MORTAL FEAR

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PROLOGUE

No one noticed the dark-haired man and his male companion as they stepped off the plane on Gravina Island. The Ketchikan airport was small, and it took them only a few minutes to collect their luggage. Within minutes of arriving, the two men bypassed the airport ferry and climbed into a large skiff manned by a burly local. What was odd, was that all three men wore the same black and red woolen plaid coats and black woolen hats pulled down low on their faces. A heavy thick grey fog was rolling into the Narrows from the bay as the winds picked up from the sea. Within minutes, the skiff was swallowed in the wet, cold blanket of sea fog.

 

CHAPTER 1 1st Murder

The whipping icy February winds lifted the powdery snow from the docks, piling it haphazardly into shifting snow berms that had grown rapidly over the past several hours. It was only a little past midnight, but the streets were empty and slick with ice. A lone dog roamed the dock next to the Visitors Center, looking for any scraps of food. He was large, with silver, white and black markings. His blue eyes were wary as he cautiously navigated the icy dock beneath his paws. Frustrated at not being able to access the heavy trash barrel, he stood on his hindquarters and attempted to knock it over by rocking it hard with his front paws. He stopped suddenly and turned his head as the sound of terrified gasping and running footsteps came towards him in the darkness.

The dog ran, his furry feet sliding on the icy roadway as he crossed the street and hid in the doorway of a jewelry store long since closed for the winter. He smelled an odd scent as he lifted his nose. There was a memory in it. Something ancient stirred in his blood. He fought the urge to flee as the mesmerizing scene unfolded before him, compelling him to remain. The shadowy figure of a man running towards the Visitors Center caught the dim entry light that glinted off the heavy metal statue of fishermen close by. The man hit a patch of snow-covered ice and slid to his knees. His terrified eyes saw only darkness, but he felt the angry sinister presence that hunted him and heard its heavy breath.

He was crying. The sharp chilling wind muffled the terror in his voice as he looked back over his shoulder. Something in the darkness behind him roared and he screamed again, scrambling wildly trying to get to his feet. He saw nothing in the engulfing inky blackness behind him. He moved quickly towards the corner of the building, as a loud grunting sounded close behind him, distorted by the shrill, ripping winds. The man whipped his head around to look behind him again, fear unfurled through him, thickening his blood, running as fast as he could towards the Visitor’s Center. He ran breathlessly towards the unroped sidewalk, nearly colliding head-on with the massive brass statue of fishermen that sat on the dock near the entrance to the street next to the Visitor’s center.

A light flickered behind him as he rounded the corner, illuminating only for a moment, the tall muscular beast that moved menacingly towards him. The streetlamp near the Visitor’s Center twenty feet away flickered on again, its dim flickering light revealed the wolf-like monster in front of him. The creature was massive, with fur as black as night and eyes that glowed with a reddish otherworldly light. It looked like a monstrous hybrid of human and wolf. It was larger than any other wolf he had ever seen, with razor-sharp teeth, unnaturally white and salivating. A huge hulking thing advanced slowly, savoring the fear like it was a tangible thing. Reaching out a trembling hand to hold on to the cold metal of the statue, the man moved forward slowly, desperate not to slip on the ice beneath his feet. Panic sized the man’s entire body as he looked up into the glittering red eyes that bore into his. A brutal hatred consumed them as those eyes pierced his soul.

The creature roared, a long-fingered hand, tipped with razor-sharp claws, gripped the man’s neck, lifting him bodily. He screamed as choking panic engulfed the man as he realized he was going to die. His body spasmed as it fought for air, gagging, as wrenching nausea of fear rose to his dry, split lips, the scream cut agonizingly short.

“Please…I didn’t...” He whispered.

The creature’s long tapered ears shot upwards, an expression of disbelief flickered through its eyes and was gone, replaced by hate as its eyes penetrated his. It loosened its tight hold on his throat, baring its long deadly fangs, grimacing a terrifying smile that flashed across its horrifying face.

The massive, long black talons tightened its grip on the man’s throat, pulling him to his feet. He shivered violently despite the heavy gale-force winds that swept against them. Sobbing and gagging, the man began to fall slowly to his knees. The beast jerked him upright as it lifted him several feet in the air, before leaning down, shoving its face close to his. It’s hot, unnatural breath forced him to attempt to turn his head. A roar of blind rage ripped from the beast as it tightened its grip on him, screaming as it shook him. Razor-sharp claws wrapped themselves tighter around his neck, jerking him higher into the air.

The glowing red eyes seem to glow in the darkness, causing the man to freeze in terror, unable to scream. A long wolf-like snout with wide lips curled back to reveal sharp canine shaped teeth gleaming threateningly in the flickering porch light brightened. It swung its massive head, of glistening thick black and silver fur, and pinned its large wolf like ears to its head as the creature glanced up at the flickering light in obvious annoyance.

The man shuddered as the creature once again brought his face up to its own. Looking into its eyes, he saw only inhuman rage and an ancient hunger that burned with a life of its own. Neither saw nor sensed the presence of the shadowy figure who stood beneath the stairwell of a nearby restaurant, hidden within the pitch-black shadows.

The man felt the bile rise in his throat and fought it as he struggled against the powerful hand that held him nearly a foot off the ground. It was all in vain, and he knew it. He couldn’t breathe, the creature was slowly strangling him as he dangled, his arms swinging as his fists weakly pummeled the creature’s shoulders and chest. The lamp suddenly brightened, and the man swung his fist at the creature’s head before trying to twist free. The creature ducked his head and shook him violently. The man continued to whimper, his bloodshot blue eyes, begging beneath the all-consuming terror. The creature smiled wolfishly as he lifted his other hand and with a sharp razor talon, he carved a deep symbol into the man’s forehead. Searing pain flooded his trembling body as his flesh tore easily beneath the creature’s razored claw.

Blood ran thickly into the man’s eyes. Warm. Sticky. It flowed heavily down his face as his woolen red and black plaid coat became drenched around his collar. Crimson drops fell like snowflakes to the icy snow below him. He shivered violently as the icy gusting wind shot through him. The thing smiled, looking into his terrified, bulging eyes. Pulling him closer it licked the man’s forehead, wiping clean the blood, but only for a mere second. His scream choked off abruptly as the creature roared and sank his fangs viciously into the man’s neck and fed hungrily. The man trembled violently, unable to scream, fighting the terror that rose in his throat, paralyzing it.

Tears streamed down his face, diluted by the brutal onslaught of the salty sea spray that filled the wind as waves crashed violently against the dock. Blood ran freely down his jaw to drip with bright red droplets on the snow beneath his dangling feet. It seemed to savor its cruelty with an unholy glee as the man fell limp and the creature continued to feed ravenously before abruptly dropping the body at its feet and squatting down, ripping the jacket and sweater open, revealing the man’s bared flesh. It dragged its talons slowly across the man’s chest, carving deeply and resolutely.

Within moments the creature stood on all fours and with one last look, it left the body lying next to the massive statue, staring sightlessly up at the black stormy sky, and loped off into the inky darkness, heading south.  the darkness of the stairwell; his keen dark eyes remained watchful.