The phantom
Chapter ten: What's the difference between an assassin and a killer?
Warm steam filled the shower room of Casper high as Danny and his close friend Tucker showered under the hot water along with other students after gym class, it was one of the very few true pleasures the boy could indulge himself in.
"Holy shit… is he for real?"- a voice suddenly said.
Only then was that Danny turned over to his right to see who had spoken knowing all too well that they were talking about him, the boy saw more than triple the allowed students spread around the shower room all gawking at him making him sigh out loudly.
The upcoming Casper high Marathon forced mister Lancer to take a much more serious approach to gym class, making his boys run around the track course several times. Naturally, after class, they were all to hit the showers.
A great many of the boys couldn't help but glue their eyes over Danny's delicate frame and bubble butt along with his thick legs which made more than boy drool. Sure enough, Danny was by far better looking than most girls at school which didn't flatter him in the least.
"Guess your popular phase just begun, eh, Danny-boy"- Tucker said in a mocking tone.
It didn't make Danny feel any better to know that he was becoming popular for the wrong reasons. There was already too much going on in his life to add some horny teens running up to him asking him out on a date while dressed in drag which he always dismissed with a disgusted glare.
A cute face, a slender body, and a pretty butt were starting to draw the wrong kind of attention and more often than not brought him annoying problems. Danny was by no means ignorant of his own physical traits and tried to always used them to his advantage.
"Man, now I know what beautiful girls feel when being gawked at by horny cats, you know."- Danny said to Tucker not caring if anyone else heard.
"Don't flatter yourself, dude."- Tucker replied with a smirk. "Wanna hang out tonight at my crib?"- the dark skin boy questioned.
"Nah, man. Vlad's sending me to see some relative out of town."- Danny replied while applying shampoo for the second time.
Tucker gave a casual glance over to his horny peers before leaning closer to Danny who was busy rinsing off the shampoo, Tucker knew what "seeing relatives" actually meant, it was code for seeing their drug suppliers. It thrilled him greatly to know he was part of such an organization.
"Want me to come with?"- Tucker asked while putting his arms around Danny's shoulder making more than one boy blush.
"Don't be a bunny. You got your gig going on besides it's gonna take me all damn weekend."- Danny retorted not caring for how close Tucker was.
Sure enough, more than one teenager seemed to bother to see the two boys so close but keep often it to themselves as it wouldn't be the first time Danny knocked someone out in the bathroom for making a rude comment about his body or his friendship with Tucker.
A few moments later, Danny closes the sprinkler feeling much more refreshed but couldn't shake off the lustful stares from his classmates who were fascinated by his strange and unique attractiveness. Eyeing him down from head to toe, often stopping at his round butt.
All the boys without exception looked at Danny as he walked towards the locker room where he got dressed, trying to ignore the looks and random erections that made him want to vomit and beat some decency into his peers.
"You saw that funky fag! He totally wanted to shag your foxy ass!"- Tucker almost yelled out in between laughter once they were out of the bathroom.
"Veg out, dude. You know I'm not into that funky shit. He was tripping, man"- Danny replied blushing.
It was most strange to see Danny blush at all, Tucker knew his best friend for his cold and calculated behavior, yet even Danny was caught off guard once in a while especially in the showers among horny boys who couldn't land a date and were perhaps considering asking Danny out.
(XXXXXX)
A few hours later, Danny found himself quietly looking out the window as Amity Park becoming smaller in the distance as his train gain speed, his heart shivers in excitement as it was the first time that he was traveling out of the city though not alone.
Sleeping by his right was Skulker who by some miracle hadn't fallen of his seat despite half his body already hanging over the armrest. Danny ignored the small puddle of drool under the man's head and rather focus his attention on the train's interior.
Red chairs and graffiti-free walls were what impressed Danny the most as he has never seen a train so clean and pristine before. Even the passengers seemed to be of a higher class with their business suits and fancy dresses, very different from the ghetto styles he was more accustomed to seeing.
"I fell asleep?"- Skulker asked while groaning loudly.
"You were even drooling, dude. Not cool."- Danny replied as he took hold of his backpack and pulled out a comic book.
A young blonde woman suddenly caught Skulker's attention as she opens the door at the end of the car pushing a metallic cart that contains several food articles, coffee, and even some magazines. The man calls for her asking for a large cup of coffee.
"You want something, Danny?"- Skulker asked while cracking his backbones as the woman serves him the coffee.
