The Wolves of Westerville

Prologue

Westerville, Ohio.

"Hurry the fuck up!"

"We're coming, shut your mouth."

"Yeah, yeah . . ."

Onslo was waiting impatiently in his dark ford, 2004 van whilst his two colleagues Rufus and Reggie were loading up supplies into the back. Finally, after several minutes, the two joined him in the cab of the van.

". . .Well it's not going to fucking open itself now is it?" Onslo barked at the others as he gestured towards the closed metal shutter door.

"alright, calm down. . ." Rufus replied in a soft tone, unbothered by Onslo's tone. He knew how he got every time a collection was due. He was always the same. Jumpy, riled up and full of adrenaline to get it done. Rufus climbed out the van and made his way over to the chain lever for the door. Pulling on one side, the shutter began to wind up opening onto the city streets. Once Onslo had pulled the van out, he lowered it again and left through the door beside it, locking it as he left and joined his colleagues in the van once more. "There, better now?" he gestured. Onslo shot him a look and grunted and focused back onto the road and set off down North State Street to make the collection.

The road glistened under the bright new moon, the blackened tarmac providing a canvas of darkness for the water droplets of rain to reflect its light like it itself was a depiction of the cosmos.

The drive was silent, Onslo didn't like chatter as it 'pulled him out of the zone'. Both Rufus and Reggie knew not to break this rule, especially after he curbed the last person that did so on the way to the collection. It made the collection harder, but he had warned him before the journey, and he had not taken heed. After fifteen minutes, they pulled up at the end of a cul-de-sac. After a half-hour, the van slowly crept down the street and pulled up outside a large house. It had pale bricks and wooden paneling across the second floor. a long wide driveway with a double garage. The grass was a lush green and had been well maintained. There were a few toys still in it, though neatly piled to one side and a seat swing stood on the porch way.

This was the house. Onslo pulled out his ripped piece of paper from his jeans pocket. It read '813 Montgomery Drive. He cast his piercing dark eyes to the house and then back to the paper, making sure his information was correct. Below the address it read 'second window on the left'. This was the girls room.

They had been watching the house, family and girl for weeks now in preparation to take her when the moment was right. Onslo looked down at his watch, 01:38am. It was quiet enough; it was dark enough and they had waited long enough.

The three of them left the van and went to the rear. Opening the doors, Reggie passed them masks, gloves a pipe for Onslo, rope to Rufus and a gun for himself. They slowly made their way up the drive cautiously listening to their surroundings. Using the bricks at the front of the house, they climbed up onto the shelf roofing in front of the upstairs windows and slowly crept along to the second on the left.

Peering in, Rufus could see a girl no older than twelve or thirteen was asleep in the bed. Posters littered her wall of her favourite bands and artists. He slowly tried the window, it opened. He turned his head and grinned at the other two. Slowly they lowered themselves into the room, careful not to make any noise. Rufus quickly made his way to the door to check the hallway was clear whilst the other two made their way to the girls bedside.

Onlso exchanged his pipe with Reggie's gun and placed his hand over the girls mouth. Her eyes began to open slowly. Once she realised her mouth was covered they shot wide open and saw that a gun has being held in front of her.

"One fucking noise, and you'll never see mommy or daddy again...understand?" Onslo whispered to her in a deep voice. She nodded as she trembled, her eyes now soaked with fear and tears. Rufus had made his way over to the bed and began tying her up making sure she was tightly bound, gagged and blindfolded whilst Reggie has assumed the position of guarding the door. Once she had been secured, Rufus and Onslo carried her to the window, passing her through to one another. Reggie slowly retreated and closed the window on his way out. Onslo Jumped down first as the other two passed the girl to him. They carried her to the back of the van and placed her on the mattress that lined the space. They quickly made checks that she was secured and would not be flung around on the return journey and jumped back into the front and made their way back up North State to the warehouse.