The small town of Hazzard was covered in a sea of darkness of the most blackened of nights. No moon shone over head, no stars twinkled in the night sky . . . there was only darkness. A steady breeze howled through the trees, holding an icy cold quality that no matter what the temperature was could chill one’s blood. Nights such as this one is when the unseen, the existence of that which so many deny, becomes a reality. When one finds out all stories they have heard about creatures that go bump in the night really do exist and monsters, other then mankind itself, walk the face of this earth. An orange stock car, shrouded in darkness, raced along the, otherwise, deserted road, its high beams doing little to cut through the darkness of this night.
    “Even with the dang headlights on I can barely see a thing.” Bo complained, to his eldest cousin, who wasn’t paying any attention. After a moment of silence Bo spoke again. “Luke?” still he received no reply, and he began to grow worried. “Luke, are you okay?”
    “What?” Luke questioned turning to look at his cousin.
    “Are you okay?” Bo asked, his concern apparent in his voice.
    “Yeah, I’m fine.” Luke said.
    “Are you sure? You seem a little . . . distant . . . it took a few tries for me to get you to even acknowledge that I was speaking to you.”
    “Sorry. Guess I was just a little lost in my own thoughts.”
    “Do you want to talk about it?” Bo said, he could always sense when something was bothering Luke, though he knew Luke really wasn’t one to talk about what he was thinking or feeling. Bo could always get Luke to talk, he wasn’t sure if that was because he was stubborn and never gave up or because of the close brotherly bond they shared, though he felt the later was more true after all Luke talked to him more then he did anyone else. “What’s wrong, Luke?”
    “I just don’t like all this darkness . . . it reminds me of some the dark nights in ‘Nam . . . there were nights that were as dark as this one is tonight and . . .”
    “And what?” Bo asked, urging Luke into talking.
    “They were some of the worst nights I have ever lived through.”
    “At least you lived through them.” Bo said quietly
    “Strange things lurk in the jungle . . . lurk in the shadows everywhere but most people are too busy to notice and deny that such things exist . . . but they do.”
    “What exists?” Bo asked
    “Creatures of the night . . . monsters.”
    “Are you serious?” Bo asked, wondering what had got into his older cousin, he had never heard Luke talk so crazy.
    “Yes.” Luke said quietly, his crystal, ice blue eyes looked haunted by some old memory.
    “Well they ain’t here in Hazzard.”
    “They are everywhere.”
Bo tightened his grip on the steering wheel, Luke was starting to scare him but what scared him even more was . . . Luke was always right. Silence filled the car once again as they continued down the road towards their home, the Duke farm.
     Suddenly, something appeared in the headlights standing in the middle of the road. Bo tried to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting whatever it was, before it was to late. The was a heavy thunk as they struck, and the whatever they was thrown up along the hood of the car, slamming against the windshield shattering it. Panic clutched at Bo’s heart and his body seemed to freeze in fear. Luke reacted quickly reaching over to grab the wheel and shoving down hard on the brake. The car jolted to a stop, and whatever living creature they had stuck rolled limply off the car, dropping the road. Bo’s dark blue eyes were wide as he stared straight forward.
     “Oh God, Luke, I just hit someone.”
     “It was too big to be a someone, more thing likely a something.” Luke said, as he reached in the glove box to pull out a flashlight. “I’ll check it out.” Luke moved to climb out through the window. “You gonna be okay?”
Bo nodded slightly, his face as white as new fallen snow. Luke took Bo’s response at face value and climbed out of the car.
Luke shinned the flashlight around, noticing the sizeable dent in the hood of the General and blood smeared against the, spider web, cracked windshield. He stepped around the car, the pale light of the flashlight, dancing along the road, and what he saw laying in front the car made his heart race in fear.
    “Bo . . . I think you’d better come see this.” Luke called back to his cousin.
Bo slowly climbed out of the car dreading the worse, fearing it had in fact been a person he had hit. He walked around the front of the car, and looked down at what Luke was shinning the flashlight on. A truly demonic creature lay on the ground, it’s skin looked leather, and shimmered in a deep green shade, it’s body looked muscular despite it’s thin frame. It’s large red eyes, glassed over with death, it’s mouth opened in a snarl reveling it’s sharp pointed teeth, it’s large bat like wings were spread to it’s sides, as though it had tired to take flight the moment before the car struck it.
     “What is it?” Bo asked, kneeling down and reaching hand out to touch it, almost as though to prove to himself that it was real.
     “Don’t touch it.” Luke said, in a quiet, firm voice.
     “What?” Bo asked looking up at Luke.
     “I said don’t touch it.”
Bo nodded and stood up, taking a step backwards from the strange hideous creature. A whining buzz, like the sound of fighter jet engine, filled the air, and a strong breeze whipped down the road.
