

The Silversmith Chronicles


Episode One


Sam Hossler


Sam Hossler


The Silversmith Chronicles


Episode One


GRANNY APPLE PUBLISHING SARASOTA, FLORIDA


The Silversmith Chronicles


Copyright © 2012 by Sam Hossler


All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including but not limited to photocopying, scanning, recording, broadcast or live performance, or duplication by any information storage or retrieval system without prior written permission from the publisher. Inquiries should be directed in writing to the publisher.


This book is an original work of fiction by Sam Hossler.


Cover Photo: Art by Nathan Wiedemer


Published by


Granny Apple Publishing, LLC, Sarasota, FL


Cataloging-in-Publication Data


Hossler, Sam


The Silversmith Chronicles: Book One / by Sam Hossler


Granny Apple Publishing LLC trade pbk. Ed.


eBOOK ISBN: 978-0-9851844-0-7


Chapter 1


"Ned, Ned, get over here. There's another one, gut ripped open and looks like the liver's gone." Jake called excitedly to his friend as he looked with horror on the blood-splattered pasture.


"Dang, we won't have any sheep left if this keeps up. See any tracks? I keep thinkin' it's wolves but they would eat the whole carcass or drag it off somewhere. Just don't make no sense."


Jake was searching the ground around the mutilated sheep. "The ground's all stomped down but no wolf tracks that I can find. What say we post ourselves out here tonight, it's almost a full moon, so we should be able to see any critter that comes in the pasture."


Ned, thoughtfully gazing at the colorful hills of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, looked a little apprehensive about spending the night with wolves about but agreed. "I can get my father's musket and you have your spear, we should be able to take care of anything that comes sneaking around."


Both boys had grown up on the frontier and were seasoned hunters. "We lost another sheep last night," Ned shouted to his father as he raced into the barn where Mr. Duncan was working. "Jake an me are gonna stake out the pasture tonight an I'd would like to have your musket with us." His words came haltingly as he struggled to get his breath.


"Well, I guess that'd be all right. There's balls and powder on the shelf in my room, and don't go gettin' a pack a wolves after ya, there's only one shot." Albert Duncan knew his son was safe with the musket because he had taken it hunting many times. Still he wasn't thrilled that these two sixteen year olds would be setting a trap for wolves.


"Jake will have his spear and it'll be near a full moon so we should be all right. What is it you say about our heritage, the Scotch-Irish are as tough as any critter on earth?"


"Get your ma to fix some eats for ya, it'll get right chilly after sundown and knowin' you two you'll be hungry before the moon comes up."


Ned disappeared into the Housa and soon was lifting the musket down from over the fireplace. "Now to get some balls and the powder horns," he mumbled to himself. "Ma would you fix some vittles for Jake an me? We're gonna stake out the pasture tonight."


After supper Ned gathered up the musket, shoulder bag, powder horns and package of food his mother had prepared. He ran swiftly over the plowed ground to Jake's cabin. "Howdy Mr. Housa," he called as he came to the door. "Jake ready to spend the night with me?"


Gus Housa smiled and waved the boy in. The two families had become good friends and the boys helped at each other's farm when it was harvest or planting time. "He's been sharpening that spear all afternoon. You boys know what you're gettin' into?"


Ned smiled and nodded, "It looks like there's only one of the critters so if I can get a good shot at him that should end the raids. Have your cattle been bothered any?"


Gus frowned as he shook his head, "No not yet, but, if it's a wolf pack it won't be long, so kill that critter any way ya can."


"We plan on doin' just that, an I can already see the money we'll get for the wolf hide over at Greensburg."


Just then a little old woman hobbled to the door and waved her cane at Ned. "Howdy Mrs. Housa, good to see ya." She must be a hundred years old, Ned thought as he looked at the face wrinkled like old leather, hands gnarled, but a smile that would light up your heart.


"Go ahead and call her Grandma everyone does," Gus told him. "Mother doesn't speak a word of English. Came over from Hungary as a little girl, her people never spoke English so she never learned. Ma and me can understand her and Jake gets some of it. She loves to tell him stories of the old country and he sits there soaking it up."


