Page 1 of Solivagant

PROLOGUE

The howling had stopped unexpectedly.

While the haunting cries had been unnerving, so much louder and more unsettling than any wolf any of the men had ever heard before, the silence was worse.

These men were hunters, they knew that while there were many frightening sounds that could be heard in the forest after dark, and many animals capable of hurting them, the ones with the intentions to do so rarely announced their presence.

Even the wind through the trees seemed to still, as if the entire forest was holding its breath. There was only the low crackling of the campfire and the heavy breathing of men who’d had too much to drink.

“It’s the Howler.” One of the men dared to speak.

“It’s just a wolf or something,” said another, trying to convince himself more than anyone else.

The first shook his head. “No wolf makes that sound, and you know it. People have been talking about the Hollow Creek Howler for decades. Its call is too long. A howl as much as a scream.”

“No one’s ever seen it,” grunted the third man. “Whatever it is, it probably wants nothin’ to do with people.”

“Or it’s never left anyone alive to speak about it,” the first added unhelpfully.

There was silence after that, the men all scanning the shadows beyond the campfire’s reach. There were no animal calls, no birds hooting, not even the song of insects.

“Whatever it is, I bet it’s not bulletproof,” the third man said, grabbing his hunting rifle.

“It certainly isn’t,” said an unexpected, feminine voice.

All three men jolted to attention, turning to face the woman who had somehow snuck in behind them.

She was quite beautiful, with deep umber skin and long curly hair. She wore a brightly colored sundress that wasn’t at all appropriate for the colder weather.

“Who the fuck are you?” one of the men asked.

“I’m Darla. I own the private land just north of here.”

The men looked at each other, trying to determine what the others were thinking. Darla didn’t wait for them to decide. “The Howler has been stalking my land for some time now; it’s really become quite the nuisance. It’s no bigger than a wolf; however, it keeps frightening my livestock. When I saw the light of your fire, I thought I might come ask if you’d be willing to assist me with it. I can reward you handsomely.”

That caught their attention.

“Reward us with what, honey?” One of the men chuckled.

Darla’s smile grew tight for a moment. “Whatever you like, but not until the beast is taken care of.”

“No bigger than a wolf you said?”

“That’s right. Should be easy work for strong men like yourselves.”

“Piece of cake.”

As Darla led the men through the woods, the weight of their gaze felt very much like the gaze of predators, but she didn’t worry, because the men were stupid, and they hadn’t asked her nearly enough questions.

“It’s just through here,” she told them, standing in front of a wall fifteen feet tall. There was a simple door, and Darla opened it for them, gesturing inside.

Perhaps it was because it was so dark, or the men had had too much to drink, but none of them noticed the warning signs on the wall before they walked through the door.

Darla closed it quickly without joining them on the other side.

And the door ceased to be. It melded into the wall until it was only smooth stone and no exit remained.

“What the fuck?” one man shouted.