Savage Supernaturals

Poor Choices

The heat of the August sun beat down on the cab of the 2002 Ford F150 truck as the dust from the dirt road blocked the view in the rear-view mirror. The 2002 relic was falling apart, of course it was twenty-four years old, but that was not the worst part about driving this rust bucket, the worst was the lack of air conditioning inside the truck. The dust swirls inside the truck, providing a layer on everything, including the lone occupant, but at least it was wind.
As the truck inched across the bridge, the splintered wooden boards creaked ominously, the iron supports having long ago started to rust, now had metal flakes floating gently to the creek bed. The bridge was said to be the town’s alarm system due to the loud groaning emanating from the bridge in protest.
This had always represented the town limits of Heartsville, Mississippi. However, Samantha, Sam by most everyone, saw it for what it was, a depressing existence into the dust bowl of dead or dying dreams. Someday soon she hoped to never cross that bridge again.
As Sam drove through the small community of Heartsville, she waved at little Terry Murry. In Sam’s opinion, he was the sweetest five-year-old on the planet; but she would never tell him that. After pulling up to the biggest and obviously most well cared for house in the small community, Sam hopped out of her beat-up truck. Terry ran straight to her looking from her to his hands. Sam knew something was crawling in those cupped hands because Terry was repeatedly looking from his hands to Sam.
Terry slid to a stop directly in front of Sam, holding up his little hands covered in dirt, still held tightly together. “Hey Sam, guess what I got,” Terry exclaimed, excitement and laughter clear in his face.
Scuffing up Terry’s trademark Murry auburn hair, Sam looked down to see legs of a bug, “Terry, I swear to God, if there’s a spider in yer hands, I’ll beat you!” Sam said, only half kidding.
Terry’s childlike laughter burst through as he released the pent up daddy long legs. Sam screamed, jumping back slamming into her truck, causing Terry to giggle all the harder, “He ain’t hurtin nuttin, Sam!” Terry cried.
Sam glared at the little boy for only the briefest of moments. Even though his entire face and hands were caked in dirt, those pudgy cheeks and sparkling blue eyes still stood out, and no one with a heart could remain angry at Terry for long. It also didn’t hurt his cause that Sam knew Terry meant no harm.
“Get on home, Terry, before I change my mind and beat’cha your hind-end anyway,” Sam said with a laugh as she pushed him in the direction of the small wood-frame house.
It was one of many in Heartsville that would be in need of repainting soon. A young woman, with long reddish-blond hair, and heavyset build, stepped out onto the small porch, hollering across the distance, “Thomas Terry! You get in this house and stop scaring poor Sam”
The woman waved to Sam, “He means no harm, he just luvs ya, hun,” the women explained.
The woman was Mary Beth, Terry’s mother, she had country drawl that was a just a tad more pronounced than most, a bit of a lisp due to a couple of missing teeth, but she was as friendly as they came. No one disliked Mary Beth, even the people of neighboring town of Knight liked her, she cleaned homes for several people in Knight, she always got respect anytime her and Sam went to town together.
It made no sense to Sam, any time she visited Knight she was always looked down on, shunned, or glared at. Sam hated the town, they were just a small town that thought they were bigger than they were. It was one of those towns that were big enough to have a couple of cops, a church, a bar, and a 7-11 which was where Sam worked. The problem with that size of a town is that everybody is in everyone else’s business.
Knight’s population always looked down their collective noses at Heartsville, always thought that people of Heartsville were strange, unfriendly people. Truth be told, Heartsville had a secret, not the run of the mill secret, but one that could destroy the entire family. The whole of Heartsville was a pack of were-pumas.
The people of Knight, Mississippi all knew that Sam was the niece of Thomas Murry. Thomas was seen as the unofficial mayor or sheriff of Heartsville. Most people thought that Thomas was treated better by the law than their own were. This is why Sam thought she was the outcast, yet she tried to talk to the people in Knight, Mississippi, she tried to be as friendly as Mary, plus Sam still had all her teeth, had better hair than most of the other girls, even went to their schools. Sam’s best friend, Sherry had said the girls were just jealous of her long red hair, and boys were mad that Sam did not want them.
