FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

*by Hector Scofield. * Edited and Corrected by Ben243.

This story is a sequel to the The Sheriff's Dog.

PART 1

It was another uneventful day in the small town of Seymour. Mrs Reynold's bakery had fresh pumpkin pies for sale. Mr Gardner was watering the flowers on his windowsill. Fred Walters was glad to be released from the curse today - he had been stuck as a walker for Mrs. Angus long enough, her stories were always the same: Billy is such a clever boy, he got an A+ for his biology project, you know... urgh!

Sheriff McEntire took his K9 partner Butch on patrol. Wherever they went they received congratulations for the trophy they'd won at the Expo in New York. Unfortunately, it would probably be their last one! It wasn't like Butch was getting too old... well, he was indeed older than any other Dog.

The people outside Seymour were beginning to grow suspicious, because he wasn't aging at the normal rate. They couldn't possibly know, that he used to be a man, a long time ago. That he was cursed to live out his life as the Sheriff's dog. Most of the time even he himself forgot!

Once back at the Office, they caught Deputy Denvers smooching around with Lieutenant Mike Manzie, visiting from the Albarn County Police Department. The Sheriff coughed discreetly and they booth jumped back from each other, blushing like little school girls.

Denvers quickly scurried off towards the basement, pretending he had to fetch some new cartridges for their printer. Manzie started petting Butch, who was greeting him with a wagging tail. Despite Butch having been bred with Manzie's own K9 partner Rose once, he knew nothing about Butch's little secret. Of course, something in the back of his mind always wondered about Butch seeming not to age.

While Denvers was busy in the basement, the Sheriff asked Manzie about Butch's children and grandchildren, who he was assured were still healthy and the best of the best. Butch III was even being considered for the breeding program, so Butch would become a great-grandfather soon. Butch barked in excitement.

Then the Sheriff got serious and asked why he really was here. Manzie looked at him in astonishment. How did he know? Sheriff McEntire grinned: He knew Mike well enough to know he usually wouldn't just surprise them with his presence. Normally he was polite enough to announce his visits at least a week in advance!

Lieutenant Manzie grinned. He admitted he had come to discuss a case that a colleague was currently working on. A series of mysterious killings, that at first looked to be simple animal attacks, if it weren't for some strange circumstances.

One victim was found in his apartment downtown and another one in his hotel room. It seemed someone had trained their dog to attack and kill them. "A dog?" the Sheriff repeated. Mike nodded: "According to forensics a big canine with a long, large muzzle. A husky, maybe. Tests even suggested a wolf!"

Butch paid little attention to their conversation. He was too occupied with chewing on his favorite rubber bone. But when he heard "wolf" he stopped immediately and looked up. A mysterious case and a wolf involved... somehow that reminded him of that strange White wolf Yana he'd once met. He hadn't thought about her in years, he wasn't even quite sure he hadn't dreamt her up.

The actual reason that Mike was here was the connection between the victims. At first it had seemed like there wasn't one, but then the DNA tests showed they were distant relatives. After some research, a genealogist finally figured out they were all descendants of Seymour's founding father Harvey S. Lemand. So Mike had come under the pretense of doing his colleague a favor and researching the whole matter - not to mention having an agenda of his own too, of course.

The Sheriff thought about his words for a while, a serious expression on his face. When Denvers returned from the basement, a box full of supplies under his arms, he told him to take Lieutenant Manzie to Marty Calvin's house. Denver's looked at him, shocked, asking if that was a good idea, especially today. But the Sheriff insisted. Mike had some digging to do in town and would have some questions sooner or later, he said. "I see!" his Deputy replied. Mike was a little puzzled at the exchange, but said nothing.

When they left, Butch stood up and walked over to his master, looking up to him as if to say: "That is a bad idea!". The Sheriff petted him reassuringly. Suddenly there was a knock at the door. He looked up and saw a young man entering that he'd never seen before. The newcomer was thin, shy, and cautiously polite, as if he'd never spoken to a cop before.

"Excuse me, Sir!" The sheriff stood up. "Yes?! How can I help you, young..." He was about to approach him, but Butch stood in his way. Strange! His old buddy was just staring at the young fellow, in shock, as if he'd seen a ghost.

"Butch!" he bellowed, startling the German Shepherd who ran to his blanket. "Sorry for that! Now, how can I help you?" - "Sheriff McEntire?" - "Yes?" - "You're in charge here, right!?" - "That's right! May I ask who you are?" The boy paused. It seemed he was aware things would get unpleasant from here on out. "My name is Jason Hastings, I'm searching for my lost father!"

***

Deputy Denvers and Lieutenant Manzie pulled up to Marty Calvin's house, parking at the curb behind a delivery van. There were some technicians transporting a brand new Washing machine inside. They watched them wrestle with the large machine for a few moments in silence.

"So, this Marty Calvin..." said Mike, after retelling the whole Murder case. "Is he another descendent of this Founding father of yours?" His boyfriend seemed a little nervous. He replied: "Mike, there is something I have to tell you. I should have told you years ago, but it's a little... delicate, you see. You wouldn't believe it, except when you see it with your own eyes! Do you trust me?" - "Of course!" said Mike, unsure what to expect.

The Sheriff was stroking Butch, calming his nerves, while listening to the things the young Mister Hastings had to tell him. He had gotten an anonymous Letter the other day that said his Father was still in Seymour, kept hidden away by the local Sheriff. The old man assured him, his father Sherman Hastings had left this Town years ago and whatever happened to him afterwards had nothing to do with him.

Jason confessed, that he knew it by now. He was following the Sheriff around for quite some time now. Sheriff McEntire scolded him, but forgave the boy as he sincerely apologized. Suddenly Jason began to cry. He'd really hoped he'd been onto something. But this letter was just a cruel joke! At this moment Butch approached the young man and laid his head on his lap. The boy, surprised at first, began to stroke the Dog. Sheriff McEntire just stood there, making a decision. "Follow me! Both of you!" he said.

"What are we doing here?" asked Mike, standing in Marty Calvin's Bathroom, watching the mechanics exchange the old, yet still functional looking Washing machine with the new one. "And where is this Calvin guy?" - "He's still at work." answered Denvers. "Then what are we doing here?" - "Just wait, you will see!" Suddenly his cell phone rang. It was the Sheriff. "No, they're still working! ... maybe five or ten minutes I would guess ... Really? Who... Oh... I see!" He hung up and spoke to the workers: "Slow down, guys! The Sheriff's bringing another guest!" - "Of course!" said Mike sarcastic. "And who is it? Someone I know? The Killer?" - "That's, erm, rather complicated!"

