Chapter XII: Well, It Might Work

Larry was driving Gwen's grandfather's car. Another car blared its horn at him and he swerved to avoid it. He blinked at the sudden glare from the bright daylight as he looked around at the street, the buildings. "Where am I?" he asked.

Gwen looked up at a street sign. "Bulevardul Decebal," she told him. "Just go straight about three blocks, then take a left."

Larry looked up at the approaching intersection. The light was green and so he continued. He turned at the sound of the air horn, and barely had time to see the front of the truck as it hit them broadside.

Suddenly everything was very still. There wasn't a sound, as the car tilted at an unnatural angle. Gwen's mouth was moving, possibly screaming, but still there was no sound. Larry watched tiny slivers of glass practically floating in front of him. There was what seemed to be a very large flame in his rear view mirror. Then everything went black...

Larry was driving Gwen's grandfather's car. Another car blared its horn at him and he swerved to avoid it. He blinked at the sudden glare from the bright daylight as he looked around at the street, the buildings. "Where am I?" he asked.

Gwen looked up at a street sign. "Bulevardul Decebal," she told him. "Just go straight about three blocks, then take a left."

Larry looked up at the approaching intersection. The light was green and so he ...

Larry hit the brakes as hard as he could and spun the wheel. The car turned sideways in the street, coming to a stop in the crosswalk. A car behind him squealed its brakes, barely able to stop from running into him.

"Why did you do th..." Gwen screamed at him, until she was interrupted by the sound of an air horn. A huge tractor trailer ran straight through the intersection, barely missing their bumper.

Gwen watched the truck, then turned to Larry. "He could have killed us!" she said.

"I think he did," Larry told her. "Gwen, I saw the whole thing, before it happened! He hit us, and... I think we died."

"Larry, I swear," said Gwen. "If one more freaky thing happens to you..."

"I guess it's one more question to add to our list for Zolfina," Larry replied. He put the car into gear as he said, "I really hope this isn't some kind of Final Destination thing."

He still had a green light and so he straightened the car and, after carefully checking all directions, continued.

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Zolfina poured tea from a blue and white pot into cups for both Larry and Gwen. "You have the gift," she told Larry as she set the cups in front of them. "It is not surprising. All women in my family receive the gift."

"Except I'm not either of those things," Larry replied.

"Apparently you are both," Zolfina said. She filled a cup for herself and sat with the young couple. "You were woman long enough to receive the gift, and apparently no one has seen fit to ask for its return. And there are many different types of family. Marko is my grandson, and it was he who turned you."

"Just great," said Larry. "So this gift; is it always that terrifying?"

"Not always," replied Zolfina. "It is also not always so useful." Then changing the subject Zolfina continued, "So, you said you were on your way here when this happened. Was there something you wanted from me today?"

"We asked my grandfather about werewolves, and he gave us this card," said Gwen, finding the card in her purse and handing it to the old woman. "We hoped you could tell us what it means."

Zolfina took the card. Then putting on her glasses and pulling them far down her nose she read.

"Well this is just an old poem," she told them. "I am sure you have heard it many times.  It simply warns that the curse is real, and all may succumb."

We wondered about the part on the other side," Larry said.

Zolfina turned over the card and read, slowly:

"If the first full moon should see a match
As lightning matches thunder
Their forms shall persist, for what God has wrought
No force may rend asunder.

"Mein Gott, is it possible?"

Zolfina said no more, but simply sat, staring at the card.

"The part about persisting," said Gwen, hoping to get more out of the old woman. "We thought it might mean a way to lift the curse?"

"Yes, yes," said Zolfina as she came out of her reverie. "That is most certainly what it means."

"And what about the rest?" asked Larry.

Zolfina looked as if she did not want to answer but finally said, "The final lines speak of a ritual. A ritual as old as man himself. But it is not possible."

Why, Zolfina?" asked Gwen. "Why is it not possible?"

Zolfina shook her head. "The first lines speak of a match, thunder and lightning! This can only mean one thing – a man, and a woman, both cursed. It can never work, because Larry and Marko are both men."

"But Larry turns into a woman!" Gwen said excitedly.

"And when Larry is a woman, Marko will be a wolf," said the gypsy. "You see, it cannot be done."

"But you said Marko won't change tomorrow night and Larry will," Gwen reasoned. "So tomorrow night we can..."

