Wolf Asylum (31 page)

Darwin had announced a town celebration, which he called the Harvest Festival. It was not uncommon for New Haven to throw a celebratory bash. In recent months the town had hosted fewer events because of dwindling stock at Special Handling. Darwin knew with the lure of food at the Harvest Festival, every werewolf would show up with their ever increasing appetite.

The Guardians were asked to work outside of their normal lunar calendar and shut New Haven off from outsiders for the evening of festivities. Festivities were to begin at six that night, the bigger challenge being keeping security tight surrounding the actual harvest. If anyone in town learned of the location of the dessert course, it was conceivable they could have a riot on their hands. Even the harvesters had found it a challenge to control themselves and much like an alcoholic falling off the wagon now and then, it was inevitable.

Preparing for the evening's events was proving difficult. Darwin was used to having Tim at his side handling much of the details. Now with only Teddy and Steve, Darwin felt very much on his own. With both the good and bad of his life at his side, Darwin only asked Steve and Teddy to focus on keeping the harvest safe. He wanted to assign more tasks, and at the same time he didn't want Steve or Teddy to be seen by the rest of town.

For Darwin, a new feeling was growing inside of him. Watching the former bully talk with Steve was in one sense making him feel happy—it was a form of closure to years of abuse. The more they talked, the more it was clear they both had similar attitudes and views of the world. Darwin wanted to find a reason for Teddy and Steve to not be together in the lead up to the final act. As hard as he thought, he could find no legitimate excuse to break the two apart. His gut twisted every time he left their sight, and he wasn't sure why.

The town square was abuzz with locals doing their part to make the event look as Rockwellian as possible. A Harvest Festival at the beginning of summer was hard to decorate for, yet Terri and Caroline had managed to organize the a team that could create an effective blend of harvest and summer.

White Christmas lights were resurrected to decorate every tree in the park. There weren't enough lights to do the whole town like Darwin would have preferred, though if they were to keep with the theme, they couldn't intermix with other holiday colors.

The tables in the park were all decorated with red and white checkered table cloths. Steel wash bins filled with ice and more beer than an entire frat house could consume were staggered every few feet. A series of grills were set up that were ready to do some serious roasting on a spit.

The coals were hot and the air smelt of a preheating barbecue. The remnant of the previous meal remained glued to the heating lines. A piece at a time, they began to char away to nothing more than cremations.

It had been suggested that games be brought in for the younger generations. At Christmas they had snowman making contests which surprised everyone how good the craftsmanship really was.

In the spring, to celebrate the good fortune that had befallen New Haven, another gala was held. For the children, three detainees were provided as a game. Any New Haven pup who wished to partake could be locked inside the old hospital before it became Hadamar. Once inside, they were allowed to play hide and go seek, with an emphasis on the seeking part.

Jim Baker had suggested a simple activity for the children, but Darwin had to turn him down with the promise they would have an entire contest surrounding the idea at Halloween. Darwin insisted that the entire town would want to be present for the big surprise, even the children—bobbing for babies would have to wait.

At five that day Darwin went to see Teddy and Steve one last time before the big show. He had them set up inside the old train station at the end of town that was more or less abandoned. Strewn across the station floor was reminders of the previous Christmas when Darwin began the round up and deportation of everything he hated. A bag of chestnuts, a Santa hat, a child's baby blanket; the story was still there, waiting to be judged.

Steve and Teddy were inside with a vat of red slime and meat chunks that Teddy was trying to funnel into small bottles. If Darwin hadn't ordered them to do it, he might not have known what was in the vat that Teddy was now looking into blankly.

“How are you feeling? Did it work?” Darwin asked both his friends as he entered the candy factory.

Teddy didn't even lift his head and kept his focus on the grim task. In slow methodical sweeps, he pushed the sludge through, stopping now and then to break up the larger bits.

“Almost human,” Steve chuckled with a forced component to it.

Darwin went over to him and gave him a hug. “In a few more hours this will all be over,” Darwin said softly, releasing him again.

“Then what?” Teddy asked.

“This is only the first step, Teddy. After today, we have more we must do to make sure this truly is over,” Darwin reminded him.

