Cycle of the Werewolf (MAY)
Cycle of the Werewolf
MAY
It is Saturday night. It is the last weekend before the end of the school year. Summer is finally here. That night, Reverend Lester Lowe has a terrible dream. He wakes up and he is shaking.
He is sweating and terrified. He looks out his window, and across the street he can see his church. Moonlight comes in through his window. The light is silver and bright.
For one moment he expects to see the werewolf all the townspeople are talking about. Then he closes his eyes and asks God for forgiveness. He is a reverend. He feels silly for being so superstitious. He finishes his prayer, “For Jesus’ sake, amen.” That is what his mother taught him to say to end all his prayers.
Oh, but the dream… In his dream it was tomorrow, Sunday. Church day. He had been preaching at his church in his dream. The church is always full on this weekend before the end of school. And in his dream, every bench in his church is full of churchgoers.
In his dream he is preaching with a fire and a force. He is usually quite boring in reality. He tends to talk on and on. That is probably why fewer people are coming to his church on Sundays. But this Sunday morning in his dream his tongue seems to be touched by religious fire!
In his dream he is preaching the greatest sermon of his life, and the subject is: THE BEAST WALKS AMONG US. He speaks with a powerful voice. The Beast, he tells his listeners, is everywhere! At a high school dance. Buying a pack of cigarettes and a lighter at the convenience store. Or waiting for the bus to arrive.
The Beast might be sitting next to you at the hair salon, or eating a cheeseburger at the local diner on Main Street. The Beast, he tells them. His voice is a whisper now, and it captures them all.
Watch for the Beast, because he may smile and say he is your neighbor. But he has many sharp teeth, and his eyes might be evil. He is the Beast, and he is here now, in Tarker’s Mills. He…
But suddenly he stops talking in his dream. Something terrible is happening in his church. The people sitting in the chairs, his congregation, are beginning to change. And he realizes with horror that they are turning into werewolves. All of them, all three hundred of them.
Their eyes are turning green, their faces become long, and their teeth become sharp. Their fingernails become claws and their ears grow and become pointed. Their skin turns dark and fur begins to grow. They jump from the seats and begin to come towards Reverend Lowe. They are biting and screaming in voices that sound almost like human voices.
It sounds like a zoo at feeding time. And Reverend Lowe screams out to his congregation, in a kind of ecstasy, “The Beast! The Beast is everywhere! Everywhere! Every-...” But his voice is not his voice now. His voice has become a growl. He looks down at his hands and he sees they are now paws - the paws of a wolf. And then he wakes up.
It is only a dream, he thinks. Only a dream, thank God. But when he opens the church doors that morning, the last Sunday morning before school ends, the morning after the full moon, it is no dream that he sees. He sees the dead body of Clyde Corliss, the janitor of the church. His body is torn to pieces. His broom is leaning against the wall.
None of this is a dream. The Reverend Lowe wishes it was a dream. He opens his mouth, but he cannot speak. He begins to scream. Spring is here again in Tarker’s Mills this year, and the Beast has come with it.
MAY
Cycle of the Werewolf
Ciclo do lobisomem
MAY
Maio
It is Saturday night.
É sábado à noite.
It is the last weekend before the end of the school year.
É o último fim de semana antes do final do ano letivo.
Summer is finally here.
O verão finalmente chegou.
That night, Reverend Lester Lowe has a terrible dream.
Naquela noite, o reverendo Lester Lowe tem um sonho terrível.
He wakes up and he is shaking.
Ele acorda e está tremendo.
He is sweating and terrified.
Ele está suando e apavorado.
He looks out his window, and across the street he can see his church.
Ele olha pela janela e, do outro lado da rua, pode ver sua igreja.
Moonlight comes in through his window.
O luar entra pela janela.
The light is silver and bright.
A luz é prateada e brilhante.
For one moment he expects to see the werewolf all the townspeople are talking about.
Por um momento, ele espera ver o lobisomem de que todos falam.
Then he closes his eyes and asks God for forgiveness.
Então ele fecha os olhos e pede perdão a Deus.
He is a reverend.
Ele é um reverendo.
He feels silly for being so superstitious.
Ele se sente bobo por ser tão supersticioso.
He finishes his prayer, “For Jesus’ sake, amen.”
Ele termina sua oração: “Pelo amor de Jesus, amém”.
That is what his mother taught him to say to end all his prayers.
Isso é o que sua mãe o ensinou a dizer para acabar com todas as suas orações.
Oh, but the dream…
Ah, mas o sonho...
In his dream it was tomorrow, Sunday.
No sonho dele era amanhã, domingo.
Church day.
Dia da igreja.
He had been preaching at his church in his dream.
Ele estava pregando em sua igreja em seu sonho.
The church is always full on this weekend before the end of school.
A igreja está sempre cheia neste fim de semana antes do final das aulas.
And in his dream, every bench in his church is full of churchgoers.
E em seu sonho, todos os bancos de sua igreja estão cheios de fiéis.
In his dream he is preaching with a fire and a force.
Em seu sonho, ele está pregando com fogo e força.
