“Where are you two off to?” Cheryl asked.

“Just off to catch some fish,” Mandy replied.

Cheryl nodded and took the kids toward the cow shed.

“Come on you two. We have mucking out to do.”

“Are we taking the camper?” Proctor asked.

“Why not. They won’t need it.”

She gunned the motor and they headed off to the nearby wilds. They tried to talk, but the night’s events had left a dark stain upon their consciounces.

“The track should be just along here,” Mandy muttered as they drove down the road.

“Ah here we are.”

She turned the wheel left and followed the dirt track until she slammed on the brakes.

“Something doesent feel right,” she muttered.

“I’ll get the M3’s,” Proctor replied reaching into the rear.

As they stepped out with fingers poised over the triggers, she nodded toward the empty car.

“You go right. Remember doctor, shoot first.”

“Don’t you worry. We all learned a lesson.”

As they approached the vehicle, Mandy saw the open driver’s door and what lay beside it.

“Oh no,” she gasped.

Proctor looked and saw what was left of two mutilated bodies. He pointed to the marks upon the dirt.

“Dogs must have got them.”

Mandy lowered the muzzle and gazed around.

“Perhaps we should forget this for today,” Proctor suggested.

“We came here for fish and damn it, that is what we shall have.”

She ventured back to the camper with him and pulled out the net. With their weapons put away, they carried the drag net to the river bank.

“It won’t take long anyhow,” Mandy said.

She sorted the net out and holding an end, tossed it into the stream.

“I had quite forgotten about muts,” Proctor muttered.

“I ain’t seen many around either. The pack must be scavenging.”

“When we get back to the farm, new rules will have to be applied.”

She looked at him.

“We are five miles away. Are you suggesting they could find us?”

“Packs can travel for miles you know. How is that net?”

She gave it a tug.

“Nearly there. I can roach in here.”

As the wind turned a strange sound reached their ears.

“That’s odd,” Mandy muttered.

“I can hear it too dear. Hurry up would you.”

She turned again and hauled on the net.

“It’s coming out. Get the box from the van eh?”

He soon found the large plastic container and hurried it over. As
she began putting the fish into it he saw something dark and menacing.

“We have company Mandy.”

She glanced up and saw the dog snarling from the nearby bushes.

“Just grab the fish and the net,” he hissed.

As he moved between her and the snarling animal, she made a rush for the van. As she reached it the dog pounced.

“Proctor!”

She saw the large heavy paws drive him down as teeth slashed at his exposed cheek. Another howl indicated the arrival of the hungry pack.

“Get him off!”

Mandy grabbed the weapon and fired at the pack. As they scattered in panic she aimed at the attacker and shot it dead. She scrambled forward and helped him up.

“I was damn lucky,” he muttered as they reached the van.

As they hurtled off she said, “That is the last time that we go there doc. Apart from your cheek are you okay?”

“My left arm has been bitten but it’ll heal. It wasent your fault.”

When they reached the farm, he sat upon the kitchen chair as she bathed the new wounds.

“What happened to him?” Cheryl asked.

“Dog attack. We found human remains too,” Mandy explained explained.

She applied a plaster to the cheek and a bandage to the injured left arm.

“Thanks for patching me up again.”

She smiled.

“Seems to be a habit now eh?”
...
As the merry days passed and summer grew hotter, his mood seemed to change. On the tenth day came the incident the women would always remember.

Mandy had been working on the van when Proctor walked passed.

“You couldn't give me another hand?”

He turned savagely.

“Go to blazes. I’m not your ruddy skivvy!”

She was so shocked by this out of character outburst that she kept it to herself.

The following morning, eleven days after the attack, he started complaining.

“The damn cheek seems painful today.”

“You want me to take a look?”

“Would you Mandy?”

He sat down as she removed the bandage. After a few prods and careful examination she gave her opinion.

“It’s healing nicely my sweet.”

“No swelling?”

“None that I can see.”

“Probably just annoying me then.”

At the following breakfast, Mandy came down alone.

“Where is Proctor?”

“He is terribly tired today. I’ll take up the eggs and orange juice.”

After boiling them slowly, she returned to their room.

“You should be honoured dear. Breakfast in bed.”

As she approached he lashed out an arm. As the tray went flying he hissed, “I don’t want that!”

She backed out of the room slowly and dashed to the kitchen.

“Something is terribly wrong Cheryl. He damn well nearly attacked me.”

“In a bad mood is he?”

