They Call Me Creature Page 7

  I didn’t finish my question.

  As he drew closer, I gaped in horror at him. At the red stains all down the front of his clothes.

  The red … the bright, wet red …

  My dad—he … he was covered in blood.

  “The blood,” I muttered.

  I took a step back, my whole body tight with fear.

  My dad stood hunched in front of me, breathing hard. “You promised, Laura. You promised to stay in the backyard.”

  “But, Dad—” I pointed. “The blood … What is that blood?”

  He looked down, as if seeing it for the first time. He stared at it for a long moment. “I heard you screaming,” he said finally. “I … I dropped everything and ran.”

  The blood stained both of his hands. I saw a patch of it darkening on his chin.

  “I ran into a sharp tree branch,” he said. “I … cut my chest, I guess. I didn’t stop to check. I thought you were in trouble.”

  We stared at each other. I couldn’t take my eyes off the bright, red blood. Still wet. Still so wet.

  Did I believe his story?

  I wanted to believe it. I really did. But I remembered the journal in the shed. If we kill them, we will learn more. How many can we kill?

  Did Dad kill the deer?

  No … no … please—no!

  He pulled off his glasses and wiped them on the side of his pants. He squinted at me. “Are you okay? The screaming … are you hurt?”

  I shook my head. “No. A deer. I heard a deer being attacked. By some kind of animal. It scared me.”

  I stared at my father. He couldn’t have done it. He couldn’t have ripped the deer’s head off like that. He couldn’t have, I told myself. No way. No way. No way.

  Ellen and Stevie and all the other kids were waiting for me when Dad and I returned to the backyard. Dad slipped into the house while everyone gathered around me, talking all at once, smiling, relieved.

  “Laura, where did you go?” Ellen asked. “We heard you screaming and—we were so scared.”

  “Where did you go?” I demanded. “I went looking for you—”

  “Stevie and I were in the garage,” Ellen said. “We were looking for another Frisbee.”

  “Someone told me you were in the woods,” I said, sighing.

  “Can we cut the cake now?” a boy shouted.

  Everybody laughed.

  We cut the birthday cake. It was a little melted and soggy from being left outside for so long.

  The party broke up early. No one was really in the mood anymore.

  “I’m really sorry,” I apologized to Ellen for the hundredth time as she headed away with Stevie and two other guys. “I—I shouldn’t have run into the woods like that.”

  Ellen hugged me. “It was a great party anyway. Oh, I forgot to tell you. Joe was here.”

  “Huh? When?”

  “He showed up right after you went into the woods. But you weren’t here, so he left. He’s not bad. Kind of shy. But not bad.”

  I was so disappointed. Why didn’t he stay? Oh, well. At least Ellen had finally met him.

  After Ellen and the others left, I picked up some dirty paper plates and cups and carried them into the house.

  But I couldn’t finish cleaning up. I was too upset. And too confused. Dr. Carpenter said I could come back and talk some more—and that’s exactly what I was going to do.

  Dr. Carpenter knew something about Dad. Something she didn’t want to tell me. But I had to make her tell me. I had to know.

  I ran out the back door, letting the screen door slam behind me. Then I jumped on my bike and began pedaling hard, heading to the animal hospital.

  I hoped she would be there. I really needed her help.

  A few minutes later I jumped off my bike, letting it fall to the grass. Then I ran inside the building.

  No one at the reception desk. I heard a radio playing down the hall. A few dogs were barking.

  “Anyone here?” I called.

  No answer. So I made my way to the main office. I pulled open the door. “Dr. Carpenter?” The lights were all on. I saw a cup of coffee and a half-eaten muffin on her desk. But no sign of her.

  I’m not leaving this place without answers, I told myself. I can’t live with all these questions about Dad. I’m afraid of him now. I can’t be afraid of my own father.

  I crossed the room to the wall of file cabinets.

  I glanced back at the door. No sign of Dr. Carpenter.

  I hurried to the file drawers. After a few seconds I found a drawer marked EMPLOYMENT RECORDS.