He is usually quite boring in reality.
Ele geralmente é muito chato na realidade.
He tends to talk on and on.
Ele tende a falar sem parar.
That is probably why fewer people are coming to his church on Sundays.
Provavelmente é por isso que menos pessoas vêm à sua igreja aos domingos.
But this Sunday morning in his dream his tongue seems to be touched by religious fire!
Mas nesta manhã de domingo, em seu sonho, sua língua parece ser tocada pelo fogo religioso!
In his dream he is preaching the greatest sermon of his life, and the subject is:
Em seu sonho ele está pregando o maior sermão de sua vida, e o assunto é:
THE BEAST WALKS AMONG US.
A BESTA CAMINHA ENTRE NÓS.
He speaks with a powerful voice.
Ele fala com uma voz poderosa.
The Beast, he tells his listeners, is everywhere!
A Besta, ele diz a seus ouvintes, está em toda parte!
At a high school dance.
Em um baile do colégio.
Buying a pack of cigarettes and a lighter at the convenience store.
Comprando um maço de cigarros e um isqueiro na loja de conveniência.
Or waiting for the bus to arrive.
Ou esperando o ônibus chegar.
The Beast might be sitting next to you at the hair salon,
A Besta pode estar sentada ao seu lado no salão de beleza,
or eating a cheeseburger at the local diner on Main Street.
ou comendo um cheeseburger em um restaurante local na Rua Main.
The Beast, he tells them.
A Besta, ele diz a eles.
His voice is a whisper now, and it captures them all.
Sua voz é um sussurro agora, e captura todos eles.
Watch for the Beast, because he may smile and say he is your neighbor.
Cuidado com a Besta, porque ela pode sorrir e dizer que é sua vizinha.
But he has many sharp teeth, and his eyes might be evil.
Mas ela tem muitos dentes afiados e seus olhos podem ser malignos.
He is the Beast, and he is here now, in Tarker’s Mills. He…
Ela é a Besta e está aqui agora, em Tarker's Mills. Ela…
But suddenly he stops talking in his dream.
Mas de repente ele para de falar em seu sonho.
Something terrible is happening in his church.
Algo terrível está acontecendo em sua igreja.
The people sitting in the chairs, his congregation, are beginning to change.
As pessoas sentadas nas cadeiras, sua congregação, estão começando a mudar.
And he realizes with horror that they are turning into werewolves.
E ele percebe com horror que eles estão se transformando em lobisomens.
All of them, all three hundred of them.
Todos eles, todos os trezentos.
Their eyes are turning green, their faces become long, and their teeth become sharp.
Seus olhos estão ficando verdes, seus rostos se alongam e seus dentes se tornam afiados.
Their fingernails become claws and their ears grow and become pointed.
Suas unhas se tornam garras e suas orelhas crescem e se tornam pontudas.
Their skin turns dark and fur begins to grow.
Sua pele fica escura e o pelo começa a crescer.
They jump from the seats and begin to come towards Reverend Lowe.
Eles pulam dos assentos e começam a vir em direção ao reverendo Lowe.
They are biting and screaming in voices that sound almost like human voices.
Eles estão mordendo e gritando em vozes que soam quase como vozes humanas.
It sounds like a zoo at feeding time.
Parece um zoológico na hora da alimentação.
And Reverend Lowe screams out to his congregation, in a kind of ecstasy,
E o reverendo Lowe grita para sua congregação, em uma espécie de êxtase:
“The Beast! The Beast is everywhere! Everywhere! Every-...”
“A Besta! A Besta está em toda parte! Em todos os lugares! Todos…”
But his voice is not his voice now.
Mas a voz dele não é a sua própria voz agora.
His voice has become a growl.
Sua voz tornou-se um rosnado.
He looks down at his hands and he sees they are now paws - the paws of a wolf.
Ele olha para as mãos e vê que agora são patas - as patas de um lobo.
And then he wakes up.
E então ele acorda.
It is only a dream, he thinks.
É apenas um sonho, ele pensa.
Only a dream, thank God.
Só um sonho, graças a Deus.
But when he opens the church doors that morning, the last Sunday morning before school ends, the morning after the full moon, it is no dream that he sees.
Mas quando ele abre as portas da igreja naquela manhã, no último domingo antes do fim das aulas, na manhã seguinte à lua cheia, não é um sonho o que ele vê.
He sees the dead body of Clyde Corliss, the janitor of the church.
Ele vê o cadáver de Clyde Corliss, o zelador da igreja.
His body is torn to pieces.
Seu corpo está despedaçado.
His broom is leaning against the wall.
Sua vassoura está encostada na parede.
None of this is a dream.
Nada disso é um sonho.
The Reverend Lowe wishes it was a dream.
O reverendo Lowe gostaria que fosse um sonho.
He opens his mouth, but he cannot speak.
Ele abre a boca, mas não consegue falar.
He begins to scream.
Ele começa a gritar.
Spring is here again in Tarker’s Mills this year, and the Beast has come with it.
A primavera está aqui novamente em Tarker's Mills este ano, e a Besta veio com ela.
