Bark (The Werewolf Journal's Book 1) (15 page)

CHAPTER 55

Jay drove into the meadow, shutting off the engine to his truck when he arrived.  He was hoping he would find Arnie, maybe talk some sense into him.  But he didn’t see Arnie anywhere.  Jay got off his truck and walked through the meadow, stopping momentarily, looking around.  He continued making his way through the trees outside the meadow until he stopped in disbelief.  He came across a group of trees that had human bodies of different ages nailed to the oak; others hung from their necks by ropes.  Flies buzzed loudly as Jay looked at the decaying bodies in disbelief.

“I told you I’ve changed,” Arnie said, walking up from behind one of the trees.

“I don’t understand.  How could you do this?” Jay asked.

“I told you already, I’ve changed.  I’m more wolf now than who I used to be.”

“I don’t believe that, Arnie.  I refuse to believe that.  You’re stronger than this.”

“I used to believe that I was, but sometimes you can’t fight fate, and this is my fate.”

“Look at this.  These bodies, Arnie.  You’re not the wolf right now.  Why are you doing this?”

“You don’t understand, Jay.  It’s stronger than me.  Its will.  It’s like a drug.  I feel so alive when I’m the wolf.  If you could only imagine the power.”

“I don’t want to imagine.  I want to help you.  I want my friend back,” Jay said.

“It’s too late, my friend.  Why don’t you come with me?”

“What are you saying?”

“I can make you like me.  Imagine what we could do.”

“Listen to yourself, Arnie.  You’ve gone crazy.  Look around you.  That girl over there is no older than ten,” Jay said, pointing at one of the trees.  “All these people the wolf killed.  But you hang them here like trophies.  You’re glorifying what you’ve become.”

“I think you should leave,” Arnie said with anger.

“Not until you come with me.” Jay looked into Arnie’s eyes.

Arnie then walked over to Jay, looked at him, and stared into his friend’s eyes.  “Look at me, at what I’ve become.  Look at these people.  Do you want to become one of them?” Arnie asked, choking Jay with his hands.

“Do it, Arnie!  Kill me and hang the only friend you have left like all these other people. Jesus, Arnie!  They all had families.”

“So did I, and now that’s gone,” Arnie said, choking his friend who was struggling to breathe.  Arnie then released Jay’s neck.  “I know you brought the gun with you.” Arnie turned his back on Jay.  “Do it, end it,” Arnie said, looking up at the sky.

Jay reached for his gun, pointing it at Arnie.

“Don’t hesitate, just do what needs to be done,” Arnie said, turning around to look at Jay.

“I can’t,” Jay said, putting the gun down.

“Why not?  It’s the only way,” Arnie asked.

“The same reason you can’t kill me,” Jay said, putting his gun back in his pants.  “There has to be another way.  We can lock you up again when the moon is full,” Jay said, trying to think.

“You can’t lock me up.  I’ll only get away.  I don’t want you to end up like the rest of these people.  I don’t want to hurt you.  I told you at the cemetery to leave me alone.  I don’t know how much longer I can fight what my instincts are telling me to do to you,” Arnie said, again turning around.

“What are your instincts telling you?” Jay asked.

“They’re telling me to kill you, Jay.  Every inch of my body wants you dead, wants to feed upon your flesh, and drink the wine that is your blood.”

“My instincts tell me to get this gun and shoot you,” Jay said, reaching for it from the back of his pants and pointing it at Arnie.  “I just can’t.” Jay lowered the gun.

“At least you can still fight what your instincts tell you.  I have very little resistance to mine.  You made a promise once, Jay.  If you don’t intend on keeping it, stay away,” Arnie said with a sigh.

“I’m sorry, Arnie.”

“So am I, Jay,” Arnie said, stepping out of the woods.

CHAPTER 56

“Hello, my name is Jay,” Jay said, knocking at the door.

“Hi, I’m Father Bastin.  What can I do for you today?”

“I work for the paper at school and I read about the baby found at the cemetery.  Well, I asked at the hospital, and they said you were caring for him.”

“Yes, that’s correct,” the father replied.

“I’m sorry.  I just wanted to write a follow-up story on the baby.”

“You may come in.” Father Bastin opened the door, letting Jay in.

“How is he doing?” Jay asked.

“He’s been doing fine.  I tell you it’s remarkable what that little baby has been through.  It’s a miracle he’s alive,” the priest said, leading Jay to the baby’s room.

“Is that why you’re trying to adopt him?” Jay asked.

“I’m just a foster parent although it would mean a lot if I could have my own son.  When I found out about the baby, I just knew I had to try to do something to make sure this baby receives the proper care,” the priest said, lifting the small baby out of the crib.  “However, he’s just here temporarily like all the other children that come here.  But this little one, well, there’s something special about him.”

Jay’s heart sank when he looked into the baby’s hazel eyes.  It had Sarah’s eyes but Arnie’s face.  He could feel tears building up and had to fight the feeling away as he asked the priest if he could hold the baby.

“Sure, you can,” the priest said, handing the baby over, who looked at Jay, quietly studying him.

“I named him Dominic for the time being,” the priest said, rubbing his finger against the baby’s cheek.  “He was so little and so fragile, but everything about the baby was beautiful too, Jay.”

“You haven’t noticed anything strange about the baby?” Jay asked.

“No.  Why do you ask?”

“Well, the way the baby was found.  I just thought he would be sick,” Jay replied.

“I told you it’s a miracle.  He’s completely healthy.”

“Dominic.  That’s a good name,” Jay whispered, looking at the baby.

“Tell me, son, is there anything you want to tell me?” the priest asked, looking into Jay’s eyes.

“No, Father.  I had brothers once.  I lost them both.  Holding this baby just reminds me how much I miss them.”

