I will destroy all of them.
Old, young, warriors, it didn’t matter. They all fell under teeth and claws.
Slaughtered.
Devoured.
“Why?” Why would anyone do this?
Because I am death.
Luca didn’t know where the knife in his hand came from.
And I cannot be stopped.
He raised it.
Phantom wolves crowded the inside of the horse trailer, their bodies existing within objects and past walls.
Some stood, some sat, some lay with their head on their paws, but all watched Luca. Their blistering blue eyes shifted with inner light. Stars? Energy? Or something similar?
He pushed himself up, keeping the sleeping bag pulled over his shoulders.
The tarp stretched over the top of the horse trailer rattled, and a draft of air carried in the scents of meat and cake.
The wolves continued to stare. At his feet, the gold one Luca knew was Isaiah’s. And while he couldn’t know who the others shadowed, he knew he one day would.
“Nox?”
A voice traveled from the direction of the RVs.
“Nox?” Luca stood.
The wolves scattered, vanishing into the lighter patches of gray, breaking past the second tarp.
The one over the door moved aside.
“Sorry, I was at the Porta-John.” Nox picked up a bundle of clothes off a milk crate they used as a small table. “Isaiah got you a hat, some gloves, and another coat.” Nox stopped. “Luca?” He ran his thumb over Luca’s cheek. “Why are you crying?”
Luca touched his face. The tears were almost dried to salty tracks.
Why was he crying?
He shrugged. “I don’t know.” He shivered. “Bad dream?”
“Do you remember what it was about?”
… remember.
Luca took the bundle of clothes. “I hate the fact I have to get dressed so I won’t freeze to death on my way to pee.” He huddled under the sleeping bag while pulling on a pair of sweats over his pajama bottoms.
Nox made Luca look at him. “Something’s wrong. What?”
“Nothing. I’m fine. It was just a nightmare. I have a lot of bad dream material. And it’s not like I haven’t had them before.” Luca picked up another pair of socks. An ache squeezed his bladder. “Man, I have to pee. How long did I sleep?”
Nox handed him the fleece-lined boots. “It’s about ten.”
Luca stuffed his feet in but didn’t bother to lace them up. “That’s almost twelve hours. No wonder I’m about to piss myself.” He rushed past Nox and headed toward the blue plastic porta-potties on the other side of the trees.