 --> 01:05:01.719
didn't understand it either. We don't have a shotgun, I105101:05:01.800 --> 01:05:06.079
finally said. We have a Chief Special thirty eight, a105201:05:06.320 --> 01:05:11.360
snub nose shooting silver bullets. Auto burst with boisterous laughter. Hell,105301:05:11.800 --> 01:05:14.760
you kids might as well slathery yourselves in barbecue. Sauce105401:05:14.800 --> 01:05:17.559
and yell here, puppy, if you plan on fight and105501:05:17.599 --> 01:05:21.119
a werewolf. With that set up, my jaw fell open,105601:05:21.400 --> 01:05:23.679
and I quickly glanced to my sister to find her105701:05:23.679 --> 01:05:26.480
in the same state. Otto put a hand on each105801:05:26.519 --> 01:05:30.239
of our shoulders. I hadn't noticed before, but three of105901:05:30.280 --> 01:05:32.920
his fingers were missing from the one resting on me.106001:05:33.840 --> 01:05:38.159
He hunkered slightly to look us in the eyes. Don't106101:05:38.159 --> 01:05:41.159
look surprised. Ain't much else you could be doing with106201:05:41.239 --> 01:05:45.639
silver bullets. He went behind the counter and pulled a106301:05:45.679 --> 01:05:49.239
sawd off shotgun from beneath the register. My eyes drifted106401:05:49.239 --> 01:05:52.039
to the black tape wrapped around the walnut stock and106501:05:52.079 --> 01:05:56.280
the rough scratches where a serial number had once been reckon.106601:05:56.360 --> 01:05:59.800
You can borrow this one, going to take about an hour.106701:06:00.159 --> 01:06:07.079
The shells you believe us, I asked lots of things106801:06:07.119 --> 01:06:09.840
in this world we pretend not to believe in No more,106901:06:10.719 --> 01:06:14.920
pretend weren't real in the first place. He absently rubbed107001:06:14.920 --> 01:06:17.239
the scar on his cheek with the nubs of his fingers.107101:06:18.519 --> 01:06:26.400
We pretend until they started eating us. The sun was107201:06:26.480 --> 01:06:29.360
just an orange razor's slash. By the time we got home,107301:06:30.039 --> 01:06:32.519
we dropped our bikes in the yard and ran inside.107401:06:33.039 --> 01:06:36.199
The shotgun mostly fit inside Lisa's backpack so we could107501:06:36.239 --> 01:06:39.679
sneak it past Mom. Not that it mattered. All the107601:06:39.719 --> 01:06:42.159
lights were off and she wasn't waiting for us like normal.107701:06:42.960 --> 01:06:45.000
I headed for the living room while she stashed the107801:06:45.039 --> 01:06:49.920
gun and changed clothes. How are you soldier, a gruff,107901:06:50.039 --> 01:06:54.360
ragged voice asked from a darkened corner. The hairs prickled108001:06:54.360 --> 01:06:56.239
on the back of my neck. At my dad's pet108101:06:56.320 --> 01:07:00.920
name for me, He stepped out of the shadows. He108201:07:01.000 --> 01:07:06.719
looked different and naked as he gracefully scaled the back108301:07:06.760 --> 01:07:10.239
of the couch and perched on the cushion. The weak108401:07:10.360 --> 01:07:12.960
glow of the mail ordered torch lamps shimmered on the108501:07:13.000 --> 01:07:17.079
sweat slick hairs growing longer from his tight flesh. His108601:07:17.159 --> 01:07:21.159
elongated nails scratched at the thick orange fabric of the sofa.108701:07:22.159 --> 01:07:26.079
You can catch a lot from horse, he said. He108801:07:26.159 --> 01:07:31.239
spoke slowly, like each word was new to him. Long108901:07:31.360 --> 01:07:34.760
strands of drool slung from his mouth as he flexed109001:07:34.760 --> 01:07:40.440
his jaw with a series of loud, painful pops. Your109101:07:40.599 --> 01:07:46.320
ma knew tried to fix it with crazy Dolores. His109201:07:46.440 --> 01:07:50.159
obsidian eyes focused on the coffee table. I saw mom's109301:07:50.199 --> 01:07:52.840
locket sitting there next to the half full ash tray,109401:07:53.199 --> 01:07:59.280
still wet with blood. It's not just the bite, he grumbled,109501:07:59.280 --> 01:08:03.880
his words become deeper and more human. It's like the109601:08:04.000 --> 01:08:11.960
clap I brought it home made her. Mister McGarrell was accident.109701:08:12.800 --> 01:08:16.359
He shifted on the cushion. Things moved inside his body,109801:08:16.720 --> 01:08:20.319
bones and muscles realigning, and he whined like a dog109901:08:20.359 --> 01:08:23.760
in a sticker bush. He sprang over the table and110001:08:23.840 --> 01:08:27.840
landed inches from me. His nose twitched as he took110101:08:27.880 --> 01:08:31.079
in my scent. His lips didn't touch anymore. As the110201:08:31.119 --> 01:08:36.399
fangs locked together, stiff fur covered his once chubby cheeks.110301:08:36.960 --> 01:08:42.279
She couldn't control. He growled, his teeth snapped in front110401:08:42.279 --> 01:08:51.119
of me. I can join pack, become come with me, soldier.110501:08:52.000 --> 01:08:56.760
I quivered with fear, with hurt, with anger. I never110601:08:56.840 --> 01:09:01.720
suspected my parents. I needed answers. Lisa screamed and broke110701:09:01.760 --> 01:09:04.720
me out of his hypnotic gaze. His hand clamped over110801:09:04.760 --> 01:09:08.000
my mouth. He watched the stairs, waiting for Lisa to110901:09:08.000 --> 01:09:11.079
come down. I eased my hand to the fanny pack,111001:09:11.439 --> 01:09:14.520
wiggling my fingers to stretch the zipper without the noise.111101:09:16.359 --> 01:09:21.239
Connie Lisa called Dad, sniffed the air. I watched his111201:09:21.359 --> 01:09:24.600
pointed ear twitch. He whipped his head back around to me,111301:09:24.680 --> 01:09:27.840
and his eyes widened as the barrel pressed against his chest.111401:09:28.840 --> 01:09:32.560
The thirty eight was louder than I remembered. The bullets111501:09:32.560 --> 01:09:35.600
weren't silver, but they did the trick. He fell backwards111601:09:35.600 --> 01:09:38.399
and crashed through the table. I fired the rest of111701:09:38.399 --> 01:09:41.000
them into his face while he was down. He screamed111801:09:41.039 --> 01:09:43.359
in pained behind me. While I darted for the stairs,111901:09:43.479 --> 01:09:46.600
I slammed into Lisa, who was clutching the shotgun. I112001:09:46.640 --> 01:09:49.600
think there's two of em. I wasn't listening. I jerked112101:09:49.600 --> 01:09:52.279
the weapon from her hands and went to finish Dad off.112201:09:53.279 --> 01:09:58.359
Only he wasn't there. Two bloody bullets rolled in the112301:09:58.399 --> 01:10:01.560
debris of the coffee table. A shadow fell over me112401:10:01.600 --> 01:10:04.960
from the kitchen. I threw myself to the floor, narrowly112501:10:05.000 --> 01:10:08.159
dodging the swipe of my father's claws. I rolled onto112601:10:08.159 --> 01:10:11.039
my back, and he looked more monstrous than before. His112701:10:11.159 --> 01:10:15.119
face had contorted into a snout. The front window shattered,112801:10:15.199 --> 01:10:18.800
startling me. My finger tensed on the trigger and the112901:10:18.880 --> 01:10:23.279
silver buckshot tore through Dad's thigh, obliterating the wood paneling beyond.113001:10:23.880 --> 01:10:26.000
I clambered up the stairs and Lisa pulled me to113101:10:26.039 --> 01:10:28.600
