Out of Sight part II (The Hunt)
A fanfic by Joe Stakem
"What was that, son?" Larson was too busy devouring his pie to hear what Oz had just said, ruining a cool moment. "I just said that you'd be surprised at what some animal could-- never mind." The moment was over, they weren't even paying attention to what Oz had said. I can't really blame them, he thought to himself while finishing his burger, I'd forget me too if I could. "Well, fact o' the matter remains, we got some kinda problem 'round here, and it needs taking care of, before more people get hurt," Larson said with a mouthful of pie. He washed it all down with a drink of coffee and got up to leave. "Well at any rate, we're gonna stake out on this here stretch and find these animals or psychos or whatever they are, and be done with this mess." He tossed a five on the counter and tipped his hat to Becky, then waddled out.
Becky continued wiping off the counter, humming to herself. She stopped humming and turned to Oz, who was already eating his pie. "So stranger, you got a girl back home?" This made him stop. Suddenly he wanted to leave again. Searching for the right answer, the one that would satisfy both of their questions, he stalled for a second, then answered. "I did, once, but not anymore." Now she's gonna ask me what happened, he thought. "What happened?" Becky asked, she didn't know any better. Oz shifted in his seat a little, and without even knowing, he looked toward the door. "We had some problems, I left for awhile, I came back, someone else was in the picture." Yeah a freakin' girl, he thought to himself. "So she moved on, what the hell did you expect her to do, ya left, didn't ya?" This hurt Oz more than it pissed him off, because it was right. "Well can't ya go win her back?" She asked him.
"No, trust me, it's over now." He was looking down at the table again. "Lemme guess, that's why you're runnin' around in that there van, isn't it?" He looked up now, he decided it was time to get moving again. "Speaking of that, do you know where I could get some gas, I was on low when I came here." He was thumbing through his wallet to pay for his meal. "Well, you ought to try Donnie's gas up the road off exit 14, you'll catch a deal." "Thanks a lot," he said, getting up from the stool.
He didn't even notice that he'd been there for hours, and it was nightfall. "You be safe on that there road, them psychos are out there, Phil don't seem to think so, but they are." Oz moved for the door. "Thanks for the grub, gotta go." He pushed the door open and got into the van. Before starting the engine, he did as he always does before running again. He took the picture out of the glove compartment. Hi guys. They were still smiling, Buffy the blonde, she had relationship issues, but she wasn't gay yet. Xander, smiling goofily, had someone to worry about him. Giles was Giles, he didn't need women. And finally...Willow. He could never bring himself to speak badly of her, but it puzzled him as to why she did what she did or why he left in the first place. Oh yeah, the whole werewolf thing, the thing there's no cure for, that thing. He tossed the photo and started up. He pulled back onto the interstate. He passed by what looked like Larson and company camped out in the trees. Idiots, they'll either catch a psycho or get killed by werewolves, it's not my problem. He rode on, looking for the exit. He found it, and veered off. It was an old looking place, he pumps looked like they were from the fifties, or even older. There was a dusty old truck beside the place, probably Donny's it was a ford with--
Something's wrong. His animal instinct picked up before he pulled around to the front of the store to see the door bashed in, and glass everywhere. Holy crap!! He quickly parked and got out to see what was wrong. He stepped through the gaping hole in the glass door, to see a man, probably Donny on the floor, torn to shreds. There was blood everywhere. That's it, it's time to leave Hick town, I can't deal with this, not now. He didn't hesitate, he quickly filled his tank with gas, after filling the van with beef jerky and soda. It's only right, he won't miss it. Then he smelled something. It was coming from the body. It was a smell he knew. With an arm full of slim Jims, he kneeled down next to Donny, and sniffed his wounds. Damn. I knew it! It was wolves alright, and by the smell, it wasn't long that they had been there. Time to go. He was probably to busy looking at Donny to realize that someone else was there, because when he looked up, Larson and about fifty other troopers where standing in front of him, with their shotguns leveled at his head. Here it comes, he thought as he slowly got up from the body. "Phil, I know what this looks like, but--" Larson cut him off. "Jesus Christ!" He said, looking at the blood. "One thing about you goddamn psychos, you always leave a big mess." Oz began to shake his head. "Phil-- officer Larson, I didn't do this." "Becky said you were headed this way, it's a damn good thing I decided to come out here," Larson looked back to his other troopers, who were all standing their with shotguns in hand, ready to blow Oz away. "Well I guess our work is done here, boys, case closed, get his ass in a patrol car." I've already worn out my welcome. he thought. This is gonna be a long night...
TO BE CONTINUED