     “Luke . . . what’s going on?”
     “I don’t know.” Luke said, hiding his fear from his voice, knowing he had to stay calm to get himself and more importantly Bo, out of this. “Just get back in the car.”
     “I don’t want to drive.” Bo said in a voice that sounded like a scared little child.
     “Then I will.” Luke said. “Get into the car and slid over to the other side.”
Bo nodded and quickly did what he was told. Luke walked around the dead creature, giving it a wide berth. He climbed in through the driver’s window and re-started the car, he backed up a ways then continued down the road.
     Bo sat in the seat trembling, he was terrified and wondered how Luke could remain so calm after seeing that dead creature. Luke drove quickly, trying to be alert of anything else that might appear in front of them again, praying nothing would.
     “Luke . . . what was that thing?” Bo asked, his voice was quiet and trembled slightly.
     “I think it was a Chupacabra.”
     “A what?”
     “A Chupacabra . . . though legends never have had them coming this far north . . . only ever reports in southern Florida.” Luke said, more to himself then Bo.
     “I never heard of it at all before.”
     “Its existence is denied . . . studied under what is known as cryptozoology which is, the study of animals which according to science do not exist.”
     “Is this what you were saying before about creatures of the night?”
Luke nodded slightly. “Yeah.”
     “There are more creature . . . out there lurking in the shadows, ain’t there?” Bo asked frightenedly.
     “I am afraid so.” Luke said.
     “How do you know about these things?”
     “I told you stuff happened in ‘Nam, those things made me look into cryptozoology.” Luke said in a distant voice.
     “Luke?”
     “Yeah, Bo?”
     “I’m scared.” Bo admitted, not caring if he sounded like a little kid.
     “So am I, but I promise that I ain’t about to allow anything to happen to you.”
     “So what does that creature do?”
     “Sucks all the blood, reportedly just out of livestock . . . goats, cows, that kinda thing.” Luke said.
     “So, we are safe . . . from it.”
     “So legends say . . . but there is other more dangerous things that we are not safe from.”
     “Like what?” Bo asked.
     “Many things.” Luke said, in a tone of voice that told Bo he wasn’t going to be saying anything further.
     They were about five minutes from the farm when the engine of the car began to cough and sputter . . . then died. Luke pulled over to the side of the road bringing the car to a coasting stop.
     “What do we do now? Walk?” Bo asked, trying to hide how scared he was, he didn’t want to seem like a little kid who was afraid of the dark, though at this point he felt like that was what he was.
     “Unless we can get the General running again we don’t have much of any option.” Luke said, pointedly.
Bo just nodded slightly, grabbing the flashlight as he moved to get out of the car. Luke climbed out quickly and stood waiting in front of the car. Bo cast the flashlight around, the light shimmering off of Luke, and Bo saw something that made his blood run cold . . . Luke’s eyes glowed in the light just the way a cat’s eyes glow in the dark when light touches them. Bo froze his body trembling like a leaf.
     “What’s wrong?” Luke asked, genuine concern in his voice.
     “What the heck do you think is wrong . . .” Bo said his voice trailing off, as he took a careful step backwards.
Luke sighed deeply, cursing under his breath, he had always been afraid that something like this would happen. “Bo, I can explain.”
Bo shook his head, not sure he wanted to hear any kind of explanation. “Your eyes . . . glow . . . that ain’t right . . .” Bo stammered his eyes wide, his complexion pale. “You ain’t really my cousin, you AIN’T Luke.” He yelled and darted off through the wood.
     “BO, WAIT!” Luke yelled chasing after Bo.
Luke felt a dark instinct kick in from deep within himself, something he had spent a long time control, but due to the circumstances of the night, he could feel that control slowly slipping from his grasp. Like a predator hunting its prey, Luke could smell Bo’s scent in the air, smell his fear, his vision becoming like that of a nocturnal animal.  Luke stopped running and moved slowly after Bo like a cat stalking through the tall grass to capture a small field mouse. Luke could easily follow Bo without any effort, even if these other sense had not become heightened, he could see the occasionally flicker of the flashlight that was still carrying with himself as he ran.
     Bo ran blindly through the woods, his heart racing with fear, he could only think of one thing attempting to escape no other coherent thought in his mind. He wasn’t sure how long he had been running it felt like forever, when suddenly, his foot became entangled in the root of a tree sending him sprawling to the ground. Bo attempted to scramble back to his feet, and Luke seemed to leap out of the dark shadows and tackled him, slamming Bo’s Body up against the tree, and pinning him by his shoulders.  Bo stared at Luke, with the look of an animal caught in a trap, awaiting its inevitable death. The pupils of Luke’s eyes narrowed to tiny slits, staring at Bo hungrily. Luke could feel the dark force in him crying out in hunger, the scent of Bo’s fear heightening its desire to feed. Luke could feel Bo trembling and fought hard to retain control. Bo was too frightened to fight back, to try to escape or to even find his voice to beg for his life to be spare.
