To Hell and Back: Chapter Five

By nightfall, the doctor had taught them all the basics of lycanthropism. Mother heard and listened only occasionally asking a clarifying question here and there. Uncle Tobias was edgy the whole time but knew better than to but in. After hours of waiting he spurted out, "So what... we're gonna find some master werewolf, kill it, and that'll cure Amos?"

Mother looked calmly back at him, clearly more annoyed at him interrupting the lesson and less for his optimism. "That's exactly what we're going to do. You can help us or leave."

Tobias looked like he would explode. "LEAVE?! You think I'd leave and not avenge my own brother? Or do everything I could to protect my family that remains? But this isn't like hunting a regular killer, these are monsters Clara."

Everyone was surprised how quickly mother moved. She was up from her chair, across the room and had Tobias pushed against the wall. "And they've never seen a mother like me ready to move Hell and Earth to protect her child."

And that settled it.

"So doctor," mother said smoothing her ruffled shirt sleeves, "do you have any idea where these creatures are or who they might be?"

The doctor blinked a few times and replied out of nervousness than desire. "We only managed to kill one of the beasts and nothing about the man who it turned back into seemed noteworthy except one thing... when I analyzed the contents of his stomach, he had eaten many oysters with a spicy mustard I've only ever smelled once before...in Boston. My colleagues thought I was foolish to make such an assumption and discounted it."

Mother merely walked to the window. "It's late doctor. Might we stay the night? We've a long journey to Boston in the morning and it would be more convenient if we remained here."

There was no objections and no one in the room uttered a peep anyway.