Hallow Falls – The wolves are not as they seem
Story: 15-year old Ashely has lost his mother, and as he has taken some wrong steps in his life, his stepfather decide to move back to the small mountain town where he grew up. However, instead of a silent new start in life, the mysterious Hallow Falls will change their lives forever. After all, the Wolves are really not as they seem.
Genre: Adventure, horror
Scenery passing quickly outside the car window. The depressive mood inside the car doubling as the good weather they had started the drive with had disappeared. Making way for a storm instead. Young Ashley feels his spirit drop even further through the floor than he thought it was possible to go. He was under whatever was under rock bottom right now. And then some.
“Don’t worry, you are going to love it there.” A currently quite annoyingly cheerful voice calls from the front of the car. The man unable to keep from chuckling at the death glare his son was giving him for even daring to be optimistic in a time like this. “I mean it. It is a small town yes, but there are a lot of nice people there, and you are going to have a circle of friends to play around the forest with, in no time. Just like when I was a kid.”
A lot of things the 15-year-old wanted to scoff back, but he keeps it in as he goes back to staring at the forest in a hope it would all turn into a real city again. He hadn’t really been out in a forest or anything since they had a family vacation once. He couldn’t really remember if he had liked it much. The further up the mountainside the car drove, the more he was sure he had indeed not liked it at all.
There was probably bugs, and poison ivy and even wild animals probably!
This was the worst thing ever!
Silence covers the car once more. All their belongings either forced into the small trunk of the car or taking up all the free seats. They had up and left all they had, and the only things they did bring was belongings that meant too much for them to leave them.
Both needed to get away from their old home, even if Ashley might not realize it yet.
“Lance?” His eyes move up to the rear-view mirror, trying to make eye contact with his son, that were just looking out the window still.
“Yeah?”
“If I get eaten by a bug or maimed by a wolf it is all your fault.” He is sure to let him know. Quite sure this was the worst idea ever.
“I think I can live with the guilt if you get attacked by a bug.” He chuckles, the mood a little lighter in the car as Ashley gets a smile from that as well. “And the wolves around here are quite harmless. I think you have a greater chance getting maimed by a dog here.”
“Do you have a lot of family in Hallow Falls?” Ashley asks, as he had accepted his cruel fate now. They were really moving, and he could not go back. Then he would have to run away, and the truth was that there was no one else he could run to. He only had Lance now in the entire world. He had to settle with the mundane.
“My entire family lives there. They live at a farm a little outside of the town. My parents and siblings.” He goes silent, a he notices that Ashley had grown silent again. Lance inwardly cursing as he felt he had been too cheerful again.
After all, Ashely had no parents.
His mother had died from cancer the year before, and the only person he had left now was his mother’s husband. A boring insurance salesman that had probably never thought he would end up as both an early widower and a single father.
Both still needed to recover from it all. One lost his mother, and the other the love of his life. Lance had dealt with it with working twice as much to not think about it, and Ashley had ended up hanging with the wrong crowd at school. When Lance had been called by the police and told his son had been caught in a fight in a shady area of the city, he had decided this was the best for them. To just move to a calm town, where Ashely could make better friends, and he could work less as his family had wanted to help him out. They would even rent cheap in one of the houses his older brother rented out in town.
A pressing silence between them. Lance feeling like he had no idea how to continue the conversation, and Ashley feeling guilty as he understood he had been the reason it suddenly got depressing. Because he felt bad for him.
He had so many good friends that had felt bad for him. They had been the real sort of friends. Those that wouldn’t pick fights with him and didn’t try stabbing him because he had wanted to go home when stuff got out of hand. But those good friends had felt so bad for him he couldn’t be around them anymore. They felt so bad for him he could see it on their faces and hear it in their voices when he was close to them. Each time anyone pitied him he just remembered why they felt sorry for him.
So, he had found people that didn’t pity him, so he could forget why he should be pitied.
And now he was on death row because his stepdad was being a dick. Taken away from all he knew, even the house he had grown up with his mother in.
“Ah, we are there soon now!” Relief on Lance’s face as this sad trip could soon end. He hoped that once Ashely could start school in a new town, with new kids that didn’t know his past, he might stop pushing away the good people in his life.
Ashely looks a little hopeful up as they entered the town, his hope dropping as he looks at the dead stormy streets.
“Where is the mall?” Is his first worry. As he had been promised a new game if he even sat down in the car to begin with.
“There is one in the town we passed an hour ago. We will go there tomorrow to get some stuff we need.” He promises. “There is a convenience store with most we need just by our house. A diner we just passed if we are lazy one day. A bookstore with whatever you dream about. Your school is there.”
Ashely look at the cold black building in the distance as they drive past. The thunder cracks dramatically hitting as if to laugh at his cruel fate. He had gone from one hell to another. Just how would this make anything better at all?!
“What will you do then? I refuse to believe there is any insurance office here.”
“I have a job interview tomorrow at the diner. It is run by an old friend of mine, and she offered to give me a job if I can convince her I can make any food.”
Ashely nods, as even if he was an insurance salesman, he had always been good at making dinner. Even better than his mother had been. When she had been alive, he had always spoilt the two of them with feasts.
“I guess there is curfews and all?”
“Not at all. I will be amazed if you find anything illegal to do in town even at nighttime. All I demand is that you go to school, and make sure you work hard for your future. It is what your m…” Cutting himself off, as the two of them just didn’t talk about her. Neither of them had the strength for that. “Ah! Here is the house we will be living in!”
For the first time since arriving there, Hallow Falls has been able to amaze Ashely, as he looks at the giant house, they enter the driveway of. House was understatement. It seemed more like a mansion! The second they stop the kid jumps out of the car, looking in awe at the house a he as expecting to be told they were going to live in some servant quarter or something instead.
“It is my older brother’s home. He lives out of the country currently with his family, and since they need someone to take care of it for them, we can live here for cheap, if we keep it clean and safe. So, all is furnished and ready to move in.” A smile on his lips as he could see that Ashely at least seemed to approve of their home for their stay there. “For now, let us give this a year? If it does not work out, we will return home for the next school year, and you can start just where you left off?”
“I guess…” He looks curious at the 3-floor house. His gaze clearly looking for where he would be spending his time there.
“My mother has been working on making it ready for us, and she told me she has prepared the 3rd floor and made it any teenagers dream.”
Some excitement now, as they were running back and forth with their stuff while the storm wasn’t too bad, wanting to get settled in right away.
“The entire 3rd floor?”
“Yeah. Your own bath, bedroom, and a small bachelor pad for you and your friends to hang out in.”
“And the price for this sudden luxury?” For a moment Ashely felt he had been naïve. It was the rule. That adults never gave you anything good for free. There was always a dark side to it. Like when he had been promised a game and suddenly started realizing they were putting all their stuff in the car as well. He had sold his old life for a game.
“I will keep the first two floors clean, and you keep your floor clean and neat. Deal?” A glare telling him Ashely had seen through his deception this time. Thought, Ashely couldn’t really fault that logic. Usually he had to help clean the entire department. So, he had been sure he would have to help clean the entire house now too. So just floor out of 3 was not that bad.
“Deal.” Accepting the terms, they shake hands, before they finally get the door open, more awe on Ashely’s face as the place really did look amazing. It was outdated, and a lot of the furniture looked like they were probably Antique. However, as they carry stuff through to the kitchen and living room, they get to the updated part of the house. A modern kitchen with an island towards the big open living room. Some toys packed away in a box in a corner showing it had been at least one kid running around there. “The Tv is outdated.”
Deciding he needed to at least complain on one thing to keep his appearance up, he points out the only obvious flaw the place had.
“They haven’t lived here for many years now. We were told we could toss the toys into the basement too if we find them around. My nephews are the same age as you now.” Lance points out, as he puts down one of the boxes on the counter in the kitchen. “And since he always needs to have the newest and best, he told us to get him a good tv as well, because he will not allow us to have people over before all newest equipment is in place.”
