THE GIRL

It's another windy morning and the morning warm sun is out already; the Sherriff is getting ready for work today. He was in the room with his wife who was helping him to get dressed but he was not looking excited, he has not been happy for a while now. "What's on your mind?" His wife asked as she helped him to button his shirt, she raised her face to take a good look at him because she was a bit shorter than him. She knew his husband has a lot on his mind lately but this morning was different, it looked like he had something that he could not stop thinking about even for a second. "Nothing." He lied as he bowed his head to stare at his wife, her greenish eyes were judging him. They have been married for thirty-five years so she could easily tell when he was lying or trying to hide something from her. She was done with his buttons so she looked at him again and exhaled, he knew that she already knows that he was not telling the truth and she can not leave him be until he says what exactly it was. "Is it about the call you got in the morning yesterday?" She asked as she moves to the drawer behind her close to the bed to pick up his tie. The Sherriff was silent as he exhaled and then his wife does not need him to say it for her to know it was about the call he received yesterday from Chandler's mom. The Sherriff had no idea who it was but he was pretty sure that the person just wanted to lead him away from the northeast side of the woods because after he sent some of his officers to check the place the lady that called him said she was, they did not find any trace of her or any attack but he was sure he heard howling from the northeast side of the woods that morning which was far away from the west side. He came home that day and told his wife everything, he believed that something was going on in his town and someone was trying to cover all the death or keep him away from it. "I know that all these deaths are not mere animal attacks, there's more to it honey and I don't know what to do about it." The Sherriff responded and his wife felt pain and sadness in his voice. She knows that she could not convince him to stay away from all these, so she needs to give him the support he needs. "Don't think about it too much dear, if anyone could solve all these mysterious death in this town lately then it would be you because you're very smart and that's why I love you." "So it has nothing to do with my handsome face?" The Sherriff asked with a chuckle and then a smile, the wife smiled too as she helped him to wear his tie. "And that too." She replied as she kissed him and he kissed her back, she dusted her shirt and stepped back to take a good look at him. "You look sweet." She said with a broad smile on her face. "I have you to thank." He replied as he picked up his Glock in his gun holster which was on the bed and then placed it around his waist, he gave his wife a peck on the cheek. "Bye, love." "Have a wonderful day" She responded "You too." Chandler was driving faster than he should with his father's truck so he could be able to get to the mall on time to get all he needs because he was going to see a game tonight with Alice but his father wants him to go out of town with him today. He has to come home on time so he could leave on time with his father, his father was going to a meeting with his boss and he needs him to be there with him so if he was going to be back on time from the mall this morning. If they leave town on time then they would be back on time so he would still be able to go to the game with Alice. Chandler parked the truck in front of the mall as he steps down and runs to the entrance of the mall, he was about to go in but he paused. He looked very well and was sure that he just saw Sabastian. he was walking out of the mall smiling at him. Chandler stepped back and was ready to take him down, all the veins on his face popped out but Sabastian was feeling amused. "Calm down tiger, you can't do anything here in public" Sabastian said as he kept walking away, Chandler looked around to see people walking around. He hates to agree with Sabastian, but he was right, he can't just pull out his fangs and claws and start fighting him here, so he calmed his nerves. He was not sure that he could even take Sabastian all by himself, but he was not thinking about all that, Sabastian watched him as he calms down then he smiles and continue walking away. "Why are you here?" Chandler turned to ask him, and Sabastian paused as he turned around and lifts his hands to reveal the shopping bags, he was carrying on both hands. "I came shopping." He replied and winked. "So, what's next now, find some innocent people to kill?" "Not really," Sabastian replied while giggling. Not really? Chandler thought to himself why he would say that, maybe he was regretting all he did and maybe he is already having second thoughts about getting on the nerves of the hunters. "What's that? Have you realized that it was a bad idea to make the hunters angry?" "I don't want them to be angry but terrified of us and no, that's still the plan but I have another idea. A better idea and only one person needs to die." Sabastian responded as he turns around and starts walking away with the full shopping bags in both hands. A better idea? Chandler wondered how his better idea would mean someone still dying, Chandler stood there confused as he watched him walking away but he needs to understand what he meant so he ran to go and meet him. "Who are you planning on killing?" Chandler asked him as he held Sabastian back on his shoulder, Sabastian turned around and he looked at Chandler's hand on his shoulder and he was not looking so happy. He then lifts his head to look at Chandler's face, Chandler looked at him briefly and it felt like he was looking straight into a gun barrel because it smelt of death. Chandler could not believe that this was someone