Something In the Woods (PART 1)

Prologue

         The rain fell in a deluge. Lightening streaked across the ominous black sky. The thunder's crashes resonated loudly. East Germany hadn't seen a storm quite like this in decades. In the center of this chaos stood a small village who's name roughly translates to "Safe Haven". Though this name alludes to its protection from American tanks during the war, it is now an ironic reminder of the terror that lurked just beyond the thick tree line. The villagers never dared to set foot in the forest after dark for fear of never returning. They don't really know what exactly is responsible for kidnapping, and presumably killing, the innocent citizens of Safe Haven. They all speculated and shared stories of what it could be. Some say it is a Pagan god of some sort that is angered by the presence of Christians on sacred ground. Some say it is crazed man escaped from a mental ward several miles to the east of Safe Haven. Some even believe it is a demon or the devil himself.

         Regardless of the various beliefs of the towns people, people still go missing to this day. Local authorities have chalked it up to "ignorant and inexperienced citizens going on unnecessary leisure walks at inappropriate times". None of the citizens believed it though. They heard the screams in the middle of the night. Saw what the police called "sinkholes" and any normal human being would call monster tracks. Who ever heard of sinkholes forming five toes with imprints resembling claws? And what about the deer and cattle carcasses? The largest animal besides dear that lives in those woods is the occasional bear. Since when does a bear eat the head and contents of the chest cavity and leave the rest of the body in tact? Certainly no black bear known to modern science. The police had an excuse for that too. Claimed it was teenagers playing a gruesome prank. Everyone knew there was something evil in those woods. Nobody with a position of power wanted to admit it for fear of losing their job, but they believed it too. Nobody knew what to do besides leave, which 876 of the former 1,357 citizens did. The remaining 481 citizens of Safe Haven either hid in their homes, or pretended they believed the police reports.

Chapter 1

         "That's total bullshit!" said Ayla with a condescending tone. "Just another urban legend meant to scare children into staying out of the woods." She started tapping away at her smart phone again. It was as if that damn thing were surgically attached to her palm. John shrugged. "I don't know, I've seen a lot of pictures of the mutilated deer and cows. Seems like there's something going on in Safe Haven." Jakob laughed from the back seat. "Like what, John? I think it's the funniest practical joke I've ever heard of. I wanna shake the hands of the kids perpetrating it!" John really wanted to punch Jakob sometimes. He always had to say the stupidest, most immature thing he could think of. "Whatever. I still think there's something going on." John said annoyed. "But is it worth spending spring break on?" Ayla whined. John held Ayla's hand. "Are you saying you wanted to do something more....romantic, darling?" he said sarcastically. She punched his arm gently. "Depending on how this goes, I might actually prefer that." she said flirtatiously.

         The car came to an intersection. The sign said "Safe Haven 14km" with an arrow pointing North and "Hottenstein Hospital for the Mentally Diseased 59km" with an arrow pointing East. "Hey Ayla, there's the perfect place for you! Let's go there!" Jakob yelled pointing at the directions to the mental ward. Ayla pulled the lever on her seat allowing her to recline it sharply backward, pinning Jakob between his seat and hers. He began to cough and wheeze dramatically until she raised her seat again. Ayla looked back at him and smiled with a look of accomplishment on her face. John, chuckling, to the right onto the road heading North.

         They reached Safe Haven around 4:30pm. Driving down the one road leading in and out of town, John couldn't help but feel claustrophobic. The forest just seemed to consume them. Pretty soon, he couldn't even see anything but trees. They finally came up on the town. A sign by the road read "Welcome to Safe Haven! Population: ". Where there had obviously been tiles with numbers, there were now just bare squares of missing paint. "That's not foreboding at all." Jakob said with just a bit too much sarcasm in his tone. The whole town was maybe two square kilometers. A perfect one kilometer by one kilometer square of trees that had been erased. It was like something out of one of those stupid "God view" games. The first building they came up on was a hotel called "Safe Haven B&B". John parked the car in front of the two story building. They got out of the car and stretched out their restlessness from the long drive. John noticed the trunk was ajar. "Oh shit! The trunk was open the entire time!" He ran over to it and shut it. He was startled to hear panicked banging from inside the trunk. "Let me out!" the muffled voice of whoever was inside cried out. Ayla looked at John who now had an annoyed, but relieved look on his face. He walked over to the trunk and opened it, revealing his little brother Alex. "Alex what the hell did I tell you!?!?" he shouted. Alex tried his best to wipe the mischievous smirk off his face, but merely turned it into an awkward grimace. "I don't know what you're talking about Johnny! I thought we were playing hide and seek! I guess I won" he said with a nervous laugh as John stepped closer to him. "You are so lucky you're 16. Otherwise I'd pummel you." he said threateningly. "Why, are you gonna be drinking? I'm telling ma..." he was cut off by John picking him up by his shirt. "Listen here you little shit. If you even think of telling mom anything, I'll make sure you know a new definition of pain." Alex gulped. "Okay, but only if I get to drink to!" he said with that "know it all" tone. John just walked over to Ayla, took her hand, and walked through the front door of the B&B. Jakob looked back to Alex as soon as he saw John was gone. "Awesome prank little man!" he said giving him a high-five. They both turned and ran to catch up with John and Ayla.