As they headed for the sheriff's car, Butch began to feel strange. For the first time in a long while Butch's head was filling with Human thoughts again. He was glad to see his son, it was good to see him all grown up, well and healthy. But he was also concerned. Who wrote that letter? Who even knew he was here, except for the citizens of Seymour? Why would someone send Jason to seek him out here? And finally: Was it really that good of an idea to confront Jason with the truth? Wouldn't it be better if he would just return to his own life, unaffected by all this madness going on here?

Shortly after they arrived at Mister Calvin's house, the Sheriff led Jason back to the bathroom. Jason looked around slowly, wondering why he had been brought there. After a few awkward moments, the sheriff cleared his throat to get everyones attention and introduced his young guest to Mike.

The technicians were scurrying about finishing their work. Some of them left the room to tend to some task or another. The remaining were manhandling the new machine into its final position, seemingly oblivious to the people congregating in the bathroom.

Mike and Jason were wondering why they'd left the old machine lying there in the bathroom, when something odd started to happen. The machine... it began to move. Not the usual way, though. It seemed to shrink and change its form.

Arms and legs grew out from the left and right side panels. The buttons moved to the center of the panel and seemed to meld, to form eye balls. The opening and door collapsing to form a big mouth that was slowly shrinking. All in all it was an absolute horror to watch, but neither Mike nor Jason could take their eyes from it.

McEntire ordered his Deputy to fetch some blankets for the poor guy, who turned out to be Mister Calvin's younger brother Steve. He was a little embarrassed and asked the Sheriff why he'd brought spectators, before puking out a missing sock. McEntire apologized, he had to make a point!

Mike was unable to speak, while Jason had question after question: How was this possible? Was his father turned into a Washing machine too? What did it feel like? "Alright alright, I'll bring you up to speed - both of you!" the Sheriff replied. "But not here, please! We have to leave the poor man alone. And you..." he told Steve Calvin. "You better think twice next time before washing your Army boots in your brother's machine."

It was in Nancy's Diner he told them all about Seymour's big secret, the curse and how it affected people around here. And he told Jason about his father, who had accidentally killed his Dog, the original Butch, in a car accident, all those years ago and was supposed to replace him.

The young man looked down at the German Shepherd and couldn't believe, Butch was supposed to be his long lost father. Mike had another problem with the matter: A dog turned human had sex with his precious K9 partner Rose. He couldn't quite wrap his head around the whole idea, he could just sum up in one word: Sick!

The Sheriff explained, it had been necessary at the time, because the real Butch had died and the only way for Sherman Hastings to return was if he provided a proper replacement for him - on his own. You can easily replace something like a Washing machine. But a living being is a bit trickier than that! Jason pointed out, it obviously hadn't worked.

The Sheriff and his Deputy looked at each other. "Well, it would have worked, but..." started Denvers, but Butch started whining, stopping him. Jason demanded to know: "But what?" Butch looked at his Master, pleading for him to rescue the situation. But the old Sheriff had decided, it was for the best to tell the truth: Sherman had decided against the replacement, because his only real reason to return, Jason, didn't need him anymore. And he was happy being a Dog!

After hearing this Jason stood up and ran out of the diner. Butch followed him outside. Mike used their absence to confront the Sheriff with another issue: Why had he shown him their secret? Why now, after all these years?

The Sheriff looked down on his coffee, as if all the answers were inside the cup. And with a grim voice he told him about a forgotten legend he'd heard as a little boy. About the origins of the curse. About a witch, turned into a White Wolf with human eyes. Hunted, but never caught, by the Town's namesake Seymour Johnson and his best friend, Harvey S. Lemand, its founder. He told him about the Witches' oath, if she'd ever found a way to turn back human and regain her powers, she would end their Bloodlines and destroy everything they hold dear. Including this town!

Meanwhile outside the diner, it had already become dark. Jason sat on a park bench and cried, while Butch tried his best to comfort him. For the first time in a very long time he wished he could say something, to ease the pain! "If only..." he thought. "If only what?" Jason asked. They both looked at each other. Jason could HEAR him? But... how?

"A lost son for a lost son - now we're even, old friend!" This voice. Butch knew this voice. Both, Jason and Butch turned their heads towards a beautiful old Lady with long, white hair and eery familiar looking eyes. On her side she had a big white Wolf, dangerously growling. "Who are you?" Jason asked. The lady grinned diabolically and told them: "My name is Yana! And I'm here for the big Hunt!"

It was then that Deputy Denvers realized something was wrong. There was something growing on the back of his right hand. It seemed to be... white fur? "Sheriff, look!" But the Sheriff wasn't paying attention anymore. His eyes were already wandering, from the dark hooves his hands were turning too, over each and every one inside the Diner, slowly transforming into Animals...

PART 2

What Mike was seeing frightened him to death. He watched in horror as everyone in the diner started turning into one kind animal or another. What was going on here? He ran to the mirror behind the counter and examined his face. He seemed to be unaffected, at least for the time being.

The Sheriff's face elongated into a brown muzzle. Eager to get out of his uniform before it got too tight for him, his hands took on a dark color and seemed to melt into hooves. Horns were growing out of his forehead. They began branching out, soon to become a pair of majestic antlers.

Deputy Denvers was shrinking, his uniform seemingly already 2 sizes too big. He was growing white fur all over his body and his face. His ears elongated and so did his upper teeth, suggesting he would become a white rabbit.

The chef in his kitchen was slowly turning into what looked like a giant Grizzly. He had brown fur covering most of his body, and he was growling menacingly. He ripped at his clothing with sharp claws, tearing them into pieces. Mike could see the panic in his eyes as he writhed around on the floor, destroying half the kitchen in the process.

Mike turned slowly, half in a daze, and began to move towards the backdoor, as the entrance was already blocked by a moose. He made his way across the floor carefully stepping over what used to be the restaurants patrons. When he finally reached the exit, he turned the doorknob. The door gave a little, but seemed to be jammed. He turned so he could ram it with his shoulder, hoping to force it open.