     “Bo . . .” Luke started to say, not really sure of what to say, or how to explain this to Bo, though he knew he would die before he allowed it to harm Bo.
     “You ain’t my cousin.” Bo said in a soft voice.
     “Yes I am.” Luke said, he leaned forward and whispered the words he and Bo had said when they became blood brothers, word only the two of them knew.
    “Luke?” Bo asked in a questioning, frightened voice.
Luke sat back a little, though still holding on to Bo. “It’s me.”
     “But . . .” Bo said his locking in his throat.
     “I told you I can explain.” Luke said. “Do you trust me?”
Bo nodded with a moment’s hesitation. Luke smiled at cousin and let go of Bo’s shoulders. Bo felt himself calming down, he always had trusted Luke with his life, the situation of the night still had him scared but he was no longer frightened of Luke.
     “I told you before about . . . knowing about nights like tonight . . . I didn’t tell you the whole reason why . . . it is about what happened in ‘Nam . . .” Luke said his voice trailing off.
Bo sat listening intently, not saying anything as though not to break Luke’s train of thought.
     “It was night just like tonight . . . an abnormally dark night. I don’t really understand why it happens, just know that it does happen. These nights just seem to allow all creatures of the night to roam free.”
     “That don’t explain why your eyes were glowing . . . I mean you ain’t no creature of the night.” Bo said.
     “Just let me finish, okay?”
     “Sorry.” Bo said sheepishly.
Luke smiled, a friendly almost reassuring smile at his younger cousin. “It’s okay.” He said softly and took a deep breath, slowly releasing it before continuing. “It was a night like this one . . . so very dark . . . we were attacked . . . I don’t know by what but it was a blood massacre . . . most were either killed or left for dead . . . including me.”
Bo’s face paled once again, at the thought of almost having lost Luke then, it had been his biggest fear when Luke had been in the Marines, nightmares haunted him about it every single night that Luke was gone.
     “Obviously I ain’t dead . . . at least not exactly.”
     “What do you mean?” Bo asked.
     “This creature . . . I don’t know what it was . . . was there in the woods with us. I would’ve been dead if it wasn’t for it.”
     “It saved your life . . . so it was good monster?”
     “Yes it saved my life . . . I wouldn’t call it good but nor is it truly evil.” Luke said pausing not sure of what to tell Bo, he had never wanted to tell Bo any of this, but after the night’s events he knew he had no choice but to tell Bo. “I would’ve been dead. I was quite critically injured . . . I still would be dead . . .”
     “I don’t understand.” Bo asked, his dark blue eyes shimmered with confusion.
     “I’ll spare you the details but it entered into my body and . . . in a way it healed me.” Luke said.
     “So, it’s inside you? That’s why your eyes glowed and . . . all of that?”
     “Yeah.”
     “Well can’t you just cast it out or something?”
Luke shook his head. “No, I need it in me in order to survive, without it I would be dead. It keeps me alive . . . and I give it life. There is just some draw backs . . . dark urges to hunt and feed . . . but I can surpress those urges . . . even though it is harder tonight I still have control and I’d never allow you to be harmed.”
     “I know you wouldn’t . . . I just got spooked. I am sorry I ran.” Bo apologized.
     “It’s okay, I understand why you ran.” Luke said.
Bo gave a small smile, not saying anything, and gave Luke a brotherly hug, feeling bad having ran like that without giving Luke a chance to even explain the situation.
     “Let’s go home.” Luke said.
Bo nodded in agreement and they began to make the long walk through the woods toward the farm.
     Neither Bo nor Luke spoke for a long time, both seeming to be lost in their own thoughts as they tried to remain alert of any possible hidden dangers that lurked in the darkness of the night.
     “Luke?”
     “Yeah, Bo?”
     “Are you okay? I mean . . . with that . . . thing in you, you are okay right?” Bo asked, not really sure how to ask the question.
     “I am the same person I was before you even knew, if that is what you mean.”
     “I don’t mean that, I know you are. What I mean is . . . you said it keeps you alive so you are okay . . . you ain’t gonna get sick and . . . die or something.” Bo asked, his genuine concern apparent in his voice.
     “Yeah, I am fine and I will be just fine.”
     “Good.” Bo said.
     They continued on in silence there were just about to the farm when Luke sensed something in the woods, near them, he put a hand on Bo’s shoulder to stop him.
     “What’s wrong?” Bo asked.