"Yeah, slide me a cup of joe and a ham sandwich."- Danny spoke with an unusual cute voice.
The boy redirected his attention back to the window while Skulker was busy chatting with the blonde saleswoman, his eyes saw nothing more than the silhouette of a forest, with a loud yawn, he shifts his attention to a Crimson chin comic book he brought to pass the time.
His destination was nearly two hours away by train and unlike Skulker who passed out nearly ten minutes after departing, Danny had a harder time relaxing with the constant noise coming from the train's gears.
The boy looked with disdain and much discomfort at the small town before his eyes as the train reached its destination allowing him and Skulker to walked off the platform and into the streets.
The town didn't seem to have left the early fifties as it was filled with old cars clearly thirty years old. Most residents looked at Danny and Skulker with the same disdain as they did though perhaps the black trench coats and top hats drew too much attention.
The hotel was by no means any better than the town with its brown wooden floors and antique dark green wallpaper, worst of all, was having to pay extra for a room with a black and white television set which bothered Danny the most as he wanted to see his favorite shows before bed.
"I gotta make a call."- Skulker said handing Danny the keys to the room.
Danny's eyes set over the simple and modest room with two single beds, a bathroom in dire need of deep cleaning, and finally the small wooden box television with a dial which they had to pay extra for.
"Breaking news!"- the new broadcaster said moments after Danny turned the television on for background noise. "Amity Park can rest easy now for the first time in several years thanks to the new task force."- the woman continued as the boy made his way into the shower.
Gang violence was rampaging and crime rates were higher than ever, but allowing the police to mercilessly butchered countless people despite any criminal association was perhaps too much, yet society was already fed up with the government tiptoeing around delinquents.
The police raid and consequent slaughter that followed was more than welcome by the tired citizens of Amity who finally saw some justice taking place, seeing the gangs scattered like rats helped boost public morale as a great many citizens praise the police action.
Local news spoke of little more than eighty dead gang members and hundreds wounded contrasting with the dozen police officers slain and almost twenty wounded. Of course, the authorities wouldn't give any actual numbers.
Danny was more than sure the number of deaths was twice what the news claimed there to be, there were also no mentions of the walking horror in the sewers which attacked him and the few survivors from the battle.
"I'm back welp."- Skulker announced himself before opening the door with extra precaution as he wasn't sure if Danny might confuse him with someone else and get shot. "Got us some dinner"- the man added.
It was then that Danny walked out of the bathroom drying his short black hair though didn't bother in covering the rest of his body. Resting over a small table was a package containing two plates with pasta and a steak to which Danny smiles at.
Skulker's eyes settled over the boy as they took hold of their meal and begun chowing down while sitting over the table. The man wasn't shocked nor impressed by Danny's casualness towards nudity but it was bothersome.
"We're meeting with our contact tomorrow morning."- Skulker informed his young companion setting his eyes over the television.
"The sooner we're done with this, the sooner we can get back to civilization."- Danny rebuke as he stuffs his face with a large piece of meat.
Only then was that Skulker saw the boy's abnormally large fangs and bright green eyes, he knew Danny wasn't normal by any means, but the terrible thought of the boy is one of the dreaded creatures from the dark crossed the older man's mind.
Yet there was nothing to back up that silly thought, Vlad surely trained the boy in the arts of war given his military background, showed him how to use guns and how to fight which explained his skills in combat.
"What kind of relationship do you have with Vlad?"- Skulker suddenly asked. "I know he's not your dad."- the man added while drinking some of his soda.
The question caught Danny off guard as he was sure Vlad told Skulker about being his father though on rare occasions called him his nephew. Only a blind man would believe them to be father and son as they hardly looked similar.
"Being a father is more than just knocking up some skirt"- Danny replied firmly.
Skulker didn't give a rat's ass about Danny truly being Vlad's son or not, what he really wanted to know was why they would share the same bed, showered together and most important of all was why would Vlad allowed the boy to paraded naked around the house.
It wasn't the first time that Skulker caught Danny walking without any clothes at the house while Vlad was there enjoying a day off, it felt as if Vlad ordered Danny to remained undressed which bothered Skulker the most as it wasn't normal by any means or standard.
Surely, there was a reasonable explanation for it, one that Skulker was both unable to understand and too afraid to ask his boss about. Yet he couldn't avoid thinking there was more between Danny and Vlad, perhaps even romantic which made his stomach twirl in disgust.
