CHAPTER 3

The Doctor

John Crowe went straight to some men in a bar and demanded to see a doctor.

"The hell you need a doctor for?" one of them asked him. "You literally beat all those men out there."

Well, that was something to think about but he still wanted to see a doctor.

"Just point me in the right direction," he said.

"Why? Did you think we'd point you in the wrong one?" someone asked and the men guffawed.

"Well, just go straight down the road. You're going to get past some brambles. Doctor's place is literally on the outskirts. You can't miss it if you're leaving town."

"Thank you," he said and left the smelling room.

The man was right. One couldn't miss it. The doctor's house was on the right, cutting out the pathway. There was a horse tethered to a tree and logs of wood outside.

The house was built with wood and John heard it creak as he approached.

He stepped onto the verandah and knocked. John still wasn't feeling like himself. It was one of the reasons why he wanted to see a doctor.

He heard movement from inside and the door opened. The man who stood there had glasses on and he looked younger and neater than the men he had met in the bar.

Well, a doctor should look that presentable, shouldn't he? 

"Who are you?"

"I'm new in town and I need your help," John put forward.

The doctor looked him from head to toe and saw that parts of him was covered in blood. Well, David hadn't even seen the man before and no news had reached him about someone new.

He was about making a decision to close the door when he saw Sarah and Old Mikey approaching.

"Let him in, David," Sarah said. "He's been attacked."

David opened the door and let John in. "By who?" he asked. 

"You know who," Old Mikey said. 

"Ah," David said. "And you both saw for to bring him here?"

"They don't know he's here. It was her idea anyway. Not mine," Old Mikey said. 

"Lie on the pallet," David instructed. "And why the hell do you have a lot of clothes on your body?" 

"I'm a wanderer. That is how I carry my clothes."

"Then what's your sack for?" Dr David asked. 

"Appurtenances," John responded. 

David didn't ask what appurtenances those were. He just watched as John removed five layers of clothing from his body till he was bare chested. 

Sarah stood in front and watched the man. Her eyes roamed everywhere they could land. John watched her and realized she was the one who had stepped in front of Lucas. 

"Thank you," he said. 

She took a step forward. "You don't look injured."

"I'm not really feeling myself right now," John responded. 

"How do you feel, sir?" Dr David asked. 

"Like the inside of my body is on fire."

"You fought with five men, put four unconscious, and took quite a beating yourself. Pretty sure you won't feel yourself," Old Mikey said. 

"How can you tell?" Dr David asked. "Ever fought five men before?" 

"I've hunted down werewolves before and taken some hits myself. So I know how it feels like."

"Wait, those men were werewolves?" John Crowe asked, surprised. 

"No, they were not," Old Mikey said curtly. 

"You two need to stand outside so I can do my job," Dr David said. 

Sarah and Old Mikey went out and David shone all the torches on John's body. He put a stethoscope on John and felt the heat. "Well, you're burning up, all right. And your heart, well, it's beating slower than I'd expect."

"My heart has always been like that anyway," John replied, giving the doctor more to concern himself about.

"Oh, I see. And it doesn't bother you?" Dr David asked. 

"I'm always alone so, no. It doesn't."

"I'll take a sample of your blood and we'll run a test."

"Can't you give me something to take so I can stop feeling so hot?" John demanded. 

"I can do that," Dr David said and prescribed a syrup for him. "Don't take it all."

John took it all. "Are you done looking at my body? I need to put some clothes on."

"Just one shirt this time. Ever wondered maybe the clothes you had on you were responsible for your discomfort?" 

John said nothing in response. 

Outside, they stood on the verandah.

Old Mikey was saying. "I think this is a waste of time. Sooner or later, your brother is going to find him and I don't think you should be there when he does."

"I'm not a child. I can do whatever I want," Sarah said.

"Wonder what they're talking about in there," he said and lit his pipe again.

But Sarah had good hearing and she knew exactly what the doctor and the man had said.

She knew how he was able to defend himself against those men.

Sarah knew what exactly John Crowe was.

Question was, did her brother know as well?

***

Back at Hollow Fang pack, Lucas Miller was in a very bad mood. He had it all planned out, and his sister decided to ruin it.

Why had she been there in the first place?

Mayor Jack Sparrow came visiting almost at once. "I heard what happened, Lucas."

"And have you come to blame me?" 

Jack didn't reply at one. He chose his words carefully because he knew the kind of person Lucas was. 

"I have not come here to blame you. Just want to know our next line of action."

Lucas nodded his head, as if in agreement. "We are going to get him."

"Is that the plan?" Mayor Jack wanted to know. 

"That has always been the plan," Lucas said. "Hasn't it, Mayor?" 

"Of course. What about your sister?" 

"What about her?" 

"I heard about her involvement. Will she be a problem both ways?" 

"She won't. And leave her name out of your mouth, Mayor. She's not your business."

Mayor Jack swallowed his next words.

"I'll find him and he will be ready for

the ritual, Mayor. Until then, worry not."

But there was much to worry about, Lucas knew. The man wasn't human. He was like them.

A monster..