Wolf’s Bane

“Hey Diwa, where’s my reserved cake?” “Oh finally! I thought you’d never stop talking to your staff. I really need to go back home, Jack and you’re the only one that I’m waiting for.” “Heh, nothing left but my banana walnut cake, I see. Good thing I reserved that or else that would probably have been bought before any of your other desserts, haha!” the foreman chuckled while taking the large piece of cake from the female vendor. “Oh Jack, you know you’ve got dibs on this cake since it’s your absolute favorite.” “Well, I was thinking you’d probably give HIM the cake if he asked for it, haha!” “Him?” Di said with wide eyes, as she paused from fixing her things, readying them so she could finally leave. “I don’t know what you mean, Jack…” The lumberyard foreman smirked, as he swallowed the pastry piece he was chewing. “Uhhh, I may not be the smartest man here in the lumberyard, Diwana, but I don’t think I can miss the special… ummm, connection… that you seem to be sharing with HIM.” Di looked in the direction where this smirking male was staring out and pouted. “Jack, really… you have quite a wild imagination…” Silence… A very awkward one. “Hmmm… I don’t think I like what you mean there, Di.” The woman was instantly repentant, suddenly remembering an admission that her friend had told her a long time ago. “Oh Jack, I’m sorry. I forgot how affected you can get when people question your story…” “Nah, don’t worry about it, Di,” Jack replied while looking down at his feet. “I mean, only a few trusted people in the village know about that, anyway. Also, my parents continuing to deny that “version” of the story isn’t helping me get more proof or even clues to find out where my sister really is. And yeah, thanks for believing what I told you about that monster. I didn’t think you’d take it seriously.” Diwana placed a caring hand on the lumberjack’s arm, which happened to be the spot that she hit earlier. “Jack, I absolutely believe you, and that has nothing to do with the fact that you rescued me from an attacker years before. I know that was probably not a werewolf, but I’ve seen weirder stuff back when I was still living in my country. Besides, there’s no reason for me to doubt your word.” “Thanks, Di, and I really want to find that wolf now. I just hope that we can find out more about it. Oh, and thanks for convincing Eron to take a room at your house. I can finally rest at night knowing that he won’t be murdered in his sleep.” “It’s my pleasure…” Di said, then stuttered a moment, realizing what she just said. “I-I m-mean, you’re welcome, Jack… Well, now that you’re done eating, I better go back home now. Any requests for tomorrow’s food items, Jack?” “Well, I was thinking…” Just then a loud metallic clang resounded through the air, followed by a loud grating noise that was deafening! And also, very dangerous… “DIWA!!!” a loud, familiar male voice yelled above the din. After that, hardly anything registered in both the widow’s and foreman’s thoughts. In the blink of an eye, both Jack and Diwa felt as if they were hit by a gust of strong wind that brought them down to the ground, while empty baskets and plastic containers rained around them. They didn’t even see what pushed them off their feet, connected with their chests, and laid their backs on the open areas of a rough patch of compacted soil.… It was after half a minute that they were able to breathe and were finally conscious of their rescuer. Eron was on all fours on top of Jack, while his other hand was holding Diwa down.

And above them, was a piece of lumber that was lodged into the wooden wall of the lumberyard office that was just behind the table where Diwa’s food was displayed. “Are you both ok?” breathed the new hire just inches away from Jack’s shocked face. “Let me know if any of you are hurt,” Eron added as he looked worriedly at the startled and silent woman beside him. It took Diwa and Jack a few moments to recover enough of their senses to realize what happened and finally speak… Meanwhile, another set of eyes was looking at the three with bewilderment as well. He saw everything from where he was. But it would seem he was the only one who did. And even worse for him, he’s not even sure of what he saw…

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“Thank you for accompanying me, Miss Diwana, you really didn’t have to,” Eron said, putting a few pieces of fresh steak that he bought on his way back from the lumber camp into an already hot pot over his small bonfire. With a smile, he then added a few herbs, a pinch of salt and a dash of pepper. Eron couldn’t help but grin at the chance to actually cook a meal for the woman beside him. It was truly an advantage to live in a place where people cultivated and bred their own food and then sold it themselves. They were mostly driving in with a truck loaded with vegetables and/or newly butchered meats, and even cheese with other kinds of produce to places like the lumber camp, a few far-off places where workers were, in the same style that Diwana sold her food. Just so happened that a small truck passed by the lumberyard as they were about to leave. And how they ended up leaving his workplace together was still something that Eron was quite happy about. He couldn’t help but remember it as the pieces of meat sizzled on the pan… +++ Just an hour or so ago, back at the lumberyard… “Dude… Diwa… Are you both ok?” Jack was the first to speak, since he had already recovered from the fall and had already caught his breath. He also was a little uncomfortable now at the awkward “position” that he was in…