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A lonesome mechanic living a quiet life on the outskirts of town has a bizarre meeting with someone, or something that he can't quite explain. His peaceful days quickly come to an end as he's forced to find the truth behind a mysterious entity haunting him, and confront distant, desolate memories that might have been better off forgotten.
This is part two of my horror mystery story, Names Long Lost. If you enjoy cozy, mildly surreal southern-inspired locales, ghostly apparitions, and character-driven storytelling, you might enjoy this series! Feel free to check it out from the description, or from the PDF for cozier reading.
More to come, stay tuned...
I've been feeling strange, recently…
I feel as though I've been seeing people and things that aren't really there…
I’ve dreamt of places and memories that don't belong to me…
…What's going on?
Thud!
The loud thump of a truck hood closing echoed off the high ceiling of an auto garage deep in the mountainous, forested region of the Fringes.
A young, somewhat scrawny wolf man inhaled sharply and used his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead, leaving a bit of grease in its place on his furry brow. He turned and leaned back against the hood, grabbing a clipboard from a table beside him and pulling a pen from his breast pocket.
The wolf wore his usual working uniform: a polo shirt with a nametag, oversized cargo slacks, and worn-out leather boots. He also wore a cap with the garage’s logo, which helped (somewhat, anyway) to contain his long, shaggy mane of hair that fell down his back. His tired eyes read down the checklist, and he tapped down at the last section.
“How we lookin’ down there, bay two?” He called to the pit below the truck, where his coworker had just finished his inspection following an oil change.
“Bay two is looking fine! Filter is good! Plug tight. Signs of oil leakage. Maybe we get that more formally looked at next time they bring her in for a change.” The technician from the pit called out.
The wolf went down the checklist and scribbled a few notes as the check continued for a while longer. After about a minute or two, the tech finished and called out.
“And that’s about it! Let me outta here, Leon?"
"Yeah, I'm on it." The wolf responded, setting the clipboard down on the shop computer table. He reached to the rack of keys bolted to the side of it, grabbing the matching one before hopping into the truck.
He turned the key, the loud roar of the engine echoing off the corrugated metal walls. Leon shifted the truck into gear and pulled forward just a bit to give his pit technician enough space to climb out of the underground bay. Leaving the keys in the ignition, Leon opened the door and slid out, walking back around to the pit.
The tech was an older canine fellow who sometimes needed a hand to climb the last few steep steps leading up to ground level.
Leon approached the pit and peered down below to lend a hand to his coworker, but he wasn't by the steps.
"Huh? Hey, uh, buddy?" Leo asked. He furrowed his brow and peered down a little way into the pit. It was empty, just a tiny, dark concrete room beneath the garage. A rack of tools hung quietly on the wall, a few lying still on the ground.
Leon pulled his hat off and scratched his head, slowly turning around and gazing absently around the garage.
Nobody was around. A gentle gust of wind pushed against one of the garage's walls, making the whole building creak softly. It was a typical sound, but now unsettling, as the garage had gone entirely silent.
"Guys…? Uh…" Leo stood with his hat in his hand, looking around a few more times, his eyes widening as he confirmed that it wasn't just his pit technician. All of his coworkers were gone.
"...What the fuck? Is this a…" Leon spoke softly as he bent over and gazed into bay 1 on the other half of the garage. "...a prank? Y'all pullin' something on me?" He called out as he learned that that bay was similarly empty. His leg shook slightly as he stood up straight, a nervous tic. He bit his lip and took a deep breath before slipping his hat back on his head.
“...One hell’uva prank.” He muttered to himself. He stood still and absently stared off as his mind raced.
Did I take something? Did I hit my head? Did I come in early and forget? Did-
He noticed something in the corner of his vision, standing in the large bay door.
“...Oh.”
Something stood outside the garage.
The wind once again caused the old garage to creak as Leon stared out the door at a humanoid figure standing up straight outside. The wolf felt a chill run down his spine.
It wasn't anyone who worked at the garage or anyone he knew at all, for that matter. It was a canine of some sort, a young one. He seemed to be a boy with tall, pointed ears. He wore a white dress shirt and slacks. Church clothes. He was too far away for Leon to see his face clearly.
The wolf opened his muzzle to say something, but the words got stuck in his mouth. He awkwardly cleared his throat and gazed back down at the pit to see if his buddy had suddenly reappeared, but he had no such luck.
The boy stepped forward, entering the garage. His footsteps were remarkably soft, and he seemed to disregard Leon as he walked to the truck that he just pulled forward in front of bay 2. Leon finally managed to muster some words.
“Uh... Hello? We, uh, normally don't let folks back here. You lost or somethin’?” Leon asked as the boy gently ran one of his hands on the hood of the truck, seeming to feel the smooth surface of the paint. He didn’t respond or acknowledge the wolf’s presence.
Leon stared at him silently.
Uh…
As the wolf scratched his head, trying to figure out what to do, the boy removed his hand from the truck hood and looked over at him. As soon as their eyes connected, Leon quickly looked away. Another chill ran down his spine, and he felt the fur on his neck bristle.
A fox with white fur…
“You don’t remember me?” He asked, still staring at him with icy blue eyes underneath his messy, short white hair. His voice was soft, smooth, with a hint of condescension.
“I don’t... Should I?” Leon responded. The fox’s gaze lowered slightly, and a frown played his slender muzzle.
“…Oh.”
There was a long silence. While Leon was at a loss for what to say in response, the fox seemed to be pondering what to do next. His eyes narrowed in concentration before closing entirely.
“I guess… This is to be expected. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to… But…”
Leon took a step back, his mind racing and his heart beating fast.
“Wouldn’t have’ta… What?” He asked, trying to get any kind of sensical response from the fox, starting to get nervous by the lack of clarity.
“I’ll just have to remind you.”
Leon’s vision went dark. The fox’s voice spoke in his head.
“…Sorry for this. This is going to be scary.”
“Huh?”
When Leon opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the garage. He turned his head, taking in his new surroundings and blinking slowly as his mind processed what he saw.
He stood in a dark forest, in a linear clearing that ran for what seemed to be miles. On the clearing’s sides were thickets of dense trees, mostly oak but with a handful of pines as well. The cool night air felt different from the stuffy, rubbery shop air that he was breathing in just moments ago.
“What the… hell?” Leon asked himself quietly, slowly pacing in a circle as he gazed around, taking in his surroundings. He gazed upwards, observing the clear night sky. The countless stars twinkled above in their usual splendor, devoid of any light pollution. The glow of the nearby city couldn’t be seen anywhere. The wolf looked up and stared at the night sky, and tried to pinpoint the exact moment he lost his sanity. Just as he began, however, he noticed something odd.
One star in the sky was different from the others. Far brighter and more vibrant than the pale shimmering hues of the rest of the cosmos. The star burned a bright, fiery red. It seemed to be pulsing slightly, bright enough to have a halo surrounding its light.
“I need you to see this.” The disembodied voice of the fox spoke, echoing from no location in particular. “No running away, okay?”
The star flared brightly, its brilliance enough to cast an ember glow across the atmosphere. Leon could only keep his gaze upwards, his eyes locked with the star as it grew brighter. Grew closer.
The wolf’s jaw hung open slightly as a shower of sparks rained down, and the falling star approached with horrifying speed. As soon as he realized what was happening, he cried out and dove to the side as an ear-shattering crash vibrated the night air and sent his body flying, shattering several of his bones along the way.
Dust hung heavily in the forest air, causing the previously clear sky to be all but gone from view. Through heavily muted senses, Leon felt the faint sensation of pain from all of his limbs. He was unable to stand; his body crumpled on the ground.
He heard the sound of voices just a few feet away. Whispers. In a voice neither masculine or feminine.
Through extreme effort, he was able to slowly turn his mangled body towards the source of the sound. Piles of dirt, overturned trees, and upheaved roots surrounded a massive crater in the earth.
Leon stared, unable to will his body to move any further. His eyes struggled to focus. A figure moved into frame. Slowly crawling up from the rim of the crater, a humanoid body stood.
…Almost humanoid. It was off.
Along with the figure came shadows that snaked out from behind it, darting across the ground as if searching for something, expanding. The figure began to shamble over to Leon, moving at a slow, inconsistent speed that sped up and slowed down at random intervals as though it was only just learning how to walk.
The whispers seemed to be coming from it, although not a single word was coherent. It was as though random syllables were being vocalized one after another, forming phantom words that sounded real initially but lost all meaning a moment later.
Leon attempted to crawl away, but his broken body was unable to move. He barely managed to turn his back away, but as soon as he did, he felt a cold grip on his shoulder as he was forced to look back at the thing that was now upon him.
He felt a pressure in his chest as he stared up, up into the void, up into the stark nothingness that made up its being. The darkness peered down at him, first with passing curiosity but then with something different. Hunger. Desire.
Leon felt his end quickly approaching as the shadows that surrounded the creature caught up with it and began to engulf his body, snaking over his broken limbs, around his throat. His eyes were unable to close, and he felt his heart seize in his chest as he stared into that face.
Or lack thereof.
Make it stop…
He tried desperately to resist, but his body was no longer responding. He was paralyzed, and all he could do was watch on through fuzzy vision as it devoured him, feeling the tension on his limbs grow as he was ripped apart, and it devoured.
“Come find me… Okay? I'll be waiting for you.”
The voice of the fox once again echoed in his head, continuing to ring as it faded off into oblivion with the rest of his consciousness.
“....ey.”
Tap tap.
Please… Go away…
“...Hey.”
Tap tap tap.
Please make it stop.
“Leon!”
Slap!
Leon immediately bolted upright, screaming and thrashing his arms, shoving away whatever was near him and scooting back on his ass.
“Fuck! Fuck off!”
“Fucking hell, kid! Calm the fuck down!” A stern, older voice commanded.
Leon’s eyes opened. They were bloodshot red and soaked with tears. He looked around and saw a group of three of his coworkers staring down at him with expressions of shock and concern.
His manager was among them, an older dingo man named Jess. The one who demanded he relax.
Leon blinked twice, his focus slowly returning to reality. He immediately pulled himself up from the dirty garage floor.
“Shit. Fuck. I'm sorry guys, I… Uh. I'm fine.” He spoke. His voice was still shaky, and the expressions on his coworkers’ faces didn't convey much belief in that statement. Jess turned to the other mechanics.
“Hear that boys? He's fine. Get on back to it.” He spoke in his thick southern accent. The other two took a quick look at Leon before one after another, they walked back to their previous spots in the garage, picking up their tasks again while throwing an occasional glance back over. Jess leaned back against the truck that was now pulled forward away from bay 2 and continued to look at the younger wolf.
What the fuck… Leon thought to himself, his mind racing with a flurry of thoughts and emotions.
The wolf reached up to his brow, attempting to adjust his hat out of habit. His hand never reached a brim, however, as the hat was absent from his head. He instead ran awkwardly his fingers through his hair, sweeping it back and fiddling slightly with it. It was a complete mess.
He felt awkward, confused, and ridiculous as he took a few glances around, doing his best to avoid eye contact with the other mechanics, who suddenly became quite focused on their jobs when Leon looked their way.
Other than the awkward atmosphere, the garage was perfectly normal. Everyone who was supposed to be here was, and there wasn't a single sign of anything out of the ordinary. The sky outside was its ordinary bright orange color, and the cicadas were beginning to sing from the surrounding trees, signaling the coming twilight.
So… It was a dream? Did I pass out? …Where the fuck is my hat?
Leon looked back at Jess.
“Hey, uh… Have you seen my-”
Jess slowly extended his hand, holding Leon’s hat in it. His expression was still one concern and confusion, his brow furrowed, and his lips pulled tight behind his thick mustache.
