The Winter Creek Beast by CP Bialois

 
     
    Prologue
     
    Celeb Wells never paid much attention to the witch trials that threatened to tear his hometown of Salem apart. He’d been content living his life as all thirteen-year-old boys do, playing when he wasn’t in school or church. He couldn’t help but smile at the memory of throwing rotten vegetables and rocks at the people being taken away for their trial.
    He could hear his mother’s voice telling him doing that was wrong, but was it really wrong if everyone else took part? He didn’t think so, but after doing as his father asked the previous week when he was called before an old woman, he couldn’t help the fluttering of guilt growing within him.
    His smile faded as the memory of the old woman’s pleading came to him once again. What had been meant as a game to earn his father’s respect had left Caleb with a churning stomach the last few days. Worse still, it hadn’t been the first time he saw his father talk someone into falsifying testimony toward another. Each time it helped Caleb’s father and his family out in some manner. None of it made any sense to him, yet he found himself trudging along the street in an effort to cleanse his soul of any wrongdoing.
    As far as Caleb knew, the old woman hadn’t done anything aside from fail to lower her gaze when his father walked past. The memory of his father coming to him later that night and asking him to testify that the woman was a witch left Caleb confused, but he agreed simply to please his father.
    The following day, Caleb accompanied his father to the trial. When the woman was brought in, Caleb fell to the floor and thrashed about in a fit that terrified those around him. He heard their screams and prayers, but he ignored them and continued his jerking around until his father’s voice pleaded for him to come back. It was their prearranged signal, so Caleb slowed his movements before stopping them a moment later and opening his eyes.
    Though he didn’t understand it at the time, his actions had convinced everyone the woman was a witch. One of those in attendance took it upon themselves to leave the building and wait for the woman to be led to the jail. When the others threw their vegetables and rocks, he threw a hefty one he found and it struck her head, killing the old woman instantly.
    In the days since, his stomach had become worse with each passing hour until Caleb decided telling the local Magistrate was the right thing to do. As with his previous actions, he didn’t know what would happen, but he prayed good would come out of his decision. 
    He didn’t notice the woman dressed in a dark blue overcoat and dress approach him until they nearly collided. He jumped when he saw her, but not before something from the cup she carried landed on his neck and shoulder.
    “My apologies, Ma’am. I… wasn’t watching…”
    The woman shook her head. “No, it is I who should apologize. I’ve stained your shirt.”
    He looked at the pink liquid and smiled. “It’ll be fine. My mom will get it out.”
    She smiled at him. “Well, I hope it doesn’t set in too quick.” Without another word, she continued along her path.
    Caleb watched her for a moment. Something about her was familiar to him, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. Letting out a breath, he tried to dismiss it and build up his courage to finish what he started.
    He turned and took a step before pain wracked his body. The sound of bones snapping and screaming filled his ears to the point he tried to block out the sound with his hands. That’s when he noticed the size his hands had become as well as having thick, dark hair growing out from his skin. Until that moment, he hadn’t realized the screaming came from him.
    Caleb’s thinking started to muddle, as though someone had slowed everything around him. Within seconds, an uncontrollable rage started to grow within him to destroy those standing around him, staring and pointing at him. The townspeople shook off their horror