THE DAY THE COYOTE VISITED

A supernatural tale.

    She first saw the coyote at the end of her driveway one warm summer night, just as the sun was on its way down.

    The coyote looked tired, unhealthy and way too thin.

    “Hmm.” She said when she saw it sitting there on its bony haunches. “What do you want?”

    The coyote tilted his shaggy head then looked away from her.

    She lived in a wooded area and didn’t have any real close neighbors, which was how she liked it. So she was glad no one but her was witnessing this animal at the end of her drive.

    Some of her distant neighbors wouldn’t hesitate to get their shot guns out and blow the coyote away. And they’d enjoy every second of it. Killing animals thrilled them.

    But not her.

    She decided to let the coyote be. He really wasn’t bothering her, not really, not watching her from the end of her driveway.

    And he was watching her again out of his pale bluish yellow eyes.

    That is odd, she thought, a coyote with eyes that color.

    The best thing for me to do is just go in. And that’s what she did. She went inside and shut the front door on the scene of the sickly coyote with weird eyes sitting at the end of her driveway.

    She thought that would be the end of it, but it wasn’t.

    The next morning when she got up she wondered about the coyote. She didn’t mention the coyote to her husband. He liked to hunt and might have decided to take his shot gun to it, claiming he was a danger to their young daughter.

    But she didn’t think so.

    This morning she went to the bedroom window and looked out. The bedroom was on the front side of the second floor of the house overlooking the driveway.

    She felt a shock of surprise. The coyote was still here, trotting along the edge of the yard like it was on patrol.

     “Oh no.” she whispered.

    “Hmm? Did you say something honey?” Her husband asked from the bed.

    “No. No. I didn’t. I’m going to go get breakfast started.”

    “Okay.” He said as she hurried out the bedroom door.

    She peeked in her daughter’s bedroom and was relieved to see the little girl was still asleep.

    She hurried downstairs and went out the front door still in her nightshirt.

    “Why are you still here?” she called out to the coyote.

    The coyote stopped its trotting and looked at her, head held high, very alert.

    “Why?” she asked again.

    The coyote wagged his tail and started toward her.

    She felt a moment of fear as the coyote approached. She found she couldn’t look away from his bluish yellow eyes. It was as if they were hypnotizing her.

    She sucked in her breath, desperately trying to break the spell the coyote was putting on her.

    This is silly, she thought, how can an animal put a spell on me?

    The coyote was near the front door now. As she watched him come up to the steps she felt dizzy.

    “Mama. Is that a dog?” It was her daughter standing behind her. She hadn’t even known her little girl was there.

    “Go back inside Bethie.” She said.

    The coyote looked very interested in the little girl. He parted his muzzle in what looked like a canine smile.

    She felt nothing but fear for her little girl. There was something that just wasn’t right about this coyote. He wasn’t at all acting like a normal wild animal.

    Nor was he acting odd like a wild animal with rabies.

    “Look Mama, the doggie is smiling at me!” said Bethie. “He likes me. It is a boy dog.”

    “Yes. Yes Bethie! Now do what I tell you, go back inside.”

    The coyote came forward even more, putting both front paws on the bottom step, his muzzle opening wider, and his pink tongue lolling out to the side.

    She was mortally afraid now. This situation had entered the supernatural realm she decided.

    Was this coyote even really a coyote? Was it something else? Something dangerous?

    But he wasn’t acting dangerous, just curious and friendly.

    She found she was staring into his bluish yellow eyes again. And once again felt like she was falling under a spell.

    “Mama, where you going?” She heard Bethie’s voice asking. Her daughter sounded like she was a very long ways away. “Mama? Mama!”

    Bethie, she tried to say, I’m right here. She wanted to say that but couldn’t seem to find her voice. It was like she had no energy to take the needed breath to speak.

    She was very afraid but she couldn’t feel the physical part of being afraid.

    And she was still staring into the bluish yellow eyes of the coyote that wasn’t really a coyote anymore.

    She wasn’t sure what he was but knew without doubt he wasn’t a coyote any longer.

    He still had bluish yellow eyes and a wide smile with a mouth full of sharp teeth. He was tall, with long thick dark hair. His skin was pale and he was dressed in some sort of clothing style she’d never seen before anywhere.

    She felt so dizzy, like she might pass out.

    The coyote man was reaching out for her and she found herself moving forward into him.

    He put his arms around her. All she could see was his bluish yellow eyes even though she couldn’t really see his eyes anymore.

    She was in his arms and falling, but she didn’t know where.

    “Come along.” Said the coyote. “It’s time for you to be with me now.”

    How true she thought. She didn't doubt the words of the Coyote Man at all.

 

 

Reviews

[DeeDee]

Great story, I really enjoyed it. It works on so many different levels and give us pause to think outside the box. I love the way you illustrate the fact that life can suddenly, in one defining moment, change without our permission or planning. Especially significant is the demonstration of how we can be lulled into a false feeling of security by the promise of a smile or the tug of our heart strings and good intentions. Can't wait to ready your next submission.

[Eric Cox]

A very unique and cool horror write. Great job on this mysterious tale.

[Black Cat Fever]

This is rather eerie and dark yet somehow beautiful, kind of romantic in a 'dark way'.

[Star Wolf]

Very strange and mysterious but I really enjoyed this tale. She fell under the coyote's spell that wasn't really a coyote at all. Perhaps he's a werecoyote, skinwalker or some other sort of shape shifter.

[Emily]

Wow I really like this idea, very native american. There are very powerful emotions in your story and I applaud you, it's great.

[Desert Dreamer]

I like your story of Coyote. It is an amazing feeling when the coyote looks you in the eye. Coyotes are very expressive and intelligent. I see them often where I live. Thank you for sharing.

[Coyote Poetry]

In the Native American belief. The coyote hold great honor in their stories. He was the joking and held great wisdom. I like the story. When I trains at Fort Irvin, Ca. I would have 5-6 coyote waiting for me in the early morning. I gave them water from my water truck in a hand made tunnel to them. I like this story. You create a mystery and a surprised ending. A very good story.
Coyote

[deeps]

This is a wonderful write here

Quite the strange creature idea. Very well executed!

[Jenny Nelson]

Interesting. You do such a great job with writing chapter stories. This in fine just as is, but would be a great opener for a longer story too. Well done.