Chapter 12; 4 am Morgan Pond and Reservoir.

Jacob's van slowed down once it was clear of the Saint James. It was oddly quiet within the tiny panel van. Both Marci and Gwen where still unconscious in the back of the van. William was asleep in the passage seat, while Bai was napping legs crossed in while levitating in the air. Jacob couldn't believe what he had witnessed in the Hospital tonight. Ever since he became afflicted with his condition he had always wonder what other mystical creatures may exist. Detective Stone helped him learn how to control his condition, and with the benefits of being a Were-wolf he could sense Stone was different. Just like he could sense that both Bai and William were different. However never in his wildest dreams did he expect them to be so powerful. Jacob had so many questions. First they needed to get to safety, he knew they could not stay within the city limits, they needed to go somewhere the casualties would be limited to just them. Therefore, he had decided taken them to a place where he never wanted to return to. Morgan Reservoir, the place received his curse all those years ago.


June 12 2015. 11pm Morgan Pond and Reservoir.   

Jacob and his high school sweet heart Stephanie happily laughed and moved through the woods of the reservoir. Jacob was excited to take her to the old Park Ranger cabin he had discovered earlier in the week. It hadn't been used for years, after the city and state cut funding to the Park they did away with the Ranger position in order to use the money for other expenses to keep the trailers and visitor center open. The happy couple giggled and held hands moving through the thick brush never realizing they were under the careful gaze of a predator that had taken up residency within the woods. The two lovebirds finally broke clear of the brush stood before the cabin. After looking around and making sure it was empty; Jacob led her into the cabin. The tiny cabin had only two rooms, a main room with a desk and love seat with a wood stove, then a bedroom so small the single size bed took up three of the walls. Jacob was so excited; he had waited to be alone with her all year. They had promised each other to wait till senior year and focus on their grades and getting into the same college before taking things to a physical level. Stephanie pushed him on the dusty bed, she pretended to pin him down while she straddled him. Jacob looked up at her, the moonlight from the window made her Carmel skin glow, she was unlike any other girl in school. She was focused and driven. She had goals and she made him want to be better. Her long brown hair fell past her shoulders. The door of the cabin exploded of the hinges, wood splinters rained down on the floor while the door the wall. A large grey and white haired wolf snarled from the center of the cabin. Stephanie fell to the floor letting out a terror filled screamed and cowered against the wall. The beast hollowed almost in a taunt to her screams.  Jacob tried to understand what he was looking at, this beast had the fur, ears, muzzle, of a beast yet the lean figure of a man. The beast locked eyes with Jacob; Jacob could tell it was thinking. The beast moved towards Stephanie while keeping his eyes on Jacob. Jacob jumped from the bed and charged the monster, he knew if he didn't act the beast would kill her before his very eyes.  He had been a wide receiver on his High School football team; he had seen many practices where linebackers conducted shed block drills. Jacob took up a good stance; he could hear Coach White in the back of his mind. Coach would emphasize power, balance, and proper form on the tackle - "breakdown, wrap up, hip roll!"


With all the power he could muster, he took off towards the beast.  The wolf like creature rolled out of the way and Jacob hit the wall just behind the creature. To Jacob's shock and dismay the wolf stood up like as if it was a man. Towering over Jacob the beast let out howl that sounded more like a demonic laugh then a howl.  The monster reached down wrapped a clawed paw around his neck. Jacob struggled against the beast, but it proceeded to pick Jacob up with ease. Jacob tried to kick the beast, to no a vile. The Beast pulled Jacob up and to his face until they were nose to nose. With what looked like a smile across the beast's fanged mouth, Jacob's arm. Like a twig breaking under foot, Jacob's arm broke under the immense strength of the beast mouth. The sound of his arm breaking echoed within his ears. The smell of his blood filled the air. Terror and pain forced Jacob's bladder to empty. Since the Beast attention was firmly on Jacob, Stephanie managed to move over to the wood stove. She pulled an iron poker from the ash bucket, the scraping sound drew the attention of were-wolf. He turned to face her, Stephanie took that moment to stabbed the beast in the eye. The beast let out an agonizing cry and tossed Jacob out the door and to the ground. The beast flailed his arms wildly, Stephanie scurried out the door to Jacob. With her help Jacob got to his feet and they began to run.