The man felt like a complete fool as he was about to offer any help if Vlad was doing anything inappropriate with him, but if half the rumors going around Danny were to be believed then it would Vlad who would be in dire need of help.
"Let's get some shut-eye."- Skulker added not wanting his inquires to reach Vlad's ears.
(XXXXX)
Danny was pouting as he had to wake early on a Saturday morning to see their contact at the local woods a few hours away from town to which they had to arrive on foot. Before them was a small hippie camp, yet the place was much smaller than the one at Amity Park.
Among the snow in a clearing and surrounded by tall trees, almost hidden away where little more fifteen tents of varied sizes spread around a small cabin. Danny noticed several coolers and cloth lines outside a few of the tents which told him these people had been living there for quite some time.
In the middle of the camp were a bonfire along nearly twenty men and women trying to keep warm which made Danny wonder why would anyone chose this kind of life, surely, life in Amity was hard but it seemed much worse out in the woods.
Not all the city was a warzone or drug-infested nest. In fact, most of the residents had a decent living standard if they didn't mind putting extra hours at the docks or in the factories yet most people wanted things the easy way.
"How can these people live like this?"- Danny whispered in his native Russian as they walked towards the cabin.
"Don't know, but I sure as hell wouldn't want to spend a night here."- Skulker replied in their mother tongue.
Bears and wolves were a major concern for survivalists and hunters but the bottom line was that they were just a pest, to say the least, what survivalists truly feared were the werewolves and the wendigos that the natives spoke about.
Early colonials learned the very hard way to respect the forest as far too many people were found in pieces or in the belly of a large werewolf. Yet, the walled colonies were rarely attacked telling them that the animals were far more intelligent than initially thought.
Danny gave a sideways glance to a hippie coming out of his tent but neither address the other, the man's attention was quickly drawn towards the hot soup and stale bread being served at the bonfire which made Danny's nose twitch.
The boy's eyes soon turn away from the starving hippies towards the broken windows and rotten walls that composed the cabin which seemed to house the leadership of the camp, before even reaching the porch, a queer-looking man wearing a ragged coat walked out to receive them with a smile.
The duo looked at the filthy hippie who took his role far too seriously as it was fairly obvious the lack of hygiene with his long unkempt brownish hair wrapped in dreadlocks, his body odor was most foul even disgusting, most likely the result of not taking a bath in years.
"Suka pakhnet zhivotnym (the bitch smells like an animal.)"- Danny muttered quite sure he wouldn't understand a word.
"Mister Sunshine, I presume."- Skulker said trying to confirm the man's identity.
Danny couldn't help but giggle at the silly names the hippie community often employed in favor of much more civilized and accepted naming. The boy couldn't help but recall the fat hippie he slain to protect his friend Tucker.
"You must be Vlad's entourage. Come on in."- the hippie spoke making Danny raise an eyebrow at the fancy word.
The two of them cautiously followed Sunshine into the house, trying to see if they were being set up despite having made several deals with him before. As expected, the house left much to be desired with its rotten walls and broken floorboards.
A foul stench permeated within the house but the two instantly noticed four wounded men resting on the kitchen table just a few steps away from the stove being treated by a single woman who wore a bandage over her head.
"Can I offer you breakfast or some coffee?"- the man questioned.
"Dear god no…. but thank you anyway."- Skulker replied taking noticed of a black eye and ripped lip on the hippie.
Danny was more than grateful for having a hearty breakfast at the local diner that consisted of delicious waffles and hot chocolate before coming to see this individual. The kind of food that would be served in such forsaken land would be most horrendous.
It was then that Danny noticed the cabin didn't have any rooms to speak off, just the kitchen and living room both cramped up together, the lack of a bed and several boxes allowed Danny to assumed the cabin was being used as a storage.
"Where's the stuff?"- the boy asked already wanting to leave.
"Over there, in the mothership."- the old man said before sitting down on the couch and pointing out the window.
Danny and Skulker turned their attention outside the kitchen window and over to a blue flamboyant combi with flowers painted all over, Skulker walked out into the backyard and open the combi's backdoors to confirmed its contents, the house specialty.
Their brave leader Vlad maintained several business dealings with the hippie ever since Andrei's time and continued to employ him despite the most recent and unwelcomed events at Amity Park yet Vlad was ready to expand his operations.
The man was promised four tons of their finest marihuana along with several hundred kilos of opium after a great many of their buyers had an untimely date with death after the police raid which, of course, made Vlad overly trill.