         John and Ayla were standing at the main desk talking to the manager. Jakob and Alex walked over to join them. She interrupted herself in the middle of a sentence. "Are these two with you?" she asked John. He looked back at them and sighed. "Yeah they are, unfortunately." The manager giggled a bit. She began typing at what seemed like a thousand words per minute. She smiled and looked back up at John. "I have the perfect room for you guys. How's room 1 sound? Not too far of a walk, it's right behind you! First door in the hall on the right." John accepted the keys from her and walked toward the room with Ayla while Alex followed close behind. Jakob stayed behind to hit on the hotel manager. As he was trying to pull some cheesy pickup line on her, she pulled a can of pepper spray out from behind the desk and placed it on the table. "I can kick you out of here, and by the looks of your friend when I asked him if you were with him I doubt he'd care if you had to sleep in the car." she said with a threatening little smirk on her face. He smiled nervously and walked away.

         John and Ayla had taken the king sized memory-foam bed of course. Leaving the two child sized beds to Alex and Jakob. Jakob complained for about an hour about the bed before he gave up and unpacked his backpack. After everything was unpacked, John decided to ask the manager about the restaurant. They all headed out to the desk, but she wasn't there. "Maybe she went to attend to another guest or something." Ayla said. John pointed out the window looking over the parking lot. "Do you see any other cars out there?" The parking lot was desolate except for their lone Volkswagon Beetle. "Maybe she just went on break? Regardless, who cares? There's a map of the building on the wall over there." Jakob pointed out. They walked over to the sign and stared at it for a moment. Ayla found the restaurant was on the second floor. They headed over to the stairwell leading to the second floor. Jakob of course began to complain. "Stairs?? What is this, the stone age? Where's the elevator?" John glared at him. "I'm paying for you to stay with us aren't I? It's not like some exercise would kill you anyway." Ayla and Alex giggled quietly. Jakob looked down at his light beer gut, then back to John. "I'd rather have a keg over a six-pack any day!" John shook his head in agreement.. "True, but I think that keg's gonna go flat if you have it much longer." Jakob punched him in the arm. "Ass." John just laughed and continued up the stairs behind Ayla with Alex and Jakob close behind.

         They entered the restaurant and sat at the bar. The bar tender looked similar to the manager. Except she was drop-dead gorgeous. Jakob practically drooled over her shoulder-length blue and black dyed hair, not to mention the "rest" of her. Jakob felt his heart begin to race. There was something about her that was really alluring to him. More so than most women he hits on. (Which is any young, attractive woman within a 5 meter radius of him with no signs of a boyfriend or husband) Her green eyes seemed to glow almost silver on certain angles when she turned. Jakob knew it was probably just a trick of the light reflecting off them, but none the less he thought he'd fallen for her already. "What can I get you guys tonight?" she asked with a friendly smile on her lips. "Your number." Jakob muttered. "Excuse me?" she asked with a slight chuckle. "I mean uh... what do you recommend?" he asked. "Oh! Well for food, we make amazing burgers. This weeks special is a beer battered bacon cheeseburger with your choice of either fries or hash browns and a drink." Jakob's original infatuation with her only grew when she described food to him. It was as if she were "talking dirty to him". "That sounds heavenly, I'll have that." he said staring into her beautiful eyes. "Okay, what would you like for a side and drink?" she asked. He looked at the the list of drafts. "I'll have fries and a pint of lager." She scribbled away on a note pad. "And for you guys?" she asked looking at John and Ayla. Ayla ordered their smallest burger and a salad. Typical. She surprised everyone by ordering a lager. John and Alex ordered the same as Jakob. "Are you okay with the little dude drinking?" she asked John pointing to Alex. Alex gave him the puppy eyes. "Yeah let him have one on me. If he wants anymore, it's on him though." She smiled and continued scribbling away at her note pad. "Three specials with pints and fries, and a small burger with a salad and a lager. Coming right up." She gave Jakob a slyly seductive look, biting her lip as she strutted away. John was just as astonished as Jakob. "Did she.." John trailed off. "I think so..." Jakob replied. Ayla laughed at their bewilderment. "She's probably crazy if she's that attractive and willing to flirt with Jakob." Jakob didn't even hear her. He was too excited at the thought of the bar tender. He had to ask her name.