He stopped for a moment when he saw the floor was now overrun by what would be rabbits, foxes, raccoons, opossums and so on. Some part of him wanted to stay and watch as features changed and reformed into all sorts of new configurations, but panic got the better of him. He rammed the door twice, and with a satisfying crack, it swung open, taking Mike with it. He stumbled and fell into a collection of garbage in the back alley.

Mike sat on the ground for a second rubbing his sore shoulder, then got unsteadily to his feet. The noise of the door opening had attracted the attention of the now animals in the restaurant, and they were all heading his way. He ran for his life, down a barely lit alley, followed by a stampede of wild animals. Hoping they'd kept enough of their humanity, that they wouldn't mistake him for their dinner.

***

Butch was overwhelmed by the many many new feral scents he could detect all of a sudden, coming from all over the town. "What have you done?" he growled at Yana, who was gazing through the night, laughing. There were calls everywhere, of wild animals like deer, wolfs, bears and various birds, getting louder and louder. Somehow he could sense the sheer panic in their vocalizations. "What's going on? What are all these noises?" Jason asked, afraid of the answer.

Yana looked at him, grinning in triumph: "These, my young friend, are the citizens of Seymour. Or should I say: Our prey!" She petted her White wolf, who seemed more than ready to bury his fangs into some poor critter's flesh and taste its blood. "About you two..." she continued. "I have no resentments against either of you and there isn't really much you could do to stop me anyway. So be gone with you, and thanks for your service!"

With this she opened her cloak, presenting an amulet hanging over her breasts with a glowing, foggy white crystal. Before either Jason or Butch could even blink they were surrounded by light... When they could see again, they found themselves on the forest road near the town's border. They were safe it seemed. But that wasn't all: Butch had turned back into Sherman Hastings, former insurance salesman. A mostly naked and older former insurance salesman, but all in all his former self more or less.

Still on all fours, Sherman turned around and ran back the direction they came from. After a few steps, he hit an invisible barrier, and nearly broke his nose. Startled he fell back and landed on his butt. Jason came after him carefully, waving his arms in front of him, searching for the edge of the barrier.

Before long, he felt a buzzing sensation as his hands came to rest on what seemed to be a solid chunk of air. He knocked on it a few times. It resonated with a not unpleasant tone. "Some sort of force field!" Jason said. "I'm afraid we're locked out.

Who was that strange old lady? A witch?" - "A monster!" Sherman replied angrily. It sounded rougher and deeper than it was meant to be. After all, he hadn't spoken a word for a long time. "We must find a way to stop her. She has turned everyone into animals and is about to hunt them down, one by one! She and..." He stopped. Jason had enough of all the weird secrets and demanded a straight answer.

Sherman was hesitant and a little embarrassed: "Well... you remember what Mas... erm, the Sheriff has told you about... you know..." - "Your abandoned efforts to become human again?" The boy was still a little hurt by his father's choice. "Yeah... erm... she was the first attempt!" - "You mean, she was..." - "I'm afraid so!" - "That means the other wolf is..." - "Unfortunately, yes!" - "Kind of my brother?!" - "Oh! I haven't seen it that way... Half brother, I guess!"

He began to walk in the other direction. Jason followed him, asking where he wanted to go now. "We can't go back!" his father replied. "But we can't stay here either! It's too dangerous out here and the only way we can go is to Albarn County." - "And then?" Sherman frowned, he had no answer. Jason understood how hard this must be for him, but they needed to formulate a plan.

As they began to walk towards the nearest road, he reminded his father about his current appearance: "You can't just go wandering around like that! On all fours and almost naked! You're going to get yourself arrested!" Sherman knew he was right and although he wanted to stay that way at least a little longer, knew they would be faster if he stood up now.

It was a strange sensation. Had he always been that tall as a human? He struggled to keep balance and had to take some cautious first steps. Jason assisted him as well as he could, and gave him his jacket to wrap around his waist. He had to take off his collar and harness, Jason put both into his backpack. This way they had at least a chance to hitchhike their way out of this. Their story would be, they'd been robbed - period. Sherman felt like he'd been stripped of his uniform. He had been a proud member of the Seymour Sheriff's Department and loved his job. Now all he had was his son, and he was thankful for at least that!

***

Mike had managed to escape the stampeding animals and moved quietly as he could through the side streets. He knew he was close to Jessie's Garage. He could hide there, the oil and chemicals surrounding it would irritate his pursuers' sensitive noses. He only hoped Jessie wouldn't have turned into a dangerous animal himself.

Letting himself in, he scanned the room cautiously. Fortunately all he found inside was a cute little Armadillo. Mike took a deep breath, sat in the front seat of a nearby parked car and thought about his next steps. He could try and call for help, but what use would it be? If the Sheriff was right, this had been the work of a mighty witch seeking revenge on the Citizens of Seymour. It seemed ridiculous, yet he'd seen with his own eyes what she was capable of, there was not much he could do! He couldn't even drag others into this mess, risking their lives! The only thing left to do was to try to reach the Sheriff's office, equip himself with weapons and shoot his way out of here.

No! These animals were still people, some of them even children. He couldn't just murder innocent children, not under any circumstances! But if there was any chance he could stop that witch, he would definitely find a way do it!

***

"Dad!" asked Jason after a while to break the silence. "What made you think, I wouldn't need you anymore?" Sherman thought about it for a moment and remembered the Spelling bee, Jason had won thanks to his stepdad Richard. Jason shook his head in disbelief. "Richard is an idiot. He had nothing to do with it. I tried to impress..." He stopped. Sherman grinned. "A boy?" Jason looked at him, surprised. "How..." - "I was a Dog, working with a gay Deputy for years. Trust me, I know the signs. It's okay, Jason! I'm happy for you!" It was then Jason finally hugged his Dad, a heavy burden lifted from his shoulders.

"You're sure we're heading the right direction, Dad?" Sherman had to admit, he wasn't sure. There were three roads out of Seymour and he'd taken all of them over the years. The problem was, he'd always been in the back of a car and it was the middle of the night now. His canine instincts couldn't help either, they were simply gone, replaced by confusion and sadness. All he could do was looking up, follow the stars like he'd learnt as a Boyscout, what felt like an eternity ago. Only...

"The Fog!" he muttered. "What fog, Dad? There isn't any!" - "Exactly! But there always has been! Ever since Seymour was founded." - "I don't understand!" - "The Fog. Yana's amulet. There is definitely a connection! The curse... maybe it was the Fog all along and she'd found a way to force it into that crystal. To control it and to do her bidding!" Jason realized what he meant: "If we could find a way to break the amulet we have a chance to turn everyone back! Well, if it weren't for the barrier!" Sherman thought about it and had an idea.

