*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧—chapter thirty: wellness

August 23, 2021
Hackett House
Upstate New York, New York

TRAVIS HAD PARKED THE POLICE CRUISER IN THE DRIVEWAY. The engine was pretty quiet, a low rumble, soothing to his ears. He could equate it to color noise. White noise, if you wanted to be specific about which one it was. But it wasn't helping his anxiety. His right leg was bouncing and he was drumming his fingers on the door. Travis has been sitting here for five minutes, contemplating whether or not to go into the house.

Time was relative, but every second, minute, and hour that passed mattered. Travis never realized just how late—early?—it was until he gazed out the window while sitting there in the car. It wasn't as dark as it had been earlier when the sun first started to rise. The darkness was fading pretty fast as it was possibly nearing somewhere around seven o'clock. The black and deep purples of the sky had already started morphing into shades of pink, orange, yellow, and hints of blue, more blue now as the seconds ticked by and got later into the morning.

He turns away from the window and brings a hand up to his face, rubbing his eyes as a sigh leaves his lips. He's had no sleep for three days straight. Cassidy knew about, well, everything. Kaylee, Constance, Jedediah, and Mary were all murdered last night. Fenris was dead in the woods. Silas was at the camp with all the remaining counselors and Caleb and Gabriel. Chris and Bobby were inside the house, alone, with four corpses. The counselors were alone at the camp yet again. Travis had been doing the same shit he'd been doing all week—he's getting tired of his job. And nothing was getting any better for anyone.

Even thinking about what would happen when it could finally be resolved. When the truth could possibly—

No.

That still had to be kept secret. No one could know how the whole werewolf thing started. No one could know the full truth about the now-dead Fenris Driscoll. No one could know that Silas Vorez was no longer a threat to the current residents of North Kill. No one could know anything about last night.

No one but him and his remaining family, Ray, or even Ryan knew about what happened in the fire six years ago.

No one should know about anything that happened in North Kill since Hackett's Quarry first opened in 1953. It's not like anyone believed the news stories anyway. Everybody thought witnesses to any of the matters had been lying.

It was all overwhelming and Travis had no idea what to do anymore. He couldn't keep lying to the entirety of North Kill county. He was certain they'd all lost his trust already. So, maybe Ray and Cassidy had been right this entire time. And everything had been going wrong because of himself, because of his father, and because of his grandfather. He, Jedediah, and Septimus always held the truth from people, whether or not it was to someone they could trust. Ultimately, that was their downfall, and it took this long for Travis to realize that nothing could ever go right for them. All because it was their faults.

"Fuck."

It's quiet, barely above a whisper. He had muttered it as he shuts his eyes again, hiding his face behind his hands. Frustration and anger were clawing at his heart, but something else was there too, wanting to tear it apart and rip his entire being to shreds.

His guilt.

It wouldn't leave.

It couldn't.

Not when Travis Hackett holds grudges.

When he sits up in the seat, dropping his hands and looking back up toward the house, he can see a light turn on inside. Dim. Yellow. Eye-straining. A set of blinds in one of the front rooms moves, but he can't really see who was looking through them. Then, the front door opens.

His brothers exit the house, and he can see them watching the car, as if waiting to see if Travis would ever get out. Though, Chris had been reluctant to leave the house right away, and Bobby had had to usher him out.

It's only then that Travis meets them at the door.

"Mornin', T," Bobby greets him.

"Morning, Bobby," Travis replies.

Chris hadn't spoken a single word yet. He's looking at Travis, staring at him with narrowed eyes, as if suspecting something.

"Stop looking at me like that," Travis comments, noticing his brother's glare.

Chris huffs in annoyance, rolling his eyes. "Why did it take you this long to come back, T?"

"What you gettin' mad at Travis for?" Bobby questions, brows furrowed in confusion as he looks at Chris. "It ain't even his fault that the—"

"Shut up, Bobby."

"Chris—"

"I said shut the fuck up."

Bobby scowls and walks away, heading to the car.

"Chris, what the hell? You don't talk to Bobby like that," Travis snaps. "When's the last time you did that, anyway?"

"Like hell I'd know," Chris says with a laugh as he shakes his head. "You know what's funny?"

"You're losing your mind?"

"No," the camp operator snorts. "Every time this happens, your reaction's the same."

"Because you're losing your mind."

Chris just huffs and rolls his eyes. Crossing his arms as he moves away from the door and heads down the walkway, Travis following him to the car. "I'm still mad at you."

"Last time you said that, it turned into extreme hatred and you didn't talk to me for a week," Travis replies, shaking his head in disappointment. "Please grow the fuck up, Chris."

