Pumpkin Spice, стр. 9

“I mean it’s the curse. Only male Aarles can hunt, it’s because the women are wolves. Every female born an Aarles has been born a wolf. I should have known; it was there all along. My Mom. Mary-Anne Luna Fletcher. It’s why she’s allergic to silver. It was all there right in front of me.” Evan’s friends sat next to him. Allison cradled him in a hug. “We don’t have to break the curse. We just have to manage it.” Allison told her cursed friend. Evan shook his head, “Then each year it would be the same. How many more innocent people will die? The greed of the Aarles blood is what’s kept this curse going. No father would kill his daughter, and no son would kill his mother.” Evan stood up. “That ends tonight.”

It was three in the morning when the teens walked back to Evan’s house. Evan stared at the front door then looked over to his friends, “You two should go home.” Allison and Colton disagreed; Evan begged them. Allison and Colton were getting teary eyed. Allison shook her head “Evan, you don’t have to do this.”

“I don’t have a choice. The curse must end.” Colton put his arm on Evan’s shoulder “Tonight was fun. I could do it again next year.” Colton begged, “Mrs. Fletcher is your mom and you love her, and she’s pretty awesome for a mom.” Colton cried. Evan raised his compound bow and shook his head “You two need to go home. I have work to do.” Allison threw herself in front of Evan, “Evan, you sure?” Evan nodded “I know what I have to do.”

Evan entered his house alone. It was cold and dark inside. The kitchen wreaked of rotten meat. Dishes were shattered all over the floor. The room was empty. Evan made his way to the living room, empty and clean, no one had been there for quite some time. He walked up the stairs slowly. The master bedroom door was slightly ajar. He peaked in and could see his father sleeping in his bed. He took a sigh of relief before turning back to the stairs. “Evan.” He heard his name spoken from a familiar voice. He looked and saw his mother standing at the top of the stairs with a glass of water in her hand. “What’re you doing up?” She noticed the compound bow “And with a bow and arrow? Evan, are you sleep walking?” Evan raised the bow, “Evan?” She was confused by what her son was doing. “I know mom. I know what you are.” He pulled the bow string back. “What I am? I’m your mother.” Evan remained silent. He didn’t want her to talk him out of it. On the other hand, there she was, human form and not a wolf. The moon was still full and it was not yet morning. “Grandpa told me everything.” Evan remained focused on his mother. “Told you everything about what? Those foolish wolf stories of his? He used to tell me those when I was your age. They’re stories, nothing more.” She laughed it off. “Then how do you explain all the werewolves I killed tonight, huh, mom? How do you explain that?” His mother shrugged her shoulders “You sure you weren’t dreaming?” Evan nodded “Positive.” The bedroom door creaked open. Evan’s father, still half asleep, came out. “What’s going on?” He looked at his wife then his son holding a compound bow aimed at his wife, “Evan what’re you doing with that? That’s dangerous.” He tried to reach for it but Evan pulled away. When he pulled away, he got closer to the wall next to the upstairs window. The window, he thought. “Dad, I have something I need to show you.” Evan’s father stood next to his mother. He pulled the blinds up revealing the night sky. Evan was expecting to see his mother transform into her true form. Into the wolf. Nothing happened. “What do you want to show me, Evan?” His father asked. Evan had no response, nothing to say. Maybe he was wrong? Maybe something else was causing this curse. “C’mon, let’s go to bed.” His father said as he reached forward for the bow, the clouds began to part and the moon appeared, and as it had been the entire night was full. That was when it happened. That was when Evan and his father witnessed the transformation. Evan’s mother began to transform into her wolf form. He ears pointy, her teeth sharp, her nails like knives. Her clothes were ripping apart. She was screaming in pain. The transition was painful, she was calling or help. As the beast took shape, it took control of the woman’s life and looked up at Evan. He raised the bow and closed his eyes “I love you Mom.” Evan pulled the bow string back; he took a breath before releasing the arrow. The beast lunged forward, he let go. The arrow impacted the beast directly in the throat. It fell back on the floor. As the life left its body Evan’s mother’s physical form returned. He witnessed his mother crying in pain, begging for help. Evan’s father stood stunned and silent. Evan walked up to his mother’s dying body. He quickly pulled the arrow out of her throat. “I’m sorry.” He said as he drove it through her heart, killing her instantly.

That Monday at school the three friends stayed distant. They all knew what they did Hallowe’en night, they knew it was for the greater good of the town and the world, but they also knew they took away the lives of real living people who were not responsible for their curses, including Evan’s mother: The keeper of the curse. They felt a guilt they would never get over. The only thing keeping their heads high was knowing if another threat came to them, if the devil’s eye were to ever return, they