“He is paying for it right? We are currently poor and on the run.”
“He will send me the money when we find what is best and newest.” He promises, some of his worried fading when he could see that Ashley were starting to perk up more. “But we do not need to tell him if we get the second best, and then use some of it for a tv to your bachelor pad.”
“Oh. I think I can keep a secret like that.” He was grinning from ear to ear now, as he had just been able to play in the living room at their old apartment. So, he had to suffer through tv evenings before he could play what he wanted. Sometimes Lance tried to be the cool dad and play with him, but that never really ended well. Lance was a boomer when it came to technology, so if he had anything, he didn’t understand on his work computer Ashely had to help him with it. For a price usually.
It was how they usually dealt with each other. Lance didn’t overstep his place as his stepdad, and Ashely was civil towards him like he would any other adult.
“I’m going to check out my floor!” The eager Ashely had already forgotten he was supposed to be mad for having to move right now, as he sprints up the stairs. First looking at the second floor, where he found most of the bedrooms were. The main bedroom, and what had probably been rooms for the kids. He didn’t know much about Lance’s family, but he knew it was big. He had never really talked much about his life before. At least not to him.
A luxurious bathroom the size of his old room, and an office that seemed almost to double as a library as well, as there was a bunch of old books around. These people had to be rich!
A skip in his steps as he makes for the 3rd floor, a spiral staircase located in an almost hidden corner by the office taking him to the place he would be living for the next year. It didn’t look like the 3rd and 2nd floors had gotten the same treatment as the first floor yet, as the halls looked old and there was a lack of lights there. Some old wallpapers looking like they were from some old Victorian home. A deep shade of red, and old creaky floorboards as he walks down to the first room. No worries at all as he gets to the bachelor pad. A cozy horseshoe shaped couch set up towards the wall, and a table where there was just an old tv right now, and a space under with some old gaming systems. A spot for him to put up his computer, with a view out into the garden and then the forest outside.
He runs eagerly over to the couch and toss face first into it. Giving a sigh as he burry his face into the rich man couch. This was not that bad. He would not condone this horrible injustice done upon him, but he would secretly enjoy all the perks that came with it.
The bedroom was not as big as the bedroom’s downstairs, as it was a guest bedroom. But the bed was still twice as big as what he had before, and the closets as well. Lastly was his own private bathroom, which he imagined was both a blessing for him and Lance, as they constantly fought for the rights to the one at their apartment. This one was not as big as the one downstairs, but it did have both a shower and a tub, which the kid had never had before.
He would christen his new pad with taking the longest and laziest bath in his life! Once they had settled in, he would camp in the bathroom!
Pleased with his plan he walks into the hallway again, looking down the long small hallway to the end. Where there was a pair of steps, and then a door. Did he have more in his pad?
Maybe he had an entire attic too?! He sprints down the hallway and to the door, planning on possibly making a secret nest up there and being able to get as far away from his stepdad as possible.
“The attic is off bounds! So is the basement!” A groan as he stops mid sprint, looking over at Lance that had come up with some bags with his stuff. “No need to get greedy kid.”
Another groan, as he walks back and starts helping to carry his stuff back to his new room. The two of them soon settled down in the living room, where they are forced to watch some movies on the old tv as they didn’t have a tv subscriber right now. A dinner left for them from Lance’s mother serving as a perfect feast to celebrate their new home. Their new start.
Even Ashely found himself thinking that his life couldn’t get worse than stabbing someone in self defense right now.
At least he hoped so.
The first few days were busy for the two of them. First, they had to go to the first town over to get both TVs and the long sought-after game. Then the next few days Ashely were left to his own accord as Lance had to do everything from getting a new job to file all papers for Ashely to start school when summer was over.
Ashley himself were blissfully unaware of all the hard work, as he spent most of the time in his new rooms. Eating as unhealthy as possible and playing his new game for 3 days straight.
On the 3rd night, the yawning Ashley tries to recharge with some energy drinks as he was starting to dose off. At the final stretch of his game now and wanting to see how the quite deep and interesting story was going to end.
He was even in such a growingly good mood now he was considering checking out the world outside once the rain had settled down as well. Maybe he should see if there was anything like games at the store? Lance had been sure there wasn’t but had also admitted he had not seen the place in over a decade. Even small towns had to evolve with the times. At least that was Ashely’s hope. He wasn’t much of a book person, so he didn’t imagine he would have much to do at a bookstore. The diner maybe? It sounded like Lance had been able to get a job there, so he might even be able to score some free food.
Somehow, he didn’t like the thought of Lance working with an old girlfriend though. He didn’t know why, but when he had heard it was a woman and an old friend of him his mood had just plummeted. Even thinking about it now made him sort of pissed.
A sour look on his face now as he puts the controller down, kicking an empty can of energy drinks across the room before he decided he needed to go to the toilet. Still fuming as he steps into the hallway again after finishing in the toilet. Not brought back from his own dark thoughts again before he hears a weak sound.
“Lance?” Sure, he would find someone behind him, he turns, only to realize the only thing behind him was the door to the attic. Feeling a little stupid as it had probably just been his imagination.
Shuffle… Shuffle.
A not dignified sound escapes him as he had turned to return to his room again, just the second a louder sound moved across the space above him, then he follows the sound around, hearing it reach what was probably the stairs, before something heavy thudded down the stairs. Sounding like a large group of people had just fallen down the stairs against him, before whatever it was turned the key to the lock. Locking it up safely.
There was someone in the attic! There was a fucking person above his teenage pad!
Loud thuds, as whatever had made all that noise coming down the stairs stomps up the stairs again, the terrified Ashely holding his breath as the steps slowly retreated, soon above him again, hitting dust off the old roof above him, creaking so hard at times he was afraid he would get whatever was above him in his head.
Not only was there someone in the attic, but there was someone giant in the attic!
Barely able to use his feet he stumbles down the hallway and run to the stairs down. Horror on his face as he tries to pull the door open, but finds it was being hold back. Almost opening at first, before someone had grabbed It, and shut it hard again, not letting it budge again.
The shivering youth uses the last of his strength to sprint back to his living room. Locking his door in fear he would be followed in.
Grabbing the blanket on the couch, he hides under it as he just tries his best to not make to much sound. Sure, it would come for him. Whatever it was that had stood outside the door.
Whatever it had been that he for one split second had seen look down at him from above the door. Draped in darkness, he had only seen a pair of glowing yellow eyes glare down at him.
The only sleep he got that night was from when exhaustion finally took a hold of him and he drifted off. Plagued so by nightmares it wasn’t much of a rest at all.
The next day he is saved from a new nightmare with knocking on his door. Waking with a scream as he looks around in terror, fighting his blankets a little before he looks around in the still lighted room.
“Ashley? Are you okay?” Worry on his voice, as he had sounded horrible. Lance a little shocked as the door is pulled open and Ashely hugs hard unto him. “What happened?”
“There is something in the attic! And then it was at the door to the second floor and it locked me in!” Lance looks from the shaking Ashely, to the door to the attic.
“Just wait here.” Ashely nods, as he moves back into his room again, looking nervous out as Lance walks to the attic door, trying to open the door, but finding it locked. “I thought so. Mom said she couldn’t find the key either, so she hasn’t been up here for a while.”
“There was someone up there! I swear! I am not lying!” Ashely starts in panic, as he knew he hadn’t been the most trustworthy the last year, but he was serious right now!
“Hey, can you do something for me?” Lance gives a smile to the panicking Ashely, that is about to try finding a way to prove himself right now. “I’ll call my dad to come here and help me get it open, but just to be safe, how about you check out the town for the day? If there is still anyone up there, I don’t want you to be in the house when we chase them out.”
