02 The Rubicon

A howl echoed in the man's dreams, then broke through waking. It took him along, eyes wide, breath short and skin slick with sweat. It was here. It was now. He thought it would not happen. The days of nothing, then now, this. Another howl followed, then more as the night sang for blood.

"Love," he said waking his wife. He fought to keep the fright from his voice as he continued, "Feed the flames and prepare torches,"

Sleepy eyes widened at the panic she barely heard in his voice. She hurried from the bed to follow his instructions, motions quick as her body prepared to meet the crisis urged by the chorus of death outside.

He put on warm clothes on and grabbed a long piece of wood, checking the weight. He tapped it a few times on the floor to make sure it's sturdy. He looked at his wife as she dressed their child in clothes similar to his, and hers he saw with satisfaction. She knew what could happen and what they would have to do. He too knew, but was not sure if it would even matter. His grip tightened around the club he held. It had to matter. As long as they were together, he thought.

Sheep bleating. For how long now he wondered, before it escalated into gurgled death calls. They both looked at each other, the woman holding the boy close to her, as if to hide him from the oblivion waiting outside. Then as one both snapped out of the paralysis and gathered what meager belongings they had in their small cabin and started putting these against the lone shuttered window then the door, spurred on by the growls and savagery outside.

After they finished, the family gathered in the middle of their home;son held close. There was something wrong, though. They knew this but could not put their finger to it. They backed to the hearth, the man picking up the club he dropped during the frenzy as he did.

"Is it waiting?" the boy whispered tugging at the woman's skirt. His mother huddled close to him, wrapping both arms in a tight embrace after she too noticed the eerie calm. Her tears fell as hope and despair battled in her.

He was right. The silence was unnatural. No sheep. No animal noises. No movement. The woman looked up with sky blue eyes glistening with hope and hard grey eyes met them.

"Brace yourselves," he whispered, crouching. He moved to put his family behind him, both hands white knuckled gripping the club.

"Surely it's over," the woman whispered, trembling.

"Stay here," the man replied, voice a rough whisper. "Just stay there no matter what happens." he continued as he inched closer to the blocked door. He looked back at his wife, "nothing." he mouthed.

The door and was thrown back along with the clutter they piled against it as growling mass of fur, claws and teeth burst through. The man was pinned to the ground, but was able to wedge the club between the beast's teeth. He grunted as he struggled to push it back, heedless of the slashes he's earned while doing it. His world was reduced to strain, screams, growls and pain.

She knew he was going to die if nothing changed, so she pulled herself together as her tears continued to fall. The woman lit one of the torches she prepared then she screamed at the animal to leave her husband alone.

Yellow eyes stared at her as her screams were ignored. The eyes stared as to continued to rake claws against the prey it's pinned. Eyes stared as it tried to break the club between its jaws. Then it looked away, ignoring her.

She saw claws slash her husband's arm as he tried to push the monster away. It stared at her once more. It stared as it pressed it's attacks wounding more, deeper and its prey lost strength. She pushed her child away, gripped the torch tight and plunged it into the eye that stared.

The beast roared in pain, biting through the club. It struck out enraged by the pain and swatted the torch aside. One yellow eye stared at her as it stalked forward.

She held her wrist and backed away. She looked at her husband bleeding on the floor, struggling to get up, at her child backed up against the opposite corner then the eye that came closer. She heard a low growling menace as it approached, and noticed her tears have stopped.

The man rolled on to his knees, hands searching for a weapon as the beast stalked towards his wife. It lunged, and he did too. He managed to grab onto its haunches and weighed it down. A yellow eye looked back at him then away. It continued to move forward. He felt around for anything to help him stop it as he tried to pull it back. He felt a solid length of wood against his hand and grabbed it and stabbed it into the flank of the advancing beast.

The monster roared then leapt away in surprise. It stared at him with its remaining eye and padded face him completely. It tilted its head then bared its yellowed teeth in a sick grin, then short low barks came out. The woman was on the floor, blood slowly pooling beneath her.

He scrambled to his wife and cradled her in his arms as he stared at the mockery. He roared his anger and frustration at it as he tried to hold onto the warmth of his beloved. It was impossible. He knew this as his strength flowed out with his blood. He knew it as he grit his teeth and cradled his dying wife's head on his lap.

The boy was transfixed, his father's screams, the cold silence of his mother. He slumped against the wall and just stared.

"Run." his father screamed at him after seeing the movement.

The boy just sat there, tears streaking down his face.