“At what cost? There's a price to pay for the things we've done…when do we pay up?”

“We pay everyday. That feeling you have inside of you; that's your humanity. It reminds us of who we are. We might not be able to afford it, but we keep paying just the same,” Darwin insisted.

“I can't live like this! I want it back!” Teddy shouted.

“I'm not going to argue morals and ethics! We all agreed this had to end. There was no other way! We don't have the luxury of picking how the battle is won. We've got one shot to close the gate and prevent Marta and whatever she's got inside of her from coming back! I've asked you to do things that you'll carry with you for as long as you live, I'm sorry for that. I'm also certain putting this right might absolve us of our crimes,” Darwin said.

“Your crimes you mean?” Teddy answered continuing to fill bottles. “You created this! Not Steve! Not Me! You! So, here we are cleaning up your mess in the hopes that gives you absolution! Where's the justice in that?”

“A few more hours; after that you can do whatever you want,” Darwin replied, turning to leave barely able to control his own raging hunger.

“Dar!” Steve shouted, chasing after him. On the platform next to the empty railway tracks, Steve grabbed Darwin by the arm, “it's not easy for him. You know that!”

“Steve, please,” Darwin answered, refusing to look at Steve. “Remember what I am—who you are. I can't be around it.”

“I know, a few more hours,” Steve surrendered. “We can finally be together.”

Darwin shook Steve off his arm and walked away.

“We'll be there just after six!” Steve said to the empty train platform.

“Darwin! Darwin Foster!” Terri exclaimed from halfway across the park. The little woman began a quick sprint towards her maker with Caroline Lutz in tow.

Darwin knew he had to make appearances in his role and as much as it pained him to say his good-byes, he also knew there was no better ending for the people he had cursed.

“Terri!” Darwin said as he approached the excitable woman. He extended his arms and gave her a big hug, lifting her from the ground and giving her a twirl.

“My, that's a big hug for you! Are you feeling all right?” she joked. “Where the Sam-Hell did you go?” the feisty thrift diva asked.

“I had to go to Hell,” Darwin said with a smile. “It was something I couldn't do with anyone else, and I couldn't have people following me.”

“Oh, my! How did you manage that? What was it like? Oh, I have so many questions!” she said excitedly.

Darwin smiled and gave her another hug. “That's part of the big news tonight. We'll have our celebration dinner, followed by the harvest dessert and then I'll bring everyone up to speed.”

“Did you find Marta, or was it Mary?” Caroline asked.

“It was Marta, and no, I didn't find her. I did find someone who was able to help, a witch of all people. Look I don't want spoil the surprise, it will all be explained after dessert, I promise!” Darwin pledged, trying to move away from the growing crowd.

“Where's Tim?” Terri asked.

Darwin stopped and looked back at Terri. All he could do was shake his head. “Oh, by the way…” he said, changing the subject quickly, “have you seen Tara?”

“I think she's still with Mister Slade at city hall,” Caroline answered. “Should I go get her?”

Darwin thought about it for a moment and decided it wasn't that important. “No that's fine…she knows we start at six, right?”

Caroline shook her head with confidence. “She wouldn't miss it for the world! Who would?”

Darwin asked, “Can I leave the rest of the set-up with you two? I want to go a look over my speech notes.”

“Since when do you take notes for giving a speech?” Terri jabbed.

“Just for tonight. I want to make sure I say everything just right. We have some important issues to discuss, and some of them are a bit complicated,” Darwin told truthfully.

“You got a minute?” Terri asked politely as she ran to his side and began walking with him, not giving him a choice in whether he had time or not.

“You know you always have my ear.”

“What I wanted to ask you is kind of sensitive; maybe not the best conversation to have outside,” she said, looking around to see if anyone was eavesdropping.

“Okay, let's go sit in my car. My speech notes can wait,” Darwin offered which was kindly accepted.

Darwin unlocked the doors remotely and both he and Terri got inside. It was already pushing half past five and the hour was approaching for the big show. Darwin was beginning to feel his nerves heighten.

“I want to know how much food we have left,” Terri said bluntly.

“You know as well as anyone Terri,” Darwin replied, “you work with Clint; you send new arrivals to him. I think you've been privy to most of the logistics of Special Handling…I don't understand where you're going with this.”

