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

second. They turned to see Sarah's car flying in. It came to an abrupt stop on the other side of David's car that sent Terry into a whiplashing recoil from her passenger seat. Sarah remained in the car as Terry stepped out with a smile.

"You two look great today," Terry said.

Janice turned from David and smiled. "Thanks."

"So, what's going on?" David asked. As Terry began to open his mouth Sarah's door creaked open and she stepped out onto the gray dirt. Her shortened lips and locked jaw muscles did nothing to distract from the glare pressed beneath her eyebrows. It beamed straight toward David with a pressure he could feel bearing down on him.

"You couldn't have stopped back there first," she snarked.

David held out his hand. "I just thought this was where it happened, so..."

Sarah's unrelenting eyes remained unwaivered. "Didn't think you'd take the time to go pick up company on the way."

"Well," David said, rubbing the back of his head. "We were about to grab lunch at the Sunset."

The group went silent as Sarah looked away.

"Look," he said. "If you're mad because I haven't been out hunting werewolves, I've been kind of busy lately." He attempted it without coming off as sarcastic, but it sounded so ridiculous that it was hard not to.

"As if I'd care what you've been doing in your spare time," Sarah said with a sideways glance before she folded her arms to look at the trail.

"Well, I don't know what the problem is, but we came," he said.

Terry's lips pressed into a silent laugh as he lifted his eyebrows and shifted to the side.

Janice stepped closer in Sarah's direction. "I'm sure glad you're alright, Sarah. We thought that-" A loud high-pitched sound rang through the woods. As it got louder from behind, they all turned to look downhill where the gravel road cut through the forest. A cloud of dust rose from the trees and continued in their direction.

"What the hell?" Sarah asked as she backed a little closer to the group and Janice returned to David's side.

“What is that?” Janice’s quiet voice was nearly inaudible over the approaching clatter that rattled their eardrums.

"Sounds like a buzz saw," Terry said.

"Well,” David said. “Whatever it is, it's coming."

"Oh really?" Sarahsaid. "Thanks a lot, captain obvious."

The metallic scraping noise started to slow and mixed with the beat of loud music. It blared from just around the forested curve until a red pickup pulled around.

"Ow-woo!" Vance could be heard howling as his arm stuck out the window to raise a bottle of beer. A few others from the football team squatted in the truck bed as thick chains dragged a giant steel cage along the rocks, stirring dirt where he slowed to a stop just past the trail entrance.

David hadn't prepared for Vance to be there. His mind became blank as he turned to look at Janice. She patted dust from her red dress while Terry and Sarah choked in the cloud of dust. Without Tony there to maintain order, David had to think of something. But dealing with Vance was probably beyond his capability alone. Never mind the fact that he brought his friends.

With a hard rev of his engine that David felt in his chest, Vance turned to lean his head out the window.

"You lovebirds ready for the big party?" Vance shouted with a slur that was barely heard above his truck.

"What's the deal?" David shouted.

The truck engine rattled to a stop along with the music. David felt his breathing speed up.

"Camping at the fire tower this weekend, right?" Vance shouted in a drunken stupor. "Just like old times, buddy." He raised his bottle before turning it up for a swig.

"You're going to get someone killed!" Sarah yelled at Vance.

"Damn right I am!" He arched his face to the sky in a loud howl and laughed.

"Where'd you get that?" David asked, motioning toward the large, steel cage chained to the back of Vance's truck. Its thick bars looked fit to hold a gorilla.

"Compliments of Pine Bluff's finest." Vance rocked his thumb toward the truck bed where Cory, one of his friends, smiled to hold up a chain. It dangled several large bear traps rattling around where Cory sat before he dropped them with a clank. Vance continued. "Animal control ain't doing their jobs so we gotta do it for 'em."

Terry turned to David. "I can't condone this."

"What the hell you want me to do about it?" David asked as Vance's engine roared back into a heavy rumble and sped off, tearing through the rocky dirt.

"See y'all this weekend!" his voice faded with the loud screech of the cage that raked its way down the narrow gravel path until it was a distant echo.

David squinted at Terry and Sarah. "Camping this weekend?"

Sarah made a similar face as she tilted her head to Terry. "I thought they already set the traps." She turned back to David. "What the hell's going on?"

Terry waved his hands. "Okay, so maybe I got a few of the details mixed up."

"But my mom is off this weekend," Janice said. "I'm not sure how I'll get out."

Surely it’ll be fine if Janice doesn't go. David stared into the hot cloud of dust still settling into the white gravel road. Camping sounds great. That is, until you throw alcohol and Vance into the equation. 

"Hello?" Sarah waved back and forth as slowly as she spoke. "Earth to David."

"We'll figure something out," he said as he reached his arm around Janice.

"Guess that's it," Sarah said without looking in their direction. She briskly paced to her car. "You riding with me or them?" she asked Terry.

"Wait." David asked as she started the car. "Aren't you going to tell us what happened?"

"I guess I better hurry," Terry said as he scrambled into her passenger seat. "It was nice seeing y'all."

David huffed at the still dusty air as her car rolled into reverse. What the hell did I even come out here for? 

Sarah sped out, disappearing down the dirt road in the same direction