The Dark Woods

Sheriff Jim Wilkins drives the department's SUV down a lonely back road of the Pacific Northwest—if you could call it a road. The paved part ended several miles back; now it was just a narrow dirt road, barely wide enough at times to accommodate his Jeep. Add to that the jarring potholes and deep ruts, it took all his concentration to stay on the road.

Fer Chrissakes, he thinks to himself, why does he always pick these out-of-the-way places to meet me? Dumb question , he thinks again. These woods are his place, the place of his people, and had been for longer than any white man had set foot in them. Still, he hoped this had better be good to make him come out all this way.

Up ahead he sees a familiar sign on the side, next to a dirt road going into the forest. Turning left, he follows it for about a mile before coming to a clearing. This has to be it, he thinks. Stopping the Jeep, he steps out into the clearing. It's empty, but he knows he is being watched. Jim stands quietly beside the SUV, slowly scanning the trees for several minutes, when suddenly a figure appears out of a spot he had just looked at.

"Hello, Jim. Long time no see," the newcomer says, walking towards him.

"Hello, Bobby. I hope you had a good reason for dragging my ass all the way out here."

"Looking good, Jim, as always," as he gives him a friendly pat on the shoulder. Jim is tall, over six feet, large by any standards, with a physique that has enabled him to quickly pin many a rowdy drunk. But Bobby towers at least a foot and a half over him with arms that must be at least four feet long. Those arms and body were covered with long hair that concealed a muscular body that could overpower the strongest human. Most people knew this being as Bigfoot, or Sasquatch, or simply as Squatch. All he knew is that beings like Bobby lived in these woods long before any white man or Native American had set foot in them. They were a quiet, gentle people, if Bobby was any indication. They liked their privacy, and Jim was glad to oblige them.

The truth was, he owed his life to Bobby. He was barely five when he wandered from his family's campsite into the woods. He was too far away to hear their frantic calls when they discovered he was gone. A search party was quickly organized, but they couldn't find him. He staggered through the woods, crying his eyes out, when he stumbled onto Bobby, who was equally surprised to see him.

Bobby—not his real name, but close to what a scared five-year-old could say, was young like him. After several minutes of staring at each other the young Sasquatch realized that Jim was lost. Motioning to him, he took Jim's hand and led him through the woods until they could hear the voices of the searchers. Jim cried out to them and the searchers called back. Hearing this, the young Sasquatch ran the other way, then stopped for a moment and looked back. Jim never forgot that look. Later, when he turned eighteen, he went searching in the woods for his strange rescuer. After several months, Bobby finally showed himself, and a friendship of sorts was started. Jim taught him about humans, surprised at how much they already knew, and Bobby taught him about the ways of the forest and the other bigfoots that were called the People.

Jim went on to become a deputy and then the sheriff of the town. If a hiker or hunter became lost, or if someone tried to grow pot in a secluded area, Bobby's people always knew where they were and they passed the news onto him. This gained him a certain amount of fame in the small town as a great tracker, but he never let on who the real heroes were.

"Hey! Did you catch my latest sighting?"

"Yeah, blurred and out of focus as usual."

"Did they get my good side?"

"Huh! And now a group of scientists and tourists are in town to check it out. One of these days you're going to get caught with your pants down and it'll be all over."

"I don't wear pants," he deadpans.

"Don't remind me. But what's going on to drag me out in the middle of nowhere?"

Bobby's demeanor changes instantly, John sees.

"Follow me," he says, and walks into the woods.

The sheriff follows him and pulls out his Bowie knife to blaze a trail while he follows Bobby. He was a good woodsman, but after a hundred yards he would have been completely lost in the towering pines. Finally they came to an area with the body of a man and several parts of him spread over the ground.

"Jesus Christ!" Jim cries out loud. "Hunter?"

"Probably."

"Wolves?"

"You know wolves have never attacked a human."

"Bear, then?"

"Maybe, but the scent is wrong. Follow me."

Jim follows Bobby, and a hundred feet ahead they find a shotgun on the ground, with several casings around it. Ahead they can see a campsite. Jim walks over to the truck and looks in the tent. More casings were around the campfire.

"When did you find him?"

"I didn't; another did, yesterday. We thought you should know."

"Looks like he fired at something, ran, and then fired until he was out of shells and then ran until whatever it was caught him."

"Yes."

"Any ideas?"

"Not now. But this happened before, about three months ago. And then a few months before that. To both of our people."

"And why wasn't I told about that!" he shouts.

"We're a private people, you know that. Many things happen in the forest that you don't know about. We mean no harm to you or anyone else, and try to help when someone is in danger. But this is different. The same thing happened in a distant part of our land over a year ago. This has gotten my people scared. You can't sneak up on one of us, at least that is what we have always believed. The woods can be dangerous to the unwary. Hikers disappear and are never found. But never to one of us. Until now."

That got Jim worried. "Okay. I'm going to get the forensics team out here to look over this place with a fine-toothed comb. You had better leave; I'll contact you if I find anything. And no footprints! Understand?"

"Gotcha!" Bobbly replies and disappears into the forest.

******

Jim makes his way back to his SUV and drives into town. Inside the sheriff's office he sees one of his deputies sitting at his desk, feet propped up, reading a magazine.

"Hey, boss! Hear about the latest Sasquatch sighting? A bunch of people are here in town trying to confirm it."

"Get your damn feet off that desk, Fred, and get your ass moving! We've got work to do. A hunter was found mangled in the woods by some wild animal. Call the coroner's office and tell him to get here toot sweet. And after that, run a make on this license tag, an old Ford Ranger. It was at the campsite where I found the hunter."

"Oh my gawd!" the deputy cries out as he quickly dials the phone. "How did you find out?"

"A group of hunters found him and told me. I confirmed their stories and let them go."

A few hours later, Sheriff Jim and several deputies, along with the coroner, are working the area where the hunter had died. The sheriff could tell the coroner was shaken by what he saw. He couldn't blame him. Some of his deputies lost their lunches when they first saw the body. This wasn't the work of some wild animal , he thinks, although the official story will be that the hunter was attacked by a bear.

One of the coroners walks over with a tuft of fur held in some tweezers. "We found this next to the body. Bear?"

"Has to be. That's what attacked him."

"You don't sound convinced."

"Then examine it and then tell me what it is."

******

Later, when they drove back to town, Fred sat next to him in the SUV. Both men were quiet the whole way back, each one deep in his own thoughts about what happened. Back at the office, Jim sits at his desk to write out the mandatory report. A half hour later he hears a knock on the door.