Terri huffed a bit. “Enough with the bullshit, Darwin! I'm not the only one, I know it.”

“What do you mean?” he asked.

“I've been stealing food, as it arrives,” Terri admitted. “I don't know why I do it. The hunger is only a slight nuisance but I give in to it faster and faster. Our appetite is growing, but our food stores aren't.”

Darwin was waiting for the final accusation, but Terri stopped short.

He asked, “Who else do you think is stealing food?”

“It's not stealing, but it's getting food from the outside. I see those two guys at the Pump and Save taking apart cars everyday, but the cars look very familiar, like they had been there getting gas earlier in the day. Two boys went missing in the next county last week around the same time our men's bowling team went shopping there. I counted five women going into the abortion clinic; yet, when I checked with Doctor Gagnon later that day, she only had four samples.” She finished with her observations and then asked the big question, “Are we going hungry?”

“I think that's a bit over the top, don't you?”

“It's all I think about any more, I can't stop,” Terri said as her eyes looked beyond the glass into nothingness.

Darwin understood what Terri was saying. In his privileged position he was able to get food whenever he wanted. He had never allowed his hunger get to him in any significant way. The only decision he had to make was who and how much. If he wanted younglings then that is what he would have. Darwin at that moment realized New Haven would end with or without him. Everyone in town could not eat like he did, but everyone was trying to. Everyone needed to. The desire for meat and in the inability to quench the fire inside of them was growing daily. Every time they ate, the addiction grew. Darwin knew it was true.

“There's none left, Terri,” he admitted.

“Then why the Harvest Festival? Why would we cook up the rest of our food if there's a food shortage!” Terri yelled.

“Are you happy as a werewolf, Terri?” Darwin asked, hoping to make his options easier.

“There's seven billion cattle on this planet! Food shouldn't be our problem! We must eat and if you're not going to feed us maybe Tara or Slade will!” she barked out, reaching for the handle to exit the vehicle.

Darwin quickly pulled the knife from his coat pocket with his right hand and rammed the blade into her chest. In one motion he pulled her body towards him and smothered her mouth with his left hand and dragged her from the view of the park. She trembled and looked into his eyes as Hell came for her.

“I'm sorry, Terri. I never meant for this to happen,” Darwin said as he stroked her face.

In one last breath she smiled with a trickle of blood from her mouth, “I forgive you.” With that, the New Haven Thrift Store closed forever.

Darwin sat there only for another minute, out of respect for the woman who had brought him so many laughs over the tough years. Now it was business. In a normal murder Darwin would begin the clean up right away, but the show had to go on.

He looked at his phone and realized he was out of time. The park was filling rapidly and the smoke that billowed from the barbeque area signaled that dinner was near. The masses were coming and there was no backing out. Darwin sent off a text to Steve and Teddy to get over to the park as soon as they could. The details of his meeting with Terri were omitted.

He was committed to the plan now. Three people from the family were now dead, and it would only be a matter of time before others noticed the disappearances. He had painted himself into a corner; he worked best under pressure, he thought. The hard part would be convincing the rest of town he was anything but guilty.

Darwin pushed Terri's small body into the front passenger floor and then tossed a few bags on top of her to help conceal the crime. He retrieved his knife, wiping the blood on Terri's blouse and then re-wiping it again with handy wipes. Darwin hopped out of his town vehicle, placing the silver dagger back into his coat pocket. He relocked the vehicle remotely and proceeded to the dinner as though nothing had happened, something he had done many times before. The perfect crime in a way; the towns people couldn't see past their own interest to notice what had happened in front of them.

The town square was as perfect as any of the previous gatherings. Checkered tables filled with happy and hungry citizens. Most had already had their first plate of barbeque. Laughs filled the park and happiness lined its edges. The bowling team was playing an old time German polka with a couple of accordions that helped citizens sway to the rhythm. Darwin had only wanted the perfect town, where everyone was treated with respect. On the surface, he had succeeded.

He knew it to be an illusion—a clever one—yet a myth just the same. In his quest to evolve the species he had exemplified the elements of the old world he loathed most. Worst yet, the people he had infected hadn't figured that out.

