The Howling

My dad’s bellowing voice I had made as his ringtone jolted me from my soft, warm, inviting bed. Dreams quickly faded while I stretched trying to find the phone on my cluttered nightstand. I knocked several things to the floor including a cup of water on the dog.

“Hello.” I growled. My dad knows I am not a morning person. What is he thinking? And of course Shadow, a salt and pepper giant schnauzer, jumps on the bed all wet and shakes off. Perfect. My day off is already ruined.

“Cori, I have a favor to ask. I know it’s early. I know this is not the best time, but I am in desperate need of your help with Big Paw.” he pleaded with his gruff voice.

“What time is it?” already exasperated and huffy.

“5:45 am”

I didn’t answer. I could hear Mimi in the background, probably sitting at the kitchen table, having a conniption fit about a coyote.

“Brother, I already told you to leave Victoria alone!” She scolded.

“My name is Cori, Mimi.” I swear, if Mimi had daddy call me this early for nonsense I will never have anything to do with Jackson, Mississippi again.

“Your god-given name is Victoria and you will use it!”

“And daddy, this is why I don’t visit. I am 25 years old, have my own apartment in Memphis, a great job, and money, and you allow her to act like a raging crazy person!” A few seconds later, “I have a call on the other line. Gotta go.” I switched the call quickly. Seeing who it was didn’t make me any happier.

“Momma, I’m really not in the mood for this right now. I just hung up on daddy and it’s too early for this!”

“Before you go on, I’m not in the house with your daddy. I took a drive and had no idea he called you.” This was confusing already. Momma’s Ford Bronco had an engine knock that I could barely hear over.

“Oh.” Either this is going to be a conspiracy or something is about to hit the fan and I was not ready for any of it. “Why aren’t you at home making breakfast?”

“What did your daddy say that made you so upset?”

“It wasn’t necessarily daddy. Mimi started her normal crap, and I’m not doing that.”

“Big Paw was hurt last night. Mimi is not taking it well. We think you should come for a visit. Will you come? Please?”

“Mom, I love you. I love daddy. I love mimi and Big Paw, but I cannot take her treating me like a child and her forcing her ways on me.”

“I will pay for a hotel in town so you can come and go as you need. Please?”

“Only for you momma.” She has never done that before; she better pay up. “And you never answered my question.”

“Don’t bring Shadow this time. I don’t want her getting upset from all the chaos at the house. Something is off with everything and daddy just needs a little help.”

“I’ll be there in a bit”

I began throwing random jeans, sweaters, undergarments, toiletries and sundries in my purple mandala spinner suitcase. I packed Shadow in her crate with her food (both wet and dry because she is such a finicky eater), favorite chew toys, and leads and took her to the vet boarding house down the street. She loves Dorothy and all the other vet techs there.

I drove my Mini (not made for a ranch car) for four hours to my parents home, my childhood home, that is now shared with my paternal grandparents. Mimi had a stroke last year and Big Paw couldn't take care of her by himself.

As I neared the property, I could see the top of the barn, a two-story traditional with a L-shaped add-on. The new roof matches the one on the house, grey shingles. It really is an eyesore with the faded and chipped red paint and cinder blocks on the bottom. As I got closer, I could see the windows had been covered over in iron bars, similar to a cage. Not many people travel this road; there is something to be said for small blessings.

Mimi was sitting on the front porch in the white washed swing wearing her tattered blue gown and dirty apron with momma. Bags of groceries spilled at their feet. I heard daddy rustling around in the house; actually, it was more throwing things around the house. The two orange tabbies laid in front of the screen door like nothing was happening in the world.

“Look Mimi. Our Cori is home.” Momma waved me to come see what was going on. I was hesitant; something was not right. A crash in the kitchen startled us all.

“What is wrong with daddy?”

“He’s just distraught about Big Paw.” Mimi cried.

“Whatever it is, it will be alright Mimi.” I tried to reassure her.

Later that afternoon I saw Big Paw in the barn working on shoeing a new mare daddy bought from the high school ag department. I noticed his worn out blue plaid flannel shirt was ripped down the back and the top of his hand looked like it had been ripped to shreds.

“Hey Big Paw!” I squealed.

