This is more like it,his other side sighed in contentment.
Scott cleared his mind of human thoughts, focusing on chasing the scent of mice and rabbits, then following deer tracks to a pond with good water to drink. His heart pounded, he drew in deep breaths of the cold air, and nothing mattered except the joy of the moment.
Eventually, he noticed the change in the light, indicating that it was time to go home. His runs always seemed too short. Still, even the brief outing had helped him let go of concerns and live in the moment.
He padded back to the car, careful to pause at the tree line to make sure there were no unexpected observers, then shifted and dressed quickly. The temperature had fallen by several degrees, which hadn’t bothered him in his fur, but bare skin noted the change.
Back in the car, Scott turned on the heat and checked his phone for missed messages. Justin had sent a couple of funny photos, which Scott liked and commented on, sending a few of his own in return. He scrolled past reminders for bill due dates and noted the link for a virtual committee meeting later that evening before he set his phone aside and drove home.
On the way, he kept a closer than usual eye on the rearview mirror, still unable to shake the feeling that he was being watched. A dark sedan was a couple of cars behind him on the short drive, but it drove by when he turned off the main road.
No one has a reason to follow me. But plenty of movies show what happens when someone ignores their intuition. I’m going to keep my guard up anyhow, just in case.
The run had untangled his thoughts, worked out the kinks in stiff muscles, and left him with a positive feeling he thought of as a natural high. Given jogging’s popularity, he figured that non-shifters felt something similar.
Back home, a hot shower, a snack, and a fresh cup of coffee left Scott feeling refreshed, even if the vague worry over being watched still lingered at the back of his mind.
He thought about the upcoming conference call, and hoped he was making a good impression on people who would become his future neighbors. Although he hadn’t yet spent a lot of time physically in Fox Hollow, Scott wanted to become a part of the community as quickly as possible. Justin had recommended him to Valerie, who chaired the Halloween dance, and she had invited him, emphasizing that most meetings were virtual. The late afternoon video call popped to life in his browser. “Hey, everyone,” he greeted the smiling strangers.
“Everyone, this is Scott,” Valerie, the committee chairperson, said. “He’s new to Fox Hollow, but we’re going to be seeing a lot of him.” She introduced the others, and they nodded as she mentioned their names. “Bobby is a brewmaster with Merrick Craft Brewing. You might have already met Brandon, one of our best tour guides. Drew is a mechanic, and Elias runs our comic book store,” Valerie finished.
“Hi, Scott!” everyone chimed in and waved.
Scott waved back. “Hey, everyone! How’s the weather up there?” Scott kept a close eye on the Fox Hollow forecast, but this time of year, things could change quickly.
“About on par with Albany, although we’re due for some snow,” Bobby replied. “That’s not deterring the hikers one bit, but after the last storm, a lot of the leaves are down.”
“Not that anything is going to put a dent in Halloween plans,” Valerie added. “We’re made of sterner stuff than that.”
Avoiding winter isolation in the northern reaches of New York took effort and stubbornness. Scott respected the community effort that went into giving people reasons to leave their cozy homes and come out to socialize for potluck dinners, game nights, and other events like the Halloween dance.
They took a few minutes to catch up on news and personal items before Valerie cleared her throat and brought the meeting to order.
“Good to see everyone. Thanks for being here. The good news is that we’ve gotten back contracts from the bands and the DJ for the dance, and Full Moon Diner confirmed the snacks it’s catering,” she said. “That leaves decorating and promotion. We want a good turnout, and I’d love to have people have so much fun that they’re talking about this event until Christmas.”
“The Ski Shop donated a decorating budget,” Bobby said. “The high school art classes are excited about turning the gym into a haunted ballroom.”
“Drew and I will be working with the diner on the snack buffet and getting donations for sodas and other beverages,” Elias said.
“I’ve got the banner about the event, and Justin plans to make several flyovers,” Scott said. “We’ve also been working on social media ads and posts to showcase the bands and the big raffle prizes.”
“I’ve put posters up in all the usual places,” Brandon added, “plus postcards at the motels and restaurants.”
“We’ve got a really nice selection of raffle prizes,” Scott said. “I love how Fox Hollow’s businesses step up to the plate.”
“Justin has already volunteered several vouchers for seaplane rides as raffle prizes,” Drew noted. “That’s always popular.”
“A charity raffle tends to bring out the best in people,” Valerie said.
“We’re also doing well on general donations,” Scott reported. “I’ve sent a one-page recap, but the bottom line is that the local merchants and residents have been generous enough to cover expenses and leave a buffer for contingencies.”
“That’s really great,” Valerie said, and the others agreed.
They finished the last details on the agenda and agreed on the next meeting time. Before they closed the video call, Drew cleared his throat.
“Uh, just one thing before we go. Anyone know anything about the guys in suits and dark sedans who showed up late last week?” Drew asked.
Scott remembered the car that had been behind him on the road in Albany and his uneasiness.There are plenty of dark-colored cars that aren’t nefarious at all,he told himself but didn’t entirely believe his own reassurances.