Relief on Ashely’s face, as he looked close to tears now. “You believe me?”
“Of course, I do. Why would you lie about this?” Ashely nods relieved, the two of them making sure to lock the door again as they go down to the second floor. “Here, spend it on some breakfast at the diner, and if you find anything at the store. Give it an hour or two, then you can come home. Okay?”
He hands him some money for the day. Ashely just nodding as he couldn’t wait to get out of the house right now. He had wanted to live inside it for the last few days, and now he wanted to be as far away from it as possible.
As Ashely had gotten dressed and left the house, a car passed him and drove into the driveway, making out an older man coming out of a pickup truck. A young girl with him dressed like she had just come from the farm as well.
So that was Lance’s father? It was a little weird that he hadn’t even met them yet. Even if Lance had been his stepfather now for almost all his life.
Ashely had never known his real father. All he knew was that he had not been able to take care of him and his mother, and as he was born his mother had done everything on her own. No parents helping her, or any family at all. When he was still a baby, she had met Lance, that had just moved away from the country.
It all moved fast, and by the time he was 2, Lance had moved in. And by the time he was 4, they had been married. Lance had a mundane job that allowed them to save the apartment from getting sold, and he helped pay off her debts. He did all the stuff that was expected a father did. He picked Ashely up and drove him where he needed to be. He brought the camera to film at each and every event through Ashely’s life.
He adopted him officially the second they found out about the cancer. Knowing he did not stand a chance without a blood tie to him, he wanted to make it official in case anything could threaten to take Ashely away from him in the future. Because he had promised to take care of him.
Still Ashely felt they were so distant now. Before they were best friends. And they would do everything together! Now Ashely just found himself feel annoyed most of the time, and he didn’t know why. No matter how much Lance did for him, he just felt like it wouldn’t last.
They had no family bond. They only bond had been his mother. So maybe he was just distancing himself so it wouldn’t hurt the day Lance didn’t want to be in his life again. Once he was legal, he imagined Lance would move on and find someone else. Maybe even get a real kid one day. Just who was he then?
Even the child protective services had told him he should leave him with them instead. Ashely had probably been sure he would. So, when he was told to pack up his stuff, he had been sure he would be taken to an orphanage or something like that.
But Lance hadn’t given up on him yet. For some reason.
With no real aim Ashley makes his way to the diner, knowing he would faint on the street if he didn’t get any food soon. Then he could spend whatever he had left on what he wanted. Lance was feeling so bad about moving him into no-man’s land that he was quite generous with the handouts now, so he might even afford another game.
Hallow Falls was as small as he had thought when he had arrived. A few houses down a main street, that lead to a store on one side, and the diner at the other side at the start of town. Seeming like a desperate try to let those passing now there was some sort of society there. Ashely doubted there was anyone that drove down there at all though. As he had understood the only road through there just lead to the farms and then further up the mountains, but there were no more towns or anything else that way. It was like the last stop before despair.
Lance kept trying to convince it was a popular hiking spot, but so far Ashely didn’t believe him.
Once inside the diner, Ashely had realized he had found the life of the town. A classic looking diner, with two waitresses in uniform hurrying around, as it was the morning rush now. Some old timers there to get food and their morning coffee, and even some people about to head out for work in the forest or around the area.
Then in a corner a group of five kids that sat with some milkshakes. The youngest seemed to be around seven, and then the oldest was a girl that was probably around his age. Just who was up this early at that age?! He didn’t count because he had been chased by a monster or something!
Realizing he had probably been staring he hurries over to the counter, sitting down as he grabs the menu. A little shocked as all the prices were not that bad for a ready meal. It was just half of what he was used to from places in his hometown. A note on the top corner saying all their produce were made in house, and with local ingredients. Since it was a small place with farms and all that was probably possible.
“Not often we get a new face around here.” He looks up as the oldest of the two servers comes to take his order. A tall woman, with a strong build that didn’t fit her delicate features. “I take it you are Ashely?”
A heartily laugh at his shock over how she could know. “I’m a childhood friend of your father, and since you are the only new kid here, I take it you are Ashely. And you do look like your father.”
Ashely bites in a few things he wanted to say but decided it would just be awkward to tell his stepdad’s new boss he was not his kid. If she thought, he already had a kid it was probably less chance she would try to date him. Emotional baggage and all that. He felt he would be less worth if she knew he was just adopted.
“I haven’t ordered in a diner before… what is popular?” He asks in the end, as he really didn’t know what else to ask. He didn’t want to talk to her about Lance.
“Our pancakes are a hit in the morning. So, how about pancakes and milkshake on the house? As a first-time costumer?” He perks up again, nodding eagerly as the greed overtook his jealousy. “Just wait a little then, and your order will be right up.”
“Thank you.” He is sure to yell after her, deciding he would be civil to her because she let Lance have a job at least. They needed the money. But if he saw any sign of her trying to eel herself into their lives, she was dead to him.
Soon the group of kids pays for themselves before they hurry off to whatever kids in that town did. Ashely seeing them all drive off on their bikes. Maybe there was some areas around where they hung out? Since there weren’t any malls at all.
After having been able to keep himself civil, he bids Jean, his new mortal enemy but provider of amazing food farewell for the day. Walking over to find out how small the shop was.
While Georgie’s store had been quite the small shop when Lance had lived there, even he would later be surprised over how it had grown over the years. The once simple behind the counter shop had evolved into a beaming supermarket. Running quite well as it was the only place anyone for miles could find food. Anything they needed for the farms, and the spare parts for their machines. Food for their life stock. And since there was more and more kids in town, the overjoyed Ashely even finds a small shelf by the register with some games and movies. Even finding the game he had gotten the days before was possible to obtain in the small town. That meant they got games as they arrived! Even the movies were new ones!
A half hour goes by with deep reflection of what he needed the most right now, before he leaves the store with a pack of chips, some soda and more energy drinks. An action movie that both he and Lance had wanted to see, and a online game card so he could get some cheaper games online that he had wanted.
Quite triumphantly leaving the store. If he kept getting what he wanted from Lance, this could be a year of him getting all he wanted. And he was also starting to realize that if they lived there, Lance couldn’t really leave him either. It wasn’t like there was an orphanage or a juvie hall he could leave him in there.
Maybe this wouldn’t be too bad at all? He had no friends in his old life he would miss. Those he had denounced him in the end and didn’t want more to do with him when he tried to reach out for them again. He knew he had been cold to them, but at least they should have known what he had gone through.
Taking a round around to see the rest of the town, he soon finds the library as well, a small bookstore with a coffee shop beside it, and a sign that probably meant there was a bar in the basement.
Then, as three hours had passed, he walked back home with his steps a lot lighter. Having even found some comic books at the bookstore. Some relief on his face as the car in the drive was gone, something he hoped was a sign that it was all taken care of.
“I see you had a fun day on the town.” Lance is unable to keep from laughing, as Ashley blushes while trying to hide the bad behind himself.
“The shop was a lot bigger than you said! I got a movie and some snacks!” He fumes as he sets his stuff on the kitchen counter. “D… did you find anything?”
“We were able to break the door open. It seems like someone has been living there. So, we have locked all the paths we have found into the attic, and locked it off from outside, so no matter what, you are safe now.” He promises, patting the relieved youth on the shoulder. “I’m sorry you got scared. My parents felt guilty they hadn’t kept their eyes on the attic. We checked out the basement too, and it is closed off better now too. They could have gotten in there and snuck to the attic when they heard people.”
“But, how did the person get from the attic to the second floor to lock the door?”
Confusion on Lance’s face at first, before he looked like he went into deep thoughts. Ashely starting to realize he was trying to come up with a good reason for that, or worse: an excuse.