He looked up to the stars for a while and ran right into the forrest. "What are you doing, Dad? We can't go through there, it's dangerous!" Sherman grinned. "Trust me, it's a short cut!" - "A short cut to what?" - "There is one person nearby who could still help us..." Sherman replied. "Well, two actually...!"

***

In the meantime Mike was sneaking through town, heading for the Sheriff's office, avoiding as many of the wild animals running around town as he could. All of a sudden he heard a shot near Roundtree street and decided to risk a closer look. He had just rounded the corner when he discovered her: An old lady with long white hair and a white Wolf on her side, who's muzzle and fur was already full of blood. Mike stepped back and observed them from the distance. She held a riffle in her hands, stroking her canine companion, a mean grin on her face.

In front of them lying was the big grim Grizzly that had been the chef of Nancy's Diner - dead. Shot by that damn witch. Mike leaned back against the wall, shaking in fear and anger. She would pay for this, big time! But if she was the cause of the transformations, wasn't she the solution too. What should he do? Kill her? Reason with her? He was still struggling with an answer, when he was struck by another surprising sight: A naked old man, trotting along the other side of the street, the U.S. Mail logo stuck on his chest.

***

Melissa Burgh was already lying in bed, just reading the last pages of her book, when the doorbell rang. Who could that be, at this time? She changed into her silk bathrobe, slipped on her comfy slippers and walked down the stairs, to answer the still ringing bell. "All right, all right! No need to make a fuss, I'm coming." She opened the door and was about to ask, what the hell was going on. Instead she was completely baffled to encounter a barely dressed, middle aged gentleman with dirty feet, accompanied by a young lad, baring a striking resemblance... maybe his son. He seemed strangely familiar.

The stranger spoke, sophisticated enough, but somehow as if he hadn't said a word for a long time... "Judge Burgh?" he asked. "I'm sorry to disturb your sleep, but it's an emergency!" - "I'm retired, for 3 years now! Can't it wait until tomorrow?" - "I'm afraid not! You see, my name is Sherman Hastings, but you may know me as..." - "Butch!!!" She remembered immediately. "You're human again! Does that mean..." - "It's a long story! The town is in danger and we need your help!"

***

Mike and the strange man, named Harold apparently, carefully made a beeline to the nearest building. They entered the lobby and surprisingly found an open apartment on the ground floor. Mike held his breath and pushed the door open. He quickly scanned the room and was happy to find that it seemed to be deserted. He quickly pulled the man in and slammed the door behind them.

It was a pleasant surprise for Harold to find out the apartment, he and Mike were hiding in belonged to a colleague Mailman and he was keen to try on his uniform, although it was a bit too modern for his taste and made for a slightly bigger man. He didn't mind, though. It gave him back at least some sense of familiarity, something he was sorely missing in this crazy town.

In the meantime he told Mike everything he knew about that witch Yana, who had tricked him all these years ago, to become her little spy Mail box. As soon as she had what she wanted, she'd abandoned him, leaving him behind, alone and forgotten. Mike did his best to comfort the old man. Yet he was also keen to hear what, exactly, it was that she had wanted.

Before Harold could say a further word, Mike's cell phone began to vibrate. It was a number he didn't recognize. Was it her? It must have been her, everyone else except for him and Harold, had been turned! Or was it possible there was someone else still human out there? He had no choice, but to answer the call: "Manzie!"

"Thank God I was right...!" an unfamiliar voice said. "It's me, Mike! Butch! Or better, Sherman... whatever!" Mike was puzzled, was this guy actually the Sheriff's Dog? But why was he human again all of a sudden? Sherman and Mike exchanged information. Sherman told him about Yana, how she'd tricked him to become human again and return to Seymour and so on.

Mike reported what the Sheriff had told him about the legend and the witch, what had happened afterwards, about what he'd seen at Roundtree street and Harold... "Harold? The Mailbox? So he was a real guy after all!" - "There's one thing I don't understand, Sherman!" - "Why you're not walking on all fours yourself?" - "Exactly!" - "Well, you're not a Citizen of Seymour, therefore..." Mike laughed.

"What's so funny about that, Mike?" - "Sorry! It's just... if it hadn't been for that witch I would have proposed to Norman today!" - "Oh... I see... I'm sorry!" - "I would have asked the Sheriff to join you at the Department, moved here and become a Citizen myself." He meant for it to sound ironic, but instead there was sadness and regret in his voice. "Listen, Mike! We can fix this! All you have to do is..."

Suddenly, there was another shot outside. Mike told Harold to duck, while taking a cautious look through the blinds. Oh no! The witch had just killed another animal, a fox. Her pet wolf followed close carrying a dead brown rabbit in his blood soaked muzzle. All of a sudden, he looked up in Mike's direction and began to growl. The cop was alarmed and commanded Harold to follow him, up the roof. He yelled into the phone they had to go. "Just one thing, Mike: She has an amulet. Destroy it and you might have a chance to stop her!" - "Understood! Thank you, Sherman!" With this he turned his phone off and both man ran for their lives.

***

While Sherman was searching Melissas ex husband's wardrobe for something he could wear, Melissa and Jason were sitting in the kitchen, preparing some sandwiches, while talking about the things they'd just discovered. "So she's basically seeking revenge?" Jason asked. "I'm afraid so, young Mister Hastings! And as far as I understand it, she's learned to bend the curse to her will! We did something similar, but never to that extent..." - "What do you mean?" Jason asked.

Melissa explained: "There is one simple rule that comes with the curse: You break it, you replace it! In the early days of Seymour the changes just happened, if you were ready or not. That led to a whole lot of trouble: What if a father couldn't provide for his family while replacing a broken axe? Or a mother couldn't breastfeed her child, while being a wheelbarrow? So the Townsfolk of Seymour tried their best to break the curse. Only they couldn't, there was simply no way!

But they at least managed to partly bind the curse to Human law, as long as there were no tricks or foul compromises involved. For example: Had your father not been on the phone when he'd ran over poor Butch, he would have gone free." - "And if you'd prevented him from becoming a dog otherwise?" - "I would have had to take his place instead! I made this mistake once and I can tell you: It's not funny being a Roof gutter, especially in autumn!"

