Ox was quicker than the rest of us. He met Livingstone head-on, a black wolf colliding with a black beast. Joe screamed for Ox, and then chaos descended.
We fought.
Bambi stayed by Rico’s side, pulling the trigger again and again. There were moments when she was behind Livingstone, pressing the barrel of the gun into the base of his spine and firing over and over. Anytime Livingstone started to whirl on her, Rico was there, snapping his fangs.
Kelly and Robbie moved in tandem, bodies pressed together before parting as Livingstone slammed a fist into the earth where they’d been standing.
Mark and Mom ran between his legs, sinking their fangs into his heels, tearing at his tendons, snapping them wetly.
Chris and Tanner clawed their way up his back. As they bit down hard, he roared in anger, reaching back for them, but Gordo was there, mouth bloodied from where he’d bitten down into the scar tissue that had once been a raven. He spat the blood into his hand as the marks his father had carved into his skin glowed furiously. The roses bloomed upward, thick vines bursting from the ground, wrapping themselves around Livingstone’s legs, huge thorns piercing his flesh.
Jessie ran up behind Dominique, who was crouched low. She stepped onto Dominique’s back, and when Jessie reached her shoulders, she pushed herself up from the ground, launching Jessie into the air. Jessie raised the crowbar over her head. She’d laughed once, long ago, about how the original crowbar had broken in Caswell, though we had seen it in her eyes how much the loss of such a simple thing had affected her. Gordo had made her another at Ox’s request, and the look on her face when he’d given it to her had pulled at my heart, even though I was still reeling from the loss of Gavin. And it was this crowbar, now, that she thrust down with all her might.
Livingstone was distracted. He didn’t see her flying above him until it was too late. The end of the crowbar pierced the tough skin between his neck and shoulder. She kicked off his shoulder as he roared. She landed roughly on the ground behind him, rolling and up on her feet even as Livingstone tried to reach for the metal sticking out of him.
But Ox and Joe wouldn’t let him, biting into his arms, keeping him from pulling it out. They were in a drag-out fight, forgoing speed for brutal attacks, blood dripping from their mouths, coating their fur.
Gavin stayed by my side, both of us running on four legs. Livingstone went for his son, and I closed my jaws around one of his misshapen fingers. I jerked my head as hard as I could, and the beast screamed when the digit was torn loose. I spat it onto the ground, the taste of his blood heavy on my tongue.
And then things turned for the worse.
Livingstone grabbed hold of Rico and squeezed him tightly. Rico yelped as his ribs splintered. Chris and Tanner didn’t have time to move when the beast hurled Rico at them, knocking them all off their feet.
Jessie shouted for her brother, and Livingstone turned toward her, the vines around his legs tearing apart. He swatted at her, black claws like hooks. Dominique jumped between them, and the claws raked down her side. Jessie fell over Dominique, covering the wolf’s body with her own. Livingstone tore into her back. Jessie cried out, holding on to Dominique as hard as she could.
My mother landed on his back, trying to pull him away. She bit again and again, and as she neared the crowbar jutting out of him, she managed to get one more hit in before he reached back, grabbed her by the neck, and threw her over his shoulder. She flew toward the house and crashed into the porch, the frame shuddering as she slammed into it.
Gordo grunted as the air filled with the sharp sting of magic. His arms shook, and the tattoos were almost too bright to look at. Columns of rock burst from the earth, rising up beneath Livingstone, causing him to stumble forward, head lowering toward the ground. Mark was waiting for him, and he closed his jaws around Livingstone’s snout. There was an audible crunch. Livingstone jerked his head back, bringing Mark up with him. Livingstone raised his claws on either side of Mark. He let go at the last second, dropping down onto the ground.
Kelly snarled in fury and went for Livingstone. He wasn’t fast enough. The beast reared back, lashing out and kicking Kelly. I heard the sounds of my brother’s bones as they broke. He landed near Bambi. She stood over him, gun raised as he tried to get to his feet. He collapsed again, whining lowly in his throat.
Livingstone turned toward them, taking a heavy step that caused the ground to shake. Robbie growled, and before he could launch himself at Livingstone, Gavin appeared at his side, tail twitching, eyes orange, fangs bared.
Livingstone faltered. “Whyyy? Why do you do thissss?” He was bleeding heavily, but the wounds were closing, though it was taking longer than it had before.
“Because fuck you, that’s why,” Bambi snapped as Kelly rose to his feet, as my mother crawled from the ruins of the porch. Bambi pulled the trigger again, but the gun was empty. The dry click was as loud as anything else.
Livingstone took another step toward them.
Dominique pulled herself up. Jessie grimaced as she used Dominique’s back to help her stand.
Joe and Ox circled around Livingstone, standing in front of Rico and Chris and Tanner.
Gordo and Mark stood behind him. Gordo was panting, his face slick with blood and sweat. He put his hand on Mark’s back, fingers curling into the brown fur.
Jessie spat out a wad of blood. Her face was puffy, her skin bruised. She said, “It’s always the same. This circle. Just like all the others. You think yourself different. You think yourself more. But hear me, motherfucker. Hear me very well. You are nothing.” And remarkably, she laughed.
Livingstone roared again.
And then Ox was there, in our heads, and he said now now now finish this it’s time to finish this this is how it ends for him here now fight fight with all you can fight for family for brothers and sisters for our mothers and fathers and for packpackpack.
We attacked him from all sides, all at once.
He was fast.
But we were faster.
Vines rose from the ground again, wrapping around Livingstone’s legs and arms, pulling him down. As soon as he was on all fours, the vines tightened as black stone rose from the ground, covering them and holding him in place.