Jake came out the door, kissed his grandmother on the cheek and told her, "We's gonna go kill us a wolf, I'll bring back the hide to show you."


The old lady looked like she understood more English than they gave her credit for, her face turned cold and her eyes blazed, "No lycanthrope," she mumbled, "no lycanthrope!"


Jake just laughed, "Don't worry grandma, I don't know what a lycanthrope is but we won't get any." With that he slapped Ned on the back and shouted, "Let's get this done."


The sun was sliding behind the trees as dusk settled over the small community of Salem Crossroads. The foothills of the Allegheny Mountains could be seen in the distance raising like barricades to easy access to this fertile land. It would be another two or three hours before the moon rose to give them the light they would need. As they made their way to the pasture Ned couldn't stand it any longer and asked, "What's a lycanthrope?"


Jake just laughed, "I got no idea. Grandma has some funny sayings an I just go along with them. Probably it's some kind a wolf they got in the old country. I'll ask Dad when we get back."


Ned's eyes were straining in the growing darkness to find a suitable hiding place. "Over there in that opening in the hedge row, we can see the whole pasture and not be seen."


"Looks good to me. The wind is in our face so they can't smell us," Jake answered. "You can rest the musket on that log an should be able to pick off anything that shows up. The trees are still in full color and the leaves haven't fallen yet, so we'll have cover."


The boys settled in talking in whispers. "Jake, you seen that greaser girl from down at the mines?"


Jake rolled his eyes, "I seen her, ain't she a good lookin' gal? And does she ever fill out her blouse."


"They are somethin' and she likes to show 'em off, an I like to look. You notice she gives you a little smile when she catches you lookin'? I think her name is Maria an I thought about askin' her to the Grange dance next week but my dad would skin me alive if he ever found me with a greaser. If they ain't Irish,Scotch,German, or maybe British, as long as they ain't a Tory, he wants no part of 'em," Ned muttered.


Jake nodded, "Yah, I got the same problem except my dad would accept a gal from the Balkans or Scandinavia. You know at sixteen we should be able ta make our own choices about gals."


Ned tucked his chin down and pushing his chest out mimicked his father, "My Housa, my rules; so I guess I'll put up with it a while longer," Then nudged his partner. "Somethin' got the sheep stirrin' they's gatherin' in a circle and bawling back and forth." Ned checked the priming powder, "I see something coming out of the woods on the other side of the pasture. It's headed this way. What ya make of it? Looks like a giant, twice the size of any man I ever seen and walkin' stooped over like that."


Jake's mouth was so dry he could hardly answer. "It's gettin' closer and with the moon light I can make out. . . . hell! What's that? Looks like it's covered with hair an the head, damn it's, like a wolf. Ned them giant paws are reachin' for a sheep, shoot the bastard!"


Ned was shaking so hard he could hardly hold the gun steady, "Okay, okay, I'll try." Ned pulled the trigger sending the flint against the steel pan and igniting the powder and, with a mighty whoosh, the sixty-caliber ball was hurtling toward the victim.


"You got 'em, ya got 'em, I seen him jump when the ball hit. Now where the hell did he go? With all this stinkin' smoke I didn't see him fall. Load that thing again I don't want no critter like that alive."


"I'm loading as fast as I can but I'm still shaking and I don't see that thing on the ground. You game to go out and check where it was hit?"


Jake was shaking as bad as Ned but answered, "I'm game and I got me spear ready to stick whatever it was." With that he stood up and on rubbery legs headed into the pasture. "Ned I know you hit him, I saw him jump but there ain't a speck a blood here."


Ned was searching the ground around the frightened sheep, "Here, looka here, there's a bit a hair, I ain't never seen anything like it before. An I don't like it, not at all. I don't scare easy but this thing got me shaking. Let's get back to my Housa and ask your pa if he knows what that was. At least it didn't get any more sheep."


