Anastay watched with baited breath as her Great-Great-Grandmother Grace went running blindly into the thick brush, obviously aching to hide from whatever lurked in the deeper shadows. The darkness seemed to consume them both as Anastay rushed after her, the icy air constricting the maximum expansion of her already aching lungs. Grace smothered a scream of fear while the footsteps cracked above the brush, indicating that someone was drawing closer than anticipated. She hiked up her skirts that were catching against the thorns of each bush, attempting to increase her speed. She prayed that God would save her.
Anastay continued to follow, nonetheless, not understanding why she was not out of breath like Grace. She could feel each emotion passing through Grace, however. The anger of defeat, the satisfaction of stealing away, the relief of someone being hidden, and then the fear as the steps approached quickly. Anastay felt more confused while each emotion washed over her consciousness, tempting her to reach further through the lies for the golden truth. She knew the fog that was settling around Grace was the fog of Canines-Rose, where her ancestral linkage could be traced far beyond her great-great grandmother. Finally, she knew where she was, but not why her great-great-grandmother was there with her.
“Grandmother!” Anastay screamed as Grace stopped in her tracks, stumbling on the uneven texture of the woods. Anastay thought she would approach her, but Grace did no such thing. Instead, Grace sunk her knees into the mud of the bog and began to crawl into a small bush of roses. Anastay watched a thorn strike Grace across the face, drawing blood instantly. Grace did not flinch, but continued in deeper.
“HALT!” a voice cried out through the darkness. Anastay felt her heart quicken as the footsteps approached with a haunting menace. One cracked right beside her. Anastay screamed into the figure’s ear, but he didn’t flinch. He merely stepped up against the brush. “Grace Marie Lontenz, I know you are in here! Show yourself, and you will not be harmed!”
Anastay felt her breath catch along with Grace’s breath. Anastay could not see the man, because he was covered with shadows. She watched as his hand snatched downward, grabbing Grace by the throat. Grace made a gasping sound as the man dragged her forward. Anastay screamed out as her great-great-grandmother was thrown to the ground.
“LEAVE ME ALONE!” Grace screamed out.
“Give me what I want!” the man growled.
“I have nothing of the sort!”
“You have that!” the man spat, reaching down to snatch the necklace glittering off her neck. The chain snapped in two pieces. Grace reached up to feel the trickle of blood running from her neck. She cringed as the man let the emerald necklace fall to the ground. She reached to grab it, but the man stomped down against the precious stone.
“It means nothing!” Grace cried out, her eyes locked on the cracked jewel.
“Then why do tears streak your face?”
“Sir, because you have tracked me down in the dead of night.”
“There is a reason for that, madam.”
“There is no reason. Just leave me be.”
“You have what I want,” the man said, motioning toward the small shawl Grace was carrying. Instinctively, Grace brought the wrapped item closer to her bosom. “Exactly, Grace, you have what I want.”
“He is gone, there is nothing more you can do.”
“That book will tell me the truth, wench!”
“The book has nothing!”
“Then maybe your throat will tell me what I need to hear!” the man cried out as the moonlight began to cascade over his body. Anastay felt nauseous as she heard the man’s bones begin to crack and disfigure. His back arched as he fell to all fours. His face became distorted with shadows as more bones cracked. Fur began to sprout against his creamy skin.
“LEAVE ME BE!” Grace screamed with fury as the beast transformed. She struggled to get to her feet. The mud made her slip and fall as she clawed at the damp ground. She flailed miserably as the beast latched his humongous jaws onto her ankle. “HELP!” Grace screamed in agony as the beast ripped her flesh and dragged her backward.
“GRANDMOTHER!” Anastay screamed out in helplessness. She watched as the beast placed his paw against her face, holding her still in the filth. Anastay fell to her knees, unable to move. Her legs were frozen in place as she sobbed in vain. “LEAVE HER ALONE!”
“Where is he?” the beast growled out as his wolf-like hands tore into her thick dress. She yelped in agony as the rough nails pierced her flesh. He continued to dig each into her bare flesh as she screamed for salvation.
“I KNOW NOTHING!”
“You know death.”
“I know a hellion!” Grace spat up against his gruesome face. “You will burn in the fiery pits of Hell for your trickery. You will never be able to feel the warmth of salvation, because the Devil will be spitting fire at your feet!”