"Hey, boss, you busy?"

"I could use a break; what is it?"

"Well, me and the guys were talking about what we found today. And we all agree that's no bear attack."

"That's what's going into the report. Officially it was a bear attack. And that is what you and all the other deputies will say if anyone asks you. Is that understood?"

"What do you think it was?"

"As soon as I find out I'll let you know."

******

After his day was over, Jim went over to Kelsy's Bar. This case was really getting to him, and he needed a drink. Halfway through his third whiskey, the coroner walks in and gets himself a drink at the bar. He then walks over to Jim at the table. "Mind if I join you?"

"Seat yourself," Jim says, pulling out a chair for him. "Long day?"

"I can see that the dead hunter case is getting to you as much as it is to me, Jim," the coroner says, sitting down at the table. "There are some things even we have a hard time dealing with. This is one of them," as he downs half his drink.

"Any ideas?"

"Definitely a wild animal, but not a bear. The fur doesn't match. It doesn't match with any known species, although it is close to a wolf, but I never heard of a wolf doing something like that to a man."

"Same here. So what do we do?"

"Hope it was an isolated incident." The coroner downs the rest of his drink and gets up. "It's been a long day and I'm going home. And I'm going to make sure my doors and windows are locked. I advise you to do the same thing." He then walks out the door to his car.

Jim watches him leave, his words still ringing in his ears. Finishing his drink, he goes to his SUV and heads home. Getting there, he checks all the doors and windows before turning in.

******

A month goes by and there are no further incidents. Everyone at the sheriff's department forgets about the killing and life returns to normal. Then John is approached by one of his deputies in his office.

"Hey, boss, just got a call from Ole Man Moses on the shortwave. Says someone ransacked his cabin while he was away last night."

"Okay, come on, we'll check it out."

******

Old Man Moses, not his real name, but what everyone called him, was the classic hermit. There were a lot like him in the area. He had a cabin way up in the woods. Isolated from everyone, and that was the way he liked it. A gas-powered generator provided electricity and charged his batteries. He sold smoked venison to the local restaurants to support himself.

Jim and his deputy drive up to the front of Moses' cabin and see him sitting outside on the porch with a rifle across his knees.

"Hey, Moses! It's me, Sheriff Wilkins, put that rifle away."

The old man puts the rifle next to the rocker and walks up to the sheriff.

"Sheriff! Dagnabit! I leave my cabin for one day and this is what happens! I swear it must have been a bunch of kids, I tell ya! Whole place was torn apart and all my venison taken!"

"What happened?" the deputy asks.

"Well I was in town yesterday, dropping off a load of venison I had cured. That's legal! I got me a license!"

"And then what?"

"Well, I meet a couple of my old fellers. Ain't seen them in quite a while. So we go into the bar to have a few drinks and chat about old times."

"Go on," Jim asks.

"Well, we had a couple and then a couple of more and I sees it's gettin' kinda late and I say I gotta go. But one of them says it's too late and I'm too drunk to drive. He offers to let me sleep it off at his place. I do that and the next morning after breakfast I head home and I discover this!" he says, pointing at the cabin.

They walk inside and see that the place is a mess, things tossed everywhere. Food was all around the refrigerator on the floor.

"Yeah, when I came home I saw it just like this. The refrigerator door was wide open and food was all over the floor! Spoiled now! But that's not all. Look here in back."

Moses showed the officers the smoker he has set up in the back to smoke his venison. It was a professional model, stainless steel, with a latching door and temperature control. Pieces of venison and bones littered the backyard.

"The door on this was open too. Look inside."

Jim opens the door and sees almost all the venison inside gone, just a few tattered pieces still hanging from the racks.

"Looks like the work of a bear. They can be pretty ingenious and determined when they want to get something. They've even opened car doors!" the deputy says.

"Yeah," the sheriff adds. "But I don't see any bear prints on the ground. Just these strange ones that I don't recognize. I want the forensics team up here taking pictures and getting castings of these prints."

"Aw, boss. Come on, it's just a bear!"

"Because I said so and I want that information on my desk before the end of the day!"

******

Back in the sheriff's department, Jim goes into his office and shuts the door. Something about that break-in didn't seem right. Then he remembers the dead hunter and what Bobby said. He decides to set up another meeting with him. That night at his place he sets a candle on the front porch. Bobby's people will see it and then tell him that the man wants to see him.

The next morning he goes out on the porch and sees the sign that tells him that the message was seen and Bobby will meet him that evening at the usual spot. John couldn't wait for the end of the day. He gathers up the evidence from the cabin break-in and drives into the woods until he reaches a secluded clearing. He sits in the truck several minutes until he sees Bobby appear out of the trees.

******

"What's up; you look worried."

"There was a break-in at a cabin up in the woods. Something ransacked the place while the owner was gone and tore into his smoker. Took all his venison. Here are some pictures." Jim hands him the photos and Bobby looks at them.

"Just a break-in by a bear. So what?"

"Something about this doesn't ring true. I didn't see any bear prints on the ground, just these funny-looking ones," he says pointing out the castings.

The sasquatch looks at them for several seconds before speaking up, "Build a fire."

"I thought your people didn't like fire?"

"Normally, no. But this is different."

Together they gathered wood and soon had a small fire started, which was a good thing since the forest quickly turned dark.

Sitting in front of the fire, John studies his friend who is looking closely at the pictures. "What's up? This has got you spooked, hasn't it?"

Booby looks up at the trees and sees the moon rising in the night sky. He takes in several deep breaths through his nose and finally speaks.

"Your people have legends, ancient legends, passed down through the centuries. So do we, but ours are much older. Passed down in song and dance. We have lived in this land longer than any man has, even the ones you call Indians. Yet, there are things that are even older. We are more attuned to the forest than you are. The wind and trees speak to us of many things. The wind is disturbed and the trees are worried. The law of the forest has been broken."

"Are you telling me that something from one of your legends is out there and causing this! That's crazy!"

"Yet, here you are listening to someone who is a legend to your people, telling you about something that is a legend to us."

Jim had no comment for that. Nothing about what happened lately made any sense. "What can we do?" he asks.

"I will talk to the Elders; they may know. I will contact you when they are ready." Just then Bobby jerks his head up and takes several deep sniffs and glances quickly around them. Suddenly an eagle swoops out of the night, screeching as it flies past them.

"What was that? Do you sense something? Is there something in the woods near us? Dammit! Tell me!"

"Go home, John. Lock your doors and widows. Go! Now!" Bobby then stands up and runs off into the forest.