Sherman returned fully dressed, but noticeably uncomfortable wearing clothes again. He took a bite off one of the sandwiches. Jason asked what they were supposed to do now. Unfortunately there wasn't much left to do. It was up to Mike and Harold to fight Yana! "That's not exactly true!" Melissa told them. "There might be another way back... at least for one of you!" Father and son looked at each other. "What are you talking about?"

Melissa Burgh stood up and led them down to her basement. She told them there had been several attempts to cheat the curse, each and everyone of them with catastrophic results. But if they're right and the curse was currently bound to the Amulet, there was a good chance at least one of these measures would work.

Melissa revealed she hadn't just been Seymour's judge, but was Guardian for all sorts of magical artifacts tried to trick the system. "One of these was supposed to do... well... some Freaky Friday stuff!" Jason was puzzled, but Sherman understood the reference: "It makes people exchange bodies!" The problem was, it only worked between siblings, which meant: "Jason has to take the place of the white Wolf!"

PART 3

Sherman was strictly against this plan. Under no circumstances would he risk his son's life. Jason reasoned with him: Mike and Harold needed their help! The whole town was depending on their success! Melissa assured them, if there would be any trouble she could reverse the process immediately. Sherman wasn't happy about it at all, but had to admit they seemingly had little choice, so he hesitantly agreed.

Melissa led them through an iron door into what seemed to be a bunker. On their right was a row of shelves filled with magical artifacts and books. On their left was an empty space with strange symbols written on the walls - Enochian, according to Melissa - and an encircled red Pentagram on the floor with a chair in the middle. She explained that there had been some cases in the past when she had to use all that stuff, but wasn't all too comfortable with discussing the details.

Sherman carefully tied his son into the chair, so the Wolf couldn't attack them as soon as he was in Jasons body. Jason had to confess, he was more than a bit nervous, but it was the right thing to do. He then asked his father what to expect. After all, he'd been a canine before and had some experience. "To be honest," said Sherman. "when I turned into Butch for the first time I didn't realized it at first. Everyone was seeing me as a German Shepherd all of a sudden, except me. From my point of view I was still a Human, on all fours and led on a leash for some strange reason. The more I accepted my fate the more natural it felt, being covered in fur, having that enhanced sense of smell and taste, listening to my instincts, seeing things in a different way..."

Melissa, busily searching for the right artifact, interrupted him: "It won't be like that, I'm afraid! Not this time! You'll change into that Wolf and if you're not careful you could be overwhelmed by your enhanced senses. Just relax and breathe and think of your Dad! He's your anchor! You'll be still connected with him at all time. Just remember: He's in your Blood! That will give you strenght and stability!"

She brought a big mirror framed with silver ornaments, runes and crystals, covered with a red velvet cloth. "Secure?" she asked Sherman, preparing the artifact in front of his son. He nodded. "Then out of the way! And you, boy: Look into the mirror! Concentrate on the White wolf, imagine being the wolf, how it feels to be like him! And whatever you do: Don't take your eyes from the mirror!" - "Good, I'm ready!" He took a last long look at his father, then he starred in front of him, at the mirror. Slowly Melissa lifted the cloth.

The moment Jason saw his mirrored image, he felt something was wrong. It was his reflection, without any doubt, he knew this face, like the back of his hand. Only, in a way, it was like he was seeing it for the first time. Or rather, through the eyes of someone else. He did as he was told, concentrated on the beast he'd seen at the witches side, the horrific bloodthirsty fangs, the dangerously glimmering eyes. Suddenly the mirror's image changed into it. Jason started panicking, feeling dizzy.

"He's struggling!" said the old judge to Sherman. "You must help him!" - "How?" - "Describe how it felt to be a Dog. What was it like to be covered in fur?" - "Like a thick, second layer of skin. Warm. Sensitive." - "More! Go on!" - "Erm... when you're happy... it's like your chest fills with a pleasant warmth, reaching out to every fiber of your body. Your whole spine is charged with tingling energy. A bit like a hose under pressure. Your body holds it tight, but the end is elongated, your tail sticks out and is swinging around, splashing around... erm... the happiness..."

"Good! More!" - "When you walk on all fours, imagine the feeling of your fingertips all focused into the palms of your hand and feet. You feel the ground you're walking on. Every inch of it, it's texture, even down to the tiniest grain of sand. You can smell and taste everything, almost like your tongue is your breath, grasping for your surroundings." - "He's almost there!" - "What else... oh yeah, the running! You run and feel the wind stroking you from the outside and somehow form the inside. You feel your heart beat, blood pumping through your veins. It's like being on fire. Imagine the forrest. It's scent. The hunt." It was at this moment Jason's mind fell into the dark abyss of his reflection's eyes...

***

Harold was breathless and had to take a break, but Mike was leery of stopping right now. And for a good reason as it turned out: The Wolf had caught up, and was about to wrap his jaws around their throats.

"Run!" Mike screamed. Harold tried, but caught his foot on something, fell over, and sprained his ankle "Harold!!!" - "Don't stop! I'm not worth..." The Wolf jumped, Harold closed his eyes and... nothing happened. When he finally gathered the courage to open his eyes, he looked up. He saw the Wolf backing down, whining, seemingly confused. Mike returned, ready to hit the beast with a big branch he'd found in the bushes, but Harold stopped him mid swing. He tried to concentrate and communicate with it, telepathically, like he'd learned from Yana all these years ago. "I think, that's not the Wolf anymore! He says, his name is Jason!"

Jason was indeed overwhelmed by his new body. Everything seemed so strange and wrong. His anatomy. The fur all over his body. The nauseating smell of blood on his muzzle. All these new instincts and scents were more than he could handle. It troubled him, but at the same time, filled him with excitement. He could understand now why his father had chosen this over his old life! But what was up with this strange Mailman guy? How could he hear him in his head? Whatever, he had to tell them about the plan, as fast as he could, before the witch was coming after them.

Mike was once more baffled by what was going on. It seemed to be a common occurrence these days. Ever since he'd arrived, the day had been a total rollercoaster and now this! How had the boy managed to become the Wolf all of a sudden? He tried to ask Harold, but the old man signed him to be quiet. "I see... now that's a bold plan, I must say!" he muttered. Mike had enough: "What are you talking about? Could you please explain to me what's going on here?" Suddenly the Wolf ran away, heading back towards where he came from. Harold explained: "We have to move on and arm ourselves. I'll explain on the way!"