“Ah. Thanks…” Leon spoke sheepishly as he reached out and took the black baseball cap, sliding it back on his head.
“Uh-huh. Hey, mind havin’ a quick chat with me, kid?” Jess asked, standing up straight and walking towards the open garage door. As polite as he sounded in his even voice, it was not a request.
“Oh. Uh, y-yessir.” Leon spoke, following behind him as he stepped out of the garage. Gravel crunched underfoot as they walked towards the small portable building tucked in the corner of the lot—their office.
Fuck… Please don’t fire me… Leon thought to himself as he walked, looking out past the chain link fence and at the sky. The sun was setting, and it was quickly getting dark. The first glint of stars began to show up on the eastern horizon, and seeing them immediately made the wolf think back to his horrifying experience just a few minutes earlier.
It had to have just been a freaky daydream… I inhaled too many fumes and just imagined it all… Right?
He shook his head and turned his attention back in front of him, following Jess as he opened the flimsy trailer door and stepped inside.
Leon followed behind and shut the door behind him. The familiar scent of rubber filled his nose as he walked in. Jess walked past the customer service counter, strewn with ads for various mechanical parts and tires. He opened one more door behind the register, the one leading to his personal office. Leon felt even more uncomfortable as he followed him in. Jess sat behind his desk, and Leon took the seat across from him. He hadn't been in here since he interviewed for the job, at least two years ago at this point.
There was a heavy silence between the two of them, which was padded slightly from the constant buzz of the trailer’s window AC unit. Leon tapped his fingers on his thighs and stared at the outdated tower PC on the desk.
“You want to talk about what’s goin’ on, son?” Jess asked, tilting his head down and looking straight at the wolf. Leon didn't meet his gaze and continued to stare at the PC.
The fuck do I say?
He inhaled as though he was going to speak, but the words got caught in his throat. He turned his head and looked at Jess, and could only manage a shrug.
“What? You don't know?” The dingo asked as a follow-up, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You've been acting… Well… Jus’ damn weird past couple a days.”
Leon gently kicked the tip of his boot into the floor, and twisted it in slightly, anxiously fidgeting while he tried to think of a response.
“I… It's been weird times, I guess.” Leon muttered quietly, knowing even as he spoke that Jess would not be satisfied with the answer.
“‘Weird times.’” Jess repeated, still holding his steady eye contact with the wolf. He took a moment to think, looking like he was choosing his next words carefully. “Could ya elaborate on what ‘weird times’ means?” he asked. He was being extraordinarily patient.
Leon had nothing but respect for Jess, he had always treated his employees well and been there for them if they ever needed it. He felt awful that he didn't have a decent response.
What's the answer? What can I say to make this situation go away?
Leon took a deep breath and finally stopped staring at the computer, returning his boss’ eye contact. One of his hands gently gripped his loose pants, and he began to talk.
“I think I'm just a little under the weather, sir. I'm sorry.” Leon spoke, lying through his teeth.
Jess kept the same patient expression, his face not moving at all. It was clear he wasn't buying it.
“...You sure about that? Forget what happened just now. You've been actin’ funny for a lil bit now. Ain’t look like no ‘under the weather’ I've ever seen before.” He spoke, leaning in a bit, his brows lowering. “Spacin’ out, mumblin’ to yourself… It ain't like ya, and it's got everyone worried.” Jess explained, still keeping an even and honest tone. Leon felt uncomfortable, almost sad. He looked back to the computer and bit his lip, digging his claws into the denim of his pant leg.
He tried to think of what to say, but no words came to mind. It was true.
Over the past two weeks, bizarre things had been happening to him. This was by far the worst occurrence, but he had felt a sense of dissociation on several occasions. Not only that, but restlessness, feelings of dread. Seeing places he’d never been before.
Seeing… people.
“You ain't on drugs, are ya? Please tell me ya ain't on drugs.”
“N-no. No, sir. I'm not.” Leon answered. There was another long silence before Jess sighed.
“Take the week, kid. Get ‘yer head on straight.” Jess spoke, sliding out a drawer from the desk and pulling out a stack of sticky notes and a pen.
Leon froze.
“The whole week? It's fine, sir, really. I'm fine.” Leon protested.
“I don't believe that you passin’ out on the shop floor can be classified as ‘fine.’ It's a liability, and it's gonna get your ass hurt.” Jess said sternly, some of his patience having clearly slipped away. Leon lowered his head a bit, hiding his face beneath his hat.
“We will make do for a week. Look…” the dingo spoke, leaning into the desk with the pen in his hand. “I need you to figure out what's wrong, kid. Don't take a genius to see that you just ain't been yourself. It's reached the point it's affecting yer performance. And safety.”
Jess began to jot down a few words on a sticky note, likely writing down names to call to fill in Leon’s now vacant shifts.
Fuck…
Leon thought to himself, his head still facing down to obscure his face. The only thing stretched thinner than their staff schedule was Leon’s budget. He wasn't sure how he'd make it through the week, missing all those hours. The tip of his boot once again began to anxiously twist into the laminate floor of the trailer.
Jess clicked his pen and spoke up.
“I would much prefer to do this than fire ya, you know that. Yer’ a good kid; you do good work. Jus’ promise me you'll come back feelin’ better.” he said, reaching across the table to gently pat Leon’s arm.
“I uh… Yeah. I understand. I'll figure it out, sir.” The young wolf finally looked up and pulled his lips back, forcing a weak smile. “Thanks. For uh… Not firing me.” Leon continued, slowly standing up.
“‘Course! And uh, one more thing...” Jess said, reaching down to a low drawer on his desk.
“Sir?” Leon asked.
“Can ya pee in this cup before you go?”
After leaving the office trailer, Leon walked back to his truck, trying to avoid catching the attention of his coworkers, who were wrapping up in the garage. He figured it would be more awkward than helpful if he returned to help wrap up, and there wasn’t much left to do anyway.
Leon quickly fished out his keys and unlocked the dented old pickup he usually drove. The wolf stepped up and slid into the cab, closing the door behind him.
The vehicle was worn but well-maintained. The interior was simple, a cushy leather bench that extended all the way from driver to passenger side, covered with faded red leather. It was dimly lit, the last of the fading daylight above casting the interior in a faint, pale blue glow.
Leon took a deep breath and leaned forward, laying his head on the top of the steering wheel and closing his eyes.
Fuck… What the hell is wrong with me?
Thoughts began to swirl in his head.
Who was that…?
Leon’s fur stood on end as he remembered the sequence of events. It was still blurry in his mind, but he certainly remembered. And he could feel that dull pain, the overwhelming fear looking at that… thing.
He felt the phantom sensation of that icy cold grip on his body as he remembered, his arms shivering.
Just an illusion. Just some weird part of my imagination. Not enough sleep, inhaled too many fumes.
He did his best to shut out the memory, one of his hands reaching up to warm his chest. There was something in the breast pocket of his work shirt. Without thinking, Leon slipped his fingers into the pocket and pulled it out.
It was a small photo, no larger than a sticky note, folded in half. The wolf felt his heart jump into his throat, and his eyes widened. Using the claw on his thumb, he slowly unfolded it.
In his hand, he gazed down at an old, sepia-tinted photo of the fox he just met, dressed just as he was in the garage. He sat on a dried fallen tree on the shore of a lake, smiling and leaning forward, looking to his right at another figure in the image.
Leon took a shaky breath as he stared at the fox, but had to do a double take upon seeing the other figure in the frame. A wolf dressed in a wrinkled linen shirt looked forward, seemingly unaware his photo was being taken. His face was uncanny. Remarkably so.
Is that… Me?
A small line in cursive written at the bottom of the photo in black ink read:
“Remember yet?”
I’m fucking haunted.
That was the conclusion that Leon had come up with after three days of his off time from work.
The trailer he lived in was an untidy mess, littered with library books on both the occult and psychology. His small dinette was covered in torn-out pieces of notebook paper, scrawled all over with notes on his findings. His laptop had an unfathomable amount of tabs open.
The wolf hadn’t taken this time lightly at all. Spurred on by both Jess’ insistence that he fixed what was wrong with him, as well as his own terror at what might happen if he didn’t, he had spent nearly every minute investigating any possible cause of his recent episodes.
He started with the rational. The picture of the wolf that looked like himself sitting with the mysterious fox boy was a complete enigma to him. He couldn’t remember ever meeting the fox before or even where the picture might have been taken. The photo itself was ancient, or at least the camera that produced it was.
He performed every self-diagnostic he could on his own mind. Testing his memory, he went through every contact on his phone, making sure he could remember each person on the list. He recounted his general life story from as far back as he could remember and made sure there weren’t any gaps that he couldn’t account for. He looked through old photos on his phone, although his collection was extremely limited.
His claw tapped idly on the counter as he thought about any possible alternative to what he was about to do. Leon hated social media. Especially when it might pertain to him in particular. With a shaky hand, he typed in a URL and found his mother’s timeline.
It started out mundane enough. Sporadic reposts of low-quality memes, Bible verses, and a picture of her pets. He kept scrolling, clicking down on the middle mouse wheel and letting the page rapidly scroll itself. The images got older. Less memes. The first picture of him so far, sitting together with her at a diner for his birthday. He swallowed.
Further.
Pictures of family, years ago.
Further.
The first picture of his father, posing in front of a scenic overlook with him.
Further…
He continued to scroll, and suddenly stopped. An old image was displayed in the center of the page. Leon saw a much younger version of himself, grinning ear to ear, holding a fishing rod with a dangling fish from the line. He stood alongside a retriever boy, the same age as he was, grinning just as happily. The background was the tail end of a small boat and open water behind them. Leon slowly drew his hand away from the mouse and took a shaky breath.
“Forever, right?”
“Hm?”
Leon looked over from his comic book at Nic, who lay beside him, half in his sleeping bag. The wolf had assumed he was asleep. The retriever stared up at the roof of the tent, one arm behind his head.
“We’ve been friends since we were little kids… And we’re friends now. Right?” He spoke, still keeping his gaze up. Leon put his comic down and sat up, looking over at him, perplexed.
“I mean… Yeah. Dude, are you okay?”
Nic didn’t answer the question. “And we’re in the kinda town where nobody really comes to. And nobody really leaves...”
Leon shrugged. “Kinda, I guess. Yeah…”
“So that means we’ll be friends forever, right?” Nic asked.
“I uh. You’re weird, dude…” Leon scratched the back of his head and looked a little annoyed by the question. There was a pause, and he looked away. “…But yeah. I guess. If nothing happens between us, I don’t see why not.”
Nic suddenly rolled out of his sleeping bag, slid next to the wolf, and wrapped his arms around his chest in a tight hug.
“Good.” The dog said, Leon grunting and lifting his arms in surprise.
“D-Dude! That’s gay!” Leon protested, gritting his teeth and leaning away. Nic simply smiled and held the hug. “…You’re weird, dude.” The young wolf grumbled, looking away at the thin wall of the tent.
“And you keep saying the same thing over and over.” Nic spoke with a smile, his tail slowly wagging behind him.
I remember that camping trip. We got our own tent. It was awesome…
And a few years later…
“Dude… That’s gay.” Leon spoke, wiping Nic’s saliva from his muzzle. The retriever leaned against his chest, staring up into his eyes as he pulled away from the kiss.
Leon inhaled sharply and mashed Ctrl+W on the keyboard, forcing the tab closed. Too many memories. Most of them good. Some of them bad. Real bad.
He decided to continue his research elsewhere.