         She came back a few minutes later with two trays. She placed them down on the bar and passed the plates around. Then she walked over to the draft, slowly bending over to get glasses out from under the bar. The skirt she was wearing failed to conceal everything it was meant to. Jakob tried to look away, but he just couldn't. She was driving him crazy. She stood back up and began to poor the lagers. She walked them all over on another tray and placed them down in front of Jakob. The top to her uniform, being so low-cut, gave Jakob another rush excitement. He had to snap himself out of it to look away from the angelic body before him. Once he could stop staring at her exposed cleavage, he notice her name tag. "Alexis". He chuckled and elbowed Alex to get his attention, just to notice that he was already staring in the same general area Jakob was for the past minute or two. This made Jakob laugh hysterically. Everyone just looked at him questioningly. "Sorry, I just thought of something funny." he said nervously. Alexis giggled again, and began to walk away. Just before she went back into the kitchen, she turned back and winked at Jakob. Sending him into a whirlwind of "excitement". They ate their meals and drank their lagers, watching a flat screen above the bar and occasionally chattering about one subject or another. "That was the best meal I've ever eaten!" Jakob said slowly rubbing his even more swollen belly with satisfaction. Alexis came back out from the kitchen with the bill. Jakob took it from her. "I'll cover this one guys." Everyone stared at Jakob in disbelief. "Really? Why?" John asked. "Can't a guy buy dinner for his friends every now and again?" he asked happily. "Well..yeah but you never pay for...well..anything." Ayla added with a little laugh. "Well maybe I'm just feeling generous." Jakob said, handing the bill with a credit card wrapped in it back to Alex who seductively rubbed her hand against his as she took it from him. She walked back into the kitchen for a minute, then came back out and handed Jakob his card back. "I'm glad you guys enjoyed your food. Have a goodnight now." she said facing John, Alex, and Ayla. Then she turned to look at Jakob. "Especially you, cutie." she said with a wink as she turned back to go to the kitchen.

         John and Ayla returned to the room to "go to bed early" as John put it. Alex was in denial, but Jakob knew exactly what was going on, and wanted no part of it. So he decided to wander the hotel for a while. He figured John would be done in 15 minutes anyway. On his walk around the second floor he came across a window with an amazing view of the sky over the pond. The nearly full moon shined brightly, casting a vivid reflection on the water. Even he couldn't help but notice the beauty Safe Haven in that moment. Suddenly he felt a hand on his shoulder which made him jump. He turned around expecting to see Alex pulling a prank on him. But instead it was Alexis's beautiful smile and bewitching green eyes that met his gaze. "Alexis!" he said surprised. "Hi Jakob, right?" she said tilting her head to the side playfully. "Uh.. yeah. Um... what's up?" he asked nervously. She bit her lip again, and placed her hand on his shoulder. She moved her face closer to his. She giggled quietly. "I'm not certain, but judging by the thing jabbing me in the thigh right now, I'd guess you are." He hadn't noticed the situation that had "arisen". He was too shocked by the rest of what was going on. "Do you wanna join me in my room tonight?" she asked. His heart felt like it would explode. He couldn't refuse. "Hell yes!" he said excitedly. She motioned him to follow with her finger and led him down the hall to the very last room. The sign on the door read "employees only." He barely noticed it because his eyes were glued on Alexis. He couldn't resist her allure to any extent anymore. They spent hours in each other's embrace. Jakob never knew what love felt like, but he was pretty sure this was it. When they were finally done, he noticed it was three in the morning. "Hold me" she whispered. He wrapped his arms around her as she rolled over. As they laid there, Jakob couldn't help but notice how perfect life seemed for him in that moment. Her beauty rivaled that of the view from the window he'd been admiring just before all this happened. Her pale, white skin was so soft and warm. Her blue and black hair smelled ironically of blueberries. He kissed her neck gently and closed his eyes. He didn't know how a dream could be better than what he was experiencing in this moment, but he could only hope it would be.

Chapter 2

         Jakob awoke to a stiff neck and the sun burning his eyes. He held a hand up to block the light and squinted. Suddenly he felt relief as the curtains were pulled shut. He suddenly realized where he was. He still couldn't believe it. Things with Alex had happened so fast. Dinner, last night, and now he before him was her naked body yet again. She had turned away from the curtains to face him. "Wake up sleepy head." she said cheerfully. He smiled as she bent down and kissed his forehead. "What do you want for breakfast?" she whispered. He chuckled. "You've done way too much for me already for me to allow you to make me breakfast." She smiled back at him. "I'm a bartender, fry-cook, and a waitress. I've made meals for people I'd like to have restraining orders against, let alone have sex with. It'd be my pleasure to make you breakfast." He laughed and sat up in bed. "Well if you insist," he said playfully, "surprise me." She kissed him again and walked over to the kitchen. While she started making his breakfast, he went to the bathroom for a much needed relief of his bladder. He looked in the mirror above the sink. His once short, spiky hair had been flattened on one side. He wet his hair and reshaped it the best he could without his gel. He noticed a bite mark on the side of his neck. "John and Ayla would never believe any of this happened without that." he said quietly to himself with a smirk.