Vlad couldn't simply trust such delivery to just anyone from his crew members. There was always the possibility of someone turning on him and running off with the goods upon seeing such a prime opportunity.
This was a job for his most trusting and loyal members, men who wouldn't even consider the idea of stealing the cargo for themselves, Danny and Skulker were those men, even if the former couldn't even call himself a man yet.
"Here's your paper, dude."- Danny said as he put a bag to the man's feet once Skulker gave him a thumbs up.
Sunshine opened the bag with a gloomy expression drawn on his face while inspecting the many wads of cash, the man looks over to his beaten-up peers before Skulker caught his attention upon returning and asking for the keys as the vehicle was part of the deal.
Danny was already fed up with the foul stench of unwashed humans and spoiled food despite only being inside the cabin for a few short minutes, he wanted to go back to civilized lands, the trip back would take them up to four hours by car if the vehicle was in proper working conditions.
"I'm a man of peace but some squares from across the valley aren't respecting my peace."- Sunshine said looking straight at Skulker as he took hold of the car keys. "Those fascist hillbillies came here last night with their trucks and ran over everything. Tell you what, you get rid of them and you can keep half of this"- Sunshine offered kicking the bag.
"Deal, just tell us who needs getting killed."- Danny said before Skulker had the chance to open his mouth.
The man turned over to Danny unable to believe he was willing to kill for Sunshine who spoke of a rivalry with another farm on the other side of the ridge, it wasn't the first time his rival made an incursion into their camp causing havoc, even trying to kidnap some of the girls.
(XXXXXX)
The cold forest winds filled Danny's lungs as he stood on a ridge overviewing a rundown farm in the company of Skulker who was now pouting for having to stay longer than needed but couldn't deny the large sum of money was too enticing.
The farm was located deep into the forest in a clearing surrounded by tall trees, but could still be seen from the ridge almost unobstructed by the trees, the place was too far away from the main road and several kilometers away from the nearest town.
According to Sunshine, the place was owned by a small group of survivalists who recently raided his camp just to train his people and for the kicks, knowing the hippies wouldn't go to the local authorities for help.
Danny gently took hold of the M40 sniper rifle which Skulker was carrying and was given to him by Sunshine who brought it back from Vietnam as a small souvenir. The hippie was drafted into the war which made him question his life.
"I would have preferred a real sniper rifle like the Mosin-Nagant but this one would have to do."- Danny said while examining the weapon.
"I didn't know you were taking side jobs, welp."- Skulker spoke in a teasing voice.
"Nothing wrong with making an extra buck once in a while, and we are helping out Vlad by taking care of his interest."- Danny added with a smirk. "Can't have these inbreeds messing with our enterprise."- Danny continued while laying down on the cold snowy ground.
The boy looked through his telescope and saw a man standing guard on the water tower armed with a bolt action rifle though couldn't see a scope on it, two men were casually playing cards by the house porch while a woman was combing her hair over on the window at the first floor.
By the barn was yet another man smoking, Danny then noticed two more men working on the barn's rooftop making a total of seven yet according to the old hippie there were twelve survivalists that needed to be dealt with, therefore Danny assumed the other five were inside the house or the barn.
"Do you even know how to use that thing?"- Skulker asked wondering if it was wise to let Danny used the rifle.
"Comrade Skulker, you of forgetting. I'm Russian, snipping is in my blood."- Danny said with a very thick and heavy Russian accent.
Skulker was sure the boy was only making fun of him but had to admit that he was a much better shot than anyone. Danny had too many high-profile hits under his belt, even from before murdering district attorney Stefano.
Danny had done many nearly impossible jobs from killing the D.A to executing all of the mafia capos and bosses in a single evening, more notable was saving Vlad from a vicious unprovoked attack perpetrated by unknown enemies which they were still investigating.
Chief among all his exploits were surviving the police raid just a few days ago, one that Skulker was more than sure wouldn't have survived. Yet Danny walked out without so much as a scratch which impressed all of the team.
"That rifleman is gonna be a problem, deal with him first then whack the guys by the porch." –Skulker ordered, trying to stay in command. "Work your way up while I sneak down and deal with the guys in the barn."
"Got it, dude."- Danny replied pulling the bolt and chambering a round.
The scope of the rifle scanned over the farm once more as Danny needed to make sure all his targets were still in place while Skulker reached the barn, once the first shot was fire, everyone would be on high alert and need to fire quickly before it became a gunfight.