giggling just a few moments ago, he bowed his head to look at the hand on his shoulder and withdrew his hand as he lifted his head to look at this psychopath. "Sorry," Chandler said in a low tone, it was hard for Sabastian to hear him, but anyone could tell that it was what he said even though Chandler has no idea what he was apologizing for. Chandler just realized how much he was terrified by Sabastian, but he does not want to admit it, he dipped his hands in his pockets as he asks the question again. "Who is this one person that you want to kill?" "I overheard one of them in the cemetery during the burial talk about a girl that is from their family, I think she's the daughter of Marshall IV." "The great-grandson of the first Marshall hunter?" Chandler asked "Yeah, he had her last name changed so no one will track her but I know who she is, and her death will bring the family to their knees," Sabastian said with an evil giggle. "You're going to kill an innocent girl and you call that a better idea?" "It's better than trying to kill all of them." "I'm not going to allow this; I'll tell the Marshall hunters that you're the one killing them off one by one." "And then they will do what? Accept you in this town? You don't get it kid, what do you think is the reason that the hunters can take down werewolves easily?" Sabastian asked but he did not wait for Chandler to try and answer. "They murdered my whole family, and my family was not even able to kill any of them, they just managed to wound some of them. How do you think they were able to pull that off?" "They have magicians?" Chandler was not sure of his answer, and he was wrong because Sabastian snorted. "That was when they were few hunters but now, they are many of them with their automatic rifles. They cornered my whole family so my family was outnumbered and outgunned, I watch them gun them down and then set them ablaze" "Look I'm sorry about that..." Chandler was not even allowed to finish the sentence before Sabastian cut in. "I'm not telling you this so you would pity me but to let you know that if we can be united like the hunters then we can make them fear us and not the other way round." "I'm not going to help you to kill an innocent girl," Chandler stated. "I can do that alone; I might need your help for what's coming next." "What's that?" Chandler asked. "After I've killed the girl, a war will break out between the werewolves and hunters and when we win then the hunters will be the ones scared." "They won't be any war because I won't let you kill this girl, no matter who she is" Chandler had no idea what gave him the courage to say that but he knew that's what he has to do, he needs to let Sabastian know that he was not scared of him but Sabastian was not taking him seriously because he snorted. "Just don't get in my way kid." Sabastian walks to a car that looks like it was his, it was an ash Volvo S90 and Chandler stood there speechless as he walked in and starts the car. Sabastian drove a little forward with his car before he stopped and wind down his car door's window, Chandler bent to see what he wants to tell him. "Look kid, tell your dad that he should not bother coming to my cabin because I've moved out." He winks as he winds the windows up and zooms off, Chandler was confused about what he would do next. Chandler was holding Alice's hand as they walked out of the game talking and giggling, it was a good game but Chandler won't know that because he was just happy that Alice was sitting beside him smiling occasionally. He could not stop wondering why she would come to the game with him instead of his boyfriend but he just could not ask her as he wants to enjoy the moment while it lasts. He hopes that she was having problems with the boyfriend so he could make a good impression on her tonight and get her to be his girlfriend. Chandler could not remember the exact moment that they held hands but he was happy that they were holding hands, he felt these tiny electrical charges surging from her hands to his. As they walked outside, it was dark already and it was just a few people outside so it was hard to even get a taxi to drive them home. They decided to take a stroll until they see a cab, she was smiling as they were talking and walking like they were lovers. They did not walk for a long as they passed an alley, Chandler heard a soft growl coming out from the dark alley and he looked there but nothing was there. He had this feeling that something or someone was following them so held Alice's hand tighter as he starts walking faster but Alice was confused. "Why are you suddenly walking fast?" She asked "Nothing...It's dangerous out here so we should walk faster to get home quickly." Chandler lied still looking around to make sure that they were not followed. They both walked together until they passed another alley and the growling around was heard again but much louder, Alice turned because she heard it too. She saw what looked like the shape of someone's eyes glowing in the dark, she was scared and Chandler knew it because she held his hands tighter as she stepped back. "What's that?" She asked with her voice breaking, Chandler has no answer for her. "How did you figure it out?" The voice said from the dark alley, it was the hoarse voice of Sabastian. "What?" Chandler asked as he peered into the dark alley to see Sabastian clearly but Sabastian was already walking out of the alley. "How did you figure out that she's the one? I didn't tell you who it was." Sebastian asked again but slowly so he could spell out the question. Chandler was still confused, Alice was less scared as she saw Sabastian face but she was still confused why he was lurking in the dark with his eyes glowing. "What's going on here? Are you wearing some kind of eye lens, how are your eyes glowing like that?" She had a lot of questions but no one was answering any of those. "Wait a minute, She