“Insane people aren’t aware they’re insane.” was the short answer he came up with, and it brought him some comfort. Surely if he was aware of himself enough to be making all these checks, then his mind must not be that impacted.
Right?
After mostly assuring himself that he wasn’t insane, Leon started to look elsewhere for answers.
He had never put much stock in the supernatural. He had a passing interest in it, probably as much as the next guy; he occasionally watched stupid paranormal investigation videos but mostly just discarded it as bullshit for entertainment. But now, he wasn’t so sure.
He researched the historical symptoms of curses, hauntings, and possessions. He tried hard to remain cynical of the accounts, but the more and more he read, the more he came to empathize with the afflicted he looked into. Seeing figures that nobody else saw. Hearing voices. Vivid hallucinations of unknown times and places.
It was too uncanny to be a coincidence, he thought.
He was forced to reevaluate his opinion on the matter. He had looked into calling a priest or psychic but had no idea how to go about actually telling them what was going on without sounding crazy. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
…Am I crazy?
…I don’t know.
Gah. Fuck.
He put his head down on the cold countertop.
When he lifted his head again, he noticed the setting sun outside. It was nearly dark, and he had spent the whole day indoors. His stomach rumbled. He had forgotten to eat lunch. The hunger was catching up to him.
Scratching the back of his head, he stood and began to make his way over to the fridge. His ears twitched. He heard movement outside—the faint sound of footsteps on gravel.
“The hell…?” Leon muttered under his breath. He decided to walk to the right into the bedroom of his trailer. He hooked a claw on one of the thin plastic slats and slowly pulled it down, peering outside.
Aside from a few stars in the dark sky on the horizon and the chilling deep blue silhouettes of the pines in the distance, he couldn’t see a thing out there. This only unsettled him more, and he felt a pit of dread begin to grow in his stomach. His hands began to sweat.
He tried to force the memory down, but it forced its way into his mind. That… thing. The thing that the fox showed him, that shattered his body and devoured him in the dream. What if that was what was outside? What if it was real?
The pain felt so real. It felt so...
Click!
The handle of the trailer door unlatched. Leon’s eyes widened, and he felt a jolt of adrenaline spike through his body. He quickly looked around the room and grabbed the first thing that could feasibly be used as a weapon, an old walking stick that he kept as decoration by the dinette. He flattened himself by the bedroom door and peered out into the kitchen and living room, stick at the ready, his heart racing and body dripping with sweat. He closed the pocket door that separated the two spaces almost all the way, leaving just enough space to peer through.
The trailer door quickly swung open, and a figure rushed inside, rapidly closing the door behind themselves and leaning against it.
It was a teenager. A white wolf. He pressed himself against the door and breathed hard, his eyes closed.
A small relief passed through Leon, seeing as though the stranger was not some kind of monster trying to destroy him, at least not immediately. He was still scared as shit, though.
If there was a time for action, it was now. Mustering up as much courage as he could, he turned the corner and confronted the strange wolf.
Leon glanced at the young wolf, who was now taking refuge on his couch. He seemed mundane enough, probably just a stupid kid running away from the cops in a neighborhood he didn’t know. Leon had been in similar situations before himself. Cops hardly knew about this place, and unless they were directly on his tail, he doubted that any would think to check here.
I feel ya, man…
He sighed softly and looked back at his computer, idly clicking between tabs, unable to really focus on anything with the stranger still catching his breath on the couch. He thought of saying something, but nothing really came to mind.
After some time, the stranger let out a soft gasp and dropped his phone on the couch. It bounced once and began to slide down the edge, but he scrambled and was able to catch it before it fell all the way.
“Uh… You good, man?” Leon asked with a raised brow, peering from the side of his laptop. The white wolf seemed distraught but nodded rapidly.
“Y-yeah! I’m good. Sorry.” He said, bouncing his thigh up and down as he stared down at his phone, idly tracing his fingers against the screen. Leon could clearly see the screen was off, and his eyes narrowed.
“You’re sure?”
“Uh-huh! Yeah. Sorry. Uh…” the stranger said, looking away. Something had clearly rattled him.
“Kid… What the hell were you-?”
Knock knock!
Both wolves immediately sat upright, staring at the door. A deep, muffled voice came through from the other side.
”Intercity Police.”
The voice was calm, at least for now. Leon stood up and took a step towards the door. The white wolf flicked his gaze over to him, his eyes wide with an expression of terror.
Figured…
Leon jerked his head in the direction of the bedroom in the back.
The teenager looked back to the door, and then back at Leon, before quickly rising to his feet and scrambling over to the bedroom, clumsily sliding the pocket door closed behind him. It rattled the trailer with a thud as it hit the opposing wall. Leon rolled his eyes.
Idiot.
Another knock came from the door.
”Anyone home?” The voice asked, though Leon was sure the closing door would have been heard loud and clear through the thin walls of the mobile home.
He took a deep breath and walked to the door, unlatching the lock and opening the door a crack, leaning out of the gap with his body to block the entrance.
It took his eyes a second to adjust to the darkness outside, but when they did, they met those of a massive lion man in uniform.
“Uh… Howdy. Can I help you?” Leon asked, doing his best to keep an even tone. He had dealt with cops previously, but it still didn’t stop his heart from pounding in his chest and his mind from racing over every potentially illegal thing he'd ever done in his life.
“Good evening, sir. My name is Alexander, with the Intercity Police. Sorry to bother you this late.” He spoke, his voice even and calm. He held a small notebook in his hands, but as he spoke he looked Leon directly in the eyes. The wolf cleared his throat and tried to remain calm.
”What can I do for ya…?”
“I’ve been looking for someone today, a wolf, age seventeen. I have reason to believe he came this way; I was just wondering if you’d seen or heard anything unusual.” Alexander spoke.
Leon looked back inside and stared at the closed pocket door.
Who the hell is this kid…? I don’t want to put my neck out on the line for some punk I don’t know. Fuckin’ hell…
Leon sighed deeply and turned to look back at the officer. He began to speak, but his words caught in his throat.
Behind the officer, he saw him.
The fox from the garage stood just behind Alexander. He slowly raised a hand to his muzzle, extending one finger just in front of his nose, making a ‘shush’ motion while staring at Leon with a smile on his face.
Leon’s eyes widened as he stared. Alexander raised an eyebrow and turned around. His broad shoulders briefly blocked the fox from view, and when the lion was turned all the way, the fox was nowhere to be seen. Alexander quickly turned back around.
”Is something wrong, sir?” He asked, tilting his head slightly. He seemed genuinely concerned, but skeptical. Leon let go of the door, letting it fall open a bit wider as he answered, no longer thinking clearly.
“N-No. The answer is no.” He lied, more so trying to convince himself of his answer to the question. His gaze was still in the direction of the now-empty space where the fox once stood.
The officer still kept his eyes on him and lowered his head slightly, his eyes still looking into his. Leon quickly realized he was spacing out and snapped back to attention, looking back at his face. “To both questions, that is.”
He barely had time to consider the fact that he had just committed a misdemeanor. His mind was solely transfixed to his now second supernatural encounter with the fox. This time was less visceral but no less terrifying.
What the hell is going on…
The lion’s expression hardened a bit, and his eyes ever so briefly broke eye contact with Leon. He looked down, writing a few words in his notebook.
”I see. I don’t suppose I could have a look around the property? Nothing too deep; I just want to double-check some things.”
”Huh?” Leon asked, some of the fog clearing from his brain. Alexander’s expression was still slightly stern, but his eyes still held a level of gentleness.
”I just wanted to look briefly to see-“
”You got a warrant?” Leon interjected, cutting him off. His lips twitched as he said that, and perhaps if his heart weren’t pounding so hard, he wouldn’t have been so rude. But his head was overloaded, and he wanted nothing more than the cop to go away.
”No, I don’t. It would be a voluntary search, but…”
“Then, sorry, I’m busy tonight and ain’t really got time for this,” Leon spoke, pulling his arm back to close the door. Alexander’s eyes widened.
”Sir, I-“
”Goodnight, mister.”
Click!
The door shut into place, and Leon could only stare down at the door handle. His hand was shaking. He gripped his wrist with his other arm, trying to calm down. His heart was racing, and he registered just how clammy his fur was with sweat.
He heard the muffled sound of footsteps on gravel outside before the sound of a boot sliding slightly as it stopped. Alexander’s voice called out.
“Just so you know, I do intend to come back with a warrant tomorrow. I’ll leave my card here; please feel free to call if you see anything or have any questions.”
The sound of boots picked up again as the lion walked away.
Leon blinked.
He’s getting a warrant…? What…?
The wolf slowly turned around and looked at the small couch that faced the front door. The back cushion was covered in splotches of neon green, blue, and pink paint.
You fucking idiot…
Leon threw open the sliding bedroom door and saw the wolf’s tail peeking out on the floor behind the far side of the bed.
”You suck at hiding, kid.”
The tail was quickly dragged out of view, and after a brief moment, he peeked his head up above the mattress.
”You especially suck at hiding when you leave a goddamn trail of paint wherever you drag your ass.” Leon spoke with a frustrated snarl.
“Is he gone?” He asked, ignoring Leon’s complaint, his gaze peering into the living room behind Leon.
“Yeah. He’s gone. But he’s coming back with a warrant, and I just lied to cover your ass. Now take your stupid jacket off before I kick you out.” He said, flicking on the bedroom light. The wolf slowly rose to his feet with a pensive expression on his face. He sighed and slipped his jacket off his shoulders, flipping it inside out and tying it around his waist.
“Sorry, man. It’s been a long day. I forgot. I’ll… fix your couch.” He spoke, averting his gaze. He walked past Leon and back into the living area and sat down on the floor, with his now T-shirt-covered back leaning against it. He buried his face in his palms and went silent.
The anger that Leon had felt just a moment ago softened, now feeling sadness, pity. He took a deep breath and walked out next to him.
Shit…
“Ah… Hey, don't worry about the couch. I'm sorry. I ain't gonna kick you out.” Leon sat on the couch a cushion’s width away from him, careful to avoid the spots now crusted with damp paint. “Y'know, I don’t even know your name, kid.”
The younger wolf rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before sighing a response.
“Go by Zayin.”
Leon blinked. “Zayin. Alright. Well, I'm Leon.”
Zayin waved his paw a bit dismissively. “Yeah, pleasure.”
He immediately had his face down in his hands again. There was an awkward silence between the two of them.
“So… You wanna talk about it?” Leon asked.
“About what?”
“About… What's going on.” Leon paused. “...Can help. It's not easy being on the run like I assume y’are.”
“How would you know?” Zayin asked, a bit of curiosity in his voice. He turned his head to the side to look over at him.
“Been there. I guess. When I was your age. Done quite a bit of running myself...” Leon spoke with a sigh. Bitter memories came back. He visualized himself closing that tab again.
“‘When I was your age?’” Zayin repeated with a scoff. “You're not that much older than me, dude. Least you don't look like it.” He said with a small smile. Leon shrugged.
“I guess not. But uh…” Leon looked away, and tapped his fingers on his legs. “I'm genuinely curious. About why yer on the run. I committed a misdemeanor to cover for your ass, just so you know. Least ya could do is tell me.”
His smile softened.
“Ah. Yeah… It's not that long of a story, I guess. I set off some explosives in that cop’s face.”
Leon blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“It was an accident,” Zayin spoke as though it were the plainest thing in the world.
“An accident? You sound like a terrorist, kid.” Leon said, baffled.
Zayin smirked again, a bit of light coming back to his eyes.
“Nah. Not a terrorist. An artist.”
Leon was leaning back on the couch, his eyes staring at the ceiling as Zayin explained the full story to him.
