Hunt

Chapter 77: Solo Expedition

It's a hot night. Too hot for this time of year. Uncomfortable and almost unbearable heat always seeming to appear at the worst of times, and tonight seemed to be no exception. Wiping the sweat from my eyes, I look down at the gun in my hand. An unfamiliar yet comfortable pistol that had been pressed into my hand by Paul after I had gotten my assignment for the night.

"This had belonged to Vince. I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you looked after it for him." Paul's words echo through my head as I stare at the well maintained firearm. "I think you've earned your own by this point... Take good care of it and it'll take good care of you."

I quickly eject the magazine, counting the ammunition inside. Fifteen shiny silver-tipped bullets catch what little moonlight makes it down below the treetops, glimmering in the darkness for but a brief moment. I reinsert the mag back into the gun, quickly chambering a round. Glancing upward to the dark sky I begin to gnaw at my cheek. It felt way too quiet out here tonight. But that always seems to be the case...

With a heavy sigh I slip the firearm back into the holster on my belt, looking back out towards the darkened tree line and the road ahead of me. I was supposed to be on patrol duty tonight, which meant I would be required to spend my whole night sitting and waiting for something interesting to happen. Paul and the others would be out there gathering information about the Silverlock pack for our assault in the near future. Pack movement, activity, strengths and numbers, etcetera... All the while I would be sitting on my ass and twiddling my thumbs. I desperately wanted to be out there with the others, but someone had to stay behind and keep an eye on the rest of the neighborhood. It was Paul's idea to put me in the background tonight, claiming there is 'more that goes bump in the night than just werewolves.' But I think we all knew that the only threat in the immediate area was the Silverlock pack, and they were already being kept under tight surveillance tonight.

Pulling the kickstand of my bike up I tighten the straps on my backpack before I begin pedaling. More of Paul's scolding rings in my ears, prompting me to mimic it with a mocking tone. "Patrolling is important work Julie. You can't let yourself get distracted out there tonight. This is the real deal. If someone is in danger you are the only one who can help."

Oh, I wasn't going to be getting distracted tonight. In fact I was feeling more laser focused than I had ever been. Just not on what he thinks. With a clear head and a pack full of supplies I pedal my bike down the road, stopping at the intersection at the edge of the neighborhood. Glancing both ways out at the empty street reveals no oncoming traffic as I quickly take off into the night.

What would've taken probably half an hour by car is easily twice as long by bike. The winding back road I was riding on was pitch black, making it very slow going when there were no streetlights to guide my way. This forced me to rely on my shitty flashlight to keep me on the road. Every now and then I begin to question whether this was even a good idea, venturing out into the unknown on easily the most dangerous of nights all by myself. But my trepidation burns away when I find the next streetlight. The arrival of artificial light giving me the boost in confidence I needed to continue pedaling onward.

Something nobody ever tells you is how loud the night actually is. It's often shown that once the sun goes down that the world falls to silence. But that just isn't the case, at least not tonight. Nocturnal birds continuously have conversations above my head as I silently pedal below them. The drone of insects yet to settle in for the night call from the tall grass along the side of the road. Coyotes yipping and calling out in the distance eluding to the many predators that become much more active at night. It wasn't just the multitude of terrifying monsters I had to be worried about out here, but all the other wildlife looking for an easy snack as well.