Dog Raid

It was the last snowy day. The clear blue sky since the onset, signaled to the life in the snow that the upcoming days would be enjoyable. People would soon come out of their snow-masked houses and clear off the white cover. Soon, it didn’t mean the exact moment.

The stars had started to come out. People had dropped the drapes. The slow risen smoke from the chimney was fading away in the deep blue sky. Hopefully, they had regained their peaceful times. They let the work slip away for a while. At least for the next two days. They all had slipped off to retire, in a few hours the slow-paced village would sleep beneath its white cover.

The villagers were relaxing, getting cozy near their fire place. It was warm and comforting. They all were tired of the past months. Each day of rigorous work. The minimum anyone had to do was to clear off the snowy track. They were expecting a whole month of leisure, no more tiring disturbances.

Now, they wanted to rest. The year had been sprinkling down snow each night. Everyone’s eyes were warm and were about to shut down.

Except two people.

Viktor and Bogdan were climbing up the hills. These two hunters had no intention to sleep. They were jogging in the snow, with their bulky outfit. Their legs were sinking in half a feet snow with each step. But nothing stopped them. Hanging six rabbits’ carcasses across their waist. Both were not ready to turn back. Panting, laughing, exhaling out fumes, they kept climbing up the hill. They were heading towards an old wreckage. It was an abandoned house on the shadow side of a snow-sheathed hill. Villagers called it – ‘Maksim’s Den’. Acclaimed to be cursed.

A reason for adventure seekers to get attracted to that waste.

Indeed, it was true. The place they were approaching had an infamous past. Maksim had a very bad reputation among the villagers. Rumored to be a criminal. Adding to the suspicion, people thought him to smuggle slaves. However, it was considered a silly rumor. About two decades ago, news of his death had spread all over the area. That too was a rumor. Actually, it wasn’t confirmed yet.

’But the curse is true.’ As their friend Okb used to say. He seemed confident in his words. He was the one among many who had told them about the place. There were many incidents about adventure seekers who turned mad and unconventional after visiting the place. There was one story told to them which concluded with the death of the adventurer. So, people had warned them to stay away from the cursed ruin.

Youth demands adventure.

They were no cowards. Belonging to a hunting family, they both had a long list of stouthearted acts from their history. Surviving twenty-one years in the damn cold world, they had the courage to defeat two wolves in a brawl, that even single-handedly. ‘It’s what we inherit’, that’s what Bogdan kept telling. Not just his relatives, but everyone he met. He told it to them.

They belonged to a hunting lineage, but the twenty first century parents were docile. Over protective as Bogdan stated. They never supported their hunting profession. ‘Nothing like the old generations’, that’s what Viktor added.

The plan to investigate the den was Viktor’s idea. Actually, there had to be three exceptions that night. Seeing the other two agog faces, Okb failed to stand his ground. In the morning, he had promised them to help. However, the eve turned out to be beautiful. So, it had only called out for two exceptions.

Okb was not going to come.

Unknown to the fact, Viktor and Bogdan stopped out of the den. Sparse vegetation on the other side of hill. It was a long way home, but the clear sky was a relieving news. The blue warmth hidden above the ocean textured heaven was an indication of upcoming pleasure. Ignoring the poetic beauty of nature, the duo walked under the wooden shed. Waiting for their third companion.

“Hey! He’s late.” Viktor spoke out loud.

“Is he? By the way…Who?” He replied.

“Are you drunk? Obviously, I am talking about Okb. Why you think am I standing outside for? ”

“You like standing outside.”

Viktor was convinced, but the third’s absence was making him angry.

“Where is he? Damn him. He said he would get us in. We need a man of necromancy. In case, the rumors are true, we don’t want to get cursed.” Viktor buzzes out with anger.

“O Yes!” Bogdan thought something. Held his head, if it was hard to remember. “I remember. He told me this afternoon. He would stay in his bed and support us with his spells. Wasn’t that good Viktor? I escorted him home and wished him luck. He wished back.”

Viktor slapped his head. “Great!”

He didn’t say anything rough to his brother. He let it go. “Oak… Oak… Okb. When will you change?” He whispered to the smooth frost breeze. He kept it within his cold heart, the answer that he won’t change. His hands voluntarily put off his wooly cap. Anon, the chilly air touched his ears. And put it back on.

“Ooooo! It’s chilling. We ought not die out here. It would be a shameful end.”

“What about the curse, Brother?”

“Screw it. Anyway, the cold has been screwing us for long. If we will stay out any longer…we will be left cold. Let’s move in.”

They walked up to the entrance. There was no door. Only a doorway leading into the wooden structure. It wasn’t warm as they entered in. The floor creaked very badly as their boots stepped over it. They walked casually over it. They were assured nothing would go wrong. It was just another ordinary shack.

“No ghost. Brother. I see no dead man. Ye see something?” Bogdan said examining the place.