“And you did all that… On parole?” The gray wolf asked.
Zayin nodded.
“Shit. Not even I was that stupid.” He commented.
“I'm telling you. I don't know how it got set off. I was holding the lighter, and I wasn't anywhere near the fuse. It just… Went.” Zayin ruminated. Leon scoffed but held his tongue. He considered that he himself had been experiencing unexplainable events lately.
“Y'know, stranger things have happened, so I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt.”
Zayin paused for a moment before continuing. “And now my buddy is freaking me out. Last thing I needed tonight.”
“How so?”
“I uh… I don't know. He went missing a couple of days ago. Not too out of the ordinary for him, but then I got sent a weird picture. It seems like a prank, really.” His voice trailed off, seemingly unconfident in that last sentence.
“What, you get sent a dick pic or somethin’?” Leon asked, his voice flat.
“Gross. No, nothing like that… It looks like he’s in trouble, but I can’t really tell if it's fake or not.”
“Wanna share?” Leon asked.
Zayin shrugged and pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it. It was already open to the image. He held the phone out for Leon to look at.
Leon squinted his eyes a bit as he looked at the picture.
This is a fuckin’ mess, alright…
He saw a cat man covered in blood, brandishing a hatchet like he’d just killed someone. He had a crazed look in his eye and was wearing a flannel jacket and a backpack. There was something off about the edges of the image. Like there was something there that was just barely taking shape in the photo. And behind him…
Behind him… Is…
“That fox…” Leon spoke.
“Oh, no. He’s a cat, actually.” Zayin said with an annoying amount of condescension. Leon ignored him and peered closer.
In the background of the image, amid some trees in the background. Barely visible… It was him. He was hardly the focal point of the otherwise busy image, but it was unmistakable.
The fox in the white shirt. It was the ghost that had been haunting him. He was sure of it.
“No. That fox.” Leon repeated and pinched his fingers out to zoom in on the ghostly figure. “Look.”
Zayin turned the phone back around and looked. He stared for a moment before his ears perked up.
“Oh!” He exclaimed, nodding. “That is a fox, I think. Kinda hard to tell. I… didn’t notice him…” he continued sheepishly. He continued to stare at the image.
Leon was silent. He half expected Zayin not to be able to see him. Part of him was comforted that somebody else could see this fox, at least in a picture. But the context… Why was he in the background? And…
“Why is he just standing there? Marcus looks like he’s either fighting tooth and nail for his life, and he’s just… There. I don’t get it…” Zayin said, his voice shaking slightly at the end, tinged with exhaustion and desperation. It was clear this only made things more confusing for him.
Leon felt the same way. The fox showing up in that picture seemed to only complicate both of their situations. The two wolves were silent, both their minds racing as they did their best to make sense of their situations.
What the fuck is going on…?
“Maybe we just take a break. Sleep this off.” Leon suggested. The two had both been shocked silent, and the air in the trailer was tense. They were both exhausted.
”Sleep? You told me that Alexander was coming back with a warrant. How the hell am I supposed to sleep?” He responded, his brow furrowed in irritation. Leon didn’t have a good answer. Zayin continued.
”Do you know the area well? Marcus went camping somewhere around here; maybe you recognize the spot in the picture?” He asked.
”What? You want to go after him?”
“Of course I want to go after him. He’s my friend, and he… He looks fucked up.”
”What if it’s a prank? Like ya said…”
”I hope to God it’s a prank, man. I’ll happily be the fool if it means making sure he’s okay.” Zayin spoke with a tired finality in his eyes. Leon felt a nauseous pit grow in his stomach. This kid was far braver than he was. He wanted nothing to do with those woods, especially if that fox was somehow involved.
I can’t… There’s no way.
“So, do you know the area or not?” Zayin asked, standing up.
“Do you realize how massive these woods are? You think I can recognize a spot in the middle a’ nowhere based on a single ratty picture?” Leon spoke, rubbing between his eyes with his thumb.
”Damn. Well, I guess I’ll go find it myself, then.” Zayin spoke, using a claw to peek out of the window by the front door.
Leon looked up.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re just gonna walk out into the woods in the buttfuck of night with no plan? No direction?” He spoke with rising ridicule. Zayin, still peering out the window, only shrugged.
”Why not? Beats sitting around here and getting arrested first thing in the morning.” He said. He reached for the door handle and began to turn it. Leon’s eyes widened. He felt his heart pounding in his chest.
”You’re gonna get lost. People die in them woods all the time, man.” Leon spoke, trying to scare him out of it. Zayin paused.
”All the more reason to find my buddy quick, then.” He said, pulling the latch of the door and swinging it open. “Thanks for the save. I appreciate it,” he said, stepping out onto the gravel.
Leon’s heart was racing faster, and he felt sweat on his palms. Just as quickly as this wolf came, he left.
He’s gonna get lost. He’s gonna get himself killed. Especially if… If something’s out there. But it’s not my problem, right? If he leaves, less I gotta worry about. I’ve got enough as is. Just let him go.
The trailer door closed. The sound of footsteps on gravel. Then silence. A silence so, so loud.
He heard a voice in his head, loud and clear. As if it were whispered in his ear, he heard it say:
No running away…
Leon stood and ran over to the door, throwing it back open. Zayin was standing there, scanning the trees on the horizon. He looked back at Leon as the door opened. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Leon spoke first.
”Show it to me again.”
Zayin closed the passenger door of Leon’s truck, taking a look around at the interior. Leon had his forehead pressed into the rim of the steering wheel, his eyes closed.
Damn it…
”So you’re sure you know where that spot is?” Zayin asked.
”No.” Leon responded shortly, not lifting his face. “There’s a cell tower in the background. I might know which one it is. Maybe.”
“Well, it’s better than nothing. Are you sure we’ll need these, though?” Zayin asked, pulling Leon’s small battery-powered flashlight from his pocket. Leon’s ear twitched in irritation.
”Have you ever been in the woods after dark before, kid?”
”Nope. How dark could it be?”
“City-slicker…” Leon mumbled under his breath.
”Huh?”
“Nothing. Look…” Leon said, raising his head and looking over at the fellow wolf. The truck was dim; the back was illuminated only slightly by the pale light of the moon and stars. The metal of the frame creaked slightly under the two’s weight. “If you really can’t be convinced not to go running into the dark, then we can take a look. But I’m telling you… Needle in a haystack.” Leon spoke honestly. “A very dark, big haystack.”
Zayin clicked his flashlight idly, shining it down on the floor of the cab.
“What’s a haystack?” He asked, tilting his head quizzically.
”Oh my God…” Leon grumbled before sliding the key into the ignition.
Zayin chuckled and leaned back on the leather bench. “Backwoods bumpkin.”
“Har har,” Leon spoke flatly, turning the key.
The engine revved to life, and the headlights shone forward, illuminating a cone of the wolf’s scrapyard lot. There was a thin fog that lazily floated above the ground. Before he put it in gear however, Leon continued his point from earlier.
“I’m serious, though. We ain’t gonna find anything. So just… Temper your expectations, I guess.”
“I get it. You’re a downer. Just take me where you think that tower is, and let me give it a shot.” Zayin responded, leaning forward on the bench.
Leon sighed. He was scared. Terrified if he would see the fox again. Terrified of when he would see him again.
How the fuck is that fox connected to this? Why is he in Zayin’s picture? And most importantly…
Leon put the truck into gear and let off the clutch, sending the truck rolling into motion.
Why the hell am I doing this?
Zayin leaned against the passenger side window, gazing toward the skyline, the silhouettes of trees rapidly passing by. Every so often, the orange glow of a sodium streetlight cast a warm glow across the two canines before quickly fading behind them.
The analog radio in the center of the dashboard cluster was tuned to an AM radio station, and the guitar strums of an old folk song rang quietly through the speakers, sounding thin, dark, and haunted.
The two were silent for a while, with nothing but the sound of the engine and the radio filling the cab. Leon broke the silence.
”So… This is dumb as hell, isn’t it?” He suggested. Zayin turned and looked.
”Is it?”
”I mean… You ever see a horror movie? This is how those people get themselves killed. Going straight to where the freaky shit is happening.” Leon explained.
”I don’t really believe in that kind of thing. Worst case scenario, there’s some crazy psycho out there.” Zayin spoke. “And if that’s the case, I’ll just kick his ass, easy.”
“Uh-huh. Well, you certainly got the fighting spirit, I guess.” Leon said, the tiredness creeping in on his voice. He began to think about his worst-case scenarios. Just as his mind began to take that dive, he decided to change the subject.
”So, what’s your buddy’s name again?” Leon asked. The orange light of the sodium lamps became more and more sparse as they drove on, the forest road beginning to twist into shallow switchbacks.
“Marcus. He’s kind of like the older brother of the group, I guess.”
“You’ve got a group, huh?”
“Ah. I guess so. Just some pals back home. We play games, make art, drive around. Typical stuff.” Zayin explained.
Leon thought back to his teenage years. He never really had a group like that, but there was at least one person who he did everything with. He sighed softly.
“That’s nice. I don’t really have a group like that these days. Unless you count work friends. Maybe a gaming buddy or two.” Leon said, trying not to sound too bummed out. Zayin didn’t seem to catch on.
“Where do you work?”
“I’m a mechanic. Nothin’ fancy.” Leon said plainly, glad that Zayin decided to take the conversation in that direction.
“That makes sense. Car guy, huh?”
“Yep. Somethin’ like that. It’s nice to be able to work with your hands on cars and trucks. Keeps your mind clear.” Leon explained, his expression softening into a small smile. There weren’t lamps on this stretch of the road, so the gray wolf flicked on the high-beam headlights.
“Huh. Yeah, that’s nice. I can see that.” Zayin responded, seemingly a little unsure of what else to say in response. There was a short, bordering on awkward silence. “I’m not really good at that kind of thing. Too much you can mess up. I’m more comfortable when I can do whatever I want.”
“That… Makes sense.” Leon spoke with the same soft smile on his face.
Ain’t talked to someone this long in a while…
“You mentioned you played video games. Maybe that’s the one thing we’ve got in common.” Zayin speculated.
“Ah. Yeah. A bunch of older games, mostly. Some old survival games, horror games.” The gray wolf explained, tilting his head back and forth as he listed the two genres. “You?”
“That’s cool. I’m more into multiplayer stuff. Shooters, fighters. We have a sick split-screen setup back at Max’s place; you should-”
Zayin suddenly stopped talking. His eyes darted forward, and he gripped the seat cushions tightly, his claws digging in. Leon did a double take, turning towards him, confused.
“Uh-”
”Stop.” He ordered.
“Huh?” Leon asked, looking back at the road. Nothing was ahead, just the darkness beyond the light of his high-beams.
“You gotta- Agh!” Zayin cut off his sentence and cried out in pain. He gripped the side of his head with his hand and hunched over on the bench.
“What? What’s going on, man!?” Leon asked, looking back over at him. He was shivering, one arm gripping his abdomen, the other on his head. He slowly raised his head forward and moved the hand on his head to point forward.
“S..stop…”
Leon looked forward too late. The truck was racing towards a figure standing in the road, rapidly becoming visible in his headlights, wearing all black.
“Shit!” The gray wolf screamed. He slammed the brakes, and the squeal of the tires rang out in the cold forest air. There was a horrible slam as the front of the truck made full contact with the figure, and Leon lost control, the vehicle spiraling as it ran off the road and over the edge of one of the switchbacks.
In the breakneck haze of adrenaline, a small part of Leon’s consciousness recognized a black motorcycle helmet in front of him before everything else went dark.
Thud.