         He turned and headed out of the bathroom. He returned to the bed where his clothes lay strewn across the floor with Alexis's. He picked up what was his and put it on. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. She lifted her skillet off the stove and dumped the pancakes on to a plate. She placed the hot pan in the sink and drizzled maple syrup over the pancakes. "Your breakfast is ready babe." She said gently. "It looks delicious," he replied with a grin, "but you look much more appetizing." She giggled and placed the plate on the table. She then turned around and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I need to get dressed and go to work in 20 minutes." Jakob sighed. "Okayyy" he said sounding disappointed. She kissed him and walked over to the bed to get dressed. He sat down at the table and began to eat the pancakes. They were delicious. They had chocolate chips and a hint of cinnamon. She had also poured him a cup of coffee. He never really cared for coffee, but he gulped it down anyway. He was surprised to find even her coffee wasn't bad. He began to think to himself that there must be a catch to this woman. She seems perfect in every way so far. Beautiful, good cook, kind... He just couldn't think of one bad thing about her. He felt her arms wrap around his chest and her head on his shoulder. "Feel free to stop by the restaurant anytime. I'll make sure you eat for free." She kissed the side of his head and walked over to the door. She turned and winked playfully at him as she left. "Yep she's perfect." he said out loud.

         Back at the hotel room, John and Ayla had just woke up and began to get dressed. Alex was still in bed, his medium-length brown hair jutted off his head making him resemble a porcupine. John opened a beer from the mini-fridge and drank a little from it. Then he sat it down on the coffee table, and walked over to where Alex lay in a jumbled mess of blankets. He leaned his head a few inches from Alex's ear. "Alex" he whispered. "Allllexxxx.... ALEX!!!!!!!!" he yelled at the top of his lungs. Alex jumped and sat up in his bed. A look of tired confusion swept over his face as he rubbed his eyes. "Asshole." he said. John laughed. "Come on runt, if you're gonna be here with us then you're going to do everything with us too." John turned to Jakob's bed ready to do the same to him. He was surprised to see he wasn't there. "Ayla!" he yelled into the other room. "Yes, sweety?" she replied. "Jakob actually got up before us for once." She laughed with disbelief. "He probably went back to the restaurant to hit on that waitress some more." "Yeah, probably." Although John had no problem believing that at all, he still felt concerned because it was so unlike Jakob to get out of bed before 10am. Even for a woman. He walked over to the table and picked up his beer. "I think I'm gonna go down to the restaurant to look for him just in case he passed out drunk or something." Ayla turned away from the eggs she was frying and kissed him. "Hurry back, breakfast will be done in a few minutes." John smiled and turned towards the door.

         When John got to the restaurant, the bar and all the tables were empty. "Huh.. weird." He muttered to himself. He walked up to the bar and rang the bell by the register. Alexis walked out from the kitchen and smiled politely at him. "Good morning John! How'd ya sleep?" she said cheerfully while drying a mug with a towel. "Very well actually, thanks. I was wondering if you'd seen my friend Jakob around here this morning." She placed the mug on the counter. "He's probably around here somewhere." She seemed to be hinting at the fact that he was with her last night, to which John was still clueless. "Okay, well if you see him please tell him we're looking for him. I just wanna make sure he didn't pass out somewhere." he said with a laugh. She shook her head. "I'll be sure to do that. I'm sure he's just gone out for another walk or something." John began to walk away, but suddenly stopped and looked back at her. "How'd you know he went for a walk last night?" Just then Jakob walked into the restaurant. "What's up bro?" he asked John. "Not much.. bro," he said questioningly. "Where have you been?" Jakob sat down at the bar and smiled at Alexis. She filled the mug she had been drying and placed it on the table in front of him. "On the house, handsome." she said with a wink. John finally began to catch on. "Whoa whoa whoa wait. You mean to tell me you two...." John said in disbelief. Jakob looked back at John, his angled neck exposing the bite mark. John held his hands up by his head and said "None of my business." He turned around and left out the door. Jakob and Alexis looked at each other and laughed like they'd pulled a prank.

