The Pack by David Fisher

Author:David Fisher
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Valancourt Books
Published: 2020-03-16T00:00:00+00:00

EIGHT

The dogs circled the house at a steady pace. If there seemed to be no specific purpose in their march, the sheer discipline of the action itself was enough to frighten Larry and Diane Hardman. They stationed themselves at separate window posts, Diane in the kitchen, Larry in the living room, waiting for some pause in the procession, waiting for the pack to reveal its intention.

But the dogs paraded on, ignoring the existence of the prey trapped inside, for over an hour. Then, again without any noticeable communication, the procession halted. Each dog stood in place. The gray shepherd stopped directly in front of the kitchen door, precisely the spot from which the strange walk had commenced. After a moment he lifted his muzzle and howled. To Larry the sound was somehow deeper, more sinister than it had been before. Then the other dogs joined in. The chorus was not as melodic this second time. Rather it was a clash of howls and whines and savage snarls. Hateful sounds. The sound echoed from the walls, becoming the center of the universe it created, demanding attention.

Larry saw Diane looking to him for direction. He shouted at her, “Stay here! And yell if they move toward the house!” Then he hurried up the stairs and into the bathroom. In a minute he was in the children’s room. Josh and Marcy were sitting on the floor, connecting plastic bricks to make what appeared to be a tall, lopsided castle.

“What’s going on, Dad?” Josh asked, an edge of nervousness in his voice.

“Yeah, Daddy,” Marcy repeated, “was going on?”

“A game,” he told them, “we’re playing a big game with the doggies outside.” Pulling several wads of cotton from the roll he had taken from the bathroom, he explained, “Everybody has to put cotton in their ears and leave it there. Okay?”

“Can Dopey Dog have some cotton, too, Daddy?” Marcy demanded.

Dopey was lying half under the bed, his head and upper body covered by the edges of a brightly colored quilt. “I don’t think he really wants any, honey. Let’s ask him later.”

As Larry was carefully stuffing the small balls into his children’s ears, Josh asked, “How do we win?”

“It’s a surprise,” he answered, thinking quickly, “I don’t want to ruin it for you.”

Marcy wasn’t very interested in the game. “I’m hungry,” she whined, “Daddy, I’m hungry now.”

“Soon,” Larry promised, “we’ll eat soon.” After leaving the children he stopped at his mother’s bedroom to see how the older women were reacting to the clatter. Both seemed oblivious to it. Frieda was lying on her bed, her open eyes fixed on the ceiling. Corny had returned to her spot on the floor and was carefully sewing pieces of fabric onto a blue and red woolen sweater. “Are you both all right?” Larry asked.

Frieda turned her head toward him and smiled. “Oh, we’re fine.” Corny sighed, without looking at him. “It’s just that there’s so much work to get done. We’re so busy.”

He left the room without another word and retreated downstairs.

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