It is not truly known how the Werewolf smoking Jim was made or where he came from.
What is known is that he got the name Smoking Jim from some train hoppers or hobo’s that in the early twenties rode up and down the railroads.
Jumping from coal wagon to Coal wagon.
In those early days, men roamed a lot and they came from all over looking for work.
Back then unlike today, we had what was known as shanty towns where people lived no better than they did in the old west.
I was a vampire can imagine that it was that kind of life that appealed to a man like Smoking Jim a lifelong wonderer.
Some say he wandered all over looking for a cure to his affliction of lycanthropy.
However, I know that was not the case.
The idea of being a Werewolf was the very thing that made Smoking Jim who he was.
I believe in all the years I’ve known him.
The times he transformed into the Black Wolf were the times he loved life the most.
He once said to me that he was not a man that turned into a wolf.
He was a wolf that was cursed with the affliction of changing into a man.
I believe the very thought of killing was the thing that Smoking Jim felt deep inside as a hunter or predator feels.
It is simply that they are a natural-born killer.
Much like myself, I believe this is why we took to each other so well those long years when we first meant.
It was a kinship of the blood that ran through our veins.
However, this story is not as to how Smoking Jim and I the Vampire Night Drinker met one cold night.
It is a story out of hundreds that I like to refer to as Smoking Jim’s Calling.
The year was 1603
An unspeakable evil had come to the small village town of Faith Wood.
The Village bells were ringing a young girl's body had been found in one of the cornfields.
Men from all around grabbed their swords and shovels and flintlock rifles.
Running franticly to the field everyone wondered what the great commotion was all about.
The Towns Master Guard made it to the girl's body first.
His heart pumping as he followed the blood trail and scraps of torn clothing up the hill to the poor girls body.
A voice behind him called out Master Johnston my god what could have done this?
The rather large man turned around to see a younger man coming up the hill the kid was Tom Grayson
.
He was dressed still in a nightshirt and muddy black trousers carrying a shovel in one hand using it to help himself to walk trying to keep from falling in the wet mud and early morning dew.
A fog bank was just lifting revealing the murder sight more clearly.
Other men from the village were making their way to the spot as well.
The first thing that Master Johnston saw was the severed arm of the girl in her hand was still a piece of fresh-picked corn that she must have been gathering for their breakfast.
The arm was looked as if it had been torn right from the shoulder.
Master Johnston Placed his hand over his mouth and wiped it as small beads of sweat started to form.
He could not help himself from crying out to the rest of the men to stay back.
Tom Grayson meanwhile discovered the rest of the girl's remains.
He started to get sick at the sight.
Just then an old gentleman warring a tall hat and coat came behind him saying come now boy it can’t be all that bad.
He was the village Mayor Carl Somerton.
When he saw the girl his eyes grew wide with horror the girl's lower right leg was missing from the knee down. Her dress was opened mid-center and the contents of her insides were missing the gap was as if someone or thing had just scooped them outright to the backbone.
The girl's face was half missing from the jawline to a good part of her throat leaving her tong hanging in a grotesque position.
The girl's left eye socket was empty well the other eye stared vacantly at the people hovering over her.
Before Carl Somerton could turn away he heard Master Johnston and a few other men say look Wolf prints in the mud.
Robert Stewart the Village Hunter kneeled down next to one of the wolves' impressions in the mud.
He was placing his hand next to the wolf print.
His hand looked small in comparison to the size of the wolf print.
My god this wolf he exclaimed almost in excitement.
Would have to be around three to four hundred fifty pounds by the depth of these prints and the size of a medium-sized horse.
That’s preposterous shouted Mayor Carl Somerton!
Wolves do not get that large.
This is clearly a young black bear attack you have misread the signs.
Look at that print again it's clearly not wolves it’s a black bear.
Robert Stewart shook his head saying know sir I know signs better than anyone in town and that’s a wolves print.
Regardless shouted Mayor Somerton clearly shaken by what he saw.
Whatever it is you sir are the village Hunter and need to hunt this thing down before anyone else is hurt by it.
Then the Mayor turned around almost slipping in the mud saying to the rest of the men.
We can not allow the rest of the townswomen and children to know of this.
We do not want a panic.
Please clean this up and be discreet about it.
I have a morning breakfast meeting now with constable Brady and I dare say this poor Child’s image has surly made me lose my appetite.
Tom Grayson and the other men watched the Mayor make his way back to town.
That fat-headed fool Tom said to Mr. Stewart he could really care less about who this girl was.
All he wants to do is bark orders and go stuff his face.
Master Johnson waved a few men over to him.
I need you, men, to set up perimeters around the village.
We are going to keep watch the man that shoots this beast gets a gold piece.
Albert James entered his meat storehouse looking a bit white in the face as his wife was hanging a fresh smoked house goose in the window.
He said maybe you shouldn't do that.
His wife confused shook her head and asked what place a fresh morning goose in the widow surely you are daft my husband.
How else are we going to sell it people won’t know we have it, will they?
Albert James turned and replied I said take it out of the window women.
A girl has been killed in the fields today close by and it may be a moor wolf that done her in.
We would not want them smelling that fresh goose in the widow would we?
Well, I suppose not but surely no wolf would come into the main village square it would be shot on sight it would.
Besides Albert’s wife continued I heard tell all the wolves in these parts were killed years ago.
Well, you might be right wife the Mayor thinks it may be a black bear attack.
Then it's settled the goose goes in the window.
Albert was too tired to argue with his wife as he washed his hands and put his work apron on getting ready for the day's business.
His wife asked So who was the poor child.
Albert shook his head sadly it was Miss Anderson’s child young Ruth
The day seemed cold and wet as people moved in and out of the store
Many men from the town Gathered up their riffles and headed out to hunt the beast with Mr. Stewart the town hunter.
Well, others had a drink on their minds and talked of what could have done such a thing.
If anyone wanted to keep the killing hushed up.
They were wasting their time.
Once Miss Anderson heard of her daughter's death she ran screaming into the streets clutching her bible to her chest yelling absentees to the devil.
By nightfall, the town looked like it was dead.
Not a soul or light was on.
Everyone had retreated into their homes except for the town guards.
Who had posted themselves on different corners of the main village square with guns and rifles at the ready?
The hunting party came back in just after dusk.
They all looked confused as if they had been on the wrong trail.
Master Johnson waved Mr. Robert Stewart over to him at the main gate.
So what happened he asked did you get a look or close to the beast?
Well, we thought we were about to corner the wolf and came across another hunting party men from the Crown.
They two were after the beast said it had killed livestock and three other people.
They have been hunting it for a week now.
Well, you better get some sleep Robert your watch is set for three hours from now. Mr. Stewart looked around and pointed out the street lamps were not lighted.
Don’t worry about the town's lights being put out. We did it so the flickering would not draw the attention of our killer wolf we got us a big bright full moon tonight anyway.
If anything’s coming toward town we will see it for sure
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