Jersey Devil

wc3546





Dion lifted the heavy backpack onto Jalia’s back. She snapped the clips to hold it in place and adjusted the weight to rest on her hips rather than her back. The other four members of the group talked in rapid fire fashion interrupting each other about the trip.

“The pictures I saw at the meeting seemed real. I know I'm not a photographic expert, but there didn’t seem to be any imperfections that I could see.” Jordan adjusted his goggles and the camera mounted to his head.

“You sure that night vision camera is going to work?” Fallon frowned at the rigged up contraption on his friend’s head. “Just hope the devil doesn’t chase you, because unless you are standing there looking at it, we ain’t gettin’ any pictures of it. Just you're ugly mug screaming as you run.”

“That’s where you are wrong. The lens can swivel and focus 360 degrees.” Jordan gave a demonstration.

Dion grinned, “Just be careful what you do or say, it will be on camera.”

Fallon swore, but gave Dion’s arm a good punch, “Good Job.”

Gabby and Todd laughed at the same time. They were siblings but not twins; even though they acted like it. Where one went, the other was right behind. Jalia’s eyes narrowed, she didn’t really know why they were with the group; except they forked over the required dough for the trip. She'd heard something about their ancestors once lived in these mountains and were interested in finding out their heritage. What really bugged her was the attention they were giving her.

At first it was just a friendly getting-to-know-you questioning. Then the questions got a little more personal. Why would they need to know her reason for being on this trip? They asked her about her family and where she was raised. She didn't like the tone of their questions and stayed as far from them as possible.

“Once we get to the campsite, we'll drop some of the gear and split up into groups.” Dion finished his speech.

Dion and Jalia moved to the front of the line with Fallon and Jordan in the middle. Gabby and Todd brought up the rear.

The hike to the camp site took a few hours and they had very little conversation. The terrain was dense forest with just the trail hacked by the guides that took in the camping gear. When they reached the campsite they stowed their supplies into the tents.

After dividing the research gear among the three teams, they marked their maps. Dion handed Gabby and Todd their map. They quickly opened it and triangulated their coordinates. Jalia watched the two nod at each other then turn to Dion.

“We’re ready to go. We’re going to start out now before it gets too dark in the valley.” Todd folded the map and slid it into Gabby’s back pack. Before he could zip it Jalia saw something that made her shiver, but she said nothing.

Todd turned to her, touched his two fingers to his forehead in a mock salute and the two moved out of the clearing. His parting wasn't encouraging.

Jalia rubbed her arms.

“Are you cold?” Dion stood in front of her, “What are you feeling?” He was her friend and she'd shared a little of her handicap with him.

“Nothing. It just felt like a cool breeze passed by me. Not just the wind.”

The rest of the group watched the two siblings hurry off through the trees until they could no longer hear the slash of Todd using the machete.

“I don’t trust them.” Fallon turned to Dion. “How did they get on this team?”

“I got a call from the Professor. He said there was a brother and sister very interested in anything that had to do with the Jersey Devil. Someone in their family had an encounter and was affected by it. They wanted to know what happened for themselves.”

“Why didn’t they just ask the relative?” Jalia adjusted her pack and moved to pass Fallon.

“He died. What they know is what he left; a diary of a madman. That's what the Professor told me. He doesn’t believe any of it. He said he read the pages they copied for him and it was as if he were telling a very good ghost story. There was no description of the area he was in, only a narrative of what he saw.”

“Shelly and Brahm wanna be?” Jordan filled in.

“They didn’t have a computer or notepad and pen in that backpack.” Jalia muttered.

“What?” Jordan asked.

“Nothing.” She stepped aside as Dion moved ahead to lead the group.

The sun set and the summer air cooled drastically. Jalia put on her thermal jacket, stocking cap and gloves.

Fallon and Jordan branched off and went on to their area, leaving Dion and Jalia to find theirs from the GPS coordinates.

“Dion, Gabby had a gun and tranq darts in her backpack.” Jalia dropped the information into the silence.

“What?” He was checking the GPS as they moved. She repeated what she said. 
“How do you know that?” Dion frowned, his body tense.