is...She is...?" Chandler was stuttering so he paused and look at Sabastian who was nodding. "No, it can't be her!" Chandler yelled as he held her behind him. "I am who? Someone should tell me what's going on here!" Alice yelled as she burst out into tears, she was terrified now and she could not do anything about it rather than cry. "Oh, baby girl don't cry. You're just going to die tonight for a bigger cause." Sebastian was giggling as he moved closer to where they were standing. "Step back!" Chandler screamed as he slapped him on the face with his claws out already, the force of the slap moved him backward. Sabastian grunts as he touches the claw marks on his face to see the blood on his fingertips, he was infuriated now. He cracked his neck slowly, Chandler was scared but right now he was the only thing between this psycho werewolf and the love of his life so he howled as he pulled out his claws positioned for a fight with his fangs too. Alice was terrified and confused by what was going on, she was finding it very difficult to process all this so she was not moving but tears were dropping from her eyes as she stood still watching what was going on and it was too much to believe, she felt like she was in a movie. Sabastian smiled in a way that belittled Chandler, he could not believe that Chandler would want to fight him. He knew he was going to murder him and deep down, Chandler knew this would be suicide but he would know he tried his best to keep her safe. Sabastian came at Chandler with great speed and he was not holding back, Chandler was ready to take him but he was not strong or experienced like Sabastian so with one sweep of Sabastain's claws, he threw him twenty feet high and he fell back like ten feet back. Sabastian cracked his fingers as he walked to where Chandler was lying on the floor groaning, he lifted him with one hand. "You think you could beat me, boy? You think this is a movie where you think you're the good guy and you can beat me because you're angry that I'm gonna kill the love of your life? Is that what you think all this is?" Sabastian thundered as he smashed Chandler on the ground, Alice screamed as she fell curled herself like a ball as she was wailing. "Even your father won't be able to stop me boy, you wanna know why? He would be holding back and I don't hold back but it's not just that. All the lives that I've killed gave me power, I feed off their life force and that's what some werewolves don't have because y'all just trying so hard to fit in!" Sabastian yelled as he punched Chandler straight to his face and Alice shivered like the punch was hurting her too. "Listen to me boy, I will let you live but I hope you have learned your lesson. You can't beat me so join me or stay out of my fucking way!" Sabastian yelled as he smashed Chandler's head to the ground, He was still breathing but barely alive. Sabastian got up from Chandler's body and looked at where Alice curled herself weeping, he was about to walk toward her but he felt a hand on his leg that held his leg firmly and he could not move. He turned around to see it was Chandler's hand, he was dying but he still held his leg and was not ready to let go. "Let me go you COCKROACH!" Sabastian yelled as he kicked him away from his leg with the other leg. Sabastian continued walking towards Alice, she heard his footsteps so she uncurled herself as she started staggering back but Sabastian held her quickly before she could make a move. He raised his right hand and was about to use his claws to slash her but a gunshot echoed, Sabastian still has his right hand in the air with the left one holding Alice but he could not move because a bullet just went in his back. He dropped Alice as he was about to turn around to see who just shot him but several shots went to his back rapidly as he fell on his knee and fell flat. He groaned as he turns around on the ground to see who it was and it was the same hunter that held a knife to Chandler's neck the night of Alice's birthday. He walked to where Sabastian was groaning on the floor with a pistol that he just used to shoot him in his right hand and a shotgun in the other hand, he stashed the pistol at his back and covered it with the jacket he wore as he cocked the shotgun and placed the gun barrel on Sabastian's head. "You know who I am?" The hunter asked Sabastian with the barrel of the shotgun still on his head. Sabastian was coughing and laughing as he looked at the hunter. "Marshall IV," Chandler muttered. "So, you know who I am, and you still came after my daughter?" Marshall IV responded as he squeezed the gun barrel harder on Sabastian's face who was just giggling. Marshall IV was about to squeeze the trigger, but he stopped when Chandler yelled from where he was lying down as he groaned. "Stop! Don't kill him" Chandler stood up as he staggered while holding his stomach because of all the pain he was feeling all over. He leaped to where Marshal IV was standing, the hunter pulled out his pistol that was still tucked in at his back and pointed it at Chandler. "The Entities would deal with him" Chandler stated, Marshall IV was sniggering. "This bastard killed my family members..." "So, you did too, you murdered his whole family too," Chandler replied he could not believe that he was standing up to the deadliest werewolf hunter that there is. "Go home kid, you should be thankful that I won't kill you because I saw how you were ready to trade your life for my daughter's life, but I hope that our paths don't cross again." Marshall IV said as he looked at Sabastian who was still groaning on the ground, he squeezed the trigger of the shotgun and splatted Sabastian's brain matter on the ground. Marshall IV walked to where Alice was still lying on the floor traumatized and lifts her on his shoulders and takes her away, Chandler has to find his way home before the cops arrive, so he leaped away.