Zolfina cut her off saying, "Tomorrow is too late! It must be the first full moon. Tonight will be the last night of the full moon, and the last chance for the ritual. You see, it is not possible."

Larry put his head in his hands and rubbed his eyes. No one had anything to say for a while. Without much hope Larry suggested, "Weren't there two minutes where I had changed and Marko still hadn't? Could we do the ritual then?"

Zolfina looked up. "Yes! Except... two minutes is not enough time. The ritual would take much longer than this."

Please," said Gwen, seeing the disappointment on Larry's face. "Can't this ceremony be performed quickly? Cut some corners?"

"Madam Zolfina, we've got to at least try!" Larry pleaded.

"Only two minutes? Cut corners... perhaps if all was ready in advance," the old gypsy pondered. Suddenly becoming serious she stood and addressed Larry, pointing at him and saying, "But, Larry Talbot! You do not understand the gypsy way. This ritual, it requires commitment. It requires sacrifice." She pointed to the sky above and said dramatically, "It requires a promise before God!"

"I'm willing," said Larry. "I'll do whatever is necessary. All I know is, I can't live like this!"

The old woman looked at Larry. With great reluctance she told him, "Then we shall try."

"What can we do to help?" asked Gwen in her excitement.

"The two of you must leave," she told them. "Go back to town; do not remain at the carnival. All will be in readiness when you return, but I must be left alone to prepare. Now heed this warning, Larry Talbot! The moon shall rise at 8:42 this evening. You must be here, at this spot by 8:40, not one second later, do you understand? There will be no second chances!"

"I understand," Larry said, nodding his head. He and Gwen left Zolfina's wagon, returning to town.

Alone at last, the old gypsy woman allowed a tear to roll down her ancient, weathered face. "Marko, son of my son. This is your salvation." She looked up and crossed herself. "But please, may God forgive me for what I am about to do to Larry Talbot."

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Gwen wheeled the car off the highway, onto the main streets of Bistritz. The city was not that large, and they could easily reach anywhere in just a few minutes.

"So, where are we going?" she asked Larry.

Larry looked at his watch. "We've got eight hours to kill. I'm not sure. Any ideas?"

"I'm starved," said Gwen. "What would you like to eat?"

Larry thought about this. "I'm not sure. Anything is fine with me. Let's just stop by the Inn first, okay? I haven't worn my own clothes in almost a day!"

Gwen laughed. "Okay! Golden Crown Inn it is. But then I choose the restaurant!"

"Deal!" laughed Larry. Their discussion with Madam Zolfina had been a huge relief to them both, but especially to Larry. Knowing that there was a way to break the curse had lifted an enormous weight from his shoulders. Just an hour ago the thought of eating would have never occurred to him. Now it was all he could think of. Well, maybe one other thing, he thought as he smiled at Gwen.

Gwen brought the car around to the rear of the Inn, to the entrance of the small parking area. She entered the narrow drive that led beside the Inn and rounded the corner, looking for an empty space.

Suddenly two police vehicles pulled out of the parking area, lights flashing and sirens wailing, and blocked the entry to the lot. Gwen looked in the rear view mirror, attempting to back out of their way when two more police cars pulled in behind her, also with lights and sirens blaring.

Armed police officers suddenly surrounded the car, guns drawn and aimed. Gwen's door opened and she screamed as she was pulled from the driver's seat.

"What are you doing?" Larry yelled at the officers as he tried to grab her. "Leave her alone!"

"Get out of the car!" someone, somewhere seemed to be yelling at him. Maybe it was everyone, everywhere. Larry threw open his door and tried to run after Gwen. He barely had his feet on the ground though before he was struck, spun, and thrown against the hood.

"Gwen!" Larry called as Officer Dancescu slapped handcuffs on him behind his back.

"Larry!" shouted Gwen as she struggled against the officers dragging her away from the scene.

Detective Miklos approached the prisoner, a sneer plastered over his face.

Calmly, Miklos said, "Book him, Dancesco!"

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A/N: This does not look good! Larry, arrested and charged with Steve's murder? How can he possibly get to the gypsy camp before the moon rises? And what good is being able to see the future if your future is life in prison?

But then, maybe he's better off in jail. What did Zolfina mean when she said, "May God forgive me for what I am about to do to Larry Talbot"? Larry has so many problems I'm not sure if I can write him out of them!   "^_^"