Jake was clutching his spear with a death grip, "I'm all for goin' back, not sure I want to know what that was. I even lost my appetite---and that's a first."


The boys burst in the door as Gus and his wife were getting ready for bed. "You boys back already?" Gus asked. Then he saw the look on their faces. "What happened? Ya look like you seen the devil himself."


Stammering, Jake blurted out, "I think we might have just done that. This giant thing came outa the woods and walked on two legs but all bent over. When it got close enough for us to see what it was, we just about swooned. It was twice the size of a big man, covered with hair and a head something like a wolf. Its arms were like great legs, paws with long fingers all hairy. Ned shot, it acted like it was hit, but when we went to find out, there was no blood---only this bit a hair."


Gus blanched, "Damn, they made it all the way over here," and collapsed in a chair. "That's what Grandma was tryin' to tell you, a lycanthrope is what they called werewolves in the old country."


All the commotion woke Grandma and she came hobbling in, still in her night clothes. "Lycanthrope," she cried. Then in a flurry of a language that Ned didn't understand and of which Jake only caught a few phrases, she launched into an excited tirade.


Gus was wide eyed, "She says when she was a little girl in Hungary these lycanthrope were known to roam the forests. They would attack the sheep and cattle, and then with a blood lust attack humans. Silver bullets or a silver knife stuck in the beast's heart was the only thing that would kill them. She says it's almost impossible to identify who they are during the daylight. They turn into these beasts and become active when the moon is full or nearly so."


Grandma, still chattering in her native tongue, went clattering back to her bedroom. Sounds of a trunk being opened and things moved about could be heard. Then she reappeared carrying a silver frame that had once held a painting of her mother and father.


Gus was shaking, "She wants you boys to take this and have silver crosses made for each of you and some silver bullets. The crosses will give you some protection. I've heard stories about these things but never imagined they could be true. It's1822, and things like this just don't happen in this day in age. Grandma says since you two have seen him and tried to kill him you ain't safe, he will hunt you down for revenge. You're to wear the silver cross at all times and keep a silver bullet handy. She claims that he most certainly will be coming back."


Chapter 2


Mounted on plow horses from the farm, Ned and Jake headed down the road to Greensburg. They rode bareback, no saddles, with only a blanket on the horses back and a bridle to guide the animal. It was better than walking the seven miles up and down hills. As the horses plodded along, the boys reflected on the apparition they had seen.


Ned was visibly worried, "I heard stories about werewolves but thought they was just stories to scare little kids. These damn things is real. How come you brought your spear?"


"I guess we know that for sure." Jake shifted his weight on the saddle blanket to look his friend in the face and held the weapon out at arm's length. "If there's enough silver, I wonder if the smith could make a point for this. Grandma says silver's the only thing that'll kill one of these beasts, an this here spear's all I got."


His friend nodded, "I reckon there should be enough, depends how much he wants to keep for himself as payment. But a couple a crosses an half a dozen sixty-caliber balls shouldn't use up very much. Let's walk this last mile. My backside's starting to hurt,"


There wasn't much to the new county seat: a few stores, a courthouse and a church. The road coming in from Salem Crossroads, another from Crabtree and the main trail from Ligonier made this an important stopping point on the way to Pittsburgh.


"You ever meet this silversmith, what's his name, Hans, yah Hans Genhart?" Ned asked as they approached the cluster of cabins.


"No, my dad said he met him once and he seemed a likable fellow, but has a heavy German accent."


Jake looped his reins over the hitching rail, "I don't think they'll go anywhere but just to be safe, I'd hate to go back and tell dad we lost the horses."


That brought a laugh from Ned as he followed with his reins. "We got enough trouble without that. I sure hope old Hans can help us."


Even though it was October and there was a morning chill to the air the shop door was open. Smoke from the smelter cast a blue haze throughout the room. Hans Genhart was a rather portly man with a full white beard and head of hair to match. Various items of silver were stacked around the room on shelves and tables.


"Come in, come in," Hans called as the boys entered the doorway. "You be the boys dat seen da werewolf, yah?"


