Fear, pure terror, horror so unspeakable the mere thought of it makes you want to vomit. The story I'm going to tell you now is about a small cub that has a peculiar ability. He can see what a fur fears most and make that fur experience their fear.
Fear Part 1 - By ShadowWaterDragon
(Notes: *** = seen change, ' ' = sound/thought, () = author addressing the reader)
***
A cubs cry cuts through the night air. Every night since moment of his birth the cub cries out. His mother stands by the side of his crib trying to comfort the cub, but to no avail. The father waits in their bed with a half-empty bottle of wine on the nightstand. The neighbors don't even bother calling to complain anymore.
It's only been a year since he was born. During the day he's quiet but still a normal cub. At night he's a banshee on steroids. They've been to every child doctor, psychologist, and spiritualist (Don't ask), but nothing could be found that would explain why this cub would scream all night long.
On this his first birthday, his mother laid him down in his crib and picked up a pillow. Tears flowing down her face marring her fur she placed the pillow over the cubs face and pushed.
A scream of pure terror could be heard throughout the neighborhood. The father ran to the door looking down the hall towards their child’s room. He sees his wife backing out of the room with a hand to her chest. Her once perfect fur was now marred by streaks of white. Her face contorted into a look of pure terror. Her back hit the wall and she shakily sat down and hugged her knees. The father ran down the hall to his wife. He knelt down beside her, trying to figure out what had happened. He looked into the room only to scream and pass out at the base of her feet with white streaks now marring both of their coats.
***
"Freeze, Don't move!"
The SWAT team moved in on the building filling the room with pointed guns and shouting. Once things quieted down they realized that all of the suspects were lying on the floor, crying and a lone child was sitting at a table coloring with crayons. Tybon, one of the SWAT officers, walked over to the boy.
"Are you alright?"
The cub just continued to draw.
"Come on, we're gonna get you outta here."
The cub looked up at him. He didn't smile. He didn't cry. He just stared. The officer picked up the boy and carried him out of the house. The rest of the SWAT Team went to work arresting and moving the drug dealers into the vans. The small boy sat with Tybon and the paramedic who was making sure he was okay. After he was deemed to be okay Tybon talked to him a bit trying to figure out what happened. The little cub said nothing just stared at Tybon.
"What's with the cub?" his superior asked.
"We found him inside. He hasn't said a word since we've found him."
"Alright, take him back with us and call a specialist and get them to talk to the cub."
"Yes sir"
Tybon turned back around to the cub. The cub looked up at him and handed him the picture he had drawn. In amazing detail it showed all of the drug dealers sitting around a table with SWAT officers around them. The things that disturbed Tybon the most, there was a cub sitting on the table but it looked like a demon and one of the SWAT officers around the dealers was Tybon. Tybon shook his head and took the cubs hand and led him to the van.
***
On the ride back Tybon kept staring from the picture to the cub.
"What's with you Tybon?" One of the other officers asked.
"Take a look at this." Tybon handed the picture to the officer.
"Ha-ha, this is great where'd you get it?"
Tybon pointed to the cub. "He drew it."
"How long was he waiting for the ride that he could do this?"
Tybon shook his head. "It was finished before I got him out of the building." Then turning to look at the cub, "Before I took my helmet off."
The other officer stared at Tybon. Tybon nodded to confirm what he was thinking. The officer looked over at the cub who was staring at the opposite side of the van. Tybon took the picture back. He looked down at the cub.
'What happened to you?' Tybon thought to himself as they drove back to their headquarters.
***
"What's your name?...Where are your parents?...Would you like something to eat...drink?...What can you tell me about this picture?"
Tybon watched from the other side of the glass as the specialist tried to get the cub to talk. His supervisor walked in.
"Anything yet?" His supervisor asked.
"Nothing. Not even a cough or a sneeze." Tybon said. "Anything on his prints?"
"No hits yet but we're also checking the missing furs lists just in case. Are you sure that kid colored that picture?"
"Yeah, I'm sure."
"Alright. Oh, those drug dealers..."
"yeah?"
"They've all pled guilty. It's weird but the moment we bring up the cub they all start acting weird and claim they don't know him."
Tybon thinks about it for a bit but can't come up with anything. The door fly's open as one of the officers walk in.
"We got an ID on the cub. His name is Miles Feardam, son of John and Janet Feardam. According to his record he suffers from some sort of night terrors or something like it. His mother tried to kill him on his first birthday. Both she and her husband are in a hospital for the mentally ill. They're so screwed up that they don't even recognize one another let alone their child. He was lost in the system for a while moving from foster family to foster family. According to this he never stayed with the same family for more than 6 months. He's supposed to be in an orphanage but he got lost during the trip and he never made it."
