Read Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance Online
Authors: Lorraine Kennedy
Doubling back through Brantic City she passed the field
office and noticed that
Jessup didn't look to be anywhere around. Continuing on,
she turned up toward Beaver
Creek. A chill rippled through her as she drove by the
Beaver Creek Cemetery. It occurred to her that it held
relatively few graves compared to the one in Brantic City.
Maybe it had been the Indians after all?
The logging camp consisted of three travel trailers, two
tents and a portable outhouse. Laura parked her car next to
an old green army jeep. It was the only vehicle in camp.
She tried knocking at one of the trailers, but no one
answered.
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Where was everyone?
This place was really starting to give her the creeps. Laura
had just started to walk to a tan and white trailer when
someone called out from its open window.
"Who's out there messing around?" The male voice was
rough and Laura thought just a little slurred.
"Laura Ellison, from the office. Where is everyone?" she
called back.
The small door opened to reveal a thin, lanky looking man
with a long beard. He stood in the doorway in nothing but
boxers as he casually assessed her. Embarrassed, Laura
averted her eyes. This brought on the man's crude laughter.
"Everyone went to town for the weekend. That is,
everyone but me."
"Do you happen to know where Clyde Jessup is today?"
Laura looked away.
"With them, I'd guess."
Laura started to walk away, but the sound of his voice
stopped her. "Hey! If you are looking for some company, I
could sure use some myself." His eyes roamed up and down
her, leaving no room to mistake his meaning.
"No thanks, I'd rather be by myself." Laura sent him a cold
smile.
The man muttered something under his breath that Laura
was sure had been an obscenity.
She drove away without a glance behind her. Not having
anything else to do today, she decided to see how far the
road went before it circled back to Brantic City. Jessup had
mentioned something about an old cavalry fort up this way.
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Maybe she would stop there and do some sketching while she
had lunch.
The road twisted and turned for miles before she spotted
something in a clearing off to the left. Here she saw the road
that led to the fort, at least what passed for a road. Leaving
the truck running, she got out to examine the log building.
The structure was badly deteriorating and crumbling away. A
touch of disappointment stirred within her. She had been
hoping for something a little more picturesque.
At least it looked like a pleasant place to have lunch, Laura
thought as she killed the Bronco's engine. Taking out the
basket that she had packed for lunch, she went in search of a
good place to sit.
Finding a shady spot, she sat in the grass and opened the
basket. Laura had not realized until now how famished she
was. It must be several hours past lunch. The sun was
already starting to set in the horizon.
Laura felt much better after her lunch of bread and cheese.
She washed down the last bite with a gulp of apple juice and
decided there was still enough daylight left to do some
exploring. Laura began walking a circle around the building.
The rancid smell of mildew and rot caused her to bring her
hand up in an attempt block the scent.
Coming across what had once been a door, she peered
inside. Darkness cloaked the interior of the building. Laura
now wished that she had thought of bringing the flashlight.
Knowing there could be a number of different critters hiding
in the darkness, she decided to wait until she had some
source of light before venturing inside.
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
She continued her examination of the building's exterior.
In many places the weeds grew at least to her waist, and
they tended to slow her progress. Laura's foot kicked
something that sounded like metal and she bent down to see
what it was.
Picking it up to examine it more closely, she noticed
something. Engraved on the side of the box were the words
Property of the United States Calvary. It was roughly the size
of a shoebox and laced with rusty corrosion.
Laura tucked it under her arm and continued around the
building. When reaching the back of the building, the stench
was worse, nearly unbearable. Laura become aware of the
fact that this scent was different, more like rotting meat.
She started to look around for the source. The fading sun
hampered visibility, but from what she could see, the clearing
held nothing unusual—an old trough, a hitching post and part
of a crumbling corral.
There ... in the corral, her eyes caught movement. A
vulture screeched, and rising into the air it flew away. It was
then that she caught sight of the bird's prize. Gagging, Laura
turned away.
When at last she felt her stomach was strong enough, she
looked back. The cow was still and cold. Laura inched a little
closer. Nothing moved but the swarm of insects hovering over
the body. Picking up a nearby branch, she used it to scare the
flies away. Laura felt herself retch at the sight of the
mutilated cow. Its stomach had been torn to shreds and most
of its innards were gone.
Had scavengers done this?
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Taking a closer look at the area surrounding the building,
she saw that there were more bodies, all in similar condition.
She had not noticed them before because they were situated
in a thick grove of trees some distance from the fort.
Laura walked near enough to get a closer look and was
sickened when she saw that several of them had been
dismembered.
"What could have done something like this?" she asked
aloud, hoping the sound of her own voice would help her to
feel a little less frightened.
Jessup's warning jumped to the front of her thoughts. The
men had reported seeing things in the woods. Wildlife
Management said there might be a bear on the prowl.
A bear ... Laura thought it was plausible that a bear could
have done this, and not all that long ago either. A feeling of
uneasiness pounced and she decided it was time to leave. The
thought of a bear nearby impelled her into action. Laura
retraced her steps until she was in sight of the car.