***

Back in the basement Melissa was covering the mirror again, while Sherman watched in disbelief how his son was yelling and barking and behaving like he'd been possessed, which in a way, he had been. Suddenly the beast began to talk: "She had given you freedom, despite her better judgement and this is how you repay her? By stealing her child? How dare you, father! You shall pay for this!" Father... Sherman suddenly realized this monster really was his own flesh and blood. He felt sorry for what it had become, thanks to his mother and the fact he had to grow up without a loving father. Just like Jason had! So he began to talk to his son.

"What's your name, my boy?" he asked with a calm comforting voice. The beast laughed and told him, it was called Xerxes. Continuing with some further threatening. "Listen, Xerxes! I'm sorry, I couldn't be there for you all these years. Your mother had tricked me and stolen you from me. I can't imagine all the horrific things she made you do!" This angered Xerxes. He wasn't comfortable with this conversation and instead defended its mother, and even began bragging about the bloodshed they had caused. How he killed dozens of innocent people and enjoyed butchering the former citizens in Seymour.

Sherman had to take a break. He went to Melissa and asked her for advice. She suggested that maybe there was enough of Jason left in his body, to trigger some old, good memories of his. Sherman thought about it. It had been a long time since he'd been a part of Jason's life, let alone a good father to him. But there was one memory, one old Christmas tradition he remembered fondly. He asked Melissa for some Cocoa with cream and cinnamon.

***

Jason was shocked upon seeing the state the town was in, and all the animals he encountered. Some of them were dead, with brutal bite marks on their bodies. He had to repress the thought that it was their blood he was covered in, that he could smell and taste, that he had in his stomach right now. Instead he tried to concentrate on his task, to find his way back to the witch. It was strange! His nose and his gut was telling him where to go, he just had to follow it. Jason ran. It was exactly like his father had told him. It was like flying, the greatest feeling he ever had.

He reached the witch just in time. She was aiming at a big majestic deer from behind a car. Just a split second before she pulled the trigger, Jason barked. This alarmed the deer and it ran away. Yana was furious and screamed at the Wolf from the top of her lungs. This scared Jason to death and he began to whine anxiously. After a moment, Yana remembered he was just her little baby and she apologized, by stroking him with her thin, bony fingers. This both horrified and exited Jason. He felt a sensation of pure happiness flooding through his body. This made him almost compliant towards her, then he remembered his father and his task, and began to lead the witch in the planned direction.

Shortly after they arrived back at Nancy's Diner and Yana was surprised to encounter an old friend of hers. "It's been a long time, Harold! Looking good!" Harold was still angry, but tried to stay calm. He knew Mike was waiting on the roof top of the Court house, a Sniper Rifle aimed at her chest. He was ready to shoot her as soon as she lifted her coat, unveiling the ominous amulet that had caused all this. Harold replied: "You're not looking that bad either, Yana! Just a little... ancient around the face!" - "Enough of this banter! What do you want, old man?" - "First of all: Thank you!" - "For what?" - "Turning me back, after all this years!" - "Sorry to disappoint you, but that wasn't me! Just the last act of the old Balance curse. Your colleagues are all animals now, you see! No Mailmen, no point for you to stay a Mailbox!"

Harold came to a certain realization: If they destroyed the amulet, everything the witch had done would be undone. He would become a Mailbox once more! "Anything else?" Yana asked. "What... oh, yes, erm... the second thing is: I've come to get my reward!" Yana looked at him in disbelief and began to laugh heartily. Harold kept a serious face and waited for her to calm down. She was still giggling when she replied: "What makes you think you deserve such a thing? Seriously, Harold!" - "I was there for you, when you needed a friend! I was spying for you, breaking the Post code for you, giving you all the information so you could turn back into a human and get your revenge! Don't you dare, tell me, I don't deserve repayment."

"Okay okay! Just out of curiosity: Is there anything particular you have in mind?" - "Just my freedom! I want to get out of this town, once and for all and never turn back. But there seems to be a problem with that, something preventing me from leaving. So you leave me no other choice then to ask... to beg you: Let me out of this hellhole!" She looked at him, seeming to seriously consider it.

Mike had her in the crosshairs, fingers itching on the trigger, when suddenly... she looked up at him. A sudden pain ran down his spine and he felt every bone in his body expanding, rearranging, and deforming. He couldn't help himself but scream, just it sounded less human more like a horse. Harold heard it and began to panic. Yana was more satisfied than ever: "You really thought you could deceive me that easily, didn't you old boy?" She took a revolver out of her pocket, preparing to shoot him in the face, when all of a sudden Jason bit her in the arm.

Yana defended herself against Jason, while Harold ran away. The witch had an advantage against the Wolf: Jason hadn't been one for long, and didn't know what body was capable of. He moved clumsily and Yana could foresee most of his moves. This gave her plenty of time to kick him in the stomach and lift her coat. Another bright light shot out of her amulet and engulfed the Wolf's body.

***

Meanwhile at Judge Burgh's House the sudden smell of cocoa with cream and cinnamon spread through the basement and reached the nose of Xerxes. Their plan worked! The beast looked at them, irritated, as if something was happening inside of him, out of his control. "What is that? What are you doing, to me?" - "It's just cocoa!" Sherman replied. "We drank it every Christmas eve, your brother and I. It was a tradition..." - "Before you abandoned him!" Sherman was shocked. "What?" - "You left him, to become a Dog, didn't you!"

Melissa saw her young friend struggle and decided, to take matters into her own hands: "For you!" she lied. Xerxes looked at her in disbelief. "He didn't just abandon Jason to become a dog. He did it for you!". "You're lying!" said Xerxes, but seemed not all too sure about that. Melissa continued: "He lost it all, when his ex wife divorced him. He knew his time with Jason was over. So when he turned into Butch and met your mother, he hoped for a second chance - with you!" - "No! No no no!" - "But your mother betrayed him. She absconded with you and denied you of all the happiness, you could've had with him! Instead she filled you with hate and pain and loneliness. She's treating you not like her son, not really - but more like her mere pet!" She stopped. The Enochian symbols started to glow. And there was something, a strange rattling, shrieking noise. Coming from the mirror...

