The clock on Crissa's room wall told her it was still early in the night when she had been awakened so suddenly from the erotic yet frightful dream. The image of David as a wolf leaving her bed was a shock. It was only eleven o'clock and deathly quiet in the hotel when she then decided to go down into the lobby to see what the others were doing. She knew it would be an effort for them as well, waiting out the night for the return of their colleagues, and now just days before they were scheduled to return to Berlin and their flight home.
Crissa tried to imagine as she walked down the stairs in the darkness what would happen if the two cursed researchers were not to return as expected this night or the next in their human form. There would of course be a contingent plan by the professor to wait longer or search for them. But the four remaining still under the direction of Dr. Dekker were now also counting the hours to leave the remote and afflicted area of Eastern Germany.
While an otherwise picturesque and charming place to stay, it had become a tortuous and nightmarish prison to them. Aside from the tragedy of losing their colleagues to the night, having no Internet connection or phone lines to report the incident had made it particularly difficult for them to cope with what had happened. Crissa herself, had made an understanding with her mother before leaving, that if she did not hear from her over the ten-day period, she should not to be alarmed. Nevertheless, without any contact over these past seven days and nights, she knew both her mother and father were already asking questions and becoming concerned.
The critical issue, of course, was not lact of contact with parents, but what David and Julie would even tell their families of the bizarre and tragic fate which had befallen the two of them. As Jannick had told her that evening, the two would now have to live in parallel worlds. And Crissa envisioned that new life would need to be totally masked in secrecy.
As she passed down the darkened stairway, she could see the lights in the large building were again shut off. An eerie feeling gripped her as she felt her way to the bottom of the stairs and onward down the hallway to the dining area. Soon she could make out the flickering light of the fireplace and could hear the gentle sound of voices in conversation.
Entering the large room, she could see that everyone was sitting around the fire, trying to share company in what was sure to be another sleepless and fearful night. Brad saw her first and left the group to come to her side as she approached.
"How was your sleep," he asked in a caring voice. "We figured you cashed-out after what happened today. I noticed your door was locked so I just took the hint. To leave you to your rest."
"God, Brad," she said excitedly, walking at his side to toward the fireplace where sat Josh and Mary. "I had the most shocking dream just now! "
"Yeah, well we don't need nightmares around here, Crissa. We live them, remember?"
"I know, but this was so real, Brad! It was awful and disturbing on one level . . . but so pleasant on the other."
"OK. Just get back to what's happening here now, Miss Dreamer. None of us have had any sleep after what Horst has told us."
"Oh God . . . what?"
"He said that one of the villagers came to him late this in the afternoon. The man explained that wolves broke into a farmer's house. He had to kill one of them to protect his family. It was a large male."
The news hit Crissa like someone had punched her in the stomach. She stopped walking before they reached the fire place.
"You mean . . ."
"Yes. I said a large male. The farmer said he dragged its carcass out of the house and into the woods."
"My God, Brad. That could have been . . ."
"We know. Believe me. We all know that, Crissa. It's one of the reasons we didn't wake you. Just not good news at this point. Though there is a chance . . . maybe a good chance that it was one of the other . . . true wolves out there. Or even another village . . ."
"Varkolaka," she whispered. "Just like David."
"Yeah, Crissa. And though it minimizes the chances . . . Still . . ."
"Still what, Brad?"
"Well, it could also be . . . Lara's mate."
"Jesus! " She looked down at the floor. "Martin. Jannick told me of him. A young man from the village . . . someone she herself had apparently bitten and cursed."
"Yeah, well I guess in this househol it's pretty critical. I mean to Lara's parents, too."
"Why?"
"Her parents fear the loss of the young man . . . for their daughter's sake."
"OK. Of course, Brad. I totally understand that."
"Yeah. I guess now with Dave out there . . . I suppose you would."
Crissa stayed silent and did not look up.
They both quietly walked up to Josh and Mary, sitting by the fire. The two looked speechlessly and empathetically at Crissa as she stood before them.
"I've told her the news, guys." Brad said solemnly.
Both older researchers just nodded.
"The other thing we're all nervous about," Mary finally said to her in a gentle, pragmatic voice, "is that tonight . . . or tomorrow, the three of them are due back. Horst feels it could well be tonight, considering what has happened to one of the wolves in the pack today."
