The hunter

Chapter 19

Elliot’s eyes turned very cold, and he pinched the bridge of his nose but did not say a single word at Chris. Even though he said nothing what radiated from his silence spoke volumes even I was perplexed by Chris how did one wolf get away from what I saw even though it was just a few brief glances it was like he didn’t even try whatsoever. I turned around then it hit home with me two people were killed and I felt sick, and it felt as if the world was starting to close in on me as I looked over at the body of the women who I failed to protect. Whilst lost in my train of thought I was then joined by Elliot “Riley death is something we witness on a daily occurrence, as much as we try not everyone can be saved and I know you tried, and I heard what you told her you must not hold onto this”. I looked at him “I should have done more though; I should have dragged her inside or at least tried harder”. The expression on his face was one of tenderness and empathy “Listen my girl, if you had done that you would have both been dead and I will not allow you to carry the weight of someone’s death on your hands when I know you tried to save her” putting his hand up clearly knowing I was about to respond “No Riley, you tried and you warned her and you tried to protect her you hold onto that not everyone can be saved and I’m afraid that is a hard thing to learn but something you must learn”.

I now understood why I now made the choice to stay with them as the guilt I felt for a stranger dying was painful but what if it had been someone I truly cared for and loved. I don’t think I will ever truly become accustomed to this I could see Josh with Chris’s help dragging the corpse of one of the deceased werewolves and putting it with the others. I looked at Elliot “so what happens next?” he then rested his hand on my shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze “what we always do Riley, the werewolves will be picked up and their bodies will be burned back at base, a call will go in afterwards to the police and it will be reported kids where attacked by a wild animal and the homeless will be rescued and put in a shelter and hopefully get there life back on track”. Never loosening his grip “I’m afraid my dear child life is not a fairy-tale there are no prince charming’s, or white knights on noble steeds, that overthrow evil and good reigns supreme, life is a precious gift, and you must always cherish it and embrace what good you can, love with your whole heart, cry feel pain for that is truly living”.

Tyler must have left his position because he was now walking out of the broken window, he took one look at me and then came to me and hugged me. After letting me go it was odd, I didn’t feel the same warmth or tenderness that I felt with Akechetah, even though he was being kind it felt more like it was a knee jerk reaction than that of true compassion. Elliot was giving Tyler this weird look as if he was not happy with him but maybe I was wrong “Tyler can you stay behind with Chris and once the bodies are cleared put the call into the police, once they arrive let me know and I will get someone to collect you both, you know the drill stay hidden and as soon as you hear the sirens head for a secluded spot”. Tyler just rolled his eyes as if saying yeah, yeah, I know and I sheathed my weapons like everyone else already had and went to the werewolf that I had killed just as Josh joined me and we then dragged its body to where the others now lay.

The smell that was coming of this was unbearable it was putrid it almost smelled of rotten dead flesh and I had to keep myself from retching. The fur was all matted and was hard and coarse and was tangled with mud and now dry blood that had clumped in its coat. There are lifeless bodies now heaped in a pile the rain started to fall again which came as such a blessing as the blood spilling from their bodies was now starting to form a puddle which would not have been easy to explain away. “Well Riley what can I say things can be a real drag at times” turning to Josh he was repressing laughter clearly trying to lighten things back up. Looking around at everyone they are bore such different expressions Chris looked almost nervous and kept looking around whist flexing his fingers. Elliot looked sombre and shaking his head and somewhat looking defeated as he stood over one of the human corpses. Then there was Tyler who was now looking at his phone as if he had better places to be. It made it so apparent that we do handle such emotions is so different a way I felt nothing for the wolves but for their victims the guilt I felt was so crushing and consuming.

“Riles, hey earth to Riles” I was bought out of my own thought process where Josh was waving his hands in front of my face. “Hey space cadet we need to get in the van and leave now clean up are on their way”. Looking up at josh “Okay sorry about that” wrapping his arm around me “yeah it sucks when you see the aftermath unfortunately, we can’t save everyone, and as shitty as you may feel just remember that there where lives that have been spared even if others have been lost”.

Heading back to the van Elliot opened the door indicating that I was riding up front with him, taking my seat I could hear as josh shut the side of the van door and we drove back all in silence.

As we pulled down the muddied track that led to the house all that could be heard was the drizzle of the rain, I wondered why no one had come exploring this area but where it was pitch black looking at the clock on the van it was now quarter to one in the morning. The atmosphere from natures camouflage just screamed out danger any who enter it almost felt like it was leading down a haunted road. Finally pulling into the driveway we all got out the van looking up into the nights sky no star could be seen. Almost if they had been shrouded in a veil of darkness mourning the loss of human life, the rain falling around us where the tears of the stars sharing their sorrow with the world. I just stood there and let it wash over me feeling pins and needles as they fell a bittersweet statement to the cold and pain that they felt themselves. Clearing his throat Elliot then spoke “Riley you’re out with Josh first then with me in the afternoon so head on inside and get some sleep as you need to be rested as much as possible, Josh I will debrief the committee tomorrow on this evenings events, take her to her room first and then we can discuss how she has fought this evening so we can see what improvements she needs to be taught”. Josh just smirked at that whilst inwardly I was rolling my eyes wondering if I was constantly being judged.