******

John looks into the darkness where his friend just disappeared, stunned by what just happened. Getting up, he douses the fire and goes to his SUV. Back in town he stops at a local store and buys several boxes of shotgun shells. Not the birdshot kind but the heavy-duty ones. After grabbing a quick supper at a diner, he heads straight home. Inside his cabin, he goes to the bedroom and gets his shotgun out of the closet. He checks the action and adds some oil to the inside. Then he loads and cocks it. Going outside he fires some at a tree. It had more of a kick than he remembers and the large pellets tear huge chunks out of the tree's trunk. Satisfied, he thumbs the safety and heads back inside, locking the door after taking one last look around. Going to bed, he places the shotgun next to the nightstand and turns off the light. Outside, the full moon casts an eerie glow across the landscape.

Sleep comes fitfully, with him waking up several times in the night. One time he swears he hears something walking on the porch, from the creaking sounds of the boards. Grabbing the shotgun and a flashlight, he walks over to a window just as a shadow passes by. Immediately he thinks of several possibilities. Too big for a raccoon. A coyote or wolf? A bear maybe, it seems about the right size.

Walking slowly across the room, he senses the intruder moving from the back of the cabin to the front. Going to the front door he slowly twists it and sees that it is still locked. Slowly, so as to make as little noise as possible, he unlocks it. His plan is to throw the door open while simultaneously turning on the porch light, hopefully momentarily blinding whatever is out there and giving him a few precious seconds.

He thumbs the safety off the shotgun and prepares himself. Sensing the intruder is on his right, he counts to three and throws the door open.

Jumping out onto the now lit porch, he sees a shape at the edge of the light that quickly runs away. He only gets a glance of it, big like a bear, but not a bear. Quickly he puts the shotgun to his shoulder and fires a shot into the darkness. He hears nothing, no cry like a wounded animal. Getting the flashlight from his pocket he shines it in the direction he fired at, but it shows nothing. Sweeping it around the porch he sees nothing in the distance, until he sees what looks like a pair of eyes, shining in the light, that stare at him before disappearing in the woods. He fires again, but again with no results. Deciding against going after whatever it was out there, he turns on all the lights inside the cabin, makes a fire and sits in the living room with the shotgun across his knees, quietly listening for any sound that might indicate that the intruder has returned.

******

Early that morning while preparing to leave for work, a department car pulls up in his driveway and a deputy jumps out, running towards him.

"Boss! You'd better come with me real quick, there's been a killing! A family! Campers, just a few miles east of your place!"

"What!" he shouts.

"Some hikers came across them and called us. We got a team going there now! Follow me!"

Jim gets into his SUV and follows the deputy to the scene. It was easy to find it with all the police car lights flashing in the morning light. Walking around the campsite he sees that the bodies looked just like the hunter a month earlier. Just then the coroner's car pulls up and he walks over to the sheriff. He glances around, and John doesn't have to guess what he was thinking.

Leaving the coroner to do his job, Jim walks around the carnage and calls out in a loud voice, "Okay, people, it's bad, I know. But we've got a job to do. I want photos, castings, everything. Look for tufts of fur, anything out of the ordinary. Even if you think it's nothing, get it! Right now I need you to focus on your job. There's a wild animal out there and I intend to find it and kill it before it kills any more people. Understood?" There was a chorus of 'Yes, Sheriff' from the men, and they returned to examining the scene.

******

Later, back in his office, he calls the State Game Commissioner and tells him what has been happening in the area.

"I tell you there is a wild animal out there. So far it has killed twice in the last three months!"

"What is it? A bear? Mountain lion?" the commissioner replies.

"I don't know. And a few weeks ago a man's cabin was broken into and ransacked, he lost all the venison he was smoking."

"Sounds like a bear to me. I can send you a bunch of game wardens with shotguns and you can comb the woods. And if that doesn't work I'll throw in a helicopter to help scan the forest."

"They'll just get lost in the woods."

"I'll make sure they're trained woodsmen. Sorry, that's all I can do right now, unless you want the governor to send in the National Guard!"

No, I don't want that, although if this goes on it may come to that."

"Okay, call me if you have any more news," and the commissioner hangs up.

Jim just stares into space. Great, just what he needs, a bunch of people with guns wandering through the woods while the locals are getting scared from what is happening. What he really needed was Bobby and the help of his people, if he could only convince them. But what really bothered him was the suspicion that Bobby knew more than he was telling.

******

That night he left the signal on his front porch. He slept with all the lights on except for the bedroom, and the shotgun was next to his bed. Waking up the next morning after another fitful night, he hears a knock at the door and is surprised to see Bobby standing on the porch.

"What the hell! Dammit, Bobby! You're taking a big chance coming here!"

"And a good morning to you too," Bobby replies.

'Well, don't just stand there, come inside before someone spots you."

Bobby ducks his head and walks into John's cabin. "Hmm, not bad. Better than my place."

"Ok, what the hell is going on? Are you crazy for coming here like this or what?"

"Sorry," he replies, his demeanor immediately changing. "I heard about the campers. Things are getting bad. I convinced the Elders to meet with you. I'll bring you to them tomorrow."

Jim sits down in his chair and stares at this friend. In all the time he had known him, he was the only Sasquatch he'd ever seen face to face. This must be really bad for them to allow a human to meet with them.

"I called the State commissioner and told him what happened. He's sending a bunch of armed wardens to scour the woods."

"Great," Bobby replies.

"And that's not all. The night before last, the night of the killing, something was outside my cabin. I only saw a shadow and a pair of eyes in the night. I fired twice at it but with no effect."

Bobby stiffens at this news."I hope you keep your doors and windows locked and your gun next to you at all times. I'll see you at the usual spot tomorrow morning and then I'll take you to see the Elder." He then goes to the door, looks around outside and dashes for the forest. In a moment he is gone.

The coroner had no new findings about the latest attack. News of the killings spread like wildfire through the town. All over he could sense the fear people were feeling. His department gets over a dozen calls from people thinking they saw things in the woods. Even deputies were jittery about it. The State Commissioner called, telling him the wardens should be arriving in two weeks.

******

Jim got up the next morning and drove to the clearing where he usually meets Bobby. After half an hour his friend shows up.

"Morning," Bobby says.

"You took your time."

"Get in your truck, I'll direct you to the spot."

"Can you fit in?" Jim says, looking at his friend's large frame.

"Sure. Let's get going. The Elder doesn't like to be kept waiting." He then opens the door and scrunches in the front seat. "Head back to the road and turn left."

