Hairwolf

Brizzbee jumps up and races in behind him again. Foster submerges, leaving Brizzbee wading just above.

Foster swims into the beaver lodge and finds Elise below the collapsing ledge. He grabs her. She’s limp from head to toe. He holds her head up out of the water. It’s just enough for her to catch another gulp of air.

“I got you, sweetie,” Foster says. “You’re okay. You’re going to have to hold your breath one more time. One more swim. Ready?” She can’t answer. “Blink twice for me if you understand.” She blinks twice.

“Okay. Deep breath. Here we go.”

She holds her breath and he submerges with her.

Brizzbee waits patiently in the cold water as Lillian rubs Stef’s body trying to warm her. Stef suddenly breaks out of her paralysis, yelling, “Get her. She’s in the beaver den.”

“They’re getting her,” says Lillian. “They’re on it, Stef.”

Stef jumps up and races out to the water with Brizzbee. “Do you see them?”

Brizzbee’s looking - “Not yet.”

Below the surface, Foster navigates the tiny web of sticks exiting the beaver den, one hooks into his belt stopping him suddenly. He’s stuck and can’t move. He swipes at the branch but it won’t let go. He looks at Elise and after a second, thrusts her upward towards the surface.

At the surface, Elise emerges near Brizzbee. He grabs her and swims her to shore. He hands her to Stef, waiting on Foster. There’s no Foster. Maybe there’s more down there.

“Are there any others?” Brizzbee asks.

Stef doesn’t hear him.

“Stef. Are there any others?”

Stef turns back, “No. Where’s David?” she says, handing Elise off to Lillian and races in behind

Brizzbee.

Both submerge. Stef swims past Brizzbee straight to the beaver entrance where she finds Foster

struggling to free himself. Brizzbee pushes past her and grabs Foster. He pulls and pulls but

without footing, it’s pointless. Stef looks into Foster’s eyes. She knows he’s running out of breath and time. Brizzbee has to surface for air.

Stef angrily pulls on the sticks but it’s useless. She grows more and more frantic and angry, pulling and yanking. She wants to scream but instead, her eyes turn. Then her claws grow to daggers. She slices the branches and shoe laces free. She grabs Foster and pushes him with great force up and away from her.

Foster shoots out of the water like a missile, gasping for air.

Brizzbee grabs him and swims him back to shore.

Stef emerges transitioning back to human. She makes her way to shore and collapses on the bank. “Jesus.” She looks at her hands and they’re back to normal.

Foster huddles next to her. “Hey... You alright?”

She swipes her hand across his face and crawls up to Elise and Lillian.

“She’s alert,” Lillian says. “But she isn’t moving. Is that the paralysis?”

“Yeah.”

Stef rises, looking at Foster. He’s coughing, but okay otherwise. Brizzbee, leaning over him says,

“Thought I was going to have to give you mouth to mouth there for a minute. Would have changed our relationship.”

Foster laughs at him.

Stef, kneeling directly across from Elise, wipes the mud away from her face.

“She’s horrified,” Lillian says.

“I know.” Then, to Elise, “You’re safe now, sweetie. Think about a big, pretty pony. . .”

“Big, pretty pony?” Lillian says. “Pony’s are small?”

“Lillian.”

“Horses are big. Ponies are small. At least my ponies are.”

“You’re gonna do this now?”

“I just don’t want her picturing some big ass pony chasing her around the pond.”

Stef notices a gleam in Elise’s eyes, as if she’s smiling. Stef pulls Lillian in close.

Lillian notices the eye-smile and, “There you are. You’re going to wake up now. On the count of three. One, two . . .”

Elise jolts out of the paralysis. It’s sudden and disorientating leaving her thoughts muddy and cloudy. But she’s happy to see Stef in front of her.

“You two are funny,” she says, with teeth chattering.

“What the hell were you doing in a beaver lodge?” asks, Lillian. “Doesn’t you father know any better?”

“It was my choice,” Elise says.

“Still, he should have known better,” Lillian says.

Brizzbee and Foster approach concerned about her. Brizzbee feels her cheeks and hands for hypothermia.

“How you doin? You okay?” asks, Foster.

She’s fine and loving all the attention. The morning rays of sun are warming everyone.

“What are you doing here?” Stef asks, knowing this was a deliberate tactic of Ominous.

“Looking for you,” Elise says.

“Why?” Lillian asks.

She wants to answer but isn’t sure how. She looks at the patches and badge on Foster’s shirt.

“This is Agent Foster and Brizzbee, and this is Lillian,” Stef says. “They’re our friends. Elise, who

is he? Your daddy. Why has he been after me?”

Elise is unsure how to answer. She pulls a ziplock covered envelope from her pocket and hands it to Stef.

“You don’t want to tell me?” Stef asks.

“It was his idea,” Elise says. “We looked for you but you’re not listed anywhere. You’re a very hard person to find Aunt Stef. He wouldn’t help me. He said this was the only way and that you wouldn’t mind.”

“Did you say, Aunt Stef?”

Elise eyes widen. She didn’t mean to say it. It slipped out.

“How ...” Stef tries to ask but Lillian interrupts with, “Who is he?”

“It’s okay, Elise,” Foster says. “You can tell her. There’s nothing to be afraid of.”

Stef is surprised Foster knows something she doesn’t regarding Ominous. But she’s not the only one. Elise is looking at him with surprise also. Foster whispers something in her ear, something that comforts her and gives her confidence.

“He’s your brother,” Elise says.

“Brother,” Lillian says. “Oh my God.”

Stef drops to a seated position, stunned at the news. Foster takes a seat next to her.

“You knew this?” Stef asks him. “How . . .”

“. . .Ralf told me,” Foster says. “He’s been looking for you too.”

“You spoke with him?” Stef asks.

“I spent the afternoon with him. You left by the time we got back to the cabin.”

“That was Ralf,” she says, making the connection.

“Your Ralf,” Lillian says.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Stef.” Elise says.

Stef stares at Elise embracing the words.

“Wow,” Brizz says. “I’ll bet two days ago you didn’t think you’d have a niece and a brother..”

“Yeah,” Lillian says. A brother that’s been trying like hell to kill you. What’s up with that?”

“The change affects him differently,” Elise says. “Your parents had to take you away from

him. He plays a little rough and gets out of control but doesn’t mean to. He’s OCDish.”

Elise notices her Teddy Bear floating in the water. It’s about to sink. Brizzbee wades out for it and returns. “Got it. Just needs a little soap.”

“Jesus, I got bugs,” Lillian says, reaching for an itch on the back of her neck. “Damn it. Can we get back to your cabin, please? I’m not cut out for this wilderness stuff. What’s that crawling around the back of my neck?”

Stef and Elise take a look and notice a long dark strand of hair retreating back into her skin between Lillian’s fingers. “Never mind. Whatever it was, I got it.”

Stef gestures to Elise to keep it between them for the time being.

Brizzbee rings out the Teddy and hands it to Elise. He offers a piggyback ride back through the forest. She extends her arms and in one motion, he picks her up and swings her onto his back. She loved that little trick. She wraps her arms around him and squeezes him tight. He leads the group out.

Foster walks beside Stef. He reaches for her hand. She takes it. He has something else he wants to say but it’ll have to wait. It’s really not his place at this point.

“What’s you daddy’s name, Elise?” Lillian asks.

“Jay. J. J. Talbot.”