Josh then slapped me on the back “come on young lady time for bed, you stayed out way past your bedtime and you need your beauty sleep now”. Without even thinking “yeah good luck with that id need months of sleep then to look somewhat semi decent”. Starting to laugh at this “nah you don’t, you don’t give yourself any credit do you girl”. Looking into his eyes “what can I say I’m a realist” staring me dead in the eyes “bollocks I don’t know what you have heard in the past but whatever it is you need to stop seeing yourself through that person’s perception and actually use your own eyes”. He then pushed me forward as if stating that we would not discuss it any further and that he was having the last word on the matter. We made our way inside and headed up the stairs as we reached my room Josh pulled me in for a big hug “Night lil sis, also do me favour have a shower your covered in blood spatter and not gonna lie but not exactly a good look on you”. I playfully slapped him round the back of the head “Actually I can wait till you give me one of your white tops as was going to use that to wipe my face with”. The look of horror that appeared on his face was priceless I made a mental note realising a found some ammo to use on him. Turning to my door and unlocking it just as I walked through the entrance “Oh and Riles try not to dream about any tall good-looking men with long braided black hair, whose name start with an A” and before I could turn to respond I could hear his foot falls as he made his way to his own room. Muttering under my breath calling him an “ass hat” I locked my door and took my weapons of and placed them on top of my draws and made my way to my bathroom.

Upon looking on my reflection he wasn’t wrong as the once crimson blood was now brown and had crusted up. Then everything hit me like a tidal wave and the room started to spin as the night’s events flashed before my eyes and watching as that girl’s throat was ripped out in front of me. Running to the toilet I threw up clutching the outer rim of the toilet seat for leverage. Once I had finished I unhunched myself and rested my head on the seat as more tears fell and curled my hands into fists, whilst in my head I was screaming. Just seeing the yellow eyes of a werewolf with its face right in front of mine. Was this really what my life was going to be like now, would I always be within deaths cold vice like grip. I know that I couldn’t turn back from this now and that this was the path I was meant to take but there was so much pain and darkness would there ever been any light in this endless night. Then I saw the little Emma with her bright wide eyes and then my Uncle Scott followed by Akeetcha with his half smile that showed his canine tooth. Pulling myself together I pulled the curtains on the shower and turned it on. Walking into my room I hadn’t noticed there was a folded-up piece of paper. Retrieving it from the floor unfolding I was met was a pleasant surprise it was a picture and on there was a drawing that I could only assume was done by Emma the way it was drawn had the child like strokes where drawing two stick figures with the large faces. Both had yellow hair and looked as if they were holding hands. Folding it back up I placed it on my bed making a mental note to speak with Emma and thank her when I next saw her.

I then made my way back to the shower after the warmth of the water offered comfort I looked down; I saw the blood starting to wash away. It reminded me of a scene from numerous horror films I have watched. As the blood circled the drain, I was back in that room under the table trying to escape the clutches of the wolf whilst its desperately trying to claw at me. How do they deal with this day in and day out. Was I forever going to be haunted by those yellow eyes, I struggle still seeing Bens. This bought on a whole new thought process why was I able to fight a wolf but with a human I couldn’t. There was no logic to this I was a punching bag, and I couldn’t stop him I felt so small and helpless with him. The blows he would rein down on me the things he would throw at me the way he would grab my hair and wrap it around his fist as he would then force my face into the wall or the floor. The harsh coldness of the water replaced the warmth which was poetic in a way as I was more used to the cold then to warmth emotionally speaking that is. Life has taken such a turnaround but was I just playing a part or was this really me. I don’t even know who I am truly deep down I just know is it was like a clock pendulum has swung and gone from no one believing in me to suddenly having people seeing a strength in me.

I had known love my parents loved me and life with them was filled with such majestic beauty and harmony. That was until they died, and deaths grasp didn’t just take them I went form living in a world full of colour to suddenly living in a black world full of harsh coldness. With a bitterness that felt like it had stained my very soul and had frozen me to my very core that now all I could see was darkness of humanity in the world. Then realising I still had to stage my death photos with Tara, and I felt sick all over again I would be dead on paper, and my life would be over I would cease to exist to the world at large. Maybe this was my chance of becoming like a mythical phoenix dying in the now petering embers of my old life. To be reborn in the fire and have a purpose in life to protect others from the demons that walked among us knowing all too well how sacred a gift humanities life really was. Sitting down on my bed getting lost in my own thoughts and feeling as if I would have some freedom in life. I would no longer be looking over my shoulder, I would no longer be in fear of Ben resurfacing from wherever he had found sanctuary because I would be dead and how can you seek out to hurt a ghost for, they live in a different reality to humankind. Finally resurfacing from my thoughts, I dressed for bed and then went to my weapons that where now stained in the blood of beings only believed to exist in stories and folklore. This blood and what I had seen was the only living proof that these where not just the figments of people’s imaginations and nightmares.

I went to the bathroom and got some tissue to clean it off the once glint the blades used to hold was now dulled and was showing signs of use. Once cleaned so there were no tell-tale signs of blood of any kind, I placed them back on top of the dresser and I went to seek comfort from my bed.

Internally begging myself for a dreamless sleep wishing not to spend any more time with my depressive thoughts.