“I am not sure. How about just to be safe, you lock from the inside when you go to bed?” Lance tries in the end, Ashely knowing him enough to know when he was avoiding the question. He couldn’t meet his eyes. It was the same each time they tried to talk about serious stuff. “How about you go and clean up your room a little, and then when you are done, we can fix some dinner? And you said something about a movie?”
“Ah… yeah! I got some chips too.” He quickly unpacks the stuff. If Lance had a problem of avoiding hard conversations, he was as bad at avoiding confrontations. If both had been better at each, it would have been a lot better for them in the coming days.
“I’ll fix us some pizza then. Pizza, movie and chips sounds like a good evening? I have to start working tomorrow, so I won’t be able to spoil you for a little while.” Lance’s worry from earlier had clearly faded completely now, as he was looking quite hopeful. They hadn’t had a evening like this for a long time. With them not really talking for the time after his wife died, by the time they tried talking again, Ashely would rather just leave the house and spend time with his friends instead. Lance had been so nervous about trying to enact any power he didn’t feel like he had as a stepdad. In the end it had all ended up with him almost losing Ashely instead. He hadn’t even yelled at him then, but he had decided that enough was enough, and he would do all that was in his power to get the kid back to his good old.
He was starting to see some parts of that again now.
“How am I going to live when you work then? I’ll have to walk alone around in this big house all day?” Ashely complains as he puts his haul away into shelves.
“How about I give you an allowance each week? One payment, that has to last for the entire week, more for the weekend if you help around and show you can manage money?”
“I like this deal. So, I will get some money from tomorrow then?” There had been a few more comics he had wanted, and some more games.
“And those money you will use for any extra food and anything you want through the week. I get food, and you come to the diner at dinner time each day and I can give you food from the menu. Whatever you want.”
“I can do that. I can be a real adult.” It would be hard, but if he saved through the week, looked responsible, and then got the extra bonus for the weekend, he could just use all the money then. Then even if he went into minus, he would get money again the day after! “This place isn’t a bible belt place is it? We won’t be forced to go to church each Sunday or something? I remember mom took me to church each Sunday…”
“No worries there.” Lance chuckles as he starts finding what he needed to make the dinner. “Didn’t you notice?”
“Notice what?”
“There is no church here in Hallow Falls. The stories say there was one here when it was a new settlement, but the priest supposedly burnt it down one day. With himself inside, he screamed to the settlers that he had seen the devil in them all, and God would no longer offer any of them salvation.” Lance had lowered his voice as he told the story, as Ashely had stopped to listen to the local legend, his eyes wide as it seemed like he was quite interested in it. “Each time they have tried to build a church since it will stand a few days after it is finished, then it will just burn down again. They tried to build it when I was young… started burning the day the priest was having his first mass. A few of the towns people didn’t get out. I just remember my parents grabbed me and my siblings and ran for the door with us. The priest didn’t make it, and we haven’t had a priest since.”
“This town is on some sort of cursed ground or something?! Old Indian graves?!” Horror in his face now, as Lance just laughs at his worry.
“There are a lot of rumors about Hallow Falls. Most of it is local drunkards spreading stories though. Like people seeing aliens on the farms. Then we have the monster stories and weird lights. I think the weirdest one I heard as a kid was the doors in the forest.”
“Doors?” Still wide eyed, having moved closer as he was getting more and more interested but also terrified.
“Imagine going through the forest in a dark night, far from town. Then you see something metallic. Something you know should not be there at all. Then as you get closer, you realize it is a door standing between some trees. An automatic door. It looks like someone has cut one out from a magazine and just plastered it on the forest. Then, if you move closer, it will open like any normal automatic door. And if you look inside it, you will see something that will change you for the rest of your life.”
“W… what?” Ashely stammers, as he was sitting right beside him now. Fully invested in the story.
“I don’t know. A few kids in my class spread the story, and it was the biggest story in school that year. Everyone tried to find it, but no one were able to.” His gaze grows a little darker, before he composes himself and smile to Ashely again instead. There was no need for him to know about those that had never returned from looking after the door.
That had been a dark summer.
“Come on, go and clean your room now.” He nudges Ashely off, the kid groaning as it had started getting interesting, but walks back to his floor, walking a little slow the last stairs to the 3rd floor, looking nervous down the hallway and to the attic. Feeling a cold gust down his back as he looked at what they had done to the door.
He should feel safer, but it somehow made it all a lot more real when they had nailed the door shut with planks. Without really knowing why, he walks over to the door, and lay his ear against it, swallowing nervous before he tries to hear anything on the other side.
Nothing. It was completely silent there now. Hopefully they had chased away whatever he had heard there.
Still, in the back of his head, he was still sure that whoever had been there had been tall. Tall enough to look down at him from above the tall door.
The rest of Ashely’s first week in his new home went by without any incidents to note. The only thing that worried him a little was the howling he heard from the mountains at night seemed to get closer and closer for each night.
He also stopped sleeping in his bedroom, but instead just slept on the couch in his living room, even finding himself push some stuff up against the door as he laid down to sleep for the night. He hadn’t heard any more sounds at all. But he just couldn’t shake the feeling that there was something wrong with the house.
And the more time passed, the surer he was that there was something up with Lance as well! He found he hated going to get food at the diner, cause each time he was there Lance and Jean were clearly flirting in his eyes, and it annoyed him! But there was something else too.
Lance seemed tired.
Almost like he hadn’t slept at all some nights. He often found the car with what he thought was Lance’s father leave just as he got home from the town some days as well. Finding it quite weird he hadn’t been introduced to the family yet. He had thought that they might just not like him taking another man’s son home, but Lance had said it had been his mother that had fixed the 3rd floor so nicely for him. He had even found his own fridge hidden in a closet fully stocked with soda cans. He had not met the woman yet, but she had to be a saint.
Still, nothing of what had happened in the first week in Hallow Falls compared what happened the second week.
When he finally heard the stories about the Wolves.
And then learn that the Wolves were not as they seemed.
It was Monday the second day he found himself camping in the small park across from their house, having been busy at the bookstore for some hours as he had found that the owner. Mr. Jones took his job quite serious and were not currently trying to please his new costumer with ordering some comic books he wanted.
As usual though, the second he closed in on getting home, the car drove off. It hadn’t seemed so weird in the start, but now that Lance was at work it seemed a lot shadier. Maybe he should ask him about it later? For all he knew Lance might not know they were coming there still.
“Hey! You are the new kid, aren’t you?!” Ashely almost fall from the swing he had been sitting on at the sudden sound, turning to look at the group of local kids that had flocked together behind him.
So far, he had felt he had an understanding with them. He kept away from them, and they would keep away from him. It seemed the locals had now broken that unspoken agreement.
“Yeah.” Is his only answer, as he didn’t feel like making any friends yet. Maybe eventually, but not yet. Right now, he was finding his own company and Lance’s was just okay.
“The Wolves has been coming a lot into town lately… that is suspicious.” The oldest girl, that was probably the leader of the group states, trying to look menacing as she held the youngest boy by the hand to keep him from running to play and ruin their try to menace the new kid into becoming their friend.
“The Wolves?” He hadn’t thought much about it, but it was true that he had heard the howls come closer and closer. “I hear them howl in the forest, but I don’t think there has been any wolves in town?”
She looks confused at him, before she looks a little annoyed. “Not those wolves! This is the mountains so of course we will get wild animals!”
“Then what Wolves do you mean?” He didn’t follow this anymore. Neither did most of the younger kids, that had been able to break free and run to the swings as well, a girl and boy around the age of 7 soon swinging each other excited. The other older kid sprinting after the youngest boy as he runs squealing towards the road. The girl blushes a little embarrassed over them all. His was a disaster! She had wanted to get to know the outsider. None of them had ever seen a big city before, and he was from a big city as well.