“Your brothers will always be with you,” the priest replied as Jay handed the baby back to him.

“That’s a remarkable baby.  Keep him safe,” Jay said, thanking the priest for his time.

CHAPTER 57

Arnie’s Journal  December, 10 1993

I saw Arnie’s son today.  He is so handsome.  I can’t believe he’s alive.  Now that I’ve seen him, I don’t know if I can do what I’m thinking of doing but if I don’t things will only get worse.  I have to find Arnie first.  I’m not really sure if I should tell him because if I do he’ll try to stop me from doing what is right.  That baby looked so innocent.  It’s not his fault what’s happened to him and neither was it Arnie’s.

Before I go on with this, I want to say that the only reason I continued this journal is because this is Arnie’s story.  If anything happens to me or him no one will know the truth.  And even if they did, would they believe it?  He started this journal for a reason and the least I can do is finish it.  I don’t know after all this ends where I’ll end up.  For all I know I could wind up dead or in jail or even as one of those fucking werewolves.  I need to find Arnie, have one last talk with him before this plays out.

CHAPTER 58

Jay sat against the tree on which he used to chain Arnie closing the journal.  He looked up at the sun.

“You will not rest until I kill you, will you?” a voice said from behind him.

“I wanted to talk to you.  Funny, I searched for you for months, and I must have come here a dozen times but you were never here.  Why now?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe I wanted you to find me.  The part that wants me to kill you or the part of you that wants to kill me.”

“She wanted to let you know that she loved you before she died,” Jay said.

“What was she doing there?” Arnie asked.

“She was looking for you.”

“It’s all my fault,” Arnie said, his eyes growing watery.

“There’s more, Arnie.”

“More?”

“She knew,” Jay said with a squint. 

“She knew what?”

“About you and your secret.”

“How?  Did you tell her?”

“No.  She knew before me,” Jay said with a nod.  “She was there when you killed Danny.”

“How come she never told me?” Arnie asked.

“I suppose she was scared.  She really loved you,” Jay said, patting Arnie in the back.  “I just wanted to tell you that because I made a promise to you a while back, and I intend to keep it.”

“So you’ve come to kill me?”

“I can’t kill you like this because even though you won’t admit it, I know somewhere in there, there’s a bit of you that still cares.  If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have been at the grave yard.  I’m going to kill that thing inside you and free you,” Jay added.

“Why do this?  You’ll only end up dead,” Arnie said with frustration.

“Don’t be so sure.  I’ve already killed two like you.”

“Two like me?”

“There was another besides Izik.  I never told you because, well, we don’t really talk anymore,” Jay said sadly.

“I’ve warned you more times than I can count.”

“I know, but I’m here for another reason.  What would you say if I told you Sarah was pregnant when she died?”

“Why would you say that, Jay?”

“Because, Arnie, she was.  That’s why she couldn’t say anything to you.  Believe me, I thought about not telling you, but I couldn’t do that to you,” Jay told him.

“What difference does it make?  Even if she was pregnant, the baby died with her,” Arnie said, wiping the tears from his face.

“Unless the baby was infected with the same curse you have,” Jay said hoarsely.

“What do you mean?”

“You know damn well what I mean.  That’s why I came here.  You needed to know”

“You’re lying,” Arnie said, getting up from where he was sitting.

“I’ve held him, Arnie.  I don’t know how and can’t even comprehend how this is possible, but it is.  He’s alive.  Now I have to ask you.  Do you really want him to grow up living with a curse like this?  Living the way you do?” Jay said.

“You’re planning on killing him, aren’t you?”

“What would you do?  Raise him and chain him to a tree for the rest of his life.  You know as well as I do that you can’t keep a secret like this locked up forever.  Eventually he’ll kill and eventually he’ll start to accept what he is.  Believe me, this isn’t easy.

That little baby could have been like a nephew.  I don’t even know if I can do it.  Not after holding him.”

“Where is he?” Arnie asked

“I would love to tell you, but the truth is I don’t know what you’ll do if you find him.  I can’t let this go on.  What would you have me do, Arnie?”

“Just what you’re thinking,” Arnie said, pacing back and forth.

“Here, I hope you don’t mind.  I found this at your old house, and, well, I continued it, but now that I found you.  I guess you can finish it.” Jay handed Arnie’s spiral notebook to his friend.

“I’m really sorry, Arnie.”

“Keep it, Jay,” Arnie said, throwing the notebook back.  “That’s not me anymore.  Take care, Jay.”

“You too, Arnie.”

The two friends looked at each other for a minute until finally they hugged.

“I guess this is goodbye,” Jay said.

“I guess it is.  “You know the next time we see each other, one of us will not survive.” Arnie responded.

“I know.”

Jay then turned around and headed to his truck.  The two friends looked at each other one last time, realizing that things between them would never be the same.  Jay could see Arnie crying through the window of his truck.  Arnie watched, wiping his tears as his best friend drove out of the meadow.  He couldn’t believe that Sarah had been pregnant, and he was angered the more he thought about her dying.  Now he was filled with a sense of hope because he had a son and somehow he was alive.  Maybe he could find him and help him.  Jay was right in hiding the baby from him, but he also knew what he intended on doing.  Maybe it was best he let Jay do what had to be done.

What kind of life could I give it?  We both would be hunted.  But what if I change and I kill the baby?  How would I live with myself?  Arnie could feel the beast inside yearning to get out.  For the first time in a long time, he ignored what the beast inside was telling him, for the love he had for Sarah now resided in a son that he had never seen.

For a moment, love subdued the beast, but only for a moment.  The moon would soon change, and after that, he would have no control of what he would do.

CHAPTER 59

“Have you killed your friend yet?” Gulaunt said, opening the door.

“No,” Jay replied.