         When John got back to the hotel room, Ayla was just putting three plates of food on the table. The heavenly aroma of bacon and eggs permeated throughout the room, hitting John like waves. "Did you find him?" she asked. "Uh.. yeah." he said snapping out of his bacon-induced trance. "Well is he okay?" He chuckled a bit. "I think he's a lot better than okay." She looked up at him puzzled. "What do you.." John could practically see a little lightbulb floating above her head. "No way!" she exclaimed. John shook his head. "I don't know how the lucky bastard did it, but he did. I even saw a bite mark on his neck." She had to hold a hand over her mouth to prevent herself from spitting coffee on him. "Kinky." John sat next to her at the table and began to eat. "Hey twerp! Get your ass out here and eat!" he shouted. Alex came running out from the other room and nearly dove towards the table. He ate as if he were in a contest. John and Ayla stared at him in astonishment. "Uhhhh are you a little hungry this morning?" John asked sarcastically. Alex just shook his head to avoid interrupting the violent shoveling of egg and bacon into his mouth. When he had finally finished all the food on his plate he leaned back in the chair and placed his hands on his stomach. "That was delicious Ayla!" he exclaimed. "Thank you! I'm flattered." she said smiling. Alex promptly left the table and went back to his room. Ayla and John looked at each other. "That was weird." John said still in awe of the gruesome shark attack he'd witnessed. "Maybe he's going through a growth spurt?" Ayla asked. John shrugged and continued eating his own food.

         After they'd cleaned up from breakfast, John and Ayla decided to go for a walk around town. They visited every shop. There was a coffee shop, a pizza restaurant, an old-fashioned movie theater, a hardware store, a gun store, and a small playground. Small homes were scattered throughout the town amongst the various businesses. Most of them one or two story buildings with a small yard surrounded by a picket fence. The whole town was very rustic. Almost gloomy. Nevertheless, John and Ayla had lapped the entire town. They started to head back when the passed the playground. "Don't you notice anything weird about this place?" John asked. Ayla met his eyes. "I don't know what you mean." He motioned towards the playground with his hand. "Wouldn't you expect to see kids there? It's nearly 2pm." Ayla shrugged. "Maybe there's a school here that we missed and they haven't let out yet." John nodded in agreement. "Yeah probably."

         That night John and Ayla stood together on the roof of the B&B. Not a cloud was in the sky to obstruct their view. The full moon was surrounded by thousands of stars. They never got to see them so clearly in the city. Ayla found it especially romantic. John knew it were a sign that she'd be getting naked later. He chuckled quietly as that thought passed through his mind. Suddenly they heard a sound coming from the woods that chilled them both to the bone. It was like a blood-curdling scream, but less human. Somewhat animalistic. Ayla turned to John with a look of terror across her face. "What the hell was that?!?!" she said panicking. John gulped as he scanned the tree line trying to get a glimpse of whatever it was. "I have no idea, but I'm really glad we're up here right now." They heard a similar sound, except it was much closer. The sound came from the direction of the playground. "It's probably just a couple wolves mating or something." John kissed her forehead and held her tightly against him to ease her fright. The same sound boomed thunderously, even closer. It sounded like it was a few blocks away. This time it was followed by a boy screaming for help. John's blood ran cold as his eyes dilated with fear and panic. "Alex!!!" he shouted. He jumped off the side of the building onto the fire escape. "John!" Ayla shouted. Without stopping he shouted back to her. "Stay there, I need to make sure my brother's okay!" He climbed down from the fire escape and ran over to the car. He threw open the passenger side door and ripped the glove compartment cover off its hinges. He retrieved a small pistol from the compartment, pulled out the mag to ensure it was loaded, then replaced it and cocked the weapon. Then he began to run toward where he'd heard his brother's voice.

         "Alex!!!!" No response. "Alex!!!!!!" He got to the end of the street, but saw nothing. "John..." Alex said faintly from somewhere nearby. "Where are you???" he shouted. Then he saw him. What was left of Alex walked around a corner, and took two more steps before collapsing on the ground with a thud. John screamed in terror at the sight of his mutilated sibling. His left arm was missing, his right was badly lacerated. Both his legs looked like they'd been through a wood chipper. It was amazing that he was able to walk as far as he did. His torso was covered in claw marks. His scalp had been completely torn off, exposing blood-stained bone. His face was nearly unrecognizable. Most of his teeth and cheeks were gone. His left eye was missing as well. The only thing in tact was his right hand. As he laid there in a puddle of gore, John knelt beside him and wept. "Alex, look at me! Alex please you need to stay awake. I'm gonna get you help okay?" Suddenly he saw what he believed did this to his brother. It was enormous. It must have been two and a half meters tall. It had dark, black fir that shined with a blueish tinge in the moonlight. The thing's claws and jaw were soaked in blood and covered in bits of torn flesh and gore. He couldn't believe what he was looking at. It began to walk toward him. It was so human-like in its stride. He finally snapped out of it, raised his pistol, and fired all eleven rounds in the magazine. The beast roared thunderously as it turned to the woods into which it disappeared. Dumbfounded, John stood on his weak, shaking legs. Picking up the remains of his brother, he ran to the doctor's office down the road. He pounded violently on the door until the doctor answered. "Oh my god!" the doctor shouted. "Quickly, bring him in here and lay him down on my table. I'll need to work fast!" John did as the man said. "You'll probably want to wait in my living room. This could be....messy." he whispered to John. "Messy!??!?" John fainted, landing on the hard wood floor.