my feet by my collar. We ran into our parents113201:10:28.600 --> 01:10:32.000
bedroom and slammed the door behind us. I screamed when113301:10:32.039 --> 01:10:35.359
I saw the body on the bed. It was Mom,113401:10:36.359 --> 01:10:40.640
but just barely. Her features were still deformed, her body113501:10:40.680 --> 01:10:43.279
still covered in the bristly fur of her new form,113601:10:43.520 --> 01:10:46.119
and her head hung from the gnawed throat by a113701:10:46.119 --> 01:10:49.920
few remaining strands of muscle. Everything Dad tried to tell113801:10:49.960 --> 01:10:54.920
me suddenly made sense. His new girlfriend turned him, and113901:10:55.039 --> 01:10:59.239
he turned Mom. That's how the werewolf knew we were snooping.114001:11:00.560 --> 01:11:04.039
Mom was doing the killing while Dad joined his new114101:11:04.119 --> 01:11:08.880
pack in Louisiana. I vomited at the foot of the bed.114201:11:09.800 --> 01:11:15.800
What's happening, Lisa asked. Downstairs. Sounded like a dog fight, snarls,114301:11:15.880 --> 01:11:19.800
yips of pain, furious barks, things breaking. I threw the114401:11:19.840 --> 01:11:22.000
door open and whipped around the corner with the shotgun114501:11:22.079 --> 01:11:25.760
raised and ready. Dad pounced onto the stairs. Blood gushed114601:11:25.800 --> 01:11:28.039
from wounds, and he bared his fangs as he crawled114701:11:28.079 --> 01:11:32.920
up the steps toward me. I pulled the trigger nothing happened.114801:11:33.880 --> 01:11:37.399
I remembered duck hunting with him, and then my own folly.114901:11:38.359 --> 01:11:42.239
I hadn't chambered another round. He drew closer as I115001:11:42.359 --> 01:11:46.199
racked the slide, but it was too late. His claws115101:11:46.239 --> 01:11:49.479
opened deep furrows in my thigh and I toppled backwards.115201:11:50.039 --> 01:11:52.800
Then the other wolf came into view. It grabbed my115301:11:52.840 --> 01:11:55.479
father's legs and pulled him down the steps before mounting115401:11:55.520 --> 01:11:59.319
his back. The beast howled victoriously and glared at me115501:11:59.399 --> 01:12:03.920
with amber eyes set in white fur. The monster clamped115601:12:03.960 --> 01:12:06.800
its fully formed jaws down on the back of Dad's neck.115701:12:07.359 --> 01:12:10.079
I heard the wet snap of the spine as it115801:12:10.119 --> 01:12:13.720
shook its head from side to side. I stared at115901:12:13.760 --> 01:12:18.119
the long scar parting its fur, at the claws digging116001:12:18.159 --> 01:12:22.880
into its prey, and the missing fingers beside them. I116101:12:22.960 --> 01:12:24.960
pressed the barrel of the shotgun to the back of116201:12:25.000 --> 01:12:29.800
my father's skull and fired. The white wolf slunk away.116301:12:30.159 --> 01:12:32.760
Brain matter and pieces of skull clung to its fur.116401:12:33.520 --> 01:12:43.920
I pumped the shotgun again, and then the beast was gone.116501:12:44.039 --> 01:12:47.439
By mourning, the bodies had fully reverted to their human forms.116601:12:48.079 --> 01:12:52.279
Chief Hardesty didn't question anything. Dad was the killer and116701:12:52.399 --> 01:12:55.479
mom was just a victim. We let him run with116801:12:55.520 --> 01:12:59.199
that story before our aunt could come and pick us up.116901:12:59.600 --> 01:13:03.319
We need to take care of one more thing. We117001:13:03.439 --> 01:13:05.720
rode our bikes to Otto Dickon's shop and found him117101:13:05.720 --> 01:13:09.680
assembling a pistol at his counter. Reckon the police seized117201:13:09.720 --> 01:13:16.079
that gun. He said, simply, yeah, I answered, sorry, I guess.117301:13:17.199 --> 01:13:20.159
I set my mother's locket on the counter and looked117401:13:20.159 --> 01:13:25.720
at the gunsmith questioningly. Wolf's bane. He licked his lips.117501:13:26.079 --> 01:13:28.720
It helps when you're young, when the moon is still117601:13:28.760 --> 01:13:31.680
your master. He finished the pistol he was working on117701:13:31.800 --> 01:13:34.600
and slipped it into a messenger bag. He pushed the117801:13:34.680 --> 01:13:37.840
kid over to me, I haven't killed anyone in a117901:13:37.880 --> 01:13:42.199
long time. In case you were wondering, he told us,118001:13:43.319 --> 01:13:46.600
what do we do now? Lisa asked, different breeds of118101:13:46.600 --> 01:13:50.239
wolf the world over. My kind don't have a pack here.118201:13:51.079 --> 01:13:54.520
He pointed at the gauze around my leg. Your old118301:13:54.560 --> 01:13:59.319
man's kind does you took from them? They'll take from you.118401:14:00.239 --> 01:14:04.720
A wolf never forgets. You're just rabbits now, and there's118501:14:04.760 --> 01:14:08.359
nothing left to do for a scared bunny but to run.118601:14:09.800 --> 01:14:12.720
We took the bag Atto prepared for us and left118701:14:12.720 --> 01:14:16.159
his shop. We didn't go back to the house and118801:14:16.239 --> 01:14:19.119
wait for our aunt, though, we rode our bikes to118901:14:19.159 --> 01:14:22.239
the outskirts of Fagan County and hitched a ride at119001:14:22.239 --> 01:14:25.239
the Crispy Chicken. They caught up with us in Saint119101:14:25.279 --> 01:14:29.760
Louis three years later. I buried Lisa behind a city park.119201:14:30.880 --> 01:14:33.159
I rest in one place until I hear the bays119301:14:33.239 --> 01:14:37.439
of the pack on those bright moonlit nights, and then119401:14:37.479 --> 01:14:42.880
I disappear onto another stretch of asphalt, Always moving, always119501:14:42.920 --> 01:14:47.600
staying ahead of the wolves, always ready to remind them119601:14:48.359 --> 01:15:03.159
that rabbits have teeth too. Squirrels by Douglas Waltz. The119701:15:03.199 --> 01:15:07.039
first time I saw the squirrel, I was jogging down119801:15:07.079 --> 01:15:12.960
Marigold Street. It intersected with my street, Parker Street. My119901:15:13.119 --> 01:15:17.039
route was simple enough. Out my front door, go left,120001:15:17.479 --> 01:15:20.880
turn left down Marigold, which led all the way to120101:15:20.960 --> 01:15:26.079
Gambrel Park and the running trails five miles out five120201:15:26.159 --> 01:15:31.239
miles back. So the squirrel, unlike most squirrels you see120301:15:31.239 --> 01:15:35.560
in trees or running across the neatly manicured lawns that120401:15:35.600 --> 01:15:38.560
I ran by daily, was in one of the upper120501:15:38.600 --> 01:15:43.720
floor windows of Missus Woodrow's house. The biggest problem with120601:15:43.840 --> 01:15:47.039
that wasn't the fact that the squirrel was in the house.120701:15:48.039 --> 01:15:52.439
It was that the house was empty. It had been120801:15:52.520 --> 01:15:55.880
empty for the past month since Missus Woodrow had died.120901:15:57.039 --> 01:15:59.920
She was a nice old lady, lived alone in her121001:16:00.039 --> 01:16:04.399
eighty's husband long gone to the Great Beyond. I would121101:16:04.399 --> 01:16:06.840
see her once in a while on my morning runs,121201:16:07.640 --> 01:16:11.840
the consensual smile and wave each time, but that was121301:16:11.880 --> 01:16:15.479
really it. I had heard from my friend Rob that121401:16:15.560 --> 01:16:18.039