All of a sudden a big monstrous arm, made of mist and lightning shot out of the mirror, vaporizing the red cloth in the process. Melissa stumbled backwards in disbelief. In all her years she had seen some of the most outrageous things, but never something as terrifying as this! Sherman ran to save his son, but the arm swung back, hit him and flung him against the wall. Before reaching for Jason's body, pulling the enlightened spirit of the Wolf back into the mirror. Before it exploded into thousand little pieces. Sherman looked up to the body of his son. He wasn't breathing. Melissa Burgh checked his pulse, his heartbeat. With a sad look in her eyes, she confirmed Sherman's greatest fear: Jason was dead!

***

Yana was furious, she hadn't even checked on her poor whining son. Instead she looked around, yelling like a maniac: "How dare you, using Magic against me, Sherman Hastings! You have made me your worst enemy tonight! You will pay for this! I'll hunt you down! I skin you alive! I will kill you, eliminate each and every one of your loved ones, eradicate your name from history! DO YOU HEAR ME?!!" Suddenly she heard a growling behind her. And as she turned around her Wolf Xerxes jumped at her, seemingly ready to bury his fangs into her throat. But instead his jaws crunched down on the amulet, which caused a massive explosion of light and energy. And the magical fog spread anew over the town of Seymour.

***

For a while there was nothing. Not even numbness. Just darkness, thoughts and memories. After a while Jason felt a great warmth surrounding and protecting him. And he heard what seemed to be a muffled, but loud heartbeat. He seemed to float in something. Was he under water? He was full of life, yet still terribly tired. The little time he was conscious, he tried to get a grasp of his surroundings or cling on to his memories of his father. It took him quite some time to figure out where he was and what he'd become, although he had no idea how and why.

Two months later he was reborn. Freshly popped out of a female German Shepherd named Tabea from the K9 unit of the Albarn County Police Department. She licked him and his siblings clean with her huge, wet tongue. She gave him her milk and loved him with all her heart, although he wasn't really her child. He loved her back anyway. Soon after he heard a familiar voice in his head: "Jason? Can you hear me?" - "Dad?! Where are you?" He felt a muzzle on him, breathing warm air onto his fur. "Is that you, my boy?" - "Yeah! You're a dog again, does this mean..." - "Yana is dead! And your brother too! Everything is back to normal... almost!" - "What happened to me? How did you find me?" - "Later, my boy! Get some rest, we take care of you!"

He heard his father bark and another familiar voice. It was the Sheriff: "You're sure that's him?" Butch barked. Jason felt a huge firm hand picking him up, stroking him. It felt sensational. Sheriff McEntire spoke to Sergeant Riley, the owner of Tabea, about taking the pup. "May I ask, why this particular one?" she asked curious. Sheriff McEntire grinned and replied: "You have to ask Butch!"

They called him Biv - short for Butch IV - and after some formalities he was officially adopted by the Seymour Sheriff's Department. He said goodbye to Sergeant Riley, his beloved mother and his siblings Polly, Ben, Jamie and Zoey, before being reunited with his father once more. Lying on the backseat of the Sheriff's car, Butch told his son - and somehow great-grandson - about what had happened since their last encounter. The night after Yana had been defeated and he'd been heartbroken over Jason's death, he had a dream:

He was in the middle of the forest and another white Wolf came out of the fog. He said his name was Toha'essa and told him Jason had been drifting in-between realms after being ripped out of Xerxes' body. He would have been lost forever, had it not been for his strong connection to his father. Jason managed to reconnect with his bloodline and tried to reach out for his own body, which was unfortunately damaged beyond repair. But it just happened that around the same time Butch's grandson Butch III had been breeding with Tabea and he accidentally landed in one of their offspring. Biv couldn't remember any of this, though he was glad it all had ended that well.

The witch and her wolf seemed to have been vaporized by the broken amulet. There was no trace left of them. The town's council had the crater Yana and Xerxes had caused repaired. The survivors of the great Hunt had turned back, more or less healthy, but it took a while for them to repair their homes, to cope with the trauma, and to bury and mourn their dead.

There had been a lot of grief, but also moments of joy. Mike had finally proposed to Deputy Denvers and just had started as the towns second Deputy. He would officially become Biv's handler and train him to become as good as his father. Of course, only if he wanted to become a Police dog. There was no way to turn him back into a human, but if he preferred it he could be just a normal Dog or work for the Fire station or whatever. Biv told him he would love to work with his father at the Sheriff's Department! The only problem was: How would this change effect his... erm... Sex life? Butch laughed. There would be plenty of chances for that as soon as he started training. Training for what, Biv asked. "The Expos of course!"

Biv and Deputy Manzie had their difficulties at the beginning of their training, but with a little help of Mike's husband Norman Denvers they learned to overcome their differences and became a good team. They won lots of prizes, even breaking some of Butch's records in the process, and lived together in a huge house they planned to fill with adopted children soon - a happy big family. As promised Biv had plenty of time to nuzzle around with other male dogs and he loved it. Their handlers were less enthusiastic about it, so it was decided to buy Biv his own Dog companion, a black Labrador named Jinx. They were inseparable!

Sheriff McEntire and Butch returned to their own little routines and were themselves very happy! Butch because he could live out his life as the Sheriff's Dog again and finally spend more time with his son. And the Sheriff because he'd found out his new Deputy was a huge Ice Hockey fan like him.

Harold had turned into a Mailbox again, but just for a few days. He was soon released from his duties, as ordered by the Sheriff. In the meantime he'd made plans for his pension. Due to the generous donations by the Post office and his fellow citizens, he found he could afford to take a cruise around the world. He was accompanied by Melissa Burgh, with whom he'd fallen in love.

It was unanimously decided to ban Sport hunting forever. Of course there were outsiders here and there, breaking the rule, hunting anyway. And, well... let's say, whenever you hear a story about a hunter turned into its prey, chances are good it happened in the forests near a small, inconspicuous town named Seymour.

THE HUNTER

Once upon a time there was a hunter named Seymour Johnson, who lived in a cottage, in the midst of the wild mountain forests near Albarn County. He had a beautiful wife named Elenor. She was blind, but never bitter about it, because she had learnt to use her other senses and how to read the wind in the leaves. Seymour loved Elenor with all his heart, nothing was more precious to him.