Sam pulled herself out of her thoughts as she waved back to Mary Beth, Sam called, “I know, no harm done, hun”
With a resigned sigh, Sam focused back on her chores, pulling several grocery bags out of the back. This was done of course the same way every person in the world does it. Do everything possible to make one trip, regardless of the weight, odd package shape, or size.
Terry scooped up the spider as it tried to make an escape, looking back over his shoulder at Sam as he began to walk home, “you would’a stomp on’em iffin I waz to leave’em” Terry said accusingly.
Smiling a little at Terry, Sam nodded, “Yeah I would, good thing you were here to rescue him, now get’cher little butt home.”
Terry scampered off, halfway home he knelt down releasing the spider while looking back at Sam to make sure she was not coming to stomp on his friend. Once sure of the spider’s safety, Terry ran home to his waiting mother.
Laughing Sam turned back to her truck grabbing her purse and “7-11” apron from the front with her last free digit, her pinky finger. She had been working at 7-11 for a couple of months and hated every minute. Nothing said failure quite like a high school dropout working at the local convenience store. With another resigned sigh, Sam swung the truck door shut with her hip, Sam began making her way to the steps of the porch, trying to keep control over all the bags, and her purse.
“Let me get that,” came a voice from behind Sam.
Sam jumped before realizing it was Adrian Escott. Her cousin was not impressive in any way, unlike most were-pumas, Adrian had a medium build, stood no taller than five foot nine. Because of his hair, he also looked way too much like his uncle Jim that lived next door. It was long, so red it was almost black, and Adrian had taken to greasing it back to look like his uncle. Bad idea as far as Sam was concerned. The crappy hair was about the only way Adrain looked like the creep though. Adrian had the heart of a saint and would help anyone anytime.
Once Adrian had control of the bags, Sam opened the door to lead him in and began making small talk. “Adrian Escott, what are you doing hanging out around our house?” Sam asked.
She had said it with a tone of mirth so Adrian would know it was more of a joke than a true question. Once the bags were deposited on the table, Adrian began handing things to Sam to put away.
“Umm, Sam… you know next week is the full moon, right?” Adrian asked.
Sam turned to put things away so that Adrian wouldn’t see her roll her eyes, or hear the sign. Of course, this was it, he wanted to ask her to run with him when they turned into their true forms. The only issue was that your human form was related to your puma form. Overweight humans meant overweight pumas, which meant that they would be slower. Sam hated hurting Adrian’s feelings every month, but she liked to run, climb, and to kill prey. Adrian was scared of heights, ran slow, and cried if you so much as killed a rabbit. Sam was short, honestly, she was very short at a full five foot four inches and thin, but this played to her strengths in puma form. Sam had run a couple of months a year with him since the age of five when they had begun transforming. It was already August and she had only run with him once this year.
Sam turned to Adrian and took the sugar from him, “Yeah I know, but I was thinking of running with the girls this month,” she said in a nonchalant tone. She of course never ran with the girls but she was getting to the age that it was expected so hopefully, Adrian would buy the reason.
Adrian sat at the table and opened a bag of Oreos as Sam continued putting stuff away. “Sam, you know you turn twenty-one next week, remember?” Adrian asked as he popped another Oreo in his month.
“Yeah, I remember… I was there,” Sam said with a laugh as she tossed her long auburn hair out of her way.
“It isn’t funny, you know our laws better than I do Sam!” Adrian said with a tone Sam had never heard him use.
Was that force, she wondered? No, Adrian was never forceful. Was it fear, accusing, what the hell was his problem? The laws of the pack had never applied to her. She was the pack master’s true niece, not just a niece due to being in the pack. She was his only sister’s only child. After Sam’s parents had been killed, she was raised by Thomas Murray. She was spoiled and pretty much got away with anything.
After several minutes of Sam finishing with the groceries and Adrian eating half the cookies, Sam took out a glass and filled it with milk. As she sat down she slid it over to him.
“You’ve eaten enough, you should be thirsty by now,” she said with a smile.
Adrian grinned, then downed the entire glass, “Thanks.”