  Yes! I thought. I pulled it out. The drawer was stuffed full. My hand shook as I started to shuffle through the files, searching for the one about my dad.

  Finally I found one with his name on it. I lifted it out—and opened it.

  Empty. The file was completely empty.

  Someone had removed all of his records.

  The file folder fell from my hand. I bent to pick it up.

  And heard a startled voice from the doorway. “Laura! What are you doing?”

  I jumped to my feet. “Dr. Carpenter!” I gasped. “I—I’m so sorry.”

  Her blond hair gleamed under the ceiling lights. Her green eyes narrowed, studying me. “What are you doing here, Laura? What are you looking for?”

  I didn’t hold back. I told her everything I was worried about.

  I told her about Dad locking himself in the shed day after day. I told her about the camera over the shed door. And about the strange howls and animal cries from inside the shed. I told her about the blood. I told her I thought Dad might be killing animals.

  “I—I’m so worried about him, Dr. Carpenter,” I said, unable to keep my voice from trembling. “I’m worried. And I’m afraid of him. And … and he wants to send me away. Can you believe it? Can you believe he’d actually send me away?”

  She stared at me. “Wow,” she muttered. “How awful. I don’t believe it, Laura. I really don’t. Your father is a good man, even if he … ”

  “Even if what? What is he doing?” I cried. “Do you know? Why did he leave his job here? You have to tell me! You have to!”

  She sighed and settled into her desk chair. She motioned for me to sit across from her. “Okay. Since you’re so upset, I’ll tell you what happened,” she said finally. “But it isn’t a happy story, Laura.”

  I sat stiffly with my hands cold and wet, clamped tightly together in my lap. And I listened to Dr. Carpenter’s story….

  “Your father and I were working together on some important genetic research with animals. But I began to feel that your dad was going too far. He became obsessed. He worked on the research day and night. And after a while he wouldn’t tell me things he was working on. He had a lot of secrets.

  “I began to suspect that he was taking the work in a different direction. I thought maybe he was doing experiments that were cruel to the animals.”

  I listened carefully, trying to understand what Dr. Carpenter was telling me. “What kind of research was he doing?” I asked. “What was he trying to find out?”

  “We were trying to understand how genes could be used to fight viruses. By studying the genetic patterns of the animals, we hoped to change the genes and prevent disease—not only in animals, but in people, too. Do you understand what I’m saying?” she asked.

  “I think so.” I nodded. “And if animals had genes that could fight viruses, then you could figure out how to create virus-fighting genes in humans,” I reasoned.

  “Exactly!” Dr. Carpenter exclaimed. “It would be so exciting. A medical miracle!”

  She sat back in her chair. “But your father started taking the research too far. I heard horrible howls coming from his lab. He wouldn’t tell me what he was doing. It was all too disturbing.” She let out a deep sigh.

  “Your dad and I fought about it,” she continued. “We talked about him leaving, but he promised to stop.

  “Then one day I was looking for some of my research note
s, and they were missing. No one knew where I kept my notes. No one but your dad.

  “It was terrible. How could I work with someone I couldn’t trust? So I had to ask your dad to leave. It was very sad. But I had no choice.”

  My mind spinning, I closed my eyes to think about everything Dr. Carpenter had said. And I pictured that little, whimpering animal in the shed. The one he was injecting with the big needle.

  I could see my dad plunging the big needle into the squealing animal. And I knew it was all true….

  I jumped up. Spun away. And ran out of the room. Out of the animal hospital. I don’t even remember if I thanked Dr. Carpenter or said goodbye or anything.

  I grabbed my bike and tore out of there, the horrible thoughts raging in my head, whirling like a hurricane. Into the woods. I spent an hour or so wandering among the trees. It had always calmed me to be here. But not this time.

  I didn’t get home till long after dinnertime. Dad was locked in his shed. I was glad. I didn’t want to face him.

  I wasn’t hungry, but I made a sandwich and took it up to my room. I picked up the phone a couple of times to call Ellen. But each time I changed my mind.