"You need to grow the fuck up."

"Oh, my fucking God," Travis mutters. "Okay, you know what? Since you're so unbelievably angry with me, why don't I tell you the truth about what happened? Since you're so mad."

Chris just laughs.

"You better fucking listen," Travis demands. "With everything that happened, you know it's not easy," came the response. Though, Chris didn't seem to believe him. The younger Hackett man was still giving him a hard stare. Travis sighs, "we got a bit held up. Cooperation issues. And then... other things. You know how it is."

"Me and Bobby were trying to call. To get an ETA. But, you never picked up," Chris has to swallow his anger, and not come off as irritated as he was. It wouldn't help the situation. He shouldn't even being getting angry. It wasn't as if it was Travis' fault. He averts his gaze. "We were starting to get worried. You always answer when we call."

"My phone never rang." A lie. Travis' phone was on silent—it's not supposed to be—and it had vibrated several times during the night, but he had dismissed the call every single time. He couldn't tell Chris that, though. "There's no service out there, Chris," he explains with a shrug. "You know that."

"It always rings no matter what."

"This time it didn't," Travis insists. Stop fucking lying to him.

"Travis," Chris continues, "I dialed—" he pauses. "When I... They normally transfer the call straight to you—"

"I never got a call from anyone."

"I just assumed—"

"Maybe don't assume."

"I called because I assumed something happened to you!" Chris says through gritted teeth. "I thought you- you died or something, Travis! I was calling to make sure you were all right and you never fucking answered your goddamn phone!"

"Well, clearly, I'm fucking fine, Chris! I'm not fucking dead!" Travis refrains from getting any louder than he already was. "You think you're fucking talking to a ghost?"

"I could damn well be! The supernatural ain't so fake after all." Chris' volume drops and he relaxes his hands, flexing his fingers. "Jesus Christ..." he mutters as he looks back up at Travis not even a moment later. "Look, all I'm saying is, you coulda done some occasional check-ins or something, just in case..."

Travis rolls his eyes. "Does it look like I'm dead?"

"We- we can't lose anyone else, Travis. We already lost Kaylee, Ma, and Pa. We can't lose you too," Chris' voice wavers as he speaks. "If you died, we wouldn't have gotten to say goodbye."

It was a pre-camp day in June 1982. Usually, on these pre-camp days, the Hackett brothers would hang out at the lake all morning.

A nine-year-old Chris was sitting on the edge of the docks at the boathouse beside six-year-old Bobby. The two younger Hackett brothers were trying to skip stones in the lake, and Bobby was ultimately failing to do so. Chris had only managed to skip about five.

Travis, sixteen years old at the time, was leaning against a wooden support on the dock, arms crossed over his chest as he stares out over the water. Well, he had been until Chris said something.

"Are you sure Chackett and Thackett is forever, T?"

"What d'you mean?" the older Hackett boy questions, raising an eyebrow as he looks at his younger brother.

"You and I; we won't be Chackett and Thackett no more when you leave for college. And Bobby can't participate in the Chackett and Thackett thingy 'cos Bhackett sounds stupid. 'Sides, Chackett and Thackett is just an us thing," Chris responds, tossing another stone into the water.

A pout forms on little Bobby's face as he crosses his arms. "It ain't stupid—"

"Shut up, Bobby," Chris snaps, picking up the biggest stone from the pile, "'fore I hit you with this damn rock."

"If you do, I'm tellin' Ma!" Bobby whines.

"You always fuckin' snitchin' to Ma all the damn—"

"Hey!" Travis snaps, walking over to him. Chris stands up abruptly, looking up at him with a scowl on his face. "Don't talk to him like that, you hear? What the hell's wrong with you?"

"You gonna be gone soon, don't know why you care about my attitude or how I treat Bobby," Chris spits. "Not like you ever cared in the first place."

"You gonna stop?" Travis tests.

Chris scoffs. "No? The hell I'd do that for?"

"I know you're upset, Chris, but you can't just—"

"I'm more than upset, T," he says, tilting his head to look at him better. "You ain't gonna be here for much longer, you know. You been wantin' to get your ass out the house for so long, I just know it. You gonna leave me and Bobby... And you also gonna find some pretty girl and forget about us."

"Okay, now what gave you that suspicion?"

"'Cos Ma said—"

"Fuck what Ma says! She's just saying straight bullshit 'cause she doesn't like how I wanna go about my future. And Pa—"

"Pa don't do shit no ways. He and Pappy go huntin' all day just to come home and do absolutely nothin' for the rest of the day, 'sides gettin' into arguments with Ma."