she had died. He was in the real itt her121501:16:18.079 --> 01:16:21.319
business and in charge of selling the house. I saw121601:16:21.399 --> 01:16:24.319
his fake smiling face on the sign planted in the121701:16:24.319 --> 01:16:27.760
front yard near the sidewalk. I knew from that first121801:16:27.800 --> 01:16:31.199
sighting of the squirrel. Rob would be mad. Wouldn't do121901:16:31.359 --> 01:16:35.119
to have the house become infested with critters. Probably found122001:16:35.119 --> 01:16:37.279
a spot up near the roof and got in that way.122101:16:38.039 --> 01:16:40.600
I told myself to mention it to Rob the next122201:16:40.640 --> 01:16:43.600
time I saw him, but each and every time it122301:16:43.800 --> 01:16:47.399
just slipped my mind. Apparently a squirrel in a house122401:16:47.479 --> 01:16:50.640
didn't make that big of an impression on me until122501:16:51.319 --> 01:16:55.199
the following week, when I jogged past and there were122601:16:55.199 --> 01:17:00.079
two squirrels just sitting up on their hind legs looking122701:17:00.119 --> 01:17:03.199
out the window. The front side of the house had122801:17:03.279 --> 01:17:06.560
three windows on the top floor and a huge picture122901:17:06.600 --> 01:17:09.680
window that I assumed was in the living room, and123001:17:09.760 --> 01:17:12.359
a smaller one on the other side that probably was123101:17:12.399 --> 01:17:16.640
over the sink in the kitchen. So the squirrel population123201:17:16.800 --> 01:17:20.239
had doubled in a pretty short period of time. The123301:17:20.279 --> 01:17:24.079
second squirrel prompted me to call Rob, and he didn't answer,123401:17:24.439 --> 01:17:26.960
so I left him a message telling him he might123501:17:27.039 --> 01:17:30.479
want to look into an exterminator. And that was the123601:17:30.560 --> 01:17:34.920
last I thought of Rob and Missus Woodward's house until123701:17:35.239 --> 01:17:39.159
the third squirrel showed up. Now each window on the123801:17:39.159 --> 01:17:42.600
top floor had a squirrel, all being really passive and123901:17:42.720 --> 01:17:46.920
just staring out the windows. Soon the bottom floor windows124001:17:46.960 --> 01:17:51.680
had squirrels as well. I could feel those soulless black124101:17:51.720 --> 01:17:54.920
eyes staring at me as I jogged past each and124201:17:55.000 --> 01:17:59.760
every morning. I could swear they were watching me. But124301:18:00.119 --> 01:18:04.560
that's impossible. Squirrels don't do that. I was so sure124401:18:04.600 --> 01:18:08.600
they didn't do that that I checked Google after my run. Yeah,124501:18:09.039 --> 01:18:11.520
squirrels could care less what we are up to, as124601:18:11.560 --> 01:18:15.000
long as we weren't trying to kill them. I had124701:18:15.039 --> 01:18:18.640
no reason to kill the squirrels. Another week followed, and124801:18:18.720 --> 01:18:22.039
soon the picture window had a line of squirrels in it,124901:18:23.000 --> 01:18:25.319
and there were more than one of them in the125001:18:25.399 --> 01:18:29.760
other windows. Seems the place was filling up fast, I125101:18:29.840 --> 01:18:34.399
joked to myself. It made me chuckle. After three times125201:18:34.399 --> 01:18:37.640
of reaching Rob's machine, I decided I could just let125301:18:37.720 --> 01:18:39.880
Rob find out on his own that the late Missus125401:18:39.880 --> 01:18:44.640
Woodward's lovely house was becoming a squirrel condo. What business125501:18:44.760 --> 01:18:48.680
was it of mine? But it did seem like a125601:18:48.680 --> 01:18:53.159
lot of squirrels. I had no idea how many squirrels125701:18:53.239 --> 01:18:57.520
lived in a normal residential neighborhood, and that led me125801:18:57.640 --> 01:19:01.880
back to Google. So yeah, for everyone you saw, there125901:19:01.960 --> 01:19:07.479
could be more, a lot more. That unnerved me slightly.126001:19:08.119 --> 01:19:11.960
Missus Woodward's house was a block from my own. Last126101:19:11.960 --> 01:19:16.359
thing I needed was vermin trying to get into my house. Finally,126201:19:16.439 --> 01:19:19.199
one day I noticed the for sale sign with Rob's126301:19:19.199 --> 01:19:23.479
face was gone from the front yard. Windows were still126401:19:23.600 --> 01:19:28.239
full of squirrels. Did someone move in and keep the squirrels?126501:19:28.960 --> 01:19:31.600
I laughed at the absurd thought and stopped at the126601:19:31.640 --> 01:19:33.920
walkway that led to the front door of the house.126701:19:34.520 --> 01:19:38.479
What the hell, I actually said aloud. It broke the126801:19:38.560 --> 01:19:41.800
quiet silence of the morning air, and I looked around126901:19:41.800 --> 01:19:44.560
to see if anyone had heard me. Not a lot127001:19:44.600 --> 01:19:46.960
of traffic in the neighborhood that early in the morning,127101:19:47.079 --> 01:19:50.319
so I was good. I decided to walk up to127201:19:50.399 --> 01:19:54.239
the front door and knock. Before my hand touched the door,127301:19:54.840 --> 01:19:58.840
I noticed a weird, low, chittering noise that seemed to127401:19:58.880 --> 01:20:03.840
emanate from the entire How many squirrels could be in there?127501:20:04.680 --> 01:20:09.960
I almost knocked, but then the door opened. I tensed,127601:20:10.039 --> 01:20:13.359
expecting a swarm of killer squirrels to leap from the127701:20:13.399 --> 01:20:17.800
door right at my face. Instead, there was an old127801:20:17.880 --> 01:20:23.119
man staring at me. He was small, slightly hunched, with127901:20:23.159 --> 01:20:25.760
a face so filled with wrinkles he could have been128001:20:25.760 --> 01:20:28.359
one hundred years old if he was a day. Yes,128101:20:29.159 --> 01:20:33.479
he said in a weird, high pitched voice. I was speechless.128201:20:34.159 --> 01:20:37.600
He continued to stare at me. I finally managed to128301:20:37.640 --> 01:20:42.279
ask him about the squirrels. What squirrels? Came the same128401:20:42.359 --> 01:20:45.319
high pitched voice. I leaned away from the door to128501:20:45.319 --> 01:20:47.880
look up to the windows. I was going to point128601:20:47.920 --> 01:20:50.920
out how they were filled with the little beasts, But128701:20:51.000 --> 01:20:54.600
the windows were empty, not a single squirrel in sight.128801:20:55.199 --> 01:20:59.760
I panicked, apologized, and took off running. I had gone128901:20:59.800 --> 01:21:02.960
through blocks before I realized my brain had decided to129001:21:02.960 --> 01:21:06.199
finish my run. There was a trickle of ice cold129101:21:06.239 --> 01:21:10.399
sweat running down my back, and my face felt red hot.129201:21:11.239 --> 01:21:14.319
The next morning, I told myself just skip a day.129301:21:14.840 --> 01:21:18.560
I reassured myself that I ran every day religiously and129401:21:18.600 --> 01:21:22.119
could miss one. I kept telling myself that as I129501:21:22.159 --> 01:21:24.760
put on my shorts and a T shirt. I was129601:21:24.800 --> 01:21:27.359
pretty sure I had convinced myself. As I was lacing129701:21:27.439 --> 01:21:30.319
up my running shoes and a little shocked at my129801:21:30.399 --> 01:21:33.840