“Sure, now go wash it!”
Laughing Adrian went to the sink, watching outside as he washed and dried it. “Sam, sometimes you are not above our laws, you know that, don’t you? There are some things that Thomas can’t protect you from.”
Sam joined him at the sink, she set a hand on his shoulder, “I love you, you big softy… but the law that I have to marry by nineteen, and first cub by twenty-one; obviously doesn’t apply to me. I am about to turn twenty-one and no brats running at my heels,” she grinned as she motioned around her. “Besides, Uncle Thomas knows I have bigger plans, I want out of the podunk s*** hole.”
Adrian turned to her frowning, “Some of us love this podunk s*** hole,” he said flatly.
“I’m sorry, man!!! Really, I am, but Adrian you know I have always wanted to see other places. I want to soar, I want to run free. We are not free here. They tell us where, when, and how far we can go. How is that being true to our nature?” Sam said all this in an almost pleading voice.
With a shrug Adrian headed towards the door, “I just wanted to warn you, so do what you want.”
Before she could say a word the door closed. Sam went to the table snatching up what was left of the cookies and headed upstairs to her room. The room wasn’t anything special, but it was hers. The full-size bed was built out of pine by her Dad and was covered with a patchwork quilt her Mom had made. Sitting on the pillows was a stuffed wolf that her closest confidante, almost big brother, Tarak had given her. Outside of that, the room was sparse. Dresser with a large mirror, old makeup on the top that Sam never used. Perfumes from different gift-giving. Uncle Thomas finally gave up on trying to make her more ladylike. In the last couple of years, Sam had been trying to learn to do the makeup, even do her hair. All this was done behind closed doors after her first attempt had caused so much laughter in her class. Even the teacher couldn’t stop laughing, she had just waved her out of the door. Of course the next day the teacher had apologized in front of the entire class, but to Sam, all that did was make her more of a spectacle.
After several YouTube videos, Sam figured out that some were meant to be funny and others as instructional. She wished she had realized that prior to venturing out, but she thought she had the hang of it now. Sam had plans to show Uncle Thomas that she could really look like a ‘girl’ if she wanted too. The big reveal was planned for the twenty-first, at the cookout before the full moon. Sam giggled at the thought of the looks on everyone’s faces, but mostly at the look, her uncle would have.
As soon as she thought about that day though, her thoughts went more serious. Adrian had touched a nerve, she knew that they were watching her, talking behind her back. She knew they all, including Uncle Thomas, expected her to settle down with one of the males and begin ensuring the continuance of the pack. Sam frowned and turned from the mirror, it was all well and good if you were male. Males got to pick a mate to be with, or be single and produce as many cubs or babies, didn’t matter the term; it came down to the same thing, women submit, serve, and produce, men rule, demand, and sometimes work.
Sam slammed her hand down on the dresser, no, she would not allow herself to be a baby machine. She would face her uncle, face her pack and declare herself a lone-puma! She knew it was possible, Tarak was a lone-wolf and still had friends in his old pack. At least she thought he did, she needed to ask him... It didn’t matter, she wanted out, she wanted free, she wanted to control her own life!
The next week went by without another word from Adrian. Uncle Thomas seemed more reserved too, he seemed to be avoiding her, or he had a lot more meetings than was normal. Once more she was crossing the bridge into Heartsville, but this could well be the last time. That thought gave her butterflies in her stomach. Both excitement and fear, could she go through with the plan? This was the day, this was the night… the full moon. Sam was not sure why she had chosen to declare her intentions in front of the entire pack, but it seemed right, it seemed respectful. Sam never wanted to be disrespectful to Uncle Thomas, and if she were brave enough to stand before the pack, it would show he had raised a female with courage and pride.
Part of Sam knew that she also wanted to prove to herself she had the nerve. If she didn’t then what right did she have claiming to want to be a lone-puma? If she couldn’t face her own family, how could she survive out there, out in the real world?
As she pulled up to the house and began to grab her groceries, she hadn’t noticed Jim, the next-door neighbor, had been watching her juggling act.