"He doesn't do shit 'cause Ma ain't letting him!"

Chris ignores him and continues, "Things are gonna be worse when you join the police. Ma already disagrees wit your choice. She says you gonna make it your entire personality."

"Chris—"

"You ain't gonna care that we gonna miss you. You probably just gonna ignore the calls we try to make and the letters that I'll send—"

"Chris, you know I ain't gonna forget," Travis interrupts, not averting his gaze. "Shut the fuck up."

"You say that now, but watch... It's gonna happen and I'm gonna be right." Chris sniffs and dumps the pile of rocks into the water. "And when you leave, we can't say goodbye, 'cos you'll already've left."

Chris gets up and turns around, heading back to the boathouse, leaving both Travis and Bobby at the docks.

"Travis?"

Travis had barely heard Chris say his name. The sheriff felt nauseous. The feeling of guilt digging its way to his heart. Chris would have been right. If Travis had died without notice that something would've happened, he would have made the same mistake from thirty-nine years ago.

Abandoning Chris.

Abandoning Bobby.

When the last thing he ever said to them were words he wishes he never said.

And they would have not have had a chance to say goodbye.

"Travis, I didn't mean it... Are you listening? Please don't ignore me."

Travis, forgetting where he was for a moment, snaps back to reality. His hands were shaking as he glances up at Chris.

"I'm sorry," his apology was quiet, a little bit above a whisper, but just barely loud enough. He was sure Chris almost hadn't heard him.

Chris furrows his brows, the quiet words registering in his mind. "For what?"

"For never apologizing to you that day at the docks. For never writing to you or calling home. For everything I said I would do, and then I didn't," Travis answers, looking away again. "You were right, Chris."

"Travis—"

"You were right."

Silence follows. Neither of them know what to say next, if anything at all.

Chris shifts awkwardly on his feet before saying anything.

"We should probably get back to the camp now," he suggests quietly, changing the subject. "You know, they're all out there by themselves again."

"The only difference is, there's no threat this time," Travis replies. "They can't get hurt. Nor do they have the risk of dying."

"That doesn't matter. And you know that. They're my responsibility. They're kids, you never know what could happen," Chris says.

"They're fine."

"Are they really? They had one hell of a night."

"And whose fault is that?"

"Travis." Chris is giving him a stern look.

It was a warning. He wanted him to stop. Travis shuts up, which prompts Chris to continue.

"You still coulda let us know about everything else in advance," he says ad he shoulders past him and heads down to the driveway to get to the car.

It really hadn't been all that great since Chris found out about the deaths of Kaylee, Constance, and Jedediah just a few hours ago. Or that Travis had put all the responsibility on Cassidy that night to watch the other counselors. Chris wasn't in favor of it at all. Travis could tell. Especially for the latter issue. It was as if Chris' heart had been ripped out of his chest, crushed in someone's fist, shattered to a million pieces, and then a black hole, or maybe even a pit, where the heart should have been, replaced it.

Travis just hopes they could sort something out later. Once the kids get taken to a hospital.

He runs a hand over his face, a sigh leaving his lips. Dropping his hand, he makes his way back to the car.

"We goin' to the camp now?" Bobby asks him as he winds down the window and looks at him.

Travis nods, not saying anything as he opens the door and gets back into the driver's seat. Slamming the door shut, he puts the car in reverse and then backs out the driveway, before turning the wheel and heading out onto the road.

✧ ✧ ✧

The trip back to camp was silent, neither of the three brothers speaking. Well, except for at the beginning of the car ride, when Chris had asked Travis to tell him how the curse was fixed. How it ended. What he, Cassidy, and Ryan had done to end it.

Travis had told him everything, but then they had started arguing when he told Chris that he'd shot Cassidy.

And now they were sitting in silence.

It wasn't that long until the brothers reached the camp. Travis parks the car just inside the camp's entrance. Chris and Bobby get out the car. Travis does not.

None of the counselors nor Caleb nor Gabriel nor Silas had noticed the three brothers' return. To Travis' dismay, they were too busy talking about the evidence that had been collected and how they were going to explain everything to the police. But Cassidy was the only one to notice their return.

He had been sitting on the steps leading up the Lodge, and had gotten up upon hearing the car doors slam shut. Noticing that Travis had yet to exit the car, he walks over and pulls open the passenger side door, taking a seat.

"What are you doing?" Travis asks him when he pulls the door closed.