Jim gets into the truck and squeezes in next to Bobby and drives in the direction his friend told him to.

"First time in a car?

"No."

Jim just looks at the Sasquatch, but doesn't say anything more. After what seems like an hour of aimless driving, Bobby tells him to turn down a path and to stop the SUV.

"This is as far as we go by truck. The rest is on foot. Leave your gun and knife here. The Elder understands these things and won't see you if you have them on you. Also leave your phone. Don't worry, there isn't anyone around for miles."

Bobby heads into the woods at a brisk pace and Jim tries to keep up. Several times Bobby has to stop to let him catch up. After what seems like a couple of miles of walking they come to a clearing.

"This is the spot, you can sit and rest here."

"Best advice I've heard all morning. Do your people know we're here?"

"They have been watching us since we left the truck," Bobby deadpans. "Now we sit and wait for the Elder to arrive."

"When will that be?"

"When he does," Bobby replies, sitting next to him on the ground. About an hour later Bobby points in a direction to the trees. "There."

Jim sees what looks like an old Sasquatch slowly walking towards him, aided by two others. He assumes he was old since his hair is almost all gray. The two others with him help him to sit on the ground. Just then over a dozen more appear around him from the trees. Jim is startled by this until Bobby puts a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," Bobby assures him. He then makes a gesture towards the old Sasquatch that Jim tries to imitate. The Elder repeats the gesture and starts to speak in an unintelligible tongue to the sheriff.

"The Elder says he is pleased to meet the man I have spoken of. He says you are troubled, that these are bad times for both Man and the People," Bobby says, looking at Jim.

The Elder then speaks again, talking at much length, his hands wildly moving in the air. Bobby listens carefully before telling John what was said.

"Long ago, the People were attacked by a great evil. Many died. They tried to fight back with sticks and rocks, but they failed. Many died."

The Elder then continues speaking to them.

"The Elders decided to talk with their friends, the Other People, and tell them what was happening. They found a great 'looker into other worlds', I think you would call him a medicine man, to find an answer. This 'looker' made a potion of herbs and leaves and drank it."

The Elder starts to speak again.

"The 'looker' fell over like he was dead. But he was not dead. For a day and night he lay there, speaking words that no People or Other People understood."

The Elder speaks again urgently and slaps the ground as if to emphasize what he was saying. Bobby waits until he is done.

The 'looker' then woke up. He said we must go to the land of the seven hills and find a rock. A rock with pieces of the moon at night in it. We must take this rock and make it sharp, sharp enough to pierce the evil creature's chest. That was the only thing that would kill it. Then the looker fell over, truly dead this time."

The Elder speaks again, wildly gesturing with his hands.

"Some of the People went to the land of seven hills, a long trip, even for us. There they found a rock that looked like it had pieces of the moon at night in it. They made it sharp, like a stick and tied it to the trunk of a young tree."

"When they returned, they found many more of the People had died because of the creature. That night they waited fearfully for it to return, hoping that what the 'looker' said was true. It appeared and they fought it. Many died, but the one with the 'moon rock' finally managed to stab it in the chest."

The Elder continues on excitedly, his arms waving in the air.

"The evil creature screamed. The one with the rock stabbed again and again until the creature moved no more, even when kicked by the People. They left the creature there. No People would touch it. Nothing grew where it fell. They felt it had poisoned the land and they left the land, never to return."

The Elder then gestures to one of his helpers who gives him a piece of fur, wrapped in vines, that he slowly opens. Jim looks over and could see it has a small piece of rock, about the size of his thumb, wrapped in fur. The Elder speaks slowly, reverently it seems like.

"This is a piece of that rock, kept by us for countless lifetimes," Bobby says, looking at the rock in amazement, from what Jim could tell.

The Elder hands the fur bundle to Jim and speaks again while Bobby carefully listens.

"We do not know where the land of seven hills is. But maybe Man can find it with this piece. Maybe you can find the rock with pieces of the moon in it and kill this evil."

The Elder then motions to his aides and they help him to his feet. He then gestures to Bobby, who returns it. In a few moments the Elder is gone into the trees and the others surrounding them also disappear into the forest.

Jim quickly rises to his feet and looks at his friend, "I guess you were just as surprised as I was," putting the wrapped rock in his shirt pocket.

"Yes, I thought the rock was a legend. To actually see it was, well, quite something for me."

"Now, what?"

"I'll guide you back to your truck and then leave you. You must find out why this rock is special. But be careful with it, it is special to us."

"I will. Let's get going."

******

After leaving Bobby, the sheriff went to the Assay office to have the rock examined. After advising the examiner to be careful with it, the man carefully removes a tiny, shiny fleck and looks at it under a microscope. He then puts a drop of solution on it and watches the reaction.

"That's silver, sheriff. Those tiny flecks are silver." Holding the rock between two fingers he looks at it carefully with his loupe. "This is probably the richest sample of silver ore I've ever seen. Where did you get it from?"

"Can't say; a friend gave it to me."

"Well, you can tell your friend that if there are more rocks like this around, he is probably sitting on top of the largest lode of silver ore this country has ever seen. He could be a millionaire."

"I'll let him know," he says, taking the rock and putting it in his shirt pocket.

******

Later that night Jim sits in his cabin and looks up 'silver' on his laptop. There were hundreds of entries. He sees that the chemical symbol for it is Sn, derived from the old name for silver, selenium, an ancient name for the moon. Interesting, he thinks. Continuing on, he Googles silver and folklore. There are even more entries coming up. A lot of folklore is associated with it. Was used in the past to ward off evil spirits, cure ills and so on. Supposedly it was the only thing that could kill a werewolf. He then looks up werewolves and reads all the myths about them. How a man bitten by a werewolf would turn into one when the moon is full. He remembers the old horror movies he watched as a child and chuckles. This wasn't Hollywood and he wasn't dealing with Lon Chaney. Still he wondered.

Looking up the dates of the latest incidents, he sees they all occurred on or near the time of the full moon. He had no idea when Bobby's people were attacked, but he had a sneaking suspicion that they also happened during a full moon. Also, was that why his shotgun had no effect? He assumed he missed, but what if he hadn't?

This completely changes the playing field. If what the tales said was true, then ordinary bullets and stuff would have no effect on this monster. Silver bullets? Huh, just like the Lone Ranger. And him without Tonto. Great.

He continues to study folklore, looking for clues to help him until it is late. Deciding to pack it in for the night, he double checks all the cabin's windows and doors and puts the shotgun next to his bed. Even if it was useless, it gave him a sense of security.