Jake smiled and Ned answered, "News sure travels fast in these parts."


"Yah, yah I heard about it just the other day. Ya know back in Bavaria we had them an they terrorized the whole community. But silver will kill 'em, yah only silver."


Jake took the package from under his arm and opened it on the table in front of Hans. "All we got is this silver picture frame, can you make us a couple a crosses and about six sixty-caliber balls, an if there's enough a tip for my spear?"


Hans was stroking his beard, "Ya don't leave much for payment. I may look like Father Christmas, but I ain't. But yah, we can make a deal, we got to kill this beast before he gets the lust for human blood."


Just then Swede Norcrist stepped in the door. "I seen the boy's horses an figured they was the ones dat seen the werewolf. Ya know these things been here in this country for hundreds of years. Vikings landed way up north back then and in the crew was not only werewolves but vampires. We been lucky this far south, dat is up till now. Me grandmother would tell me stories about these wolf-men but I always thought they was just stories. She claimed, just like everyone here is sayin', silver is the only thing that will kill them."


Hans looked out the door and called to a passer-by, "Ho! Preacher, can ya come in for a while?"


"I didn't want to intrude, but I did see the horses and thought it must be the boys from Salem Crossroads. You know I've had some experience with these creatures and maybe could give the boys some advice."


Hans said, "This be the boys and boys this be Parson Tomas. We can use all the information we can get on this thing and how to kill it."


The Parson nodded and turned facing the two boys, "You've heard silver is the only thing that'll kill 'em, and that silver crosses will keep ya safe. Well that's not entirely true. Silver kills them all right but a silver cross will only protect you if you are a true believer in Jesus Christ and have given your life to Him."


The boys looked at each other wide eyed at the statement and not fully understanding what it meant.


The Parson could see the confusion in their eyes and explained, "You have to believe in Jesus Christ as your Savior, believe it deep down, not just words to make believe. If ya don't, the silver crosses won't protect you any more than a stick. Where do you stand boys? Are you believers?"


Ned looked at Jake, both had a blank expression, "I don't know, my pa reads the Bible now an again, and Jake's dad reads it most every night, but I don't know what ya mean by deep down."


"You got ta believe Jesus is your Savior. You got ta devote your life to Him, look to Him for all your guidance. When you're ready I can lead you in a prayer, but I can see you ain't ready now. You think about it and when you're ready, come see me." The preacher then turned and went out the door.


The room was silent. "I never knew that," Hans mumbled


"Me neither," Swede agreed. "You boys be careful. From what I hear, you got the critter riled and if a silver cross won't protect you I don't know what will."


Hans was visibly shaken by this news. "I'll get right on the crosses and leave the spear. I'll put a silver tip on it. Just give me a couple a days."


Then a light, laughing female voice floated in the room from the back work shop. "Are these the werewolf hunters? They are a handsome pair indeed." With that a little laugh turned the boy's faces red.


"This'll be me daughter, Natasha," Hans said almost apologetically. "She thinks she's cute an has too much to say. This is serious, girl. These boys are up against a beast nobody has ever seen in these parts before."


"Papa, you don't really believe that they saw a werewolf. Why they were probably into a jug a rye and couldn't see what was out in the pasture," she snarled.


Jake whirled to look her straight in the eye. "We did not have a drop to drink an we saw what we saw. If you would like to go out in the pasture I'll be happy to show you the way, but you'll be there alone. I ain't stayin'."


Ned just shook his head. He liked to look at pretty girls but this one had just turned his interest to disgust. "I just hope you don't run into it some night. It'll be too late then to realize you didn't know what you was talkin' about." With that he stormed out the door, shouting, "We'll be back in a couple a days' to get the crosses and spear."


It was a long ride home. Finally Jake asked, "What'a you make of that smart ass girl. She thinks she's really somethin'. If it would'a been a boy I'd have knocked his teeth out."