     “There’s something out there.” Luke said.
     “Where?”
     “I don’t know.” Luke said scanning the area like a wild animal smelling the air. Bo remained standing quiet, he was still a little spooked by his knowledge of the thing that was in Luke, making Luke different, but all he really cared about was that fact that Luke was okay. A large furry creature suddenly came crashing through the woods towards them, growling, thick gray fur covered its stalky body, its red eyes glaring out at the boys as though they were dinner, it snarled at them baring its long jagged teeth. It stood about the size of a large Newfoundland dog on it’s four legs, and appeared all to similar except for its red demonic eyes and over sized teeth and claws.
     “Look out.” Luke said shoving Bo to one side as the creature made a leap towards Bo.
Bo stumbled, but managed to remain standing. The creature connected solidly with Luke, knocking him to the ground, flat on his back. It’s teeth snapped as it struggled to try to bite Luke, who held its head at bay, holding it by its front shoulders.
     “Luke . . .” Bo cried out worriedly, not knowing what to do.
     “Just stay back.” Luke said, flinching as he felt the beast’s sharp claws sinking into his chest, raking at him in long bloody trails.
Bo just stood, frozen in place as though he was a statue, watching with wide frightened eyes. Luke wrestled with the creature and it finally managed to shake free from Luke’s grasp, lunged its head forward sinking its jagged teeth deep into Luke’s shoulder. Luke screamed in agony as the teeth tore into his shoulder. He knew he had one change, and he reached down for his pocket knife, he knew the blade was short but it was the only weapon he had to defend himself and even though it was dull, with enough force he could penetrate the beast’s skin. He raised the knife and plunged it into the back of the beast’s head, were its skull meet it’s backbone. He twisted the knife, and managed to kill it, he felt its body go limp and rolled it off of himself. Bo rushed over and knelt down by Luke.
     “Are you okay?” Bo asked his voice fraught with worry, concerned by the sight of all the blood.
     “Yeah, I think so.” Luke replied as he pulled himself up into a sitting position, holding his injured arm tight against his body.
     “You don’t look okay, your shoulder looks quite bad.”
     “I’ll be fine.” Luke said, and using Bo for support pushed himself up to his feet. “Let’s just get home.”
     “Yeah, okay.” Bo agreed, still looking at his older cousin with concern in his deep blue eyes.
     “I’ll be okay, don’t worry, Bo.” Luke said, taking off his jacket and using it like a sling on his arm, keeping pressure against the wound with his other hand.
     “I hope so.” Bo said quietly.
     “Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it looks.” Luke said.
     “What was that thing anyway?” Bo asked, as they continued towards home.
     “I am not sure, some kind of hell hound.”
     “Oh.” Bo said quietly, trying to tell himself that this was all just a bad dream, that it couldn’t really be happening.
     “Everything will be okay, Bo, don’t worry about it.” Luke said reassuringly.
     “Will it be?” Bo asked.
     “Once morning comes it will be.”
     “It’s hours until sunrise . . . and this can all happen again once night comes.”
     “It won’t this don’t happen all the time, just once in a long while . . . I don’t know why it happens or why it seems to effect certain places and not others, I just know it is not permanent.”
     “If you say so. I trust you.” Bo said, his voice was quiet, and distant sounding.
Luke slung his uninjured arm over Bo’s shoulders, in a very big brotherly way. “It’ll be okay, Bo.”
Bo just nodded, and remained silent, as there didn’t seem to be anything to say.
     A few minutes later they arrived at the farm, the porch light doing little to cut through the darkness of the night. Jesse and Daisy were sitting in the front room. Jesse’s shotgun sat beside his chair, his hand on it when he heard the door open not knowing who or what was there, he breathed a sigh of relief when he saw it was Bo and Luke, though it quickly turned to concern when he saw Luke was bleeding.
     “What happened?” Jesse asked, his voice fraught with worry.
     “We were attacked.” Bo said quietly, as Luke sat down on the couch, holding his injured arm.
     “I’ll go get the first aid kit.” Daisy said, and rushed off down the hall.
     “I didn’t hear the General pull up.” Jesse commented.
     “The engine died out, we had a little accident.” Luke said, not really wanting to explain everything.
     “What did you have a run in with?” Jesse asked as he peeled of Luke’s blood shirt, seeing the extent of the injures.
     “Don’t know.” Luke said.
Bo looked pale at the sight of the blood and sat down heavily on the couch beside Luke, becoming even more concerned for his older cousin seeing the injures for the first time.
     “There seems to be a lot of strange things happening tonight.” Jesse said.
     “And a lot of strange looking things out there.” Daisy said, as she came back into the room with the medical kit, handing it to Jesse.