******

The next day at work turns up no new leads into the killing and the calls kept coming in from scared people. Jim goes to a local gun shop and asks the man there to make him some special bullets, pure silver ones.

"Got something in mind, sheriff?" the owner asks.

"Never you mind, just make them."

Jim orders enough for him and his deputies. He isn't going to take any chances. The owner says it will take a week, and he leaves.

******

After leaving the gun shop, he goes around to the local real estate agents, asking them if they have had any home sales in the last six months. In all, he gets about a dozen or more names and dates. Some sales occur after the attacks start; he eliminates those. That just leaves about a dozen. Most are in town, too far away from where the attacks happened. Only four were out in the woods. Two within a few miles of the attacks. He takes the list and drives back to the department.

Going back into his office, he sees two of his deputies returning from a call. "Another raccoon?" he asks.

"Yeah, boss. That's gotta be the tenth call this week. This constant calling from people is wearing us down."

"Well, we gotta answer each one. No telling if one will turn up something that will help us." He then goes into the office and closes the door. He's right , Jim thinks. This is getting us all down.He looks up at the calendar on the wall. The next full moon is three weeks away. Great, three weeks to solve this mystery before there's another killing. I gotta talk to Bobby, try to get some information from him.

******

A week later the new bullets come and he distributes them to his deputies.

"Silver bullets, boss? Are we now working for the Lone Ranger?"

"Yes, silver bullets, smart-ass. If anybody asks, just tell them it's a new type of ammo the department has issued. If anyone starts blabbing about silver bullets, he'll find his ass out on the street so fast it will make his head spin!"

He then hears a chorus of 'Yes, Sheriff' from them. "Okay, now I gotta go somewhere. I'll be back in a couple of hours."

******

He had left a candle on his porch the night before and he was off to meet with Bobby. He drives to the usual spot and waits in the SUV for his friend. About an hour later Bobby appears as usual from out of nowhere. How does he do that, he wonders.

"Hello, Jim. Anything news on the killings?"

"Unfortunately no. I took the rock to the Assay office to have it examined." He then raises his hand to fend off his friend's next comment. "I told the examiner it was precious and he only removed a very small, minute piece. Your precious rock is still intact." Jim could see his friend relax at that news.

"The examiner said the rock is full of silver. It was the richest piece of silver ore he had ever seen. I looked up silver and it was called selenium in ancient times, which was an old name for the moon. That struck me as odd, since the Elder said to get a rock with pieces of the moon in it."

"I then looked up ancient folklore about silver and I found a ton of stuff. It was primarily used to ward off evil, and supposedly it was the only thing that could kill a werewolf!"

"A werewolf? What is that?"

"A half-man, half-wolf monster that kills when the moon is full. Otherwise it is a normal person. I'd show it to you on my laptop but you don't have wi-fi out here."

"We're working on it," Bobby replies.

"According to legend, if a man is bitten by a werewolf, then he will turn into one when the moon is full. I don't know if this is possible, but could the same thing happen to a Sasquatch?"

Bobby is silent for a long time. "I don't know. I will have to talk to the Elder. We both have legends, your people and mine. Some are similar, probably because the same thing happened to both of us long ago. Maybe the evil that was in that creature remained in the ground where we killed it. Maybe something or someone was affected by that evil and is now spreading it. Could this be your people?"

"I checked all the new home sales in the area for the last six months. Two came up with cabin sales about two miles from the killing. I'm investigating them."

Bobby just nods at this news and doesn't say anything more.

After several more minutes of silence, Jim decides that was all they had to say. He gets to his feet and Bobby follows him to the car.

"Let me know if you find anything, and I'll talk to the Elder."

"I'll leave a candle burning in the window," Jim replied sarcastically.

******

The investigation into the two cabins near the killings was a bust. One cabin's owners were away that week. The other one had an elderly couple. An old, weak werewolf? Jim didn't think so.

Jim returns to his office with no leads and no idea what he's going to do, except watch the days tick by until the next full moon. On a hunch, he uses the department's computer and starts looking up old cases of mysterious deaths and or disappearances in the woods for the last 20 years. He gets a map display and it shows dots all over the place. Jesus, Jim thinks. Bobby was right, the woods are dangerous. He looks up bear attack fatalities and several of the dots disappear. He then looks up unsolved missing hikers, hunters. Many appear but he sees what looks like a concentration of cases of missing people in a certain area.. He then looks up unsolved bear fatalities. Again, a concentration of them. Nervously, he enters in unsolved animal fatalities/unsolved missing hikers/ hunters into the computer.

After several tense moments the screen shows an array of dots and what he sees chills him to the bone, an unmistakable trend of cases leading from the deep woods directly to this town over the past twenty years. He tries to go even further in the past, but the trail stops at about thirty years. No records kept. But what he sees only confirms his worst fears. Something from the deep woods has been killing and slaughtering people for the past thirty or more years, and now it's here.

******

The next day the State Game Wardens arrive, a dozen in all. Jim briefs them in front of a map.

"As you can see from these markers, the attacks and break-ins occurred at these points, roughly a month apart."

"A month apart?" one warden said incredulously.

"Yes, although I must point out these are the known attacks. There may have been others we haven't discovered yet. Starting tomorrow I'm going to divide you up into three teams. One will go here," he points at the map, "another will go here in this area, and a third will go over here. One deputy will be with each team to act as guide while the groups are out in the woods." Several wardens roll their eyes at this.

"Look. I know you are all trained woodsmen, but you're not familiar with the area. We'll meet here tomorrow at seven a.m."

"What do you think it is?" one warden asks.

"I think it's a bear, or possibly a mountain lion. Wild and dangerous. If you see it, do not hesitate to shoot. It has killed several times. I don't want any more deaths."

******

The next morning dawns, cold and rainy. Great weather to be outside, Jim thinks, as he directs the groups to their areas. After the wardens leave, he gets into his SUV and drives off to meet Bobby. Getting to the meeting place, he waits inside the car until his friend shows up. He doesn't have to wait long.

"Morning, great day isn't it!" Bobby says.

Jim didn't know if his friend was being sarcastic or what. "The wardens are here. They'll be searching in the areas where the attacks occurred and north to the mountains. You and your people had better keep a low profile. They think they are going after some wild animal and they will shoot on sight."

"I'll warn my people. Anything else?"

"Just this. The attacks occurred on or near the full moon. That's two days from now. If the creature follows its pattern it may attack then. Also I looked up bear attacks and missing hikers or hunters for the last thirty years. There is a pattern of attacks from the deep woods far from here going back thirty years or more that leads to this town. Something from the deep woods has been killing and slaughtering people in an area and then moving on.