“The Wolf family. They usually keep to their farm and make one trip into town each week to get what they need. Now they have been coming here each day.” She tries looking menacing again, failing as the little boy comes running back and attach himself to her legs before he sprints for the swings as well. “As the watchdogs of this town, it is our duty to find out about it. Whenever there is anything strange going on here, we get to the bottom of it. So, what do you know about it?!” She points her finger right at his face. Quite pleased with herself for saving the situation. “Out with it!”
“Out with it!” The eager smaller kids all come sprinting back, all of them pointing at him as they loved it when they got to yell at people.
“We are renting from them?” He stammers, as he was not prepared for the horror of a kid lynching mob. “And they are farmers, isn’t it usual for them to come and go to get stuff?”
“Not the Wolves. They don’t like outsiders at all.” The older boy complains, as he had herded all the kids together on a swing so he could leave them a little. “They live on their giant farm, and don’t often go anywhere else. But the store still gets most of their meat and produce from them. They are one of the richest families around.”
“The Wolves are weird.” The girl complains, as they often kept their eyes out for them. They gave her the creeps. “I have heard from some of the older people in town they have always been, and that when they start coming over to town often, something bad is happening.”
She looks confused at Ashely, that smiles a bright smile to her as he holds his hand out to greet her, and she automatically shakes it. “Nice to meet you, my name is Ashely Wolf.”
She tenses up in horror, looking like she expected to catch the plague from holding his hand. But he didn’t let go, as he just keeps shaking. “You?”
“My name is Lee.” She complains, as she pulls her hand back. “He is Hayden, the little girl is his sister Jenny. The kid playing with her is my little brother Colin, then the little bother screaming wherever he goes is Anthony. We are babysitting him for today. It pays well.”
“Lee is a weird name for a girl…”
“Yes, yes, it is.” She states quite firmly, before she keeps glaring at him. “Forget we had this conversation.”
She retreats to try and collect the kids and get away from there. Ashely thinking of any sort of way to save this. “The entire 3rd floor is mine!” A last call as they had been about to leave, the curious Hayden turning first. “I… have some games, some cool soda and some snacks from this weekend…”
Hayden and Lee share a look, before she gives a huff, crossing her arms. “I guess that seeing the inside of the Wolf house will let us figure out if there is any danger at all. It is the right thing to do.”
“Soda!” The three younger kids all cheers, before they sprint towards the house. Hayden doing his best to keep them following the rules of how to cross the road.
“So, you are a Wolf?” Lee snorts as she walks to the house with him. None of them wanting to admit they had always been curious about how the house looked on the inside. It was the biggest private home in town. The only house in the area that was bigger was the farms past the town.
“My stepdad is.” He answers, noticing that she looked a little relieved over that. “What is wrong with being a Wolf?”
“They are cursed everyone says. When bad stuff happens in Hallow Falls, it is always something with the Wolves.” She complains. Before she looks a little guilty. “But I have heard from my parents that now and again there are some normal people born in the family, and they usually leave and never come back. I guess your stepdad was one of those.”
“Who is the guy that keeps coming to the house? I haven’t met any of them yet.”
“Haven’t met them? How long has he been your stepdad? A few months?” She snorts, as meeting the family had to be the first anyone would do.
“Since I was 4.” She looks guilty again, as she started to realize that the new kid had no knowledge of his extended stepfamily. “I don’t think he has had much contact with his family. Do you think the curse thing might be the reason?”
“Could be. Some says the guy you are renting from, Crowley Wolf, is one of them. He lived here with his family for a while, but then he moved out of the country after his kids got sick or something.” She explains. “The guy that is at your place each day is the leader of the Wolf family, Jedediah. So, I guess he is your grandfather?”
“There was a girl with him the first few days. About our age.”
“That is Wendy. She is the youngest in the family. I go to the same school as her, but she usually doesn’t hang out with people. She goes to school and then helps at the farm, I think. But I guess she is basically your aunt then?”
He turns a little paler as he wrapped his head around that. He had never had a big family, so it was a little weird to him to think about. He had grandparents, and uncles and aunts. If he didn’t get siblings, it wasn’t that bad.
Ashely locks all of them into the house, feeling a little proud as he could see the awe in their eyes as he showed them the first floor. Grabbing some chips and chocolate for them all as he starts to show them to his own floor. Even more awe as they realize he really had his own floor.
The eager kids sprint in and toss down on the beanie bags on the floor as the ashamed Ashely sprints in to gather his blankets and tosses them into a corner with his pillow. “Just make yourselves at home. There is a fridge in the bottom of the closet, just grab soda if you want.”
Hayden sprints over and grabs some cans, helping the kids open theirs before they all slump down to enjoy the cool drink as it had been hot outside. There wasn’t really any place for all of them to hang out. When they didn’t have to babysit, they usually went to their hideout in the forest. But Anthony was so small they didn’t dare bring him there.
Ashely is about to ask what games they wanted to try, when he notices that Lee had stopped in the door, looking up the hallway. Looking nervous at the boarded-up door.
“We had someone that had snuck in the first night. So, they locked it up just to be safe.” Ashely explains, feeling a lot better about it now that he wasn’t alone there. “Lance thinks that someone might have squatted here and then panicked when people move in again.”
“That sounds creepy.” She stammers, before they both get into the room, closing the door as the next few hours go by with no worries. All of them just playing before they put on a movie the kids could see, while Ashely brags about his computer a little, finding himself crushed by the grinning Lee, that had a custom built gaming rig and could also brag about having some followers on YouTube on her quite popular channel. Even more respect as it was a gaming channel.
“Her mother got her the computer when she realized there was actually something called E-sports, and she could become a top contender and win prizes and all that.” Hayden chuckles.
“Are you on any team?”
“I am working towards it, but I have to wait until I am old enough. I am keeping my channel going to keep the spotlight on myself. My mom says that there are a few interested when I get old enough if I can prove I can do it.”
“That is so cool.” Lee gives a pleased grin as the city boy had started to respect her now. The awe in his eyes quite clear. “We should make a team!”
“We are just 3 though. And Hayden is around average.” She states quite brutally. Hayden laughing as she wasn’t lying. He often fucked up their team games. And then got to be the target for her rage for the next few days. He had no idea about how many times he had been called a noob or filthy casual.
“I had some friends in my old town that were really good.” She perks up again. “But I lost contact with them a half year ago…”
A groan, as he had just ruined her chance at fame. Joining a team was one thing, but if they made their own and worked up they could actually make it quite big. “If we do this, you better man up, suck up to them, and get them to submit to me!”
“I don’t really think I…” He starts, as he doubted, they wanted to have anything to do with him. He is cut off though, as there is a knock on the door. The confused Lance looking in to find the bachelor pad had turned into a daycare. Overcome with relief as this was far from the sort of gang Ashely had been hanging with for a while. “I’m having people over.”
“I can see that.” He chuckles, Ashely noticing he seemed really relieved as well. But he still looked so tired. Maybe he really had never wanted to return to Hallow Falls? And were doing his best to not have too much contact with his family? “I know it is late, but I can make you all something to eat?”
“We have chips, you don’t have…” Ashely starts, but is overrun.
“What do you offer?” Hayden asks curious, the eager kids also perking up as they were all high on sugar now.
“I can make us all some taco. Then you can prepare it as you want yourselves?” All of them cheers before Ashely can stop them, and the chuckling Lance roughs his hair up before he walks down to fix them the food. Just happy that Ashely were making some friends.
“God your dad makes the best food!” Hayden sighs happy as they had gotten fed and had not had this sort of feast visiting each other before. His dad had to be some sort of food magician!
“He should, he is the new chef at the diner.” Ashely brags. As it was nice to be able to brag about him after Lee had made his family sound like they were Satan.
The rest of the evening goes by with a good mood. Hayden had to sprint to the bookstore to hand off Anthony, as his father was the owner, then they stayed until the 7-year-olds had to go home as well. Ashely showing them out as he did enjoy having a big house to show off. He hadn’t had that before. Their old apartment had been so small they usually went out instead.
