A Hairy Situation

By Matthew Dewar

If monsters don't exist, why is everyone in this town obsessed with yowies?

All Jacinta wants is to go back home to Sydney, but her mum must solve a case first: a missing person with no clues, unless you count eyewitnesses who saw him get eaten by a yowie. But monsters

• Language: English
• Publisher: Matthew Dewar
• Release date: Dec 1, 2021
• ISBN: 9780648079934

Matthew Dewar

Matthew lives in Perth, Western Australia, where a chance encounter with a victim of a monster attack changed the course of his life. When he's not investigating and writing about the terrifying monsters and creatures that share this world with us, you might find him working as a physiotherapist, teaching group fitness classes, entertaining his dogs, baking in the kitchen, or making the most of Perth's glorious weather. You can connect with Matthew online: Website: www.nightmarestories.com.au Facebook: Matthew Dewar Author Twitter: @WriterDewar Instagram: @nightmarestories_books

Book preview

Nightmare Stories

A Hairy Situation

Matthew Dewar

This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organisations, and events portrayed in this book are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

For information, contact:

https://www.matthewdewar.com.au

Text Copyright © 2021 Matthew Dewar

All rights reserved

Book Cover Design Copyright © 2021 Matthew Dewar

All rights reserved

ISBN: 978-0-6480799-2-7

ONE

Jacinta stood at the front of her new class feeling like she was a strange animal in an exhibit. First impressions mattered, and even though she hoped she wouldn’t be at this new school long, she wanted to put her best foot forward. She raised her right hand and waved nervously. Hi, I’m Jacinta.

No one waved back. Two girls in the back of the class whispered something and then started giggling.

Heat radiated from Jacinta’s cheeks. So far so bad. This was a terrible first impression. She tried to swallow but her tongue stuck to the roof of her mouth. The carpet at her feet had a silver diamond pattern within the navy fibres. Focusing on that helped calm her nerves. I moved here from Sydney a couple of days ago, just after my twelfth birthday.

But that wasn’t exactly true. Tears prickled the corners of her eyes as her mind flashed back to being kidnapped and taken from her family home against her will. She sniffed and clenched her jaw, refusing to cry on the first day of her new school.

I’m sure you’ll settle in very quickly. Mrs Hubbard smiled warmly. She was a tall, skinny woman with bushy brown hair and thin-framed glasses. Her long flowing dress rustled with her movements, and she wore lots of bangles on her wrists and beads around her neck.

Settling in quickly was the last thing Jacinta wanted. All her friends and family were on the other side of the country. If there was a way to get back to Sydney, she would find it.

Tell us a little about yourself. Mrs Hubbard nodded with encouragement. What are your interests?

I like drawing and painting. Jacinta felt more confident now she was talking directly to her new teacher. And I love watching all the talent shows on TV. When I’m older, I’m going to enter one, but I haven’t figured out what my talent is yet.

How lovely, Mrs Hubbard exclaimed, clapping her hands together. We have a new creative mind in our midst. Oh, you’re going to fit in very well here. She gestured around the room and Jacinta took in all the impressive artwork hanging on the walls. The blackboard was framed by photographs of students playing musical instruments, acting in the school production, designing costumes, and accepting awards. Back in Sydney, Jacinta was always praised for her natural talent at everything she did. Would her skills match up to these new kids? Would she stand out or fade into the background?

What do your parents do for a living, Jacinta? Mrs Hubbard asked.

At the mention of her parents, Jacinta’s anger flared and she clenched her hands into fists. She didn’t consider them her parents anymore. Not after they kidnapped and dragged her across the country against her wishes. Dad’s a psychologist and Mum’s a detective, she grumbled.

Wait, one of the girls who had giggled earlier said with a frown. You said your mum’s a detective. Was it you who moved into that old house on Hirsweet Boulevard?

Jacinta nodded, hoping her new classmates weren’t as crazy as the rest of the town.

A collective gasp echoed around the room. Mrs Hubbard sighed loudly.

You’re living in the yowie murder house! someone shouted.

Jacinta closed her eyes, wishing she was back in Sydney with her friends. It had been like this since they moved here. Everyone was so obsessed with this creature from folklore that didn’t exist.

Have you seen a yowie yet? a girl sitting by the window asked.

Do you have a pet yowie? someone yelled from the back.

A boy whispered from the front row, Are you going to be eaten too? 