They could see three doors. Viktor went on to investigate more. The first two offered nothing interesting. He did find something in the third room. Something, that made him shout out for his brother.

But Bogdan heard something more distracting. Viktor was repeatedly calling him. Instead of responding; he stepped outside the house.

Looking at the far tall trees and the blackness settled at its bottom. Far reaching the east to the hills, he kept looking at them. Squeezing his eyes constantly to see something, it seemed funny. Short suppressed sounds had originated out of the black bottom of east hills. In seconds, it had surrounded the house. He wasn’t expecting anything bitter. The hillside had always been quiet and peaceful.

But the sounds were portending something. As if thunder clouds were approaching. It was gradually intensifying with each second. The source was getting closer, it was loudening up. Like short bolts of thunder.

His steps were at the threshold. It was not just a single source. There were many. At random moments, he heard random outbursts. The weather had turned more chilling.

The cold breeze slapped his face. Viktor was still shouting. Did he respond? No, he didn’t. How could he? He wasn’t moving. Not a single tissue was responding. Motor nerves were frost bitten as if they had gone deaf. He was a living statue expecting something from its lifeless surroundings.

And the response came straightaway. A loud wave of barks bursts out. Howls and rumbles that tumbled him over. His steps fumbled. His eyes remained seeing the unsettled bottom of tall woods. From the radiant blue night came out glowing eyes of dogs. Neon eyeballs, heading right towards him.

Unstoppable, rushing towards the den. Like a wave of untamed thunderclouds, they were emerging out of every possible direction.

Bogdan was stunned. He stood up hurriedly. Somehow, he ran towards his brother. Entered the third room. And tripped again.

Tried closing the door.

“What are you doing?” Viktor stopped him.

“It’s the…” Before he could have closed the door. Suddenly, two dogs entered the room. The house got unexpectedly filled with barks. Third tried entering. Bogdan kicked it out. And slammed the door. It broke some of the hinges. Nonetheless, he held the door closed.

However, two dogs had already entered. They were running here and there. It was all in an instant that one of them jumped and bit Viktor’s forearm. He wasn’t expecting this. The fur jacket he was wearing was quite thick. Its teeth didn’t penetrate much into the muscles. It did tear his foreskin. And a bloodstream flew violently out of it.

Viktor was caught up by frenzy. He landed several blows to the dog’s skull and threw it outside the window. Following him, Bogdan kicked the second one out. Before they could reenter, Viktor closed it.

They could hear the barks, loud and clear. He took a glance outside the window. There were dogs running all round. He peeped through the door. There were jaws and paws all out in the hallway.

“What is happening?” Viktor asked. With his bobbling eyes he looked at Bogdan’s confused emotions. He was holding the door closed. He too was baffled. It was an unexpected dog raid.

They could hear the annoying shouts of dogs hurdling around. Anger was slowly dominating over them, but they lacked energy to fight back. A rigorous day of hunting and they didn’t have any intentions killing innocent dogs. In addition, they lacked weapons to fight them off. Dogs were at least…they didn’t count. They were too many in number.

Viktor was in no disposition to risk their lives.

Just then he heard his brother screaming. Because his eyes had caught the reason why Viktor had been calling him over.

There was a man lying dead on the bed. Corpse, all dried up, it had green tint . Arms crossed over the chest and eyes missing. Chins had suffered several tears. And through the nostrils, Bogdan could see the dark vacuum of its head.

“A corpse. O God! Is this the end?” He quailed out loud.

“No! Don’t cry.”

Just then Bogdan felt the door tremble. Viktor heard the thump too. Dogs were trying to barge in. The door was not that strong. The door knob fell asunder from the door into the hallway. Bogdan noticed through it. A dog at the bottom of the door was trying something menacing.

Through his side, a paw came through the bottom of the door. They were scratching their way in. More scratching followed. They were trying to get their head through the small portion. Pushing its nose through…a little more. Bogdan stomped its nose.

It might had yelped, but the barks had gulped it in. At the exact moment, Viktor sighted slight movement in the corpse. He didn’t catch it, but it was like dead fingers fluttered. Was it undead? Before he could investigate, there was a huge thud at the window.

Dogs were trying to break in. Nothing was going to survive longer. They had already attacked the door, now they were charging in from the window.

“Hold the door.” Viktor screamed. He jumped to the window. And held it strongly. The dogs were not giving up. They couldn’t see the reason behind their outrage. They were confused and frightened.

“Viktor! Is that the grim reaper? I see death.”

“Don’t cry, Bogdan. Remember the day we fought three wolves. If you can beat those up. Then these are just filthy little dogs. You can fight, brother. Believe me.” He tried motivating him.

Anon, the dogs breached in. It was strange how the lower portion of door broke. Before Bogdan could react, it ran in. Jumped straight at Viktor.