Danny quietly observes his ally running between bushes and trees soon making his way into the barn while trying to conceal himself as best as possible. It was then that Danny aimed his rifle allowing the crosshairs to dance over the guard at the water tower.
The boy licks his lips in anticipation and taps the trigger with his fingertips as Skulker presses his back against the barn wall and signals him to fire. "Das Svidaniya (Goodbye)"- the boy whispered as he squeezes the trigger.
The bullet cross over three hundred meters in less than a second splattering the guard's brain over the water tower, everyone within the farm turned their attention over at the tower as water gushed out from the hole left behind by the shot.
"Jonah! What was that noise?"- A bearded man at the porch called out to his man.
A second rapid noise echoed within the woods and the bearded man fell to the ground sending horrible shivers up his friend's spine who stood up tossing the chair. The man tried to reach for the shotgun place next to the door only for his own head to be cracked open with a bullet.
"Goddamn it, he's good."- Skulker muttered while staring at the two dead men.
"What the fuck was that?!"- A young man no older than twenty asked his peer while trying to look out the door.
Another gunshot echoed as the mohawked-wearing man crept towards the two survivalists who stood up shivering, unable to understand what was happening. Skulker aimed his .38 revolver at the nearest man, his heart beating faster. A fifth shot rang making the survivalists jump on their spot.
There was no such thing as honor for hardened criminals like Skulker and so shot both men in the back with any warning or mercy. The man sighed loudly upon seeing the two dead men, he didn't expect his day to carry out in such a manner despite the wholesome pay.
Skulker pressed himself to the wall next to a window to overview the house, his eyes scanned the outside trying to spot any incoming survivalists, his attention was drawn towards the woman on the first-floor window yelling out to her friends.
"Hush now, quiet now, time to lay your sleepy head."- Danny whispered before pulling the trigger.
The lookout by the tower was dead, his body flat on the floorboards so was the two men by the porch both with a single hole in their heads. One of the rooftop workers was shot and send down several meters to the ground while his partner laid lifeless on the rooftop. The woman met the same fate as the others.
Skulker got rid of two men in the barn leaving only a fleeing man whom Danny shot in the back of the head before having the chance to enter the house. If what Sunshine declared was true then there were only three more to worry about.
Feeling satisfied with his handiwork, Danny slides down the ridge and quickly crosses the three hundred meters between the ridge and the farm wondering why the survivalists hadn't reacted as they should have. They clearly heard the gunshots but froze in their spots.
As the boy approached the farm, he noticed an old truck park within, most likely the same one used to raid the hippie camp. Danny shot the front wheels before meeting up with Skulker who was crouching under a crate.
"That was some fine ass shooting, welp."- Skulker praised the boy.
As much as Skulker dislike admitting it, Danny was a much better marksman than he initially expected. There was just no way for Skulker to have headshot seven individuals from little more than three hundred meters away. One of which was a moving target.
Sudden and sporadic gunfire came out from one of the windows on the ground floor forcing Danny to look into the house. It was hard to look inside as the bright sun and snow made the interior look darker than it truly was.
"There you are!"- Danny said firing his rifle towards the muzzle flash. "That makes ten!"- Danny announced while sliding a new clip.
"Don't go patting your back just yet, welp!"- Skulker retorted while rushing towards the door, gun in hand.
Two gunshots echoed as Danny followed his senior into the house. Laying lifeless on the floor was a young woman with a nine-millimeter handgun by her side, a shot in between her breasts claimed her life. Further into the house in the living room was a man in his mid-thirties with several gun wounds on his chest.
(XXXXXX)
Danny quietly walked up the stairs trying to find any more survivors while Skulker did the same on the ground. There were only two doors in the middle of the hallway, Danny kicked open the door to the right revealing a small bedroom.
The boy lifted the bed as if the metallic frame didn't weigh anything at all while swaying his rifle but finding no one underneath which made him head back into the hallway as the room only had a bed and nothing more.
The room on the opposite side held a bed and a wooden closet though before entering, Danny saw Skulker walking up the stairs who told him as discreetly as possible that the ground floor was empty meaning that only this room remained to be check.
It was after taking a single step into the room that a young girl hardly older than Danny jump out of the closet. Her face contorted with fear and desperation mix with rage, a pocket knife tightly held within her hand.
"Why? Why are you doing this?"- The girl demanded to know.
"Your folks attacked a good friend of ours. Sunshine. A tree hugger who can't even stand up for himself."- Skulker replied despite not even knowing Sunshine's real name.