Not a moment after Mary's words, there came the far off sound of howling in unison. The distant chorus sent a chill up everyone's back while they froze to listen if the sound was now approaching.
Out of the kitchen in reaction to this haunting sound came Horst, Helga and Jannick, along with Dr. Dekker. They all seemed as anxious and fearful about it as the young researchers seated by the fireplace.
"We will maybe receive Lara . . . and hopefully both of your friends tonight," the proprietor said with some difficulty to the group.
All waited helplessly as the sound of the wolves increased and neared the hotel.
"They are angry tonight," Horst told them with a serious look on his face. Jannick paced nervously, and his mother stood near them holding back tears.
Soon the wolves were very near the hotel, barking and howling in a cacophonic manner, which had the power to bring out the deepest fear in humans.
"I'll go get my rifle," the professor finally said, forcefully.
"No!" Both Jannick and his father said in unison.
"If Lara is with them tonight . . . and she returns, they will allow her to enter the lodge peacefully. As they will with your students," the apron-clad older man said humbly and softly.
Everyone in the room just waited and listened as the howling increased and soon sounded as if the vicious animals were just outside the front of the hotel in a great number. At that point Helga, Jannick and Horst stood and approached the front door of the lodge. Helga was carrying something in her arms. The researchers, including the professor, all stood back and prepared to positioned themselves at a distance, but still close enough to stare at the entryway with intense curiosity.
Suddenly, there was a loud pounding on the wooden door. As if someone outside wanted in. Crissa at that moment had the distinct fear that if the door opened, the entire pack of wolves would rush into the room and cause a blood bath, subjecting them all to flesh-tearing wounds. It was all she could do to allow her curiosity to keep her frozen there, staring at the door, while her sense of self-protection told her to run for her life up the stairs. Brad apparently felt the same sensation, as he took Crissa's arm, preparing to drag her to safety should the security of the room be suddenly compromised by the opening of the door.
To everyone's shock, Horst and Helga approached the lodge entrance and unlocked it. As they swung the door open—a completely naked Lara was standing in the entrance. Her body was illuminated by the still bright night sky. To everyone's fear and fascination, the nude girl was standing motionless, staring blankly, as if in a trance. Her modesty as a teen was eclipsed by her recent and barely conscious transformation back to that other world, in which she lived the better part of each month.
Quickly Helga took what had been in her arms—a blanket, and covered her daughter, while her father took her by the hand to lead her inside. Both parents then hesitated and looked out into the moonlight, awaiting Julie's and David's return as well. But there were no other beasts amid the creatures outside the door that had the physical appearance of naked humans. The two loving parents of Lara, after having braved the present threat of the remaining wolves, rapidly pulled their daughter in and slammed the heavy door shut behind her.
All inside were silent. It was obvious. There was no Julie or David in the pack that night, returning as Lara had done. It was perplexing and deeply troubling to the foreigners who had hoped with all their hearts that their comrades would enter back into their world with Lara.
As the girl's mother escorted her silent and stoic daughter toward the kitchen, Horst paused and sadly faced the speechless group, who patiently awaited his assessment.
"In a few hours . . . perhaps by tomorrow, Lara will be able to tell us. . . in writing. . . what has become of your friends. As you remember, she does not speak."
Still shocked by these events, no one spoke.
"This night . . . was still early for them," the proprietor said, now more encouragingly. "The moon is still fairly full until tomorrow night. We will have another chance then to receive them."
To the group, and especially Crissa, this was some consolation. At least some element of hope.
"I have had this fear you all now have," Horst said softly, "each month . . . that my daughter will not return. But she always does. I hope and pray the same for David and Julie."
With the slamming of the door, the sound of the wolves' howling had subsided entirely. Brad, not willing to accept the finality of the moment, marched Crissa over to the door with him. He reached down for the hunting knife strapped to his leg and unsheathed it. Holding it in one hand, and with the other, he unlatched the door. He then slowly opened it enough to look out into the night. All that he and Crissa could see was the sleepy village beyond the hotel, and behind it, the distant mountains, covered by pines. Though not completely full, the moon shone brightly down from the heavens on the Earth like a beacon of hope.
* * *