“Well hello beautiful!” the voice was not silky as the owner thought, but oily, just like the man that controlled that voice. James ‘Jim’ Mayer was little over six foot tall, straight black hair that he always slicked back with grease. His build was good enough, he was thin as a rail, with muscled arms and chest, and other women seemed to go for him. Sam always just thought he was creepy, and she had very good reason to think it.
Sam looked up to see Jim Meyer leaning on his porch column, snacking on a bag of fritos. Jim was one of the pack members, and as a male, he was treated with more respect than females. This was one of the major reasons that Sam was wanting out of this pack life. She reminded herself, tonight, I just need to deal with this for a few more hours. Sam thought about the were-animals that lived alone, her surrogate big brother, Tarak was one, she knew that had to be others too.
As she headed up the stairs Sam did her best not to have any eye contact with Jim, she couldn’t out outright ignore him so in a very subdued tone she spoke to him, hoping to not be drawn into any kind of conversation “Hi Jim... how’s it going?”
“Well, my little hellcat, after seeing you, my day is now complete, and after tonight my life will be oh so much better,” Jim said with a leer that just made her skin crawl. The man was licking the salt off of each finger as he continued looking Sam up and down.
Not sure what would be happening to make his life so much better and certainly not caring; she nodded, unable to wave with her hands full, and wanting in the house as fast as she could. “That’s great…, Good seeing you Jim….Bye” she called as she went through the door. She swore she hear him chuckling.
Making sure the door was closed securely, before calling out, “Hey Unc’ I’m home and that creepy-ass Jim is hitting on me again!”
Sam walked into the kitchen to see her uncle sitting at the table with a cup of coffee. Sam put the bags on the counter and sat down across from him. This had always been the ‘we need to talk’ place, it was the only time Uncle Thomas sat in the small kitchen. The matriarch of the pack was just a bit past middle age with a touch of graying at the temple. Strangers would think that due to the wrinkles, but those that knew him, knew he had earned every wrinkle and scar that marred his face. Being a pack master was anything but a cakewalk. Thomas Murry had been Sam’s guardian since her parents died. He had been a father to many of the pack, he was more so to Sam. Sam could read Thomas like a book. If he was tapping his foot, he was worried, or scared, drumming his fingers, like he was now, meant he was nervous. At the moment he was doing both, this concerned Sam.
“What’s up?” Sam asked as she picked up the cow-shaped milk creamer, to have something to do with her hands.
Thomas pushed his coffee cup away taking a deep breath, “Look, honey, I’m not getting any younger, and we have to ensure the pride survival…..”
Knowing where this was headed Sam interrupted him, “Unc’ you know I don’t want to live and die here; I hate this place, I’m sorry I’m not like the others, but I just can’t stay here,” Sam desperately tried to get her uncle to understand. This was not the plan, this was not the time! She needed to stop this before it got out of control.
“Uncle Thomas, I know you have your ideas and wants for me, but I have my own dreams. I wanted to talk to you tonight, but I guess I should go ahead and talk to you first. I want out…”
Shaking his head, “No, Sam. You will be married to a puma and you will do your part for this pride. I have spoken to Jim and…”
Sam started to laugh, suddenly understanding the chat with Adrian so much more, “Uncle Thomas, you can’t really want me to marry Adrian? He isn’t strong enough, he, well, he umm,” Sam was not sure how to say what she wanted without putting Adrian down too much, “He just doesn’t have the courage that I need,” she finished lamely then added a shrug.
Thomas took a sip of coffee, then set the cup back down, “No, not Adrian, you will marry Jim. He has a very strong line, he has proven himself over and over.”
The rest of what was said was lost to Sam, her world just turned upside down. Jim… her husband, her ruler? This couldn’t be happening, there was no way that Uncle Thomas would trust that man. But in the back of her mind, a small voice said, “but you didn’t trust Uncle Thomas enough, so he doesn’t know why you hate Jim”
Could she tell him now? Would he believe her? After all this time, no, he would think it was a lie to get out of something. Slamming her hands on the table and jumping up, “HELL NO! I will never marry that freak!” she screamed.
