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Dark Valley

Chapter Fourteen

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

21st June, 2019

All Rights Reserved.

Constable Selene was released a week later, deemed medically fit, after repeated visits to the Psychiatrist, who expressed minor concerns. Evaluating her mentally, the Psychiatrist passed her fit to return to light duties, but prescribed some strong medications, and a mental exercise and meditation regime for her.

Her return to duty wasn't without consequences, as the Sargent distrusted her and he quietly hushed up the incident in the hospital. Selene had broken – at least partially – and it was deemed to have been accidental, due to stress and other mitigating factors.

Selene knew different – but she kept that to herself, throwing herself back into her work with the community and her work as the Police Constable. Having lost interest, the media circus packed up and moved on. They had tried – and failed - to cause controversy and build a story out of practically nothing – but tensions still simmered in Curlew Creek. Rumours, whispering and out and out accusations began to fragment the town, but Selene did her best to tamp down any spot fires that flared up.

*

“Constable Selene?” Spoke a courier, as he looked around the Police station, then approached her desk.

“Yes?” Selene asked, looking up from her laptop.

“A registered letter for you ma'am, please sign here -”

He handed her a tablet device and a electronic pen. Curiously, Selene signed for the letter, then held it in her hands, turning it forwards and back. A beautiful calligraphy had been embossed on the envelope – but no return address or as she realised, it wasn't done by hand – but printed.

“What's this about - “ Selene muttered, as she reached for a letter opener, her eyes on the letter, a frown creasing her brow.

Suddenly, she shrieked in agony, snatching her hand away as it felt like it burned like she had thrust it into a bed of hot coals. Knocked over, the letter opener rolled off her desk and thudded onto the floor.

“What the - “ Snarled the Sargent, as he stormed out of his office, looking dishevelled and unprofessional – obviously he'd slept at the station last night.

Selene clutched her hand to her breast, tears streaking down her face as she gasped in imagined agony.

“My...my fingers!“ Selene's voice cracked, as she felt like they would spontaneously erupt into flames.

Grumpily, the Sargent walked over, then took her hand and she reluctantly opened it, as he looked down and frowned, before shaking his head.

“What the hell did that - “ He began, seeing the raised blisters that formed over her four fingers.

“I touched something – it - “ Selene wept, as she snatched her hand back, pushed her chair away and ran to the break room, dousing her fingers with water from the tap.

Noticing the letter on the desk, the Sargent's eyes widened, as he knew that calligraphy well. Retrieving the silver letter opener from the floor, he hurried back to his office, hiding it in a drawer.

“No...” He whispered, eyes wide. “It can't be – it just can't...”

He began reaching for his mobile phone, when suddenly, the door to his office slammed open and he screamed in terror.

A seven foot tall humanoid wolf stood there. It's jaws gaping as it panted, the look of rage and feral hunger blazed from its half-lidded eyes. Claws like scythes adorned all five of its fingers, that flexed and contracted.

“No...you're – you're not real...your kind got hunted to the ends of the earth and - “

With a snarl, it moved closer. It's ears slicking back as it growled with a vicious, blood thirsty vocalisation. Its eyes gleamed with cruelty, malice and an unmistakable human intelligence.

He snatched for the gun holstered on his belt – but it was faster.

Claws sank into his chest.

He screamed, as they tore through muscle and flesh like tissues.

With no effort at all, it grasped him, then flung him like a child's toy against the filing cabinets.

Stunned, he crumbled to the floor, the phone falling from his limp fingers.

It snarled again. Claws sank into the timber of his desk, before it effortlessly tossed it aside, as if it weighed nothing..it's sole attention on the human who lay before it.

“Go away...you're not real, you're not!” He squealed like a child.

Reaching out, it sank its sharp claws into his shoulders. Effortlessly, it clenched the paws. With a loud crunch, both shoulder blades snapping as easily as a human would break a stick over their knee.

Shrieking in agony, he knew pain and suffering, the likes he'd never imagined, as this wolf leaned forwards, picking him up like a rag doll, then began shaking him violently.

Teeth rattled and he gurgled and gasped.

It shook him like a terrier with a rat. It stared into his eyes. It's nose pressed against his. It's dewlaps curling back and exposing saliva streaked gums and terrible, sharp canine's. It froze, as his hand shot up under its jaw.

He smiled, blood flecking his lips, as he pressed the Glock 22 under its chin.