"Yah, she's a looker but she ain't as hot as she thinks she is," Ned replied. "I hear she been seein' that creepy fellow that lives over toward old Hanna's Town. He's got what grandma calls wolf eyebrows; they meet in the center of his forehead. Grandma claims that's a clue to knowing he's a werewolf."


"It would serve her right if she got mixed up with one of them critters. I wonder how they pass the curse from one to another? Do you suppose you have to get bit, or can they do some magic?"


Jake shuddered at the thought of transforming into a werewolf.


Chapter 3


The sun was just casting the first long fingers of light across the fields when Ned came into the Housa's barn. "You ready to start picking potatoes?" he called to Jake who was already gathering the spades and sacks for the day's work.


"Boys I got some help fer ya," Jake's father called as he entered the dusty room. "This girl came by last evening an asked if we had any work she could do. Said she would work for just some of the produce she picked.


"You bet," I told her. We got to get the potatoes in before the ground freezes, an if she would work for two sacks of them she was hired."


"Girl, what girl?" The boys asked in unison.


"Me," came a soft voice from the door.


The boys looked and there was Maria, sun at her back illuminating all her charms. "Dis be my boy Jake and his friend Ned," Gus pointed to Jake as he introduced them. "Maybe Ned's father could use help digging potatoes when you are finished here."


"I'm sure we could use the help," Ned stammered. "I'll ask Pa tonight."


"Okay, okay, I go help Mother. We got lots a food to put up before winter. You boys show Maria what she is to do, yah!" With those instructions Gus returned to the Housa.


Maria had moved closer and the boys could see her blouse was open to the waist. "Okay to look, but no touch," she warned wagging her finger in their faces. Then she gave that little laugh that sounded more like singing.


It's a good thing the barn was dark because the boys' faces were bright red. "We'll dig up the rows and you follow pulling out the potatoes. Knock off as much dirt as you can from them and put them in a sack," Jake instructed.


"I can't work in this long skirt," said Maria, and with that pulled the extra material up and tucked it in her belt, exposing a pair of nicely shaped legs. "Remember no touch."


Ned thought his face was going to explode, "Let's get to work," he almost shouted.


The boys turned up the earth along the rows of potato plants exposing the tubular so that Maria could pull them out and put them in a sack. Working on her knees, she kept up with whoever was digging the row.


"You are a fast worker," Jake called to her. Ned an me wouldn't have been able to keep up like you are."


Maria looked up, "I like to work an we need the food at the mine. My brothers dig coal all day for only a few cents. I do what I can. You boys are wearing the silver crosses, that's good. Where I come from in northern Italy the mountains are known for werewolves. That's one reason we came here. Now we find they are here, too. Maybe after work tonight I tell you what I know about these beasts. Okay?"


Ned broke out in a smile, "That would be good of you. We can tell you what we saw and learned at the silversmith's shop."


The sun was almost directly overhead when Gus came out to the field. "I bring you fresh spring water and some food Mother fixed. You all make a good team. Just look at all the sacks full. I'll get the wagon and pick them up later." Then looking at Maria, "You know from being down at the mines you are a hard worker. I like you, you be welcome at my house anytime."


Jake couldn't believe his ears, his father inviting an Italian to his house? Nevertheless he was thrilled. She was pretty and a hard worker to boot. What more could you ask? "Pa, maybe Maria could stay for supper? Then afterwards I could help her take her sacks home."


Gus was all smiles, "Yah, an Ned you stay for supper too. Then we hitch up the team and take the wagon down to the mine. I go tell Mother we have company for supper."


Jake wasn't thrilled. That wasn't what he had in mind. He liked his friend well enough, but had hoped to be alone with Maria on the ride to her Housa. "Yes, that'll be fine," he lied to his father.


At supper, Grandma kept staring at Maria, then said something to Gus in Hungarian. "Grandma wonders what part of Italy you come from."


Maria smiled that infectious smile of hers. "We lived in the North, almost to the border of Switzerland. In fact most of our people worked in Switzerland. We didn't own our own land and heard about all the land free here in the colonies. What a lie! But Madam, you are from Hungary. I have never been there, but I hear it is beautiful too."


