Bernard
The phone felt like a toy by the time Longnose finally parked the car. Bernard’s mind was reeling, and he knew Antione wasn’t doing much better. The two had tried everything to get their phones to work, but the devices refused to turn back on no matter what they did. It had served as a distraction, but Antione had given up and put his long before the boys realized the drive was over.
But the store they found themselves in front of was… less than inspiring. The walls were covered in faded, chipped paint, and the wide window was as dark as a tomb. Bernard couldn’t even tell what was supposed to be on the other side of the glass, but the front door was the most alarming thing about the situation.
It looked more like the kind of door that belonged in someone’s house, with its pale wood and tiny windows that would allow light to pass through but wouldn’t let anyone see into the shop. It was an odd choice that appeared to come with the building, but that wasn’t what made Bernard and Antione freeze once they got out of the car.
Longnose inhaled sharply and leaned down to examine a set of scratches that bit deep into the wood, with the biggest indentions being near the middle of the door and ending just above the welcome mat where a small pile of shavings lay. Bernard didn’t want to ask. This was the last thing they needed. But it was also too odd to be anything but a clue.
“Are those real? Were they made by claws or a knife?”
Longnose said nothing for a moment before slowly standing up. “They were made by claws… I’m not sure what, exactly. But something was here recently.”
“Should we head back to the others? In case it’s the…” Bruno trailed off, but Bernard knew what he was trying to say. The thing that killed that vampire is still out here somewhere.
“We can’t go back. Camille needs help,” Antione insisted, making Bernard nod even as guilt washed over him. Their little sister needed them, and something clearly knew they were coming. That alone made this journey worthwhile because now they had something solid to work with.
The creature had marked this door recently. Now, he just had to figure out if it was still in the area. We need to help Camille first. His inner wolf didn’t like it, but that was the least of his concerns right now. The dark windows suggested another reason that they might have to go back empty-handed.
Yet Longnose still knocked on the door as if he was expected. It wasn’t loud or forceful, just a few solid thumps that couldn’t have reached that far, but the door opened a few moments later, revealing a woman with long brown hair tied in a braid wearing a t-shirt with a megalodon on it and blue sweatpants.
Her brown skin fairly glowed under what little light the moon was able to cast as she grinned. “Well met, Longnose. It’s been too long.”
Longnose grinned back, a bearing of teeth that somehow still conveyed friendliness as he hugged her. “Hello, Rose. I apologize for the late hour, but we have an emergency, and it looks like something ruined your pretty door.”
Rose shrugged, not moving to step outside as she stared at them. “No need for apologies, old friend. It’s not the worst thing that’s happened here. Come inside. We’ll talk about your emergency over a cup of tea.”
She looked at Bernard and Antione then and said. “Sorry, boys. Your noses aren’t going to like my shop, but you’ll be much safer inside than out. I have another guest right now, so try to keep your voices down.”
“They will,” Longnose promised without looking at them. “We only wish to help an innocent child and defend ourselves, Rose. You know how I like to do things. If I thought it would keep everyone safe. I’d leave the swamps to the vampires and be done with it.”
Bernard couldn’t help nodding at that logic. It would have left his family in danger, but at the end of the day, Longnose didn’t owe them anything. But he’s trying, which also says something. Rose nodded and stepped aside, letting them file past her into a room illuminated by several lamps.
He looked out the window and saw no reflections, not of the now-revealed display of hand-crafted animal carvings or of themselves. It’s like a magic version of a two-way mirror. Bernard wanted to ask about it, but Rose was already moving about the room, fetching a tea kettle and several cups from the shelves as she turned to Longnose with a smile.
“I’ll be back with some tea. Remember what I said and make yourselves at home.”
“We will,” Longnose leaned against the wooden counter as Rose disappeared into the back of the store. Bernard could faintly hear her humming and running water as he absentmindedly walked around the room.
It wasn’t the largest store he’d been in. The floor creaked, and the walls were decorated with cartoon black and white alligators, all smiling eerily down at him as he went from shelf to shelf. Most of the items could be found in any tourist shop. T-shirts and pants featuring anything from local wildlife to phrases that highlighted Louisiana, snow globes, fossils, and more wooden carvings than made the place a fire trap.
But the oddest thing was the smell. It was potpourri mixed with mint, basil, cinnamon, and a variety of other things that had him sneezing uncontrollably for a few minutes. Antione walked over, picking up a tissue box from the sales counter and trying to smile. “You ok?”
He nodded and took the box. “I think I need a new nose. This one won’t stop running.”
Antione laughed, making Bernard smile for real as the brothers started walking to the far wall. “This is some place, huh? Have you ever been to a shop like this?”
Bernard shook his head. “My mom doesn’t like tourist traps. She says she knows plenty of people who can get her gemstones and other things like that if she needs it. What about you?”