"WHAT WAS THAT JACOB!!!"  Stephanie's voice echoed in the silent night air.

"I don't know, just run" Jacob did his best to stay calm, hoping it would help keep her calm.  Jacob felt weak, his stomach was in knots, and vision was fading.  Jacob had to keep pushing, harder, faster. He couldn't let them die out here. 

"Jacob! JACOB! GET UP! PLEASE!" Stephanie's voice was a mixture of sadness and terror.  Jacob opened his eyes to find himself laying on the ground. He looked up at Stephanie's panic stricken face.

"What happened?" Jacob's head was radiating with pain.

"You passed out." Stephanie's face was red and puffy.

"Take my belt off. We need to use it as a Tourniquet. Stop the bleeding." When Jacob was little his mother forced him into the Police Explorer Program. The P.E.P was an afterschool program that paired up youths with local Police Officers and Sheriff's Deputies. It was a way to build relationships between the community and the people they serve, thankfully the program gave classes on first aid.

"You have to wrap it two fingers above the injury, if it lands on the joint put it two fingers about the joint." Stephanie nodded while following his instructions.

"You have to wrap it tight. "  Stephanie nodded while pulling the across his bicep. She pulled with everything she, until she felt like her hands would explode. Stephanie helped him to his feet and they keep moving further away from the cabin.  Jacob didn't know where they were in exactly, he couldn't hear the Richardson Highway, but he couldn't hear much over the beating of his own heart. 

"Jacob is this the way back to your car?" Jacob realized she was looking to him to get them out of this alive.

"Just keep moving. We need to get to the road." Jacob was doing his best to stay strong and level headed. He remembered Office Wilcox telling him that keeping a cool and level head in an emergency could mean the difference between life and death.

They could hear brush breaking and the dry leaves crumble just head of them. Stephanie grasped Jacob's arm tight. He was pretty sure they both were thinking the same thing, did the beast past them and is now waiting to ambush them. The sound seemed to echo all around them; and it was getting louder, closer, louder, closer. Matching the racing of Jacob's heart. He felt the lump of fear swell in his throat, he pulled Stephanie back while he stepped in front of her. Finally, the sound stopped when a fat round porcupine with a dirty blue baseball cap on stuck on the quills of his back.  They both let out a small sigh of relief, followed by a nervous chuckle. The two moved quickly heading in the direction the little porcupine had just came from. When they just about to give up hope they stumbled on to the service road.

"Jacob, we found the road."  Stephanie could not contain her excitement. Jacob looked up and down the road to see if he could find his beat up beat neon. When he looked down the road to the left he saw he saw his vehicle.


Present Day: 5am Monday Morgan Pond and Reservoir

Gwen was now laying in the single bed within the tiny cabin. Marci was sitting on the love seat in the living room, her leg apprehensively tapping away at the floor. She regained consciousness on the drive. She had not spoken to anyone; William offered her a cup of coffee he magically conjured. She did not even look in his general direction. Visibly hurt; he walked towards the tiny bedroom. William never wanted them to find out like this. Bai noticed the pain on William's face. Bai could see just how important Marci and Gwen's opinions of him were to William. That gave Bai hope, if someone like William could change so much to value friendship this way, there was hope for him too. Bai turned and looked out the little window in the living room to see Jacob standing on the porch directly in front of the doorway. He was keeping watch, Bai felt a shift in Jacob's mood once they arrived here. Something happened here that he did not want to face. Jacob even flinched a little when William magically repaired the main door, to Bai's knowledge only he noticed. Jacob had changed out his burned police uniform shirt for a plain black t-shirt and blue jeans from his gym bag.

"Maybe we owe you an expiation?" Bai said while looking out the window.

"You are God Damn right! What the hell is going on!? When did my life become some damn B-Rated Horror Movie!?!?" Marci's outrage was clear.

Bai looked over at William, he sat at the foot of the bed. He was tired and his face showed it. The two old men locked eyes; it looked like Bai was asking permission. In a defeated gesture, William gave a little nod. Bai stepped away from the window and floated up into the center of the room crossing his legs.

"Marci, what I am about to share with you would most likely have seem a little unbelievable just a couple of days ago." Bai turned to face Marci, her eyes were bloodshot with dark circles under them.

End Chapter 12