But Viktor was ready for it. He left hold of the window and landed a roundhouse at the dog. Kicking it straight at the window. Before it could have regained its senses. Viktor picked up the chair and slammed on it. Furniture broke into pieces, splinters of wood were all over it. This time, it yelped.

While Bogdan was busy guarding the gate, dogs outside in the hall were getting furious. Barks were getting intense. Dogs were trying to bite and were scratching his legs.

“What should we do?” He asked while standing near the door, from where he was letting his hopes slip away. Seeing his brother’s arm bleeding, he was losing his will to fight. He too was injured. But it didn’t bother him. They weren’t worried about themselves, they were much concerned about each other. Knowing how the other was feeling. They didn’t want to see each other become dog food.

Viktor was willing to live. And reason to live drew a broad smile on his face. Seeing the smile emerging on his stretched face, his partner became willing too.

“Don’t worry. I won’t die today.” Viktor assured him.

“If ye won’t. Then, I will live too.” Bogdan replied.

“You saw the ledge in the hall. We just need to climb it. Hopefully, there’s no way they will…(breathes) get us. It is easy. We open the door…jump up. Hold and Climb. Simple!” Viktor was grinning with confidence. He believed in the simplicity of his strategy.

It wasn’t that simple. The ledge was at least seven feet above the ground. Beneath it was the horde of dogs. So, Viktor was suggesting jumping half a foot above height and climb up a ledge, which was surrounded by furious dogs who were waiting to tear them apart.

Was he joking? No, he wasn’t. The hunter duo had its own way of handling wild problems. And they were ready. As the door opened. Dogs were at their feat. Tried charging in the room but the duo came out with a surprise.

They came out roaring like Siberian tigers (once did). All the dogs yelped and stepped backwards. Viktor threw a few rabbits out, which magnetically attracted a few of them out. Seeing the space, they jumped up. They had grabbed the ledge, Bogdan climbed up easily. But Viktor was hanging from the ledge. His injured forearm was not letting him climb. Dogs started to growl and assaulted his legs. They were jumping on his lower leg.

Bogdan laying on the ledge extended his arm towards him. As he gripped his wrist, the struggle began. He was pulling him up with his full strength. Putting the upper body strength to pull him. Dogs had almost bit his toe off, but their strength wasn’t at par with his brother’s.

Viktor swung his lower body rapidly, like a mad pendulum. He was trying to hook his leg up the ledge as the hero would do in action movies.

“Hold on!!!” He screamed and pulled him up with his complete strength. Those were some tough minutes, but Viktor had climbed successfully.

They were standing on the ledge seeing them, they were staring back with vicious intentions. Eyes gleaming with murderous intent and seeking a next chance. Hunters had been merciful, yet they were growling at them. For few minutes, they remained in the hall growling and barking. Some of them tried touching the ledge. They failed.

Bogdan was trying to break the roof. He was desperate to escape. Even if they manage to jump out of the den. How would have they escaped the trouble lurking around them? It would surely outrun them.

Just then, Bogdan noticed that the hall had been silent. The dogs were standing still, there was no barking. He looked at the door, he admits that he heard some whispers back then. Coming from inside the room. Something like ‘Welcome!’

Viktor still refuses to have heard something like that.

The dogs entered the room. They heard the rumble and grumble as the dogs tore down the frozen corpse. Bit by bit, tissue by tissue. In about half an hour, they marched outside the house. Viktor had successfully broken the roof. They climbed out to the open roof.

They could see the pack running east to the pole star. Some of them had bones grabbed in their jaws. The pack returned back in the black sheath of the forest, from where they came out. They retired back to their leave bed.

The duo jumped down quickly. Bogdan peeped in each room. No one was there. Everyone had left. Beasts were away with the corpse.

But the stillness they had left behind was inexplicable. It was strangling the two.

“Would it have been the curse?” Bogdan asked.

“No, I highly doubt it.” Viktor responded quickly. He wasn’t curious to know. Raids like these were not new, he had heard from his granddads about such brutal incidents. But it used to be a thing of past. Anyway, Viktor felt lucky to survive through something unexpected.

Yet, He suspected it to be related to the curse.

They ran back to their village. As quickly as they could. They were a little afraid but very much thrilled. Their faces were red-hot with enthusiasm to tell Okb about the incident.

However, the night had grown. And the houses were closed.

The moon was out and bright, exposing the blood traces all over the snow laden streets. The juicy blood drops trailing them were enough to grow a thousand suspicions. They were badly injured, fresh dog bites would soon suffer suppuration. For worse, they could die out in this cold. Their corpse would lie right at the village center, cold and dead.

No one will be there to attended it.

The next day, the people would come out again. Ignore the frozen red tracks on the road. Resume their work and soon, they would return back to their snow-covered houses after clearing off the white cover.

No one will notice the indications seriously.

It must had been the first sunny day of the year.