"Wantin' to know why you're just sittin' here and not gettin' out," Cassidy answers, not meeting his gaze. He taps his fingers against the door. "Why did you shoot me?"

Travis is silent, not meeting his eyes. The sheriff is eyeing the holster on his utility belt. He removes the handgun from it and holds it out toward Cassidy. "Here. You can shoot me in return. An eye for an eye."

The boy stares at the gun before shaking his head as he looks back up at his father. "No. Are you crazy? I ain't gonna shoot you just 'cos you shot me. It won't solve anythin'. And I might kill you..."

Travis takes the gun from Cassidy, but doesn't put it back in the holster. He sets it down on the dash. "What do you want then?"

That was a good question.

In truth, Cassidy wasn't sure what he wanted from Travis. An apology? Maybe. But he was expecting plenty of other things, not just that. And he knew that if Travis was going to apologize, it would probably be an 'almost-half-assed-not-really-knowing-how-to apologize-to-anyone-not-even-your-own-son' kind of apology.

"I..." Cassidy closes his eyes for a moment as he thinks. But by the time he opens them again, he still couldn't figure out what he wanted. "I don't know. I just know that I ain't lookin' for revenge or anythin'. Just an apology from you. An apology for everything. Mostly what you did to me. Lyin' to me all the damn time."

"You... want an apology from me?" Travis asks him quietly, not meeting his gaze. He wasn't really one to apologize to people. And Cassidy demanding an apology from him was the last thing he expected. "You think an apology's going to fix this?"

"No, I—" He sighs, shaking his head. "You hurt me, and words ain't the only thing that's gonna fix it. Nothing can fix it, but I need to know you still care. I just need to know whether or not you meant any of it."

There's silence that passes between them. Silence that takes a bit too long that when Travis had finally responded, Cassidy was confused.

"I didn't."

"What?"

"The answer is that I didn't mean any of it. I just... There's a reason for me doing everything I did to and for you."

"Then why don't you tell me, huh? Why do you shut us out? Why do you shut me out? Why do you constantly—"

"Cass, don't. Please." Travis was starting to sound upset. "I've shut people out my entire life, but I never even thought I'd ever shut you out... I... I was doing the right thing the first four years... But things went left once you turned five, and I was struggling. The only thing I ever did right from there on out was taking care of you on the full moon. I never did much otherwise, with me at work, and you at home with everyone unless Chris took you, Caleb, Gabe, and Kaylee to camp during the summer, and unless Pa and Bobby would leave to go hunting, and Ma always stayed home anyway.

"You know I'm just trying to help you. I want you to live a normal life, but with everything that's happened, we just can't make that happen. And I've always wanted you to make the most of your life, but the risks it includes... if you ever died, I don't know where I'd be."

Cassidy stays silent, letting Travis' words settle. He meant everything he was saying, Cassidy knew that. And it was making him upset now that Travis was starting to get upset.

"But why did you shoot me earlier?"

He's noticed that he's always asking Travis why. 'Why this,' 'why that,' 'why anything at all?' Why, why, why. And he never gets a solid answer in response.

He wasn't sure Travis knew his own reasoning behind anything he ever did.

"I'm still trying to figure that out, actually. If I hadn't aimed at... If— I could have killed you..."

"Yeah, no shit. You almost did. And you might as well."

"What? You don't mean that, do you? You... you don't really want—"

"I don't know what I want," Cassidy says through gritted teeth, his lip quivering and his eyes watering. "I've suffered too much, but a little bit more pain can't hurt, can it?"

"Don't. Cass, I can't lose anyone anymore. We can't lose anyone anymore. But I know it's impossible 'cause death's inevitable. And I rarely get this upset around anyone, but if you ever—"

"I'm not dead yet, so I guess you're doing something right," a light-hearted laugh leaves Cassidy's lips.

"I kept the promise that she wanted me to make, that I'd take care of you and protect you, and I'll continue doing so," Travis replies. "Beth was the only person who understood me. She loved me for me. But... when I found out she was pregnant, I... I think I was just afraid. Not of being a father, but because she was infected, you know? I was always worried about what would happen during the pregnancy while she was... And because, you know, Mary was with her, I never knew what happened during the full moons. I didn't know if either of them were safe. I always thought something would go wrong. So, when she told me, all the worry and fear got to my head and I... Dammit... Divorcing her was a mistake I wish I could take back. I wish I hadn't left her alone. I wish I'd been there..."

"You couldn't've prevented it, Dad—"

"No, no, that's what you don't understand. I-I could have prevented, Cass. I had an responsibility and I failed."