Thomas, also rising, “You will do as you’re told! The full moon is tonight and you will be married then! I am speaking as your pack master, Sam, and you will obey me!” Thomas emphasized the word will.
Sam jerked as if slapped, her uncle had never pulled rank on her. She slid back in her chair stunned. “Why?” was the only word she could get out, but her mind was screaming for it to be anyone but Jim. She was one of many females in the pride, couldn’t he pick one of them?
Thomas sat back down too, “Samantha, our pride is one of the last in the state, maybe in the entire southern region. There are no Lobo pumas.” Thomas cocked his head when he saw her surprise, “You think I don’t listen to you, you think I don’t know that you want to be just like Tarak?” he asked.
“I know you listen,” Sam admitted, “I just didn’t think you heard me. Mom always said that men listen, they don’t always hear.”
Thomas laughed softly, “My sister was sure one of a kind. I wish you had known her better.” Then added, “She would have told you that the Pride is everything. That you should do your part,” Thomas said in an knowing tone.
Pulling on Sam’s heartstrings was the wrong play, Thomas knew it the minute the words were out of his mouth. He held up his hand, “This is not up for debate, I would rather you do this of your own free will, but it will happen, like it or not. Under the full moon at Pride Rock you will do your part for this family.” Thomas stood up, “I have let you be free-spirited for too long, this is the reason that the rest of the males worry about controlling you. Jim has offered to mate with you, and I have agreed,” Thomas turned to leave Sam where she sat. “I love you kid, but the pride will always come first.”
Normally Uncle Thomas referring to Pride Rock made Sam snicker and get visions of Uncle Thomas holding a cub up to the pack, same as in Lion King, but today was anything but normal. This was going to happen, and it had nothing to do with the rules not applying to her, it came down to no other men of the pack wanted her. This caused tears to sting her eyes, well that was just fine with her, she didn’t want any of them either.

Sam ran over to the sink to watch out the window, glancing out she could just see Uncle Thomas at the end of their porch, talking to Jim. Sam jumped back just as Jim looked her way. Sam began pacing the kitchen, she felt caged, angry, but above all, terrified. There was nothing for it, she would have to run for her life.
Knowing that both Jim and Uncle Thomas were on the porch, Sam ran down the hall to the laundry room, in there was a back-door leading to the back yard. Uncle Thomas had added it to make hanging the laundry out on the clothesline easier. With a quick glance around the edge of the house, Sam ran for it, from Uncle Thomas, from Jim, from their rules, from her life, and she ran just as fast as she could.
Heartsville was placed in the center of the densely wooded area. With an entire village of were-pumas, the woods were a necessity, although today, they were Sam’s sanctuary.
White-hot anger drove her, hurt kindled the anger making it burn away any doubts that began to creep in. What right did her uncle have to treat her as if she were on a trading block?
With the woods engulfing Sam, she slowed to think. Everyone in Heartsville was full-blooded were-pumas. As far as Sam knew they were the only town of full weres in the entire state of Mississippi. Her uncle was the pack master, the ultimate say in all their lives. Sam shook her head, no, she would not follow blindly. How could he possibly think she would agree to marry that slimy man. Sam had always known it was expected of every female to carry on the pride, most found their own husbands, but if a female didn’t find one by eighteen, a mate would be found for them. This had only been done once in Sam’s lifetime. To say Daya Lippan was not attractive was being nice. If that had been the woman’s only negative attribute she still would have found someone, her hateful personality sealed her fate. Uncle Thomas had matched Daya with the old widower, Matthew Malone, with the thought that the man would just do his part to carry on the pack. It turned out that they were a great match, Matthew came out of his depression and Daya not only have three children with Matthew, she became down right sweet.
August sixteenth, Sam had turned twenty-one, and it never occurred to her that she could still be required to marry and have as many children as she could. She had been ready for it on her eighteenth birthday, sweated out the hours of her nineteenth, hidden on her twentieth. When those passed with no proposals she had hoped that her being the Pride master’s ward gave her a pass on the archaic rule.
Part of her wanted to laugh, another part wanted to cry because she knew that since her eighteenth birthday Uncle Thomas had been trying to get rid of her, but couldn’t until today. Well, she had planned on leaving, it seemed today would still be that day.
