The Rougarou Part 3
Read Part 2 HERE!!
Eddie’s dad came and knocked on his door around 5 p.m.
“Come in.”
“Hey son, you’ve been awful quiet this afternoon, You okay?” Eddie was sitting on the floor playing with his He-Man action figures. Man-at-Arms had Beastman on the ground, clubbing him away with his yellow battle club. “Yeah dad, just playing.”
“Oh, okay…Well, Tara is going to be here soon. Why don’t you go ahead and take a bath before she does.”
“Sure dad.”
Tara showed up around 5:30. They did their usual routine, except basketball. Eddie didn’t want to go outside at all. Around 7:00 they ate hot-dogs. Eddie was docile all evening, and Tara thought he might be getting sick. She had never seen him this quiet before. They were sitting at the kitchen table, and Eddie chewed away relentlessly at his food.
“You feeling alright, Eddie?”
“Mmhmm” Eddie said under a mouth full of food.
“You been pretty quiet this evening. Not like you at all. Something on your mind?” Eddie shook his head. He worried that Tara could see the terror lurking behind his eyes. He didn’t know what acting was like, but he was sure that he was doing a good job of it.
“Wanna go watch some television?” Tara asked.
“Sure.” Eddie slid out of his chair and headed towards the living room. Tara cleaned up their mess, and then joined him. When she walked into the living room, Eddie wasn’t sitting in his usual spot. He was on the couch, knees to his chest.
“You care if I sit by you tonight?” he asked. He’s finally warming up to me, Tara thought.
Tara smiled. “Sure buddy, you can sit right here by me. I’ll even put my arm around you. Cool?”
“Cool.” Eddie dozed in and out while the television played. He perked up a little when Fall Guy came on, and stayed awake for the entire episode.
Then 8:30 came.
Ok, here we go. Time for Monster Eddie to show his face, Tara thought. “Eddie, its 8:30. Time to get ready for bed okay?”
“Okay.” Eddie scooted off the couch and headed upstairs to his room. Tara’s jaw dropped a tad as she thought her eyes and ears were playing tricks on her. Nope, sure enough, Eddie didn’t even utter a cross word to her. Upstairs in the bathroom, Eddie locked the door, put the toilet lid down, and sat. His knees were trembling and his teeth where chattering. Fear crept down his spine like a spider going for its prey.
Maybe it’s not real. Maybe I just imagined it. Maybe it’s not true. Maybe I should tell Tara. No, no, what if it’s real?
A knock on the door. Eddie jumped to his feet.“You brushing away in there?”
“About to.” Eddie brushed his teeth, opened the door, and walked down the hall to his room. Tara was standing in the doorway. “Gonna tuck yourself in tonight big boy?”
Eddie reached out and held her hand. “No, will you?” Tara knelt down and gave him a big hug. “I sure will.”
Tara helped Eddie into bed and pulled back the Transformer covers. Eddie slid in, and Tara pulled the covers up to his chest. “Goodnight, Eddie.” Tara kissed him on the forehead and turned to walk out of the room. “Tara, wait. Can I talk to you?”
Tara sat down on the edge of his bed. “Sure. What’s up?” Eddie recounted to her the events from earlier today with the Rougarou. Tara did her best not to laugh, because she could see the seriousness on Eddie’s face and hear the fear in his voice. After he was done, Tara smiled and tried to comfort him.
“Eddie, that story I told you last night, it’s not true. It’s made up. It’s what’s called an urban legend, a story that’s told just to scare people.”
“No, it’s not!” Eddie jerked away from her. “You don’t believe me and you think I’m making it up and that I’m just a stupid little kid but I’m not and now I’m gonna turn into the Rou..ga…r” Eddies words were swallowed by a torrent of tears. Tara place her hand on his back. Eddie turned around and flung himself on her. She held him until the tears subsided.
“Listen, Eddie.” Tara whispered in his ear. “Whatever happened to you today, I want you to know that it wasn’t the Rougarou. I’m not saying that you didn’t see something weird or whatever today. I’m just saying it ain’t the Rougarou. Okay?”
“Tara?” Eddie let go of his embrace and sat back against his pillow. “Please don’t tell momma and daddy? Please?” Eddie sniffled and slid back under his covers.
“I promise.”
Eddie grinned. “Thanks.”
“You betcha. Now go to sleep.” Tara kissed him on the cheek, rolled off the bed, and walked towards the door and turned off the light.
Mr. and Mrs. Miller walked through the front door at around 9:45. Tara was sitting on the couch reading Stephen King’s Pet Sematary.
“Hey Tara, how’d he do tonight?” Mr. Miller loosened his blue tie. Tara pulled her head out of the book. “Perfect lil angel.” Mrs. Miller snorted.
“No, seriously.” Tara marked her place and put the book down. “He was quiet all evening. We played some, watched T.V., and when it was bed time, he gave me no fuss.
“Yeah, he’s been awful quiet all day. Just sat in his room and played all afternoon.” Mr. Miller plopped down in his recliner. “He say anything to you? Anything bothering him?”
“No. Nothing. Wonderin’ if me might be comin’ down with something.” Tara played it cool. “You might want to go and check on him before you go to bed. See if he’s running a fever.”