     “Where either of you out there . . . were you attacked?” Luke asked concernedly.
Daisy shook her head. “I was coming back from the work and there was this “big”, “huge” thing that was flying over head, I could hear its wings flapping sounding almost like thunder. It’s just weird out there.”
     “We should be safe in here.” Luke said, flinching ever so slightly as Jesse tended to his wounds.
     “What if something breaks in here?” Daisy asked, in a fearful voice.
     “We’ll be okay.” Luke said.
     “Luke’s right, we’ll be just fine, whatever this is will all go away.” Jesse said.
     “Did you get hurt at all, Bo?’ Daisy asked.
Bo shook his head. “No, thanks to Luke saving my life. I never saw that thing coming . . . to scared to even know it was there.”
     “At least Luke noticed it.” Daisy said, trying to look on the brighter side of things.
     “Yeah, I am grateful that he was there.” Bo said smiling at Luke, he wasn’t going to tell Jesse and daisy what he had found out about Luke, he knew there was no point, he knew in his heart it change who Luke was so it seemed like a pointless fact to mention.
Jesse finished tending to Luke’s shoulder. “There you go all bandaged up.”
     “Thanks a lot, Uncle Jesse.” Luke said. “I’ll go get a clean shirt, that one is basically garbage.”
    Luke headed down the hall to the bedroom he and Bo had always shared, with Bo following close behind.
     “Are you okay?” Bo asked.
     “I’m fine.” Luke said as he pulled on a fresh shirt. “Thanks for not mentioning . . . certain things that happened.”
     “Didn’t see no point in it. That secret is safe with me.” Bo said, smiling at his cousin.
     “Thanks, Bo, it really means a lot to me.”
     “I know you’d do the same thing for me.” Bo said, with certainty.
     “You better believe it.”
Bo smiled. “I do. Thanks for saving my life . . . if it wasn’t for you . . . coming after me I’d be a goner.”
Luke smiled at his younger cousin. “Well, Bo, it’s like you said, you’d do the same thing for me.”
Bo grinned. “You better believe it.”
     “I do.”
Bo gave Luke a brotherly hug, being careful to avoid Luke’s injured shoulder, then they went back out to the front room.
     The boys sat down on the couch, everyone was trying to hide how worried they really were.
     “I don’t like the darkness or the . . . things that are out there, it all seems like some kind of bad dream.” Daisy said.
     “It’s all too real through.” Luke said.
     “I know.” Daisy said sadly. “I wish it weren’t.”
     “We all wish that.” Bo said.
     “Do you have any idea what is going on out there?” Jesse asked.
     “No.” Bo answered for both himself and Luke, giving his older cousin a look not to say anything
     “What if something tries to break in here?” Daisy asked.
     “We’ll be fine as long as we are inside.” Luke said.
    A sudden knock on the door caused everybody to jump.
     “Now who could that be.” Jesse wondered out loud, as he got up to answer the door.
Luke got up to follow his uncle to the door, just to be on the safe side and Bo followed after him.
 Jesse opened the door and saw a tired looking man standing in the doorway.
     “Sir, I was wondering if I could seek refuge in your home from the darkness of the night.”
Before Jesse could reply, Luke answered. “No, you may not enter this house.”
     “Now, Luke, that ain’t being too neighborly.” Jesse said.
     “That ain’t no neighbor, just another creature of the night.”
     “Oh.” Jesse said, not really understanding.
The man’s face changed to demon, revealing his vampire form, and growled. “You allow one demon into your home and not another, not very “neighborly.””
Luke narrowed his eyes at the vampire, the creature inside him longing to do battle with this vampire. Bo stepped over next to Luke, with an arrow ready, grateful his bow had been in the house.
     “Leave now.” Luke said in a cold demanding voice.
     “Come out and battle me.” The vampire taunted. “I have always wanted to battle one of your kind.”
     “What is he talking about, Luke?” Jesse asked, standing there with a bewildered expression.
     “Living a lie are we?” the vampire questioned.
     “Leave my cousin alone.” Bo warned.
     “Having to hide behind a human, too afraid to fight your own battles.” The vampire continued to taunt.
Bo released the arrow, striking the vampires heart, in a matter of three seconds the vampire had turned to dust. Luke slammed the door shut his eyes glowing with anger. Bo put a hand on Luke’s shoulder.
     “It’s okay, Luke, just calm down.” Bo said softly.
     “What was that thing talking about?” Jesse asked.
     “Nothing, it was just a stupid vampire trying to find itself a meal or something.” Bo answered.
Luke just shook his head. “Let’s go out into the other room and talk about this.”
