ichael, I'm here to help you.

I know. You've already said that. Twice. Where shall I start?

It's your story. Tell it your way.

Why? I told it to the police. I told it in court. I told it to that press scumbag who ripped me off. It's written down in that file in front of you. Why don't you just read it?

I have, Michael, but I need to hear it from you. Remember, I'm only here...

...to help. Yes, I remember.

One more time can't hurt, can it?

My next door neighbours were werewolves.

Carry on.

If youíre going to laugh, do it now. It doesn't get any more sane, Doctor.

I'm not going to laugh. I'm here... How did you know they were werewolves?

Is that supposed to be funny? Is that a joke? I knew they were werewolves because they acted like werewolves. They did werewolf things.

Okay. Why not start by describing them? The neighbours, I mean.

I don't really do descriptions. I prefer sparse narratives. I don't know... They were... fairly ordinary to look at, I suppose. He was very big and unusually hairy. So was she. It wasn't one thing. They looked... different. Thick eyebrows. They moved too fast. Quick head movements. Like animals. I realise it wasn't obvious. No one else noticed, even Judy, and she was as close as I was. Closer.

Judy is your wife?

Was. Effectively ex now. I'm wonít contest the divorce. There were other things, too. More tangible. The noises in the garden at night. Fires. Cooking. Sacrifices to the Moon. There were bones left behind. Afterwards.

Have you considered that perhaps they were just having a barbecue?

Don't you think I know the difference? And no, these weren't chicken bones. At least not at first.

How did you first bring this up with your wife... with Judy.

I had assumed she knew. That was my first mistake. Then one day, she comes in and says, "I finally saw inside next door today. What a nice couple!"

"But they're... you know..." I was speechless.

"They're what? Jewish? I don't think... Christ, Michael! What does it matter? Sometimes you make me so..." And she stormed out. Actually we both tried to storm out at the same time and nearly collided in the doorway. I'm as tolerant as the next man but I draw the line at monsters! Anyway, apparently I was on my own. I got books from the library. I thought Judy might be in their power, somehow. Like Renwood and Dracula? There was nothing about that in any of the books. I guessed she was just didn't want to see it. Didn't want to hear, either. There were noises at night. Our bedroom shared a wall with theirs. Guttural, animal noises. She must have heard them but she just rubbed my thigh, pretending not to. I pretended to be asleep.

At this point I was still trying to get outside help. If Judy wouldn't help me, surely someone would? I mean, after three children had disappeared! There was a local meeting. The werewolves weren't there, of course, but there was a lot of anger in the room. They were ready to strike out. To kill. I thought I'd spotted my chance. So I stood up and said right out, "I know where they are." You've heard the expression, you could have heard a pin drop. That doesn't come close. You could have heard a snowflake. Suddenly I had everyone's attention. "The couple next door to us..." I nodded at Judy who wasn't looking. She was already leaving. "...are werewolves!" The crowd reacted badly. There I was, trying to help us all, and they threw me out. Physically picked me up and threw me into the gutter! Judy had taken the car so I walked home. She wasn't there. At first I thought she'd just driven around somewhere. Thinking about things. Then I noticed what was missing. Clothes. Personal stuff. Our big suitcase. She went to her sister's place.

This was good, really. Now I was on my own I could work without distractions. I threw myself into my studies. There was only a week to go until the next full moon...

Did the child murders coincide with the full moons?

You know they didn't, Doctor. Don't try to test me. Werewolves are a lot more cunning than they used to be. Much harder to spot. The first was slightly before the actual night of the full moon. Then slightly afterwards. Then they skipped a whole month. If I'd let it go on there would have been more of a pattern but I couldn't. I waited until they went out one day. Then I climbed over the fence and started to dig for evidence. They'd removed the human bones and replaced them with chicken! Oh, they must have laughed about that. But I had the last laugh. It was while I was in the garden that noticed the broken latch on one of the back windows. I could get in! Now I had them.

There was one constant thing in all the books. Silver. Werewolves hate silver. It's toxic to them. Do you know how expensive silver is? I spent all our savings getting enough. Then I paid to have them cast as bullets. Still not laughing? Okay, I can count my own fingers, Doctor. Obviously I know that silver is too soft to make bullets from. Now. Finally, a friend of a friend kept guns. Display guns, with the firing pins removed. He put the pin back in for me and I was set. I broke in to their house one night and waited for them. This was dangerous. It was only a couple of days after the full moon...

After?

Yes, after! Don't interrupt! And don't press that "secret" button under the desk. You wanted to hear this. My way you said. You're only here to help me, remember? Their power was still very strong. When they came in I didn't wait for them to smell me. I pointed straight at the male and fired. Point blank. Bam! Silver is too soft a metal to make bullets. Believe me, I know. It must have been alloyed with something in the old days. Anyway, the gun exploded. Goodbye fingers. But enough of the silver got through. He clutched his chest, fell over backwards and lay twitching on the floor. Soon, he was dead. My job was half done but now I was utterly helpless, with half a hand, waiting for the female to go for the kill. She just screamed and ran. I didn't understand at the time but... Is everything okay, Doctor? You look uneasy.

I think this has gone a little too far. Let's back up a little. The chicken bones?

You think you're so clever don't you? But there are things I know that you don't. The bitch was pregnant. That's why she didn't attack me. Obviously, her priority was to defend her cubs. Also, the male wasn't injured in anything vital. It shouldn't have killed him but it did. Enough silver must got through to poison him. That wouldn't have happened if he'd been human.

I think we should try this again next week, Michael. Now, I believe we've made progress. Good progress. But I want you to think about your story and especially the inconsistencies in it. These full moons. The bones in the garden. You use words like "obviously" and "must have" but you can't deny that these are more than a little strange.

Okay. I'll make a deal with you. If... No, wait. I'll think about these "inconsistencies," if you think about one single undeniable fact.

And what's that?