Dusty May Jane is the Readers’ Choice in this week’s Indies Unlimited Flash Fiction Challenge. The winning entry is decided by the popular vote and rewarded with a special feature here today. (In the case of a tie, the writer who submitted an entry first is the winner per our rules.)
Without further ado, here’s the winning entry:
Not in My Town
by Dusty May Jane
The smell of blood was familiar to Carl Stroud. A thirst for violence and taste for young women’s blood rivaled his innermost beliefs and desires. He loved his wife and daughter and would protect them no matter the cost. He went to church every Sunday. He enjoyed coaching the little league team. Everyone respected him for serving the town as Sheriff the last three years.
He’d seen the results of a full moon in his town before. Oh how he prayed it wasn’t happening again. Arming himself with the silver-tipped bullet was necessary. He only hoped he could pull the trigger before it was too late and another victim met a terrible fate.
Now with the moon in it’s full form rising higher into the night sky, shivers crept across his skin. The hairs covering his body stood on end, lengthening, thickening.
Damn, the image he thought was a carnival worker didn’t try to run. Rather, it mimicked every move he made. Carl stood in front of the house of mirrors watching his own eyes turn amber and glow. He pulled his magnum from the holster on his hip already loaded with the only bullet that would do the job.
The transformation was quicker this time. Carl already felt the growl in his gut and the thirst on his tongue. Before he was able to place the gun to his head the wolf inside of him threw away the weapon and headed beyond the carnival gate to find his victim.
Yay! Thanks for the votes!