own behavior. As my feet hit the sidewalk and I129901:21:33.920 --> 01:21:37.840
started to run, I had to know. I had to130001:21:37.920 --> 01:21:41.680
see for myself that some little old man had moved130101:21:41.680 --> 01:21:45.960
into Missus Woodward's house, and the squirrels must have left130201:21:46.960 --> 01:21:53.159
unless he was raising the squirrels. Why would people raise squirrels?130301:21:53.840 --> 01:21:59.199
They couldn't make great pets meet Maybe I knew people130401:21:59.359 --> 01:22:03.000
ate squirrels and they are awful small, so maybe he130501:22:03.159 --> 01:22:06.279
was raising them in bulk to make it more profitable.130601:22:07.319 --> 01:22:12.039
As I turned onto Marigold, the icy sweat returned. Where130701:22:12.079 --> 01:22:15.600
would he sell squirrel meat? I never in my life130801:22:15.680 --> 01:22:20.159
could remember seeing squirrel for sale in any supermarket I130901:22:20.199 --> 01:22:25.680
had stepped foot in, maybe online as a specialty. All131001:22:25.720 --> 01:22:28.520
of my assumptions were swirling in my brain as I131101:22:28.600 --> 01:22:34.680
ran past the house. Windows filled with squirrels, and this131201:22:34.840 --> 01:22:40.119
time I watched them all lock their black, beady eyes131301:22:40.199 --> 01:22:44.039
on me. Their heads turned as they followed my progress131401:22:44.479 --> 01:22:47.840
until I was past the house. At that point I131501:22:47.960 --> 01:22:52.520
finished my run out of spite. Yeah, that'll teach those131601:22:52.600 --> 01:22:56.239
damn squirrels. I laughed again at my own sense of humor.131701:22:56.880 --> 01:22:59.319
Felt like maybe I laughed a little too long at131801:22:59.359 --> 01:23:03.640
such a lame thought. The next morning, I was watching131901:23:03.680 --> 01:23:06.279
the news and heard about a rash of robberies in132001:23:06.359 --> 01:23:10.039
and around my neighborhood. It seemed that even the suburbs132101:23:10.039 --> 01:23:13.640
weren't safe from the nearby city life of crime and violence.132201:23:14.319 --> 01:23:17.760
I had installed a burglar alarm years ago, so it132301:23:17.880 --> 01:23:20.640
wasn't a problem for me. I got ready for my132401:23:20.760 --> 01:23:23.560
run and headed out the door, ready for my daily132501:23:23.640 --> 01:23:27.479
squirrel encounter. As I approached the house, it felt like132601:23:27.560 --> 01:23:34.439
something was off. Then I noticed it. There wasn't a132701:23:34.479 --> 01:23:38.000
single squirrel in any of the windows, and the front132801:23:38.039 --> 01:23:41.479
door was wide open. I slowed down as I reached132901:23:41.520 --> 01:23:45.359
the walkway and agonized over what to do next. I133001:23:45.479 --> 01:23:48.960
stared at the open door from the sidewalk. It was133101:23:49.079 --> 01:23:54.479
just a black rectangle, no noise, no squirrels. I must133201:23:54.479 --> 01:23:56.800
have stared at that doorway for what felt like an133301:23:56.880 --> 01:23:59.840
hour at least, but knew it was just my nerves133401:24:00.000 --> 01:24:04.760
exaggerating time. I decided to slowly walk towards the door.133501:24:05.640 --> 01:24:08.479
Half Way down the walk, I realized I should probably133601:24:08.840 --> 01:24:12.560
call the police. My hand went into my front pocket133701:24:12.960 --> 01:24:16.479
and came up empty. I could see it lying on133801:24:16.520 --> 01:24:21.399
my kitchen counter, mocking me for not remembering to take it. Idiot,133901:24:21.760 --> 01:24:24.119
I whispered, as if I had some one there with134001:24:24.199 --> 01:24:28.279
me and I didn't want them to hear. I inhaled134101:24:28.720 --> 01:24:33.239
deeply and walked to the doorway, looking into the gloom.134201:24:33.319 --> 01:24:36.920
It just looked like a normal house, not a sign134301:24:36.960 --> 01:24:39.119
of a squirrel or the little old man who had134401:24:39.159 --> 01:24:45.279
answered the door. I called out and waited no answer.134501:24:45.880 --> 01:24:51.159
I called out one more time, with the same results. Finally,134601:24:51.199 --> 01:24:54.119
I took my first step ever into what had been134701:24:54.239 --> 01:24:58.039
Missus Woodward's house. It had an odd smell that I134801:24:58.159 --> 01:25:03.560
recognized immediately. It was old people smell. Years ago I134901:25:03.560 --> 01:25:06.600
had a part time job at a senior facility. I135001:25:06.680 --> 01:25:09.119
went around and checked on the people who lived there.135101:25:09.960 --> 01:25:12.560
It was a nice enough job. Most of them just135201:25:12.640 --> 01:25:16.560
wanted to talk, so I heard some pretty fascinating stories.135301:25:17.319 --> 01:25:21.359
But the smell was always there in each room. My135401:25:21.479 --> 01:25:25.720
favorite person to visit with was mister mc cleary, Harrison McCleary,135501:25:26.079 --> 01:25:30.399
ninety five years old. He had been in both world135601:25:30.479 --> 01:25:34.920
Wars and had a story every time I visited. Finally,135701:25:35.119 --> 01:25:38.760
one day I asked him what that particular smell was.135801:25:40.079 --> 01:25:44.520
That's death, he said, matter of factly, when he saw135901:25:44.600 --> 01:25:48.880
my puzzled face, he explained it to me. People decay136001:25:48.920 --> 01:25:52.239
their whole lives. Sure there's some growth there at first,136101:25:52.279 --> 01:25:55.920
but even then you lose old cells to be replaced136201:25:55.920 --> 01:25:58.920
by new ones. As you near the end of your136301:25:59.000 --> 01:26:02.359
journey here on this rock, you just don't move around136401:26:02.439 --> 01:26:06.079
as much, so the smell has nowhere to go. That's136501:26:06.119 --> 01:26:10.399
what you smell, perfectly natural. I had left it at136601:26:10.399 --> 01:26:14.560
that made perfect sense to me. And now I was136701:26:14.600 --> 01:26:17.399
in a house that I expected to find squirrel central,136801:26:17.800 --> 01:26:21.079
and there wasn't a single one to be seen. I136901:26:21.159 --> 01:26:23.920
flipped the switch near the front door, and the lights137001:26:24.000 --> 01:26:29.880
blazed to life. Still no squirrels. Then I heard a faint, wet,137101:26:30.119 --> 01:26:34.479
chewing noise coming from the kitchen. Against my better judgment,137201:26:35.039 --> 01:26:39.399
I went to the kitchen. To this day, I really137301:26:39.479 --> 01:26:42.479
wish I had just left and gone home to call137401:26:42.520 --> 01:26:48.159
the police, but I didn't. The kitchen looked like a137501:26:48.199 --> 01:26:52.159
tornado had ripped through it. Nothing was where it belonged.137601:26:52.920 --> 01:26:55.239
The little table and chair set that had been a137701:26:55.319 --> 01:26:59.640
breakfast nook was overturned, and on the floor were two figures.137801:27:00.479 --> 01:27:06.439
One was the old man, but something looked wrong. He137901:27:06.479 --> 01:27:11.159
looked flat, like he was just a suit of an138001:27:11.199 --> 01:27:17.479
old man. There was no substance there, just skin. Next138101:27:17.479 --> 01:27:20.479