“Death knows your blood is coming!” the man screamed as he lunged at Grace. She lay there, not giving him the satisfaction of screaming any longer. She knew her life was gone. There was no point in fighting the obvious.
Anastay screamed out as the man sunk his massive jaws into Grace’s soft throat. He heard her gurgle as his teeth entered - and with one swift move – tore the flesh away from her throat. The ripping sound of her flesh caused Anastay to sink too her knees. Anastay turned away and felt her stomach heave as the blood poured from her grandmother’s neck. The pulpy flesh remained a former vision of Grace’s neck as the wolf spit out the remains of her skin. Small strings of muscle hung from his bloody teeth. He let his saliva drain away onto her paling skin, and then ran away into the deeper brush.
“Grandmother?” Anastay called hoarsely as she went to reach out and grab for her, but was stopped. Anastay still couldn’t move from her spot. She watched in dismay as Grace’s beautiful emerald eyes stayed open at the horror that she had endured. Her beautiful pale skin glimmered against the soft moonlight. Her beautiful thick dresses coated with her sticky blood, coating her body with a blanket of crimson roses.
“GRACE?” a voice called into the night.
“HELP! OH GOD! PLEASE HELP MY GRANDMOTHER!” Anastay screamed out to the voice. She found herself in vain. She couldn’t understand why no one could hear her pleas. She wanted to strike something and break it. She knew Grace was already dead, but she didn’t want her death top be futile. At least get her help.
“Grace, I can’t find my father,” the boy’s voice called again. Anastay watched a young boy stumble out into the clearing from the forest. He was extremely young and lean. His unruly black curls pulled back by a simple piece of black fabric. He clutched his stomach as he fell where Grace lay. “Grace, why are you laying on the dirty ground?”
The boy reached his hand out to grasp onto one of Grace’s tender curls. As his hands swept over the silky blonde tress, a sticky substance covered his hand. He fell back in shock, noticing his hands covered in blood. His eye froze on her pale neck. “Oh, GRACE! Not you also!”
Grace never replied to the boy. Anastay wanted to comfort the boy’s small form, but she could not. She watched the boy cry out as a glittering object caught his eye. He reached out to touch the flawed gem, and then cringed. Anastay jumped back as the boy hit all fours, screaming in agony. His screams battled against the howling wind as his bones slowly started to crack.
‘ANASTAY!’ a voice called out into Anastay’s sleepless slumber. She tossed and turned until she felt warmness spread over her hand. Her back arched as she sat straight up in her bed, panting heavily. ‘Anastay, you are fine.’
She glanced down to see Taco sleeping on her pillow, and the wolf perched at her side. The noble wolf laid his head on her stomach, sleepily gazing at her. Instinctively, Anastay reached out and caressed the side of the wolf’s head, soothed by the warmth of his fur. “The dream was terrible,” she confessed.
‘Seemed to be that way. Are you okay?’
“Scared, that’s all.”
‘Of what did you dream?’
“My Great-Great-Grandmother Grace was running through the woods. I don’t know why, but a man stopped her. She was killed, and then a boy came crawling out to save her. Then I heard the sound of bones cracking. She was hiding something from the man that killed her,” Anastay replied with a feeling of ice pressing against her backbone. She knew her fear had something to do with the wolf. She glanced down, “The man turned into a wolf, Howard. Were you that wolf?”
‘No,’ the wolf told her quickly – a little too quickly in Anastay’s judgment. He leaned in and licked her face gently. ‘I promised you protection, and I have always protected your line of ancestors. Never will you be hurt.’
Anastay settled back into her covers while the wolf snuggled against her side. She hadn’t dreamed of her family in so long, much less her great-great grandmother. She hadn’t even known the woman, but yet she recognized her instantly through the misty haze. She closed her eyes, trying to wipe the disturbing dream from her thoughts. She had an eerie feeling about the necklace and book her great-great-grandmother had.
She felt her heart suddenly lurch at the thought of the book. She remembered on her second encounter with the wolf she had found a book. Howard had kept her from the book. Could that be the same book that could lead Anastay to the truths of her own questions? The idea sent Anastay into a tizzy of delight. Tomorrow, answers would be given.