Bobby sits quietly for several moments before speaking. "You think the attacker is this werewolf?"

"I don't know. Have you talked with your Elder?"

"Yes, He talks of many things, of strange creatures from our distant past. Beings that are not the People. I don't think it is much help to you."

Jim considers his next words carefully, knowing it could end his friendship with Bobby. "I think your people know things that you aren't telling me. Things I need to know now."

Bobby looks at the human and after what seems like an eternity, finally speaks. "We know things, Jim. But it is not the same knowing. We know the ways of the forest, the language of the woods. We see things differently than Man does. I hear the Elders talk quietly among themselves. They talk of an ancient evil that has returned."

"Do your people think the creature that was killed long ago by one of your people with the moon rock has somehow returned?"

"Yes, that is what we fear."

"Oh, my God," Jim mutters under his breath.

"Please understand. We are afraid. Afraid of this great evil. But we have no 'looker into other lands' to help us. We don't know where the land of seven hills is to find another rock with pieces of the moon in it.

We are afraid and we need the help of Man, of you, Jim, to save us. And that worries us greatly. Please help us."

Sonofabitch, Jim thinks. Things just went from very bad to incredibly worse. Here was a proud, peaceful people, scared to death by an unknown creature, yet even more scared to ask for help from beings they normally shunned. An ancient evil had returned and all he had to go on was a couple of ancient myths and legends. Great.

"I will help your people. You have my word on it. In the meantime tell your people to stay out of sight of the wardens," as if they don't know how to do that, he thinks. Bobby goes into the forest and Jim gets back into his SUV and drives back to town, thinking about what he has just learned.

******

Back at the department, Fred is coordinating communications and the movements of the three groups. One of them found a stag that had been torn to shreds a while earlier. This seemed to confirm that they were looking for a bear. Possibly a grizzly, big and strong. After a few more hours with the sun getting low in the sky they decide to come back and start again the next day. Jim sees them as they drag themselves into the department, tired, cold and wet from a day of walking through the woods in the drizzle. After a quick debriefing they go back to their motel rooms, to get some rest for the next day of searching.

******

Jim leaves too, and after grabbing a quick bite at the diner, goes back to his cabin. Once there he checks all the doors and windows and starts searching the Internet for a clue to help him with his dilemma. Tomorrow was the night of the full moon, and he had the sinking feeling that there was going to be another death from this creature. That night he left the lights on except for the bedroom, and put the shotgun and pistol next to his bed.

******

The next morning is cold and drizzly again and the wardens grumble as they go to their assigned areas. After another long, cold day they return with no sightings of the animal. Jim debriefs them and they go off to their motels. Jim makes an early night of it too and heads home for another night of research. Driving back he sees the full moon rise in the sky.

******

It had been a long night for Shirley Robbins at the diner. It was well past midnight when the last customer leaves and she is exhausted. After cleaning up, she says good night to the cook and heads out to her car behind the diner. Bob gets into his truck and waves at her as he drives past. Getting in she turns the key and the engine grinds slowly.

"Oh, shit, don't die on me now," she says. She tries again and it is slower this time. "Damn, damn, damn!" she exclaims. After the third try the engine is dead. Okay, Shirley, now what are you going to do? Everything is closed. Bus line? It goes near her house. If you consider a mile walk near. She gets out and stands by the stop, hoping that it is still running. Her prayers are answered when the bus pulls up. The driver opens the door and she gets in.

"You're lucky; this is the last run tonight," the driver says.

"It'll be the first piece of good luck I've had all night."

Half an hour later she gets off at the stop near her house and starts walking to it. The street is mostly dark, with all the houses along the way equally dark. Walking along she hears a cat screech and cry out with an unearthly yowl. It startles her and she quickens her pace. About two blocks from her house she thinks she sees something moving in the bushes along the road. An animal or someone stalking her? Quickly she reaches into her purse and grabs the can of pepper spray that she always carries with her. She quickens her pace again. Just another block and she'll be safely home, she thinks.

Suddenly, something large runs at her, growling as it runs. She gets her pepper spray and hits it full face on. It howls in pain, tearing at its face and eyes. Shirley breaks into an open run. A few seconds later the beast is close behind her. She sprays it again and it howls loudly, screaming in pain in the middle of the street.

Shirley runs to her back door and fumbles for the keys to open it. The creature runs at her and she screams, firing one last shot of spray at the beast. Her scream is cut short as the beast's jaws close around her throat, crushing it between razor-sharp teeth.

******

Jim is sleeping soundly when he hears urgent knocking at the door. Actually someone was banging on it and shouting out his name. From his window he can see the flashing lights of the police cruiser in the driveway. Slowly getting up, he goes to the door and opens it. It is one of his deputies.

"Sheriff! You gotta come quickly. There's been a killing, a woman at Wilshire Road. Looks like it was by a wild animal. Like a bear or mountain lion!"

"Give me five minutes," Jim replies, now fully awake. Once dressed, he gets in his SUV and follows the deputy to the scene. There he sees the body is just like the hunter a few months earlier. "Who called this in?"

"Neighbors," the deputy says, pointing at a house with two people standing outside in bathrobes. "Her name is Shirley Robbins. This is her home."

"Okay, I want statements, pictures, everything. No one's getting any sleep tonight. Has the coroner been contacted?"

"On his way. She didn't give up without a fight. We found an empty pepper spray can still in her hand."

Jeezus, Jim thinks, just like the other ones. And this time in town, not in the woods. Whatever is doing this is getting bolder all the time. He stayed at the site until dawn and then went over to the office. The wardens had been briefed on what had happened and they all stood in the office, somber and quiet.

"You all know what happened last night; no need to go over the details. We are busy getting forensics that I will get to you as soon as I can. This is what we are up against. The animal has struck in town this time instead of in the woods. I want it stopped! The deputy will give you today's search areas. Good luck!"

The wardens file out of the office, leaving Jim wondering what to do next. Just like clockwork the attack had occurred during the night of the full moon, just as he feared. He needed to talk to Bobby, but he was afraid for his friend to come out with armed wardens all over the place.

******

The rest of the day goes long and quietly. No one says much, stunned by the night's events. The wardens return from a long day in the woods with no signs of the attacker's whereabouts. Frustrated by the lack of progress, Jim heads directly home, Physically and emotionally exhausted. He puts a candle on the porch before turning in early with the guns next to his bed.

After only a few hours of sleep he hears someone knocking at the door. Fearing another attack he jumps out of bed and rushes to the door, surprised by Bobby standing there.