to him was a pile of squirrels in the shape138201:27:20.479 --> 01:27:26.000
of a man. Under them was another man. Each of138301:27:26.039 --> 01:27:29.359
their little claws and mouths were bright red from the blood.138401:27:30.199 --> 01:27:33.479
My panicked vision saw a gun lying near the man138501:27:33.600 --> 01:27:38.000
being devoured, and as my thought processes fired through my brain,138601:27:38.800 --> 01:27:43.760
I put it all together, the rash of burglaries, the138701:27:43.800 --> 01:27:48.720
old man on the floor, the other man with the gun. Obviously,138801:27:48.760 --> 01:27:51.840
the crook didn't realize that someone was home, got in138901:27:51.920 --> 01:27:57.279
the house and surprised the old man. And but why139001:27:57.399 --> 01:28:00.640
was the old man so flat. That was when I139101:28:00.760 --> 01:28:05.359
noticed that the chewing noise had dissipated. I stopped trying139201:28:05.399 --> 01:28:09.439
to look everywhere and focused on the body. All of139301:28:09.439 --> 01:28:13.960
the squirrels were staring blankly at me. A few had139401:28:14.039 --> 01:28:17.159
drops of blood fall from their mouths as they continued139501:28:17.159 --> 01:28:20.840
to stare. I knew I had to get out, but139601:28:21.000 --> 01:28:25.680
my legs were refusing the simplest command to run. I139701:28:25.800 --> 01:28:30.199
took one step backward. The pile of squirrels flew off139801:28:30.239 --> 01:28:32.239
the dead man in a flurry and headed for the139901:28:32.279 --> 01:28:36.359
body of the old man. And then I saw it.140001:28:37.600 --> 01:28:43.119
One by one in rapid succession. They squeezed into his mouth,140101:28:43.760 --> 01:28:48.199
and the old man inflated and took form. As the140201:28:48.319 --> 01:28:52.640
last one burrowed into his mouth, he stood up and140301:28:52.800 --> 01:28:57.359
stared at me, the last squirrel's tail still hanging from140401:28:57.359 --> 01:29:02.239
his mouth. The tail disappeared with a disgusting slurp. The140501:29:02.279 --> 01:29:05.119
old man wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his shirt,140601:29:05.439 --> 01:29:10.159
staining its scarlet in the process. He took one step forward,140701:29:10.520 --> 01:29:13.600
and in that high pitched voice, he said, get out.140801:29:14.399 --> 01:29:17.239
My brain clicked, my legs came to life, and I140901:29:17.359 --> 01:29:19.640
ran out of the kitchen. Two more steps that were141001:29:19.640 --> 01:29:21.560
more like leaps. Put me at the front door, and141101:29:21.640 --> 01:29:25.000
I vaulted back to my house. My mind registered the141201:29:25.000 --> 01:29:27.520
door slam behind me, and I made my best time141301:29:27.640 --> 01:29:30.640
ever getting back to my house, where I collapsed into141401:29:30.640 --> 01:29:35.479
a sweaty ball of fear and disbelief. The next day,141501:29:36.039 --> 01:29:39.079
clad in my running outfit, I reached the end of141601:29:39.119 --> 01:29:43.199
my walkway that connected to the sidewalk and then I141701:29:43.279 --> 01:29:52.600
made a right bringing out the wolf in me by141801:29:52.760 --> 01:29:57.880
Rob Field. Seriously, what is it with guys here at141901:29:57.920 --> 01:30:03.359
Strickfield High School? Not a place of learning for these dumbasses,142001:30:04.199 --> 01:30:06.640
It's just a place to meet girls and try to142101:30:06.720 --> 01:30:11.920
satisfy their raging hormones. I wish I'd stayed in Malibu142201:30:12.359 --> 01:30:17.920
and taken my chances with those werewolf hunters there, but no,142301:30:19.600 --> 01:30:22.880
I had to come back to Strickfield. Not only do142401:30:23.039 --> 01:30:26.520
guys here refuse to leave me alone. And keep in142501:30:26.600 --> 01:30:31.159
mind that Danielle Boyd made the cover of several fashion magazines,142601:30:31.479 --> 01:30:35.920
including two nude spreads and Vanity Fair. They want to142701:30:35.960 --> 01:30:39.600
be the alpha male to say they've taken me to bed.142801:30:40.520 --> 01:30:44.800
I find myself saying alpha more since I was bitten142901:30:44.880 --> 01:30:47.319
by a werewolf at the height of a lunar eclipse.143001:30:48.319 --> 01:30:50.840
You'd think I'd turn into a she bitch during the143101:30:50.880 --> 01:30:56.560
full moon, right right, No turns out. I go into143201:30:56.560 --> 01:31:01.319
she bitch mode whenever I get pissed off, which ain't143301:31:01.399 --> 01:31:06.680
hard for me since I got some serious anger issues anyway.143401:31:07.279 --> 01:31:10.239
Once my fuse gets lit, I go through my pains,143501:31:10.720 --> 01:31:15.079
my bones elongating, my hair prickling and growing out, my143601:31:15.199 --> 01:31:19.560
fingers becoming claws, my mouth turning into a muzzle with143701:31:20.079 --> 01:31:24.760
razor sharp teeth. Feeling all that pain pisses me off143801:31:24.800 --> 01:31:27.720
even more. And don't get me started on how I143901:31:27.800 --> 01:31:31.640
lose every bit of clothing I'm wearing. Once I'm the144001:31:31.680 --> 01:31:36.520
she bitch, I stay that way until I finally calm down.144101:31:37.359 --> 01:31:40.399
Believe it or not, I've stayed in she bitch mode144201:31:40.439 --> 01:31:44.800
for as long as two days before finally calming down144301:31:44.920 --> 01:31:48.720
and becoming me again. You'd think I could just calm144401:31:48.800 --> 01:31:53.399
myself down, since I'm fully aware of myself while running144501:31:53.399 --> 01:31:58.960
around Strickfield in my silver fur. Like I said, I144601:31:59.079 --> 01:32:04.600
got curious anger issues. My roommate Darla Blake stopped trying144701:32:04.640 --> 01:32:08.000
to tell me to get therapy. During my first session,144801:32:08.079 --> 01:32:12.479
I wolfed out and wrecked the whole office. Okay, but144901:32:12.760 --> 01:32:15.439
you're wondering what my condition has to do with what's145001:32:15.520 --> 01:32:20.079
going on now. Right. Like I said, guys don't want145101:32:20.079 --> 01:32:23.119
to leave me alone. I guess that's on me when145201:32:23.119 --> 01:32:27.880
you're an ex supermodel and people won't let you forget it. Hell,145301:32:28.399 --> 01:32:31.840
I even wolfed out once after a brainless jock slapped145401:32:31.920 --> 01:32:35.960
my ass not too long ago. But let's talk about145501:32:36.439 --> 01:32:42.079
one particular asshole that goes to Strickfield High, shall we.145601:32:43.319 --> 01:32:47.479
Keenan Dorfmann just transferred to my school after getting booted145701:32:47.520 --> 01:32:52.359
out of Strickfield Academy. Supposedly he was scoring way too145801:32:52.359 --> 01:32:55.600
many girls there. I even got a heads up from145901:32:55.600 --> 01:32:59.479
Bella Tabon that this man whoreres got his eye on146001:32:59.680 --> 01:33:04.800
me specifically. Funny thing about being the kind of cursed146101:33:04.840 --> 01:33:07.560
I am. I can see in the dark in my146201:33:07.680 --> 01:33:11.840
human form. I can also smell things the same way146301:33:11.920 --> 01:33:14.920
as if I was the wolf. And let me tell you,146401:33:15.640 --> 01:33:19.720
