Sheep's Clothing by Gary Lewis (dark books to read TXT) 📗

"I told you. Moss Lake." David began struggling to put on his jeans and shirt one handed as he held the phone.

"I found your car." Terry's voice started to break up.

"I'm at the docks," David said, slipping his feet into his now damp sneakers. "Hello?" David looked at his screen. "Call ended," he said, sliding the notification tray back to the top of his screen. "Shit. Eleven thirty." He squinted in the direction of the distant, blurry parking lot as he stretched his arms with a yawn.

David slowly approached the small rock building, atop a hill about halfway to the parking lot. He noticed a gray car that sat parked beside the bushes. At least the restroom is unlocked. Standing in the brightly lit bathroom doorway, he waved out at the darkness before eventually turning to walk inside. The interior of the bathroom smelled like mildew and bleach. Thick white paint had solidified into droplets that once oozed down the cinderblock walls. Three toilet stalls stood beside a single broken urinal. An owl let out a loud hoot as the sound of crickets and frogs filled the room through the open doorway and small screen window that stretched across the bottom of the wall.

The sounds of nature suddenly went silent as he listened for moment. Surely Terry saw me walk in. David turned on the sink, filling his cupped hands with cold water that he splashed into his face. He looked into the cracked, dull mirror and brushed his wet hands back through his hair, shaking it out to fall into its natural place.

The solid crunch of unmistakable footsteps came from the outside. One after another, they slowly came closer to the building. Took him long enough. He straightened his shirt and turned to face the doorway.

A sound like spraying air slowed to a deep hiss from outside. The footsteps plopped onto the concrete walkway that circled the small building, gradually getting closer to the wall just behind David. He held still, breathing as slowly as possible. Rapid sniffing sounds startled him as he looked to the open doorway and each wall surrounding him. A large paw dropped into view outside the floor level screen window. Another stepped just beside it as it walked along the sidewalk. Covered in thin, light brown hair, they looked like giant dog feet with thick, black, bear-like claws.

It took a long stride and then another. Just a few more and it would be at the corner beside the doorway. David quickly snuck into the middle stall. As he pushed the door shut it let out a light squeak. He looked at his trembling fingers as he debated latching it. A loud sneezing sound blasted and David gasped as he hopped on top of the toilet seat and ducked down. It sounded like it was inside the room.

From the toilet, David peered across the stall to the narrow gap at the corner. A tiny strip of white wall was brightly lit on the other side. The only sound remaining was the occasional drip of water from the sink. Every second seemed like minutes while he squatted on the toilet seat, resisting the urge to stand and peek over the top.

His phone vibrated in his pocket as he grasped to cover it with both hands. A sharp clicking sound scraped the floor. David held his breath as the noise began again. It was followed by a snarling huff that rolled out into a deep guttural snarl. The sound reverberated through the stone walls of the bathroom. Slow footsteps beat loudly across the floor where a dim shadow swept across the room. The dark, almost black, form appeared through the thin crack in the stall, outlined in thick, wiry hair.

The tip of an ear rose over the top of the wooden panel door, just feet from David. The first stall door slammed open. The force of it slapped into the other side of the wall right beside him. He tried to hold his shaking legs still as the rumbling growl grew louder until he could feel the air trembling with the snarling mass of anger just beside him.

Erratic beeps sounded from outside. The creature grunted as the car continued honking. Its shadow passed again as it seemed to turn back toward the doorway and its steps drifted further away. David listened while his trembling legs rattled at the toilet seat underneath his shoes. The horn stopped honking and then a fearsome roar broke the silence from outside.

David hopped down from the toilet and ran out of the stall. He paused near the sink, just feet from the doorway. The only way out. It concealed everything outside behind a sharp concrete corner. Several loud pops of gunfire preceded a yelp and then a growl. He ducked as he ran through the entrance door, emerging outside.

The blinding headlights of a vehicle in the parking lot silhouetted the tall creature as it continued lurching away, downhill, toward the car. Two more shots exploded into flashes from the driver side, stunning it into a kneel just beside a large wooden visitor sign. David ducked into the bushes, squeezing as quietly as possible through the prickling green leaves. They poked at him like a cactus, stabbing and scraping every inch of exposed skin.

As the beast rose from the ground, long ears tucked back, arms spread wide at its sides, its form became visible against the glare of the lights. Its slender, hairy forearms contrasted bulky, shaggy upper arms and shoulders. The werewolf briefly shook its head, opening its fists into large humanlike hands with razor sharp claws extending from the tips.

It jumped forward and rushed with a limp toward the car. Another bang from the rifle did little to slow the beast as the car door slammed. The tires squealed and the headlights swung around, revealing that it was Terry's car. David watched as the monster dashed into a charge toward the parking lot. David's arms and legs went cold with fear at the thought of being abandoned out there with that