she
ran over it.
“CHRIST, WHAT WAS THAT?”
Squirrel exclaimed.
“I’m not sure,” Alice replied.
The brakes released a sharp
screech and the truck came to an abrupt halt. They twisted in their seats. Peered
through the rear window. A dark, misshapen body lay twenty or so feet behind
them.
“Shit, I think you hit a
stray dog or something,” Squirrel remarked.
“It’s too big for a dog,” Alice responded.
“Maybe it’s a sheep or goat?”
the mechanic suggested.
Alice released a short, nervous laugh. “A sheep?”
“Okay, a goat.”
“A goat?” Alice laughed
again. “There hasn’t been any livestock in years. How the hell would a goat or
sheep have gotten here?”
“Dunno,” Squirrel mumbled.
“I’m gonna back up, see what
it is,” Alice declared, and shifted into reverse.
“No – wait,” Squirrel said.
The outside world had instantly become dangerous rather than appealing. “Let’s
just get out of here.”
“It’ll only take a minute,” Alice insisted. She reversed and drew alongside the fallen shape. She pulled on the
handbrake but left the motor running.
Squirrel heard Alice ’s door
pop open. “What are you doing?”
“Quiet …” Alice warned.
She stepped out of the
vehicle and paused at her open door for a moment until she’d checked out the
surrounding darkness. The landscape was a solid slab of black space. She
stepped closer to the downed figure.
Squirrel reached into the
rear of the truck and retrieved a shotgun. With exaggerated caution, he pushed
open his door, and then slid across the seat. As he stepped onto the black
asphalt, he raised the weapon and let it rest in the crook of his free arm. He
turned, expecting Scratch to hop down from the back seat.
The little terrier stayed
fixed to the threadbare cover. He offered Squirrel a low, guttural growl before
dropping onto his front paws. With an additional Woof , he plopped his
head down and then looked up at the mechanic through a pair of furry brows.
“Coward,” Squirrel cussed. He
shook his head in disgust before circling around the truck to join Alice .
“Is it dead?” he asked in a
whisper.
“Not sure,” she told him.
The shape lay on its side,
motionless. Alice took a deep breath and stepped closer. She found a
large dog-shaped body with a dark jacket of matted fur. She grimaced. One of
its back legs was twisted and broken. White bone gleamed as it protruded
through torn flesh. Moving towards the head, she found an open maw. A long
tongue hung loosely between sharp canines: A wolf. She squatted down over the
beast’s head and then reached out with one hand.
“Careful. It might still be
ali-”
She silenced him with a quick
scowl.
Squirrel held his breath.
Alice reached over and placed her hand against the wolf’s
flanks. Although the pelt was a thick and tangled mess, she felt the hard
protrusions of bones directly underneath. She ran her fingers over the hard
husk, finally stopping over the beast’s heart. Without warning, the head
twisted and, with a mighty crack, its jaws snapped together. Razor-sharp
teeth missed her hand by less than an inch. Surprised by the attack, she fell
back and landed heavily on her behind. With lightning speed the beast jumped
onto all fours and then lunged towards her exposed throat. Mercifully, its
broken leg buckled and the attack fell short.
“SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT!” Alice yelled.
It took a second for Squirrel
to move. When he did, he stepped forwards and pulled on the trigger.
Clank!
The firing-pin fired on an
empty chamber. “Christ!” Squirrel moaned. The beast descended upon her. Its
jaws opened wide and foul drool dripped from cruel fangs. “ Alice , get out
of the way!” He chambered a shell into the shotgun. It was too late, a guttural
rumble escaped from its throat. It fixed Alice with two burning eyes, and then sprang forwards.
YAP ! YAP !
A small blur shot in front of
her. And unexpectedly, Scratch was before her, his fur high along the
ran over it.
“CHRIST, WHAT WAS THAT?”
Squirrel exclaimed.
“I’m not sure,” Alice replied.
The brakes released a sharp
screech and the truck came to an abrupt halt. They twisted in their seats. Peered
through the rear window. A dark, misshapen body lay twenty or so feet behind
them.
“Shit, I think you hit a
stray dog or something,” Squirrel remarked.
“It’s too big for a dog,” Alice responded.
“Maybe it’s a sheep or goat?”
the mechanic suggested.
Alice released a short, nervous laugh. “A sheep?”
“Okay, a goat.”
“A goat?” Alice laughed
again. “There hasn’t been any livestock in years. How the hell would a goat or
sheep have gotten here?”
“Dunno,” Squirrel mumbled.
“I’m gonna back up, see what
it is,” Alice declared, and shifted into reverse.
“No – wait,” Squirrel said.
The outside world had instantly become dangerous rather than appealing. “Let’s
just get out of here.”
“It’ll only take a minute,” Alice insisted. She reversed and drew alongside the fallen shape. She pulled on the
handbrake but left the motor running.
Squirrel heard Alice ’s door
pop open. “What are you doing?”
“Quiet …” Alice warned.
She stepped out of the
vehicle and paused at her open door for a moment until she’d checked out the
surrounding darkness. The landscape was a solid slab of black space. She
stepped closer to the downed figure.
Squirrel reached into the
rear of the truck and retrieved a shotgun. With exaggerated caution, he pushed
open his door, and then slid across the seat. As he stepped onto the black
asphalt, he raised the weapon and let it rest in the crook of his free arm. He
turned, expecting Scratch to hop down from the back seat.
The little terrier stayed
fixed to the threadbare cover. He offered Squirrel a low, guttural growl before
dropping onto his front paws. With an additional Woof , he plopped his
head down and then looked up at the mechanic through a pair of furry brows.
“Coward,” Squirrel cussed. He
shook his head in disgust before circling around the truck to join Alice .
“Is it dead?” he asked in a
whisper.
“Not sure,” she told him.
The shape lay on its side,
motionless. Alice took a deep breath and stepped closer. She found a
large dog-shaped body with a dark jacket of matted fur. She grimaced. One of
its back legs was twisted and broken. White bone gleamed as it protruded
through torn flesh. Moving towards the head, she found an open maw. A long
tongue hung loosely between sharp canines: A wolf. She squatted down over the
beast’s head and then reached out with one hand.
“Careful. It might still be
ali-”
She silenced him with a quick
scowl.
Squirrel held his breath.
Alice reached over and placed her hand against the wolf’s
flanks. Although the pelt was a thick and tangled mess, she felt the hard
protrusions of bones directly underneath. She ran her fingers over the hard
husk, finally stopping over the beast’s heart. Without warning, the head
twisted and, with a mighty crack, its jaws snapped together. Razor-sharp
teeth missed her hand by less than an inch. Surprised by the attack, she fell
back and landed heavily on her behind. With lightning speed the beast jumped
onto all fours and then lunged towards her exposed throat. Mercifully, its
broken leg buckled and the attack fell short.
“SHOOT IT! SHOOT IT!” Alice yelled.
It took a second for Squirrel
to move. When he did, he stepped forwards and pulled on the trigger.
Clank!
The firing-pin fired on an
empty chamber. “Christ!” Squirrel moaned. The beast descended upon her. Its
jaws opened wide and foul drool dripped from cruel fangs. “ Alice , get out
of the way!” He chambered a shell into the shotgun. It was too late, a guttural
rumble escaped from its throat. It fixed Alice with two burning eyes, and then sprang forwards.
YAP ! YAP !
A small blur shot in front of
her. And unexpectedly, Scratch was before her, his fur high along the
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