Laura threw the metal box onto the passenger seat and
got in. Once again the starter whined, but the engine wouldn't
turn over. She tried again and again, only to get the same
result.
"Oh God! Now what?" she moaned.
Laura tried several more times until she had finally drained
the battery. Defeated, she sat back and closed her eyes. It
was taking all her effort to remain calm.
Now what was she going to do?
She was some distance from anyplace where help might be
found. The closest place she knew of was the logging camp,
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
which was about two miles back in the direction she had
come.
"Well Laura, you've really gotten yourself into a mess this
time." Her voice was bitter and full of self-loathing.
The clearing was deep in gloom now. Darkness was closing
in fast. She really had no choice but to walk back to the
logging camp. The knowledge that most of the walk would be
in darkness chilled her to the bone, but she reminded herself
that Wyoming wasn't really all that different from New
Mexico, and she'd often gone walking in the dark.
Maybe she should just stay in the truck until morning, and
then make an attempt to walk to the camp? Laura quickly
pushed that thought aside. Here was where the bear had
killed the cattle, and so it was reasonable to assume that she
wouldn't be any safer if she waited. If the bear was large
enough, and being in grizzly country, there was every chance
that the bear was big—it could break through the glass of her
vehicle.
Laura draped her purse over her shoulder and started to
get out of the car, but stopped when her eyes rested on the
metal box. A bizarre sensation came over her that she should
probably hide the box.
Feeling slightly irrational, Laura hid the box beneath the
driver's seat before locking the Bronco. Night was gaining on
her fast and she had only gone about half of a mile before it
was completely dark. There was only the moon to light her
path, but it would be full soon, so it provided sufficient light
to see the road. But ... the rest of her surroundings were
shrouded by the night.
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Stopping abruptly, Laura held her breath as she listened.
There it was again—a rustling in the trees. The night was
completely still, except for that sound.
She stood utterly motionless ... waiting, but now there was
only silence. Laura assured herself that it had probably been
some harmless animal ... maybe a raccoon.
She started walking again, but had only taken a few steps
when she heard it again—this time much closer. Stopping,
she peered in the direction from which the sound was coming.
Gasping, Laura took several steps back.
Under the cover of darkness, she was only able to make
out the deadly, shining eyes. Paralyzed with fear, Laura found
herself unable to move. It was the creature's deep, angry
growls that at last set her into motion. Sprinting in the
direction of the car she ran faster than she had thought
herself capable ... but not fast enough.
The animal's vicious roars were enough to tell her that it
was far too close and gaining. Laura imagined that she could
feel its hot breath on her neck. Her foot caught on a rock and
she was sent sprawling to the hard dirt.
She rolled just in time to see the huge mass of fur and
fangs looming above her. Fear closed off her throat and she
found it impossible to take another breath. Laura felt herself
falling into a pit of welcome darkness. She never saw the
huge, gray wolf spring on the creature that was preparing to
devour her flesh.
* * * *
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Laura woke to the soft light of early morning. She tried to
move, but found that the effort caused extreme pain. Every
inch of her body screamed in protest when she forced her
limbs into action.
Finally making it to a sitting position, Laura saw that she
was still on the road—in the same place she had fallen the
night before.
Bits and pieces of the previous night flashed in her mind.
The terror returned and with it, an uncontrollable trembling.
Laura could remember nothing after looking into the eyes of
the creature.
She was not even sure what it had been. Mostly it had
resembled a cat, but one that was badly malformed. Or
maybe it had been her fear that had made it appear so? What
she was sure of is that it wasn't a bear.
Mindful of the odd fact that she was actually still alive, and
for the most part—she had not been seriously hurt, it still
took all her strength just to get to her feet. She saw that her
purse lay only a few feet away in the brush.
After retrieving her handbag, Laura began the long walk
back to the logging camp, each step taking tremendous
concentration to complete. To think any further ahead than
her next step would have only given her a feeling of
hopelessness. Her dry, parched throat screamed for even so
much as a swallow of water. Laura could well imagine that
she must appear a scary sight.
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Realm of the Wolf Book I: Wolf Dance
by Lorraine Kennedy
Her thoughts totally submerged in the task of walking, she
didn't hear the bike until it had nearly reached her. Justin cut
the engine and reclined against the tall back bar. Folding his
arms against his chest, he smiled.
Laura felt the sudden urge to smack the smile right from
his face.
"Let me guess ... your truck broke down?"
"Yes ... and I know that I'm very stupid, so would you
please not rub it in?" Laura told him as she placed her hands
on her hips, hoping to claim some sort of composure.
"Would you like a ride back to your cabin?" he offered.
Laura came close to declining his offer, but thought better
of it. "Sure ... I'd really appreciate it."
Justin slid forward, allowing enough room for Laura to
squeeze in behind him. Once she was settled, he revved the
engine and they shot ahead. Laura had to wrap her arms