“I volunteer at the animal shelter. I know what they look like. It isn’t a regular gun. I saw the feathered tails sticking out of the small carrying case. There must have been 20 or more of them.”

“They had better use them on each other because they aren’t going to use it on anything we find here.” Dion kept walking pushing the flora and fauna aside following the readings of his GPS. “We're pretty close to the area. Let’s find a vantage point and sit where we can see anything that comes along.”

Dion pulled off his back pack and took out his camera.

Jalia used her flash light to scan the trees as she walked farther up the side of the mountain away from him. “Don’t go too far.” She heard the crackle of his voice in her ear. She bit down on the soft tube in her mouth; one beep for yes and two for no.

“Ok. I got you. No more talking.”

On the outside she looked as calm as those paranormal hunters one could watch on TV. Tonight she was actually in the same area they had once investigated. Deep in these woods something lived, and Jalia had her own idea of what it could be.

The sounds of the night began a calliope of music. After what seemed to her to be a few minutes, but much longer, the forest went quiet, dead quiet. Jalia sat up. The hairs on her body stood straight up. All her senses were on alert. She closed her eyes and drew on her alter self, opening her enhanced hearing and seeing to what might be out there.

Her pupils dilated and the once blackness turned to a black and grey that revealed the trees and the foliage around her. While the others in the group had to rely on infrared glasses and heat sensing cameras, she just needed to open her eyes. The others had no idea what Jalia was, and she wanted to keep it that way.

What if she met up with something like herself? What would she do? Was there anyone like herself except in books?

A branch broke to her left; a rock bounced off a tree on her right.

“Jalia do you hear anything? I thought I heard something hit a tree.” Dion’s voice whispered in her ear, but he could have been shouting, with senses so wide open.

She bit twice on the tube.

“Ok, just checking. You ok?” He asked.

“Yep,” she whispered. Hoping it would shut him up.

Her backpack lay beside her at the base of the tree. She was free to move. The sound of branches bending against soft fur had her squatting on the balls of her feet ready to move.

It didn’t jump or leap at her. From her right luminescent eyes looked straight at her. She didn’t move, waiting to see the full body of what was coming her way. The animal wasn’t quite a wolf, or a dog; a combination of both. Lean, but powerful. The fur sleek and clean, there was no foul order to announce it.

Jalia waited until it came to her. She didn’t stand, but remained crouched on her haunches.

‘You came.’ His voice was soft and low on her mind. She recognized it. It was almost a relief to hear the familiar voice.

‘You called me. I heard you the first time many years ago. I felt you near but I couldn’t see you. I heard you call my name. ‘ Her thoughts scattered as she tried to telepath.

‘I have been watching you; watching over you. It is time you come and meet the rest of the family.’ The deep voice resonated in her mind, sending pulses along her nerves.

‘The others are watching. They're walking and waiting for an appearance of the Jersey Devil.’ She warned. ‘One group has tranquilizer darts and gun.’

‘They will see it.’ A deep voice came from her left. She swung to face the voice and cringed. This form was worse than even she had imagined.

The animal was just a few feet away and she could smell it; the smell of death. The mutant animal was rabid looking. She moved slightly to her right.

‘It is wise that you seek Corlun’s protection. He is the leader. What you see before you is what they came to see.' With a raised head the wings she hadn’t seen before unfolded from the sides of the body and opened like bat wings. It crouched and sprang into the air the wings flapping and beating against the small branches. The split tail helped it to balance on the thick branch before flying again.

‘Come we will follow him.’

“Hey what is going on? Do you see anything? I am coming your way.” Dion was on the move.

'Dion is coming. The others probably heard it and are moving too.'

“Jalia, did you see it?” Dion broke through into the clearing his voice insistent.

“Yes, I have to catch my breath. It flew right over me and headed down the hill toward Gabby and Todd.”

“Come on, we’ll follow it.” Dion turned without waiting to see if she did follow. He disappeared into the night.

She took a breath, ”I've got something over here I'm going to check out." She followed the wolf or whatever he was. Her back pack slammed against her arms as she moved to keep up with him. She was now completely covered with fur. When they slowed, she hid her pack in the bushes along with her clothes.