When the comment was translated to Grandma, she beamed with approval of this young lady. Gus again translated a question, "Grandma wants to know how your people removed the werewolf curse from those afflicted?"


Marie wasn't comfortable with the talk of werewolves, but answered, "My grandma told me that they would heat a silver cross red hot and then with it brand the suspected wolf-man on the forehead. If he survived, he would be cured of the curse. If he didn't survive, it was thought he was surely a werewolf and died to protect his identity."


"Branded on the forehead. That's pretty rough treatment if he isn't one of them," Jake muttered.


"You refer to these beasts as him. There are female werewolves also. At least that's what my grandma tells me," Marie told her table mates. "Let me help with the dishes then you can take me home, yes?"


Jake was uneasy with the talk of werewolves, knowing there was at least one that was looking for him. "Ned an me will hitch up the wagon and load her sacks."


Gus was lighting his pipe and blew out a large cloud of smoke, "Put three sacks in, she worked hard and deserves three."


Another first, thought Jake---his father actually giving more than bargained for. "All right, Pa. We'll get them loaded."


With three on the wagon seat---a boy on each side of her---Maria feel like a queen. Jake had brought his spear and the silver tip gleamed when what little moonlight there was shined on it. "You won't need that tonight, Jake," she told him. "There's only a sliver of moon out, and if the stories are true, werewolves only come out when the moon is full or nearly full."


"Maybe not, but I feel a lot better when I have it close by. Did you ever know anyone who had a cross branded in their forehead?"


Ned shivered at the image he saw in his mind. "What's the matter, you cold?" Maria asked. She could feel his body shake as she snuggled a little closer.


"Yah, I didn't bring my heavy coat," Ned replied. Then glancing at her, saw that she was watching him intently.


"In another three weeks we'll have a full moon. If you are going to try and kill this thing, I would like to go with you," Maria mentioned casually and then looked from one stunned boy to the other. "What's the matter? Don't you think a girl can kill a werewolf as good as a boy?"


Neither boy spoke, but each was wishing that he was alone with this beautiful girl who wanted to hunt werewolves.


"There's the light from my house," Maria said as they rounded a bend. "And there are my two brothers standing in front with clubs. Let me talk to them."


Ned glanced over at Jake, "They's mean looking. I hope she can explain we is just bringing her home. In any case keep that spear handy."


"Carlo, Guiseppe, vi fermate! Mettete giu quelle mazze. Questi ragazzi solo mi hanno potato a casa dopo ho lavorato il giorno. Guardate, ho tre sacchi delle patate," Maria shouted. Her brothers looked disappointed, but lowered their clubs and moved up to the wagon. "Hand the sacks down to them," she instructed Ned who was now in the back of the wagon.


As Jake turned the wagon around to start home, Ned called, "Daybreak at my place tomorrow; we'll get you three more sacks full."


Jake raised his eyebrows, "You'd better ask your pa or there may be a problem."


"Oh, I think he'll be happy to get extra help that don't cost him nothin'." Ned laughed.


Chapter 4


"Jake, the moon will be full in another couple a days, ya think we should take another crack at that thing?" Ned and Jake were just finishing up sacking shelled corn in the Duncan's barn.


"Hell, I don't know. We got the silver bullets and the silver tip on me spear. I guess we could handle anything that come along." Jake was saying the words but his voice was cracking giving his fear away.


Ned could see his friend wasn't really happy about hunting a werewolf, but pressed him, "I say we give it another try. We could put one or two sheep out in the field as bait. I won't be shaking like I did last time so I can get a good shot at him."


"Okay, okay," Jake said between clinched teeth. "Don't tell Maria, she'll want to come, an we don't need a girl messin' up the shot."


"I won't tell her, but you ain't fooling me. You're just afraid she might get hurt. Yah, I know we're both kind'a sweet on her."


"You ready, Jake?" Ned questioned as he walked up to the Housa house. "I got a silver ball all loaded. I'll prime it when we get to the hedge row. Did you get a sheep tied out in the field?"


