FlashFic: Roadside Assistance
I played a game of "Two Truths and a Lie" in my journal recently, and Sludawg was clever enough to catch a clue that I'd left behind (so to speak), so I awarded him, half in jest, a "flash fiction" story to go with any bit of artwork that he might choose. He requested a story about "a frisky wolf pack overtaking a hunter." That's a bit more story than I thought I could write in just 250 words, especially because I talk too much anyway. So I sat down and popped out these 623 words to give him a bit of a story to enjoy. And now it's your turn. Make sure your AAA membership is paid up...
Not from around here, are ya? I can always tell. You hear the calling of the wolves out in the canyon, and you get a kind of look in your eye, as if you're too civilized to have to worry about it. You're right, at one level, of course; unless you're actually out there, having to face a wolf, or a pack of wolves, you're probably fine. Surround yourself with the comforts of homo sapiens - proper distance from nature, in a built-up city or town, solid walls around you, perhaps a weapon at your side. Yes, the great equalizer for humankind. Or human unkind, depending upon which way the barrel is aimed.
Hm? The moon? Oh, that's sort of a myth. The wolves will bay and howl anytime the need to talk to each other. Hey, don't laugh - it's communication. Perhaps one has found something, a path, a safe haven, unsuspecting prey, and he throws his head back and calls out to the others, and the word is spread, like a telegraph line, or like rumors across a small town. Yeah, small towns like this one, news travels fast. That's how I came out here to find you; your cell phone won't work too good, maybe in bursts. Enough that word got to me that you'd stalled out here. Shame, on such a cold night. Want a snort? Always carry my hip flask with me. Just works out better. There ya go. Let that warm your bones a bit. I'll see what I can do.
That a thirty-ought you got in there? Deadly damn thing, ain't it. Not much can stand up to it. Here, let me look under that hood... Yup - serpentine belt. That's what brought you down. Good thing it didn't happen on one of the more inclined stretches along here, you might've just gone off the edge somewhere, and there'd be almost no trace... hey, steady there, hunter, you look a little wobbly on your pins... That's okay, you just lean against my truck here, take another belt off this flask, look like you need it. There ya go...
Yup, just keep making those rifles more and more deadly. Big ones to take down a rhino, smaller ones to take down squirrels, some in the middle to take down other pests, like people. That's what I've never really understood about you humans - you just like to kill anything, even each other. No real reason needed. Maybe you're pissed, maybe you're scared, maybe you're just mean. But see, that's what Darwin was talking about, now he's a human who got it right. You have to adapt, see. And some of us did. Some of us look just about like one of you - bigger, maybe, what you'd call a "country boy." Gotta love that one; just as if we came off the farm, or maybe a ranch. Some of us do, you know, but we don't get too close to the cattle. They still know.
Woozy? Not surprised. Just something to take the edge off, to keep you away from that gun. Unfair advantage. You've taken too many of my brothers already. We thought we'd explain to you why that's wrong. I get to use words with you. The rest... they may speak in other ways. I think they'll make a better case. What is that phrase some human used to describe nature? "Red in tooth and claw?" Very clear statement.
Anyway... enough chat. Time for me to call them here. Listen closely. I've been able to keep my howl, even with this human-like throat. I'm rather proud of that. Listen, hunter... listen closely... I'll introduce you to my family... oh I do hope there'll be enough of you to go around...