The two lupin inched their way under the brush overlooking an open area in the woods. She could see the other animal crouched on a thick branch above them. His weight didn’t even bend the branch. There was more to him than met the eye.

‘You are right about that.’ The male wolf spoke to her mind.

Vaguely she could hear someone talking but the earpiece she had worn dangled at her neck and the tube was lost somewhere in the forest.

“I can’t raise Jalia.” Dion whispered from the edge of the cleared area. Fallon and Jordan stayed in the trees watching for any movement. Their bodies were outlined behind some low bushes. Jalia figured they were in conversation wondering where she was and where Todd and Gabby were.

The animal in the tree never moved and the three men didn’t look up. They were looking around them until Todd and Gabby arrived. The two did not stop at the edge of the trees; but moved right into the center of the clearing.

“Where are you? Show yourself.” Todd yelled.

“What are you doing?” Dion asked in a loud whisper, “We followed something this way. Hoping it would come out and we could see it.”

“Oh you're going to see it alright.” Gabby turned and trained her large head flashlight into Dion’s face and then swung it to Jordan and Fallon. A slow sweep from the high beam of light illuminated the rest of the area; passing just over where Jalia and her new friend lay.

‘Where's Jalia?” Todd demanded.

“I don’t know. She said to meet her here she was following it.” Dion and the other men swept their flashlights around the clearing in silence. Then out of the silence the sound of a howl, loud and piercing swirled around them.

Even though Jalia knew who made it, the sound was piercing and haunting.

“What was that?” Jordan called in a loud whisper voice.

“I have no idea. Where did it come from?” Fallon asked, sweeping his light back and forth in front of him.

The howl was taken up but one or two then more and the sounds came closer.

Jalia began to shake. ‘Hey, little one, they're our family, there is no need to be afraid. You have been alone too long. This is not how I wanted to introduce you to your new family, but better now than never.”

Before she could answer, Todd stepped away from the group. He howled. Not the same as she heard before, but definitely it wasn’t something a human would or could make. It was a loud challenge that could be heard to the far reaches of the valley. He stretched and his face and jaw stretched, Fur covered his body, he shrugged out of his clothes and stood on two feet a Werewolf.

"What?!!" Fallon yelled, What's going on here Todd. What are you?" The group moved away from him toward the edge of the forest.

From the trees lupin moved into the clearings to surround the humans and the werewolf. Todd dropped to all fours and crouched, his ears back and his mouth in a drooling snarl.

There was the soft whisper of wings unfurling. Jalia’s ears perked at the sound and she looked to the trees.

From above the group there was very little sound as the large animal floated to the grass, its wings spread out and its awful dinosaur like head cocked to look at the two young people. One a warewolf the other human,

There was silence in the meadow as the creature folded its wings and looked at the interlopers.

Fallon, Dion and Jordan backed away yet were moving toward the ring of wolves, still watching the creature. To their right, Todd in wolf form and Gabby in human form waited.

“What are we going to do?” Dion shuddered. Fallon had the camera out and was filming what was visible in the flashlight. “Over here, be sure to get the leader. That old grey one.” Fallon whispered. At the sound of that, the old one turned and moved in slow motion to the group. It lowered the massive head to stare at Fallon.

Fallon’s hands began shaking so badly he could barely hold the camera let alone be still enough to capture any good footage.

The creature moved forward letting a menacing growl and drool drip from his muzzle. Fallon got the point and turned the camera off and set it on the ground at his feet. Immediately the older animal turned and moved to face Todd and Gabby. Gabby was grinning. Her hand held the scruff of Todd’s neck and she stepped forward.

“You are indeed a fine group.” Gabby took a step forward. There was a howl and a growl from the on lookers at her words.

She held up her hand for silence. “Okay a fine pack. We weren’t sure there were other’s like us. We thought we were all alone, but when we met Jalia, we knew there were others. We just had to bide our time until she led us to her pack. Now here we are one big happy family. Come out Jalia, Come out, come out, where ever you are.” Gabby sang it like a child's song.

Jalia started to move but the wolf next to her went first and she followed.

Gabby smiled at Jalia. “Well little one, you finally let go and shifted. I wondered when you would do it. Brother here has been hot on you since he discovered you.”

