GRYDER'S COVE TALES: HOWLERS

no place like home...

"James, Barnett."

Gail sat on her motel room bed and pointed to the name in the unusually thin Derby Cross phone book, which included the select few in Cranton Ridge who opted in for phone service. It was hard for a city kid like Gail to get her head around the concept of a place where mass communication had yet to catch on. The locals up in those hills just didn't seem interested in anything more advanced than cars, dial telephones, and maybe the best technological advances in farm equipment the 70s had offered up. Luckily, Barnett James was one of the few that could be contacted without having to search the expanse of Cranton Ridge.

"Who is this James guy anyway?" inquired Olivia, scrolling through the pictures she'd taken at Gryder's Cove on her camera's two-inch screen.

"Sheriff Whaley says he's kinda like Cranton Ridge's historian, which he also says loosely translates to 'the only one who isn't too lazy to look shit up'. He actually went to college in Atlanta for a little while, too. The reason he wants us to see him, though, is that he also knows a lot about the supernatural and the superstitions of the locals."

"Hm. I hope he knows something. This is starting to get really fucking weird."

Olivia turned off the camera and settled beside Gail on her bed, laying her head on her shoulder. The two just sat there for what seemed like forever, thinking about the last few days' events. It was a great deal to process for people who had lived lives without any kind of experience with the supernatural world. Gail had always had curiosities, but remained largely skeptical in spite of her fascination; she wanted to believe, but had never been shown a solid reason to do so. She glanced over at her backpack, which now contained the artifacts she and Olivia had retrieved from the floor of Elsie Gryder's house. Could two pieces of decorated wood really be a direct link to the spirit world? Could they be as dangerous as people had always said they were, even though divining boards could be purchased in the board game section of any MilleniaMart? Olivia was the first to break the silent contemplation.

"God, I'm exhausted."

She fell back onto the bed, arms out.

"Call this guy already so we can get some sleep. Are we still going back home in the morning?"

"Yeah, definitely. This is taking way longer than I thought it would. I'd like to get some more clothes, more equipment, maybe my GameVision. Some handheld gaming action would definitely make me feel better about all of this." said Gail as she picked up the phone book and her cell phone. She punched in the number, pressed the green SEND button, and listened to the other end ring...and ring...and ring. She counted seventeen before taking the phone away from her ear and nearing the END button with her thumb just as a male voice said, "Hello? Who's 'is? Anyone there?" She pulled the phone back up quickly.

"Hello? Barnett James?"

"Yes, ma'am, this is him alright."

His voice was like warm molasses, and so deep it made the tiny speaker in her phone rattle a little bit. She thought for a moment it might have gotten a little bit warmer in the room.

"Sheriff Whaley suggested I call, I hope that's alright. I'm Gail Stevens, I work with the Wildlife Center of Northern Georgia. Right now I'm working on an animal attack case here in Derby Cross and in Cranton Ridge.....well, Gryder's Cove, actually, and the sheriff thinks you may be able to provide some insights on some....um....things we've discovered."

"Animal attack in Gryder's Cove, huh?" Barnett asked knowingly, "Sure, ma'am, I think I could spare ya a li'l time, pro'ly in the afternoon sometime or 'nother."

"Well, my associate and I have to go back to the home office and regroup, as it were. Can we contact you when we return and set something up? We live pretty far from Crow's Rest, so we'll be gone for a couple of days."