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Lupine Encounter (standard:fantasy, 881 words) | |||
Author: Virtual Adept | Added: Jan 22 2001 | Views/Reads: 3701/6 | Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes) |
A Victorian suspense piece I crafted for my Creative Writing class, this one deals with a Werewolf sighting in London. | |||
Lupine Encounter The night was cold, snowy and downright dreadful, which is precisely the reason I had decided to stay inside. I had no desire to catch cold. It was a nicer night indoors. My lovely wife, Elisabeth was sitting, legs crossed by the fire, knitting a sweater for our soon to be born child. I was in my den, reading the evening news, smoking my pipe. The headlines were most peculiar I thought. "Werewolf sighting in downtown Boston!" I thought it was absurd at the time. "Utter poppycock. Werewolves. Such nonsense." I mumbled to myself. I folded the paper, and left my den. Elisabeth looked up from her knitting, and smiled. She glanced down at the paper under my arm, and her look turned to one of slight horror. She spoke. "Oh! Have you been reading that John? Werewolves! I wonder if there is really such thing running about!" I scoffed at the idea. "Come come Elisabeth. You've been inside too long. Don't be bothered by such nonsense. The man who printed this was probably drunk when he spotted a dog! I shall be going to bed now, I suggest you do the same." And with that, I tossed the paper into the fire with authority. I turned and began marching up the stairs. I secretly was wondering about the whole situation though. Werewolves, an intriguing thought. I made my way to our room, and began undressing. Before I got into bed though, I removed the revolver from our nightstand, and inserted into each chamber, a silver bullet I had made long ago when this sort of thing had happened last. I slid the revolver under my pillow, and turned back the sheets. I drifted off into an uneasy sleep. Some time later, someone entered the room, and I was awoken, it was only Elisabeth however, and I closed my eyes once more. Some hours later, I awoke again. I couldn't put my finger on the reason for my premature awakening right then, but I made up my mind and decided to go downstairs. Careful not to wake Elisabeth, I got into my slippers, and took with me the revolver and a candle. I struck the flint against the steel piece and the candle threw it's dancing light over the walls of the hallway. I still wasn't sure why I was awake, but when I heard the banging against the door, I knew. I crept down the stairway slowly, my eyes trying to adjust to the meager source of light. Maybe it was just a lost traveler? I attempted to calm myself by saying. I knew it really wasn't. When I finally made my way to the foyer, the banging had ceased. This was most curious. One moment, it was a horrible banging, and then, gone. In order to satisfy my curiosity, I set the candle down and opened the door slowly. The night air rushed in, and snuffed out the candle. It was a tad cold. I shivered as I stepped out onto the doorstep. Nothing was around, save for the man who put the lamps out at night. He rounded a corner down the street, and left. All that was outside was snow. I doubted that snow was the cause of the noise. Satisfied, I turned around, when I heard a strange sound. It sounded a bit like padded feet on snow, I thought. I came about, and saw the most horrible sight I had ever seen. A wolf shaped man, walking erect at what I estimated to be eight and a half feet, was across the street, rummaging through rubbish cans. Trying not to shake excessively, I raised the revolver, and fired. The wolf-man turned about almost instantly, and the silver bullet struck his left hand. It howled in rage, as it made a most spectacular leap up onto the roof of the building it was near. I fired again, striking it slightly below the shoulder. The werewolf cleared the next roof, and disappeared into the night. Lights had started to come on in neighboring houses, and I decided to make my way back to bed. Elisabeth was up, and waiting for me with a worried expression. "John, what in god's name were you doing?" She asked. I dismissed my actions as fending off a burglar, and though she wasn't satisfied, she said no more, nor did I. I went back to sleep. Early next morning, I rose, and got myself dressed without waking Elisabeth. I made my way downstairs, and stepped out. The door was thoroughly gashed and clawed apart. I ignored it. I really couldn't have seen what I did the night previously, could I? I dismissed it as a dream. My reason for leaving was to go to the market, and I did as such. However, on my way, a man who appeared to be a vagrant stopped me. I shook my head, and pressed several coins into his hand. He looked up, and smiled at me. Though happy, his smile was unnerving to me. He pocketed the coins. I started to walk away when he called for me. I turned, and he proceeded to wave. Or he would have if it weren't for the bandaged stump where he might have had a hand......... Tweet
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