Rapid-fire questions assaulted Jacinta from every direction. She clenched her fists until her nails bit into her skin, just enough of a distraction to quiet the panic in her mind for a moment.

Enough! Mrs Hubbard sliced her arms through the air, cutting out the noise in the room. How many times do I have to remind you all this class is a yowie-free zone? She shook her head. Honestly. Turning to Jacinta, she pointed out an empty chair to the side of the room. Why don’t you take a seat over there next to Emma.

What’s a yowie? Jacinta asked. Since they arrived here, everyone had been talking about them, but all she knew was that it was a hairy monster. The internet wasn’t set up at home yet, so she couldn’t even look it up. She searched the room for someone to elaborate, but no one did. Half the class stared at her in pity, the other half avoided her gaze as if fearing a yowie attack would be contagious by association.

Mrs Hubbard sucked her teeth several times. It’s make-believe. That’s what it is. She turned to the class. Does anyone have any non-yowie-related questions for Jacinta, or can we get started with today’s lesson?

Jacinta took her seat, behind a girl with wild hair, and in front of a boy whose eyes were half-shut. He made zero attempts to stifle a large yawn and was the only person in this class who didn’t join in on the yowie discussion.

Emma leaned over. Do you really not know what a yowie is? she whispered.

Jacinta shook her head and glanced up at Mrs Hubbard who was writing on the whiteboard and hadn’t heard.

Oh my gosh. The girl’s eyes widened. You need to get out of that house ASAP. Emma pinched her lip between her teeth. A yowie is a massive hairy monster, like the Australian version of Bigfoot. There’s been a few sightings here and there, but then last month the man who used to live in your house was eaten. He was a caretaker of the woods. You know, like Hagrid with the Forbidden Forest.

Jacinta squinted in concentration. That’s not what Mum told her. The man had disappeared a month ago, he wasn't eaten by a monster. Yes, everyone was saying a yowie ate him, but that wasn’t the truth. How could something that doesn’t exist be responsible for a crime?

When the police department here ran out of resources to continue the investigation, they invited Mum to come over and work on it so they could return to their normal duties. Was Mum not telling her the whole story? It wouldn’t be the first time she had kept secrets thinking it would protect her daughter.

Well, Emma continued. He found a baby yowie in the woods who was alone and scared. He took the baby home with him to care for it, but the mumma yowie thought he had kidnapped it. She ate him and fed the leftovers to her baby. She’s been back to the house a few times as if she’s still angry and wants to eat more people.

Rolling her eyes, Jacinta returned her attention to Mrs Hubbard. Monsters aren’t real, she told herself. How original for someone to try and play a prank on the new kid at school.

***

At recess, a girl with short spiky hair who sat by the window in class came over to Jacinta. My dad worked with Erik, she said matter-of-factly as if Jacinta was supposed to know exactly who she and Erik were.

Jacinta waited for more gossip, but when none came, she asked, Who’s Erik?

Professor Pelt. The scientist who used to live in your house. She shook her head sadly. The accident was so horrible.

Maybe this time she’d get the proper story and not another prank. She donned her metaphorical detective’s cap and prepared to make mental notes. How cool would it be if she could solve the mystery for Mum? Her parents always underestimated her and treated her like a baby. If she solved the case, not only would they go back to Sydney, but she would prove to Mum that she was mature enough to go to bed later, stay home alone, and get a mobile phone. What accident? Tell me.

The girl glanced around before leaning in super close to Jacinta. He went crazy. She spoke in a hushed voice as if she were talking about a conspiracy. He found a dead yowie in the woods. He brought it inside his house where he had a laboratory set up and tried to bring it back to life. The yowie became a zombie and ate him.

Jacinta covered her mouth. Not out of fear, or shock, but out of necessity to hide the smile trying to forcefully commandeer her face. She couldn’t figure out whether these kids were pranking her, or maybe they truly believed that a yowie was responsible for the man’s disappearance. But a zombie yowie? That was one step too far. 

After morning tea, Mrs Hubbard split the class into pairs to work on deciphering some complex maths problems. Back in Sydney, they had covered long division months ago, and Jacinta proudly solved the list of equations faster than anyone else in the room.

Jacinta’s partner, Max, had hair parted down the middle and the top button of his shirt done up so tight it looked uncomfortable. He wore glasses, but after a