“Sure. We will.” Mrs. Miller assured her. “Thanks again for everything. We’ll see you tomorrow at church.” They said their goodbyes and Tara headed home. Later that night, before they went to sleep, Diana went up to check on Eddie. He was sound asleep. She put her hand to his forehead and he didn’t feel feverish. She kissed his cheek and left him to sleep in peace.
Morning came, and it was time to get ready for church. It was 8:00 a.m. and Eddie still wasn’t up. Tim Miller went up to Eddie’s room and knocked on the door.
No answer.
He turned the knob and cracked the door open. “Hey, sleepy head, time to…” Eddie wasn’t in his bead. Tim headed back down stairs into the kitchen. Diana was sitting at the table finishing off her second cup of coffee.
“Seen Eddie this morning?” Tim asked
“No. He hasn’t gotten out of bed. I’ve been up since 6.” Diana sipped her coffee.
“Well, he’s not in his bed. I just checked.” The Miller’s searched every room in the house. When they were sure he wasn’t inside, they made their way outside.
Eddie wasn’t there either.
They got in their car and drove down the road to Eddie’s tree, but no sign of him there. When they got back to the house, Diana called the Stillman’s and asked for Tara.
“Hello?”
“Tara, this is Mrs. Miller. We can’t find Eddie.” A lump was swelling in Tara’s throat like a balloon.
“Do you know where he could be? Did he say anything to you yesterday that might…” Mrs. Miller’s voice started to shake. Tara decided she needed to spill the beans.
“He…he told me…that he saw the Rougarou. He was scared last night. Thinks he’s gonna turn into it.”
“The Rougarou? Where on earth did he hear that story from? We’ve never said anything to him about it.”
“I…I told it to him Friday night to scare him. He was being bad. It was after he squirted me with the toothpaste. I’m sorry.”
“Tara, honey, I’m not mad. And I don’t really see what that has to do with him being missing. Thanks though.”
“You’re welcome Mrs. Miller. Goodbye’
“Goodbye.” The Miller’s didn’t go to church that day. They drove around town looking for Eddie. The afternoon came and went, and still no sign of the boy, so the Miller’s decided to call the police. They filed a missing person’s report, and the police jumped on it right away.
Two weeks passed, and still no sign of Eddie. Wanting to have some normalcy back in their lives, Tim and Diana asked the Stillman’s over for Sunday lunch. This was a routine that they started this past February. Every other week they would rotate. Sandy tried to talk Diana into having it at their house, but Diana insisted. She said it would make her feel better, so Sandy agreed.
Sunday rolled around, and the Stillmans and the Millers pulled into the driveway of the Miller’s home. They exited their vehicles and went to the door. Tim turned the lock and went inside--and there it was on the stairs, growling. Tim flinched back. “Oh holy…what the...Everyone stay back! Back!”
Instead, they all rushed forward to see what was going on. Don pushed his way to Tim.
“When’d y’all get a dog,” Don asked.
“We didn’t.” Tim opened the door all the way. “Maybe if we just back up, it will run out the door and go away.” The white dog, with its black eyes and pointed ears, made a slow descent down the stairs, growling with every step. The Stillmans and the Millers stepped through the door, and huddled together near the wall, Don and Tim in front. Rather than going out the door, the dog circled towards them.
“Don,” Sandy spoke up. “I don’t think it’s going away.”
Tim directed the huddle down the hall. “Our bedroom is right there to the right. We’ll back up slowly into it. Shut the door. I’ll go get my 12 gauge.” A solemn fear seized Tara. “No, no, no, you can’t kill it. It’s Eddie! It’s Eddie! He’s the Rougarou!”
Don snapped his head back at Tara. “Hush, girl. Don’t you start the crap again.” Tara looked at her mother, then to Mrs. Miller. “You can’t let them. You can’t. It’s Eddie I’m telling you.” Diana glared at Sandy as if to say, “You need to shut her up or I’ll do it for you.”
Sandy grabbed Tara by the shoulders and shook her. “You stop! Stop that now!”
“Enough!” Tim took control. “Everyone back up now, go to the bedroom.”
The dog inched towards them, saliva dripping from its teeth. Tara, Sandy, and Diana backed into the room. Don followed suit, but before Tim could make it past the doorway, the dog pounced. It knocked Tim to the ground, and bit down hard on his shoulder. Tim screamed in agony. “The gun Don, get the gun. Top of the closet. Shells are in the nightstand.”
Don dashed to the closet and got the gun. He then went to the nightstand and slapped some shells in the double barrel 12 gauge. He snapped it closed with a thump.
Tim took his thumbs and jammed them into the dog’s eyes. It let go of his shoulder and backed away. Tim scooted into the room, but there was no way he was getting that door closed. The dog crept back in after him. “Shoot it Don, shoot it now, before it gets closer!”
“No daddy no,” Tara shrieked. The hallow blast of the shotgun echoed through the bedroom. Tara screamed, and the dog went airborne, flying out into the hall. Don helped Tim to his feet, and the two moseyed over towards the dog.
That’s when they saw it, and that’s when Tim Miller screamed. Laying in a pool of blood, with a hole in his chest, was Eddie Miller. Tara, Diana, and Sandy hurried over just in time to hear Eddie speak.
“It’s me, daddy, Eddie. I’m not the Rougarou anymore. You are.” Eddie then disintegrated into a pile of dust.
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