The Jenny Lewis Chronicles
Episode 4
Chapter 2
"What are we looking for?" asked Tracy as she followed Jenny through the farm.
"I don't know" said Jenny. "But I for one suggest we start near the chicken coop."
There was a large chicken coop in the yard that they were currently in. Within it was a group of at least fifty dark brown, agitated hens, a couple of buff roosters trotted around them.
Jenny held her handkerchief up to her nose. She had never cared much for chickens but now was not the time to be too squeamish. There was a creature loose here on this farm and now that its anomaly was locked, it was all the more important that they find it.
"Jenny!" called Tracy. "I found something!"
She was pointing with her foot to a small area of dug out earth underneath part of the chicken wire. Obviously something had managed to dig its way in.
"A creature?" said Tracy.
"Maybe, or might have been just a fox or a badger" said Jenny.
Just as she said that, there came a clatter from behind them. They turned to see one of the plastic slides shudder as something ran behind it. Cautiously, Tracy and Jenny crept over to it. Peering around it they could see a very unusual looking creature.
It looked a lot like a badger, it was black with a white strip around both of its eyes. But there were many important differences. For one thing it had no fur, and its snout was much shorter than a badger's. As well as that, its back legs were splayed out away from its body, they were more like lizard legs than badger ones. Tracy and Jenny could see it eyeing some rabbits in a hutch.
"What is it?" whispered Tracy.
As soon as she said that, the creature turned around and snarled at them. It had wild greenish yellow eyes and its sharp teeth were coated with a disgusting looking slime that smelled like old vomit. With a growl, it charged for the two humans, snapping its jaws ferociously.
"Quick, get out of the way!" cried Jenny as she pulled Tracy to the side. The creature ran straight past them, but then it turned around, intending to charge them again. It bared its teeth menacingly.
"Mummy look, it's a badger!"
Tracy and Jenny turned to see a young boy, about four years old, running over to the creature.
"No!" cried Jenny. "Stay back, don't go near it!"
But the child ignored her and continued to run towards the creature. As he neared it, he slowed down and crouched down to it. He extended his arm out to try and stroke it. Furious that someone was even trying to touch it, the creature snarled and lunged for the little boy. Its jaws missed his outstretched fingers by inches.
"Ahhh. Mummy help!" cried the little boy as he burst into frightened tears. "It tried to bite me!"
He ran back to his mother with tears streaming down his face. The creature growled and headed off after him. As the child reached his mother, he turned and pointed to his would be attacker. As the creature came near her son, the mother brought her foot forward in a well aimed kick, sending it flying across the yard. It landed on its belly and was still.
As the little boy and his mother left the scene, Jenny crept cautiously up to the creature. She had managed to get within 12 inches of it before its opened its greenish yellow eyes and snarled menacingly at her. As she backed off, it struggled to its feet and headed for the carpark.
"Quick, after it!" cried Jenny. "Don't let it get away!"
But even as she said that the creature was scuttling along the path that lead to the carpark. By the time Tracy and Jenny had caught up with it, it had made its way across the carpark itself and into the nearby bushes.
"Oh great" groaned Jenny exasperately. "Now what are we going to do?"
"Well" said Tracy, "we could send a photo to the team."
She held up her phone, there on the screen was a picture of the unconscious creature.
