3:AM Magazine

By Fred Zackel.

A baseball bat up against the side of the head kills the werewolves. Aim for either pointy ear, or their furry mouths, or the soft part of their throats. Strike as hard as you can. Pound ‘em, like nails into soft wood. Don’t ever run out of gas on Apple Hill Road. Long walk to town on a moon-lit night, it is, bashing werewolves as you go. And she’s got to come with you ’cause you can’t leave her there behind, just like she can’t go alone, leaving you behind. Nope, you’re in it together, unless it‘s over for you. Keep the bats in the backseat. Give her the aluminum one. It’s lighter. Show her how to swing. Girls don’t got upper body strength like boys got. Oh, she’s got enough to do the job and keep you going, and you can help her, if she’s willing. Swing as hard as you can, sweetie (you tell her.) Every monster you kill, it’s a home run. Your butt against her butt gives you both three-sixty coverage. Gotta be touching, though; that’s trust. And don’t step off the road. On the grass, you’re theirs. Don’t let them drag you into the corn, corn high enough to hide the scarecrows, yellow eyes amid the fireflies. Maybe if you each live through this, you were meant for each other. Werewolves got skulls like eggshells. Hit ‘em and they dissolve like dandelion fluff. Hit ‘em and they turn to glistening powder in the moonlight. Butt to butt, keep swinging. Now you know what true love is.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Fred Zackel’s first novel Cocaine and Blue Eyes was re-released by Point Blank Press in November, 2006. He teaches at Bowling Green State University in Ohio.

 

First published in 3:AM Magazine: Thursday, September 25th, 2008.