This is part two of my horror mystery story, Names Long Lost. If you enjoy cozy, mildly surreal southern-inspired locales, ghostly apparitions, and character-driven storytelling, you might enjoy this series! Feel free to check it out from the description, or from the PDF for cozier reading.
More to come, stay tuned...
I've been feeling strange, recently…
I feel as though I've been seeing people and things that aren't really there…
I’ve dreamt of places and memories that don't belong to me…
…What's going on?
Thud!
The loud thump of a truck hood closing echoed off the high ceiling of an auto garage deep in the mountainous, forested region of the Fringes.
A young, somewhat scrawny wolf man inhaled sharply and used his arm to wipe the sweat off his forehead, leaving a bit of grease in its place on his furry brow. He turned and leaned back against the hood, grabbing a clipboard from a table beside him and pulling a pen from his breast pocket.
The wolf wore his usual working uniform: a polo shirt with a nametag, oversized cargo slacks, and worn-out leather boots. He also wore a cap with the garage’s logo, which helped (somewhat, anyway) to contain his long, shaggy mane of hair that fell down his back. His tired eyes read down the checklist, and he tapped down at the last section.
“How we lookin’ down there, bay two?” He called to the pit below the truck, where his coworker had just finished his inspection following an oil change.
“Bay two is looking fine! Filter is good! Plug tight. Signs of oil leakage. Maybe we get that more formally looked at next time they bring her in for a change.” The technician from the pit called out.
The wolf went down the checklist and scribbled a few notes as the check continued for a while longer. After about a minute or two, the tech finished and called out.
“And that’s about it! Let me outta here, Leon?"
"Yeah, I'm on it." The wolf responded, setting the clipboard down on the shop computer table. He reached to the rack of keys bolted to the side of it, grabbing the matching one before hopping into the truck.
He turned the key, the loud roar of the engine echoing off the corrugated metal walls. Leon shifted the truck into gear and pulled forward just a bit to give his pit technician enough space to climb out of the underground bay. Leaving the keys in the ignition, Leon opened the door and slid out, walking back around to the pit.
The tech was an older canine fellow who sometimes needed a hand to climb the last few steep steps leading up to ground level.
Leon approached the pit and peered down below to lend a hand to his coworker, but he wasn't by the steps.
"Huh? Hey, uh, buddy?" Leo asked. He furrowed his brow and peered down a little way into the pit. It was empty, just a tiny, dark concrete room beneath the garage. A rack of tools hung quietly on the wall, a few lying still on the ground.
Leon pulled his hat off and scratched his head, slowly turning around and gazing absently around the garage.
Nobody was around. A gentle gust of wind pushed against one of the garage's walls, making the whole building creak softly. It was a typical sound, but now unsettling, as the garage had gone entirely silent.
"Guys…? Uh…" Leo stood with his hat in his hand, looking around a few more times, his eyes widening as he confirmed that it wasn't just his pit technician. All of his coworkers were gone.
"...What the fuck? Is this a…" Leon spoke softly as he bent over and gazed into bay 1 on the other half of the garage. "...a prank? Y'all pullin' something on me?" He called out as he learned that that bay was similarly empty. His leg shook slightly as he stood up straight, a nervous tic. He bit his lip and took a deep breath before slipping his hat back on his head.
“...One hell’uva prank.” He muttered to himself. He stood still and absently stared off as his mind raced.
Did I take something? Did I hit my head? Did I come in early and forget? Did-
He noticed something in the corner of his vision, standing in the large bay door.
“...Oh.”
Something stood outside the garage.
The wind once again caused the old garage to creak as Leon stared out the door at a humanoid figure standing up straight outside. The wolf felt a chill run down his spine.
It wasn't anyone who worked at the garage or anyone he knew at all, for that matter. It was a canine of some sort, a young one. He seemed to be a boy with tall, pointed ears. He wore a white dress shirt and slacks. Church clothes. He was too far away for Leon to see his face clearly.
The wolf opened his muzzle to say something, but the words got stuck in his mouth. He awkwardly cleared his throat and gazed back down at the pit to see if his buddy had suddenly reappeared, but he had no such luck.
The boy stepped forward, entering the garage. His footsteps were remarkably soft, and he seemed to disregard Leon as he walked to the truck that he just pulled forward in front of bay 2. Leon finally managed to muster some words.
“Uh... Hello? We, uh, normally don't let folks back here. You lost or somethin’?” Leon asked as the boy gently ran one of his hands on the hood of the truck, seeming to feel the smooth surface of the paint. He didn’t respond or acknowledge the wolf’s presence.
Leon stared at him silently.
Uh…
As the wolf scratched his head, trying to figure out what to do, the boy removed his hand from the truck hood and looked over at him. As soon as their eyes connected, Leon quickly looked away. Another chill ran down his spine, and he felt the fur on his neck bristle.
A fox with white fur…
“You don’t remember me?” He asked, still staring at him with icy blue eyes underneath his messy, short white hair. His voice was soft, smooth, with a hint of condescension.
“I don’t... Should I?” Leon responded. The fox’s gaze lowered slightly, and a frown played his slender muzzle.
“…Oh.”
There was a long silence. While Leon was at a loss for what to say in response, the fox seemed to be pondering what to do next. His eyes narrowed in concentration before closing entirely.
“I guess… This is to be expected. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to… But…”
Leon took a step back, his mind racing and his heart beating fast.
“Wouldn’t have’ta… What?” He asked, trying to get any kind of sensical response from the fox, starting to get nervous by the lack of clarity.
“I’ll just have to remind you.”
Leon’s vision went dark. The fox’s voice spoke in his head.
“…Sorry for this. This is going to be scary.”
“Huh?”
When Leon opened his eyes again, he was no longer in the garage. He turned his head, taking in his new surroundings and blinking slowly as his mind processed what he saw.
He stood in a dark forest, in a linear clearing that ran for what seemed to be miles. On the clearing’s sides were thickets of dense trees, mostly oak but with a handful of pines as well. The cool night air felt different from the stuffy, rubbery shop air that he was breathing in just moments ago.
“What the… hell?” Leon asked himself quietly, slowly pacing in a circle as he gazed around, taking in his surroundings. He gazed upwards, observing the clear night sky. The countless stars twinkled above in their usual splendor, devoid of any light pollution. The glow of the nearby city couldn’t be seen anywhere. The wolf looked up and stared at the night sky, and tried to pinpoint the exact moment he lost his sanity. Just as he began, however, he noticed something odd.
One star in the sky was different from the others. Far brighter and more vibrant than the pale shimmering hues of the rest of the cosmos. The star burned a bright, fiery red. It seemed to be pulsing slightly, bright enough to have a halo surrounding its light.
“I need you to see this.” The disembodied voice of the fox spoke, echoing from no location in particular. “No running away, okay?”
The star flared brightly, its brilliance enough to cast an ember glow across the atmosphere. Leon could only keep his gaze upwards, his eyes locked with the star as it grew brighter. Grew closer.
The wolf’s jaw hung open slightly as a shower of sparks rained down, and the falling star approached with horrifying speed. As soon as he realized what was happening, he cried out and dove to the side as an ear-shattering crash vibrated the night air and sent his body flying, shattering several of his bones along the way.
Dust hung heavily in the forest air, causing the previously clear sky to be all but gone from view. Through heavily muted senses, Leon felt the faint sensation of pain from all of his limbs. He was unable to stand; his body crumpled on the ground.
He heard the sound of voices just a few feet away. Whispers. In a voice neither masculine or feminine.
Through extreme effort, he was able to slowly turn his mangled body towards the source of the sound. Piles of dirt, overturned trees, and upheaved roots surrounded a massive crater in the earth.
Leon stared, unable to will his body to move any further. His eyes struggled to focus. A figure moved into frame. Slowly crawling up from the rim of the crater, a humanoid body stood.
…Almost humanoid. It was off.
Along with the figure came shadows that snaked out from behind it, darting across the ground as if searching for something, expanding. The figure began to shamble over to Leon, moving at a slow, inconsistent speed that sped up and slowed down at random intervals as though it was only just learning how to walk.
The whispers seemed to be coming from it, although not a single word was coherent. It was as though random syllables were being vocalized one after another, forming phantom words that sounded real initially but lost all meaning a moment later.
Leon attempted to crawl away, but his broken body was unable to move. He barely managed to turn his back away, but as soon as he did, he felt a cold grip on his shoulder as he was forced to look back at the thing that was now upon him.
He felt a pressure in his chest as he stared up, up into the void, up into the stark nothingness that made up its being. The darkness peered down at him, first with passing curiosity but then with something different. Hunger. Desire.
Leon felt his end quickly approaching as the shadows that surrounded the creature caught up with it and began to engulf his body, snaking over his broken limbs, around his throat. His eyes were unable to close, and he felt his heart seize in his chest as he stared into that face.
Or lack thereof.
Make it stop…
He tried desperately to resist, but his body was no longer responding. He was paralyzed, and all he could do was watch on through fuzzy vision as it devoured him, feeling the tension on his limbs grow as he was ripped apart, and it devoured.
“Come find me… Okay? I'll be waiting for you.”
The voice of the fox once again echoed in his head, continuing to ring as it faded off into oblivion with the rest of his consciousness.
“....ey.”
Tap tap.
Please… Go away…
“...Hey.”
Tap tap tap.
Please make it stop.
“Leon!”
Slap!
Leon immediately bolted upright, screaming and thrashing his arms, shoving away whatever was near him and scooting back on his ass.
“Fuck! Fuck off!”
“Fucking hell, kid! Calm the fuck down!” A stern, older voice commanded.
Leon’s eyes opened. They were bloodshot red and soaked with tears. He looked around and saw a group of three of his coworkers staring down at him with expressions of shock and concern.
His manager was among them, an older dingo man named Jess. The one who demanded he relax.
Leon blinked twice, his focus slowly returning to reality. He immediately pulled himself up from the dirty garage floor.
“Shit. Fuck. I'm sorry guys, I… Uh. I'm fine.” He spoke. His voice was still shaky, and the expressions on his coworkers’ faces didn't convey much belief in that statement. Jess turned to the other mechanics.
“Hear that boys? He's fine. Get on back to it.” He spoke in his thick southern accent. The other two took a quick look at Leon before one after another, they walked back to their previous spots in the garage, picking up their tasks again while throwing an occasional glance back over. Jess leaned back against the truck that was now pulled forward away from bay 2 and continued to look at the younger wolf.
What the fuck… Leon thought to himself, his mind racing with a flurry of thoughts and emotions.
The wolf reached up to his brow, attempting to adjust his hat out of habit. His hand never reached a brim, however, as the hat was absent from his head. He instead ran awkwardly his fingers through his hair, sweeping it back and fiddling slightly with it. It was a complete mess.
He felt awkward, confused, and ridiculous as he took a few glances around, doing his best to avoid eye contact with the other mechanics, who suddenly became quite focused on their jobs when Leon looked their way.
Other than the awkward atmosphere, the garage was perfectly normal. Everyone who was supposed to be here was, and there wasn't a single sign of anything out of the ordinary. The sky outside was its ordinary bright orange color, and the cicadas were beginning to sing from the surrounding trees, signaling the coming twilight.
So… It was a dream? Did I pass out? …Where the fuck is my hat?
Leon looked back at Jess.
“Hey, uh… Have you seen my-”
Jess slowly extended his hand, holding Leon’s hat in it. His expression was still one concern and confusion, his brow furrowed, and his lips pulled tight behind his thick mustache.
“Ah. Thanks…” Leon spoke sheepishly as he reached out and took the black baseball cap, sliding it back on his head.
