Dark Valley - Chapter Eleven -
Story by Cederwyn Whitefurr on SoFurry
Constable Selene is confronted by the Enclave, who seek to recover one of their own, they also warn her, there are far more dangerous things out there than they themselves...
Dark Valley
Chapter Eleven
© Cederwyn Whitefurr
19th June, 2019
All Rights Reserved.
As the Sargent led the sickened townsfolk out of the double doors at the side of the hall, Selene retrieved a blanket from her Police car and shrouded the Doe's body with it. Her stomach roiled and gorge rose in her throat, before the Veterinarian pulled up and stepped out of her van, looking at the blood – then eyes widening as she seen the shrouded corpse.
“Oh dear god - “ She whispered in horror, hands flying to her face as she twisted away and tried to keep her lunch from joining the blood splattered over the pavement.
“Nobody saw a thing – there was the tires screeching, then the thud as her body was thrown – presumably – from the moving vehicle. What, what sick bastards...” Selene swore, as she lifted the kangaroo's corpse and carried it to the van, then Amanda opened the back doors, sliding out a gurney on which the body was placed.
“You don't...” Amanda began.
Giving her a look that'd curdle milk in a cows udder, Selene frowned at her, then climbed in beside Amanda in the front of the van. Together, they drove back to the veterinarian clinic and parked around the back – before a dozen Enclave seemed to materialise from thin air.
Amanda stared, pale as a ghost, her hands trembling on the wheel, before Selene slipped out of the car, her hand instantly moving to her holstered pistol, as she glared at them.
“I know what you are now - “ Selene snarled.
Holding up a hand, the man who had spoken to her the other day, sighed and looked from beneath his hood at her.
“Please, we do not wish violence – give us the body, pretend you never saw what you think you saw...”
With a snap, Selene's hand unclasped the glock and she pointed it right between the man's eyes, her face wreathed with rage and fear.
“I know what I saw...what I – felt – when I investigated that body of the Enclave woman in the morgue...want to tell me about that?”
He remained still, his face devoid of expression and thought, before he put both hands up, as if surrendering to her.
“Please, Constable - “ He began, quietly and respectfully, a far cry from how he was the other day. “there are forces at work, beyond your comprehension. We mean you and yours no harm -”
“No harm - ” Selene snorted, her finger sliding off the guard and placed on the trigger. “No harm...?”
“We are – a peaceful, religious group and - “
“Cut the fucking bullshit!” Selene raged, her body quivering with tension. “I know exactly what you are – cold blooded, carnivorous...monsters! Why did you kill the Veterinarian? Well? Why!”
Blinking, he frowned, then glanced at the others, who stared back at Selene.
“It...wasn't us - “
“Then who the fuck was it?” Selene shrieked. “He was my friend – my – lover, I was going to ask him to marry me! Yet, no, one of you, sick, twisted monsters murdered him – now tell me why – before I shoot the lot of you! How do you explain a female human has a fucking pouch like a kangaroo? That's not normal – not even close to normal...”
He stared at her, his body posture calm, but she could sense the growing anxiety of the other Enclave members.
“We got one of your kind in the back of the van – in her, I'm assuming, normal state – she was tortured, mutilated even – she died at my feet! I can't begin to imagine what suffering she must have endured at someone's hands!”
“Please, Constable – leave it alone! I beg of you. We are gentle, kind, harmless people, if word got out about who we are – what – we are...it'd bring down the attention of those who have hunted our kind for thousands of years! Please, I beg you, believe me, when I say we are innocent! It wasn't the Enclave who murdered your partner!”
“What about that kangaroo – tortured, gods, someone tortured him so badly - “
“That...” He stammered, his control breaking for a moment. “That was...was necessary...”
“Necessary? How is stringing him up with barbed wire, that tight it cut through fur and flesh, leaving him too – well – suffer and die in such excruciating agony...”
“He was one of us, yes – he – broke one of our most sacred rules, and was punished for it.”
“Punished? You call that punishment? What did he do? Answer me you sick freak – or I'll give you another breathing hole, right between your godless eyes!”
“I – can not. Please, understand me, it is an internal matter, and we dealt with it – was it dealt with, properly? No, for that discomfiture and its – nature – I can not apologise enough. He should have been left to die somewhere where your kind wouldn't have found him. Those responsible for – for that incident – have themselves, forfeited their lives.”
“You call yourselves peaceful – what...sick, perverted people would do that to a – anyone!”
“I apologise, as I said, those responsible, were dealt with – according to our laws. Now, please, once more – I beg of you...forget what you think you know about our kind, please, we would never lift a hand against any of your people! Unless - “
“Unless?”
“Unless they harmed us first – that – reporter, who was found slaughtered in the hotel room?”
“Gendrie – his name was Gendrie - “ Selene shuddered.
“He – was going to expose us. One of our younger members – she – she broke covenant with us, she will be...well, you don't need to know. What she done, how long she worked with him, telling him our innermost secrets – secrets we have fought for centuries to keep out of humans hands...”
“You're going to murder her too, because she was probably scared, and wanted the truth to be known?”
“Truth is – subjective – as for her fate, it is not in my hands to decide that. Now, please, just – walk away Selene, I beg you. We do not wish to turn on those, who have given us sanctuary, here in this town. If you push us – we will fight – with everything we have. I swear upon my life, you hold in your hands – we never hurt one of your kind – intentionally. We just wish to live in peace, and in turn, be left alone. Our ways, are not your ways – our – justice – is not your justice.”
“Oh, I've heard your justice - “ Selene growled, then slowly, she lowered her pistol and holstered it, before she sank to her knees and shuddered. “You're.. what are you?”
“That – I fear,” He spoke quietly, before gesturing and four of the Enclave opened the van, then removed the kangaroo's body from the vehicle, carrying her away. “Is a long, painful and terrible story. Thank you for your compassion, Selene, it will not be forgotten, I promise...”
Selene knelt on the car park lot, shaking and clutching her head, trying to make sense of it all. She knew she should have shot him – and the others – but something, inside of her, reached out and made some form of connection – like meeting like – as it were, and she had no idea what it meant, or how to rationalise it...
To Be Continued...