Shadow Of The Past Trilogy ∞ THE DISPLACED

10 ∞ severe reaction

Several of the neighbors nodded in approval and there were some conversations among them.

"Excuse me, ladies, gentlemen?" one of the police officers raised his voice, waving a notepad and pen in his hand. "May I have your attention? I'm Sergeant Eldon. Y'all need to go 'bout your business now. Go home. An official statement will be forthcoming. Animal Control will come by to advise you on safety measures."

There was a murmur in response, and people started to disperse, a few calling their children to them. 

Eldon turned to the elderly couple. "Shall I start with you?"

Danny stepped aside and surveyed the movements. This was disturbing. Another cat had killed this cat, and that probably meant it was bigger and meaner. He turned to check on Mickmi but found a couple of the neighbors walking past his empty truck.

He frowned. Where was she?

Wandering across the lawn, he looked around. Then he spotted her. She was by the NWR truck, staring at the cougar corpse. Something about her looked off as she stood there. He walked over to her as she reached her hand into the truck bed and touched the cougar. Her face was pale. 

"What's the matter, Mickmi?" He inspected her as she rubbed the strands of damp fur between her fingers, bringing it closer to her face as if to smell it, contracting her brow.

"I taste blood," she breathed and reached in to touch the animal again, this time letting her fingers stroke the head and slide down the side of the jaw and over the crushed neck and partially torn jugular that had been washed clean by the heavy rains.

Danny swallowed; he couldn't help looking but he was seeing Lad's body in his mind's eye. Same M.O. He cleared his throat. "What are you doing?"

Mickmi's hand started to tremble. "I..." She pulled back her hand and looked at him, her green eyes widening in dread. "I understand not... Daniel"—her face paled even more—"I have met this creature before."     

"But how could you've possibly..." Danny shook his head. "No, that's not possible." But he noticed in alarm that she was trembling all over now, and he grabbed onto her elbows. Something was very wrong; she looked like she was about to collapse. 

"Mickmi?" He looked at her closely and then glanced around. Nobody was paying them any attention. "Come sit in the truck." 

He put his arm around her and led her back to where he'd parked. She was trembling hard now with shallow breaths as if she'd gone into shock. He had to get her home. 

"Give me a minute," he said as he closed the passenger door. "I just need to speak with the cop." 

Mickmi nodded, her eyes closed.

Danny strode over to the sergeant. He was still talking to Mr. and Mrs. Davenport. "Excuse me."

Eldon looked at him, up and down. "Yes?"

"I'd also like to report a dog killed. I'm Danny McGahn. I live just five gates away, at number nine."

The sergeant nodded. "Sure, I'll get to you when I'm finished here." He saluted Danny with his pen.

Danny jogged back to the truck and hopped in. Mickmi was still trembling. He leaned over and took her hand, squeezing it. 

"Try and breathe deeply, Mickmi," he said, meeting her gaze. "Try and relax."

She squeezed her eyes shut as he revved the engine and drove off. Just before reaching his driveway, a colorful van marked KJZ 96.9 FM passed them on the road. He parked in front of the porch, jumped out and went around to open the passenger door.