Model Citizen (part 2)
#2 of Model Citizen
A Jackal pulled himself along the ground getting to the gun shop just in time to see the couple turn and walk inside. He started to cry but wasn't ready to give up yet, he forced himself along refusing to look back at his blood trail and dragging entrails. He felt a pull "no" he almost threw up in pain as he was dragged backwards "NO!" he cried out.
***
Alex returned home it was late and he was tired and for once he felt as he will sleep well, he quickly set up the little safe and went straight to bed, soon falling asleep.
Meanwhile at the gun shop, the otter finally left, heading home for the night, her form melted and she returned as a more athletic version of her adult self, she was very sore, however she quickly healed herself and was up to running speed, getting home and and starting a meal for her boyfriend, the husky.
The husky was back at the gun store, doing some finial cleaning and getting ready to close for the night when he went to dump the mop water out back and saw the blood trail, he pulled out his phone and called the otter "hey babe, I'm gonna be late..."
***
Morning came around and at last, Alex felt well again and was ready to go back to work, he felt like this was the first time he slept well in a long time and he happily made his way to the bus stop.
He mad it about half way when he came to a police road block and recognized someone "Officer Mills" he called out and the mountain lion jogged over. "Whats up?" Alex asked "another pipe burst?"
Officer Mills sighed "Oh boy, I wish... I rather be mopping the sewer than..." he leaned close "lets just say we only have his top half"
Alex shuttered "oh god, thats awful... let me guess, another nice person?"
Officer Mills nodded "He moved here last year and made friends with almost everyone he met... I'm not even gonna say it anymore"
"A true model citizen" Alex stated.
"Anyways" officer Mills said "if you want to pass by I have to escort you around while holding up this blanket so you can't see"
Alex's eyes widened "that bad!?"
"It's almost like something tried to eat him live... Like a shark bit him in half, but..."
"don't be silly officer, there are no sharks this far inland" Alex assured him.
"I know, I know, they aren't like a sharks bite anyways, a sharks bite is full of gashes and cuts, i was just comparing it, but this guy is just covered and than torn in half"
Alex looked at him "I can tell this is really getting to you dude... When i get of work at five, why don't you drop by my place"
Officer Mills nodded "might be a good idea... yeah, i'll see you than." he got the blanket ready "c'mon, lets get you past this"
Soon, Alex was at work, he walked through the office building and saw Briana's desk, her nameplate was removed, but he knew it was hers. It felt too soon and a tear welled up in his eye. He shook his head and went to his cubical and sighed, thinking.
If i knew it was the last time I'd ever see her I would have asked her out. I would have asked her to dinner and a movie, and maybe I would have been able to remind her to lock her door to stop anything from getting in.
His boss looked in at him "Alex, you made it. I was a little worried about you"
Alex looked up with a false smile and said "oh, don't worry about me, I'll be fine"
His boss spoke in a softer voice as he walked into his cubical, he was also a wolf, but with grey and brown "you walk to and from work almost every day, and I know how much you talked about Briana, I worry all of my employees. Now more so than ever, not just their health and safety, but their mental health too"
Alex nodded a little vacantly and his boss continued "if you need to talk or need a little time off, come to my office, as long as i'm not in a call or meeting, I'll be happy to help"
Alex actually smiled "Thank you sir, I just need to shake this feeling and I should be good"
His boss smiled back and got ready to head out but turned to look at him "oh and Alex, The police told me that while searching for evidence they found a note... I think it would be nice of you to go to her funeral, and they are trying to get the note along to you"
Alex blushed a little, did she like him too? He shook his head again and thought about how it could have been different.
Across the city, an elk carefully got off the bus. He made his way to a bench and checked his phone, the signal was dying, but he messaged his girlfriend and told her he was about to start his hike and he should be only a few hours. he put his phone away and started hiking into the woods. He smiled and looked around, birds chirped and insects buzzed along. He heard someone jogging and glanced over, it was a Athletic looking female otter, he moved to the side of the trail to let her pass and gave her a smile as she did, she happily smiled back and soon rounded a corner.
The elk looked to make sure no one else was coming and started his hike again, smiling happily as he breathed the fresh mountain air and let out a relaxed sigh as he followed the trail deeper into the woods.
Farther up the trail broke into two paths, both lead around the pond, but one lead to the clifftop picnic tables faster than the other and he followed that one.
He saw the otter, she seamed a little off, he realized she was no longer in her jogging clothes, but rather a tight blue swimsuit, her form seemed different, instead of being her jogging form, she was curvy and very sexy. He blushed and she smiled "Hey big guy, wanna have a little fun"
He blushed more and shook his head shyly "s-sorry ma'am, I have a girlfriend"
"hmm.. Suit yourself" her form changed in front of his eyes, she became sleeker and more like a feral otter, she slid on her tummy towards the water "I was trying to save you" she slipped into the water and swam under the surface.
"Save me from what?" he questioned which is when he noticed the birds where gone quiet and he got a strange feeling. He shook his head and continued up the trail to the cliff top picnic tables and took a seat, looking out over the cliff, an amazing view of a valley. He drank some water and got his lunch out.
His ears swiveled back "What was that?" he asked and listened closely. A minute passed, than two, and he heard nothing. He shook his head, thinking he just scared himself and was about to start eating when a whooshing sound came through the air and a large branch crashed into the back of his head, dazing him and pushing him into the table, nearly pinning him. He tried to jump up to face his attacker, but in his dazed state and panic, he failed.
A large dark canine rushed him and tackled him, pulling him out of the seat and over the table. He thrashed and tried to kick or scratch his attacker with his antlers, but he was held much too tightly and soon found himself in the air, held above his attackers head, who than walked towards the cliff. The elk squirmed and managed to roll out of the beasts sharp claws and behind it.
He was up and running before the dark shape could turn, but it gave chase, dropping to all fours it began to gain on the elk. He ran like he never have before and came to the pond. He jumped and landed far out, in a part deeper than he is tall and he swam to the surface to look for his attacker.
The large, dark, canine came to the waters edge and touched it with its foot before snarling and dashing into the tall grass around the pond. The rustling grass spooked a few ducks and they swam into the pond and quacked, worried about what was happening. One more slipped into the pond, unlike the others, it dove under the surface and a large shape began swimming towards the elk.
His eyes went wide and he scrambled, thrashing violently to start paddling to shore as quickly as he could, but before he could move more than a few feet, a awful, black alligator grabbed the elk and dragged him under, rolling with him as it dragged him back to shore.
The elk felt his limbs break and he tried to scream but water rushed in and he began to drown before his head broke the surface. He was sitting in the knee deep water and looked at himself. He was bleeding and covered in different sized cuts and punctures. A leg was broken along with an arm "Help" he softly cried between gagging coughs as he forced up the last of the water.
*** A few hours passed and the elk was amazingly still alive, however he was beginning to slip into unconsciousness. He heard a voice call his name. "Eric!" it was faint at first, than another voice called, slightly closer "Eric!"
He didn't recognize either, but didn't care "h-help" he said softly.
"Eric!" the first voice was really close now.
He slapped the water the best he could and a pair of flashlights shone on him.
He smiled, he survived, he was going to be saved. He heard the two sets of feet rushing over to him and felt himself being dragged from the water by his rescuers.
Suddenly there was a third set of feet and his good arm was grabbed and he was pulled backwards into the woods before there was an awful crunch sound.
The rescue team pointed their flashlights at the trees he was dragged into and saw a massive, black canine about 10 feet tall and with glowing blue eyes. Its white teeth seamed to shine in their flash lights as the dark red blood dripped off its muzzle and jaw.
The team screamed and ran as fast as they could, out of the forest.