“We should come over again tomorrow!” Lee decides before anyone can say anything else. “I can bring some games, and we can just set the kids to watch some movies. It is perfect.”
“And your dad can make us dinner!” Jenny cheers. Colin cheering as well as they really wanted more of the yummy food.
“I’ll ask him if we can fix something.” The four of them walk cheering off, Ashely unable to stop smiling as this wasn’t that bad. This was nice.
His mood high, and all his worries washed from his mind, he turns and is about to get in again, his eyes slowly widening as he saw lights in the attic window. Sprinting across the street to look better, he waits to see if Lance might have gone up there for some reason. About to give up as he didn’t see anyone there, when something cuts the light off, as something giant walked past the big window. Stopping for a second and cutting off all the light from inside.
Ashely could feel ice creep down his back, as he started realizing that whatever was in the window was looking down at him. The same glowing eyes he had seen from above the door that night.
Then the creature jumps to the side, the light turning off again right after.
Fighting all need to run away and never look back, Ashely sprints into the house again, overlooking all his worries as he sprints to the second floor, hammering on Lance’s bedroom door. “Lance! There is someone in the attic again! Lance!”
His knocking grows harder, as he started worrying more. What if Lance hadn’t gone to bed yet, and he had been attacked by whoever was hiding in the attic? They must have been able to get through the attic and into the 2nd floor like before. What if they had gotten to Lance?! About to start knocking harder, the door opens on crack, the tired Lance looking down at him.
“What is going on?”
“I saw them off, and I looked back at the house and there were lights in the attic! Then someone looked down at me and then they turned off the lights!” Both panicked and terrified, Ashely were shaking now.
Lance quickly joins him in the hallway, Ashely looking a little confused at some giant claw marks on his wall. From the top of the wall and across the ceiling. Their eyes meet a split second, before Lance quickly closes the door. Walking ahead before Ashely could start asking about it.
“My dad keeps looking in during the day to make sure no one sneaks in… he hasn’t noticed anything. Or any sort of ways in.” Lance whispers, as they make their way up the stairs to the 3rd floor. Lance walking in first, walking to the attic door, finding it was still securely shut.
“We should call the cops.” Ashely stammers, as he makes sure to hide behind Lance. “The guy is really big!”
“I’ll do it tomorrow. How about we sleep in the living room tonight?” Ashely wants to complain, as it was clear that there was someone in the house and they should call the cops right away. But Lance walk down again before he could complain, and he just sprints terrified after as he didn’t want to be alone in there.
Soon Lance has tucked the shivering Ashely in on some furs on the couch, locking the door to assure him more that it would be safe, before he lay down to sleep himself. Making sure to wait until Ashely had fallen asleep before he slips out of the couch again, walking up to the attic to try and fix this mess.
Meanwhile, a whole day’s drive away, a more somber mood laid over a father and his only son. The only sound in the room being the rhythmical beeping of the heart monitor.
Woody gives a weak smile as he brushes his son’s hair slowly. The clock slowly striking 12 somewhere in the hallway of the hospital. “Happy 18th son. When you wake up, we are going to have one hell of a party. We can go on that vacation you wanted. That island we went once with your mom and sister? Before…”
Tears welling up in his eyes, as there was no reply from the youth, that were weakly breathing into a tube still. The single father fighting to brush his hair a little longer before his hand was shaking too much, and he pulls it back. Putting his head against his hands before he weeps. How could something like this happen? His son had acted out a lot since he had lost his mother, but he didn’t deserve this! He was a good kid! He had put in a down payment for a new home for them, and they had been supposed to leave and get a new start!
“Why Taylor? I would have fixed everything. We could figure out something to pull you through. Gotten you off the street. Your mother and sister wouldn’t have wanted this.” He sobs. His only answer being the heart monitor, that now and again gave off an irregular heartbeat that scared the man more than anything else had ever done in his life. His son was just a kid! He hadn’t known what he was doing! And while he was lying here dying the kid that attacked him hadn’t even been charged with anything!
Self-defense?! Just who stabbed someone in the chest in self-defense?! That monster had known what he had done! He had taken his son away from him! The only good thing left in his life!
A loud alarm starts blaring, alerting him something was up. The horrified father soon getting pushed back by the staff as they desperately try to save the last joy of his life. By the time morning came, he had nothing left.
By the time evening came, he had nothing left to lose, as he drove away from the burning apartment. Heading for the person that had taken it all away from him.
“So, it is safe now?” Ashley stammers, as he had spent the day over at Hayden’s with Lee, both forgiving him for no dinner that day as he had told them what had happened, both also realizing they had seen the light in the attic. Not remembering now, the fact the attic was locked shut.
“The police helped look, and the local sheriff lives just down there.” Lance points at the house just a across the park. “He has promised to keep his eyes open for us.”
“I… I am not sleeping on the 3rd floor.” Ashely quickly complains, as Lance had kept trying to let him know it was safe all the time. How could he be so calm when there was someone living inside their house?! He was not as terrified as he should be! He could remember he had been walking around with a bat when their apartment had been broken into once! He had been as terrified as him and his mom then!
“Is it okay to sleep in the living room again then? Then at least I am between you and the attic?” Ashely thinks over it a little, before he nods. He was right. There was something wrong. Lance was not afraid at all. He had to know what was going on. Why wasn’t he telling him!? “I’ll fix us something to eat. Then we can watch some tv? I can carry your game down for you if you want?”
He was guilty. He was feeling really, guilty. He had ever since they had moved there! Ashely were terrified of it! Just what had he to feel guilty about? He hadn’t done anything bad so far, so it had to be because he was going to do something. Maybe he was sending him away still? And he was spoiling him now because he was preparing for someone else to take him? It had to take a while for a foster family to come along, and he took him there so he wouldn’t be a bother before he could send him away.
He wanted to scream and beg him to not send him away, but instead he just sits down to wait for food, sitting in silence as neither of them spoke much for the evening. Ashely soon settled down to get some sleep again. Unable to sleep at all, as he puts on tv instead. Hoping to find anything that would get his mind off all the thoughts in his head.
Shifting through the channels, almost overlooking it as he didn’t recognize the burning building on the news at first, before he sees what town it was in, slowly realizing that he recognized the buildings around it, and the newly built coffee shop in the front.
That was his apartment!
Fully awake now, he turns the sound on more.
“We are here outside a small apartment building in downtown. Everyone has gotten out and no lives seems to have been lost. And the police have gotten some information that it might have been an arson! I repeat, the police fears there is an arsonist on the lose!”
Ashley fights free from the blankets, and stumbles across the floor. Running to tell Lance their home was burning down. Maybe Taylor and his gang had retaliated? Or at least Taylor. His goons had disowned him for snapping and let the cops know all he had been doing after it had all ended. Maybe it was Taylor then?
“Lance! Our apartment is…” Smashing open the door to the second floor, Ashley stops dead in his tracks. Barely through the door as he meets its gaze. He had no idea what it was, just that it was tall. The darkness covering most of the form, but he could see the backwards bent feet covered in fur on the ground, and the eyes glowing at him from up by the ceiling.
Slowly the creature walks closer, giant claws hanging by the side of the massive body, all of it covered in fur. Then the head gets illuminated more, looking like some sort of grizzly wolf head.
The giant claws start reaching for him before he is able to think clearly again, stumbling around and falling flat on his face as he runs to the door again, adrenaline pumping as he somehow gets up again before the creature could reach him. Not feeling safe in any part of the house now, as he runs right into the street. The rain pouring as he sprints towards the nearest house for help.
However, no matter how hard he knocked on the door, no one would open. He had to get help! If Lance had heard the commotion and came out of his room the monster could get him!
