Scott and Emily (from The Goats Knew) get together about a year after their battle with the Djieien. They become entangled in another paranormal mystery in the town of Palmyra. This time, young people are being brutally murdered, their bodies torn a...
"Chicken!" Dan taunted. "I always knew you were chicken shit. I guess I'll have to do this alone. Go home to your mommy. I can handle this."
Billy was actually shaking as he stood next to the opening in the concrete slab. He tried desperately to get it under control, but his body had its own ideas about the situation.
"I didn't say I wouldn't go, Dan." He tried to keep the quiver out of his voice. "I just asked if you were sure about this. I mean, Wheels was kind of a jerk."
"What difference does that make?" Dan wanted to know. "You think because he pushed you around a few times he should get torn apart by some freakin' monster?"
"No, but..."
"No 'buts'!" Dan pounced on Billy's faltering statement. "What about the next kid it goes after? It could be you, you know."
Apparently the discussion was over and Dan started looking around the platform for a way to secure the ladder. He smiled as he spotted a piece of rebar poking up out of the concrete. It was perfect. It even bent back, away from the opening, a bit. That would help the ladder stay put.
He dropped the top rung of the ladder over the post, leaned back and gave the ladder a mighty tug. It held.
"Perfect." He exclaimed softly. Billy watched in horror as his friend walked back to the hole and dropped the mass of chain over the side. There was a hollow, metallic ring as one of the rungs struck something, but as Dan looked over the side, he could see that the last two or three rungs were laying flat on the floor of the opening.
Billy pulled his backpack off, unzipped it and turned its contents out on the concrete. He picked up one of the flashlights and handed it to Dan. It had felt so good when they found the hatchet in his garage, but now, seeing it on the ground next to the roll of bailing twine and remaining flashlight, it looked small. Weak. Ineffective. But that was the weapon he had, so he picked up his supplies and put them back in the pack. He slung it over his shoulder, took a deep breath and gave Dan a shaky thumbs up.
Dan had his machete hanging from his belt. He felt like one dangerous badass! This hairy freak, whatever he is, is gonna get his tonight.
He squatted at the edge of the hole and stretched a leg down to the top rung. Swinging his other leg in, he began his descent.
Billy felt as though he had stopped breathing an hour ago, but he wasn't going to let Dan see his fear. His dad had always said, Bravery isn't the lack of fear. It's doing what's right even when you're afraid.
Billy followed his friend's example and mounted the ladder. He looked up at the sky and thought, God. Just a couple hours to sundown. As he moved down into the darkness below, he added, I hope what we're doing is the right thing.
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Scott looked at Josh, turned to Emily, looked back at Josh and asked, "A werewolf?"
Emily kicked him under the table. Josh looked defeated.
