DECEMBER 13 - The Woods
As I’m looking at the body of the dead hiker, I have more questions than answers.
My name is Alex, and I’m a police officer in Maine, and I’m a little busy at the moment.
“Looks like a wolf, Alex. At least, that’s what the claw marks suggest. Oh, and the tracks.” Pearl, another officer, gives me her opinion.
“Have you ever seen a wolf in Maine?” I retort.
“No, but we are right next to Canada. Wolves are like, their whole thing. Wolves and syrup. And I guess like, Justin Bieber.”
“Sure.”
The cleanup crew arrives, which means I get to go back to the station and fill out paperwork. Exhilarating.
Pearl and I take the surely traumatized hiker who called in the body of the now dead hiker with us.
JANUARY 3 - Police Station
“We’re calling animal control, this is ridiculous.” Pearl invades my morning silence.
“We don’t have an animal control branch, Pearl.”
“Alex, yesterday makes 5 people dead by a wolf. People are starting to get worried in town. Do you not care? We’re calling in a unit from Bixby.”
“Alright. How long is it going to take them to get here.”
“A few hours. Come on, let’s check this latest one out.”
We leave the station and get in our car. It’s a fairly long ride and short walk. I take a moment to think about Pearl. She’s 25 years old, but incredibly strong. She’s relatively new on the force. I remember being 25. I admire how she’s stuck with us. If I had to endure this at 25, I think I’d leave the force. But I guess resilience is part of the job description. When she’s seen as many dead bodies as I have, I think she’ll eventually get used to it.
We arrive on the scene and sure enough, a dead hiker. I don’t want to victim blame here, but we did advise the population to be wary of the woods.
The worst part is the eyes. Even though he’s been dead for a while, his eyes still show visceral, pure, complete fear. I guess that’s why people in the movies often close the eyes of the dead.
“I don’t understand it.” Pearl breaks the silence.
“What’s on your mind?” I question.
“I mean, look at him. All things considered, he’s pretty intact.” Pearl says.
“What do you mean?” I respond.
“Well, we’re looking for a wolf right?”
“Yeah”
“Wolves are hunters, it seems out of character to not at least take a few bites out of the things you kill, I mean, it’s leaving a perfectly good meal on the floor of a forest.”
“Well this perfectly good meal used to be a human, Pearl. Plus, it was probably planning on coming back at some point.” I say.
“Well I’ve never known a wolf to do that.”
“The wolf is toying with us, luring us into the woods to eat us all one by one.” The hiker who called in the body interrupts our conversation. A man I recognize as Bill Carten.
“I’ve never known a wolf to lure humans.” Pearl assures Bill.
“Have you ever known a wolf to do anything?” I ask Pearl.
JANUARY 4 - Police Station
Pearl walks into my office.
“Alex, we have two animal control guys. They’re going out tonight for a manhunt. Or, wolfhunt. They’re asking for a couple of cops and some volunteers.”
“And good morning to you too.” I respond, “alright, let’s put it in the newspaper.”
JANUARY 5 - Police Station
I’m standing in the entrance of the station and in front of me are two Animal Control workers, Pearl, Officer Jimenez, Officer Johnson, and 5 civilians. Vivien Hurdleton, Paul Carpenter, John Pendlemon, Henry Philip, and Casey Brown.
I feel I should say something. “Good evening, I don’t need to explain why you’re here. I will not be joining you, as the group is already very big. Best of luck to you all, I hope you find the damn wolf causing all of this. Officer Pearl Frederick will take it from here.”
I retreat to my office.
JANUARY 6 - Police Station
Officers Jimenez and Johnson are conversing in the entrance to the station. I can hear them from outside as I walk up.
“I swear to god I had the fucker!”
“If you had him would we be having this conversation right now?”
I walk into the station.
“Ok, what happened yesterday?” I question.
“We heard it. We heard the wolf.” Jimenez says.
“Well,” Johnson chimes in, “we saw it too. It got one of the Animal Control guys.”
“What!? We have another casualty?” I reply, suddenly I’m less tired than a second ago.
“Yeah. Hartley was taking up the rear and before we could even react, we heard something running at us, and Hartley was gone.” Jimenez fills me in.
“We tried to track it. We ended up finding Hartley.” Johnson finishes Jimenez’s recount.
“This time,” Pearl walks in, interrupting Johnson, “it took a bite. A whole part missing from Hartley’s abdomen. You’re just in time, we’re checking in with the volunteers at their houses. Talking to them about what they saw. You’re going to Mr. Pendlemon’s.”
Pearl leaves, Jimenez and Johnson follow her.
I get in my cruiser and I’m off.
I arrive at Paul’s house, a secluded cabin on the edge of the woods. I walk up the creaky steps and knock on the heavy wooden door. As if on cue, I hear a car pull into the driveway. The car is playing a song, I recognize it as Evil by Interpol. A man steps out of the car. John Pendlemon.
“Morning John, you’re out early.”
“Ah, well, no rest for the wicked, right? Anyway, I could say the same about yourself, Officer.” John walks up the steps of his house to where I am. “What can I do you for?”
“Well, I’m supposed to interview you about the patrol yesterday. Can I come in?”
“Why sure.”
I walk in the house and John takes me to the living room. There are mounted animal heads all over the off white walls. Deers, bison, and a wolf. I walk over to the wolf head, and stare into its eyes. Cold. Dead. Emotionless. The fur looks off, too.
“Oh yeah, I caught her in Canada on a research project.” John says.
“Interesting. Can I ask why it kind of smells like meat in here?”
“Well I was just in the middle of breakfast when you arrived.” John responds.
“You were driving when I-“ I can feel my heart beat faster.
“ALEX PICK UP! DAMN ALEX COME IN!” Pearl interrupts me from my radio
I pick it up.
“What’s wrong?” I ask her.
“THEY’RE DEAD! THE VOLUNTEERS ARE ALL DEAD WE’RE NOT LOOKING FOR A WOLF WE ARE LOOKING FOR A MAN, ALEX!” My heart at this point might as well be loosening my ribcage at this rate.
“Meet me at John’s house” I say before I switch off the radio. I turn to John and try my best to get out my words. “What did you say you do for a living?”
“Me? I’m a wolf biologist and practicing taxidermist.” John says, a smile on his face.
“Alright. I think I’m going to put you under arrest-“
Before I finish my sentence John has tackled me to the floor and runs to the wolf head. I notice a fork sticking out if my stomach. He takes the head off the wall to reveal a compartment housing a wolf costume and a pair of custom claws. He picks up the claws, costume, and wearable head and heads to the door. I am glad this happened in the morning, because if I had any substantial food already, it would have been evacuated by my body one way or another due simply to my level of fear. I may have been on the force for a large part of my life, but no amount of experience can stop fear or adrenaline.
“Couldn’t leave well enough alone, huh? See you later Alex.” And just like that he is gone.
I manage to get on my feet and stumble to the door. Squad cars have shown up in numbers, I tell them John went into the woods. I try to keep it together, but I just know I look shell shocked.
I am carted away to the infirmary.
Police scoured the forest and we have yet to find John.
I have lived these last few weeks constantly checking my surroundings. I know he will be back, and I don’t know if I will be able to stop him.