Antoine stopped, picked up an opal shaped into a heart, and shrugged. “Kind of? Not this one, though. My Uncle Abe runs an antique store. He keeps a few things to keep the tourists happy. But honestly, I think he’d be just as happy if no one came into his store. He keeps going on about beating his masterpiece or whatever.”
“Your uncle is an artist?”
“Writer. A very old-school one. He uses a typewriter and a dictionary for everything.”
“That’s… impressive.” Bernard was relieved to see Antione snicker as he put the heart back.
“That’s one way to describe it. I’ve never read any of his stuff, though. He says he’ll share it with me once he’s perfected it.”
“And how long has he been working on it?”
“Since I was a kid.”
Bernard wanted to keep the conversation going, but his eardrums popped, sending shooting pain through his head and forcing him to lean against the wall. Antione stared at him in concern. “You ok, bro?”
“Y-yeah…” He tried to stand up straight, already knowing that Longnose and Bruno were watching them, when he realized they were standing directly across from the sales counter… and the door neatly tucked into the shadows behind it. Bernard’s mouth went dry, and the high pitch increased, making him whimper as Antione’s hands landed on his shoulders.
“Bernard? What’s wrong? Talk to me!”
“What’s going on boys?” Longnose called, making Antione turn toward him.
“I don’t know. Bernard just started acting like he’s in pain, and he won’t respond!”
Longnose’s eyes widened, but Rose reappeared with a tea tray and a knowing smile before they could move.
“Sorry for the wait. I keep thinking about getting one of those electric kettles, but I hate letting what I have go to waste.” She looked around, finally noticing Bernard’s condition, and sighed.
“Perhaps I should have told him to behave,” she muttered, putting the tray onto the counter and rapping on the door. Bernard couldn’t hear if someone responded, but his head felt better a moment later. That was… unusual. Could it be similar to what Antione goes through when we have the vampire’s message out of its envelope?
He wasn’t sure. The implications that certain stimuli would affect each sibling differently might play a clue as to the other half of their… bloodlines. But he didn’t want to lose himself in science just yet. He wanted to run out of the shop and never come back. But that wouldn’t help Camille or his family.
Rose began offering everyone a cup of tea. “Here we are. I am sorry about that. I didn’t think he’d… Well, he’s usually so quiet. It’s hard to know what sets him off these days.”
Longnose accepted his cup with a pained smile. “Are you saying that this pup was attacked? Because I can assure you that he did nothing wrong.”
To her credit, Rose met his gaze without any hesitation or fear. “I don’t know if attacked is the right word. But I promise it won’t happen again.”
No one said anything as she finished handing out drinks, but Rose paused in front of Bernard, staring deep into his eyes for a moment before gently patting his hand. “He didn’t mean to hurt you, dear. He’s just… a bit complicated right now.”
Bernard nodded, not wanting to be rude, but he had to know. “Who… or what… is he?”
Rose shook her head and handed Antione his cup before tucking the tray under her arm. “Someone who has no interest in anything that doesn’t involve his affairs and prefers to leave his identity hidden for now. You’re here to get something to help your sister, yes? I don’t know much about rougarous, but I should be able to whip up something. Enjoy your tea, dears.”
She all but darted up the stairs, leaving Bernard more confused than ever. How did she know about Camille? And why did Longnose act like what’s going on with the vampires is common knowledge? His head was pounding, and he couldn’t tell if it was an aftereffect from the herbs or whatever had been done to him. No one approached the door. He stared at it, not sure if he wanted it to open or not. Antione didn’t leave his side even when Longnose glared at the door. Bruno simply drank his tea and leaned against the wall.
Either Rose was super organized, or she didn’t trust them to stay obedient for long because she was darting back down the stairs, holding a tiny glass jar out to Longnose with a flourish.
“Here you are. Mix this with the little one’s water and wait for at least an hour. It should turn the toxins into something more familiar to anyone working at a hospital.”
Longnose accepted it with a grin. “I can’t thank you enough, my friend.”
“Very true. But I’m afraid that’s all I can do for you. My skills aren’t enough to help with whoever’s turning the area into a ghost town. You’ll have to tackle that on your own.”
“I’m… very sorry to hear that. Can you at least ask around? We’re not trying to start a war–”
“It doesn’t matter what you’re trying to do,” she interrupted with a sigh. “And I’m not going to ask my friends to risk their lives when I lack the skills to keep them safe. Especially without any time to prepare.”
“We would give you as much time as we can,” the Alpha tried, but Rose’s next question was the one Bernard had been dreading.
“How much time?”
Longnose looked at the boys sympathetically as they looked at their watches. Antione swore a moment later as Bernard said. “About two days… It’s midnight.” And the only thing we’ve managed to do is find something that might make Camille well enough to bring to a hospital. But will that be enough?