The Whispers and The Wolf

Seven

“Ahhhhh there she is!” Robyn’s face took up the entire phone screen. “Fuckin’ finally!” She squealed. “Thought I’d be the first to call you and test out the connection. How the hell are you?”

“I’m so glad to see your wee face!” I tried to act normally and blink the fuzziness away. Robyn was too excited to notice.

“I’m going to try and get next weekend off, you up for a visit?” She wiggled her eyebrows.

“Depends how much sleep I can bank in that time” I laughed. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a visitor just yet. I wanted to find my feet first and I know I’d have more on my plate when I returned to work in 3 days.

We chatted back and forth for a while but I had nothing new to tell her. I didn’t want to divulge what happened with the howl last night or that I wanted to ask Sadie. I did however take my phone outside and show her the around the garden.

“Wow, what a difference!” She gushed. “Those lads sure did a fab job!” It was nice to talk to Robyn but I just couldn’t get rid of this brain fog, no matter how she tried to distract me or I tried to forget about it.

“I’m going to head out for a walk Robs, get some fresh air. I feel a headache coming on.” I said, putting on my sunglasses.

“OK bub, text me when you get home so I know you’re safe.” That caring tone faded as quickly as it appeared. “Love you b***h, byeeeee” she screeched into the phone. And then she was gone. I sat outside on the patio for a while with a bottle of water, hoping it would help. It did eventually, and once it cleared I went back inside to grab my keys and phone to head to the market. I wanted answers about this howling business and I just had a feeling that Sadie would be the one to help. I made a mental note to ask her if she knew anything about Mr Intimidation as well- this was a small community and a huge beast of a man like him surely wouldn’t go unnoticed.

It just so happened that I wouldn’t have to go very far in my quest for answers. As I opened the door, who did I see coming down my garden path but Sadie. Dressed in denim dungarees, with a grey cardigan and black farming boots, she was carrying a basket in one arm and a Monstera plant under the other

“Oh hen, yer home! Thank the lord, can ye give me a hand?” I rushed out to help her with the basket, it weighed a tonne.

“Oh you shouldn’t have! It’s lovely to see you again, Sadie. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Auch just a wee gift to welcome ye to our community. We look after our own” There it was again. What was this, some community mantra they had going on? As she entered the house she looked around and whistled. She and Robyn had more in common that they realised, I would have to tell Robyn the next time we spoke. “Fancy digs you’ve got here, Autumn” she didn’t meet my eyes but continued to survey the kitchen then the living room.

“Please have a seat, would you like a tea?”

“Ohh aye that’d be lovely. Milk and 2 please, hen”

“I’m glad you’re here actually, Sadie,” I called from the kitchen as I prepared our drinks. “I have a few questions about the area and was hoping you could help answer them.” I poured her tea into a mug and took out an iced coffee carton from the fridge for myself, pouring it into a glass and dropping in some ice cubes. She didn’t respond until I was carrying the drinks over to her in the living room.

“Is that so, aye?” She raised her eyebrows as she took the mug from me. “What kind of questions do ye have?”

“Well…” there was no point in beating around the bush. “I’ve been hearing some strange noises, I was wondering if there was a wildlife reservation or zoo around here? I could’ve sworn I heard a wolf howling the past 2 nights I’ve been here” I chewed my nails nervously. Something about her expression made my stomach drop.

“I see… Well I don’t know how to answer that for ye.” Sadie began. “I’ve never seen anything like that around here and I’ve lived here all my life. But that’s not to say there isn’t something in these hills making those noises” Her eyes shined in the sunlight, her hair gleaming in its rays. I found myself leaning in, willing her to carry on. “Just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there.”

“Don’t see who? Who are they?” Eyes wide, ears pricked, I was hanging on her every word.

“The wolves, of course.” Sadie’s voice was barely above a whisper. Suddenly, she began to laugh manically, throwing her head back and almost spilling her tea. I grabbed the cup from her hands and sat uncomfortably until she stopped. Rubbing her eyes, she sighed trying to catch her breath.

“Well I better be off, Autumn hen.” It was like a switch was flipped. “Thanks for the hospitality. Please enjoy the basket of goodies and look after yourself. I’ll be seeing ye.” She waved her hand and she was gone in a flurry of white and denim, out the front door and down the path.

I stood there in the middle of the living room, mouth hanging open, too stunned to move. Robyn was right, that woman needed watching. Disappointed, I submitted to the fact that my little fact finding mission left me with more questions than answers.