"Well that explains what he was doing with the dealers. He was probably picked up by them. They were probably going to try and sell him to someone." The supervisor said. "Alright, Tybon, call the orphanage let them know we have Miles and that we'll be dropping him off tomorrow."
"Yes, sir."
Tybon turned his attention back to cub sitting at the table.
"Miles Feardam, huh?"
Miles turned his attention to the mirror and Tybon would have sworn Miles was looking directly into his soul.
***
"Hello."
"Hello, Aunt Millies orphanage. May I help you?"
"Yes, my name is Agent Tybon of the FBI."
"The FBI? Is there a problem?"
"No nothing's wrong. I'm calling because we've found Miles Feardam."
"Who?"
"Miles Feardam he was supposed to be sent to your orphanage but got lost during the ride over."
"Ah, yes, I'd nearly forgotten about that. You say you've found him? That's good to hear. He hasn't done anything wrong has he?"
"No, nothing like that. We'll be dropping him off tomorrow. Is that okay?"
"Tomorrow's fine, Thank you for taking care of him."
"It's no problem, I will need you to sign some paperwork and talk with you for a time."
"Really?"
"It's just a formality, nothing that important."
"Oh, alright."
"So, I'll be by tomorrow about 10 o'clock, with Miles, okay?"
"That sounds good. See you tomorrow then."
"Alright then good bye."
"Good bye"
*Click*
"Hey, Joey! Do me a favor and see what you can find out about Aunt Millies orphanage, for me will ya?"
"Sure thing Tybon."
"Thanks"
***
The specialist walked out of the room. The moment she was out she started massaging her temples through her fur.
"Damn, that cub is a tough case."
"What makes you say that?"
The specialist looked up to see Tybon holding a bag of food and two cups of coffee. He motioned for her to take a cup and she gratefully started sipping the warm brew.
"The rest for the cub?"
"Yeah, I wasn't sure what he'd like so I got a little bit of everything. Did you find out anything?"
"Only that he's really tired. He's got dark rings around his eyes and it doesn't look like he's had a good night sleep in years."
"Insomnia?"
"Don't know, but I doubt it. He's fighting against falling asleep. Maybe he's afraid of sleeping? But there's no way to be sure."
"Well, if you okay it, then he'll be dropped off at the orphanage tomorrow."
"I don't know what's wrong with him but there's no reason why he couldn't go to the orphanage."
"But,..."
"As a specialist I never like seeing a cub go to an orphanage. It's like you lose them."
"We'll he's probably hungry so you mind if I give it a shot?"
"Be my guest."
"Oh, one more thing."
"yeah?"
"His name is Miles Feardam."
"You mean?"
"You know him?"
"I heard about him from other specialists. He's supposedly ever talked to three other furs...ever."
"Well let's see if I can make it 4."
***
Miles sat staring at the wall, his eyes hurt but he dared not close them. He looked over at the mirror. He could see the dark gray circles around his eyes from the lack of sleep. He could see his silver fur with streaks of gray intricitally patterned over his head and arms. His clothes had been changed and he was bathed by the lady who liked to ask questions. Miles stared at the mirror looking at his eyes. His pupils began to twitch, little edges formed at the sides widening and turning. He watched as his pupils swirled in his eyes growing larger. Miles heard the handle of the door starting to turn. He turned his head to look at the door in the mirror. He watched as the SWAT officer who he had given the picture to walked in. Miles turned away and clamped his eyes shut. Tybon set the food on the table and sat across from Miles.
"I brought you some food."
Miles began to shake.
"Are you alright?"
Miles shook more furiously.
"Miles!"
Miles eyes shot open and he stopped shaking immediately. His head snapped around to see officer Tybon.
"You okay?"
Miles blinked a few times and then repositioned himself on the chair.
"Okay, I brought you some food if you're hungry. I didn't know what you'd like so if you don't eat some of it I'll understand."
Miles blinked again and scanned the table. He reached out and grabbed a burger and carefully unwrapped it and began to eat. Tybon smiled at the cub and took a sip of coffee. His stomach growled reminding him that he had yet to eat. He put his hand on his stomach and closed his eyes and smiled. Miles looked up from his burger and tossed another burger to Tybon. Miles then went back to eating his burger.
"Thank you."
Miles just kept eating. Tybon let out a sigh and unwrapped the burger. He was about to take a bite when he looked up to find Miles scanning the table again.
"What is it?"
It clicked.
"I didn't get you a drink."
Miles lowered his head in a sort of informal nod.
"I'll be right back." Tybon stood up. "What would you like? Pop, juice, water?"
Miles nodded at the water. Tybon smiled and walked out of the room. The specialist was standing by the door waiting for him.
"I don't know what the connection is but he seems to know you. Have you ever seen him before?"
"No, I think I'd remember a fur like that. Maybe he had a dream about me? So he colored a picture about the dealers and put me in it for kicks."
"That cub, Miles, hasn't slept in a long time let alone dreamed anything."