"The problem is that you keep doubting yourself. You always think of the worst when the worst was never even a thought. It keeps you on your toes, yeah, but, if you keep having that mindset, then—"

But Travis was no longer listening.

He had been sent up to the hospital room as soon as he had walked into the lobby. Someone at the reception desk had told him where to go.

Bethany was on the hospital bed, but she looked so sick. And he had this bad feeling that she might not make it through this. If there was a greater risk of her dying, then that meant...

"Travis..."

She wounded weak and tired. Her skin was pale. Her breaths were shallow. The curse was killing her.

He stands by the bed, holding one of her hands in his. His other hand was threading his fingers through her hair.

"Everything's going to be okay, Beth," he reassures.

"There's... They have to perform a C-section," Bethany informs him, meeting his eyes. "They... They need to. There's no other way, Travis."

"You'll be okay," he says, running his thumb over the back of her hand. "The baby—Cassidy—is going to be okay."

She shakes her head. "You don't know that, Travis. We don't even know. No one knows, not even the nurses. There's... There's still a possibility that—"

"Beth, stop. Please. Don't think about the bad, think—"

"—about the good. I know. I know. But... I... I'm scared..."

"I'm scared too... But it'll be fine, Beth. All right?"

"Travis, they said by the time this is over, I... It'll have gotten worse," there were tears in her eyes as she spoke. "I need you to promise me something. I need you to take care of him for me, protect him for me. Take Mary with you too when you take little Cass with you back to North Kill."

"Beth—"

"Listen to me, Travis... It's the only good thing that'll come out of this..."

He wanted to argue. He really did, but there was no time for that. He had do what she requested. "I-I know someone that Mary can stay with."

"Are you sure?"

He nods. "He's a friend of mine. Him and his son."

"The sheriff of North Kill? Hank Brandt?"

"Yeah, Hank. And his son Ray."

The door to the hospital room opens. There's a midwife and an obstetrician that enter the room. The obstetrician is the one who starts to speak.

"I do sincerely apologize if we were interrupting anything, but I'm afraid time is running out. Am I okay to start the procedure?"

Bethany looks up at Travis with an expectant look in her eyes. He nods.

"Everything's going to be alright, Beth," Travis says softly, squeezing her hand.

"I know," she says quietly, turning away from him to look back up at the surgeon. "Make sure my baby survives this."

"We will, Miss Martin," the obstetrician informs.

"Do you need me to step out?" Travis asks them.

"Only if you want to, Travis," Bethany answers.

He does.

And as he was leaving the room, he notices a folded piece of paper on the table bedside the bed. He picks it up and pockets it as he leaves the room.

He had been waiting for a while. And in that time, he had read the letter. It was addressed to their son, Cassidy. A heartfelt letter that said she'll miss him and Travis, and that she loves them. Travis had only read it about three times, and the first time he had gotten a good cry out of it. But the letter was already returned to his pocket by the time he was called back into the room.

He already knew the outcome of the procedure. Bethany hadn't woken up from the anesthetics. Travis knew her time had come. He knew this would happen.

There was a crying newborn baby boy held in his arms. His son. Cassidy. He had made it, even though the curse had been enough to be able to kill him.

But Bethany was gone. The complications involving the curse and her being pregnant while she was infected had resulted in her inevitable death.

The hospital room door opens. Mary peeks into the room. But seeing her brother-in-law holding her nephew, and the tarp covering her unmoving older sister in the hospital bed was enough to get her to realize what had happened.

Travis had to move out of the way to allow the nurses to bring the tarp-covered body of his ex-wife, his lover, his son's mother, out of the room.

"I'm sorry." One of the nurses tells him and Mary as they help bring the body out.

Once the door closes shut, there's a resounding silence that filled the room.

"Travis, what do we do now?" Mary questions quietly, her voice wavering slightly. She makes eye contact with Travis as she rocks Cassidy to sleep. The newborn had quieted down a lot from before, but he was still unsettled. He would have been calmer had he had his mother's touch.

Travis looks up from where he was sitting in the armchair, meeting her gaze. "We're going to North Kill once they let us leave."

Mary frowns. "I don't wanna go back to North Kill."

"I know you don't, Mary, but it's the only place you can be safe. I know someone you can stay with 'til you're eighteen. Then you're free to go anywhere."

"Fenris still roams in those woods, Travis. And you heard what happened two years ago. It's not gonna be safe for me, let alone a baby," she frowns as she looks down at her now sleeping nephew in her arms. "And I'm worried for him when he's older. How's lycanthropy gonna affect him? How do we even know he'll—"

"I'll figure that out when the time comes, Mary. Until then, there's nothing to worry about. I got it under control."