“Yeah...you know what this is...” He gasped, then spat a mouthful of blood into its muzzle.

Incredulously, the Wolf merely raised a single eyebrow at him, then a sickening, grunting come from its throat.

He realised it was laughing at him...

His finger twitched...

It threw itself sideways, then yelped as the bullet seared a hot groove up the side of its muzzle.

A thud was heard, bullet sizzling into the roof of the police station.

Again, it threw him violently. His body crashing over his desk and smashing the door off its hinges as the wolf leapt after him.

His glock was knocked from his hand, spinning away.

“No...no, you...you can't - “ He wept, his bladder releasing and a large, wet stain formed on his dark trousers.

Staring down, the wolf merely gave him a cruel, predatory smile – before it dropped its head and showed him what – real – pain was...

It wasn't quick..

*

Next morning, the Post Mistress wandered the township, delivering mail and exchanging pleasantries with people she met and knew. Her route was a circuitous one, ending at the Police Station of Curlew Creek. Pausing, she dug through the bag, before finding the large collection of mail for the Police.

As she stepped up to the door, humming a tune to herself and lost in her own mind, she instinctively reached out to knock on the door to announce her presence. Her hand come away sticky and wet, and she blinked, before a terrified scream was torn from her throat as she looked at the tacky blood on the door...and some that had puddled under it.

Dropping the mail, the Post Mistress shrieked and ran like she'd never run before...

*

Selene gurgled, before she swiped her hand across her eyes, dragged from the depths of sleep by the frantic bashing on her front door.

“Alright...” Selene mumbled, staggering down the hallway, dressed in a loose summer night gown. “I'm coming...”

As she unlatched the door, it was slammed open and Selene was knocked backwards, as the hysterical Post Mistress stood there, crying and babbling incoherently.

“Tracy? uh...what the...” Selene blinked and rubbed at her eyes, snatching a quick glance at the nearby grandfather clock. “Its my day off, and its 8:10am, what in the hell...”

“Dea...” Tracy began, before she completely broke down into hysteria.

“Who...no...come on, get in here, let me make you a coffee or something!”

“Dead...” Tracy choked out. “Blood...everywhere - “

Selene was oblivious as the cup fell from her lifeless fingers, and her face went as white as the gown she wore.

“Who...what...slow down, who died...how...when?”

Unable to coherently speak, Tracy pointed in the direction of town.

“Stay here!” Selene snapped at her, then fled to the bedroom and hurriedly dressed.

When she returned, the front door swung in the breeze and Tracy was gone...

*

Selene skidded the cruiser sideways, leaving it running, lights and sirens wailing, as she ran up the steps and took in the scene. Drawing her sidearm, she kicked open the door which slapped back against the wall with a loud bang, for which Selene immediately kicked herself for.

Her eyes swept the devastation – the grisly mess; blood splattered everywhere, folders and files scattered and trampled, grisly scenes even the academy hadn't prepared her for – it was here and then some. Retching, Selene staggered back to the hallway, unmindful she was now contaminating a crime scene – rational thought was gone, this was a scene from some Hollywood horror movie...it had to be...

Staggering down the stairs, Selene dropped to her knees and vomited – she couldn't help it – until at least, weak, sweat sick and shaking, she crawled to the cruiser and fumbled at the door. Pulling it open, her hands sought out the radio, and in her desperation and panic, she tore the cable from the receiver.

“Fuck!” Selene moaned, as she tossed the useless handset onto the ground, then turned around as a shadow was cast over the passenger window.

In a heartbeat, she had completely turned, then un-holstered her glock 22, then found herself staring at a trembling human, dressed in long robes, who froze like a deer in headlights, then instinctively lifted its hands in submission.

Selene didn't think – she didn't need too – she closed the distance and gripped the robed figure by throat, before slamming it hard against the wall and shoving the glock hard up under its chin.

“Give me one fucking reason...” Selene snarled. “So help me, you twitch and I'll paint these walls with your brains...”

Eyes wide, the human shuddered. Fear poured from it in waves, even Selene could smell the soul stench of sweat and abject terror.

“Good, you should be afraid of me...” Selene growled, then tore the hood off and dashed it to the ground.

Eyes squeezed tightly closed, fearing she would certainly die, the young woman, barely a teenager, began to cry in abject fear. Her nostrils flared wide and her heart thudded within her chest, but she did exactly as she was told.