"What the hell!" he exclaims. What are you doing here?"

"We heard what happened in town and saw your sign. I figured I should come as soon as possible and the night seemed like the best time, with everyone scared, you know."

"Well, come in before you get spotted. I got bad news."

Bobby enters, stooping down and sits on the floor. Jim sits in a chair in front of him. "I got a call from the commissioner, he's sending a helicopter to aid in the search. It'll arrive tomorrow. Also the governor is ready to send in the National Guard, even if I don't want them."

Bobby sits in silence, thinking about what his friend said, when Jim speaks up.

"Well, the one bright thing is I have something for you," Jim says, taking an object out of a package and handing it to Bobby, who unwraps it.

Bobby unsheathes the long knife and holds it in his hand, then looks at Jim. "You know we don't like things like this."

"It's pure silver, and it cost a pretty penny too, but I want you to have it for protection. This knife is like the rock with pieces of the moon in it. I have this belt for you to wear so you can carry it on your waist."

"The Elders won't like it, but I'll convince them," he says, rising and putting the belt around his waist. "Feels funny."

"Just promise me you will wear it all the time."

"Does this make me your sidekick?"

"Smartass," Jim replies, smiling.

"Anything else?"

"Any ideas about this creature? It seems to be getting bolder, coming this close to town. We got some tracks leading from the scene going into the woods, and then nothing. I need to know where it goes during the day. Does it have a den or something?"

"We have seen patches of ground that look like something has laid there, but it doesn't look like one of our nests up in the mountains, and now in the hills north of here. Bones of deer and elk are in the area, not killed by wolves."

"Do you think it came over the mountains and it senses prey in the town?"

"Yes, it probably senses the greater concentration of prey in the town compared to the sparsely populated woods. It sees this as a prime hunting ground," Bobby replies solemnly.

"Where do you think it is now?"

"Waiting somewhere it feels safe until the urge to strike comes again."

"At the next full moon. That gives us about four weeks to find it and kill it. I need to find where it stays, its habits. Find those nests; if they are in a general area I need to know and investigate it. This is top priority. I don't want anymore killings!" Jim exclaims.

Bobby just nods and says, "It's late; I'd better go. We both have things to do in the morning." He then rises and walks out the door and into the forest.

God, don't we all. And God help us all, he thinks.

******

The next day began as usual, with the wardens getting their briefings and heading out in the area of the latest killing. The helicopter arrived later that afternoon, landing in an unused ball bark. Wilkins talked to the pilot and briefed him on the situation. When the wardens returned empty-handed that evening, he told them the helicopter had arrived and would be joining the search the next day. He then left the office, thinking another day wasted and another day closer to the next full moon. After a quick supper at the diner, he drove back to his cabin. By the time he arrives it is dark outside. Just as soon as he gets inside, he hears a knock at the door. He didn't have to think twice about who it was. Opening it, his suspicions were confirmed.

"Evening, Jim," Bobby says.

"Jeezus, Bobby! This is getting to be a habit. You're taking a big risk coming here all the time!"

"We found a nest, possibly recent. I thought you should know." At this news the sasquatch had Jim's complete attention.

"Where is it?"

"Far from here, northeast. I thought it would be best if we left before dawn and went in your truck."

"Good idea. Are you gonna crash here?"

"If by that, you mean sleep here, yes, if I can. I have few needs."

"Well, you can sleep on the sofa if you want. I hope you don't shed. Need a blanket?"

"I'm fine. See you in the morning. Good night."

They both got up early and left before dawn. Bobby directed Jim while sitting next to him in the SUV. After about an hour he tells Jim to stop and get out. The sun is just rising above the mountains as he follows him in the dark, wondering how his friend can find his way. Finally they stop in an area and Bobby points at a spot in the leaves.

"Here," he says.

Jim shines his flashlight and it is apparent that something big had lain there. Shining the light around he sees some bones scattered around the area.

"Sure it's not a bear?" Jim asks.

"The smell is wrong."

"Okay, I'm calling it in." Taking out his cell phone he calls the station. "Hello, this is

Wilkins. I followed up a tip from some campers and I found something interesting up in the hills. I want the wardens coming to this location to investigate. You have my location."

After ending the call, Jim turns to Bobby. "Anything else you can give me?"

"No, not now."

"Well you had better get out of here, these woods are going to be crawling with wardens and probably a 'copter overhead. Let me know if you can find anything else."

******

A few hours later the wardens were all over the area. Two more nests were found, along with several deer bones, all recent kills. They stayed all day and then returned to the department. At the briefing they set up areas to search the next day. Jim went home, tired and exhausted from a day of walking around the woods. At least they were making progress and not just sitting around. After checking the doors and windows, he went to bed with his gun beside him. He half expected, half hoped, Bobby would show up with more news, but the night was quiet.

******

Continued searches in the area where they found the nests turned up more nests, but no clues as to the creature's whereabouts or where it was stalking. Jim was feeling more and more frustrated each day as they got closer to the next full moon. He tried to get some more information from Bobby, but he had none. Bobby suggested that perhaps the creature knew it was being hunted and it was hiding from the searchers, which just made things harder for Jim. Finally the night of the full moon came. Jim was on edge all day, shouting at his deputies and the wardens to try and find something that would stop the creature from killing another victim. Finally, frustrated by lack of results, he returns to his cabin later that night and waits for the call that he fears will come. He slams the door behind him and goes out on his deck, overlooking the valley. He nearly jumps out of his skin when he sees Bobby sitting in a chair on the deck.

"Good god! You scared the crap out of me! And what the Hell are you doing here now; how long have you been here?"

"You took your time getting here. We found something, Jim. Today. I think you need to see it right away. We need to leave now!"

They both get into the SUV and Bobby directs him. "The place is to the west of where you've been searching. Just as I thought, it had changed its nests, because it knew it was being hunted. We found a nest, a new one, probably slept in last night."

"Are you thinking it may be near this nest?" Jim asks.

"I think so."

"Isn't it dangerous to hunt this creature at night?"

"Yes, but if we don't, someone may die tonight."

Jim couldn't argue with that, and after an hour of driving, Bobby tells him to stop. "We walk from here on."

Jim follows his friend into the forest with his flashlight in hand, he sees that Bobby has the silver knife in his. Some distance from the road they come across another nest, this one situated in a crevice formed by boulders in a hillside. Bones surround the area, some with the meat still fresh on them. He pans the flashlight around the clearing, but sees nothing.