Yah, Pa let me use two older ones, just in case they get eaten."


Jake's father and mother were worried about the boys going out in a full moon. Gus told them, "You boys be careful. You know this beast wants revenge for the shot you took at him. Make sure you got a good shot, Ned, there won't be time to reload."


"I will Mister Housa. If silver will kill it, he'll be dead by midnight."


Jake held up his hand, "Just a minute. Grandma wants to say a prayer over us. I don't think that'll hurt our chances."


They were hardly out of the barn yard when the soft voice of Maria called. "You didn't think you would get away without me did you?"


"Damn, that girl knows what we're doing before we do," Ned swore.


"An she brought her two brothers---what's their names, Carlo and Guiseppe?" Jake muttered. "They're sure a mean lookin' two, an I see they brought their clubs."


Ned pleaded, "Maria, this could be dangerous. Your brothers look tough, but this monster could pick them up one in each arm. Please go back home before someone gets hurt. An look. You aren't ready for a cold night out here. Ya only got blankets wrapped around yourselves."


"No go back," Maria shouted. "We help kill this thing." Her brothers nodded approval, although it is doubtful they understood the words she spoke.


"We got to get moving, the moon will be out shortly," Jake interrupted. "I guess we can't stop you but I don't like it much."


As they approached the hedge row separating the pasture from the potato field another form emerged. Ned brought his musket up to prime it when a female voice called, "All right you werewolf hunters I'm here to show what a bunch of fakes you are."


"Natasha," both boys said in unison. Ned was first to recover and swore softly at her. "Natasha get the hell out'a here. You could get hurt or worse, get us hurt,"


"I'm not going anywhere. You think you can scare me with your wild stories, well let's see this monster," she replied.


"We got to get set up," Jake warned. "If they won't leave, we can't make them."


With that they proceeded to hunker down in the same spot in the hedge row they had used before. The moon was up illuminating the field and woods beyond. The leaves were off the trees now giving a clear view into the far woods.


"I'm cold. It's no fun out here," Natasha whined.


Ned couldn't stand her any longer, "Shut up you miserable bitch. No one asked you to come out here," he snapped.


"There is something moving in the woods," Maria whispered. "See it is just a large form but it is coming toward the field."


Ned steadied his weapon on the log, "I see it! See that funny walk it has---kind'a like a swinging motion. The sheep are terrified, bawling and pulling at the rope. When he gets to the sheep I'll put a silver ball in him."


Just as the huge hairy form was about to reach the sheep, Natasha jumped up screaming, "I know you're a fake, just a man in a fur coat and I'll rip that mask off." She was running toward the form that stood watching her get closer and closer.


"Shoot the bastard, Ned," Jake was shouting.


Ned was sighting down the barrel, "I can't. That dumb bitch is right in the line of fire."


With a mighty swing of its arm the apparition grabbed Natasha, lifting her off the ground and in its swinging gate ran back into the woods. Terrified screams echoed across the field as the girl now realized this wasn't a fake after all. "Help me, please help me. Oh God, don't let him kill me." Then it was silent.


The boys, Maria and her brothers were racing across the field but slowly entered the woods, not sure what they would find. Finally Jake called out, "Over here, she's over here."


Natasha lay in a bloody heap. Her heavy coat was shredded like so much paper. Her dress was torn into strips where sharp claws had raked her body. But she was alive, which seemed a small miracle in itself.


"Wrap this blanket around her. She's cut all over her body. We must get her cleaned up," Maria ordered.


Then words hardly audible tumbled from the wounded girl's lips, "He raped me, he raped me."


In Italian, Maria ordered her brothers to carry the girl back to the Housa home.


What happens next? Our tale continues in The Silversmith Chronicles, Episode Two.


Coming Soon


The Silversmith Chronicles


Episode Two


Sam Hossler


Who is the werewolf?


Will Natasha live?


Will the werewolf kill humans?


Will the boys manage to kill it?


You won't know until you read Book Two!