"A hallucination brought on by sleep deprivation then?"
"Hmm, maybe."
"I need to get him a drink so if you'll excuse me."
The specialist smiled. "Sure. Go ahead."
Tybon walked away to get the cub a cup of water. The specialist waited for a bit then walked in to the observation room.
"Why won't you talk to me? You have an amazing power. I just want to help you realize it. I won't let that orphanage have you. I lost you once, not again."
The specialist watched as Miles sat patiently waiting for his drink while munching on some fries. She put her palm on the one sided mirror and stared at Miles as the wheels turned.
***
Tybon was on his way back with Miles drink when Joey handed him a file.
"What's this?"
"The file you asked for on the orphanage."
"Right," Tybon said shaking his head. "Thanks"
"No problem."
Tybon tossed his the file on his desk and headed back to the room. When he got back Miles was staring at the mirror and a container of fries was empty. Tybon smiled and put the water in front of the cub. The cub nodded in appreciation but did not touch it. Tybon sighed and picked up the burger Miles had given to him. He smiled and took a bite. He noticed that Miles was watching him.
"I realize you don't want to talk but it would make it a lot easier on all of us if you did."
Miles put his head down.
"I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that...Miles?"
Miles raised his head.
"Would you like to hear a story?"
Miles frown faded. He wasn't smiling but at least he wasn't frowning anymore.
"There once was a small cub about your age." Tybon took a breath. "He had a mother, father, and a sister. One day while he and his sister were home alone a fur broke into their house while the two cubs were upstairs playing. The two cubs heard the sound of the door slamming open and hid in the closet. The closet had slots that were slanted, so the two cubs could see the room. The two cubs sat there a long time. They heard the door open and the both of them held their breath. A fur walked into the room and began to through everything around like he was looking for something. When the fur flipped the bed the sister let out a small eep. She quickly clapped her hand over her muzzle. The fur stopped and waited. He shook his head and walked over to the closet where both of the cubs were hiding. He slowly opened the closet door. The brother covered his face with his paws but the sister was too scared to move. His eyes flashed across the closets contents. Before the fur had a chance to look back to actually see the cubs there was a sound outside of vehicles pulling up. In a panic the fur ran out of the room and down the stairs. The fur was met by the police but he ran out the back in to the woods behind the house and got away. The police went through the house looking in each room checking to make sure there were no accomplices. They came across the cubs hiding in the closet." Tears began to stream down Tybons face. "The sister was so scared she lost her ability to speak. The brother was hiding his face so he didn't see what the fur looked like. The brother and sister went into therapy. The brother was fine a month later. The sister stayed in therapy for 4 years and never said a word." Tybon looked up at Miles to see that his face hadn't changed. Tybon took a deep breath and continued the story. "A year later a fur was arrested for breaking and entering. On a hunch the police brought the sister in and had her look at a line up with the suspect among them. When the suspect walked up the sister started crying and said her first words in 5 years. That's him. The fur was charged and found guilty on two counts of breaking and entering. When the gavel sounded for the last time on the sentencing date the sister broke down in a silent cry while her mother, father and brother held her. Once they left the courthouse the sister started talking again and everything got better. The sister became a teacher and the brother...became a FBI field agent."
Tybon looked at Miles after he had wiped his eyes. His face hadn't changed but Tybon could feel a different mood coming off of Miles. It was a feeling of understanding. Tybon smiled and finished eating the burger. When he finished he picked up the rest of the food and dumped it into the bag.
"It's getting late. Come on I'll take you to a place to sleep for the night. Tomorrow I'll take you down to the orphanage where you were supposed to be, okay?"
Miles got down off of the chair, walked over and took Tybons paw. The two of them walked down the hall and into a room of bunk beds.
"This is where we sleep when we can't go home."
Miles walked over and sat down on a bed. Tybon walked over and sat down next to him.
"Are you gonna be okay?"
Miles looked up and nodded.
"I got you something..."
Tybon reached into a bag he grabbed on the way into the room and pulled out a stuffed tiger. It had the same markings as Tybon. The light stomach, the white tuffs on the ears, and the black stripes that met and formed a shield on his forehead. Tybon gave it to Miles who held it on his lap.
"That was given to me by the force after I helped solve a case. I want you to have it."
Miles gave the stuffed tiger a squeeze and looked up at Tybon and smiled. Tybon's eyes flashed wide and then went back to normal. Tybon smiled and ruffled Miles head fur and stood up.
"I'll see you tomorrow Miles."
Tybon walked out of the room and closed the door. He leaned his back against it and slid down a little letting out a sigh as he did so. Miles stayed sitting on the bed hugging the stuffed tiger and walked over to the window and sat on the ledge and waited for the morning.
***
(That's it for this part. I'll start working on the next part ASAP. Until next time.)