I ain't never smelled the kind of testosterone I've smelled146501:33:19.800 --> 01:33:24.920
being close to Keenan Dorfman. In fact, Haileen donnerly heard146601:33:24.920 --> 01:33:29.600
his nickname is Alpha on account of all the pussy146701:33:29.760 --> 01:33:34.720
he gets. Believe me, my fellow cheerleaders, ain't fucking with me.146801:33:35.279 --> 01:33:38.000
I know my bitch is well enough to know they're okay.146901:33:39.000 --> 01:33:41.560
I know I can be a handful to them since147001:33:41.600 --> 01:33:46.319
I'm a literal raging bitch, but they know to expect147101:33:46.319 --> 01:33:50.720
that from me. But when Felicia Meren, our captain, told147201:33:50.760 --> 01:33:55.079
me privately there were rumors going around that Keenan scored147301:33:55.119 --> 01:33:59.319
with one of the teachers at Strickfield High, missus Roland,147401:34:00.239 --> 01:34:03.840
I rolled my eyes and told her I couldn't have147501:34:03.880 --> 01:34:08.359
cared less. But when Felicia said she'd heard Keenan say147601:34:08.520 --> 01:34:12.119
he was coming for me, that he was going to147701:34:13.079 --> 01:34:18.039
marry me, I damn near wolf doubt. For the record,147801:34:18.640 --> 01:34:23.399
Felicia knows about me. In fact, all my bitches know147901:34:23.560 --> 01:34:29.479
about me. Anyway, I knew Felicia wasn't lying. Thankfully she148001:34:29.600 --> 01:34:40.079
helped calm me down. Unfortunately, that calmness wouldn't last. I148101:34:40.279 --> 01:34:43.960
just finished my shower after cheerleading for a basketball game.148201:34:44.680 --> 01:34:47.439
I wanted to hang out with Darla since I wasn't148301:34:47.479 --> 01:34:51.479
working at Roth's Rings tonight. Also, she was off from148401:34:51.600 --> 01:34:55.800
dancing at Sexpectations. As soon as I exit the main148501:34:55.920 --> 01:35:00.560
doors of Strickfield High, Keenan Dorfman standing there with his friends,148601:35:01.359 --> 01:35:06.439
and oh did he ever see me? In fact, he148701:35:06.520 --> 01:35:10.000
approaches me, I raise my hand in front of me.148801:35:10.840 --> 01:35:16.199
Fuck off, Keenan. His sneer says, it ain't happening. I'm148901:35:16.239 --> 01:35:20.800
sure you heard around school that I want you, Danielle.149001:35:20.840 --> 01:35:24.840
He points at me. People keep saying you're the hardest149101:35:24.840 --> 01:35:28.479
one to get here. Now he's rubbing his hands together.149201:35:29.600 --> 01:35:33.079
I really hope you are that hard to get. And149301:35:33.159 --> 01:35:36.680
he's got a gleam in his eye because not only149401:35:36.760 --> 01:35:41.279
will I get you, I think I'm in love. Yeah,149501:35:42.000 --> 01:35:46.279
you're the one I'm gonna marry. When he sees me heaving,149601:35:46.840 --> 01:35:50.479
he comes right after me. I drop my shit and run.149701:35:51.239 --> 01:35:55.479
Bella Tabon asked me many times why I even cheerlead.149801:35:56.359 --> 01:35:59.159
Of course, she's complimenting me by saying I should be149901:35:59.159 --> 01:36:03.960
an athlete in dead. Thinking about it, Bella and Darla150001:36:04.079 --> 01:36:07.840
would get along great. They both give me great advice.150101:36:08.760 --> 01:36:12.039
Problem is I'm too much of a bitch to take it.150201:36:13.119 --> 01:36:18.000
Leave me alone, Keenan. I yell, can't do that, hottie,150301:36:18.439 --> 01:36:22.239
he calls back. I cry out when I feel that150401:36:22.359 --> 01:36:27.720
sudden surge down my back, that motherfucker have got to150501:36:27.760 --> 01:36:31.359
get away from him. I reach the fence and quickly150601:36:31.399 --> 01:36:35.119
climb over it. I drop just outside the football field.150701:36:35.880 --> 01:36:38.840
That's when my shoes come apart. When I hear that150801:36:38.960 --> 01:36:42.520
bastard climbing the fence, I turn around and slam my150901:36:42.680 --> 01:36:47.159
palms against it to knock him off. Then I run151001:36:47.199 --> 01:36:51.680
away again. When I'm under the home bleachers, I feel151101:36:51.720 --> 01:36:56.399
my clothes coming apart. I'm gonna kill Keenan for this.151201:36:57.760 --> 01:37:02.199
I groan and growl at the pain I'm My clothes151301:37:02.239 --> 01:37:08.399
are tatters on the ground. Now I'm growing, sprouting hair changing.151401:37:09.520 --> 01:37:13.319
When it's finished, I tighten my fists and roar with151501:37:13.479 --> 01:37:19.319
all I've got. Where are you, my beautiful flower? I151601:37:19.399 --> 01:37:24.960
hear Keenan singing. Come on, I'm not gonna hurt you, Danielle.151701:37:25.159 --> 01:37:29.119
I just want to win your heart, Win my heart,151801:37:30.039 --> 01:37:33.680
win my heart. I'll rip yours right out, you son151901:37:33.720 --> 01:37:37.079
of a bitch. You brought the wolf out of me tonight.152001:37:37.720 --> 01:37:43.720
You wanna play, let's play. When Keenan's still hunting for me,152101:37:44.199 --> 01:37:47.319
I spring right out of the bleachers and tackle him152201:37:47.359 --> 01:37:51.279
on the AstroTurf of the football field. Keenan cries out152301:37:51.279 --> 01:37:54.399
when he's flat on his back. I glare right at152401:37:54.479 --> 01:37:57.479
him and growl as I hold him down with one152501:37:58.079 --> 01:38:02.680
clawed hand. I'm screaming everything I can at him right now.152601:38:03.119 --> 01:38:05.840
You'd think I'd learned by now that even though I152701:38:06.119 --> 01:38:10.520
understand English perfectly in my wolf form, I can never152801:38:10.680 --> 01:38:16.199
speak it. Believe me, I tried many times. All that152901:38:16.319 --> 01:38:21.000
comes out are growls and roars. Still, I gotta vent153001:38:21.079 --> 01:38:26.039
my anger somehow. Right now, I do know for a fact,153101:38:26.439 --> 01:38:29.720
I can go full she bitch mode on Keenan and153201:38:29.800 --> 01:38:33.359
he won't come back like me. I've scratched and bit153301:38:33.560 --> 01:38:38.760
victims before. I definitely can't pass my curse in traditional153401:38:38.840 --> 01:38:43.920
werewolf fashion. Good thing, right, Otherwise I'd have a whole153501:38:44.039 --> 01:38:48.600
fucking pack to deal with. I lift my prey off153601:38:48.640 --> 01:38:53.159
the field and look right at him. He just gives153701:38:53.159 --> 01:38:57.680
me that look saying he can't believe he's seeing a real,153801:38:57.800 --> 01:39:02.239
live werewolf. Then I finally toss him away from me153901:39:02.880 --> 01:39:07.159
and roar at him again. He quickly gets up and154001:39:07.319 --> 01:39:10.439
runs back to the fence where his friends are waiting.154101:39:11.600 --> 01:39:14.800
When I roar at them, they quickly grab Keenan off154201:39:14.800 --> 01:39:18.840
the fence and run for it. I could easily jump154301:39:18.880 --> 01:39:22.399
the fence and be on them, but I don't need154401:39:22.439 --> 01:39:28.720
to deal with the cops. Besides, I'm no killer. Great,154501:39:29.600 --> 01:39:33.079
what do I do now? I'm still pissed off as fuck.154601:39:38.279 --> 01:39:42.039
The next morning I enter Strickfield High. It took me154701:39:42.159 --> 01:39:45.680
nearly all night to finally calm down and change back.154801:39:46.800 --> 01:39:50.159
