Sheep's Clothing by Gary Lewis (free ebook reader for pc txt) 📕

As it watched her squirm backward on her side, hand held high, shielding sobs of terror, it fixated its sadistic stare and stepped one paw closer, then another. The flickering streetlight just behind cast the creature's shadow over her, accentuating its long ears as it spread its claws wide at its sides. "No, please," she cried with a shaky voice that pattered into a whimper. The smell of urine replaced the civilized scents that she hid behind into a puddle that seeped around her kicking legs. But the aroma of her blood still screamed out to be released from its prison of pain.

"My baby." The words broke through her sobs as she wrapped her hands around her belly. Its legs halted in place for a moment as it stood in the street looking at her. A cold emptiness extinguished the craving within and it took a step back. But then a fierce stinging pleasure burned its way back into the beast's fingers and jaws and it tightened its snout, baring teeth that it snarled fiercely through. It leaned down, feet from her, flexing fingers in fury, ready to rip into flesh.

The heavy sound of an engine swung the creature's head to the right. Through the darkness, flashing blue lights blocked the street and a dark brown tactical truck backed into the library. The monster looked quickly to its left to see more police cars lighting up the road. Anger welled in its belly, erupting into a growl and the werewolf turned to bolt back toward the old recreation center.

As it dashed down the small dirt drive, the ruins of leaning fences stood high in the moonlight. Radio chatter sounded from ahead to the right. From the dark, abandoned car, beams of light swung about the perimeter from a group of dark jump suits wearing long masks. The creature stopped with a loud, threatening howl, its attention now turned toward them. Several tiny flashes preceded popping sounds. Their feeble firearms had already proven to be no threat. It stepped closer until a sharp pain ripped through the monster's right shoulder. It grazed the skin with a liquid fire down its entire arm. These are different.

The werewolf shot through the darkness in the direction of the forest as another group could be heard moving in from the library to cut it off. Three sharp thumps were followed by clanking canisters that skipped across the ground. The objects hissed out a dark yellow cloud that stung like acid in the beast's nose and throat until everything went dark. "Over here!" a muffled voice shouted from close by.

The creature charged with all of its strength through the cloud. It slammed into a metal wired wall. The old fencing flexed before popping loose from its posts. Running amidst the shower of gunshots behind, it rushed the edge of the forest. The werewolf leapt into the barricade of foliage and trees that stood from the ground and it crashed through sticks until the safety of its sanctuary surrounded it.

Chapter 24

The late morning sun scorched the dew from Pine Bluff. Many tears had dried in the place where they began, but the humidity that still hung heavy in the air continued the suffocate the town. Though the ball of fire in the summer sky had shined its light on the shadows, revealing the nature of their darkness, it also glistened upon the blood-stained earth to drown the land with the past. Soon the impending full moon would cast its glow upon how it all would end.

#Sarah#

Breakfast rush had just ended at the Sunset Diner and Sarah dangled Tony's watch between her fingers as she sat at her usual booth, sipping her scalding coffee. "Where the hell are you hiding?" She let the shiny timepiece drop beside her foam cup and dug her phone from her pocket. After opening the group chat, her thumbs rapidly fired off the text. "Need to talk. Now. Sunset Diner." It rested beneath her previous lines, still unseen.

"Sarah?" Old man Sam's voice startled her from where he stood with a hesitant lean. "Mind if I have a seat?" He politely offered his hand to the other side of the table.

"Sure. Why not," Sarah said, forcing a smile. His wrinkled face held a look of deep concern within a focused stare that hid behind baggy eyelids. "I'm sorry," she said as she rolled her eyes. "I don't mean to be rude. It's been a long month."

"Tell me about it," Sam said. His eyes turned side to side around the room before he continued quietly. "You been safe, Sarah?"

She sighed. "Is anyone, really?"

"S'pose you have a point." He lowered his eyes for a moment before looking up and motioning his feeble hand to the table top between them. "I noticed Tony's watch. Is there anything you can tell me?"

Sarah stretched her lips to one side as she raised her eyebrows and looked at him. "Not for sale." With a quick clutch, she took the watch and crammed it into her blue jean pocket.

Sarah stared into the speckled pattern of tiny, dark brown triangles on the surface of the table as Sam continued to speak. "If you could tell me, Sarah," he reached his wrinkled hand to touch hers. "I just want the truth."

"The truth is too much for anyone to handle, Sam," she said, giving the foam coffee cup a slight turn with her hand. "That's why we're all in this mess to begin with."

"Try me," he said.

Sarah rose her eyes to meet his as she leaned forward with a half grin. "Maybe..." She tilted her head to the side as she whispered. "Maybe he's out eating the townsfolk... marinading them in his special sauce." She spread her mouth into a sarcastic smile. "Perhaps he survived a horrible injury and now he's roaming the countryside, howling at the moon." She paused for a moment. With a sigh, she plopped her back against the seat and looked away with a shake of her