From Kids to Warriors: DIY Weapons and Our Werewolf Hunts

From Kids to Warriors: DIY Weapons and Our Werewolf Hunts

Ah, the 80s—a time when kids were free-range, VHS tapes were the pinnacle of home entertainment, and the forests were filled with imaginary terrors. If you grew up in that era, you probably have a few stories that make today's helicopter parents clutch their pearls. One such tale from my childhood involves my brother, two of our cousins, and a misguided mission to hunt werewolves armed with nothing but our wits and some homemade weaponry.

Growing up, my aunt was the ultimate gateway to the world of horror movies, introducing us to the genre with a fervor that would make any horror aficionado proud. One of her favorites was Night of the Living Dead, a classic that left her sleeping with the lights on for an entire week. Years later, when my cousins and I finally got around to watching it, we were in hysterics, completely desensitized by the countless horror flicks we had devoured together. While my aunt was pissed at us because we were laughing at the zombies shambling around, convinced that the real horror was how ridiculous the special effects looked compared to the practical effect we were used to. Who knew that our laughter would be the very thing that made us cook for ourselves for the rest of the weekend?

The VHS Horror Obsession

In 1985, our weekends were a ritualistic pilgrimage to the local VHS rental store. Forget Netflix and chill; it was more like "VHS and thrill." We were particularly drawn to horror movies, the kind that made you sleep with the lights on for a week. Among our favorites were werewolf movies like Howling, Wolfen, and American Werewolf in London. There was something about those half-human, half-beast creatures that fascinated us. Maybe it was the idea that a regular Joe could transform into a monstrous beast under a full moon. Or maybe it was just the thrill of being scared out of our wits.

Handmade Weapons: Because Why Not?

Inspired by our cinematic experiences, we decided that it was our duty—nay, our destiny—to protect our aunt's house from the werewolf menace. We scavenged for materials to create our arsenal. Wooden stakes, slingshots, and even a makeshift silver bullet (which was actually a marble wrapped in aluminum foil) were part of our DIY weaponry. We were convinced that we were the only thing standing between our town and a full-blown werewolf apocalypse.

The Great Werewolf Hunt

Armed with our homemade weapons, we ventured into the forest—a sprawling expanse of thousands of acres that seemed endless to our young eyes. We were a ragtag team of prepubescent warriors, ready to take on any werewolf that dared to cross our path. We had a strategy, too: stick together, keep the silver bullet handy, and always aim for the heart. We spent hours running through the woods, our imaginations running even wilder. Every rustle in the bushes was a potential werewolf, every shadow a lurking beast. We felt invincible, protected by the logic that werewolves didn't attack kids. After all, we had never seen a movie where kids got hurt...until we watched Silver Bullet.

The Silver Bullet Revelation

Silver Bullet was a game-changer. This 1985 horror gem, based on Stephen King's novella Cycle of the Werewolf, featured a young boy named Marty Coslaw who discovers that the town's murders are the work of a werewolf. The fact that Marty was a kid—and a paraplegic one at that—shattered our illusion of safety. If a werewolf would go after Marty, what chance did we stand? The movie's climax, where Marty uses a silver bullet to finally take down the werewolf, was both thrilling and terrifying. It made us question our own preparedness. Did our aluminum foil-wrapped marble really stand a chance? Spoiler alert: it did not.

Reality Bites

After the Silver Bullet revelation, our werewolf hunts took on a more somber tone. We still ventured into the woods, but there was a newfound respect for the dangers—both real and imagined—that lurked in the shadows. Our makeshift weapons were eventually replaced by more practical tools like flashlights and walkie-talkies, but the memories of those hunts stayed with us.

Lessons Learned

Looking back, those werewolf hunts were a testament to the power of imagination and the invincibility of youth. We learned a lot from those adventures:

• Teamwork: We had each other's backs, no matter what.
• Resourcefulness: Who needs store-bought when you can DIY?
• Courage: Even if it was misguided, we were brave enough to face our fears.

So here's to the 80s, a time when kids could be kids, and the forests were filled with the echoes of our laughter and the rustle of imaginary werewolves. And to Silver Bullet, for teaching us that even kids need to be prepared for the unexpected. Remember, if you ever find yourself in a werewolf-infested forest under the light of a full moon, make sure your silver bullet is the real deal. And maybe, just maybe, stick to watching the horror unfold from the safety of your couch.