"That funky ass cheese weasel sent you?! He's been trying to scare us off our lands for months!"- the girl retorted.
That declaration took Skulker by surprise as he was told otherwise, that it was the survivalists who cowardly attacked the hippie camp just for fun and for so-called training every couple of times a week, even trying to take one of the girls. Naturally, Sunshine and his people couldn't go to the local authorities due to them selling marihuana.
The older man then realized there were only three weapons in the house, the rifle and two handguns, not even close to what a survivalist camp would have. None of them wore tactical gear nor acted like wanna-be soldiers.
"We've been duped, these are farmers."- Skulker announced.
"So?"- Danny casually replied, his gun still aiming at the girl.
"This isn't what we agreed on!"- the man continued.
"We took the man's Jing, so stop tripping and get your head straight."- Danny replied.
The sudden sound of a whistle caught their attention forcing their bickering to stop. Danny didn't wait any longer and shot the girl in the neck, blood gushing out of the wound as she rolled on the floor while Skulker turned around horrified.
Danny couldn't understand why Skulker was so adamant or upset about killing the girl, they were being paid to murder people and the reasons for it shouldn't be of any concern, it had always been like that.
A powerful howling pulled their eyes towards the window where they saw four large dogs running towards the farm. Bigger, muscular, and far more imposing than any stray dog either of them had seen in Amity.
"Werewolves"- Skulker proclaimed.
(XXXXXX)
Danny rushed towards the window and fired his M40 hitting the middle wolf in the back but hardly hindering its movement. The bolt action took longer than what Danny was accustomed to his pistol.
Skulker headed down towards the living room and quickly barricaded the door before the monsters could reach them. Danny took a deep breath and aimed his crosshairs over the leading wolf, he squeezed the trigger, and the animal's head burst.
Unlike the creatures of legends, werewolves were nothing more than oversized wolves. Nothing that a good place shot to the head couldn't stop, only three horrible beasts remained but as the boy tried to fire, the weapon jammed.
"Fucking piece of trash!"- Danny yelled as he rushed downstairs to help Skulker defend against the monsters.
Danny and Skulker both took hold of a widow and begun firing their pistols at the incoming beasts who took the fire with much ease. Hitting their heads using iron sight was much harder which forced the duo to go for body shots.
Experience thought Skulker that his .38 revolver wouldn't hold up against such horrible creatures, therefore, aim for their limps in hopes of hindering their movements, the first two shots were a miss but the third one impacted tumbling the animal.
Without a moment's doubt, a werewolf jumped through the window pushing Skulker to the ground. The man's muscular body could hardly hold the creature at bay, his powerful hands held tightly to the snout which smelled like putrid blood.
Danny tossed the empty clip of his gun to the ground and shove a fresh one in, his last clip. Two shots to the side of the animal made it raise its head with a painful howl, a third shot followed into its head letting the monster fall unto the man.
"Behind you!"- Skulker screamed with horror.
A terrible pain engulfed Danny's entire body as a werewolf he had not seen bite him over the shoulder piercing his delicate skin with its long fangs, the monster clawed into his ribs making Danny screamed in agony as he was lifted off the ground.
Skulker desperately tried to shove the dead werewolf of him in order to reach his revolver, things had gone terribly wrong but Skulker had to protect Danny not just because he's the boss's kid but also a friend.
"Shoot him!"- Danny pointed over a growling wolf who was about to enter through the window.
Skulker pulled himself from underneath the dead beast taking hold of his revolver and quickly aiming his iron sights over the monster, Skulker notices the beast was having the most difficult time getting inside, a wound on its thigh was the reason.
Pain like never before engulfed Danny's entire body forcing him to cast an intangibility spell to free himself from the monster's clutches. The werewolf was dumbfounded only for a single second before rushing against the boy all over again.
Skulker shifted his attention from the werewolf whom he shot several times and was hopeful to have slain over to Danny, his black clothing was clearly stained with blood. The older man aimed his gun over to the monster only to discover much to his horror that it was empty.
"Get away from him, you overfed dog!"- Skulker screamed trying to draw the monster's attention.
The werewolf tried to slash the boy on several occasions missing each time which forced the creature to bite on him yet was counter by Danny with a powerful punch, so hard a normal human bone would have broken but the strike only dazed him.
Without wasting a single moment, Danny kicked the wolf's head as hard as possible breaking the wooden wall in the process. Skulker desperately searched for more bullets within his pockets while shoving the animal off him, yet saw as the creature pulled itself out and slashed Danny's legs.
