Wolf

         It was waiting.  That was what it spent most of its time doing, after all.

         But it didn't mind.  It could wait.  It was patient.

- - -

         "I want this one, Mom!"  Cara pointed excitedly at a frilly pink dress with wings hanging off the back.

         Cara's mother walked over to the costume rack.  After examining the price tag, she shook her head.  "This one's a little expensive, Cara.  Ooh, how about this one?"

         Cara stuck out her tongue at the skeleton costume that her mother was holding up.  "No way.  That's Anna's kind of costume."  She accentuated her point by jabbing her finger in the direction of her older sister, who was examining a rack on the other side of the costume shop.  Anna, who was one year Cara's senior, had always been the tomboy of the pair.

         Anna's voice rang from across the store.  "Hey Mom, I found one!"  She walked over to them, holding up a furry wolf costume.  It looked like a high quality item; it was a one piece costume that covered the wearer's entire body, including feet and hands.  The costume was designed so that the opening for your face would make it look like you were peeking out of the wolf's mouth.

         "That's cute, Anna, but it looks expensive."  Cara's mother took the price tag between her fingers and looked it over.  "Wait... that can't be right.  That looks like real fur!"

         The store proprietor called to them from behind his desk.  "That costume is cheap because it's second-hand.  Don't worry, though: it's been thoroughly washed."

         "Can I get it Mom, please?"  Anna did her best to give her mother a "puppy dog" look.

         "Alright, that's fine, Anna.  Now as soon as Cara picks out her costume, we'll head home."

         Cara grimaced.  There was something about the wolf costume she didn't like, but at least she wasn't going to be the one wearing it.

- - -

         "I'm gonna try it on."

         They had gotten back late, having decided to visit an ice cream parlor after the costume shop.  Though the girls had been eager to try on their new costumes (Cara had finally found a less expensive fairy), their mother had told them it was time to brush their teeth and head to their shared bedroom.  It was still two days until Halloween, after all, and they would have ample time to try on their costumes.

         "You shouldn't!  Mom told us to go to bed!"

         Anna smiled mischievously.  "Yeah, and I did.  See?  I'm sitting in my bed right now.  But she didn't say I couldn't try on my costume once I was in bed!"  She started to pull the costume on over her legs.

         Cara just rolled her eyes, lying back in her own bed on the other side of the room.  Anna was always getting herself in trouble.  She always thought she was above the rules.

         Across the room, Cara heard Anna make a surprised sort of sound.  Cara looked over and saw that Anna was now wearing the wolf costume, but her expression looked worried.  "Is everything alright, Anna?"

         "I'm not sure."  She shifted a little, as if trying to get comfortable.  "The inside of the costume feels almost... wet.  It didn't feel that way at the store.  It almost feels like... mmph!"

         Anna was suddenly cut off as the bottom "lip" of the wolf costume flipped up and covered her mouth.  Her eyes went wide, and she tried frantically to pull it back down, but it didn't move.

         What happened next occurred in the space of a few seconds.  Cara watched as Anna's arms and legs were pulled out of the limbs of the costume and pressed against her body.  Then the mouth of the costume closed around her face, and her head was pulled down.  Cara could swear she heard a "gulp."

         Cara stared, her heart racing with fear.  Anna's entire body was now stuffed into the lower torso of the costume, where its stomach would be.  She could see Anna struggling; she was trying to climb back out, but something was stopping her.  Anna was screaming, but the screams could only be heard faintly through the thick fabric of the costume.

         Cara screamed, leaping out of her bed and running into the hall.  "Mom!  Mom!"  She cried out as she ran into her parent’s room.

         Her mother looked at her, rubbing sleep from her eyes.  "What's wrong, honey?  Did you have a nightmare?"

         Cara was panting, her heart still pounding.  "Mom!  It's Anna!  Her costume - it ate her!"

         "What?"  Cara's mother had a quizzical look on her face.

         "Her costume!  She wanted to try it on, but then she said it felt wet, and then the mouth closed and... and..."

         "Slow down, Cara, slow down.  You were just having a bad dream.  C'mon, let's go see."  She got out of bed and took Cara's hand, walking with her back to her room.

         When they entered, the wolf costume was lying on Anna's bed - completely empty.  Cara's mother walked over and picked it up.  "Here's the costume, but... where's Anna?  Hiding in the closet, maybe?"

         "She's not in the closet, Mom!  The costume ate her!"

         "Don't be silly, honey, she's just hiding.  No, she's not in the closet, either..."  Starting to look worried, she tossed the wolf costume into the closet before shutting the door.  "Cara, I want you to get back into bed and stay there, okay?"

         "But Mom..."

         "Not now, Cara!  Just stay in your bed!"

         Once Cara had climbed into bed, her mother flipped off the light and went out into the hallway.  Cara could hear her moving about the house, becoming more frantic as she searched for her missing daughter.

         Cara lay in her bed, holding the covers close to her face.  Maybe her mom was right: maybe it had been a bad dream, and Anna was hiding somewhere.  Anna was always getting into trouble.  She needed to just close her eyes and try to sleep.

         A sound made her jump.  She opened her eyes again and saw to her horror that the closet door was now ajar.  She sat up, looking around the room, but she didn't see anything.  Too frightened now to even call for help, she hunkered under her blanket, as if the thick cloth would somehow protect her.

         She heard a sound behind her.  She looked up to see the wolf costume climbing over the headboard of her bed.  She opened her mouth to scream, but before she could get a sound out, the costume leaped toward her, its wide mouth clamping over her head.

- - -

         The costume pulled the door closed behind it as it dragged itself back into the closet.  The second girl was now trapped in its stomach; it could still feel her struggling, though it knew that wouldn't last long.

         It knew what would happen next.  The girls' parents would search for them, calling the police for a thorough search, but, of course, they wouldn't find them.  And eventually, the costume would be sold or given away to a thrift store.  It might be weeks or even months before that happened.  And it might be even longer before someone else bought it and put it on.

         But it didn't mind.  It could wait.  It was patient.