THE PACK -- by Steve Sutton

The village sits nestled in a deep valley
Wind howling through the empty streets
The erie skyline and skulls on the ground
Is enough to give one the creeps

Peter Van Sickle was a traveler
He had traveled great lands
Far and wide
Growing weary from his long journey
He stopped in the village on this darkest of nights

The buildings were old and deserted
No one to be seen
And no sound to be heard
Then
Suddenly
Laughter
Behind him
And he turned
With a jerk
And found a young girl

Dressed all in white
With a bow in her hair
And twinkling eyes
Which had nothing to fear
She led him
By hand
Into the town square
Where they sat on a bench
And stared into the air

She explained that her name was Catrina
And her family would soon arrive
They would feast and enjoy the evening
As they so often did on this special night

Out of the dark
Stepped a tall man
Followed
Shortly
By four more
This was her clan
All having come
And all having met
They invited the stranger
Into their small sect

More tired
Than flattered
He politely declined
But they insisted he join them
And drink their fine wine

They sat by the fire
The night had been long
Peter's head still spinning
From dancing and song

Perhaps it was the fire
Reflecting in their eyes
Or his own fatigue
Seemed to alter their guise
They appeared now quite sullen
And sad
In a way
And sat quietly
Sparkle gone from their gaze

Peter rose from the ground
Having felt overstayed
Began saying farewells
But was stopped by their gaze
With dead eyes of fire
And the hunger of dogs
They all glared at him
Trapping him in their gauze

Dispensing with manners
And retrieving his satchel
He broke free of their eyes
And started off towards the mountains
He would leave this area
And never return
Warning those he encountered
This land was cursed

A sharp pain then struck him
And he turned to see
The Beast called Catrina
His blood in her teeth
He fell to the ground
Too weary to fight
Despite his resistance
She took one more bite

Then
He felt claws in his shoulder
And the ripping and tearing of flesh
The others soon joined and ate like mad dogs
Until there was nothing left