Bo gave Luke a look of ‘are you sure?’ Luke nodded at his younger cousin, hoping that he was making the right choice. Jesse walked out to the front room, with Bo and Luke following close behind, Bo kept a hand on Luke’s shoulder, speaking without words, telling him that no matter what he would stand by him. Luke took comfort in Bo’s presence, knowing that no matter how Jesse and Daisy reacted he would still have Bo’s friendship.
     “What’s going on? Who was that?” Daisy asked.
     “A vampire.” Bo said.
     “Are you kidding?” Daisy asked.
Bo shook his head. “No, hardly.”
     “But vampires don’t exist.” Daisy argued.
     “It’s rather complicated.” Luke said.
     “What do you mean?” Daisy asked.
     “Just let Luke say what he’s got to say.” Jesse said.
     “I don’t know where to start.” Luke said, not sure what all he really did want to tell Jesse and Daisy.
     “The beginning is usually the best place.” Jesse said.
     “Yeah . . . it had to do with . . . the way that tonight is. The darkness which allows certain creatures to roam free.” Luke said.
     “I thought you said that you didn’t know what was going on tonight.” Daisy said.
     “I don’t really exactly know, just some things but not why it happens. This ain’t the first time such things have happened.”
     “I have never seen anything like this before.” Jesse said.
     “I have, in ‘Nam.”
     “Oh.” Both Jesse and Daisy said quietly.
Luke was quiet for a moment not really knowing how to continue.
     “What did that . . . vampire mean about allowing a creature in? What was he talking about?” Jesse asked.
     “He was talking about me.” Luke said, in a voice barely above a whisper.
     “You?” Daisy asked in confusion. “I think it had things backwards about who is a creature.”
     “No, he didn’t. It is the truth.” Luke said, looking down at the floor.
     “Now, Luke, what makes you say that?” Jesse asked.
     “Because . . .” Luke said, and looked up his eyes appearing cat like once again. “It is the truth.”
Jesse and Daisy gave a startled gasp. Daisy sat tight against the chair her eyes wide with fear. Jesse just sat there staring at Luke, not saying anything for a long moment.
     “But . . . that ain’t possible.” Jesse said, his hand wrapped tightly around the gun, so tight his knuckles were turning white.
     “You don’t have to be afraid. I am still the same person and am not a danger. I can control what is inside of me.” Luke said.
     “We should try to cast it out.” Jesse said.
     “That can’t be done. I’d die without inside of me. I would’ve been dead but it went inside of me and kept me from dying. I had been badly injured, it is the only reason I am here, it gave me my life and I keep it alive inside of me. It is not truly evil, not all creatures and “demons” are evil some are just like normal human beings.”
     “How do you know?” Daisy asked. “And how do we know you won’t just kill us?”
     “Daisy, Luke is no different now then he was before, he won’t kill us, he won’t hurt any of us at all. He saved my life.” Bo said.” I admit I was scared at first but I know Luke and I know he wouldn’t hurt me. I am just grateful that thing saved his life and kept him from dying.”
     “That’s true.” Jesse said.
     “Yeah, sorry Luke.”
     “It’s okay. I understand why you reacted that way. It took me long enough to get used to the idea.” Luke said.
     “How do you know about . . . these other things?” Jesse asked.
     “Some of it I know from knowledge I seem to have got from the creature and other stuff I did a little research into cryptozoology and found out. Though I have no idea about tonight.”
     “Oh, what’s that?” Daisy asked.
     “The study of creatures that science claims don’t exist.” Luke said.
     Before there could be any further conversation a huge beast crashed through the window. It was the size of a huge grizzly bear, except it’s body was covered in hard, green scales, it’s long tails spiked with quills, it had a powerful bird like jaw filled with tiny razor sharp teeth. Jesse fired the shotgun at it, striking it, the creature spun around to face him, staring at what it considered, an annoyance rather then a threat, though still a meal none the less. Jesse raised the gun, leveling it at the beast.
     “You kids get out of here.” Jesse ordered.
     “We ain’t leaving you here.” Luke said, as Bo aimed an arrow at the beast.
     “Just go, Luke, keep Bo and Daisy safe.” Jesse said, as the beast slowly advanced on him, seeming to have forgotten about the three other people in the house.
Before any further argument could be made the beast lunged at Jesse knocking him to the ground.
     “UNCLE JESSE!” Daisy screamed in terror, frightened tears streaking her cheeks.
As much as it pained his heart he knew their was nothing he could to save his uncle so Luke made the only choice he felt there was to save the rest of his family.
     “C’mon, let’s go out of here.” Luke ordered.
     “But, what about Uncle Jesse?” Bo asked.
     “There is nothing we can do.” Luke said, knowing from Jesse’s silence that he was already dead. “He wanted us to survive.”
