Animal Heart(62)

“There… all done. Add it to your pool.”

“What? Oh the pool. Yes, thank you Pastor.”

“You're most welcome young man. Now if you don't mind, I must get on... back to my topiary clipping.”



He left her home feeling miserable about lying, but heck... he had a higher cause here. To rid the town of their potential threat. They may have Maddy just now, but it might not always be that way. Heaven forbid, but things could change so fast.

They drove back to Heart and went to chill out at Ted's bar for an hour, waiting for the beginning of sunset, the time of their planned ceremonial at the churchyard.

“Hey Ted,” he called out as they entered. But Ted wasn't alone. Propping up the bar, or to be more precise, the bar propping up him, was the Mayor himself. Very much the worse for wear.

“Well how-di-do... If it ain't the smugglin' piece of stinkin' horse shit comin' a visit,” the Mayor slurred.

Aden tried very hard to be civil and to ignore his barbed insults. “How are you Mayor Stevens? I heard about your wife and the other happenings here last night, I'm so sorry.”

“Yeah, well you will be. When I get those container forensics back, you'll be roasting and toasting in jail, pony-boy.”

“How can you even think of that stuff at a time like this?” Aden asked incredulously.

“Need sommat ta keep me goin'... don't I?” he replied bleary eyed, taking a noisy slurp of his beer.

“I think you'd be better off going home, taking a sedative and getting some sleep.”

“Who asked you? Keep your fucking nose out, goddit?”

“How about we wipe the slate clean. Start again?” Aden offered generously, holding out his hand. But the Mayor knocked it away ungraciously.

“What? Deprive myself of the greatest pleasure in life... seein' you in cuffs?” The Mayor simulated a cuffed gesture right in Aden's face. He was getting really riled now.

“Come on now Mayor, Carr's got a point. It ain't a good idea drinkin' so much. Grief and a hangover's not too good a combination. Take a break, eh?” Ted tried to calm the Mayor down as Aden was obviously not doing such a great job.

“Get off my fuckin' back. The lot a ya'...” The Mayor turned to face them all angrily, swinging his arm. They all stared as his ears began to grow and his eyes turned a becoming shade of glowing amber. He took a step towards them, tripped over his own feet, collapsing in a heap on the floor, blind drunk.

“Was I just seeing things?” Ted said opened mouthed.

“I don't know... what were you seeing?” Aden asked, trying to control his own reaction.

“Big ears... weird eyes...” Ted explained in an unbelieving tone.

“I didn't see anything like that, did you guys?” Aden asked the pack.

“No...” they all replied... trying not to laugh.

“Well fuck me these eyes of mine are playing me up big time, I could have sworn...”

“Look Ted, I'm taking the Mayor home,” Aden interrupted. “He doesn't deserve our help, goddamnit, but I'll do it as a favor for his newly deceased wife. Come on you lot, let's get him in the truck.”



They took him home, parking in the street, and bearing his unconscious body past the scene of crime tape. The red bloodstained driveway, and chalk body marks on the floor, made them all wince badly. It was difficult to be respectful considering one of them had been responsible for it. The physical evidence of Philomena's death was a very sobering sight. After finding his door key in a pocket, they carried him indoors. Maddy took his shoes off as they lay him down on the white leather chesterfield sofa in the living room. She grabbed a pad and pen and wrote a note,

“If you feel 'different' and start to imagine 'changes' don't be alarmed. Call me... Maddy, at Heart Mountain Ranch...”

She popped it inside his shoe.

“Let's go. It'll be dusk soon,” Aden said, ushering them out.





Chapter 10



They crept around the churchyard as the sun began to set and settled beneath an old yew, the low and wide branches of which hid them from view, that, and the massive tombstones surrounding them.

Verity gave out the straw crosses and a bottle of holy water to each of them. They made a small hole in the earth and sat down to await their ceremony. They felt the moon's pull strongly tonight. The second night was always the worst. The most difficult of the three. They'd all had to work hard for the last hour or two, to keep focused and completely human in form.

“Right,” Aden said, feeling his eyes begin to heat a little with the glow. “We'll light them, douse them, and bury with earth. Each in turn. You first Shane.”

Shane lit his straw cross and they all stared transfixed as it caught strongly, flaming a good foot in the air. He let it burn for a few seconds, and then tipped the water over it and covered it with the soil. They all stared at him, expecting something to happen... Like a puff of holy smoke or some visible sign.