“A dark one I'd say.”

“Then let him calm down and try again later.”

During that night, the good doctor started complaining of thirst and swallowing spasm he could not explain.

“Just sit tight and I’ll fetch it.”

As she reached the door he said, “Sorry about breakfast. I don’t understand what came over me.”

She smiled back and said, “We all need a dark day once in a while. Even you.”

She soon returned with the glass but as she approached the bed he suddenly went into a violent spasm. As the body bucked, thick white foam spewed from his mouth.

Mandy stopped dead and rushed to the next bedroom.

“Out of bed Cheryl right now!”

“What’s the matter?” the woman yawned.

When she got outside, Mandy dropped her voice.

“It’s Proctor. I’m damn sure he has rabies.”

Cheryl’s face dropped suddenly.

“How can you tell?”

Mandy grabbed her arm and led her inside the bedroom.

The cop stared at the writhing figure.

“Oh drat!”

Proctor was moaning loudly and spitting the foam in all directions.

“You better lock the door.”

When they left, Mandy turned the key.

“See what I mean?”

“He has it. Must have been that dog attack. So what do we know about this?”

Mandy thought back to her medical school days.

“The victim is highly infectious and can become deranged. After that they die off.”

Cheryl nodded.

“Whatever you do don’t go inside unless you are armed.”

“I’ll sleep with you tonight then.”

By dawn the doctor was quite lucid but still complaining of discomfort.

“I can get you some painkillers but...”

He nodded.

“I seem to know why. Even I recognise these symptoms.”

“If only we had not gone.”

He shook his head and smiled.

“Seems as though my nine lives are quite done now.”

Within the hour he was banging upon the door like a madman. White foam spewing like thick lather.

“Let me out of here *****!”

The woman remained outside the room as the kids tended to the pigs.
After many hours they heard him collapse and dashed inside.

“He’s passed out,” the cop muttered.

“Help me to get him in bed,” Mandy muttered.

Working together they managed it and hurried out. When the sun rose
once more he was awake but terribly weak.

“Can I come in now?”

“Of course Mandy,” the voice croaked.

She entered with a bowl and sponge intending to clean up.

“Get out with that!” he howled.

She dashed out and locked the door.

By noon he was sleeping much deeper than usual. After a cursory exam she told Cheryl.

“He’s in a coma so I cleaned up. It won’t be long now.”

“What will you do with the bedding?” Cheryl asked.

“Burn it of course. Along with him.”

Doctor Proctor died at seven that night. As the moon rose a pyre began to consume his mortal remains.

It was ten next morning when the sad camper left the farm. As it drove through a silent countryside little was said.

“Where are we going?” Leslie asked.

“A little place I know,” Mandy said softly. “It’s called Gaspe Peninsula.”

The cop had not heard of that place.

“At least you know where we are going I suppose.”

“It’s not far from the St Lawrence river and overlooks the gulf too. “There is an island there called Anticosti.”

“It seems to remind me of my Cuban idea.”

Mandy smiled.

“Let’s just take a look at it.”

After several hours driving they finally arrived at the coast and saw the great river mouth to their left. Just ahead lay the rather small island.

“Much wildlife there?” Cheryl asked.

“Brown bears you mean?”

The cop shivered.

“That is what I was thinking about.”

“You won’t see them this far south my dear. See that other larger island?”

“I know what that is,” Cheryl boasted. “Newfoundland.”

“You got it in one.”

Mundy pointed to the beach and said, “That’s a rowing boat.”

“You have good eyes,” the cop said.

“I’m wondering if my parent’s farm was a bad idea.”

Cheryl shook her head.

“We have many weapons there now and have proved that it can be defended.”

“You don’t think this island is rather better then?”

The cop shook her head.

“A rowing boat could reach it quite easily my dear. Another thing. When your damn winter arrives, we would be totally cut off. That sounds like a death trap to me.”

“Suppose you are right. I wonder if my net would be useful here?”

Cheryl pointed to the great river.

“We live not too far from Montreal my dear. Why not fish from the river nearby. It’s a lot less wide there.”

Mandy thought it over.

“I’ll have a think about that. After our last trip there, it’s a place to be avoided.”

“Come on kids,” the cop said. “Time to head back now.”

The camper moved off at a leisurely pace, heading back towards the farm. When they arrived, the pyre had burnt itself out at last.

To..be..continued...

really getting good Colin, :)

Ta..Have just edited..Must have been tired when checked..Let myself down really..