Mythical Link ▸ Link Neal {Book One}

Forty

     Rhett and Link stood in the grim silence and contemplated how they were going to break the news to their families. Link broke a sweat and his tongue swelled with anxiety knowing that his daughter had seen the beast. Rhett's shoulders were hunched, his palms sweaty. He glanced at Link sidelong, trying to read his features. Link's lips were slightly parted and his breaths were shallow. There was no explaining to Lily what she saw without her running to the other kids. The secret was out now. 

     "Where are you going?" Christy shrieked as she witnessed Link take Rhett by the sleeve and drag him toward the kitchen. Neither of the guys glanced back at them as they disappeared into the other room, and Christy turned an exasperated look on Jessie.

     "Could somebody please tell me what the heck is going on," Jessie demanded as she mirrored Christy's look. Jessie pulled Shepard toward her and rubbed his back in a circular motion. 

     It was the two of them alone in the kitchen, and Rhett paced with his hand on his chin. "It was the wolf, wasn't it?"

     "Yeah, and it growled right at me and my daughter! What the hell are we going to do, Rhett? It's right outside—" Link froze, his eyes wide. Rhett's eyes widened as the entire house was cascaded in darkness. Link and Rhett looked around and up at the ceiling. "That can't be a good sign."

     "What happened to the lights?" They heard Locke ask.

     "I think the wolf did it," Lily answered. 

     The guys slowly turned their heads to look at each other, their stomachs instantly souring. "How could a wild animal cut off the power supply?" Rhett wondered aloud. 

     Link shook his head and lowered his eyes to his trembling hands. His heart pounded with fury.  "No, it's not a wild animal. There's a human behind those wolf eyes, Rhett. When it looked me and Lily in the eyes, I could see something savage. It looked at me like it wanted to send me through a life-size human meat grinder. This thing has the intelligence of a human being... I think the sheriff was right," Link's voice wavered in octaves as if he was on the verge of tears. 

     Rhett detected defeat in his voice and he pushed himself away from the chair he had been leaning against to face Link. He pointed a finger at him. "Listen, we can take this thing man. We have just as much intelligence of a human being as that thing does, alright?" 

     Link whipped his hand up to stall Rhett and his eyebrows slowly drew together in intense concentration. His eyes swirled with curiosity as if he was intent on hearing the pin drop. 

     "What?" Rhett took a step toward him.

     "Don't you hear that?" 

     Rhett focused to try to hear. What he heard sounded like a pumice stone being dragged across concrete. "You don't have mice, do you?" 

     Link gave Rhett a look. "What other animal besides a mouse has claws, just a million times bigger and uglier?" 

     The lump that had already formed in Rhett's throat grew increasingly larger as a shudder raked down his spine. He visibly convulsed and Link looked at him with concern. 

     They were interrupted by Christy storming into the kitchen, her face contorted with fear and confusion. "Do either of you two care to tell anyone why you're acting so strange? Or why Lily is telling everyone there's a giant wolf outside?" 

     Link's lips parted as he exhaled, and he looked down at the floor. 

     "I don't know what's going on with you, Link... but I get the feeling that you're keeping something from me." Her once confused expression melted to pain. Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion as she looked at her husband. Link couldn't meet his wife's eyes for he feared she would see the tears burning in them.