Suddenly Bobby jerks his head up and sniffs the air several times. A crow calls in the dark and he tilts his head, listening to it. Then everything is silent.

"What is it? Do you sense something? Tell me! I don't hear anything!"

"Yes. It is silent now," Bobby replies, "because they all sense the danger here."

Bobby walks slowly around the edge of the clearing, tilting his head to listen, sniffing the breeze. "We are not alone," he whispers.

"Is it here?" Jim takes out his pistol and cocks it.

"Something is, with the same scent as in the nest. It's hard to tell. The scent is everywhere, and whatever it is, it knows how to move quietly, like a hunter stalking its prey."

Jim keeps shining the flashlight around, but sees nothing in the darkness. Suddenly he hears a rustle in the bushes and turns the light in that direction, but finds nothing. He slowly walks backwards, to put his back against one of the large boulders jutting from the hillside. Bobby moves next to him.

"Whatever is out there, it is moving around, looking for the best place to attack from," Bobby whispers.

"We have the boulders to our backs and the clearing in front of us. If it attacks from that way then we will see it coming and I can fire at it before it reaches us. Hopefully."

Both of them stood there in the circle of light provided by the flashlight. Several tense minutes pass by with no more clues as to the creature's whereabouts. Suddenly Bobby jerks his head upwards and looks behind them. He barely has enough time to shout out an alarm before the creature leaps down on them from the boulders, snarling wildly.

Jim raises his gun and quickly fires, missing the creature. Bobby tries to block it, as razor-sharp claws slash down at both of them. The force of the creature's attack knocks both of them down and the flashlight falls from Jim's hand. In the dim light he can see the creature is now on top of Bobby, who is just barely keeping the creature's jaws away from his throat.

Jim fires again and grazes the creature's back. It rears up and howls in pain. In a flash it attacks Jim, slashing at him with its claws. The blows cut deep gashes in his chest and legs. Another blow knocks him backwards on the ground as the red hot pain makes him cry out in agony. The monster lunges and he fires point blank at it. The creature's jaws are just inches from his throat when it suddenly stops.

It howls again and arches its back as Bobby stabs it again and again in the back with his silver knife. Jim gets to his knees and fires at the creature until he runs out of bullets. Bobby stabs it in the chest several more times, stopping only when he sees it doesn't move anymore.

"Is it dead?" Jim asks wearily.

"Yes, I think so," Bobby says, stabbing it a few more times just to be sure.

"Great," Jim replies, and collapses.

Bobby looks over his friend lying unconscious on the ground. He can see he is severely injured, more so than him. Picking him up gently, he staggers through the forest, carrying Jim in his arms back to the cruiser. Once there he lays him down on the ground beside the truck. Looking in his pockets he finds Jim's cell phone. He now wishes he had asked him how to work the device. He pokes at it like he remembers seeing Jim do it. Finally the words 'Emergency' appear on it and he touches the word. Bobby hears the phone make some sounds and then a voice comes from it.

"Hello, this is 911, what is your emergency?"

"Uh … hello, hello, man injured, policeman, serious, send help."

"What is your location?"

Gods! Curse these infernal humans! "Uh, we're here, northwest of the town, in the woods, far away."

"I have your location now. Help is coming."

"Please hurry, I will leave the phone on with him."

"An ambulance is coming. It should be there within half an hour. Who is this?"

"A friend." Bobby then walks over to the cruiser and after some fiddling manages to turn on the lights so it could be seen from the road. He then goes back to check on his friend. He was still breathing, but slowly and shallowly. He lays down next to Jim and uses his body to help keep him warm. He stays like this until he sees the approaching police cars, He quickly gets up and goes into the forest, watching from the bushes until the humans arrive. As soon as he sees them caring for his friend, he disappears into the forest to tend to his own wounds.

******

Four months later, Jim is back in his cabin, finally released after a lengthy hospitalization and rehab period, when he answers a knock at the door.

"Jesus Christ, Bobby! I was wondering when you would show up, but not like this!"

"Same old Jim," he says smiling. "Can I come in?"

"Get your ass in here before someone spots you!" Jim chuckles.

Inside, Jim sits down in a chair, his cane beside him. He notices that Bobby now has a noticeable limp. "I see we both have injuries from that night. You know, they searched the area where they found me, but they never found anything. They did find the place where we fought it, but all they found was an oddly shaped burnt area on the ground, only it wasn't burnt and all the grass around it was dead. The official word is that it was a bear doing the killings."

"The evil has poisoned the ground, just like in the legend," Bobby replies, nodding his head solemnly. "I have come to tell you that the Elder wishes to see you tomorrow morning. Meet me at the usual place just after sunrise."

"You're leaving now? At this time?"

"Sure, I'll be fine. You know, you worry too much. You gotta learn to take it easy."

"Get outta here!" he replies, smiling at Bobby.

******

The next morning at dawn Jim is standing beside the cruiser when Bobby suddenly appears out of the forest, followed by several other sasquatches.

"Do we go to the Elder like before?" Jim asks.

"No, he knows you are injured and this time he will come to you." At this, he saw the Elder appear, aided by two others, who helped him to sit down. Bobby motions Jim to sit on the ground before the Elder, who starts speaking and gesturing.

"Word of your deeds have spread far and wide. We are grateful for your help," Bobby translates.

"Tell the Elder I am honored, and I have something for him." He then reaches into a satchel and brings out a wooden box and gives it to the Elder who opens it. Inside, he sees their sacred rock, the one with pieces of the moon in it, encased in velvet. The Elder's eyes open wide in surprise.

"To help him carry it, I give him this satchel," Jim says, presenting the satchel to the Elder.

The Elder takes the satchel and motions Jim to come closer. He shuffles forward and bows his head. The Elder takes Jim's head in his hands and tussles his hair. He then takes several deep breaths of Jim's hair and then lets loose a long howl that is echoed by all the other Sasquatches. The Elder then raises Jim's head and speaks again.

"The Elder says you are now one of the People. You will be called 'Jim Protector' by us, and you will always be safe when you go into the woods."

The Elder then motions his helpers, who help him to his feet. He gestures to Bobby and they go into the forest along with the rest of the Sasquaches.

"See you later, Jim." Bobby says, waving goodbye.

"Later, Bobby," Jim replies as he goes to his cruiser.

The End

THE END

Bio: I have submitted other stories forAphelionas well asSchlockmagazine. I have stories published inOf Poets, Spies and UnearthlinessandDickensian Steamfantasy-A Very Different 1800's by Rogue Planet Press. I am now fully retired and I can now write in my new home.

E-mail: Randy Stuart

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