“Uh-huh. Hey, mind havin’ a quick chat with me, kid?” Jess asked, standing up straight and walking towards the open garage door. As polite as he sounded in his even voice, it was not a request.
“Oh. Uh, y-yessir.” Leon spoke, following behind him as he stepped out of the garage. Gravel crunched underfoot as they walked towards the small portable building tucked in the corner of the lot—their office.
Fuck… Please don’t fire me… Leon thought to himself as he walked, looking out past the chain link fence and at the sky. The sun was setting, and it was quickly getting dark. The first glint of stars began to show up on the eastern horizon, and seeing them immediately made the wolf think back to his horrifying experience just a few minutes earlier.
It had to have just been a freaky daydream… I inhaled too many fumes and just imagined it all… Right?
He shook his head and turned his attention back in front of him, following Jess as he opened the flimsy trailer door and stepped inside.
Leon followed behind and shut the door behind him. The familiar scent of rubber filled his nose as he walked in. Jess walked past the customer service counter, strewn with ads for various mechanical parts and tires. He opened one more door behind the register, the one leading to his personal office. Leon felt even more uncomfortable as he followed him in. Jess sat behind his desk, and Leon took the seat across from him. He hadn't been in here since he interviewed for the job, at least two years ago at this point.
There was a heavy silence between the two of them, which was padded slightly from the constant buzz of the trailer’s window AC unit. Leon tapped his fingers on his thighs and stared at the outdated tower PC on the desk.
“You want to talk about what’s goin’ on, son?” Jess asked, tilting his head down and looking straight at the wolf. Leon didn't meet his gaze and continued to stare at the PC.
The fuck do I say?
He inhaled as though he was going to speak, but the words got caught in his throat. He turned his head and looked at Jess, and could only manage a shrug.
“What? You don't know?” The dingo asked as a follow-up, his bushy eyebrows furrowed in confusion. “You've been acting… Well… Jus’ damn weird past couple a days.”
Leon gently kicked the tip of his boot into the floor, and twisted it in slightly, anxiously fidgeting while he tried to think of a response.
“I… It's been weird times, I guess.” Leon muttered quietly, knowing even as he spoke that Jess would not be satisfied with the answer.
“‘Weird times.’” Jess repeated, still holding his steady eye contact with the wolf. He took a moment to think, looking like he was choosing his next words carefully. “Could ya elaborate on what ‘weird times’ means?” he asked. He was being extraordinarily patient.
Leon had nothing but respect for Jess, he had always treated his employees well and been there for them if they ever needed it. He felt awful that he didn't have a decent response.
What's the answer? What can I say to make this situation go away?
Leon took a deep breath and finally stopped staring at the computer, returning his boss’ eye contact. One of his hands gently gripped his loose pants, and he began to talk.
“I think I'm just a little under the weather, sir. I'm sorry.” Leon spoke, lying through his teeth.
Jess kept the same patient expression, his face not moving at all. It was clear he wasn't buying it.
“...You sure about that? Forget what happened just now. You've been actin’ funny for a lil bit now. Ain’t look like no ‘under the weather’ I've ever seen before.” He spoke, leaning in a bit, his brows lowering. “Spacin’ out, mumblin’ to yourself… It ain't like ya, and it's got everyone worried.” Jess explained, still keeping an even and honest tone. Leon felt uncomfortable, almost sad. He looked back to the computer and bit his lip, digging his claws into the denim of his pant leg.
He tried to think of what to say, but no words came to mind. It was true.
Over the past two weeks, bizarre things had been happening to him. This was by far the worst occurrence, but he had felt a sense of dissociation on several occasions. Not only that, but restlessness, feelings of dread. Seeing places he’d never been before.
Seeing… people.
“You ain't on drugs, are ya? Please tell me ya ain't on drugs.”
“N-no. No, sir. I'm not.” Leon answered. There was another long silence before Jess sighed.
“Take the week, kid. Get ‘yer head on straight.” Jess spoke, sliding out a drawer from the desk and pulling out a stack of sticky notes and a pen.
Leon froze.
“The whole week? It's fine, sir, really. I'm fine.” Leon protested.
“I don't believe that you passin’ out on the shop floor can be classified as ‘fine.’ It's a liability, and it's gonna get your ass hurt.” Jess said sternly, some of his patience having clearly slipped away. Leon lowered his head a bit, hiding his face beneath his hat.
“We will make do for a week. Look…” the dingo spoke, leaning into the desk with the pen in his hand. “I need you to figure out what's wrong, kid. Don't take a genius to see that you just ain't been yourself. It's reached the point it's affecting yer performance. And safety.”
Jess began to jot down a few words on a sticky note, likely writing down names to call to fill in Leon’s now vacant shifts.
Fuck…
Leon thought to himself, his head still facing down to obscure his face. The only thing stretched thinner than their staff schedule was Leon’s budget. He wasn't sure how he'd make it through the week, missing all those hours. The tip of his boot once again began to anxiously twist into the laminate floor of the trailer.
Jess clicked his pen and spoke up.
“I would much prefer to do this than fire ya, you know that. Yer’ a good kid; you do good work. Jus’ promise me you'll come back feelin’ better.” he said, reaching across the table to gently pat Leon’s arm.
“I uh… Yeah. I understand. I'll figure it out, sir.” The young wolf finally looked up and pulled his lips back, forcing a weak smile. “Thanks. For uh… Not firing me.” Leon continued, slowly standing up.
“‘Course! And uh, one more thing...” Jess said, reaching down to a low drawer on his desk.
“Sir?” Leon asked.
“Can ya pee in this cup before you go?”
After leaving the office trailer, Leon walked back to his truck, trying to avoid catching the attention of his coworkers, who were wrapping up in the garage. He figured it would be more awkward than helpful if he returned to help wrap up, and there wasn’t much left to do anyway.
Leon quickly fished out his keys and unlocked the dented old pickup he usually drove. The wolf stepped up and slid into the cab, closing the door behind him.
The vehicle was worn but well-maintained. The interior was simple, a cushy leather bench that extended all the way from driver to passenger side, covered with faded red leather. It was dimly lit, the last of the fading daylight above casting the interior in a faint, pale blue glow.
Leon took a deep breath and leaned forward, laying his head on the top of the steering wheel and closing his eyes.
Fuck… What the hell is wrong with me?
Thoughts began to swirl in his head.
Who was that…?
Leon’s fur stood on end as he remembered the sequence of events. It was still blurry in his mind, but he certainly remembered. And he could feel that dull pain, the overwhelming fear looking at that… thing.
He felt the phantom sensation of that icy cold grip on his body as he remembered, his arms shivering.
Just an illusion. Just some weird part of my imagination. Not enough sleep, inhaled too many fumes.
He did his best to shut out the memory, one of his hands reaching up to warm his chest. There was something in the breast pocket of his work shirt. Without thinking, Leon slipped his fingers into the pocket and pulled it out.
It was a small photo, no larger than a sticky note, folded in half. The wolf felt his heart jump into his throat, and his eyes widened. Using the claw on his thumb, he slowly unfolded it.
In his hand, he gazed down at an old, sepia-tinted photo of the fox he just met, dressed just as he was in the garage. He sat on a dried fallen tree on the shore of a lake, smiling and leaning forward, looking to his right at another figure in the image.
Leon took a shaky breath as he stared at the fox, but had to do a double take upon seeing the other figure in the frame. A wolf dressed in a wrinkled linen shirt looked forward, seemingly unaware his photo was being taken. His face was uncanny. Remarkably so.
Is that… Me?
A small line in cursive written at the bottom of the photo in black ink read:
“Remember yet?”
I’m fucking haunted.
That was the conclusion that Leon had come up with after three days of his off time from work.
The trailer he lived in was an untidy mess, littered with library books on both the occult and psychology. His small dinette was covered in torn-out pieces of notebook paper, scrawled all over with notes on his findings. His laptop had an unfathomable amount of tabs open.
The wolf hadn’t taken this time lightly at all. Spurred on by both Jess’ insistence that he fixed what was wrong with him, as well as his own terror at what might happen if he didn’t, he had spent nearly every minute investigating any possible cause of his recent episodes.
He started with the rational. The picture of the wolf that looked like himself sitting with the mysterious fox boy was a complete enigma to him. He couldn’t remember ever meeting the fox before or even where the picture might have been taken. The photo itself was ancient, or at least the camera that produced it was.
He performed every self-diagnostic he could on his own mind. Testing his memory, he went through every contact on his phone, making sure he could remember each person on the list. He recounted his general life story from as far back as he could remember and made sure there weren’t any gaps that he couldn’t account for. He looked through old photos on his phone, although his collection was extremely limited.
His claw tapped idly on the counter as he thought about any possible alternative to what he was about to do. Leon hated social media. Especially when it might pertain to him in particular. With a shaky hand, he typed in a URL and found his mother’s timeline.
It started out mundane enough. Sporadic reposts of low-quality memes, Bible verses, and a picture of her pets. He kept scrolling, clicking down on the middle mouse wheel and letting the page rapidly scroll itself. The images got older. Less memes. The first picture of him so far, sitting together with her at a diner for his birthday. He swallowed.
Further.
Pictures of family, years ago.
Further.
The first picture of his father, posing in front of a scenic overlook with him.
Further…
He continued to scroll, and suddenly stopped. An old image was displayed in the center of the page. Leon saw a much younger version of himself, grinning ear to ear, holding a fishing rod with a dangling fish from the line. He stood alongside a retriever boy, the same age as he was, grinning just as happily. The background was the tail end of a small boat and open water behind them. Leon slowly drew his hand away from the mouse and took a shaky breath.
“Forever, right?”
“Hm?”
Leon looked over from his comic book at Nic, who lay beside him, half in his sleeping bag. The wolf had assumed he was asleep. The retriever stared up at the roof of the tent, one arm behind his head.
“We’ve been friends since we were little kids… And we’re friends now. Right?” He spoke, still keeping his gaze up. Leon put his comic down and sat up, looking over at him, perplexed.
“I mean… Yeah. Dude, are you okay?”
Nic didn’t answer the question. “And we’re in the kinda town where nobody really comes to. And nobody really leaves...”
Leon shrugged. “Kinda, I guess. Yeah…”
“So that means we’ll be friends forever, right?” Nic asked.
“I uh. You’re weird, dude…” Leon scratched the back of his head and looked a little annoyed by the question. There was a pause, and he looked away. “…But yeah. I guess. If nothing happens between us, I don’t see why not.”
Nic suddenly rolled out of his sleeping bag, slid next to the wolf, and wrapped his arms around his chest in a tight hug.
“Good.” The dog said, Leon grunting and lifting his arms in surprise.
“D-Dude! That’s gay!” Leon protested, gritting his teeth and leaning away. Nic simply smiled and held the hug. “…You’re weird, dude.” The young wolf grumbled, looking away at the thin wall of the tent.
“And you keep saying the same thing over and over.” Nic spoke with a smile, his tail slowly wagging behind him.
I remember that camping trip. We got our own tent. It was awesome…
And a few years later…
“Dude… That’s gay.” Leon spoke, wiping Nic’s saliva from his muzzle. The retriever leaned against his chest, staring up into his eyes as he pulled away from the kiss.
Leon inhaled sharply and mashed Ctrl+W on the keyboard, forcing the tab closed. Too many memories. Most of them good. Some of them bad. Real bad.
He decided to continue his research elsewhere.
“Insane people aren’t aware they’re insane.” was the short answer he came up with, and it brought him some comfort. Surely if he was aware of himself enough to be making all these checks, then his mind must not be that impacted.
Right?
After mostly assuring himself that he wasn’t insane, Leon started to look elsewhere for answers.