The wolf moved to protect her when Todd turned toward her. The two growled and Todd circled, but the other wolf kept Jalia in tight beside him.

There was a roar from the older creature with wings. Jalia was fascinated yet feared this creature. His eyes green glowed and turned red.

The two snarlingwolves stopped. A shot was heard and the creature fell to the ground with a feathered dart protruding from his haunch.

Dion stood with the tranquilizer gun and a fist full of darts. “You all can leave now. I just want the Jersey Devil to take back. I have a cage in the back of the truck. We'll haul him out and you all can go on your merry way. I just need proof that this thing lives.” Dion swung the gun back and forth pointing it at different bodies including Gabby and Todd.

“How did you get those from our pack?” Gabby asked. Jalia was curious too. She had not seen him move.

“I didn’t, these are mine.” He turned to Jalia. “I’m sorry Jalia. I suspected that there was more to you than meets the eye. I wondered if you might have some paranormal tendencies. When Gabby and Todd contacted me, and told me what they suspected, I had to take precautions.” He held up the dart gun and darts. “Jordan, Fallon, use this rope to tie the creature up. He' ll be asleep for a while.”

Jordan and Fallon moved to follow Dion's orders. Fallon went into the forest and came back with a thick branch with no limbs. They tied the wolves' paws together and slid the branch between them ready for travel like the musical Peter and the Wolf.

Jalia slipped unseen back to her pack, shifted to her human self and dressed. She returned to the clearing in time to see the creature being picked up by Jordan and Fallon. Dion followed them facing the pack his gun pointing at them. "Jalia you come to." he jerked the dart gun at her, but sje didn't move. He held up the loaded dart gun at her.

"Do you really want to do that?" she asked. Dion stared at her then shrugged his shoulders and left them alone.

When the group was out of sight, some of the wolves shifted. In their human form they were totally naked. Jalia looked away, but they paid her no attention.

“We need to go after him. We can’t let them take him to civilization. We need to go and get him.” When the Corlun shifted, Jalia found herself digging in her backpack to keep her eyes occupied. She was a woman and his physical form was perfect. The others had no phobia about being naked, nor did they seem possessed with a sense of voyeurism. It was just another day of work. Jalia, on the other hand was totally inexperienced when it came to shifting and all the nuances that went with it.

The discussion went on for a couple of minutes then trackers were sent out to follow and give them notice. The rest prepared to follow.

This left a couple of wolves including Gabby and Todd.

“You aren’t going,” Jalia informed the two, ”You have caused enough trouble as it is. Stay here.”

“Who do you think you are? You didn’t even sense us? You have no training or even know what abilities you have.” Todd snorted at her in disgust. Gabby smirked.

She felt a strong hand on her shoulder. “You two are unknowns to this pack. You will stay here and confront the elders to answer their questions.” Corlun pointed and a group of men stepped forward to greet them. The siblings had no choice in the matter.

Gabby turned to see that Jalia had no moved, “What about her? She isn’t part of your pack.”

Corlun responded, “You don’t know what you are talking about. Jalia has been part of this pack since before she was born. Her returning home has completed the pack. You two on the other hand have no connection to this pack. That just means we will have to find your family. The elders will help you.” The two followed the group, but Todd kept turning around to see what Jalia and Corlun were doing.

“Jalia, I want you to follow with the others at a safe distance. You may need to help get Jersey back.”

“So he really is the Jersey Devil?” she whispered looking into the dark forest.

“His story is a long and interesting one. Maybe he'll tell it to you later.”

“You..You are going to help me?” she still looked past his naked shoulder.

Corlun laughed, “I am your mate. Yes, I will help you. From now on you will never be alone.”

He leaned down to her and nuzzled her neck giving her a nip. Jalia felt the bite from her neck all through her body to her toes. It was a good feeling.

“I have to go.” In a moment he shifted to a wolf and leaped across the clearing to the opening left by the others.

“Come we will need to hurry as we are walking on two legs versus four.” The rest of the Shape shifters groupwere now clothed in jeans, boots and plaid flannel shirts with camo vests. She smiled. ‘Just good ol’ boys going hunting.’

She'd met the Jersey Devil and lived, but she would keep that a secret.