Page 22 of Howling Night

Donna waved a dismissive hand. “Nah. I’m not surprised he didn’t come back. He’s always got stuff going on. He runs like six bars, I think.” She started wiping down the bar. “Don’t worry, I’ll tell him what a great job you did.”

“Thanks,” I said, offering her a tired wave as I headed to the door.

“No, seriously, thank you,” she replied. “If you decide you want more shifts, just let me know.”

I nodded, considering the weight of the money in my pocket. One night of work had probably earned me more than I’d make in a week at most other places in town. It was definitely worth thinking about. It wasn’t like anywhere around here was going to match my last salary.

“Goodnight,” I called as I opened the door, the cold night air slapping me in the face.

“Night. Drive safe,” Donna responded, already busy counting the night’s earnings.

The air felt refreshing after working in the stuffy bar. The parking lot was nearly empty now, just a few cars remaining. I climbed into my SUV, pulling my purse out from under the seat. I shoved my cash into my wallet and started the engine without hesitation.

The drive home was quiet without another car on the road. I rolled down the window, letting the cool air help keep me alert. My eyelids felt heavy, but my heart was still pounding from the hectic work.

I was about halfway home when I heard a rattle from under the hood. Before I could even process what was happening, the car gave a violent shudder.

“No, no, no,” I muttered, pressing the gas pedal harder as if that might help.

The engine made a horrible grinding noise, followed by a series of rapid clicks. The car lurched once more before the power steering went out. I gripped the wheel tightly, managing to guide the now-coasting vehicle to the shoulder of the road.

As I rolled to a complete stop, I turned the key desperately, but the engine only made a sad whining sound before falling silent. I slammed my palm against the steering wheel in frustration.

I covered my face with both hands. “Son of a fucking bitch!”

ChapterTen

I popped the hood and got out of the car. When I lifted the hood, I immediately jumped back as a plume of gray smoke billowed out. The acrid smell of burning oil filled my nostrils, causing me to cough and step back further.

“Great,” I muttered, staring at my smoking engine in the dim light from my phone’s flashlight. I had no idea what was wrong, but it clearly wasn’t something I could fix on the side of the road at two-thirty in the morning.

I looked around at the dark, empty road stretching in both directions. Trees loomed on either side, their shadows creating eerie patterns in the moonlight. I was at least three miles from my house, and probably about the same distance back to the bar.

A chill ran down my spine that had nothing to do with the night air. I was stranded in the middle of nowhere, in a town where I barely knew anyone, with only a smoking car for company.

“Well, come on feet,” I said, thankful I didn’t wear heels.

I shivered and started trudging along the shoulder of the road toward home. Three miles wasn’t so bad — I could walk that in less than an hour if I kept a decent pace. The car could wait until morning. I’d call a tow truck after I got some sleep, assuming I even had enough money left to pay for it.

“Ugh!” I muttered, kicking at a stone.

There went all the tips I’d made tonight, probably straight into the pocket of whatever mechanic serviced this godforsaken town. The SUV was only a few years old — it shouldn’t be having problems like this already. Maybe Birchwood Hollow was actually cursed. It certainly felt that way since I’d moved here.

A long, mournful howl pierced the night air, freezing me in mid-step. Wolves. Again. Another howl answered the first, this one sounding closer, as if coming from somewhere behind. My heart jumped into my throat.

I wanted to start jogging, but my legs and feet were too sore to do anything more than a brisk walk. The howling continued, seeming to echo from multiple directions. My eyes darted to the tree line every few seconds, searching both sides of the road for anything.

I thought back to how Courtney told me that they’re protectors of the town. But it didn’t feel that way out in the dark in the middle of the night. Wolves were predators. They hunted in packs, taking down elk and moose and… probably even stupid people who were out walking alone on dark roads.

Annie was fucking right. The wilderness was not for someone like me.

I forced my feet to move faster, even though they were fighting against me. My heart pounded against my ribs as my shoes rubbed against the back of my heels, no doubt forming monstrous blisters.

The eerie chorus seemed to surround me now, coming from both sides of the road and somewhere behind me. A branch snapped in the woods to my right. I jerked my head toward the sound as dark shapes moved between the trees. I blinked, trying to focus, but there was nothing there. Hopefully, it was just my imagination and the shadows playing tricks.

Trembling, I reached into my purse for my phone even though I had no idea who I’d call other than the police. My fingers wrapped around the cool plastic case, and I pulled it out, fumbling to unlock it.

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” I said as I stared at the screen.

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