  What could I say?

  I went to bed a little after eleven and fell into a dreamless sleep. I was awakened a few hours later by a long animal howl. From outside.

  I sat up, rubbing my eyes, tugging my sweaty hair off the back of my neck. I climbed out of bed and made my way to the window as another long, sad howl—a howl of pain—floated up from the woods.

  Wisps of black cloud snaked over the moon. The trees bent and swayed in a strong breeze.

  What is going on out there? I asked myself.

  I dressed quickly. Grabbed a flashlight. And tiptoed down the hall. I heard Dad snoring lightly as I passed his room.

  I glanced at the kitchen clock as I headed to the back door. Nearly three A.M.

  Beaming the flashlight on the ground ahead of me, I crossed the back lawn and stepped into the woods. The moon kept appearing and then disappearing behind the rolling wisps of cloud. A heavy dew made everything sparkle like silver.

  OWWWOOOOOOOOOOO.

  I turned at the sound of the howl, my light sweeping over the trees. I stepped off the path and made my way toward the sound.

  OWOOOOOOO.

  So close. The sound was so close now.

  The back of my neck prickled. I suddenly felt cold all over. My hand trembled, and I nearly dropped the flashlight.

  I heard a door slam. I swept my light through the trees. It washed over the Jeep and trailer.

  I sucked in my breath. Forced myself to stop shaking. I moved in closer.

  Hiding behind a tree, I stole a glance into the driver’s window. No one there. The Jeep was empty.

  I heard a heavy thud, followed by another long, mournful howl. From inside the trailer.

  I stepped closer, moving the light from side to side.

  No one around.

  The men must be out hunting other animals, I figured.

  What did they have in there? It definitely wasn’t a deer.

  I’m going to find out, I decided. I’m not leaving until I finally find out.

  OWOOOOOO.

  The howl grew even louder, more desperate. Did the creature know someone was out here?

  My light swept over the back of the trailer until I found a long, silvery bolt on the back door.

  I took a deep breath. Lowered the light. Reached for the bolt and tugged it hard.

  It slid up easily, and the back doors began to swing open.

  OWOOOOOOO.

  The long, sad howl greeted me, along with a sour smell.

  I raised the light. Aimed it into the trailer, focusing on the animal tied up, sitting on the floor.

  I opened my mouth to scream—but no sound came out.

  Was it an animal? Was it a real, living creature?

  “Ohhhhhh.” A horrified moan escaped my throat. The flashlight jiggled in my hand. I gripped it in two hands to hold it steady.

  And stared …

  Stared in shock and amazement at the ugly creature gazing back at me. Its body was huge, and piglike. But it had human arms and legs. It’s skin was creamy colored but lined and leathery.

  And its face …

  I raised the flashlight, and the light trembled over its face. Its face … so ugly … so strange….

  A pig’s face. Round and bald. A snout and two long teeth curling out over its chin. Pointed pig ears. But its eyes—they were human eyes … and they looked so sad.

  It opened its snout and howled again. It pulled and strained against the thick ropes that held it down.

  Staring at me with those sad, watery eyes as if pleading, it shoved its massive body against the wall of the trailer.

  Shoved it again. Again. Its fat body shook like Jell-O.

  “No,” I whispered. “No.”

  I lowered the light and backed away. I reached for the door handle. I trained my light on the creature for one more look. I shuddered.

  Part pig. Part human. Did my father create this beast? Is this what he was doing in secret?

  Dr. Carpenter had told the truth, I realized. Dad was doing his own research. His own terrifying experiments.

  I shoved the door shut. I was reaching for the bolt when I heard voices.

  I spun around and saw two men step out of the trees. The same men I had met before.

  Circles of light swept the ground in front of them. Then they both raised their lights to my face. They uttered angry, surprised cries.

  I raised my hands to shield my eyes.

  “Did she see it? Did she?” the bald one asked.

  “Yes,” his partner replied.

