Chapter 16 The Daylight

They have been gone long enough. Max thought, twirling the gun on his finger then capturing the handle and pointing the piece quickly straight ahead, while sitting down on the sofa, pretending to be a cowboy although he was anxiously awaiting the return of Lucky and Candace. He put the weapon down and decided to go out for some fresh air.

The neighborhood was quiet enough to hear a pin dropping onto a blade of grass, he thought as birds sang far off in the distance, making him not care about their sound but the wind did rustle through the trees, agrivating the leaves, causing them to flutter violently. Max hated that noise. Although Darteret was home, where Lucky was, far enough from the beach the sound of the ocean wasn't a bother.

He stepped off the top step and stopped on the ground. He looked around Lucky's neighborhood and was surprised at how dead it was. He strolled the driveway to get a better look of his environment and soon realized that home was no the place to be.

Dad loved it. He didn't move. And Lucky was stubborn like he is. He stayed behind too. They should have become roommates, Max thought. They're just alike. Mom wasn't that foolish to stay in a place crawling with people that become dogs or the equivalent of. We got out of Darteret with no intent of ever returning. Babe's death was all it took to change mom's mind about where she grew up too, Max thought as he casually left the yard, leaving the thoughts of who or what cut Lucky's phone line and the protection he always carried along.

The street was bare. Every yard was empty. If he needed help he knew Lucky's business line was the way to go-"Dad." Max muttered. "Gosh Dad, you should have come along with mom and me." He said in his moment alone.

Then twigs cracked close to him, ahead of him. This sound was different. Somebody is in the woods. Maybe they're hunting. Max looked around. "No!" He exclaimed softly, "Not in a residential neighborhood." He said as he patted his pocket, reassuring himself that he had a gun but not this time. He inhaled. Shocked by his empty-handedness. The twigs and leaves continued to crunch beneath feet.

"That's not a person." Max said, still holding on to his jacket pocket as he stopped in the middle of the road, staring into the woods.

He looked in the thinnest area first to see if he could see movement. With the sound of dead stuff sporadically breaking, it was hard to tell. The sun penetrated the woods only so deeply. He gazed hard. Trying to find what was breaking things. His gaze traveled to a thicker area but all he saw was black. And then it moved. The black moved forward, inching its way toward the clearing.

"That's no bear." Max said. "It's a person."

Growling came from the woods. Max knew something wasn't right. People don't growl. Not at other people.

"Hey!" He yelled.

The person growled louder, making sure that Max heard correctly.

"It's daylight." Max said. "They're not supposed to be out now. The full moon is weeks away."

Out of the wood, the person, as Max thought, ran out revealing itself in full daylight.

"A werewolf!" Max said and turned and ran back towards the house. It seemed that he was never going to get back to the yard. He could hear the heavy footsteps of the beast as it chased after him. It's breath was heavy and loud. Max didn't waste time looking back, he could feel the beast was too close for his own personal comfort. He also recognized the fact that being in a working neighborhood, yelling wouldn't help. There is no one to hear him yelling for help.

"My gun." He said in between breathes.

The pathway leading to the front door was a welcome sight. Its multifunctional quality worked well as usual as up the steps and into the house Max ran, slamming and locking the door behind himself.

He picked up the gun and cocked it. Soon he was at the back door, to lock it. Every window was checked and he was on the business line dialing the one number that never changes.

"Darteret Law Enforcement Department. How can I help you?" The agent asked.

Max didn't wait. "There's a werewolf outside my brother's house! It chased me down the street. This is Max Rival. Lucky Rival's brother."

"Please hold." The agent responded.

Lucky and Candace were about to leave the station when the agent at the information desk caught them.

"Lucky. It's your brother."

He and Candace hurried out of the building with cars blaring sirens and lights informing the people that an emergency was happening.

Max hung up the phone after giving the receiver of the call as much information as he could.

BANG!

Max jumped at the sound of gunfire.

BANG! BANG!

Two more shots rang out in the middle of everything that was going on.

Max ran to the window and opened the blinds. The beast leaped into the woods.

BANG!

Another shot came from the old man standing on his porch. His property next to Lucky. Max ran outside and to the neighbors.

"Maximilian is that you?" The old man asked, pointing the gun his way.

Max stopped and held his hands high, the gun in his hand.

"Why you ain't shoot that fool? Lord only knows why God made them things. All they do is cause trouble. If they ain't in the trash can, they're killing people." The old man said, lowering the gun now that the everything was clear.

"I forgot it." Max said. "Took a walk and was chased by it. Glad you're home, Mr. Erin."

"Where's Lucky?" He asked. "You all have the vigil yet?"

"It never happened. Werewolves." Max said.

Mr. Erin frowned his face at the mention of the beasts.

"Mangy dogs. Keep your piece Max. They ain't waiting for a full moon," he said. "It'll shut the howlers up."

Max nodded, agreeing with Lucky's next door neighbor.