Peacemaker

Part I:

“Peter, take the trash out, it’s getting late.”

“Yes, mom.”

“Also, make sure Thriller goes to the bathroom.”

Peter opens the door and Thriller, T for short, bolts out the backdoor with his favorite, red ball. “Mom, T ran out of the house again.” Peter drops the trash down. “Well, go get him Peter. He usually rans to the lake.” Pete thinks to himself, ‘Yeah, buts he’s not my dog; he won’t listen to me.’ T runs fast to the lake, which is about a mile away. Pete is right behind him. He looks for his phone in his red jacket so he can use the flashlight. The lake is dark, and it is cold. There is only light from the moon. Wyoming during this time of year is very cold. As the clouds pass the moon, it gets pitch black. “T, where are you? Oh, man.” He smells smoke. As Pete looks around, he sees a small fire on the other side of the shore. He sees T with the small crowd.

“Oh, look man. This dog looks sweet. Red nose pit-bull.” Another guy whistles, and says, “Come here boy.” Thriller looks focused on the red ball he tossed into the water. He whines and tries to go into the water, but the water is too cold. “Axel, what are we doing here? I’m creeped out,” a girl says. “Look Jasmine, there is nothing to be afraid of,” Axel yells. Pete walks up to the crowd. “Oh, look who’s here.” “Hey, loser, get lost.” They all laugh at Pete. Pete puts a leash on T, and he tries to walk back home. T whines for his red ball. As Pete grabs it, Axel pushes him into the water. Thriller goes to snap at Axel’s foot, and Axel pushes him into the water, too. Pete helps T out of the water as they all laugh. Suddenly, he feels something tugging at this foot. “Help, something has got me. Help! I think it’s a rope” As they all laugh, two yellow eyes appear from the water and sink back down. T yelps as he sees the eyes behind Pete. “Do you see that,” yells Jasmine. “Those are…eyes.” She screams and runs. The rest of the gang run too, but Axel stays put. The clouds pass over the moon. Pete gurgles water. He’s thrashing in the water as he tries to take the rope off his ankle. As he sinks into the water, he sees two big, yellow eyes and a great big set of teeth coming at him. He closes his eyes. Darkness.

Part II:

It is the summer of 2019, it is hot, and everyone is at Axel’s house. Suntan lotion, hotdogs, and music blasting. Michael and Triller are there, too. “Hey, let’s all go down to the lake. I dare you,” said Axel. “No way man. There is something spooky about that place,” said Michael. “Last time I went there with my dog, and I swear I saw…” It grows silent. “What,” yelled Axel. “I thought I saw a monster.” Everyone laughed. “Now, don’t start acting like your loser brother. That outcast,” barked Axel. Axel is a star football player who thought any guy who was quiet or artistic was a weirdo. Michael was also a football player. “Pete is just different. He likes music and art. He’s not a weirdo. He is my brother.” “Look here Michael, I run things around here. Pete is a loser, and we’re going to that lake tonight. I’m not afraid of anything.” The legend in the town was that many years ago, the wolves roamed these parts. They were in charge. The mayor tried to exterminate all the wolves, and they were successful, but one got away. A brave man pierced the wolf’s heart, but in the tussle, he was bitten, and he was never heard from again. They say the wolf still lives in the woods near the lake, hoping to eat anyone who enters his territory. The group gets to the lake. Jasmine, who is Axel’s girlfriend, wants to go home, but Axel stops her. “Hey, tough guy, why don’t you go in,” said Axel. Michael replies, “No. Come on T, it’s time to go home.” Axel pushes Michael into the water. T tries to pull him out. Just then a gigantic black werewolf the size of a truck pops out from behind the trees. The crowd leaves, but Axel hides behind a tree. Michael is terrified, and he starts to drown. T barks at the werewolf, and then the werewolf jumps into the water to save Michael. Michael coughs up water, and T licks his face and jumps for joy. Just then, Axel shoots at the werewolf, shouting how he is the greatest man in the town. As it runs into the woods, it stumbles, losing a lot of blood. Michael runs after it.

Part III

Pete opens his eyes, and he is on the shore. T is on top of him, trying to keep him warm. It is dark. “What was that,” Pete thought to himself. As Pete is about to walk home with T, Axel walks up to him. “What are you doing here Scaredy cat,” Axel said. “No, what are you doing here Axel”? I came here to look for T, and I find you and your friends. “So.” “So, you come here at the same place where my brother drowned. You were one of the last people to see him before his death. What happened to my brother Axel”? “Just like I told the police, he jumped into the water. I told him not to and he drowned.” “Why would he jump into the water if he can’t swim? Maybe you pushed him, like you just pushed me.” “Shut up, no one will ever believe a psycho like you over me.” As Axel started to walk away, the black werewolf appeared right before him. Axel grabbed his gun, but T took it out of his hands. Peter was terrified.

Part IV

“Where did it go,” Michael said to himself; T followed close behind him. Just then the werewolf stood in front of him, peering down at him with these bright, yellow eyes. Michael fell back. “Thank you for saving me,” Michael whispered. The wolf fell to the ground; it had been shot. As Michael got closer, he saw the werewolf change into a man. Michael listened as the man told him that he tried to kill the wolf in 1820, but he became one after he got bitten. He roamed the town for years, feeding on deer and rabbits. “My name is John. I have lived for so long, and it is a bit of a relief to go. I have been protecting this town for years, and if you are willing, you can take my place,” the man pleaded with Michael. “Michael, there was a war between the wolves and the humans, and we killed so many. It was a massacre. The last wolf bit me; not the punish me, but for me to protect this town.” Michael tensed up, and said, “Protect us from what”? The man coughed up blood; his breathes got shorter. As the man's words grew faint, Michael put his ear to his mouth to hear John’s last words, and then Michael put his arm to John’s mouth. Michael became the next werewolf. The original werewolf had died.

Part V

Axel tried to grab the gun, but T growled. T then grabbed his red ball and put it at the feet of the werewolf. Axel and Pete looked confused. “Michael,” said Pete. “What,” Axel yelled. “No way, I shot at the wolf, and I saw you drown. Michael changed into human form. “No, you pushed me in the water and left me for dead. You only wanted the glory of killing the werewolf, but you didn’t kill it, and you didn’t kill me either. “Michael, I’m so glad to see you,” said Pete. Pete embraced Michael. “How”? “Well, I’m a protector of this town now. I watch over the lake to bring peace to the town. With a werewolf in the land, there is no hate between human and wolf. I keep the peace, so that if the wolf ever returns for revenge, I am here. And, if the human ever mistreats the wolf, I am here. Axel, you have a lot to learn. You hate what you don’t understand, and you kill what you think threatens you. Look at the trees.” As Axel looked, he could see yellow eyes staring back at him. I protect you, so you need to protect me and stop this madness. Axel walked away in shame. “I’m sorry, Michael.” Pete just sat there at the shore of the lake in shock. His brother is alive, but things have drastically changed. He turned to look at Michael. As Michael played with T, Pete remembered the times that he had with his big brother. He missed Michael tremendously. Pete then realized that Michael never really changed. He was always a caring person; he is just on a different journey now. T ran up to Pete and dropped the ball; as Pete tried to pick it up, a tear fell down his cheek. He will miss him, but Michael is helping so many people. He promised to always visit Michael, just like T does.