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

"I'm so sorry," she gasped. "I don't know what-"

"No," David said. "Sit down. It's okay." His wide eyes stared into hers. "I should've caught you, Jan."

Janice still choked to speak as she gasped to catch her breath. "Why are you apologizing? You saved me."

David lowered his face before raising his eyes once more. "I'm glad you're okay." His hand slowly slid over the back of hers and he wrapped his fingers around her wet palm and clasped tightly.

Janice's gasps finally settled into heavy breathing as her heart still pounded for more air. What's wrong with me? She closed her mouth and looked at him. "I used to be a good swimmer."

David wrapped his other arm around her back and scooted against her right side while they sat in the clumpy, damp sand. "You still are, Jan. It'll come back."

She bent her knees before slowly pushing herself up and they both stood, still dripping onto the ground. "I'm alright," she said while squeezing a trickling stream of water from the front of her shirt.

"You're never alone, Jan." his words punched through her chest, impacting her deep where it mattered most. She looked up at him through watery eyes and time stood still. The world would continue on, somewhere out there, but hers was here. David's arms spread open to her as she fell into his chest where he held her tightly.

#Vance#

Vance blasted the sound of heavy metal as his loud pickup barreled up the gravel road to Sarah's house. It was the least he could do for her painfully quiet neighborhood. He slowed down to ease into her driveway where David’s car was absent from the overgrown grass that clearly set her yard apart from the others.

"No point turning back now," he said as he killed the rumbling sound of his engine and hopped out to stride toward the porch. Just before meeting the front steps, he noticed a path of recently flattened grass heading around the house toward the backyard. She's out back. Walking quietly, he followed the trail around the side. Vance stopped as he rounded the corner to see Sarah's back turned a distance away at the door of her shed. He watched for a moment. Seems she's locking up. Vance wondered how he should announce his presence without startling her. Might be more fun to see her jump. He folded his arms and remained silently still.

"You just going to stand there and watch?" Sarah asked, her back still turned. "Or did you come to mow my lawn?"

Vance's eyes pressed in suspicion as he brought his hand to his chin. Could've snuck a deer just the same, no problem.

After a silent moment, Vance spoke. "How'd you know?"

"I'm sure the entire neighborhood heard you driving up here."

Vance paused to think for a second.

"Oh. Is that why you're here?" she asked. "To tell me what big ears I have?" Sarah turned to face him, crossing her arms as they stood in similar stance, staring one another down.

"You got me," he said. "That's it." He slowly rose his hand to point her down. "I know that it's you, Sarah." A wordless moment passed as he studied her reaction. There was none. Vance finally laughed. "Nah. I came to see if David was here."

She waved her arm in a half circle. "As you can see, he's not. Haven't heard from him in two days."

"So, before I hung out with him?” He nodded in thought. “Okay."

Sarah opened her mouth. "You and David were hanging out?” Her wide eyes continued to stare at him. “We should call Terry."

"Why?" he asked.

"It must really be the end times," she said.

As he gazed past Sarah, Vance noticed long marks dragged down the wooden door of her shed.

"What's got the two of you out together?" Her voice continued to annoyingly distract him. "A little bromance? Maybe a little monster hunting quality time together?"

Vance ignored her rambling as he walked in her direction.

"What is it?" she asked as he continued past her to feel the roughly torn wooden door and the busted frame around it, sliding his hand slowly to ascertain the direction of the claw marks.

"Crazy, huh?" She casually swung her arm. "And I just repainted it last month."

"Whatever did this was..."

"A real prick, I know." Sarah dropped her arm to slap her side. "I mean who the hell do I get to pay for this? The devil?"

"What I'm saying is these are single swipes. The amount of force it would take to dig into... no, to gash right through this wood is... unreal."

"So you're pretty sure a bear couldn't have done that?" she asked.

"Pretty sure a lion couldn't." Vance took his time studying the way it had slashed through the wood. "It happened some time ago."

"Yeah. I know," she said. "I think I know which night it happened, actually."

"Are you sure it was dark out when this happened?" Vance asked. "Reason I'm asking, is David and I found a deer that was mauled in midday, up by the fire tower." He waited for a response from Sarah who instead just stared. "It didn't look like normal predation. Nothing was eaten from the carcass and that's not all. I think it likes to play with its food."

She huffed. "You literally just said nothing was eaten from it, then you referred to it as its food."

"Well, whatever. There's a good chance this thing is diurnal."

Sarah's mouth opened with her wide eyes. "This can’t be."

Vance waited for what she had to say next.

"I can't believe this," she said. "You actually can use big words sometimes."

"Look. All I mean is don't let your guard down... even in the daylight."

"Listen," Sarah said. "Not to change the subject or anything, but..."  Vance could tell by the tone of her voice that it couldn't be anything good.

"What is it now?" he asked.

"I'm just saying." Sarah tilted her head at him with a cheek pressing half grin. "If David isn't home, he isn't here and he's not with you, then..."

Vance turned his head and shot his