Wolf Asylum Read Online Free PDF Page A

nothing stopped him from doing whatever he wanted. The only renovations he had done was having a bedroom and bath installed next to his office for the late night entertaining he assumed he would engage in. Since its completion, Darwin had only used it for private time with himself.
    He slumped in the leather chair, reclining enough to put his feet on the desk. The art on the wall he found himself most transfixed by was the Doolittle lithograph titled
Power of One
. It was the depiction of an Indian on a horse charging from the mouth of a cave, as though he was about to go to war. In typical Doolittle fashion, there were images surreptitiously concealed within the art. Like white noise, the bears watched their prey secretly, waiting to lunge at the perfect moment. For now, they chose only to reveal themselves to the fears of imagination.
    Darwin wasn’t sure why he liked this picture, but it was the one he found himself lost in the most.
    Somewhere between sleep and rest Darwin sunk away from the lithograph and cracked his eyes to find himself in a place he had not been since December. The underworld had again taken him and he was at the stone altar in his mind. The cave room was silent except for what sounded like a winter storm howling beyond the rock. The weather was not loud, but present.
    â€œYou have done well despite our warnings,” a voice broke in.
    â€œThank you,” Darwin replied, excited to hear from his masters.
    â€œGratitude is irrelevant. Your plan must proceed,” the voice returned.
    â€œIt is moving ahead,” Darwin stated. “You must be aware of that?”
    â€œProgress is slow, you must accelerate the plan.” Now it was a trio of voices.
    â€œExplain?” Darwin asked.
    The masters lectured: “Complacency. Someone approaches, but they remain hidden to us.
    Destruction approaches,” the voices breathed. “Complacency must be replaced or face your end,” The sound of three voices came from one face now; a powder white canvas with no eyes, nostrils, or mouth now at an intimidating distance from Darwin.
    â€œWhy do you come to me if you can’t give me answers? I can’t do my job if I don’t know what to watch for!”
    â€œRemain vigilant, young Darwin,” all three voices said.
    Darwin was again in his office with his feet on the desk just as they had been before. The voices of the other world were now gone, replaced with two onlookers sitting on the opposite side of the desk with one clearing his throat.
    â€œAre you okay, Darwin?” Tim Waters asked. “That was a damn deep sleep you were in.”
    â€œI’m fine, just a little tired, I guess,” he lied. “Why are you two here?”
    Clint Littleford responded like a college frat dressed sloppily for a Halloween party. “Now I’m hurt! It’s Tuesday, beer night!” He wore a plain leather patch to cover his badly scarred eye that Caroline had clawed from its socket months earlier. He could see, but the eye looked more like a tattered rectum, so he opted to keep it covered. Clint held up an eighteen pack by its cardboard handle. “You forgot, didn’t you?”
    â€œSorry, it’s just been one of those days. Actually beer is probably a great idea. Mind if Caroline comes along? I promised her we’d let loose tonight and chase down some prey.”
    â€œOnly if we can get in on that action! What did you have in mind?” Clint asked like a child at Christmas.
    â€œI thought we’d make a withdrawal from Special Handling and release them in the woods. While they run and spread the scent of fear, we can change and do what we do best. Then we can have ourselves some fun!”
    â€œWhat’s the celebration?” Tim asked.
    â€œIt’s a celebration of who we are,” Darwin said simply. “It’s time we let out our untamed animal. I thought it would be fun.” Darwin reached out for a beer while