***
Its breath brushed passed her cold skin, the long nose appeared to her right side.
‘You are free, run as fast as you can…..run….run…..RUN!’
Like a sprinter from a starting block she moved, the words forced her to go. She ran to the light, the path she could see. The Wolf turned to the driver’s side and pressed play upon the CD player, the song began, his chase had started.
‘
‘
The branches cracked to his left, he knew where she was. Her feet stumbled, licking the foliage to her side, he was next to her. The edge of the wood appeared in front of her eyes, he was there.
***
The car skidded to a stop. He reversed back a couple of feet, the passenger window slid down, the accumulated snow fell onto the seat. The track was barely visible, faint tyre tracks had turned into the small entrance and disappeared into the blackness. He had to decide, turn off and follow or keep going. He closed his eyes to listen harder. The wheels were locked fully left and the rear end spun wide as he drove up the new track. The twinkle of red eyes could be seen in the near distance, he approached them carefully.
The van sat to his front, a beast in slumber. He stopped and killed the headlights, reaching into the bag on the passenger’s side he retrieved the claw hammer and climbed from the vehicle. The song filled the woods, he spun three hundred and sixty degrees, scanning his surroundings. The night was quiet and the moon was close to being full. He ran to the empty van, the headlights guiding the path. He followed quickly, the track becoming darker as he ventured deeper. The branches whipped his cold face as the shadows of the sleeping trees swarmed him, he ran faster, his heart kept up with the pace, the wildest thoughts clogged his mind. The edge was nearing, the glistening snow appeared.
***
The girl lay bleeding, the attack from her side had knocked her down, the gash to her leg had opened and the blood flowed freely from it. The slaps to her stomach had ripped the flesh open, the warm life escaping the wounds. He had dragged her limp body to the place he chose, the level ground lay under the moon as it approached its fullest. He dropped to his knees, landing upon her arms and pinning her. The claw was removed and knife embraced. He readied himself, the heart was his for the taking. The girl attempted to plead with the beast, her tears glistened under the full moon. The shimmer upon the long blade caught her eye, the ground numbed her skin, the monster howled with satisfaction as the knife was poised.
The hammer struck the arm, the claw part of the tool buried into the beast skin. Its weapon fell to the ground, the beasts face peered up to see the attacker. Richard drove a knee into the side of the Wolf’s temple, the blow knocking it to the blanket of snow. The toe of his boot connected with its side, the distinct cracking of ribs filled the night. The hammer was brought up and landed on the face of the beast, several more strikes followed and Richard screamed as the anger controlled him. He stopped when the body remained still, he kicked the knife away and approached the Wolf cautiously, his fingers pressed against its neck, there was a pulse, it was still alive.
***
Nathan stood as his gate was called forward. He opened the phone book upon his mobile and searched for Jack, the call was forwarding.
‘Nathan, how are you, tell me you’re staying?’
‘No sorry Jack, I’m boarding now. Look Jack, I’ve just found something interesting. There’s an address I think you should take a look at, and I mean now…..with a team, fuck it the full force mate, I’m going to text you it….I discovered it in that file Lillian sent, just being reading through it now….seriously Jack, act fast…..please!’
‘Okay…..okay send it, Nathan…..thank you!’
‘Good bye Jack, enjoy your retirement!’
He ended the call, his eyes welled up as he knew he couldn’t see Jack again. He had held out with vital information, Jack would know this when he got to the scene, depending on what he found at the Wolf’s location. He thought about Richard, he hoped he had found Megan and that she was alive. He boarded the plane, the mixed emotions pulsing through his ageing body.
***
Jack bolted from his chair, the recent call had sent a chill through his spine, a motivator that he begged for. The address had been text through and he gathered the task team in the briefing room. Calls were made whilst the teams gathered for the news, he struggled to reach several people and some of the ranks he required were at home. He made a command decision and decided to go ahead with the search.
‘Everyone listen in, we have a new piece of information, an address. It could be something or maybe nothing, but we can’t sit on our arses and do jack shit about it!’ the pun unintended.
‘We’re moving in figures ten, I want all task teams set in the positions they were assigned on the previous house search. We are obviously lacking the Armed Response unit, so we go with riot control gear, helmets, batons and shields. I will lead the hit, my team will conduct the search. Is everybody happy with what they are doing?’ the nods confirmed the question.
‘Good, okay gather around to view the map. The white board was spun around and on the rear was the map he used to brief the last search. We are here, the thin mental pointer landed upon the Met office. This is our destination, roughly half an hour. The main route to the objective will be this’, the tip slid from their location to the destination, following the prominent road, ‘Our route back, depending on the outcome of the search, will be the quickest means, the same that we use to get there. Do you understand?’
‘Yes Sir’ the audience bellowed in unison.
‘Good, ladies and gents, this could be the hide of the Wolf! If, at the location, we discover the suspect, I want all necessary precautions taken, I want this bastard alive, but if he is armed, then we call for back-up, any questions?’
‘No Sir’
‘Well then, why are you still here…..let’s go, move!’ he ordered.
The room drowned with adrenalin and anxiety, the teams moved with intent, each and every person envisioned the search and its outcome. Jack had his own vision, the beast in hand cuffs, crying in the back of the van. He hoped and prayed for the result he longed for.
***
Richard removed his black coat, the freezing wind and snow fall chilled his body. He placed the jacket upon his daughter, the fabric had absorbed his body heat and began to warm her core. She whimpered as he slipped his hands under her legs and neck. He stood, cradling her frozen body and he pulled her close to his chest, offering as much heat as possible. He kissed her forehead, the tear ran from his cheek and sunk into the glistening snow. He manoeuvred her so that one arm held her body, her head resting upon his shoulder. He stood by the unconscious beast, his free hand gripped the ankle. He didn’t want to leave the monster alone, he wanted him by his side, he wanted him for himself. The body was dragged through the snow, the indentations followed it as they moved towards the woods. The growing wind attacked Richard, the snow striking his face and eyes. He pulled, his arms
