The Curse of the Werewolf Page #2

to make fun of me...

No, I am not making

fun of you.

I don't understand.

What's the matter?

What's worrying you?

What worries me is that the girl

upstairs is about to have her baby.

And as like as not...

it will be born on the very

hour of our Lord's birth.

Surely that should be

a reason to rejoice?

For an unwanted child

to be born then...

is an insult to heaven,

seor.

That's what I was taught.

In the village

where I come from...

the girls stay away from the

men in March and April...

just in case.

Let's pray the little child

is born too soon.

Or too late.

Otherwise...

Don't worry.

We'll have it born

exactly to suit you.

Oh.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Hello, what's this, then?

Nasty, that is.

Very nasty.

Dominique,

you lost any goats?

No.

Why?

There's a dead one up here

with his throat torn out.

Very nasty.

That dog of yours

been behaving itself?

Now, listen...

if there's a dead goat

up there...

with its throat torn,

it can't be him.

It'll be a wolf.

A wolf, eh?

Yes.

And you're paid by us...

to keep things

like wolves away.

A wolf, eh?

Hello, Pepe.

Where are you off to

so early in the morning?

Uh, got to see the mayor.

Got to report a dead goat.

While you're about it, you

better report a dead kitten.

Kitten?

Yes, I found a kitten dead

in my garden this morning.

Horrible state it was in.

Throat torn out.

Oh.

Little Leon's kitten, too.

It'll break his heart

when he finds out.

Yeah.

I think there's been

a wolf about.

Well, whatever it was, it certainly

made a mess of that kitten.

I didn't dare

let the little fellow see it.

No.

No. He can't stand

the sight of blood, can he?

No.

I remember the day

he came hunting with me.

Nearly fainted

when I shot a squirrel.

Cried his little heart out.

Well, I better not keep

the mayor waiting.

Goodbye, Pepe.

Oh, there you are, Leon.

Ready for your breakfast,

my angel?

I'm not hungry,

Aunt Teresa.

Oh, no lunch yesterday,

and hardly any supper

last night.

This won't do.

Come, I've made

some of my hotcakes for you.

You like those, don't you?

You seem to be falling down

on your job, Pepe.

You're employed

as a watchman...

not to loaf about all day, letting a

pack of wolves come up to the town...

stealing our goats

from under our noses.

But I've always tried...

If it hadn't been

for Dominique here,

the goats might never

have been discovered.

But it was I who...

However, I have no wish

to be unduly harsh.

I'll overlook it this time.

Now get on with your job.

I want those wolves dead

within 24 hours and...

delivered to me here at the

town hall, do you understand?

Yes, seor.

24 hours.

Not a minute more.

You may go.

There, rest quietly.

You'll soon be better now.

Try to sleep,

my little one.

I did shoot it, I tell you.

It was a young wolf.

I saw it and I shot it.

Where is it now?

Disappeared into thin air,

I suppose?

Yes.

I lost three goats last

night. And I lost two.

I can't help it if things

won't die when I shoot them.

Want to get yourself

a new gun...

or a pair of spectacles.

Or stick to water.

Come on, let's report this

to the town hall.

I did shoot it.

I did.

He must have got up

during the night.

It's the only explanation.

He must have got up...

come downstairs...

and gone out.

But if he'd come through here,

I'd have heard him.

You'd be asleep.

I'd have woken up.

He never came

down those stairs.

You mean he climbed

out of the window?

I just mean

he didn't come through here.

Oh.

There's only one way

of finding out.

Now.

I want you to tell me

everything, Leon. Promise?

I promise.

And truthfully.

Yes.

Where did you go

last night?

Go, Uncle?

Yes.

I know you went out.

Where did you go?

I was in bed all night,

Uncle.

Oh, Leon, you promised

to tell me the truth.

I am telling the truth.

Then how did you get hurt?

I don't know, Uncle.

You couldn't have been

hurt like that in bed.

I know I was in bed, Uncle...

because I woke up

in the night.

I had a bad dream

and woke up...

but then I went

to sleep again.

What did you dream?

I don't really remember,

Uncle...

not very clearly.

But it was like

the other nights.

Other nights?

I have bad dreams

every night now, Uncle.

I see.

Tell me, Leon,

when did these dreams start?

I think it was after

I went out hunting...

with old Pepe.

He wanted to show me

how to shoot.

He wanted me to

shoot a squirrel,

but I wouldn't.

So he shot it for me.

He pulled the trigger...

and the little squirrel

squeaked and dropped.

It was horrible.

I picked it up

and tried to kiss it better.

I kissed it,

and I tasted something warm.

It must have been the blood,

but it tasted sweet.

I wanted to

keep on tasting it,

but Pepe took it away.

I did wrong,

didn't I, Uncle?

No, no,

I don't think so, Leon.

Ever since then

I've had bad dreams, Uncle.

What do you dream?

I dream I'm a wolf,

like in a picture book.

I dream I'm a wolf,

drinking blood.

Help me, Uncle.

Please help me.

Yes, I'll help you.

Yes, it's one of his,

all right.

Where did you find it,

Teresa?

I-it was embedded

in a tree trunk

up near the pastures.

Oh, so he did miss.

I won't breathe a word

about it.

Ah, thank you, Teresa.

It would break his heart.

He's been so upset as it is.

Will you have

a glass of something?

No, thank you. I must go.

There are elemental spirits

about us...

at all times, my son.

Spirits without bodies...

of creatures

that have never lived.

Some say it is to prevent

the invasion...

of these roaming spirits...

into the highest creation

of God's sculpturing hands...

the body of man...

before whom

all beasts must kneel.

Some say it is to prevent

this invasion that...

man's body stiffens into

rigor mortis...

at the moment

of his death.

Roaming spirit entering the

body then finds only a...

dry, unwelcoming shell.

But, Father...

And you're wondering...

what this has to do

with little Leon?

Yes.

I'll tell you, my son.

Sometimes,

it so happens that...

the spirits of

one of these beasts...

finds entrance into a body...

while it yet lives.

Usually

at the moment of birth.

Then, the soul and the spirit

war with each other...

to gain mastery

of the body.

But if the soul of the man

is strong and clean...

we'll generally exorcize

the spirit of the beast...

before it is

many years old, but...

if for some reason,

the soul is weak...

an inherited weakness...

an accident of birth, then...

I see.

A werewolf.

That is what he is,

my son.

A werewolf is a body

with a soul and a spirit

that are constantly at war.

The spirit is that

of a wolf.

And whatever weakens

the human soul...

vice, greed, hatred,

solitude...

especially during the cycle

of the full moon...

when the forces of evil

are at their strongest.

These bring the spirit

of the wolf to the fore.

And in turn...

whatever weakens

the spirit of the beast...

warmth, fellowship, love...

raise the human soul.

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