Darwin went up to the podium and applause and ovation greeted him. He raised his arms in triumph and smiled to the crowd as they began to settle in.

“Good evening, New Haven!” he said. “I'm back!”

The crowd cheered louder than before and continued clapping. His citizens looked at him and adored him for what he was, the provider. As long as the food flowed, he would have their attention. He motioned for everyone to sit which they did without objection.

“I guess I'm a bit early, but the rest should be along shortly. Unless I'm getting old and just can't see ya? Clint? Doctor Gagnon, are you out there?” A moment of fear rushed though him, but when no answer came back he knew they were truly gone. “Well, I'm sure they'll be here soon.”

Darwin planted the seeds to keep people from asking the questions he needed them to avoid for the next hour. With everyone again seated and quietly eating, Darwin decided he would begin an introduction to the Harvest Festival.

“I want to thank you all for taking time out of you evening to spend it with me. You have no idea what it means to have family, well maybe you don't…I have no idea what it's like so I appreciate you showing up! You are my family and I will always look upon you as nothing but that.

“On the subject of family, I have sad news. Our beloved Tim Waters has been lost.” Darwin stopped to allow the gasps to subside before continuing. “I know some of you are wondering where I disappeared to? My answer is not an easy one to explain, but I'll try. After I saw Tim taken away, and learned about my sister Marta, I knew I had to personally confront whatever was in that forest. That's what I did. I slipped away from everyone with the intent of going back to the north woods so I could be taken by the power in the forest. I have no idea how it works, or why it happens, but we needed answers. The short answer I can give you is, I succeeded!” he announced.

The crowd cheered and stood for another ovation that Darwin allowed with a modest blush on his face.

“The afterlife is a strange place. Nothing makes much sense there. I don't know if I could ever fully explain what I saw there. I learned a lot about our situation, and maybe I learnt a few ways we can fight back. So, after dessert tonight, I'm going to spend a little time talking about what we must do and ways we can quadruple our food stores! Does that sound like a good plan?” Nothing but cheers from his crowd who again could only see, smell and taste food.

The pack gorged themselves on the remains of the former citizens of New Haven, lapping up every morsel they could find. Darwin sat by himself with the occasional citizen coming by asking how he was then quickly changing the subject to a dessert inquiry. The more it happened, the more settled he was in his decision to destroy it all.

“Dessert will be here soon,” was all Darwin could say.

“Ohhh! What is it? You made me come all the way back to town so it better be good!” Vivian Yee demanded jokingly.

“It's deadly!” Darwin admitted. “As a matter of fact I'm pretty sure you'll die and go to heaven once you try it. Speak of the devil, here they are right now!”

Darwin bolted from his seat at the empty head table and returned to the microphone to conclude the final act of New Haven.

“If everyone could return to your seats, our special surprise is here. As soon as everyone gets a bottle, I want to propose a toast!” Darwin said enthusiastically.

Steve and Teddy opened up the back of the delivery truck and began distributing cases of bottles filled with the deep burgundy dessert. One by one, the citizens quickly got their hands on a serving and obediently returned to their seats to await the toast.

“One each, please! If there's left over maybe we can auction it off,” Darwin suggested.

Steve and Teddy were both wearing ball caps and Guardian outfits that helped to disguise them. Cindy Holmes took an entire case from her brother's arms without noticing. She blindly began distributing the bottles as her brother smirked and mouthed the words: Good-bye.

After ten minutes, the distribution was complete and from what Darwin could see everyone had been polite enough not to sneak a sample. If anyone had, everyone would know soon enough.

Darwin stood in front of his people and raised his own vial. Thousands of onlookers raised their tiny glass bottles and waited for Darwin to give the green light.

In silence, Darwin stood over the crowd scanning the back reaches looking for Steve and Teddy. After a moment, he found them near the road as though they were getting ready for a quick getaway.

“A toast!” Darwin said with his black vial held high. “Tonight we celebrate. Tomorrow we begin again. Our festivities mark yet the latest achievement in the world we have created. We are the model, we are the symbol, and we are the chosen path to enlightenment. To our success and to new beginnings.”