Bo reluctantly nodded, and stepped over closer to Luke. Daisy remained frozen in place staring at the beast with wide eyes, her stomach churning and tears streaming down her cheeks as she watched this hideous beast eat it’s meal. Luke reached over and took her by the arm.
     “C’mon, Daisy.” Luke said, and began to lead her slowly away.
     “Where are we gonna go?” Bo asked. “It ain’t safe outside.”
     “I don’t know, we just have to take our chances, and not fall under any more surprise attacks.” Luke said.
    They went outside and over to the truck, with Luke leading Daisy the whole way. Luke helped Daisy into the truck, then Bo got in and held on to his cousin, who had gone into shock. Bo felt like just allowing his body and mind to go into shock like Daisy had but he refused to put the weight of everything onto Luke’s shoulders, knowing his older cousin was already having a hard enough time dealing with this. Luke climbed into the truck and started the engine, both he and Bo cast one last glance at the farmhouse, before the truck pulled away.
     They drove for several minutes in silence. Bo just held Daisy close, wishing there was more they could do to help her, and that they could’ve saved their uncle. Bo felt tears burning in his eyes and was fighting hard not to cry, but it soon became too much and the tears streaked his cheeks as he broke down crying.
     “Don’t cry, Bo.” Luke said, softly.
     “It’s not fair. Why did Uncle Jesse have to get killed?”
     “I know it is not fair. I am sorry . . . I know I should’ve done more to try to save him.” Luke said,
     “It ain’t your fault, Luke, you did what Uncle Jesse wanted . . . you saved me and Daisy.” Bo said. “It was already too late for him . . . I am just scared the same will happen to us.”
     “I will do everything I can to make sure that it doesn’t.” Luke said.
     “I know you will. I . . . I am just so scared, Luke. I want to do nothing more then to pull into a shell like Daisy has.”
     “Don’t do that. You have to keep a clear head, okay? I can’t do this alone. I need you to help keep an eye out for any possible danger.”
     “I know, and I will.” Bo said quietly, fearing like at the farm by the time the creature was seen it’d be far too late and that he’d lose yet another member of the family
     “It’ll be okay.” Luke said reaching over to place a hand on Bo’s shoulder offering all the comfort and reassurance that he had to give.
     “Yeah . . . I hope so.”
     The next few minutes passed in silence, only to be broken by the sound of crashing timber in the woods. Daisy was the only one to seem oblivious to the sounds, though both Bo and Luke were looking around for the source of the new danger. At the last second, Luke saw something charging out from the woods, headed towards the road. Luke had no time to react, the large beast crashed into the side of the truck.
     “Hold on.” Luke said, as the truck started to roll.
The truck rolled twice, throwing their bodies around in the cab of the truck as though they were mere rag dolls. The truck rolled across the road, and landed upside down in the swallow ditch that ran alongside the road.
Luke gave a soft moan of pain as he moved slowly, his body aching. “Are you okay?”
     “I think so.” Bo moaned. “Daisy?”
There was no response. Luke reached to move Daisy still body and noticed a smear of blood on her forehead. “She’s out cold.”
     “What do we do now?” Bo asked in a quiet frightend voice.
     “We have to get out of here, we can’t stay in the truck.” Luke said, slowly climbing out.
Bo followed Luke’s lead and climbed out of the truck, then tried to get Daisy out, only to discover her leg was pinned between the seat and the crumpled dashboard. Luke had just started to walk around the truck when a large beast leapt on top of the back end truck, crushing it like a tin can. Its large gray body looked like it was made of stone, it had a very solid build, its head lion like, with a solid mane, though with large ram like horns curved around its head. The beast’s eyes glowed red and it growled low, it’s large fangs showing, its nails digging into the metal of the truck.
     “Get out of there, Bo.” Luke said.
     “I can’t leave Daisy.” Bo said.
     “I’ll get her, just get away from there.” Luke said, moving slowly to where Bo was futilely trying to get Daisy out of the truck.
The breast swung its large paw at Bo, the back of it’s paw connected solidly, pushing him back onto the ground, stunning him. Luke moved quickly, getting between the creature and Bo, and pulled Bo away from the truck. Luke rushed back towards the truck to save Daisy, the beast having begun to move in for its meal, having leapt off the truck, pulling at the metal to try to gain better access. Luke’s eyes went animal like and he lunged at the beast, even though he was obviously out matched. Bo moaned as consciousness slowly began to return to his mind, and saw Luke fighting with the creature in an obvious losing battle. Bo pulled himself to his feet, and stumbled towards the battle, there was no way he could sit back and watch Luke get killed. The beast swung its paw, connecting with Luke’s injured shoulder, reopening and deepening the previous wound. Luke fell back and landed hard on the ground, clutching his injured shoulder, feeling warm sticking blood coating his hand. Luke pulled himself to his feet only to be felled by another swing of the beast’s paw. Luke struck his head when he hit the ground, darkness consuming his mind. Bo watched fearfully as the creature moved in for the kill, not knowing what else to do he grabbed a large rock off the ground and threw it at the creature, striking it squarely between the eyes. The creature gave a shocked, high-pitched howl of pain, which hurt Bo’s ears. It swung its head to glare at Bo, like he was a pesky insect, it swung its paw at Bo, slicing him across the stomach. Bo cried out in pain and dropped to his knees, the beast seemed satisfied and turned back to what it was doing. It looked back and forth between Daisy and Luke as though deciding what it wanted to eat, then having decided, moving to where Daisy still remained trapped in the truck.