Starting to realize that, Ashely almost get enough bravery to run back, turning to make a sprint back to the house when he sees the creature in the weak lights from the porch. Hunched down on all fours now as if it was getting ready to hunt.
Tears in his eyes as he starts running the other way. Getting too the end of town before there was any signs of life. The desperate youth not thinking about safety as he jumps into the road as a car comes driving. Feeling like his luck was turning as the car stops, and the man inside bend over and open the door in the passenger seat or him.
“There is something following me! We must get the police or anyone! My dad is alone in the house!” Ashely yells as he climbs into the car. The first that hit him inside, was the strong smell of petrol, and like something had burnt. Then as he had closed the door, he finally looks over at the disheveled man in the driver’s seat. “Mr. Henriksen?”
Jumping towards the door again to get out, he hears the click as the door closes shut. Trying to be ready for a fight, he is about to turn, only to get a glass bottle to the head. Everything around him fades into a terrifying black he just hoped he would wake up from. As they were not without nightmares.
“You stole it?!” Disbelief on Ashley’s face as they had all met up outside the mall after hanging around the entire day. Him and Taylor having been lucky to meet up with Lance at the mall, and he had bought them some food. The grinning Taylor dangling a set of keys before Ashely that he knew all to well. It was the keys to Lance’s car. A quite nice car he had worked hard for. That Ashely knew Taylor had a good eye to. “He bought you dinner!”
“We will just borrow it for a spin. He isn’t even done with work for some hours, is he? He won’t even notice it is gone.” Taylor chuckles as he looks quite pleased with himself for finally being able to get a hold of the nice car. He had some connections. So, he was wondering about giving it a new paintjob. “Come on, you keep complaining about the guy all the time, don’t you? How he works all the time and don’t care about you or your mother being dead?”
“I do… but stealing is…” Ashely stammers, looking hopeful at the others in the gang for any help, but they avoid his gaze, as all of them had their own issues, and none of them wanted to pick a fight with Taylor. He was on a downwards spiral ever since his mother and sister had died in a plane crash the year before. He acted out worse for each day. Ashely didn’t know, but he had beaten up some older kids the day before, so right now his goons were terrified of him. “And he is still my dad! Give me the keys!”
Ashely try to get the keys, giving a groan as Taylor kicks him in the stomach, sending him flying into the wall. Everyone around hurrying along as they didn’t want to get caught up with what was going on. “Give it back! Or I will tell the police!”
A new grunt, as Taylor easily drags the kid half his size with him into the alley, his nervous goons following quite terrified for their own safety. Just watching as he starts hitting the poor kid around. When he felt he had learnt his lesson, he drags him up against the wall, looking him in the eyes as he pulls out his switch knife, holding it against the bloodied Ashely’s neck. “So, what do you say? Are we going to take a nice cruise around town in your stepdad’s car? Or do I have to paint it red with your blood?”
“Hey. Taylor. aren’t you going a little too far?” The other youths try to reason with him, both moving back as he glares at them.
“No one decides what I do! I will let you know when I have taken it too far!!” Forgetting himself, he moves the knife downwards, the shocked Ashely feeling the knife stab in between his shoulder blades, blood splattering everywhere. “Ah?”
The horrified goons lose the last of their courage, as they turn and run, setting the line at murder as they run to find the mall cops. The panicking Taylor letting go of the heavily bleeding Ashley, that slump to the ground.
What should he do!? Once he was found now, he would tell the cops he had stabbed him! How could he face his father if he found out about this?! His father was in so much pain from before! This would kill him!
But that was only if he was alive to tell it. If there was no body, it should be okay. At least if there was no body that could be traced back to him. He looks at the keys in his hand. He could place him in the car. Then be able to sneak it back to his stepdad. Then grab his goons before they told anyone and threaten them to silence.
No one should be able to trace it back to him then. And his father didn’t have to face more grief.
Pleased with his plan, he kneels beside the now still body, readying the knife for one clean cut.
Ashely wasn’t as ready to give up though, and before the knife was brought through his chest, he grabs it with his hands, screaming in pain as he uses all of his powers to not let it go, the two of them soon in a real fight through the alley. Blood pouring everywhere as Ashely kept getting new and deeper cuts, the underdog in this as he was a 15-year-old fighting a well-built soon to be 18-year-old.
He had so much he wanted to say to Lance still. So many things he wanted to yell at him. So many things he was mad about, and equally as many he was too terrified to speak with him about.
He just wanted to find a way to say sorry!
Blood splatter through the entire alley as the knife was brought through a chest. Ashely’s eyes wife as he lets the knife go, not even having registered that he had it. Taylor probably hadn’t either, as he looks as shocked back, looking down at it before he collapses on the ground. Ashely fighting to breath from the wounds and the panic setting in at what had just happened.
Soon security comes running, as they had heard from several people a kid had gotten dragged into the street by a older guy, Ashely finally starting to wail as the horrified Lance comes running, having seen Ashely’s friends run screaming around telling everyone one of their friends had been stabbed.
Collecting his son in his arms he held him tightly. Letting him cry all he wanted as he would never let him get hurt again. Ashely also feeling safe for the first time in a while, as he before losing his mother had known he could always count on Lance to be there for him.
It seemed like he couldn’t save him this time thought.
The hazed Ashely waking up with a splitting headache, with nothing but forest around him. Having no memory of the place as he had not gone into the forest much yet. Hayden had promised him a tour the week after.
He had looked forward to it.
Too beaten to move, he can only lie there as the man was digging a giant hole. Tears running down Ashely’s cheek as he realized it was his grave.
“There, now you should fit.” The man whispers, looking even worse now than he had in the car. His eyes had sunken in, as he hadn’t eaten much since his son had ended up in a coma. He had just been by his side. Waiting for him to wake up. “It isn’t fair is it? That you kill my son and get to move away without even having to appear in court or anything. Protecting the victim?! Just one of you ended up dead! How does that make you the victim!?”
A loud smack, and a crack, as the shovel had been hit so hard into his side something must have broken. Ashely letting out a painfilled cry as he was starting to realize what the man was saying. Taylor had died. It had been unsure if he would pull through or not, but since his other friends had all said that Ashely had been stabbed when he had tried to get back something that had been stolen from his dad, it was clearly seen as self-defense. Even Ashley knew that, but he still felt horrible! He hadn’t wanted to kill anyone! He would rather he had woken up again and learnt a lesson.
“He was all I had left! You could have tossed the knife away! You could have stabbed anywhere else! You wanted him dead! You are evil!” A painfilled cry as gasoline is poured over him, the unhinged man planning on cleaning the evil away with flames. “You are never going to hurt anyone again!”
He is about to light the wide-eyed Ashely on fire, when he starts realizing his gaze wasn’t on him anymore. The kid was looking at something above him.
His head clearing up, he can hear the loud thuds as something massive walk towards him. A low growl slowly turning louder as the creature was looking from the blood covered man, to the shaking form on the ground.
Two strong claws digging into the man’s arms, the wolf stares his prey down.
Ah, he had only wanted everything to be like it had before again. When he and his son had been happy. He had hoped it would be possible if he gave him some space. If he had only talked to him more. The grieving father’s last thoughts, before feeling the teeth sink into him, eating him from the head and down to his neck, before shredding what was left with its claws. Tossing the remnants of the man into the grave he had just dug himself.
Ashely could only watch it all horrified, as he had been able to fight himself up again, not getting longer than the nearest tree to lean against. Grabbing the shovel and hugging it to his chest as he was prepared to protect himself as the creature soon looms above him. Just the size of the thing making him realize it wasn’t anything he could do. Dropping the shovel to the ground, he lowers his head, closing his eyes as the claw reached for him.
Roughing his hair up gently.
Shock on his face, as he looks slowly up at the monster that didn’t seem ferocious at all anymore. The pats on his head gentle. “L… ance?”