         John awoke to the smell of blood, which nearly made him vomit. He sat up against the wall, and noticed he'd been laying in a pool of blood. The realization that he hadn't dreamt the previous night hit him like a brick wall. "Alex?!?!" he shouted. The doctor stepped into the room. He looked like he had bathed in blood. Removing his mask, he knelt down beside John. "I'm so sorry sir." He said placing a hand consolingly on his shoulder. "You mean..." The doctor just bowed his head. "I tried everything I could for your friend, but he... won't make it. He'll be gone within the hour." John tried to cry but couldn't. The only moisture left in his eyes was his brother's blood. "He's in a coma. Some say you can still hear people around you when you're in a coma. If you wanna say goodbye, now would be the time." John slowly raised to his feet. The doctor turned and walked over to the table and resumed scrubbing gore and blood off of it. John walked over the the sheet he'd laid Alex on. He knelt down again, next to his brother's lifeless body. He could see his lungs struggling to draw breath. "Hey Alex. I don't even know if you can hear me, but I guess I have to try. I'm so sorry about this. I wasn't quick enough. I'm so sorry Alex. I want you to know little brother that I love you. I don't know how mom's gonna bare this, but the doc says you've got less than an hour." Alex's breathing began to get more labored. John lifted his brother off the ground and held him gently. He remained there hugging the bloody remains of his brother for what seemed like forever. He suddenly felt his brother's chest stop moving. John knew it was over. He placed his body back down on the sheet. He wrapped the sheet around him tightly. "Thank you for everything doctor. It means so much that you tried. Oh... I'm sorry for the uh...mess.." John said, his voice entirely bereft of emotion. The doctor bowed his head in respect as John carried his brother's wrapped body out the door.

Chapter 3

         John decided it was best to take Alex's remains home. He had no clue what to tell his mother. He just didn't know what to believe himself. He couldn't have seen what he saw. "It's impossible," he thought. "Could I have really just seen a werewolf?" Ayla sat beside John on their bed and stared at Alex's wrapped corpse. The sheet had so much blood on it, one might have thought red were its original color. "You said a wolf did this to Alex?" she asked him between sobs. John buried his face in her golden blond hair. "Where the hell is Jakob?" his muffled voice managed to mutter through her hair. "I don't know... I tried to call him but the signal comes and goes. He never answers his calls anyway." John lifted his head. "What if the...wolf...got him too?" Ayla's sobs became more frantic. "Do you really think..." was all she could get out before her cries overcame her speech. Suddenly John's cell rang. It was his mother. John couldn't imagine what she wanted, but she was about to have the most devastating news of her life since his father was killed in by a drunk driver in America. He answered the call. "Honey? Are you okay? Why do I hear crying? And have you seen your brother? I've been looking everywhere for him and assume he decided to tag along with you guys on your trip. You didn't let him drink did you???" John finally worked up the strength to interrupt her. "Mom listen. Are you sitting down? I need to tell you something and....it's not good news." His mother became silent for a few moments. "What is it? Are you kids okay?" she asked frantically. "Mom... It's Alex. He..." his voice began to break and he paused for a moment to get it back. "He's dead, mom." John heard the phone crash to the floor and his mother's horrible sobbing on the other side of the phone. John closed his eyes and pressed the phone against his forehead.

         Suddenly he felt a hand take the phone from him. He looked up and was speechless. Standing before him was his brother. Not a scratch on him. His eye, his arm, all the missing flesh was just back. Not even a visible scar. John couldn't believe his eyes. Alex began to speak on the phone. "Mom?" he asked. John could hear the frantic voice of his mother on the other end of the phone. "Baby???? You're okay??? Oh thank God!" she continued to weep as she spoke. "You little assholes better never pull a prank like that again!" she screamed. "That was a terrible thing to do to your mother! I nearly died from grief!" Alex smiled at John. "I'm so sorry mom. John's been drinking and you know how he gets with his twisted sense of humor." John couldn't make out his mother's words, but he had a feeling he knew what she was saying. "I love you too, mom. I'll see you when we get home." he said as he hung up the call. John noticed that Ayla had fainted after Alex handed him back his phone. "Before you ask me a million questions that I don't know the answers to... I know just as much as you. I got attacked by that...thing, fainted on the street, and after that I'm blank until a couple minutes ago when I woke up wrapped in a bloody sheet." John hugged his brother tighter that ever. "I thought you were gone." he said with his voice breaking again. Alex hugged him back. "I know bro. I did too." he said trying his best to sound cheerful. "But I'm fine! I don't even feel sore!!" he said excitedly. "John...how long was I gone for?" John looked at his watch. "The doctor pronounced you dead at six till 6am this morning so it's been about 5 hours. Alex looked shocked. "It felt like a few seconds." Ayla regained consciousness and sat up. She took one look at Alex and nearly fainted again. John and Alex spent half an hour trying to convince her that this wasn't some sick prank and explaining what had happened. "Why didn't you tell me it was a werewolf??" she shouted. John looked at her condescendingly. "Do you seriously think you'd have believed me?" he asked. "Oh....I guess not..."

