Animal Nature

Chapter 19

"Did I hit it? Did I hit it?"

When Shy opened her eyes, she saw Billy lying on the floor. The wolf was nowhere in sight.

"I don't know," Shy said. "I didn't see!"

She helped her brother up. The front window was completely smashed.

"Damn! He got away!" Billy said.

"We should call the police. They should know that a wild animal is loose."

"Hey, get one of the dogs! I'll follow the trail of blood. I shot it at close range, it can't get too far."

That's what Mr. Klaski thought, too.

"None of the shelter dogs are trained for that! And what if the wolf tries to eat them?"

"Fine. You call the police, and I'll track him myself."

Before Shy could protest, Billy was jumping through the shattered glass window and disappearing into the night.

Alone again, Shy shivered and hugged herself. Pull it together, she told herself. Call the police. Stop freaking out.

She managed to make the call, her voice trembling as she explained what had happened to the dispatcher, then called Martha. "Are any of the other animals hurt?" Martha asked.

"I... I haven't checked..."

"Never mind. You sit tight, I'll be right over."

Hanging up, she shivered again. Adrenaline, she told herself. That was all. She didn't need to sit tight. She could check on the animals, make sure they were all safe.

Shy stepped though the remains of the kennel door—the top hinges had broken off—and stopped short at what she saw.

Blood splashes dripped down the walls and formed puddles on the floor. Bits of what?—meat, bones, fat—fur lay in clumps in the red pools. Her eyes followed the blood to one of the dog cages. The metal grated door had been ripped off completely, and the middle of the door dented in.

Shy stepped carefully around the blood. Her stomach hurt like she was going to throw up. Which cage was it? Which of the dogs—her pets—had been eaten?

The little index card in the cage's holder was miraculously intact. It read, "Patches."

* * *

"Okay, Shyanne, thank you for the information. You, on the other hand—" the cop turned to Billy with a frown, "We'll need to ask you a few more questions down at the station."

"Thank you, officer," said Mr. Brown. He wrapped one arm protectively around his daughter. The two watched as Billy swaggered over to the black and white patrol car and got in the back seat. "Shy, I'm just going to drop you off at home before I head to the station. Are you going to be okay?"

Shy had felt a lot better when Billy had returned to the shelter. He said the tracks went straight for the tree line, and it was too dark to see much in the trees. She'd been so relieved that she'd even given him a hug.

"I'll be fine, Dad."

The tears had dried on her cheeks, making her skin feel stiff. The sobs coming from the hunched-over figure of Martha were too much for her. As her father led her out the front door, she looked back at Martha sitting in the wreckage that had once been the office. Shy felt like crying again.

Back at home, Shy locked all the windows and doors. Mrs. Brown watched on with concern in her eyes. "You sure you're okay, honey?"

"I'm fine," Shy said, and headed upstairs. She paused by the locked cabinet containing her father and Billy's guns. Both Mr. Klaski and Billy had tried to shoot that wolf. She wasn't sure how close Mr. Klaski had been, but Billy had been at point-blank range. With a shot gun.

Normal bullets seemed to have no effect.

I need silver bullets, Shy thought.