Beware the Lupe Garu

New Orleans is not known for being cold. The southern heat seems to originate from this small city of sin. But this January night found the city shivering in silence. She walked alone that night. Down the abandoned streets of the French Quarter, her fake fur coat pulled up around her. She'd walked this way many nights after work, down the empty streets at four in the morning. Every night she'd turn down offers of rides or escorts. Drunken patrons, over eager managers, half hearted friends  all made pleas of and safety concerns. But, she never listened. She was a warrior, her Mohawk slicked back from the night of serving drinks. She could handle them in the bar, the streets were no different.

As she crossed Elysian Fields she looked back one last time at her cute little quarter and stepped into the darkness of the Marigny. The charming chateau style apartment houses gave way to abandoned warehouses. She didn't have far to go, and it would have been safer to cross up to St. Claude. But she was strong, and nothing scared her.

In the silent cold night the sound of her boots hitting the pavement pushed her forward. She saw them before they saw her, three men huddled together in a doorway passing a pipe. She pulled her coat tight around her and dipped her head as if she was a bull in full charge. The first stepped out in front of her. Without hesitation she darted to the left then around him. She felt his fingers slip as he tried to grab her arm.

"Hey, baby, where ya going", he yelled after her.

Before he finished his sentence her had was already in the air, middle finger raised in response.

"Anytime, baby, anytime", he shouted grabbing himself.

She never broke her stride, never looked back. She just faded into the darkness. She was close to home now. Not far, just across the tracks. Any sane person would have taken a taxi or at least a bike. But not her. She was a warrior, her fuzzy armor protecting her from the night. She reached the tracks. Her little shit hole apartment was in sight. She smiled as she stepped over the the first track.

The hit came so hard and fast her brain didn't realize what happened. She started to struggle to her feet, her hands mashed into the rocks. A kick caught her in the stomach rolling her onto her side. She instinctively rolled onto her back. Then he was on her. His breath smelled of cheep whisky and rotten flesh. She struggled at first, but her hands were being held to the track. Looking up her eyes met with another man. He smiled as she tried to kick her way free. But the first man was already on top of her pulling at her cloths. She slowly relaxed, her heals digging into the rocks beneath her.

Surprised at her calmness the man pulled back and looked into her dark eyes. A smile was on her face. Confused the man ripped her shirt open. The sound of tearing cloth was followed by a shriek of surprise. Where he expected to find the soft white skin of a young girl was a pelt of soft white fur. The man pulled himself backwards as the small girl began to shift in front of him. She was a warrior, her claws were her swords against her attackers. The man holding her wrists let go but she already had him. His soft flesh tore easily under her sharp nails. She could feel herself becoming the beast now. Her ears stretching outward telling her about the running man. She'd find him soon.  For now she sunk her teeth into this one. He wanted to scream. He opened his mouth to yell. But all that came out was blood, and bubbles. She devoured him as he slipped into death.

Her mind now turned to the hunt. Her slender ears pointed her in the direction of the panicked man as he ran down the empty streets. With no where to go he darted through the half boarded up window of a warehouse. He ran past some squatters deep into the building. He was safe. Then he heard it. The sound of sniffing. In the darkness he held his breath as the beast appeared in the half light coming of the warehouse. Small trashcan fires reflected off it's solid black fur.  It's head stretched up and he could see plumes of steam in the cold night air as it sniffed.

It started walking toward him. Slowly at first, he started to scramble. The beast charged. In a single swing she separated his head from his body. Blood sprayed the walls. Quietly, making sure not to disturb the sleeping squatters she ate. Gnawing at bones and chewing on his flesh.

The next day the cops had taped off the intersection where she killed the first man. This made it inconvenient to get to work. She navigated her way around their restricted crime scene with minimal effort. But she was still late. No one mentioned anything about the murders. It was just common in a city like this. She worked till the end of her shift and began to close up. A manager stopped her before she left.

"Sure you don't want a ride, it's crazy out there", he said.

"I'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Alright be careful, watch out for the Lupe Garu."

She just smiled back at him as she left the bar.