Bride of the Wolf

Chapter V: Return of the Wolf

Chapter V: Return of the Wolf

"So Larry," said Steve. "Who exactly is it you're going to kill?"

Larry turned on Steve. "You can't possibly believe anything that old woman said! You were the one who didn't believe in fortune tellers just a few minutes ago."

"Yeah, I don't," admitted Steve. "But she was pretty convincing. If you're actually going to kill somebody I'd appreciate you giving me the heads up."

"The only person I'm going to kill is you, in about five minutes!" said Larry, shaking his cane in Steve's direction. He decided to lower his voice, when he noticed several people watching their argument.

"Right, see, that's my problem," said Steve. "If you're going to kill somebody, I'm the only 'him' that you even know around here. So are you planning to kill a total stranger, or do I really need to be worried?"

"It was an act!" Gwen intervened. "It was all just an act, some spooky fun. Scare the customers, give them a show. Steve, you can't take any of it seriously."

"It was a pretty good act," Steve replied. "She said we should go home, and I'm thinking that's a really good idea right now."

"We haven't even gone on one ride," Larry complained. "Gwen, you wanted to go on the Ferris Wheel, didn't you?"

"Right," Steve scoffed. "Like I want to get into a death trap with a murderer."

Larry gave Steve a look, but decided not to get into it. Turning to Gwen he said, "Gwen? One ride?"

Gwen looked at Steve sympathetically, but turned to Larry and said, "Sure. I'll go with you."

"Okay," said Steve. "But I'm not waiting around this spooky carnival alone. Gimme the keys, I'm going to go sit in the car."

Larry fished the keys out of his pocket and handed them over to Steve. Steve looked around, disoriented, and asked, "Where is the car?"

"Over that way," Larry told him, pointing to the end of the carnival. "Remember? There's a path through the woods that will take you to the highway."

"Oh yeah," Steve remembered. But then he remembered something else.

"Hey, wait a minute. Weren't we supposed to stay out of the woods?"

"The path is not in the woods!" yelled Larry, losing his patience. "The woods is the trees. The path is no trees! The path is the total absence of woods, by definition!"

"Okay, sheesh, you don't need to yell at me," said Steve. "You won't be long, will you?"

"We'll only be five minutes," Gwen told him kindly. "Just one ride, I promise. Then we'll catch up with you."

Satisfied, Steve turned and left the carnival.

Larry and Gwen approached the Ferris Wheel. Larry handed over two tickets, and pressed a five dollar bill into the operator's hand.

"Maybe you can stop us at the very top for a few minutes," he suggested quietly to the man. The man nodded, and gave Larry a knowing wink.

"Sure," he replied in thickly accented English. "Handsome man and beautiful lady get good ride!" he laughed.

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Steve found the path just fifty feet outside the carnival, but barely lit by the carnival lights. The lights of the highway could be made out from the far end of the path, but not bright enough to light his way. Fortunately there was a full moon, or the path would have been almost completely dark.