Animal Nature

Chapter 23

Shy called David's house, Jeff's house, Greg's house, and even the animal shelter to try to find David. "Hi Martha. I, um, was just wondering if they found that wolfhound yet?

"No, it's still on the loose as far as I know," Martha said. "And I told Bill, they'd better shoot that animal dead next time they cross it." Martha also reported that all of the animals had been transported to the shelter in Oakridge until the doors and window were fixed. "You stay at home, safe. I heard about that boy that died. I don't want to see your body on the news."

Without any clue as to where to find David, Shy sunk into an armchair and turned on the TV.

A perfectly coiffed reporter stood in front of a familiar-looking farmhouse, looking ridiculous in her suit jacket and fashionably belted trenchcoat. "Here with me now is Thomas Klaski, a local dairy farmer. Mr. Klaski, what happened here last night?"

Mr. Klaski, a familiar face to Shyanne and most of Middlebury, took over the screen. His wild gray hair stuck in every direction, his overgrown beard flapping as he spoke around the two teeth left in his mouth. "See, the other night, I heard this noise, see? An' I walk outside wi' my shotgun, and I see this great big beast, all gray, a wolf. Bigger'n any damn wolf I ever seen. An' he look at me, all wile-eyed, and he's growlin' like he's gonna come after me, and I see he's got the blood o' my cattle dripping down 'is chin. So, a'course, I shot 'im, right in the chest I did, but the thing kep' comin' at me, and I shot it agin, and fin'lly he run off inter the woods."

"What did you do after it ran off?"

"I called them animal control people, told 'em they's gotta come git that thing afore it eats anymore o' my livestock, or I'm gonna shoot it dead myself. I'm gonna hunt that thing down and kill it right dead."

The reporter turned to the camera. "This is not the first animal attack here in Middlebury. Just last week two cattle were found slaughtered in a field. Since then, several more animals have been found dead. The death of a local teen has prompted town officials to take action. Glen Southwick is with the Middlebury sheriff of Animal Control. Glen?"

Glen stood beside a blond woman who looked vaguely familiar. They stood in an office. "Thank you, Amy. I'm speaking with Katrina Polanski, head of the local animal control department. Ms. Polanski, have you ever seen anything like this before?"

"Attacks like these are highly unusual," said the woman. Shy finally recognized Kat Polanski. This woman had been the one who told those three men from animal control not to shoot David. "Wolves are not indigenous to this region, although they are commonly found in the northeast. I suspect that these animals have been displaced from their natural environment due to human encroachment or pollution."

Glen seemed about to ask another question of Ms. Polanski, but both people were distracted by something off camera. Ms. Polanski walked off camera. Glen gestured to the cameraman and they followed. "Ms. Polanski, do you think these creatures should be destroyed?"

Ms. Polanski didn't answer. The camera wove through two hallways. Shy recognized the building as being the town hall. Through the front doors and the camera exposed a large crowd on the lawn bearing signs. The sound which had distracted reporter and interviewee became audible. "Save the wolves! Save the wolves!"

Shy leaned forward. Among the signs on the steps of town hall, Shy singled out Mara.

Her friend carried a sign that read, "Animals are not murderers." She led the chant of "Save the wolves," thrusting her sign in the air.

"What is going on here?" Ms. Polanski asked, her voice quiet without the aid of a microphone. Glen positioned himself in the shot and began speaking rapidly into the camera.

"We seem to be in the midst of a protest—hundreds have gathered here to save these endangered animals!" Breathless with excitement, Glen turned to pull Ms. Polanski back into the shot, but the Kat was busy arguing with Mara and a police officer. Glen grabbed her arm and dragged her over. "Ms. Polanski, is it true that your department's policy is to destroy any animal deemed dangerous to humans?"

"Uh—uh—of course not! We do euthanize dangerous animals, but I'm talking about domesticated animals. We would not destroy a wild animal that can simply be captured and released into its natural habitat, where it can't harm people!"

"And do you have a plan in place for the safe removal of these wolves?"

Mr. Brown walked in at this point. "Watching the news, honey?"

Shy indicated for him to be quiet.

"...volunteer teams from all over the county out there right now trying to locate this wolf pack. They haven't found any evidence of wolves, other than the animal carcasses and eyewitnesses, and they haven't found evidence of any sort pointing to any large predatory animal. This may not even be a wolf—"

At this point Mara's "Animals are not murderers" sign crashed between the Kat and Glen Southwick. Being a competent reporter, Glen immediately shoved the microphone in Mara's face.

"It is a wolf! I have photographic evidence!" She pulled out a flyer with the photograph she'd shown Shy weeks ago, and held it up for the camera. In the process, Mara dropped her protest sign on the ground. "See! It's a huge wolf, alone. I've never heard of a wolf being this large. It's possibly a new species and the police are authorizing farmers to go out and kill it—"

"Isn't that your friend from school?" Mr. Brown asked.

Shy glanced at her father. "Yeah."