In the tradition of old drive-in movies and scary monster flicks, Creature Feature presents two nail-biting, spine-tingling tales about a mythical sea monster and a mysterious flying creature that terrorize the residents of two separate communities.
When Professor Gabriel Ross and his wife, Margaret, leave for a romantic holiday in Kelowna, British Columbia, they have no idea that they are about to come face-to-face with a legendary lake monster. As Ogopogo continues its terrifying assault on the resort community, the body count climbs. After Gabe joins forces with cryptozoologist Roger Knapp, the Rosses' vacation unexpectedly turns into a horrifying hunting expedition-and they are the prey.
It is 1957 when the quiet town of Greenbridge, Ohio, suddenly finds itself terrorized by a mysterious flying creature with glowing red eyes. Fighting waves of panic amongst the town's residents, Deputy Sheriff Mike Sampson and two air force officers attempt to find the creature. Only time will tell if Sampson's search will be successful in enough time to save his son from danger.
As two communities take matters into their own hands, no one anticipates the power of the creatures as they wreak havoc on anyone who stands in their way.
Creature Feature
By David M. MannesiUniverse, Inc.
Copyright © 2010 David M. Mannes
All right reserved.ISBN: 978-1-4502-8192-8 Chapter One
It was the morning after and Jamie MacPherson was in love. Her green eyes gazed across at Rick Gardner's stubbled cleft chin. She reached across the table and ruffled his curly dark brown hair with her long slim fingers. He smiled, revealing a chip in his lower front tooth. He took her hand and kissed her fingers. Rick got up and sauntered back toward the rear of the café where the bathrooms and pay phones were located.
They had met at a bar off Abbot Street across from the beach. Down in the city park, the summer festival was in full swing. A Scottish band had the people clapping and dancing to highland folk tunes.
Jamie had noticed Rick watching her. She'd gone to the bar with Beth and Tania with whom she shared a summer apartment. Jamie and Beth were college roommates; Jamie was a Fine Art major and Beth was a Drama major. Beth had met Tania, also a drama student, through a Vancouver cousin back during Christmas break, and when she found out that all three of them would be working in Kelowna, she had asked if Tania wanted to share an apartment with them. Tania worked as a tour guide for one of the local wineries where her uncle was part owner. Jamie could still hardly believe she had finally gotten a Friday night off, not to mention the odds of her and Beth having the same evening off. And then, here she was drinking alone, while Beth and Tania had attached themselves to a couple of guys at the pool table.
Rick Gardner had noticed Jamie drinking her cocktail alone while talking with his brother and another guy whom they had met at the bar. He tried to mentally will her to look up and notice him across the crowded noisy room. Her willowy body and shaggy blonde hair style spoke to him of a kindred free spirit.
Rick and his brother Joe were just stopping over in the resort town, on their way back from a hiking and climbing expedition in Banff. Joe worked for an IT firm in Vancouver, while Rick, twenty, was in his second year of a general arts degree at the University of British Columbia, and working at a grocery warehouse near the docks. It had taken some serious bugging from Joe, to persuade him to go.
"Look bro, I'm not making the big bucks like you. I gotta make some money this summer to help pay for school."
"I know, but Sean crapped out on me, as he sometimes does, and it's no good going climbing alone. If you can get five days off I'll cover the holiday expenses plus what you'd lose for time off, okay? It'll be fun. It's been two years since we did a road trip," said Joe, referring to their travels through the southwest United States.
Rick sighed. It would be nice to get away for a few days and have some time to relax from the backbreaking work. He looked at Joe, who was making with the puppy dog eyes. "Okay, I'll see if I can get the time off."
And now Rick found himself at the bar watching the sexiest woman he'd ever seen. Not one to be shy, he took a deep breath and walked across the room toward her.
"Hi, so what brings you to the land of wine and sun?" he asked.
She looked up at him. Not the most original pick up line, but he was cute and had a fit body. He'd probably make a great model she thought, and silently undressed him with her eyes. "Do I know you?"
"No, but I hope you will. Rick Gardner. Passing through on my way back to Vancouver."
"Well Rick Gardner, I'm here with my friends."
Rick looked around. "Really? Where'd they go?"
Jamie nodded toward the pool table. "Over there, hustling those poor innocent boys."
She giggled.
"Hmmm looks like they're distracted all right, so how about me being your distraction for the evening?"
"You alone too?" asked Jamie.
Rick turned his head. He caught Joe's glance and waved. Joe waved and continued talking to Daniel, the fellow computer nerd. "My brother and his new found friend are heavy into geeknospeak."
Jamie glanced at the bar. "I see. Well then Rick Gardner, what sort of distractions did you have in mind?"
Rick paid for her drink. Jamie went over to Beth and tapped her on the shoulder, telling her that she and Rick were going down to the park.
Outside the sun had just slid behind the mountains. The air was warm and a gentle breeze blew off the lake. Hand in hand the couple weaved through the crowded sidewalks and crawling traffic crossing the street. The crowds were clapping and dancing as the band wailed and pounded strong rhythms as they sang their tunes. A tightly packed crowd danced before the stage. Music rippled out into the night like widening waves in the sea.
* * *
"We're staying here?" asked Gabe Ross. He glanced over at his wife Margaret who was studying a travel brochure.
Margaret looked up. Gabe was pulling into the circular driveway of the Royal Okanogan Hotel Resort located three blocks east of downtown Kelowna. The huge sandstone colored building with red tile roofing sat on the lakefront. "Yes, Aunt Diane thought we needed some time to be a couple and to be pampered. We're staying in her two bedroom condo suite."
"I don't think I've ever stayed in anything this luxurious," said Gabe.
Margaret grinned and batted her hazel eyes at him, "Well professor, contrary to popular belief not everyone enjoys staying in a smelly old tent."
Gabe pulled his old battered red and beige '89 GMC Jimmy up to the front entrance and put the car into park. Margaret hopped out. "I'll get a bellman and arrange for the keys. You can help unload B'wana."
Gabe shook his head ruefully and climbed out of the car. The dry heat of the Okanagan hit him like an open oven. True it wasn't as hot or humid as Africa or Brazil, but it was still a shock to the system after being in air conditioning. He took off his blue Vancouver Canuks' ball cap and ran his fingers through his sandy brown hair. He watched his wife's lithe figure enter the hotel.
Maybe this was a good idea. He'd been so wrapped up in his research, studies, and classes that he practically lived at the university, much to Margaret's dismay. He'd even missed a showing she'd had at a small local gallery. That had been the last straw. It wasn't that Gabriel Ross was such a workaholic; it was just that his career seemed to be treading water. He always seemed to be two paces behind the brass ring, behind the big grants. He'd spent years in ill paying research jobs, and as a seasonal lecturer at junior colleges. Now, at forty, he finally had an assistant professorship teaching classes in Classics and Literature at the University of British Columbia. Recently, he'd also become interested in a new developing field: Cryptozoology—the study of hidden or long lost animals. It was Gabe's belief that many of the monsters and mythical beasts found in classic literature, myths and legends were based on factual creatures. It was this Margaret dreaded. Finally being accepted as a legitimate scholar and researcher, he was hell bent to shoot himself in the foot. And despite the evidence he showed her, of the alleged Sasquatch, hair and footprint samples he'd collected while on a camping trip with two of his buddies—she was sure that it was still a big hoax and that he'd end up a laughingstock. And yet, she couldn't ignore the passion of searching for these mythical creatures and how it renewed his spirit and energy. Margaret knew that coming to Kelowna gave him the opportunity to do a little research and exploring...