There's a knock on the door, followed by the sound of a voice.

"Deputy Hackett?"

"Come on," Travis gets up from the chair and leads Mary out of the room.

"Dad? Are you okay?"

Travis blinks away the tears and meets Cassidy's eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I just... I-I was always afraid of losing people around me. Worse when it would be family or a close friend. And after I'd been all cried out, I'd get angry. Angry 'cause they'd died. But I knew I could never do anything about it 'cause it would get me in trouble with the law. It's part of the reason I became a police officer. I wanted to help people. But you can't save everyone. It's impossible. And I'm just hoping and wishing the best for you, Cass. I don't want you to go through what I did, and I don't want you dying young, I don't want you dying in your twenties or thirties or something. Not like how Chris and I lost Amelia and Bethany."

Cassidy nods, a sad look on his face. "Yeah, I-I understand. But you know, if it ever comes down to that..."

"I know. If it ever comes down to that, it's inevitable," Travis replies. "Look, Cass, I've always cared about you, you know. I just can never express it properly. I feel so conflicted in those moments when I get angry with you, but I promise I'm not mad at you. My anger's toward myself, not you. It's just that... It's not... goddammit..." Travis is on the verge of sobbing. Cassidy has to lean over the center console in order to embrace him in a hug. A much needed hug.

One which causes the tears to fall.

Sobs are racking Travis' body and suddenly he feels like a kid again, crying in his mother's arms.

Travis nods against his shoulder. "I'm sorry," his voice was muffled. "I'm so fucking sorry, Cass..."

"You don't gotta apologize, Dad," Cassidy murmurs to him while rubbing his back. "None of this is your fault."

They had spent a few more minutes in the car before Travis finally decides to get out, Cassidy following suit. Travis had had to clean his face first before anyone questioned if he had been crying.

The others were no longer arguing about the events of the night and what would happen when the police and paramedics arrive, which was relieving to Travis. But someone was still on edge.

"So, what about all the evidence?" Silas questions Travis. "What are we gonna do about that? We can't dispose of it all. It's vital. It'll help our case, if they even charge us all and hold a trial for us."

Travis nods in understanding. "You kids want to tell the police the truth? Go ahead. I won't stop you." He takes a breath, scuffing his boots against the damp ground. "As for the casualties, we'll deal with them. I have a plan in mind."

"Is your plan lighting them on fire?" Chris questions, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. "I think becoming an arsonist or whatever is a fantastic idea, T."

"What else do you want me to do then?"

"I have a suggestion, Uncle T."

Travis looks over at Caleb. The others are looking at him too.

"Yeah?"

Caleb holds up a hand and starts counting off on his fingers, "One, no more fires. It's gonna cause another wildfire or somethin' and we don't need another one of those; you saw what happened last time." He didn't go into detail with that part, as everyone already knew what he was talking about. "Two, why don't you just have the corpses get taken to the local mortuary? We can get Kaylee, and Gammy, and Pappy's corpses cremated, like how Great-grandpappy was. And the other ones like Laura and Max, even Fenris and Mary—you know how theirs are out in the woods. But we'd have to get Mary's corpse cremated too. I don't really give a fuck what happens to Laura, Max, or Fenris' corpses, but that's where they'll stay."

"Look who finally has brains," Gabriel mutters, and Caleb reaches from under his shock blanket to smack him. "Ow..." He rubs his arm.

Caleb looks at Chris next. "Were the names and phone numbers of any of Laura's family or Max's family on the files in your office?"

"If I remember correctly, I think so. Have to check the contacts list in my phone. Think I have Laura's brother's contact and Max's mother's contact saved," Chris answers as he takes his phone out of his pocket. As he's looking through his contacts, he glances up momentarily to look at the counselors. "Surprised none of your families have made a single phone call since last night wondering why none of you are home yet."

"Speaking of home," Dylan says, frowning slightly, "Schrödinger's probably missing me..."

"Who's Schrödinger?"

"His cat," Ryan and Kaitlyn answer.

"Right. Shoulda known," a chuckle leaves Chris' lips. "Kinda obviously, ain't it?"

There's a silence that falls over the group. The counselors don't know what to say next, and Cassidy was not in the mood to continue talking. And it wasn't as if Caleb or Gabriel had anything else to say either. So, Silas takes the opportunity to speak again.

"So, you're certain we're not gonna get into any legal trouble?" Silas questions, asking the unsaid question he was certain the others had been thinking.