The wolf nods, before he leans down, easily collecting the human boy in his arms. Holding him safe from the rain as they walk home, Ashely burying his face against the warm fur, before he faints from the strain.
Once more feeling safe again with his father.
“The kid will be okay Lance.” The elderly woman reassures her son, as he had called them about what had happened, and they had come to help assess the wounds on the still out Ashely. “He got some head trauma, and he is bruised, but I think he didn’t break any ribs. And I had to do a few stitches on his head.”
She buttons up his shirt again, looking at the still bandaged wound from when he got stabbed. “He seems to be a resilient kid.”
“He is. Really stupid at times though.” Lance whispers, as he were fighting tears. He hadn’t wanted it to end up like this. He hadn’t wanted to ever return to Hallow Falls. Because he didn’t like that part of himself. And he hadn’t wanted his son to see that. “Ah, I need to call Jean and tell her I can’t come for work.”
“Call her in the morning. It is too late now. Just get some sleep.” Rose whispers, giving her son a last hug, before they leave again. Lance soon falling asleep sitting by Ashley’s bed, holding his hand tightly as he would be there for him when he woke up.
The next morning Ashely stirs again, an almost blinding headache making him whimper as he opened his eyes.
“Don’t try to move. Just keep down. You had to get a few stitches.” Lance whispers, as he puts a new cool cloth on his forehead.
“I feel like a pincushion.” Ashely hiccups. Trying to sound brave, but still unable to keep his tears in. Lance fighting his own tears as he hugs him gently. “I didn’t mean to kill Taylor! I was terrified! I didn’t even realize I had gotten the knife. I really didn’t want to!”
“I know that. You wouldn’t hurt a fly.” Lance sobs as he regretted more and more not speaking more abut this with him. He had kept it together and not wanting to be a bother, so Lance hadn’t known how to talk about it. “If it was between you and him, I am just happy it wasn’t you… I couldn’t take losing both you and your mother.”
All the brace façade Ashely had ever tried to keep up had faded now, as he cries like a child, tugging Lance closer as he never wanted to stop hugging him. “Don’t send me away! I don’t want to go to any sort of orphanage! I want to be with you!”
Realization on Lance’s face, as it dawned on him why Ashely had been so weird ever since his mother had died. To him it was something that wasn’t even a question. That Ashely was his son and he would take care of him no matter what. But Ashely must have thought only his mother kept them as a family.
“Ashley… you are my son. I was there when you took your first steps. I brought you to your first day of kindergarten, and I proudly left you in your first day at school. I came to all your school plays, school sports events. Even if we have no blood link, you are as much my son as your mother’s. I didn’t even realize you worried about that, cause to me sending you away was never any thought in my mind.” Ashely attach himself to his father now, never wanting to let go of him again. “And I am so sorry for the problems in the house, and for scaring you. I just didn’t know how to tell you what was going on.”
“Are you really a werewolf?” He sniffles in the end, as he was calming down and dared let go of him again.
“Yeah, everyone in my family besides my mother is. But it is just a local curse.” He sighs as he sits down in the bed beside Ashely, pulling him closer as they sit there in silence a little. “So, all in the Wolf family will be forced to spend as much time as wolves as human as long as they live here in Hallow Falls. I hated it and moved away. I haven’t changed into a wolf for as long as you have been alive. So, I had to get used to it. The basement and the attic are made to keep us inside and safe when we fear there are people that can see us in the house. There is a path from the basement to the second floor, and then to the attic. I didn’t think I were that noisy, so when you called for me, I panicked as I realized I hadn’t locked the door. So, I sprinted to lock it, and I knew that if you got down too fast you would find me not in the bed, and I scared you a lot worse… I were able to keep silent after that, but then I left the reading light on and you saw it.”
“Werewolves read too?”
“Only us mundane ones.” Tired but warm laughter from them both, as they just lean against each other. “Then when you came running about the apartment burning, I were on my way to the attic again, and since I can’t speak with you, I couldn’t let you know it was me. Then I ran after you as fast as I could to try and get through to you who I were, but then I saw a car speed away with you, and I chased after as good as I could.”
“Do you eat people?” Some worry, as he could remember he had eaten the guy’s head clean off.
“No, not really. We usually just hunt for animals in the forest or eat our livestock. I just sort of saw red when I realized how he had hurt you. We are quite peaceful werewolves.”
“If there is no killing and all, having a werewolf dad sort of sounds cool.” Ashely admits in the end, blushing a little as he could see that Lance seemed a little overwhelmed. Ashely hadn’t called him dad for so long. “Since we are doing so good now… can we… can we talk a little about mom? I just want to talk to someone about her. I feel like I will forget how she sounded soon. I can’t even remember her voice anymore.”
Lance quickly dries his tears as he tries to compose himself a little, before he gets up from the bed. Ashely a little confused as he lifts him gently up from the bed and carry him down to the living room, where he once more tucks him in on the couch, looking though the cabinet under the tv before he puts in a blank DVD into the player, turning off the lights, closing the curtains, before he grabs the controller and sits down with Ashely.
Then the old movie start, Ashely unable to keep from laughing as it was some of the old recordings, he could remember he and Lance had made into a ‘epic’ home movie for his mother’s 32 years old birthday. Some bad aftereffects here and there, and some cheesy music, but the clips themselves were what mattered, as Ashely leans against his father’s side, watching a 3-year-old version of himself run cheering around in the apartment with his mom. Then his first day at kindergarten, the eager Lance still filming as he waves proudly to his crying boy, that were banging at the gates wanting to leave with his parents. The choking Lance begging his then fiancé to let him bring their boy home.
Arriving back in the evening and finding the boy not wanting to go home with them as he had new friends and didn’t need them anymore. Then his first school day, beaming proudly with his new bag and clothes, ready for the world.
“Your mom was amazing. I fell in love with her after one meeting. I were sure I would never see her again, but I found she had asked around and gotten my number. She called me and the first question she asked me was if I had anything against dating a woman with a baby from before. I said I had no problem with that, and after our first date, I don’t think I spent more than one day away from her. When I lost her… I didn’t know what to say either. I don’t know if I would have been able to go on if I didn’t have you. Knowing you would have been all alone kept me from doing anything stupid.”
Another tight hug, Lance smiling as he brushes his son’s back, while looking at the video of their happy past on the screen.
Maybe this new life was a second chance for them both? His wolf blood had not been a curse this time, as it had let him save what was important to him. And if Ashely didn’t mind, they might be closer now than ever before.
“So, how do you do the change into a wolf monster thing? Does it happen on its own or?”
“Usually it happens after midnight and then until six in the morning. I can change it around, but if I don’t do equal amount of both human and wolf, I will drain my energy.” Ashely nods understanding, as that must have been the reason he had been so tired. “But I am not dangerous or anything, so if you get used to it, and we lock the curtains in the entire house. It should not be a problem.”
“If you read, can you watch tv as a wolf too?” Mostly just wanting to see that weird spectacle.
“I do all I usually do besides talk. I have a tv in the basement, but I clawed the controller apart. I also ended up clawing up my room a lot as my claws scratched.” Ashely is unable to keep from laughing, as he could imagine a giant pet scratching the furniture. “Come on, let us watch the movie now. Then we are going to sleep, and tomorrow you are going to be spoilt. My mom is coming over with some medicine and food for you. Her little grandchild got hurt, you will be spoilt rotten kid.”
A weak but content nod, as he liked the sound of that. His eyes eventually closing again, as he nuzzles into the warm fur as Lance had changed again as they stopped talking, the giant claws gently brushing the human boy’s hair. The bizarre scene quite heartwarming.
The pictures used is not mine and is used under creative commons. Original picture “Mysterious Forest in the Pacific Nortwest“, from Lee Render, found on Flickr.