“Hey! There’s my precious Cori. Come give your paw a hand. This mare is giving me a hard time.” She was extra fidgety. In fact, I hadn’t seen any of the animals go inside the barn today.

“Paw? What happened to your hand?”

“Oh, nothing I can’t handle. I just got it caught on something and your Mimi won’t leave me alone about it.”

“She keeps crying and saying that something is wrong.”

“She is dramatic. You know that. Hand me that shoe.” His ripped hand seemed stronger than usual. We got it nailed in and let the mare loose. She looked at Paw and ran screaming out of the barn. “Let’s go get washed up for supper before it gets too late.”

Supper was so good tonight. It had been months since I had a real home cooked meal. Momma made chicken fried steak, corn on the cob and fried okra from the garden, and hand whipped mashed potatoes with gravy to cover everything. Then Mimi pulled out a peach cobbler from the oven that smelled like heaven and cinnamon. I could just eat the steam. Daddy was a simple man and pulled out the vanilla ice cream the neighbor made.

Big Paw went upstairs to get cleaned up, but he came down in just a pair of basketball shorts and tennis shoes.

“I’m going out to the barn. See you all in the morning”

“Okay someone tell me what is going on here. You tell me to come home to help with Big Paw; you tell me Mimi is distraught; you tell me to stay away. That man is sleeping in the barn and not in the house, and I demand to know why.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw a reflection in the bay window of the dining room. I stood up to get a better look but daddy grabbed me to go help clean up the kitchen. I always hate coming for dinner because I am always having to clean up.

“Cori, I know you are tired and want to get to your hotel, but I think it wise for you to stay a bit longer.”

“Momma, I’m so tired, and no one wants to talk.” That’s when I heard the first wolf howl; then another; and a pack. “Daddy, is that why the animals seemed so weird today?”

All I got out of him was a terse, “Yes.”

Daddy grabbed his rifle and ran outside as the barn doors flew open. “Get upstairs now!”

Mimi screamed as momma pulled her by the arm. I grabbed the other rifle to go help daddy but he stopped me in my tracks. “Bolt the door. I’ll come back in through the cellar.”

Daddy came in a couple of hours later. Momma and Mimi were sleeping cuddled on the bed. We went downstairs and I made coffee. We played rummy until the sun came up and talked about how we have to save the family.

Big Paw came in covered in blood and his clothes tattered. He smelled like a wet dog. “Make breakfast. I’m sure the sheriff will be here soon.” No one said a word. Daddy and I started breakfast while Mimi started the wash. Big Paw took a shower and momma managed to start the dough for the day. Thirty minutes later, Clayton Cole, the sheriff, pulled up.

“Hey Clay, long time no see.” He swayed around the truck door to get a good look to make sure it was me. His arm was in a cast and no one seemed concerned. I’ll ask about it later. His jeans were ragged from wearing them too long and his boots had a hole on the side.

“Heya Cori! I’m so glad to see you. Your daddy has been missing you like crazy.”

“Okay now none of that.” Daddy chided. He was so upset when we broke up in high school and he lost his dream of having Clay as a son-in-law. “What can I do for you Clay?”

“Well we have a problem in town. Seems a group of ruffians broke into the sale barn and butchered all of the cattle. You bought a mare last week and was wondering if you saw anything suspicious?”

“Can’t say that I did. But that mare is a bit spooked. I hope you find out who did that though.” Even though Clay stayed in Jackson, my dad never forgave him for his little girl leaving home. But something still wasn’t right about this. It was too staged; too familiar.

“Well you know the drill. If you see or hear anything, give me a call. You know my number.”

“Sure will.” he lied.

“Clay?”

“Yeah Cori”

“Don’t come back.”

Clay started to leave but looked toward the barn. Three sets of eyes peered from the top floor. As soon as they saw Big Paw, the wolves howled. The cattle scattered in panic around the arena. Clay walked to his county issued Silverado. Glass shattered to the ground as the wolves leap from the barn. The iron bars fell to the ground with a hard thud; pieces of the barn flew off in different directions where the bars were attached. Clay barely made it and closed the door before he was pounced. Daddy was out the door with the gun as the truck sped off. A warning shot was fired in the air and the wolves retreated back to the barn. but they kept their eyes on me.