Hallowe'en

A Distant Howl

Coffeehouse Stories 6

Prompt: 'A Distant Howl'

by sloanranger

There it went again, it was a distant howl.

She'd told Scott about it the last two times he'd left her alone. Normally, Carrie didn't mind being alone, even welcomed the solitude that the New England countryside afforded.

She and Scott had only been married since early September. Though they had lived in the remote New Hampshire village for two months now, Carrie had not had time to meet her neighbors and Scott had not encouraged her in this, either.

The homes and farms were distantly scattered, hereabouts - dotting the landscape haphazardly. Her nearest neighbors were three miles northeast, just outside the small town of Coventry. Scott's sales trips seemed to keep him from home more and more.

Upon his return, she'd tried to explain the sound to her new husband.

"Likely one of old Mr. Hardin's hounds," he replied. "He keeps half a dozen for hunting, you know."

"Scott, I'm pretty sure if one of them began, it would set the whole pack off."

Her husband made light of her concern and she didn't press. He'd become so moody, lately. At first she put it down to his Norse heritage - they were known to be moody; recently though, she'd begun questioning their decision to marry so quickly.

But it had only been the one sound, of that she was sure. And - there it went again.

Beginning with a low timbre, long and mournful, it rose into an angry yelp... and it was much nearer. This is crazy she thought, shivering, and she went to the door to face her fear.

The howl had turned high pitched, keening by the time she got to the door. Her hand on the knob shook but she ratcheted up her courage and threw the door open wide. Carrie stood there, her voice frozen in her throat and her feet onto the threshold by what was before her. She was unable to make a sound.

Finally though, her own screams drowned out those of the salivating thing her husband had become.