Darla really loved hearing my story. When I returned home154901:39:50.239 --> 01:39:54.680
to our apartment at Strickfield Cove in my birthday suit.155001:39:55.560 --> 01:39:58.560
When Darla saw me quickly cover up my naked body,155101:39:58.720 --> 01:40:04.800
she knew if something was wrong. Normally you love walking155201:40:04.840 --> 01:40:09.199
around our apartment naked, she teased. When I told her155301:40:09.199 --> 01:40:11.800
what had happened, she asked me what I was going155401:40:11.880 --> 01:40:18.199
to do. I don't know, I muttered, why me, I'm155501:40:18.239 --> 01:40:21.720
not a prize for anybody. When she gave me that155601:40:21.840 --> 01:40:26.760
look that told me different, I wanted to smack her. Ah.155701:40:27.199 --> 01:40:29.079
I could never do that to my best friend in155801:40:29.119 --> 01:40:33.119
the whole world. Anyway, I'm just walking in the main155901:40:33.239 --> 01:40:38.039
doors when Keenan confronts me again. I'm so happy to156001:40:38.119 --> 01:40:43.439
see you, my beautiful flower, he sings, Oh what I156101:40:43.560 --> 01:40:49.199
know about you now? I gulp. I won't go out156201:40:49.199 --> 01:40:52.880
with you. Last I checked, I have every right to156301:40:52.960 --> 01:40:58.119
tell you no. Then I see something in his hands.156401:40:59.560 --> 01:41:03.279
It's the remains of my t shirt. He brings the156501:41:03.359 --> 01:41:07.520
cloth to his nose and sniffs. You see what you156601:41:07.600 --> 01:41:12.239
do to me, Danielle. I shake my head quickly. What156701:41:12.359 --> 01:41:16.880
does this even mean? Now he comes closer to where156801:41:16.920 --> 01:41:20.880
only we can hear each other. You are such a156901:41:20.920 --> 01:41:26.079
beautiful creature, no matter what you look like. I'm not stupid.157001:41:26.880 --> 01:41:29.760
I know what two plus two equals. If you know157101:41:29.800 --> 01:41:33.119
what I mean? And to make sure he knows I know,157201:41:33.880 --> 01:41:40.399
he goes AHOOO. I go to turn away from him,157301:41:40.920 --> 01:41:45.760
but he won't let me one date. Fuck you, I157401:41:45.880 --> 01:41:51.239
fire back, Hey, watch your mouth, Danielle Boyd. Principal Matthew157501:41:51.319 --> 01:41:54.680
Van Deste calls out. I want to tell the principal157601:41:54.680 --> 01:41:57.520
where to go, but I feel I'm close to where157701:41:57.520 --> 01:42:01.520
it might trigger another wolf out if I do one date.157801:42:02.399 --> 01:42:06.159
Keenan repeats, he don't like it. You never have to157901:42:06.199 --> 01:42:15.960
see me again, promise. I glare at him. Fuck you ooooooo,158001:42:17.000 --> 01:42:21.640
he utters again. Just say yes, and your secret is158101:42:21.720 --> 01:42:26.159
safe with me. Truth is, it would be his word158201:42:26.199 --> 01:42:32.479
against mine. He never actually saw me change. Also, what158301:42:32.600 --> 01:42:35.880
are a few tatters going to prove? Oh? Believe me,158401:42:36.039 --> 01:42:44.439
I'm still pissed off, but okay, Keenan one date. I158501:42:44.560 --> 01:42:50.319
raise my finger one. He gives me that sneer again.158601:42:51.279 --> 01:42:56.199
I only need one, Danielle. Suddenly he snatches me into158701:42:56.239 --> 01:43:01.239
his arms. He doesn't try kissing me, though, Instead he158801:43:01.520 --> 01:43:07.000
just sniffs me. He lets me go and looks right158901:43:07.039 --> 01:43:11.760
at me. Hugh smells so wonderful, no wonder I want159001:43:11.840 --> 01:43:16.560
you so bad. Then he gets to our date. I'll159101:43:16.560 --> 01:43:20.760
pick you up at your apartment at six. Shit. Now159201:43:20.760 --> 01:43:24.479
he knows where I live too. I am so screwed.159301:43:31.840 --> 01:43:36.039
I answered the door after Keenan knocks. I thought about159401:43:36.159 --> 01:43:41.279
dressing and drab clothes. Problem is, I don't own any159501:43:42.000 --> 01:43:44.279
and I didn't find anything worth a shit in the159601:43:44.319 --> 01:43:47.920
good will store, at least nothing that would fit me.159701:43:49.439 --> 01:43:54.560
So I'm wearing sexy clothes because I'm just that self centered.159801:43:55.720 --> 01:44:00.119
Keenan's actually wearing nice clothes too. If anything, he looks159901:44:00.119 --> 01:44:04.239
more like a preppy kid. I come out and lock160001:44:04.319 --> 01:44:09.279
the door. Then I turn to him. Let's get this160101:44:09.399 --> 01:44:14.039
over with, I mutter, suddenly realizing how that could be taken.160201:44:14.119 --> 01:44:18.800
I raise my finger our date. I glare into his eyes.160301:44:19.600 --> 01:44:25.239
He will not be fucking me tonight or ever, he160401:44:25.399 --> 01:44:28.800
takes another whiff of me. I don't know if I160501:44:28.800 --> 01:44:34.680
can honor one date, Danielle. I mean, you really smell good.160601:44:35.359 --> 01:44:42.600
I could smell you every day. Oh but I said160701:44:42.680 --> 01:44:49.000
one date, and I always keep my promises. So I160801:44:49.119 --> 01:44:52.720
leave with him. We go into downtown village and do160901:44:52.880 --> 01:44:58.520
some general hanging out. Turns out he's really into bobbleheads,161001:44:58.760 --> 01:45:03.399
so we spend some time in boble Topia. He further161101:45:03.520 --> 01:45:07.680
emphasizes he knows my secret by showing me a nineteen161201:45:07.800 --> 01:45:13.479
forty one Wolfman bobblehead. Then he buys it. After we161301:45:13.600 --> 01:45:16.760
leave the store, I pull him into a nearby alley161401:45:16.800 --> 01:45:23.960
to confront him. Okay, fucker, what's the bet? Huh? Keenan asks,161501:45:24.520 --> 01:45:28.279
what bet you think? I don't know you're scoring pussy161601:45:28.439 --> 01:45:32.520
just to impress your friends at school. I snap, I161701:45:32.640 --> 01:45:37.239
know I'm the one bitch nobody scores, period, So what's161801:45:37.279 --> 01:45:39.960
the bet? How much are you getting if you get161901:45:40.000 --> 01:45:45.119
into my pants? He smirks and shrugs. I don't do162001:45:45.239 --> 01:45:50.640
this for money. I just like women, that's all. But you,162101:45:51.000 --> 01:45:55.479
Danielle Boyd, are definitely a prize worth winning for sure.162201:45:56.640 --> 01:46:01.239
Like I said, I want to marry you. I roll162301:46:01.319 --> 01:46:06.720
my eyes and laugh, Oh you wanna marry me? I162401:46:06.880 --> 01:46:11.760
raise my finger. That would be a death sentence. I'd162501:46:11.760 --> 01:46:15.439
be the biggest fucking bitch to you every day. You'd162601:46:15.479 --> 01:46:18.800
be begging to divorce me, especially when you'd see all162701:46:18.840 --> 01:46:24.199
my therapy bills. And then there's the bastard actually has162801:46:24.279 --> 01:46:28.920
the balls to come in and kiss me. Since we're162901:46:29.039 --> 01:46:32.479
still just inside this alley, I should be wolfing out163001:46:32.520 --> 01:46:37.520
and thumping him around for kissing me. But no, I'm163101:46:37.600 --> 01:46:40.680
just letting him. His hands are on my sides, but163201:46:41.319 --> 01:46:45.399