It was a couple of hours before it finally dawned on Sam that she had left everything behind. She sat down under a large pine tree to think.
I need clothes, maybe some of my stuff, but mostly I need my diary, she thought. That diary had been one of the last gifts her mother had given her. Mom had told her to write down her thoughts, not just the cry baby stuff, but her hopes and dreams. Sam had done a little of both. With her mind made up, Sam turned to go back home one last time.
As she came out of the trees she was happy to see that no one was searching for her. This gave her more confidence that when she was truly gone it may be hours before they even noticed. After all, hadn’t it been a couple of hours already and no search party? Sam made her way to the house to find that now both Uncle Thomas and Jim were sitting at the kitchen table. Sam didn’t speak to either, why should she, just to be told that she would do what she was told, no thanks. As she got to the living room she heard Jim’s smarmy laugh, “Don’t worry, Tom, I have tamed worse in my time.”
Sam didn’t wait to see if Uncle Thomas replied, she bolted for the stairs and the safety of her bedroom. Her closet held most of what she needed, couple of changes of clothes, tennis shoes, and a backpack. Once that was all tossed on the bed, Sam headed for the bathroom for a few essentials there. She stood looking at the pitiful pile that was her life and signed. Sam decided that it didn’t even matter, since she wanted a fresh start, better to start clean. Her diary was under a floor board that was loose, it had been there ever since Uncle Thomas had found it a few years ago under her mattress. He had said he didn’t read it, but Sam had her doubts. The floor board had a trick to it, it would only come up if you pushed at a specific part and pried at the other end. In the nook was her diary, her mother’s necklace, her father’s ring, and what little money she had saved up Don’t forget that this was with Sam in the woods. The diary, necklace, and ring went to the bottom of the backpack, but not before Sam made absolutely sure there were no holes that the items could fall through. Within seconds she was pulling them back out and ran to the bathroom to get the crown royal bag she had used as a makeup bag and tossed the items in there for safe measure. Once that was done the packing went fast, her life in a simple backpack seemed sad but fitting.
It was close to four in the afternoon when Jim left and another thirty minutes before Uncle Thomas called up to let her know he was going to prepare for the event. Sam had to laugh, event was more accurate than he knew. Truth was, it was more accurate than anyone one knew.
The time slowly ticked by, but Sam waited for another hour before making her way back out of the house. Part of her feared that Uncle Thomas had posted some sort of watch over the house. She had no choice though, she had to risk it, soon she was once more in the safety of the trees.
Sam headed to the one place no one knew, her own true haven, covering her scent as she went so they couldn’t track her. She was quite the master at this; she had disappeared for days and even Uncle Thomas could not track her.
Hours passed, the quiet helped soothe Sam’s temper just a bit. The knowledge that tonight would be the full moon helped, this meant that she would soon be in her true form, and free. The full moon wasn’t needed to transform, however, the full moon allowed her to remain in her puma form all night, it also heightened her senses.
As soon as the moon had risen Sam transformed, in her puma form, but still on guard. By now there would be search parties, and they would also be in their true forms too. She made her way running through the woods that surrounded Heartsville and venturing out to the woods around Knight hoping to see a deer or possum, hell she would be happy chasing a damn rabbit right now. He true form always allowed her to enjoy the simple things like the breeze as she spirited through the trees. Her light brown hair, with hints of cream in her coat, glistened in the moonlight changing tones with every move of her body or direction of the moonlight through the trees. Sam climbed into a tree for a better look, surveying the area with her deep amber eyes and not seeing any movement, she laid down, head on her paws. She had seen none of her family at all, had the just wrote her off? She thought this was what she wanted, but now her spirits were even lower than before.
Unwilling to give into the depression, not on the night of her freedom, not the night that she would prove to everyone that she would not bow down to the whims of the pack. Sam jumped from her perch, landing softly on the path as the scent of pine wafted up to her nose. Suddenly she was on alert, there was more than just the smell pine needles in the air, Sam smelled a deer. Now she could forget the day, it was time to hunt.