The Vagrant Shadow

Chapter 9

The shrill of an ambulance was enough to put anyone's mood on edge. Thankfully, I wasn't the one that the EMTs were treating. I stood and watched the commotion with glinted eyes. A man half the size of me was being continuously shocked through resuscitation. Electrical currents flowed through his body causing it to jerk violently, as the EMT desperately did their best to revive him. Another jolt went through his body causing to twitch. More sirens wailed through the night as a team of police and fire fighters barricaded the entrance to the forest. I watched as a team of forensic scientists hauled the remains of the white wolf and place them into a sterile van. I winced silently as I shifted my weight and slunk back into the abyss. I turned my head to watch the EMT close the ambulance doors and drive off-sirens once again shattering the tranquil night. I sighed to myself and looked at the large gray wolf. His ears folded back against his head, his gaze lowered to the ground. Prolonged sorrow as tears diluted his crisp golden eyes into a pale yellow. I could feel his pain-it was the same way I felt when I lost my brother. He nudged a wet, rubbery nose into my arm, until he nestled it under my armpit. I stroked his smooth, coarse hair as he whined gently. I looked at the timbers and they lowered their heads, clenching their tails under their stomachs; their actions almost to pitiful to bear. I pushed the wolf's nose out of my armpit and looked at him square in the eyes. A long, slender tongue swept across my face as the wolf sought comfort and empathy from me. I walked past him, and he padded behind slowly, giving off a small bark. I stopped and turned my head as I watched him lower his body to the ground. I walked to his side, and gently mounted his pelt, using his foreleg as boost. I glanced at the two timbers tat trailed behind somberly-suddenly stopping to let out a long and ominous howl. I gently clenched the wolf's scruff as he stood up. The two timbers trailed behind slowly, as if to be in a train of thought. My hand clenched tightly on to the coarse fur as I gritted my teeth-I wanted revenge, and I wanted it now.

I slept soundly on the back of the large canine; the breeze rustling through my hair and the swaying of its body made it seem like I was on a boat as waves rolled gently under the hull. Images of a pearly white goddess that took on the form of a white wolf challenge every aspect of reality. The pristine wolf ran through the forest with grace, and beauty. Her white coat reflected off rich leather mahogany. The tree lines were smooth and glossy as her thick pelt brushed effortlessly past them. The wolf skidded to a halt and stopped near a bank of a river where crystal water flowed freely. An owl perched on a nearby olive tree as the wolf turned around sensing my presence. Her eyes were clear and vivid-filled with emotion that indicated that she was wise and honorable. Her ears perked as she snapped her head in the other direction sensing something that was unforeseen: a silent howl of another wolf. She gave a small snort of disproval as she glanced at me before bounding into the forest. I tried to follow her, but the trees began to close in on me, pushing me out of the sacred forest. The owl stared at me, and ruffled its feathers in preening before it flew off.

I was shaken from my dream as I felt myself land on the ground. I groggily looked around in mild shock as I watched the flanks of the wolf disappear into the thick underbrush. I was back where I stared-Aunt Flora's house.

*****

The wedding layout was absolutely astounding-the vivid imagery was so serene that it looked like it would have been captured in a National Geographic magazine. I smiled as I cast my gaze over the land: pearly white chairs were aligned perfectly next to each other, rows of fifteen on each side of a large aisle; the alter was decorated with custom made bamboo poles where an American Flag hung freely as a backdrop. I sighed contently as I watched the sun peek through rows of evergreens. A rough hand grasped my shoulder with a gentle, but firm grip. I looked at to my left and scaled my eyes to meet with Gene's.

"I may not always be in sync with your erratic behavior," he began "but that doesn't mean I shouldn'tbe so strict. You're a kid, and kids got to learn from experience." I kept silent trying to figure out what he was getting at. "I know you've been going into the forest at night, and visiting the wolves...and I don't blame you, I did the exact same thing when I was a kid," I felt my heart lighten a little bit as a soft burden began to lift off my shoulders. "But I don't want you to go there without a companion-it's not safe. Especially with that black demon," My eyebrows shot up in surprise as I bit my lip before I found the courage to speak up, feeling a little ashamed.

"It killed a white wolf that was as big as Hummer," I said. Gene snorted as sigh. "Damn," I cocked my head to the side at his reaction wondering what he meant. "I always knew Athena had it in her, but never thought she was crazy enough to get herself killed," Gene released his grip from my shoulder and stood at attention. "Then again, she has been so sick lately...God bless her soul, she was one of my best friends. I raised her from a pup when her parents were shot by hunters-but then things got ugly when Manny found out about her," I looked at him with a quizzical expression. "Manny?" I asked. Gene looked away and shook his head. "The Man is a lethal genius. He graduated from college when he was in his late twenties with a degree in Biochemical Engineering. He found a way to alter L-ornithine Hydrochloride...a growth hormone, to make the amino acids in an animal's body grow in incredible sizes. When the government found out about his practice, they confiscated his creation and shut down his operation. He was livid; he stormed into the government facility and demanded that his creation be returned to him at once. When they refused, he took his creation by force and fled. He knew he was a wanted criminal, and he would do whatever it to make sure that his creation was safe," I looked down at my feet and looked back up at Gene. "How did he end up in his wheelchair?" I asked. "Car accident," Gene replied solemnly. The tone in his voice indicated to me that the news I was about to hear, would not be easy to stomach. My heart raced rapidly as I anxiously waited for his response. "While Gene was escaping the police, he ran a red light and collided with another vehicle." Gene took a couple short breaths, as he fell silent for the longest time. He took another deep breath and spoke in an almost whisper. "The driver Manny collided with was your brother,"