    Bo knew he could only save one of his cousins, and though it was a hard choice to make, there was really only one to make. He slowly stood up, clutching one arm around his midsection, ignoring the intense pain. He slowly made his way over to Luke and picked him up with one arm and began to drag him away, thankful that the beast didn’t seem to notice. Bo made his way a short distance into the woods, and just collapsed unable to go any further. Bo held Luke closed praying that he would wake up and know a way to save them both, he knew his injures were bad and wondered if he was going to live. In fact he didn’t even know if Luke was going to make it, he knew they had lost Daisy, just as they had lost their uncle, and wondered if it had been worth it or if he should’ve just gave up and allowed the creature to eat them. Bo hung his head and cried until he had no tears left.
    Bo wasn’t sure how much time had past before he felt Luke move slightly.
    “C’mon, Luke, wake up.” Bo urged.
Luke moaned softly in pain and slowly opened his eyes. “What happened?”
     “That thing . . . it got Daisy. I could only save you.” Bo said.
     “It was a gargoyle. I didn’t think there was any around here . . . someone had to have had a statue of one.” Luke mumbled more to himself, his mind not really registering what had happened. He suddenly seemed to think about what Bo had said. “I am sorry, I failed yet again . . . it’s my fault that Daisy . . .”
     “It wasn’t your fault, Luke, you did all you could, that . . . gargoyle was just too powerful.” Bo said.
Luke pulled away from Bo, and that was when he noticed Bo’s injury. “You’re hurt.”
     “It is not that bad.” Bo lied, he knew it was bad, had lost a lot of blood and was starting to grow cold.
     “Let me see.” Luke said, moving Bo’s arm to look at the injury. “It’s real bad.”
     “I’ll be okay.” Bo said. “’Sides you’re hurt too.”
     “Bo . . .” Luke said his voice trailing off for a minute. “There is one option.”
     “What’s that?” Bo asked.
     “I can send the creature that is inside of me to your body.”
     “But you’ll die.” Bo said.
     “But you’ll live.” Luke said simply.
     “No, I refuse. I ain’t gonna allow you to do that.”
     “If I don’t you’ll die.” Luke said, fully willing to give his life so that Bo could live.
     “If you do you’ll die and I couldn’t live with that. I couldn’t live with the knowledge my life cost your death.” Bo argued.
     “I would rather die then lose you.” Luke said, feeling tears burning in his pale blue eyes.
     “And I would rather die then to live by taking your life.” Bo said, surprised to find he had even more tears, which had started to streak his cheeks.
     “Bo . . .” Luke started to say, but Bo cut his sentence short.
     “No, Luke, I won’t allow you to. Please, don’t even try. I don’t want my life to cost your death. And if you were dead . . . I’d have nothing left to live for everything else is already gone. Please, Luke, I would rather die.”
     “I can’t let you die.”
     “Please, it is what I want. The choice should be mine, right?”
Luke nodded slightly.
     “Then I chose to die.”
Luke felt tears coursing down his cheeks, and he pulled Bo into a brotherly hug, his heart sinking at the thought of not being able to save Bo’s life, having to watch him die.
     “I love you, little cousin, you have always been like a brother to me.” Luke said quietly, smoothing Bo’s hair, as he held him close.
     “And you have always been my brother, Luke.” Bo said quietly, closing his eyes as he felt his death approaching.
     Moments later Luke felt Bo’s body go still, and knew his younger cousin was dead. Luke broke down sobbing, no longer able to appear as though he was strong, there was no longer a reason, he was all alone. He understood why Bo would rather die then to have to spend the rest of his life having lost everything he held dear, he realized now it would’ve been more of a curse then a gift of life. Thirty minutes later, Luke had spent his tears, he sat completely still, still holding his, dead younger cousin. Luke was pulled from his thoughts by the sound of a deep throated growl, he looked up and saw a pair of glowing eyes staring hungrily at him and a smile crossed his face as he knew the time of his death was at hand.