He had never put much stock in the supernatural. He had a passing interest in it, probably as much as the next guy; he occasionally watched stupid paranormal investigation videos but mostly just discarded it as bullshit for entertainment. But now, he wasn’t so sure.
He researched the historical symptoms of curses, hauntings, and possessions. He tried hard to remain cynical of the accounts, but the more and more he read, the more he came to empathize with the afflicted he looked into. Seeing figures that nobody else saw. Hearing voices. Vivid hallucinations of unknown times and places.
It was too uncanny to be a coincidence, he thought.
He was forced to reevaluate his opinion on the matter. He had looked into calling a priest or psychic but had no idea how to go about actually telling them what was going on without sounding crazy. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath.
…Am I crazy?
…I don’t know.
Gah. Fuck.
He put his head down on the cold countertop.
When he lifted his head again, he noticed the setting sun outside. It was nearly dark, and he had spent the whole day indoors. His stomach rumbled. He had forgotten to eat lunch. The hunger was catching up to him.
Scratching the back of his head, he stood and began to make his way over to the fridge. His ears twitched. He heard movement outside—the faint sound of footsteps on gravel.
“The hell…?” Leon muttered under his breath. He decided to walk to the right into the bedroom of his trailer. He hooked a claw on one of the thin plastic slats and slowly pulled it down, peering outside.
Aside from a few stars in the dark sky on the horizon and the chilling deep blue silhouettes of the pines in the distance, he couldn’t see a thing out there. This only unsettled him more, and he felt a pit of dread begin to grow in his stomach. His hands began to sweat.
He tried to force the memory down, but it forced its way into his mind. That… thing. The thing that the fox showed him, that shattered his body and devoured him in the dream. What if that was what was outside? What if it was real?
The pain felt so real. It felt so...
Click!
The handle of the trailer door unlatched. Leon’s eyes widened, and he felt a jolt of adrenaline spike through his body. He quickly looked around the room and grabbed the first thing that could feasibly be used as a weapon, an old walking stick that he kept as decoration by the dinette. He flattened himself by the bedroom door and peered out into the kitchen and living room, stick at the ready, his heart racing and body dripping with sweat. He closed the pocket door that separated the two spaces almost all the way, leaving just enough space to peer through.
The trailer door quickly swung open, and a figure rushed inside, rapidly closing the door behind themselves and leaning against it.
It was a teenager. A white wolf. He pressed himself against the door and breathed hard, his eyes closed.
A small relief passed through Leon, seeing as though the stranger was not some kind of monster trying to destroy him, at least not immediately. He was still scared as shit, though.
If there was a time for action, it was now. Mustering up as much courage as he could, he turned the corner and confronted the strange wolf.
Leon glanced at the young wolf, who was now taking refuge on his couch. He seemed mundane enough, probably just a stupid kid running away from the cops in a neighborhood he didn’t know. Leon had been in similar situations before himself. Cops hardly knew about this place, and unless they were directly on his tail, he doubted that any would think to check here.
I feel ya, man…
He sighed softly and looked back at his computer, idly clicking between tabs, unable to really focus on anything with the stranger still catching his breath on the couch. He thought of saying something, but nothing really came to mind.
After some time, the stranger let out a soft gasp and dropped his phone on the couch. It bounced once and began to slide down the edge, but he scrambled and was able to catch it before it fell all the way.
“Uh… You good, man?” Leon asked with a raised brow, peering from the side of his laptop. The white wolf seemed distraught but nodded rapidly.
“Y-yeah! I’m good. Sorry.” He said, bouncing his thigh up and down as he stared down at his phone, idly tracing his fingers against the screen. Leon could clearly see the screen was off, and his eyes narrowed.
“You’re sure?”
“Uh-huh! Yeah. Sorry. Uh…” the stranger said, looking away. Something had clearly rattled him.
“Kid… What the hell were you-?”
Knock knock!
Both wolves immediately sat upright, staring at the door. A deep, muffled voice came through from the other side.
”Intercity Police.”
The voice was calm, at least for now. Leon stood up and took a step towards the door. The white wolf flicked his gaze over to him, his eyes wide with an expression of terror.
Figured…
Leon jerked his head in the direction of the bedroom in the back.
The teenager looked back to the door, and then back at Leon, before quickly rising to his feet and scrambling over to the bedroom, clumsily sliding the pocket door closed behind him. It rattled the trailer with a thud as it hit the opposing wall. Leon rolled his eyes.
Idiot.
Another knock came from the door.
”Anyone home?” The voice asked, though Leon was sure the closing door would have been heard loud and clear through the thin walls of the mobile home.
He took a deep breath and walked to the door, unlatching the lock and opening the door a crack, leaning out of the gap with his body to block the entrance.
It took his eyes a second to adjust to the darkness outside, but when they did, they met those of a massive lion man in uniform.
“Uh… Howdy. Can I help you?” Leon asked, doing his best to keep an even tone. He had dealt with cops previously, but it still didn’t stop his heart from pounding in his chest and his mind from racing over every potentially illegal thing he'd ever done in his life.
“Good evening, sir. My name is Alexander, with the Intercity Police. Sorry to bother you this late.” He spoke, his voice even and calm. He held a small notebook in his hands, but as he spoke he looked Leon directly in the eyes. The wolf cleared his throat and tried to remain calm.
”What can I do for ya…?”
“I’ve been looking for someone today, a wolf, age seventeen. I have reason to believe he came this way; I was just wondering if you’d seen or heard anything unusual.” Alexander spoke.
Leon looked back inside and stared at the closed pocket door.
Who the hell is this kid…? I don’t want to put my neck out on the line for some punk I don’t know. Fuckin’ hell…
Leon sighed deeply and turned to look back at the officer. He began to speak, but his words caught in his throat.
Behind the officer, he saw him.
The fox from the garage stood just behind Alexander. He slowly raised a hand to his muzzle, extending one finger just in front of his nose, making a ‘shush’ motion while staring at Leon with a smile on his face.
Leon’s eyes widened as he stared. Alexander raised an eyebrow and turned around. His broad shoulders briefly blocked the fox from view, and when the lion was turned all the way, the fox was nowhere to be seen. Alexander quickly turned back around.
”Is something wrong, sir?” He asked, tilting his head slightly. He seemed genuinely concerned, but skeptical. Leon let go of the door, letting it fall open a bit wider as he answered, no longer thinking clearly.
“N-No. The answer is no.” He lied, more so trying to convince himself of his answer to the question. His gaze was still in the direction of the now-empty space where the fox once stood.
The officer still kept his eyes on him and lowered his head slightly, his eyes still looking into his. Leon quickly realized he was spacing out and snapped back to attention, looking back at his face. “To both questions, that is.”
He barely had time to consider the fact that he had just committed a misdemeanor. His mind was solely transfixed to his now second supernatural encounter with the fox. This time was less visceral but no less terrifying.
What the hell is going on…
The lion’s expression hardened a bit, and his eyes ever so briefly broke eye contact with Leon. He looked down, writing a few words in his notebook.
”I see. I don’t suppose I could have a look around the property? Nothing too deep; I just want to double-check some things.”
”Huh?” Leon asked, some of the fog clearing from his brain. Alexander’s expression was still slightly stern, but his eyes still held a level of gentleness.
”I just wanted to look briefly to see-“
”You got a warrant?” Leon interjected, cutting him off. His lips twitched as he said that, and perhaps if his heart weren’t pounding so hard, he wouldn’t have been so rude. But his head was overloaded, and he wanted nothing more than the cop to go away.
”No, I don’t. It would be a voluntary search, but…”
“Then, sorry, I’m busy tonight and ain’t really got time for this,” Leon spoke, pulling his arm back to close the door. Alexander’s eyes widened.
”Sir, I-“
”Goodnight, mister.”
Click!
The door shut into place, and Leon could only stare down at the door handle. His hand was shaking. He gripped his wrist with his other arm, trying to calm down. His heart was racing, and he registered just how clammy his fur was with sweat.
He heard the muffled sound of footsteps on gravel outside before the sound of a boot sliding slightly as it stopped. Alexander’s voice called out.
“Just so you know, I do intend to come back with a warrant tomorrow. I’ll leave my card here; please feel free to call if you see anything or have any questions.”
The sound of boots picked up again as the lion walked away.
Leon blinked.
He’s getting a warrant…? What…?
The wolf slowly turned around and looked at the small couch that faced the front door. The back cushion was covered in splotches of neon green, blue, and pink paint.
You fucking idiot…
Leon threw open the sliding bedroom door and saw the wolf’s tail peeking out on the floor behind the far side of the bed.
”You suck at hiding, kid.”
The tail was quickly dragged out of view, and after a brief moment, he peeked his head up above the mattress.
”You especially suck at hiding when you leave a goddamn trail of paint wherever you drag your ass.” Leon spoke with a frustrated snarl.
“Is he gone?” He asked, ignoring Leon’s complaint, his gaze peering into the living room behind Leon.
“Yeah. He’s gone. But he’s coming back with a warrant, and I just lied to cover your ass. Now take your stupid jacket off before I kick you out.” He said, flicking on the bedroom light. The wolf slowly rose to his feet with a pensive expression on his face. He sighed and slipped his jacket off his shoulders, flipping it inside out and tying it around his waist.
“Sorry, man. It’s been a long day. I forgot. I’ll… fix your couch.” He spoke, averting his gaze. He walked past Leon and back into the living area and sat down on the floor, with his now T-shirt-covered back leaning against it. He buried his face in his palms and went silent.
The anger that Leon had felt just a moment ago softened, now feeling sadness, pity. He took a deep breath and walked out next to him.
Shit…
“Ah… Hey, don't worry about the couch. I'm sorry. I ain't gonna kick you out.” Leon sat on the couch a cushion’s width away from him, careful to avoid the spots now crusted with damp paint. “Y'know, I don’t even know your name, kid.”
The younger wolf rubbed his eyes with his thumb and forefinger before sighing a response.
“Go by Zayin.”
Leon blinked. “Zayin. Alright. Well, I'm Leon.”
Zayin waved his paw a bit dismissively. “Yeah, pleasure.”
He immediately had his face down in his hands again. There was an awkward silence between the two of them.
“So… You wanna talk about it?” Leon asked.
“About what?”
“About… What's going on.” Leon paused. “...Can help. It's not easy being on the run like I assume y’are.”
“How would you know?” Zayin asked, a bit of curiosity in his voice. He turned his head to the side to look over at him.
“Been there. I guess. When I was your age. Done quite a bit of running myself...” Leon spoke with a sigh. Bitter memories came back. He visualized himself closing that tab again.
“‘When I was your age?’” Zayin repeated with a scoff. “You're not that much older than me, dude. Least you don't look like it.” He said with a small smile. Leon shrugged.
“I guess not. But uh…” Leon looked away, and tapped his fingers on his legs. “I'm genuinely curious. About why yer on the run. I committed a misdemeanor to cover for your ass, just so you know. Least ya could do is tell me.”
His smile softened.
“Ah. Yeah… It's not that long of a story, I guess. I set off some explosives in that cop’s face.”
Leon blinked. “I beg your pardon?”
“It was an accident,” Zayin spoke as though it were the plainest thing in the world.
“An accident? You sound like a terrorist, kid.” Leon said, baffled.
Zayin smirked again, a bit of light coming back to his eyes.
“Nah. Not a terrorist. An artist.”
Leon was leaning back on the couch, his eyes staring at the ceiling as Zayin explained the full story to him.
“And you did all that… On parole?” The gray wolf asked.
Zayin nodded.
“Shit. Not even I was that stupid.” He commented.