Seymour had been a great hunter: Cunning, untiring and strong. He was able to trace even the smallest critter and it's said he once fought an angry Grizzly with his bare hands. He was admired for his unrivaled bravery, by the other folks and hunters he met once in a week, in the Tavern at the small nearby settlement that would one day be called after him - a fact of course, nobody was aware at this point!

One day it was rumored a Wolf had arrived in the forest. An uncanny beast like none had been before, its fur shining white like the moon, mystic in its ways. Some had tried to hunt it down, but failed miserably as it retrieved to the more rough and thorny parts of the deep forest. Seymour, sure of his victory and drunk as hell, boast he would make it. He would bring that White wolf down!

When Elenor heard about that, she tried to convince her husband to leave the White wolf alone. It had, as a matter of fact, done nothing wrong. "Yet!" replied the hunter and reminded her of the word he gave the other men. This was a question of honor now. If he had known what was about to happen next, he would have withdrawn the idea immediately.

The very next day Seymour went North-West, where the ominous beast was seen last. He found its tracks within an hour and followed it through the nearly impassable undergrowth. His face was covered with scratches, his hair a total mess. But at the end it was worth it! Seymour lurked inbetween bushes down the hill, at a small brook. There he was, drinking from it. So white everything surrounding it looked dark in comparison: The legendary White Wolf!

Cautiously he prepared his rifle. Salty sweat running down his scratched forehead, he ignored that it burned like hell, while aiming slow and carefully. Any second now... the wolf looked up, suddenly alarmed... a shot fell, echoing across the whole forest. And then silence again! The wind had stopped. Instead a chilling fog was coming up.

As Seymour approached to fetch the dead body, that didn't looked that white anymore, he discovered he wasn't alone. There was a woman with long white hair and big piercing eyes, filled with tears. She wore strange leather clothing and had on her belt separate little sacks in which the hunter assumed were all sorts of herbs, because he could smell them on her. Which was odd, because a second ago there was nothing and his nose was normally as reliable as his hunting instincts.

She ran down the path she'd come and kneeled down to the wolf, screaming heartbroken and stroking its now lifeless fur in desperation. For a while Seymour stood there, unable to speak. But he had to say something eventually, so he apologized, he hadn't known this had been her pet. Upon this last words she looked up in anger. "Pet?" she yelled. "You murderous bastard killed the most beautiful and mightiest creature these woods had ever known. And you dare to reduce it to a mere PET?!!"

She pointed her fingers in his direction. "Hear my words you stupid fool! This was Toha'essa, last of the great White Wolfs, guardian of the northern forests, protector of all things living or dead! More than that, he was my familiar, and as such I'm permitted to punish you in his name!" The wind was coming back, rising up to a storm, but the fog wouldn't swirl away, on the contrary. It whirled around him, surrounding him. That woman, she was a witch! No doubt about that! What would she do to him?

As it seemed: Nothing. The Fog faded away and to his relieve both the witch and the wolf had gone. Had it all been just a dream? He touched his face and flinched, still feeling the scratches. So, it was no dream! He checked his whole body... nothing. Puzzled what the woman meant with her threat he went home. What he would tell the others at the Tavern was the least of his concerns now.

It was about to get dark already, when he finally his way home. He saw Elenor had already fired up the oven, its light glimmering softly through the windows. He was tired and starving. Elenor may have cooked him a good soup, then he would feel a little better. He opened the door, calling out to greet his beloved wife. But instead of her light, warming voice he heard a strange whining sound. And then he saw it: The White Wolf!

The beast was back, in all its glory. Maybe to have its revenge. So it should have it, thought Seymour, about to grab his riffle and kill that monster once more. But something rather disturbing happened. As it heard the noise of his rifle, it ran away in panic, hit its head on the table and chairs, ran over some furniture and not even once looked at him. In the end it backed itself into a corner, shaking in fear. That wasn't the behaviour of an untamed wild beast! For the first time he looked at its eyes, milky and blind like...

Seymour startled backwards. His rifle nearly fell out of his hands. That couldn't be true! How was this even possible? If he was right, it wasn't the same Wolf he had shot only a few hours ago. It was Elenor! While he was about to digest what happened, Elenor used his confusion to run him over and get outside through the still open front door. In fear something could happen to his dear wife, he pursued her as fast as his already tired feet could take him.

To his disadvantage Elenor got rather good with her remaining senses, thanks to her new body. It was too dark to follow her tracks and the fog wasn't helpful either. He found some broken branches here and there, but at the end he was forced to return to the brook, to find the witch. She already waited for him, an evil satisfaction on her face, while she admitted it was her doing, Elenor was now running around on four legs.

Seymour begged her to undo her spell, willing to do anything. But it seemed she couldn't turn her back, even if she wanted. It wasn't exactly her witchcraft that made this happen. She exploited the last of the White wolf's powers to curse Seymour into becoming a hunted beast himself. To see how it was - always running, always afraid for his life. But they were meant to bring balance to nature, not revenge. So it was 'A loved one for a loved one' instead. All in all she might have lost control over the whole curse. Anyway, to see how it tortured him made her day!

Seymour was furious. He screamed in anger and was about to strangle her, as she simply pointed at him and an invisible force threw him against the next tree. As he looked up in great pain and utter desperation, she stood over him, still thirsty for revenge. In her hand she held a dagger, ready to slice open his throat.

All of a sudden a white Wolf jumped out of the bushes and knocked her over. Elenor came to his rescue - but for what a price! As Seymour looked up he could see her lifeless body, the once so shining white fur smeared of blood. His body filled with cold emptiness, he yelled in pain as he saw his wife dying. The witch on the other hand watched in horror as her arms began to shrink, white fur growing over everything. Now she'd taken Elenor's life, so she was supposed to take her place as the last White wolf! She stood up and ran away, leaving Seymour behind in his misery.

After he buried Elenor, who had turned back to her human form at least, he tried to hunt that witch down, but she had already left the mountains. Some said they had seen a White wolf with human eyes, which was mostly dismissed as an illusion. Because Elenor had no functioning eyes that could turn canine too, the witch was able to keep her own as she took her place. Which was more of a curse, because she couldn't connect with other Wolfs or Dogs, who were afraid of her because of it. Without her hands she wasn't even able to use her witchcraft to manipulate them. And because White wolfs were immortal she was forced to stay that way forever. Or so it seemed!

Although the story about Seymour Johnson and his wife was mostly forgotten, the Balance curse remained and shaped the everyday life of those who sat foot into the small town named Seymour.