         John suddenly came to a chilling realization. "Wait a minute guys...." he said with a look of panic on his face. "If that was a werewolf that killed you last night, and you're living again....doesn't that mean...." John's voice trailed off. Alex's face lit up with excitement. "Oh my god, I'm a werewolf!!!!" he shouted. "This isn't a good thing, Alex. You're gonna turn into one of those monsters and kill people. Maybe even us!!" Alex scoffed. "I seriously doubt I'd try to hurt you guys. You're my family!" he said reassuringly. "So I guess that means whoever attacked you last night fully intended to brutally mutilate and kill a 15 year old?" Alex's smirk disappeared instantly. "Oh shit." he said quietly. "Well what happens now? We've gotta find a cure or something...right?" he asked, his voice full of worry. "I don't think there is a cure..." John said. Alex began to panic. He ran into his room and picked up his smart phone. He began to type ferociously. He came back out into the living room of the hotel room and sat on the couch next to John. "It says here that there's only was for a human to kill or permanently harm a werewolf, and that's with silver. But it also says that if you eat flesh from the werewolf that infected you. So all we have to do is find and kill that thing and make some burgers or something!" John looked at the screen and saw that he was on a blog. "I don't know if that's entirely reliable. Plus I'd assume you'd have to eat it raw." Alex looked disgusted at such a thought. He shook the look off his face. "Anyway it's the only lead we've got. We have to try!" John shook his head in disagreement. "That thing killed you once. What makes you think that it won't do it again?" "Well first of all," he argued back, "I'm a werewolf too. We just have to wait till the next full moon and I can kick some wolf ass. Secondly, I'll have you guys to help me! We can find some silver bullets or something!" John still wasn't convinced. "I don't know if you'll be able to control yourself. That's how we got on this topic in the first place, remember? Also where are we going to find silver, and who said we'll be able to kill that thing?" "Look, I'm just brainstorming bro. I don't know what to do exactly, but we need to come up with a plan if we.." Just then Jakob entered the hotel room. He was wearing a luxurious robe and drinking a beer. He instantly looked at the blood-stained sheet. "Who died?" he asked sarcastically. John placed his palm over his face and tried not to laugh at the irony.

         Once they finally Jakob up on the events of the previous night, he seemed surprisingly calm and believing of everything. He didn't question much, and didn't seem the least bit shocked. "Why aren't you freaking out about this??? My brother is a werewolf now! He got killed by a werewolf last night and his bloody remains regenerated on the floor of this hotel room! Isn't the least bit, oh I don't know.... surprising???" Jakob sipped from his bottle. "I've been telling you guys for years that werewolves existed. You all laughed. I'm just enjoying the comeuppance of the situation." he gulped down the last 5th or so of the beer and placed the empty bottle on the coffee table. "Where have you been lately? Off with that bar wench?" Jakob's eyes flashed with anger. "Don't you ever talk about her like that again! She's no wench, she's a beautiful woman and we're in love!" he shouted violently. "Uhhhh news flash asshole. You just met this chick a few days ago! How can you be in love?" John shouted back. "You just don't understand us! We have a connection that you'd know nothing about!" He raised an eyebrow and placed his arm around Ayla's waist who was sitting next to him. "Oh please! You guys have been dating for a few years, yes. But you met on an online dating site! I met Alexis in an everyday, real-life situation. What we have isn't artificial in anyway!" John tried to punch Jakob, but he merely swatted John's arm away with the reflexes of a female lion and the strength of bull. John held his sore forearm. "That really hurt asshole!" he shouted. "You tried to hurt me first! I was just defending myself! Rattle a dog's cage and you just might end up getting bit!"

         John looked suspiciously at Jakob. "Wait a minute...where were you last night? Huh?" Jakob looked somewhat nervous. "I told you.. I was with Alexis. In her room by the restaurant." he said defensively. John jumped to his feet. "Well isn't that convenient? You disappear for a day and then a werewolf attacks Alex. Then the next day, you come back here saying you knew werewolves existed the whole time and comparing yourself to a dog!" Jakob's anxiety turned to anger. "You know what John, I don't need your accusations! I'm going back to Alexis's room, where I'm actually respected and loved!" Jakob stood in his blue, wooly robe and walked back out the front door, slamming it loudly behind him. Alex looked at his older brother. "You don't think he actually.." John interrupted Alex. "Yes I do. He has that bite mark on his neck and everything! It all makes sense!" Alex frowned. "I hope you're wrong." He walked back into his room and shut the door behind him. John sat back down on the couch and placed his hands on his forehead in exhaustion and frustration. Ayla moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around his chest, placing her head on his left shoulder. "What are you gonna do?" John removed his hands from his face and wrapped arm around her. "I don't know. It seems to me like there's only one thing I can do." He motioned to the pistol on the coffee table. "You can't seriously be thinking about killing Jakob right?" He laid his head against hers. "I don't know what else to do."

