Better off Undead

Chapter 41: Taste of Silver

Outside, the world seemed to be shrouded in almost complete darkness. As each member of the group stepped through the open doorway and out onto the front lawn, they blinked repeatedly, trying to catch a glimpse of something, anything, through the grim dark. In their hands, little gleams of silver wavered like mist in the moonlight, as nervous hands clenched them tight and held them close in preparation for an attack.

From somewhere nearby, no one was sure where exactly, there came the sound of growling and... something else. It was a gnawing, tearing sound like a creature devouring flesh, but no one could find its source.

They followed Aliyah's directions and hugged the wall of the house, following it along the side toward the driveway. Daina let out a sudden gasp, and then immediately covered her mouth again as she remembered their situation. Her eyes had adjusted to the dim light a little faster than everyone else's, but a moment later everyone could see what had caused her sudden outburst.

Across the yard was strewn a number of bodies in various states of dismemberment. One man lay across the top of one of the nearby cars, his stomach ripped open and internal organs splayed out around him as his upper body hung perilously off the side of the vehicle.

At the base of the vehicle lay another man with a terrible gash that ran from one shoulder and diagonally down to his stomach. His face was almost completely gone, as though it had been devoured by some unknown creature.

The carnage continued out in either direction showing similarly disturbing images with each new body they saw. Everyone was thinking the same horrible truth, the one they'd already discussed but no one had really wanted to believe was true: that Eli was right, and there really were werewolves, and that they were here.

Mac, who had come into the lead, suddenly came to a stop, and several of the others were so distracted by the nightmare landscape that they ran into him and nearly knocked him over. After some shuffling, muttering, and grumbling, they all turned to see what had caused the delay.

Up ahead of them, the driveway had come into view, and in the driveway sat the car that stood as their destination. Atop the car, highlighted dramatically by the full moon as though it were a spotlight on a stage, was a nightmare come to life: a fully formed, hairy, drooling aberration.

A werewolf.

It stood up straight, pulled back its head, and let out a howl.

"Hole. Ly. Diver," said Jay, his disbelief winning in the internal battle raging inside of him between the hope that voicing his surprise would dismiss the impossible and the fear that told him to keep silent to remain undetected.

The werewolf snapped to attention in the direction of Jay's voice. A low growl rumbled from inside of it as it knelt down. Its nose visibly quivered as it sniffed inquisitively at them.

With all eyes drawn to the horrific sight before them, it was only Eli who noticed the movement to the side.

"Look out!" he shouted to Aliyah, as he realized what was happening. She turned just in time to see a second werewolf leap out from behind another nearby car. She would never be able to move in time.

Acting out of pure instinct, Eli bumped into her, attempting to knock her out of the creature's path. His plan worked somewhat, clearing them both from the direct assault, but the werewolf's arms still clipped them and sent them spiraling and crashing to the ground on either side of it.

Standing up onto its hind legs, the werewolf slashed out at the others around it, but Eli's warning had given everyone just enough time to step out of reach. It turned its dark, beady eyes on Daina, and she froze in terror. With a roar the werewolf leaped into the air and tackled her to the ground. Her silverware went clattering to the ground away from her as she fell.