“I'm telling you. I don't know how it got set off. I was holding the lighter, and I wasn't anywhere near the fuse. It just… Went.” Zayin ruminated. Leon scoffed but held his tongue. He considered that he himself had been experiencing unexplainable events lately.
“Y'know, stranger things have happened, so I'll give ya the benefit of the doubt.”
Zayin paused for a moment before continuing. “And now my buddy is freaking me out. Last thing I needed tonight.”
“How so?”
“I uh… I don't know. He went missing a couple of days ago. Not too out of the ordinary for him, but then I got sent a weird picture. It seems like a prank, really.” His voice trailed off, seemingly unconfident in that last sentence.
“What, you get sent a dick pic or somethin’?” Leon asked, his voice flat.
“Gross. No, nothing like that… It looks like he’s in trouble, but I can’t really tell if it's fake or not.”
“Wanna share?” Leon asked.
Zayin shrugged and pulled his phone out of his pocket, unlocking it. It was already open to the image. He held the phone out for Leon to look at.
Leon squinted his eyes a bit as he looked at the picture.
This is a fuckin’ mess, alright…
He saw a cat man covered in blood, brandishing a hatchet like he’d just killed someone. He had a crazed look in his eye and was wearing a flannel jacket and a backpack. There was something off about the edges of the image. Like there was something there that was just barely taking shape in the photo. And behind him…
Behind him… Is…
“That fox…” Leon spoke.
“Oh, no. He’s a cat, actually.” Zayin said with an annoying amount of condescension. Leon ignored him and peered closer.
In the background of the image, amid some trees in the background. Barely visible… It was him. He was hardly the focal point of the otherwise busy image, but it was unmistakable.
The fox in the white shirt. It was the ghost that had been haunting him. He was sure of it.
“No. That fox.” Leon repeated and pinched his fingers out to zoom in on the ghostly figure. “Look.”
Zayin turned the phone back around and looked. He stared for a moment before his ears perked up.
“Oh!” He exclaimed, nodding. “That is a fox, I think. Kinda hard to tell. I… didn’t notice him…” he continued sheepishly. He continued to stare at the image.
Leon was silent. He half expected Zayin not to be able to see him. Part of him was comforted that somebody else could see this fox, at least in a picture. But the context… Why was he in the background? And…
“Why is he just standing there? Marcus looks like he’s either fighting tooth and nail for his life, and he’s just… There. I don’t get it…” Zayin said, his voice shaking slightly at the end, tinged with exhaustion and desperation. It was clear this only made things more confusing for him.
Leon felt the same way. The fox showing up in that picture seemed to only complicate both of their situations. The two wolves were silent, both their minds racing as they did their best to make sense of their situations.
What the fuck is going on…?
“Maybe we just take a break. Sleep this off.” Leon suggested. The two had both been shocked silent, and the air in the trailer was tense. They were both exhausted.
”Sleep? You told me that Alexander was coming back with a warrant. How the hell am I supposed to sleep?” He responded, his brow furrowed in irritation. Leon didn’t have a good answer. Zayin continued.
”Do you know the area well? Marcus went camping somewhere around here; maybe you recognize the spot in the picture?” He asked.
”What? You want to go after him?”
“Of course I want to go after him. He’s my friend, and he… He looks fucked up.”
”What if it’s a prank? Like ya said…”
”I hope to God it’s a prank, man. I’ll happily be the fool if it means making sure he’s okay.” Zayin spoke with a tired finality in his eyes. Leon felt a nauseous pit grow in his stomach. This kid was far braver than he was. He wanted nothing to do with those woods, especially if that fox was somehow involved.
I can’t… There’s no way.
“So, do you know the area or not?” Zayin asked, standing up.
“Do you realize how massive these woods are? You think I can recognize a spot in the middle a’ nowhere based on a single ratty picture?” Leon spoke, rubbing between his eyes with his thumb.
”Damn. Well, I guess I’ll go find it myself, then.” Zayin spoke, using a claw to peek out of the window by the front door.
Leon looked up.
“Are you out of your mind? You’re just gonna walk out into the woods in the buttfuck of night with no plan? No direction?” He spoke with rising ridicule. Zayin, still peering out the window, only shrugged.
”Why not? Beats sitting around here and getting arrested first thing in the morning.” He said. He reached for the door handle and began to turn it. Leon’s eyes widened. He felt his heart pounding in his chest.
”You’re gonna get lost. People die in them woods all the time, man.” Leon spoke, trying to scare him out of it. Zayin paused.
”All the more reason to find my buddy quick, then.” He said, pulling the latch of the door and swinging it open. “Thanks for the save. I appreciate it,” he said, stepping out onto the gravel.
Leon’s heart was racing faster, and he felt sweat on his palms. Just as quickly as this wolf came, he left.
He’s gonna get lost. He’s gonna get himself killed. Especially if… If something’s out there. But it’s not my problem, right? If he leaves, less I gotta worry about. I’ve got enough as is. Just let him go.
The trailer door closed. The sound of footsteps on gravel. Then silence. A silence so, so loud.
He heard a voice in his head, loud and clear. As if it were whispered in his ear, he heard it say:
No running away…
Leon stood and ran over to the door, throwing it back open. Zayin was standing there, scanning the trees on the horizon. He looked back at Leon as the door opened. He opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Leon spoke first.
”Show it to me again.”
Zayin closed the passenger door of Leon’s truck, taking a look around at the interior. Leon had his forehead pressed into the rim of the steering wheel, his eyes closed.
Damn it…
”So you’re sure you know where that spot is?” Zayin asked.
”No.” Leon responded shortly, not lifting his face. “There’s a cell tower in the background. I might know which one it is. Maybe.”
“Well, it’s better than nothing. Are you sure we’ll need these, though?” Zayin asked, pulling Leon’s small battery-powered flashlight from his pocket. Leon’s ear twitched in irritation.
”Have you ever been in the woods after dark before, kid?”
”Nope. How dark could it be?”
“City-slicker…” Leon mumbled under his breath.
”Huh?”
“Nothing. Look…” Leon said, raising his head and looking over at the fellow wolf. The truck was dim; the back was illuminated only slightly by the pale light of the moon and stars. The metal of the frame creaked slightly under the two’s weight. “If you really can’t be convinced not to go running into the dark, then we can take a look. But I’m telling you… Needle in a haystack.” Leon spoke honestly. “A very dark, big haystack.”
Zayin clicked his flashlight idly, shining it down on the floor of the cab.
“What’s a haystack?” He asked, tilting his head quizzically.
”Oh my God…” Leon grumbled before sliding the key into the ignition.
Zayin chuckled and leaned back on the leather bench. “Backwoods bumpkin.”
“Har har,” Leon spoke flatly, turning the key.
The engine revved to life, and the headlights shone forward, illuminating a cone of the wolf’s scrapyard lot. There was a thin fog that lazily floated above the ground. Before he put it in gear however, Leon continued his point from earlier.
“I’m serious, though. We ain’t gonna find anything. So just… Temper your expectations, I guess.”
“I get it. You’re a downer. Just take me where you think that tower is, and let me give it a shot.” Zayin responded, leaning forward on the bench.
Leon sighed. He was scared. Terrified if he would see the fox again. Terrified of when he would see him again.
How the fuck is that fox connected to this? Why is he in Zayin’s picture? And most importantly…
Leon put the truck into gear and let off the clutch, sending the truck rolling into motion.
Why the hell am I doing this?
Zayin leaned against the passenger side window, gazing toward the skyline, the silhouettes of trees rapidly passing by. Every so often, the orange glow of a sodium streetlight cast a warm glow across the two canines before quickly fading behind them.
The analog radio in the center of the dashboard cluster was tuned to an AM radio station, and the guitar strums of an old folk song rang quietly through the speakers, sounding thin, dark, and haunted.
The two were silent for a while, with nothing but the sound of the engine and the radio filling the cab. Leon broke the silence.
”So… This is dumb as hell, isn’t it?” He suggested. Zayin turned and looked.
”Is it?”
”I mean… You ever see a horror movie? This is how those people get themselves killed. Going straight to where the freaky shit is happening.” Leon explained.
”I don’t really believe in that kind of thing. Worst case scenario, there’s some crazy psycho out there.” Zayin spoke. “And if that’s the case, I’ll just kick his ass, easy.”
“Uh-huh. Well, you certainly got the fighting spirit, I guess.” Leon said, the tiredness creeping in on his voice. He began to think about his worst-case scenarios. Just as his mind began to take that dive, he decided to change the subject.
”So, what’s your buddy’s name again?” Leon asked. The orange light of the sodium lamps became more and more sparse as they drove on, the forest road beginning to twist into shallow switchbacks.
“Marcus. He’s kind of like the older brother of the group, I guess.”
“You’ve got a group, huh?”
“Ah. I guess so. Just some pals back home. We play games, make art, drive around. Typical stuff.” Zayin explained.
Leon thought back to his teenage years. He never really had a group like that, but there was at least one person who he did everything with. He sighed softly.
“That’s nice. I don’t really have a group like that these days. Unless you count work friends. Maybe a gaming buddy or two.” Leon said, trying not to sound too bummed out. Zayin didn’t seem to catch on.
“Where do you work?”
“I’m a mechanic. Nothin’ fancy.” Leon said plainly, glad that Zayin decided to take the conversation in that direction.
“That makes sense. Car guy, huh?”
“Yep. Somethin’ like that. It’s nice to be able to work with your hands on cars and trucks. Keeps your mind clear.” Leon explained, his expression softening into a small smile. There weren’t lamps on this stretch of the road, so the gray wolf flicked on the high-beam headlights.
“Huh. Yeah, that’s nice. I can see that.” Zayin responded, seemingly a little unsure of what else to say in response. There was a short, bordering on awkward silence. “I’m not really good at that kind of thing. Too much you can mess up. I’m more comfortable when I can do whatever I want.”
“That… Makes sense.” Leon spoke with the same soft smile on his face.
Ain’t talked to someone this long in a while…
“You mentioned you played video games. Maybe that’s the one thing we’ve got in common.” Zayin speculated.
“Ah. Yeah. A bunch of older games, mostly. Some old survival games, horror games.” The gray wolf explained, tilting his head back and forth as he listed the two genres. “You?”
“That’s cool. I’m more into multiplayer stuff. Shooters, fighters. We have a sick split-screen setup back at Max’s place; you should-”
Zayin suddenly stopped talking. His eyes darted forward, and he gripped the seat cushions tightly, his claws digging in. Leon did a double take, turning towards him, confused.
“Uh-”
”Stop.” He ordered.
“Huh?” Leon asked, looking back at the road. Nothing was ahead, just the darkness beyond the light of his high-beams.
“You gotta- Agh!” Zayin cut off his sentence and cried out in pain. He gripped the side of his head with his hand and hunched over on the bench.
“What? What’s going on, man!?” Leon asked, looking back over at him. He was shivering, one arm gripping his abdomen, the other on his head. He slowly raised his head forward and moved the hand on his head to point forward.
“S..stop…”
Leon looked forward too late. The truck was racing towards a figure standing in the road, rapidly becoming visible in his headlights, wearing all black.
“Shit!” The gray wolf screamed. He slammed the brakes, and the squeal of the tires rang out in the cold forest air. There was a horrible slam as the front of the truck made full contact with the figure, and Leon lost control, the vehicle spiraling as it ran off the road and over the edge of one of the switchbacks.
In the breakneck haze of adrenaline, a small part of Leon’s consciousness recognized a black motorcycle helmet in front of him before everything else went dark.
Thud.
Category Story / All
Species Wolf
Size 120 x 120px
File Size 183.1 kB
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