he's not actually pinning me to the wall. However, I163301:46:45.720 --> 01:46:50.680
do smell his testosterone again and know he definitely wants163401:46:50.760 --> 01:46:54.319
to screw me. That's when I quickly put the brakes163501:46:54.359 --> 01:46:58.439
on and get him off me. I told you you're163601:46:58.479 --> 01:47:02.760
not getting lucky. I remind him he doesn't get hostile.163701:47:03.920 --> 01:47:07.079
Like I said, Danielle, you have no idea what you163801:47:07.159 --> 01:47:11.600
do to me. I definitely want you. He raises his finger.163901:47:12.520 --> 01:47:16.800
I will win you, fair and square. I will marry you.164001:47:18.079 --> 01:47:22.680
I give him a bitchy smirk. Sorry, Keenan, but this164101:47:22.840 --> 01:47:27.920
dates over. That means I'm officially saying no, I'm not164201:47:28.000 --> 01:47:31.920
interested in having a boyfriend or lover. Like I said,164301:47:32.560 --> 01:47:35.359
you'd regret it later in life if you did marry me.164401:47:36.479 --> 01:47:40.279
He shakes his head quickly. I won't give up on you.164501:47:40.880 --> 01:47:46.279
I can't. Now. Before we can argue further, this car164601:47:46.359 --> 01:47:51.000
suddenly screeches to a halt. Then this man gets out.164701:47:51.680 --> 01:47:54.760
He has a baseball bat in his hand and points164801:47:54.800 --> 01:47:59.000
right at Keenan. You son of a bitch, he growls.164901:47:59.560 --> 01:48:01.720
I know, oh, you were the one having an affair165001:48:01.800 --> 01:48:07.199
with my wife. Now I know who the man is here,165101:48:07.399 --> 01:48:10.840
Jake Roland. Missus Roland is one of our teachers at165201:48:10.880 --> 01:48:15.239
Strickfield High. When he sees me, he roars with anger.165301:48:16.359 --> 01:48:20.000
You just couldn't stop with my wife, you bastard. What165401:48:20.479 --> 01:48:24.680
tainting my wife wasn't good enough for you. Keenan's keeping165501:48:24.720 --> 01:48:27.520
his confidence but putting his hands up in front of him.165601:48:28.560 --> 01:48:32.079
Your wife's hot, But I swear I never touched her.165701:48:33.199 --> 01:48:36.479
I learned to listen to a person's heartbeat since gaining165801:48:36.520 --> 01:48:41.319
my curse. Keenan's a little scared right now. Thanks to165901:48:41.359 --> 01:48:44.720
Bella Tabon working with me, I can tell he's telling166001:48:44.760 --> 01:48:49.239
the truth. He never did sleep with Missus Roland. I166101:48:49.279 --> 01:48:52.600
step up in front of Keenan. You don't know for sure,166201:48:52.640 --> 01:48:56.600
mister Roland. Don't do something you're gonna be sorry for later.166301:48:57.920 --> 01:49:02.000
He ain't listening. Oh, I know my wife's been sleeping166401:49:02.039 --> 01:49:06.319
with students at Strickfield High. He points at Keenan. And166501:49:06.479 --> 01:49:10.520
you got a reputation, kid, Hugh slept with a few teachers.166601:49:11.119 --> 01:49:14.239
That's what got you kicked out of Strickfield Academy. I166701:49:14.279 --> 01:49:17.319
got news for you, rumors. Don't just stay in school.166801:49:18.000 --> 01:49:20.680
And now I'm gonna make sure you never take what's166901:49:20.720 --> 01:49:25.600
not yours ever again. I didn't sleep with your wife.167001:49:26.199 --> 01:49:31.199
Keenan protests louder and with more fear. Now I know167101:49:31.399 --> 01:49:34.840
for sure he's telling the truth. I'm still in front167201:49:34.880 --> 01:49:40.079
of Keenan. Just back off out of my way, you slut.167301:49:40.680 --> 01:49:44.840
Mister Roland yells and shoves me aside. When I try167401:49:44.880 --> 01:49:48.000
to stop that idiot from cracking Keenan with the bat,167501:49:48.439 --> 01:49:52.000
I end up catching the blow myself. The force sends167601:49:52.039 --> 01:49:55.319
me back into the alley. I feel the sudden shock167701:49:55.399 --> 01:50:00.159
going down my back and no, I'm gonna turn she bitch.167801:50:00.960 --> 01:50:05.399
I'm so fucking pissed right now. When the change finishes,167901:50:05.760 --> 01:50:08.159
I spring out of the alley and snatch the bat168001:50:08.199 --> 01:50:12.119
away from mister Roland. He gawks when I splinter it.168101:50:13.079 --> 01:50:17.439
Then I grab him and roar in his face. It's168201:50:17.560 --> 01:50:21.920
then when the cops arrive. When those pigs start pointing168301:50:21.920 --> 01:50:25.479
their pea shooters my way, I shove mister Roland right168401:50:25.520 --> 01:50:29.399
to them. When they see I'm not attacking them, they168501:50:29.399 --> 01:50:32.640
don't fire at me. When I turn and run off,168601:50:33.199 --> 01:50:37.640
Keenan's calling after me. Oh, he's gonna catch hell from168701:50:37.680 --> 01:50:47.600
me once I'm calm again. Sure enough, Keenan finds me168801:50:47.680 --> 01:50:51.640
at school the next morning. He tells me everything's all good.168901:50:52.199 --> 01:50:56.319
He's not pressing charges on mister Roland. He also told169001:50:56.319 --> 01:50:59.840
me missus Roland got placed on leave pending the out169101:51:00.279 --> 01:51:04.600
of a much needed investigation. I get Keenan to come169201:51:04.640 --> 01:51:08.359
to an empty classroom with me. After I shut the door,169301:51:09.159 --> 01:51:12.359
I tell him what I want to say. You and169401:51:12.399 --> 01:51:17.359
me are not happening. Go ahead and tell people about169501:51:17.359 --> 01:51:22.000
me and have fun trying to prove it. Suddenly, Keenan's169601:51:22.000 --> 01:51:25.119
on me again. He's got the balls to kiss me,169701:51:26.239 --> 01:51:31.640
and again I let him. I really don't need this shit.169801:51:32.600 --> 01:51:36.399
When we finish the kiss, he promises me again he169901:51:36.600 --> 01:51:42.319
will have me. Besides, we never got to finish our date,170001:51:43.119 --> 01:51:48.079
he says, caressing my cheek. I ease him away from me,170101:51:49.239 --> 01:51:57.279
and we're not gonna again. I am way too much baggage. Also,170201:51:58.239 --> 01:52:02.600
I won't be one of your kind quests. Keenan shows170301:52:02.640 --> 01:52:07.600
again that he's got balls by kissing me. When this170401:52:07.720 --> 01:52:12.840
kiss finished, I agree to one more full date, just170501:52:12.960 --> 01:52:16.880
to be fair. As for how the second date turns170601:52:16.920 --> 01:52:22.359
out and what happens during that date, well that's going170701:52:22.439 --> 01:52:29.800
to be a story for another time, and that's our170801:52:30.039 --> 01:52:35.880
how worthy lineup for tonight's full moon fears. Whether it's werewolves,170901:52:35.920 --> 01:52:40.880
wicked squirrels, or shape shifting chaos. Remember when the moon171001:52:41.159 --> 01:52:46.119
is full, it's best to stay indoors and make sure171101:52:46.119 --> 01:52:50.399
you're subscribed to Weekly Spooky on your favorite podcasting app171201:52:50.840 --> 01:52:56.960
because there's something new and scary every single Wednesday for171301:52:57.119 --> 01:53:03.039
six years and beyond until next time My spookies. Stay creepy,171401:53:03.119 --> 01:53:10.600
and maybe don't feed the squirrels
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