"They're going to be hard to convince that what happened here was werewolves," Travis answers, looking at each person in return. "But I'm sure the evidence should be enough."

This had seemed to lessen the tension, just a little bit. They all seemed to be a bit at ease now.

Travis reaches for the radio attached to his uniform and holds down a button before speaking into it. "This is Sheriff Hackett. I need all officers here stat. Over."

"What's your position, Sheriff? Over."

"At the camp. How long until you all get here, Ray?"

"Should be there in two. Over."

The sound of sirens was getting louder now, and within a few minutes, first responders had finally arrived, the vehicles entering the camp parking lot through the front gates. Police and paramedics. Firefighters had, strangely, not been here.

The police officers were here, well as many as were available. Deputy Ray Brandt, Officer Cooper Lanning, Officer Dennis Roland, Officer Harrison Donnell, Officer Amy Williams, and Detective Andrew Ramirez.

"What happened here, Sheriff?" Detective Ramirez questions, taking out a notepad and a pen. "There was a message a few hours ago. Something about a bear attack?"

Travis momentarily looks over at where his nephews and the counselors and Cassidy and Silas were still gathered by the stairs leading to the Lodge. Two paramedics had made their way over to them and were currently talking to them, asking about any injuries they have.

"Uh, yeah. There was an attack. These kids were injured during the night," Travis gestures toward the kids before looking back over at the detective. "It wasn't bears. We don't get bears here in North Kill."

"What do you think did it, Sheriff?" Ramirez asks as he writes something down.

"It was werewolves."

The other officers freeze, looking at Travis with confused and nervous expressions.

"Werewolves, sir?" Officer Williams asks Travis. "Those are creatures from myth. Are you sure you weren't seeing things?"

"These kids have the evidence to prove it. You could even talk to Silas the Dog Boy over there. Sure he'd be glad to tell you all about it."

The officers' eyes widen in fear.

"Why don't you all get assigned a duty first then we'll explain everything else later," Ray instructs, narrowing his eyes at them.

"I have something I need you all to do," Travis speaks next. "We got two bodies in the woods, four at Hackett House, and one here at camp at the boathouse docks. Bring them to the morgue."

"Yes, sir."

"Ray, Cooper, you two stay here."

The others got back into their cars and left.

"There's a chopper in the area, Sheriff," Cooper says when the last car leaves through the gates, sirens blaring. "Do you want me to call it in to retrieve the body at the docks?"

"Yes."

Cooper holds down the button on his radio. "This is Officer Lanning to Chopper 297J. What's your position? Over."

"Flying over the woods, nearing Hackett's Quarry. Over." A female voice responds. Officer McGregor.

"There's a body at the camp's boathouse docks. Bring it to the morgue. Over." Cooper releases the button and clips the radio back onto his belt.

"You know, Travis, those dumbasses might be the reason these kids are gonna be charged," Ray informs, lips pressed to a thin line. "We'll see what happens tomorrow."

"Yeah, we'll see tomorrow," Travis mutters, heading over to the group of kids and the paramedics. "Don't worry about being questioned," he tells the kids. "They won't want all the details anyway. They'll have you escorted to the hospital soon, so don't sweat it."

Every one of their problems had been solved with the words Travis had spoken. The sheriff didn't have to be nice to them. He could've continued being a bitch, could've keep his bad cop façade on. He could have made up some story that could have gotten the kids in trouble and none of the authorities would have believed them if they tried to explain what had happened during the night. They would have every reason to believe Travis. But instead, he wanted to help as much as he could. He had given them a choice to be freed, and they were taking up that offer.

"Double checking: Are you sure you're all okay to head over there?"

"Considerin' adrenaline ran out and we're all probably currently experiencin' shock, I don't think so, but it's better than nothin'," Cassidy answers before looking over at Sawyer, Kaitlyn, and Dylan. "Did the three of you manage to get a new rotor arm for the van?"

"It's right here," Kaitlyn reaches into her pocket and takes out a spare rotor arm.

"Great. Caleb, you in a good position to fix the van?"

Caleb grins in response to Cassidy's question and take the rotor arm from Kaitlyn.

The van had gotten fixed in no time. Later, Chris would have to take it, though, to bring the counselors to the Harbinger Motel. Travis was going to book a few rooms for them to stay for a while until their names were cleared once the situation had gets that far. As for Bobby, Caleb, and Gabriel, they were going to stay behind until the others returned. However long that would be.

Once they were all set, Ray walks over to Travis. "So, I see Mary's not here..." he says to him as he slows to a stop by where Travis stood by the van.