         Jakob returned to Alexis's room. She was asleep on her couch. He couldn't help noticing how beautiful she was in her sleep. She seemed so innocent, peaceful, maybe even angelic. He turned to go to the bathroom, but stopped. He noticed a strange mark on the door by the handle. "Are those claw marks?" he said aloud. He moved his hand toward the doorknob. Suddenly a hand grabbed his. It was Alexis's who'd managed to sneak up on him. "You don't wanna go in there right now." she said, smiling. "Babe whatever you've got brewing in there, I promise you I've done worse." he said laughing. He turned the knob and stepped inside. There seemed to be nothing out of place. No pungent stench either. He was about to relieve himself when he noticed something on the floor by the toilet. He bent down and picked it up. It was piece of metal of some kind. It was crushed up and seemed to be stained with blood. "Is this a..." He turned to Alexis who stood behind. "A bullet?" she finished his sentence. "Yes." He looked at her in disbelief. "Where did it come from?" She looked down at the floor. "A gun..." she said trying to avoid his question. "Yes I understand that, but who's gun?" She looked back at him, staring into her eyes which seemed grey-ish now. "Your friend's." Jakob sat down on the toilet lid. "But why would John.." Suddenly he snapped out of his intoxicated stupor and everything came together in his head. "You're the...." he said as his eyes widened and he felt his heart race. She smiled nervously at him. "Werewolf? Yeah I meant to tell you about that." Jakob shook his head in disbelief. "Why didn't you?" She laughed. "Oh hey, baby! I'm a werewolf! Wanna have sex with me in my hotel room?" she said sarcastically. "I don't think you'd have bought it." Jakob shrugged. "Yeah I guess not." he said chuckling. "So does this mean you never want to see me again?" Jakob laughed hysterically. "Never want to see you again? Why the hell would I want that? How many guys get to say their girlfriend's a werewolf?" She looked back down at the floor again. "What is it?" he asked her. "Your girlfriend isn't the only werewolf around here anymore." He lifted her chin so that their eyes would meet. "I don't care about Alex. Besides he's fine." She placed a hand on his neck. He winced slightly, and realized she had pressed on the still sore bite mark on his neck. "You mean I'm...." She shook her head affirmatively. "That's....AWESOME!!!!" he shouted. Alexis looked at him in surprise. "You mean you're not mad???" she asked in disbelief. Jakob kissed her. "Does that answer you're question?" he said, winking at her. She smiled. "Only if you do it again."

         Ayla and Alex were still trying to convince John to take them home as left for the gun store. He didn't notice they were talking to him. He just stormed out the front door and headed for the lobby. The manager smiled at him and waved. He blew right past her and went out the door. She frowned and slowly lowered her hand as the door slammed behind him. He headed down the block, his shown clearly on his face. When he got to the store he stood outside for a moment trying to calm down. The last thing John wanted is for the shop owner to think he were up to no good. When he could finally muster a casual expression, he opened the heavy, bared door. Inside there were racks upon racks of weapons he'd never even seen in video games before, and ammunition for them all as well. There were even different sights and other accessories on display at the counter. John looked over the extensive inventory with one hand on his chin. Suddenly one weapon caught his eye. "What's the name of this firearm?" he asked the shop owner, one hand pointed at the gun. "Oh that? That's an old Sturmgewehr 44. It was actually the only assault rifle Hitler allowed the Nazis to use during the second world war. It fires a 7.62x33mm round." John picked it up and felt the weight of it for a moment. "You can spare me the history lesson, thanks. How much you want for it?" The shop owner looked at John curiously. "What do you want a weapon like that for?" he asked. John smiled at him. "Who wouldn't want a weapon like this?" The owner smiled back. "Fair enough." he replied, chuckling. "It'll be 1.700 Euro. And I'll need to see a firearms permit." John reached into his back pocket and pulled out his wallet. He opened it and rummaged through it until he found his permit and credit card. He handed them both to the owner who inspect the permit closely. He handed it back and began to ring up John's purchase. "I'm guessing you'll be wanting a box of rounds for it too?" John nodded. "I have a test fire range in the back if you wanna try it out too. Free of charge." He handed John's credit card back along with a receipt and a medium-sized box of ammo. He headed to the back of the store. There was a door with a sign that read "Test Fire Range" and a hook with safety glasses and headphones. He picked them up and put them on as he entered the room with his weapon and ammo in hand, eager to try it out. After he loaded the magazine with a few rounds, he loaded the weapon and flipped off the safety. He fired a round at the silhouette. He loved it. The weapon's recoil was about average, and judging by the hole in the target he was very satisfied with his purchase.

NOTICE

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