Blood ran down from Danny's leg onto the floor as a horrible pain wrapped around his body. With fury filled his eyes, Danny punched the creature several times yet in a final attempt to get his meal. The wolf tried to tackle the boy down.
There was a hint of irony as the last one who tried to tackle Danny was no other than Dash Baxter, Casper High's quarterback, with the same failing results. The beast was twice Danny's size and far muscular and yet couldn't take him down.
A mighty kick was enough to bring the werewolf to its knees, his yellow canine eyes open wide in sheer and utter horror as Danny put his fingers between its sharp fangs and started prying open its snout with nothing more than his bare hands.
"Fucking die already, you dirty mutt!"- Danny yelled out.
Not even a whimper came out of the animal as Danny mercilessly yanked off its jaw. The boy fell to the floor more tired than ever looking at the wolf walking away with its tongue hanging out from the horrible wound, blood and drool gushed out soaking the floor.
The werewolf dropped on the floor with a loud thud allowing for both criminals to let out a sigh of relief as all the farmers and their underworld guard dogs were dead. They had been in countless gunfights and put their lives at risk for money but this felt different.
Fighting creatures from hell was always a special, unique perhaps even a religious experience. They weren't motivated by greed or a sense of justice, many times not even by hunger, just the sole and dark desire to murder humans.
"Danny! Are you ok?"- Skulker asked after finally getting the dead werewolf off him.
"Do I look ok?! Motherfucker bite me, fucked up my leg."- Danny replied as he tore off his shirt so he could bandage himself. "Are you ok, man!?"
"Nothing I can't handle."- Skulker replied while pulling the boy's boots off.
Danny quickly ripped his pants away in order to treat his wound. Skulker's eyes open in sheer horror upon seeing the massive cut on Danny's leg, part of the bone showing. He was most impressed that the boy wasn't screaming in pain.
Any lesser man would have already passed out by the shock, yet the pain was starting to kick in making Danny cry due to the aching wounds. Never before had Skulker seen the boy sobbing, he didn't even think the boy was capable of such emotions.
"I would be screaming like a woman if that were me…"- Skulker gave a private thought. "Gotta get you to a hospital"- the man declared.
"No! They'll ask too many questions. Just get the girl's gun in case they come back, let's head over to the combi, I got med kit Vlad gave me in my backpack."- Danny ordered as he finished ripping away his pants and shirt which he used as makeshift bondage.
Skulker knew Danny was right but the severity of his wounds didn't give him much option, going to see doctor Nicolai was the best option but a four-hour ride back to Amity was out of the question as the kid would most likely bleed to death.
It was then that Skulker lifted the boy and rushed out of the house after rearming themselves, there was the high possibility of more werewolves or other horrible paranormal monsters coming out at night.
The man drove away trying his very best to avoid passing out due to the pain.
(XXXXX)
A sudden knocking on the window force Skulker awake in a most disgruntled manner, the man couldn't recall falling asleep on the wheel though remember the car coughing for a while but nothing after that.
His face turns pale upon laying eyes over the highway patrol officer standing just outside his window. Skulker moves his eyes over the rearview mirror while rolling down his window, Danny wasn't in the back where he left the boy yet the cargo was covered.
"Morning officer."- Skulker said trying to sound friendly.
There was no point in starting an argument with an officer of the law, not after the day he and Danny both had. They were both unarmed save for a small pocket pistol, worst yet, Danny was gravely injured and Skulker's nap surely put the kid in more danger.
"Morning sir, the reason I woke you up is because those colors over there are harassing your son"- the police officer explained with an apprehensive voice.
Skulker climbed out of his most colorful combi wondering what the officer meant by "son." It was then that he saw a second police officer talking to a family of colored people consisting of two adults, one female, and the other male respectively, and two girls around the same age as Danny.
The family was involved in a heated argument with the second police office though Skulker couldn't make out a single word as they were talking one over the other, much to his surprise and utter shock Danny was standing between in the middle.
The boy was wearing only his white underwear while standing over a snowy ground mediating between the negro family and the single officer who demanded to know why they were harassing him and more important why they took away his clothes.
"I told ya already, man, they ain't bothering me."- Danny replied puffing up his bare chest.
"You don't have to protect these animals; I know they were forcing to swim in the freezing river."- the police officer said while scornfully looking at the family.
Skulker needed to get rid of the two police officers as soon as possible before they called in for backup and have them find about their drug stash or worst before Danny decided to get rid of them himself.