“What the hell did your kind do...” Selene growled, leaning in close and pushing the glock harder, feeling the shaking young girl step up onto her toes.

“Please...” Come a faint croak.

“Give me one reason...what the hell are you? How can you...no, never mind – I'm going to make you suffer skip...oh, believe me...when I'm done with you...”

“Please, in..in my...in pouch...” Gasped the girl glancing down as best she could.

Selene stepped back, holding the glock in both hands, before the barrel wavered and she gestured. Fearfully, the woman lifted her robes, then slid her left hand into her pouch and pulled out a piece of paper covered with a thin plastic bag to protect it.

“Read it to me - “ Selene growled. “Nice and slowly...”

Constable Selene,

you do not know us as well as we know you. We will keep this short. A great threat threatens both our kind – please, what happened between us, we will finish – between us. We will not beg for your mercy, we only wish to impart a warning...not from us, but from those who hunt us...and you. Join us, help us defeat those who would murder us all. We will then finish that which began between our people – or you go your way, and we go ours, to live and let live...

Tearfully, the young girl dropped the note, then slowly sank to her knees and bowed her head.

“I'm not your enemy Constable...” She wept quietly, before adopting a pleading gesture. “Many of us are sweet, gentle and...”

There was a loud concussion and the woman's head snapped back, a hole centred in her forehead. She was dead before her body fell backwards and hit the ground. Selene stepped forwards, then put two more shots into her, her face wreathed in tears and a cruel, predatory look of animal-like rage.

*

Selene disposed of the Therian's body, once again, burying it out in the depths of the forest where nobody would find it. When she returned to town, she saw two strange SUV's parked across the main road, just outside the police station. Dark uniformed people marched around, erecting barricades and rolling out tape. Coming to a halt, Selene stared, before she squealed as a loud knock come at the drivers side window.

He took one look at the markings on her uniform, then nodded. “Constable, please step out of the vehicle.”

“Who...what's going on?” Selene snarled, her anger rising.

“Ma'am, I need you to step out of the vehicle – now...”

Common sense prevailed, as she seen the ID badge he held up to the glass of the window. Turning off the cruiser, she unbuckled her seat belt then as he stepped away. As she got out, straightening her uniform, he noticed her sleeves were dirty as were her boots and pants legs.

Noticing his gaze, Selene sighed. “I just come from a farm outside of town, now, you know who I am – how about you explain just who the hell you are – and what you think you're all doing?”

“Sorry Ma'am, we're from the Australian Federal Police and - “ He began.

“Who called you? What the hell are you doing here? I've half a mind - “ Selene growled, then pushed past him and marched towards whom she assumed was their senior officer. “Mind telling me why my township is ...”

With a wild gesture, Selene indicated the other vehicles that were arriving.

“I'm the officer in charge, Constable? We tried to call ahead, let you know we were coming – this matter is in the hands of the AFP now, so, please, lets not have any jurisdictional conflicts.”

“I - “ Selene stared, dumbfounded.

“Constable? This incident is above your pay grade, as of this moment, we're taking charge here, now, stand away and let us do our work, or I'll charge you with obstruction, are we clear?”

“Just who...” Selene growled, her anger rising despite her best efforts to contain it. “Just who called you!”

“Constable Selene?, apologies, Your Sargent called for us to assist him he said there had been a lot of incidents and that he was short staffed as you were ill and...”

Selene twitched, her anger almost boiling over within her, before one of the other Officers called out.

“Sir? There's...blood here – a lot of it and – is this...casings?”

Selene twitched, barely noticed by the others, before she answered.

“Someone's pet dog went wild and...it got dealt with, they couldn't do it, so I had too – look – I live and work in a country town here, things are...different...than in the capital...”

With a disinterested snort, the officer glanced at the blood, then dismissed it as irrelevant. Selene mentally kicked herself for the slip up, before she stalked back to the cruiser. For a moment, her eyes lingered on the officer who leant against the car.

Something wasn't quite right...something elusive, that niggled at the back of her mind like the flies that began swarming.

“Right, lets get set up over here, we got a lot of work to do...” Someone yelled.

“Move...” Selene growled, as she stared down the smug faced officer.

With controlled nonchalance, he stepped aside and watched as she got behind the wheel and with a roar and spray of gravel, took off down the road.

To Be Continued...