roadkill (wip)

Trouble comes a knockin'

The shack had woken abruptly. Pain shooting through their temples on beat with the incessant rapping upon the front door. Everyone gathered to the living room half dressed, giving each other worrying glances. Barry slumped from his position on the couch "Who is it?" He demanded, grouchy enough to bottle the persistent knocker if they were trying to sell something at this ungodly morning hour. He yanked the door open to face half a dozen coppers.
"You lot wouldn't happen to know what kinda goddamn disturbance occurred here last night?" The officer's chilling tone was met with a frightened silence.
"These dogs out here were sent out on an important hunting and tracking procedure. So would any of you mind explaining why they're now feeding the flies on your front lawn?" He scowled, peering in at the group, taking count.
"Sir, those d- feral mongrels attacked me and my friends last night, one of which tried tearing off my fucking arm!" Barry's exclaimed, bearing his teeth as though ready to bite back.
"Listen kid, these canine units are trained to the highest of standard and wouldn't attack anything aside from their target. Unless say... they were provoked." The officer wiped the sweat off his receded forehead, then proceeding to pinch the ends of his wiry stache and smack his lips around a cigarillo.
"What? That's Bellshill, we didn't provoke them!" Willow moaned, visibly irritated, cheeks burning as she realised she had yelled at an officer of the law.
"You wanna know something..." the officer paused to light the cigarillo, "I could take you all down to the station and ensure you remain behind bars for life. So you had better watch your pretty little mouth and answer only when asked something." He eyed up willow, before flashing dirty looks at each of them. Landing on Justin, he noticed his fists clenched. Turning to his supporting officers he nodded them away to their cars, then warning the gang to not interfere further, advising they keep inside at night before they provoke anything else. With no response apart from hushed gulps, the officer swivelled on his heels. Flicking his cigarillo at the beast's carcasses whilst he mounted his bike. Giving a final menacing grin, his departing words were "You kids stay out of trouble now, this ain't the safest of woods." Then riding out of sight down the hill, the other cars followed. Barry shook his fist and slammed the door behind him. "Fuckin' pigs! Who do they think they are? Those dogs aren't trained, those things aren't even dogs!" He bellowed.
"What are the cops trying to track using those things?" Kasia gulped, crossing her arms into her silk pink dressing gown,
"Whatever it is, it might not be safe for us to stick around and find out." Lewis chimed in, paper between his fingers, "This means I can smoke inside right?" Barry shook his head.
"W-what are they after, that thing that attacked you in the out house?" Justin asked turning to Kasia,
"What, when the fuck was this?" Willow shouted, nervous at the news Kasia had yet to share.
As the others sat around the couches nervously crunching cereal, Lewis smoked on the porch. Keeping a close eye on his spliff between tokes. Justin broke the silence by asking Barry where lake he mentioned is,
"I'm not sure, though I did see a map of the surrounding area in my uncle's study, so we may as well have a look." Willow returned from the study.
"This one?" She asked, spreading the worn parchment across the coffee table. They observed the map, running their fingers along its paths,
"Looks like we can take this trail down the hills out these woods, won't take long!" Said Justin eagerly, he swiped the map and collecting his things together. All in agreement of enjoying their day at the lake, everyone packed their bags. Barry stuffed his with mostly beers, Lewis checked through what appeared to be a washbag of narcotics, Willow slotted into place the lens of her camera. Within the next thirty minutes, they were hiking down the uneven slopes. Twisting and turning through the trees surrounding the scarcely visible stoned pathway.
"Did you need to bring that?" Willow asked, pointing to the rifle slung over Barry's shoulder,
"I'm not taking any chances." He responded, lifting his bandaged arm, wincing. Lewis struck the flint of his lighter repeatedly as he followed, eventually stopping to light his cigarette properly before asking,
"Are we nearly there?" Justin stopped too, a few meters ahead. The others halted behind him awaiting patiently as he examined the map. Lewis offered to navigate, but was shooed away by Justin's free hand. The same hand a minute later pointed down a twist in the path,
"About a mile that way and I reckon we're there." He announced, the others sighed and followed.