  The bald one let out a low growl. “Grab her,” he ordered. “Don’t let her get away.”

  The flashlight fell from my hand. I spun away from the lights in my face.

  “She saw too much,” one of them said. “Don’t let her escape.”

  I started to run.

  OWOOOOOOO. The creature in the trailer howled and heaved himself against its side, making the trailer bounce.

  I glanced back to see the two men coming after me. Their lights danced on the ground as they ran.

  I ducked my head beneath a low tree branch and dived into a clump of tall weeds. I forced myself to run faster, their angry cries ringing in my ears. So close … they were so close behind me.

  I can’t outrun them, I realized. And I can’t see well enough to find a good place to hide.

  My feet slid out from under me on a wet patch of mud. I fell hard, landing on my back.

  I heard one of the men laugh. The beams from their flashlights swept over me.

  I forced myself to my feet. Grabbed a fallen tree branch—and heaved it at them blindly.

  I heard it thud to the ground.

  The men were silent now, running after me. Closing in.

  My side ached. My back throbbed from my fall.

  They’re going to catch me, I realized. I can’t let them. I have to get to Dr. Carpenter. I have to tell her about the pig creature. If I can get to her, maybe we can stop Dad. Together we can stop him.

  I scrambled over a low mound of flat stones. Then ducked into a string of tall evergreen trees.

  “Where is she?” I heard one of the men ask. “Stop running! We just want to talk to you!”

  Liar.

  I huddled in the dark safety of a broad evergreen tree. But a few seconds later I heard their footsteps crunching closer.

  I lowered my head and darted into a wide clearing.

  A mistake. A terrible mistake. Now I had nowhere to hide.

  “There she is!” I heard one of the men say. “I’ve got her now.”

  I saw their lights moving on the other side of the evergreens.

  I started to run across the tall grass. But I stumbled over something. Something big and soft.

  I bent down to see what it was.

  “Ohhhhh.” I groaned as I realized I was leaning
over the dead deer. The ripped open, half-eaten deer.

  The smell of rotting flesh rose up to my nostrils, sickening me.

  The torn skin hung loosely over the remaining bones.

  I looked up and saw the lights moving. The men were running toward me, pushing their way through the evergreen trees.

  In seconds they would see me.

  Where could I hide? No trees or rocks or shrubs in the clearing. How could I hide?

  I took a deep breath.

  I grabbed a flap of the deer’s skin. I tugged it up. It felt heavy and wet in my hands.

  The sour smell washed over me. I held my breath to keep from puking.

  I pulled the skin flap up as far as it would go.

  And I climbed inside the deer.

  The wet deer skin flapped against my body. As I hunched down, the putrid guts squished against the knees of my jeans. Bones jabbed me in the side.

  I pulled the skin tighter around me, but it was slippery and I had trouble gripping it.

  Flies buzzed above me. I could feel the moist guts seeping into my clothes.

  I shut my eyes and held on tight, covered by the deer skin. The back of my neck itched, but I couldn’t scratch it. Something wet and gloppy fell onto my forehead.

  I realized I’d been holding my breath the whole time. My chest felt about to burst. I had to breathe. The thick, sour odor made me want to scream. My stomach heaved.

  I’m inside a dead deer, I thought. My whole body started to shake. Inside a dead deer …

  Above me I heard the crunch of footsteps. Voices.

  “Where is she? How did we lose her?”

  “She didn’t go far.”

  I struggled to calm my stomach. I tried not to breathe in the foul smell. But I couldn’t hold my breath any longer. I took in a small gulp of air—and threw up.

  “Ooooo,” I let out a sick moan.

  The sound of the footsteps came closer. I felt a hard thud and realized one of the men had kicked the deer corpse.

  I clamped my mouth shut to keep from crying out.

  “This deer looks like it was hit by a truck.”

  “What a stink. Did you forget your deodorant today?”

  They both laughed.

  “This deer wasn’t killed by a normal animal,” I heard one of them say. “Do you think our friend is nearby?”