Travis looks at him form the corner of his eye and sighs. "Uh, yeah... She— Fenris killed her..."

"Mhm..." it was almost as if Ray was uninterested. The deputy gives him a look, and the sheriff could see a look of hatred in his eyes.

Ray pretends he was reaching for his gun as Travis takes a step back, eyes widening in fear. The deputy soon drops his hand and raises his fist.

There's a loud crack as as the deputy's fist collides with the sheriff's lower jaw.

Travis reels back in pain, rubbing his jaw. But before he has time to fully regain his senses, Ray's fist comes flying toward his face again. Punch after punch after punch. It just kept going. And it didn't seem like Ray was stopping anytime soon.

Travis stumbles back, his back colliding with the side of the van. Ray takes a step towards him and grabs him roughly by the collar of his uniform.

"Ray, get— off— of— me—" Travis splutters, coughing up blood. His face was starting to hurt and he could feel blood running down the side of his face.

"You fucking deserve this, Travis. I've been waiting years to give you what you deserve."

"Ray!" Cooper's shout momentarily diverts the deputy's attention away from Travis. The shout had not gone unnoticed by the remaining Hacketts and the counselors, who were looking at the scene before them in obvious concern. "Ray, come on man, get off of him! That's enough, dude! You're gonna kill him!" the officer grabs the deputy by his shirt collar and pulls him off of the sheriff.

Travis' uniform slips from Ray's grasp and he escapes Cooper's grip. He glances down at his bloody knuckles, breathing heavily, before looking over at Travis. "Wish I'd punched you until you fucking died."

"Ray, that's... that's enough... Never... Never fucking do that ever again, or else... else I'm gonna fucking make you resign, for real this time," Travis coughs again as he pushes himself to stand up straight, his back still pressed against the side of the van. His face fucking hurt like a bitch and blood coated the entirety of it, and he was sure he also had a black eye.

"Maybe do your fucking job properly first," Ray retorts, crossing his arms. "Fucking asshole. Don't know why I still work for you."

"Ray, drop it," Copper demands.

Ray rolls his eyes, but doesn't say anything else.

✧ ✧ ✧

When they arrived at the hospital, the receptionist hadn't bothered to ask any questions when the kids were ushered into the lobby. They didn't have to wait too long after getting checked in to be taken up to the hospital rooms.

Travis had been sent up to a hospital room as well to get his face checked out and patched up.

Cassidy is seated on a hospital bed. A nurse—her name was Susan—was checking him for injuries. She had him remove his shirt, only to be meet with bloodied bandages.

"When's the last time those were changed?" she asks him.

"A few hours ago," he answers, a tired sigh leaving his lips.

"And those bullet wounds... I'm assuming you were shot?" the woman inquires, raising an eyebrow.

"Mhm..."

"Nothing too serious then since there's exit wounds. Just some stitches needed. As for your arm, that's going to need stitches too. Other than that, you'll also just need new bandages." Susan heads over to a cabinet and gets out some medical supplies: rubbing alcohol, bandages, scissors, tweezers, and a suture for stitching the wounds closed.

The suturing hadn't taken that long, only a few minutes. It wasn't as bad as he thought. Needles only hurt for like a second.

Plus, he had new bandages wrapping his arm too. No more bloodstained medical bandages and gauze.

After Susan was finished wrapping the bandages, there was a knock on the door. The nurse opens it only a little. Cassidy can't hear the conversation, but he knows that Cooper or Ray must've showed up.

Susan's shoulders slump in disappointment as a sigh leaves her lips as she pulls the door open wider. A police officer, who Cassidy recognized as Officer Cooper Lanning, comes into the room, looking at the boy and eyeing him for a moment before looking back at the nurse.

"Is it okay if I pull him out for a bit?" Cooper questions.

"Officer Cooper, I'm not sure that's—"

"It's all right, Susan. Only taking him and the other kids to the station for some questions. They'll be brought back here in no time."

"Right. Right. Just..." Nurse Susan looks at Cassidy, "make sure nothing happens to that arm. You don't want to be here longer than necessary."

"Yes, ma'am," Cassidy replies, before following Officer Cooper out of the room.

author's note
hi lol

i cried for like ten
minutes when i wrote
that part about travis
explaining why he does
what he does. i can't
believe i wrote that. shit
was so upsetting. i literally
sobbed in my bed

they're going to be
interrogated, you guys
how fun‼️‼️ /j

guys!! ray beat up
travis 🤭🤭

i had to rewrite parts
of this chapter multiple
times and now the word
count is over 7000 words

12.23.22