If the rumors going around the kid were true then he was sure Danny would murder the cops and the family in cold blood just to keep their cargo safe. Fighting werewolves bared-handed meant that he was no easy prey.
"Relax, officer, there's been a terrible misunderstanding. The girls were just playing with my boy while I took a nap."- Skulker lied and was afraid the color family wouldn't pick up on his bluff.
"That's what I've been telling ya, man."- the color man spoke, "We've just had a picnic. That's all"- he continued.
"Don't you talk back at me nigger!"- The officer replied pulling out his service revolver though letting hang by his side.
"No need for that officer, there's kids present."- Skulker intervenes while looking at Danny who was wiggling his fingers. "Now, if you don't mind, we'd be on our way soon."- Skulker continued putting his face up close to the lawman.
The police officer stood a whole head underneath Skulker who eyed him down, the man tried his very best not to be intimidated by Skulker's size and build despite speaking on his behalf. It was then the lawman realized to have been perhaps barking up the wrong tree.
That was all it took for the two police officers to board their cruiser after giving a scornful warning to the family, as they left one of the cops gave a hateful glare at the negro family, ready to shot them at moment's notice.
"Damn pigs! Always the same thing with them."- the dark-skinned man said breaking the silence.
The police had somewhat changed their attitude against color people since the late fifties, but were just as racist as always, seeing a group of color individuals with a half-naked white boy was more than enough to have them shot on the spot.
"Sorry about all this but my girls saw your son floating in the water and thought he was drawing."- the woman said.
Skulker then turned his attention over to Danny who wasn't fazed by the cold despite being only in his underwear, according to the woman, the boy was swimming in the river which was located some thirty meters from the road before the cops walked up to them.
The man's eyes danced around Danny's slender body, gazing upon light six-pack belly. The horrifying laceration on his leg and most dreadful bite over the shoulder was nothing more than scars, albeit ugly ones but scars nonetheless.
"What happened to your leg?"- one of the girls asked.
"A werewolf bit me."- Danny lied through his teeth with a large smile.
"Good thing you won't become one of those monsters."- The girl replied blushing.
Thankfully, the family was willing to sell them some fuel they had for emergencies, though Skulker paid twice the ongoing price as an apology for his "son" getting them into trouble. The two climbs aboard their combis once the vehicle was fueled up.
(XXXXXX)
The empty road ahead and tall trees didn't ease Skulker in the least, his eyes constantly looking at the rearview mirrors and to the side, wondering if another horrible abomination would come rushing towards them.
Ironically, the negro family warned them about the possibility of their being werewolves in the forest and how they should avoid camping at all costs. His eyes moved over to Danny who was in the back counting his money.
Sunshine was most happy to hear their farmer problem was dealt with, naturally, Skulker demanded to know what was really going on, though Danny didn't seem to care beyond collecting his dues and going back home.
It was as Skulker suspected from the beginning, the hippies were trying to scare away the farmers from their land so they could use the facilities for planting and distributing their weed as it was much too difficult to plant at their camp fighting off the cold.
Skulker felt used but it was Danny who demanded an additional twenty-five percent for not being told about the werewolves. There were many complaints due to this demand but no one really wanted to challenge a couple of murders.
"This was supposed to be an easy job but I can't really complaint."- Danny said while waving a wad of cash.
"Why did you even take this job?"- Skulker asked looking at him through the rearview mirror. "Do you get off on this shit?"- He added.
"Do you know what's the difference between an assassin and a killer?"- Danny replied with his own question.
"They're the same thing."- The man answered firmly.
Danny couldn't help but let out a roar of laughter upon hearing such an innocent answer. His sides hurt due to his laughing fit, the boy expected much more from his criminal senior than a childish answer.
"No, comrade. The first is a job and the second a mental sickness."- Danny answered "I'm not sick in the head, I don't take pleasure in hurting or killing others, but it's my job."- the boy concludes.
"What the hell are you?"- Skulker asked no longer being able to hold the question.
"I'm not sure myself… all I know is that I'm a naughty boy." Danny replied. "Wake me when we get back to civilization."
Skulker didn't want to know what kind of ungodly pact Vlad made to have a literal demon serving him. Before his eyes was a boy whose wound would have crippled any other man hardly left a scar after few hours with might to challenge any man or beast.
"Vlad… what the fuck did you get yourself in?"- Skulker thought to himself setting his eyes over the road.
To be Continued.