Lycanthropy #AtoZChallenge

Lycanthropy – supernatural transformation of a person into a wolf

The full moon was rising in a squid ink sky. Dakota could sense it, his skin was crawling and the creature shifted his muscles and bones as it got ready to realise.

Dakota drove out to the forest were rain still dripped off the spring tree leaves. He followed an old hunters’ track and parked in front of the long abandoned cabin. He got out, took his clothes off and left everything in the truck.

Dakota walked deep into the forest, not worried about getting lost as his keen smell would led him back to the truck. The creature was always with him and he could use its’ supernatural senses anytime Dakota wanted. Unfortunately, there was a price to pay and that was what the creature always demanded – freedom.

He didn’t know what it was about the cycle of the moon that the creature seemed to follow. He guessed it was part of the curse. Dakota had tried everything to keep the creature in but every full moon the creature took total control and there was nothing he could do.

Out here in the forest was the safest place to be. There was space for the creature to roam and to not come across anybody. Dakota felt a twist in his gut, he remembered everything about these nights like he was watching a live movie. So far he hadn’t killed a person but he dreaded doing so.

Pain raced through his body and Dakota dropped to the ground. Everything in his body was on fire. He gritted his teeth and tried not to cry out in pain as the transformation happened. He felt his spine changing first then his limbs and head. It took seconds but it felt like years.

Dakota slummed on the damp soil, breathing deeply and felt the numbness kicking in. It was a relief. Darkness cover his sight and he feel unconscious.

When he stirred, he had fully changed. The creature’s eyes were sharp and able to see in the dark. His tall ears pricked to all sounds of the forest which had the same volume as a heavy metal concert. The creature’s nose sniffed deeply the so many wonderful smells of live. The creature shook it’s body and felt the mass covering of fur fly then settle back into place.

The creature shifted soil beneath its paws. The urge to hunt and kill growing. Throwing a massive head back, the creature let rip a monster’s howl.

It was free once more.

(Inspired by; http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com)

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Creature

Jack knew he shouldn’t go further into the cave, but he was angry and didn’t care. Sand and shells crunched under his hiking boots and water dripped steadily. The light beam from the torch showed him how narrow the walls were getting. He hitched up his rucksack and heard it scrapping the wall.

He stopped and saw his breath misting before him. It was colder then he thought then. He shone the torch around, but there was nothing unusual about the cave. It looked just looked like the back of any cave on any beach. Jack turned back the way he had come. He couldn’t see the cave entrance, but he knew it was there.

They’re all outside having a good laugh at me now, he thought, whatever. Sod them.

He slipped his rucksack off and sat down on it. He tapped the torch about in his hands then turned it off. Darkness settled around him and he breathed in deeply. He shut his eyes and just listened to the distant sound of the sea. He also thought he heard the crackle of the fire and gusty blow of the wind.

The sound of soft footsteps moving towards him grew within the background of dripping water.

Great. I can’t even get a bit of space!

Jack thought about turning the torch on, but then decided against it. Let whoever it was find him in the dark. They liked playing games anyway didn’t they? His so called friends…

The footsteps came into focus and Jack knew something was wrong with them. It didn’t sound like boots or bare feet coming towards him. It sounded more like paws…

‘Hello?’ he shouted and flicked on the torch.

The light chased the shadows away and showed Jack nothing but the damp walls.

‘Quit messin’ and leave me alone! Jerks!’ he yelled.

He turned off the torch again and sat breathing heavily in the darkness.

The sound of paws picked up again and were followed by a low growl. The hair on the back of his neck stood up and Jack turned the torch slowly. Carefully, he guided the beam around.

Something moved against the wall to his left. He flashed the torch over and the light reflected two large grey glowing orbs.

He swore and scrambled to his feet. He tried to hold the torch steady to see more, but he couldn’t.

The growling came again. Fur brushed against the wall. The paws picked up speed.

He dodged to the side and ran. The light beam bouncing everywhere. He burst from the cave, kicking up sand as he arrived. He spun around and shone the light back into the entrance. Was it still following him?

His friends were scrambling around, he could see that out of the corner of his version. They were asking him what was wrong. But he couldn’t reply. He had no words to describe the creature he had just seen.

 

Story prompt from: https://scvincent.com/2016/10/27/thursday-photo-prompt-creature-writephoto/ with thanks.

Halloween

Upon this night, the veil between this world and the next thins allowing the passage between two places. The dead in all forms comes back to walk the earth once more. Spirits visit family and friends, guided by the candle light inside pumpkins left at front doors. Whilst the scary Jack O’ Lantern faces keep evil away.

Ghosts drifted through the streets, their tethers to places broken for this single night. They moan through the trees, rattling the bare branches, haunting everything they can. The more powerful ghosts move heavy objects, scream against the wind and make their presences felt.

All the other supernatural beings move through the cities under the disguises of real people. They mingle with crowds of children and adults, dressed up in bright or dark clothes going door to door. The old chant of trick or treat rings out, filling the night along the laughter and small screams.

In the shadows, demons and witches wait to snatch any wandering child away, but they are out of luck tonight. What with everyone child safely protected by the costumes they wear. It’s hard to tell if that is a human child or a fairy laughing under a tree. Best to leave it alone and lay in wait once more.

Vampires move from their crypts, rising as they have time after time. They seek out the only thing that can keep them going, but there is too much choice tonight. They prowl about, killers hiding in the darkness.

Clouds pass the almost full moon that hangs down in a ink blot sky and the clocks begin counting down to the midnight hour. Soon it will be over and this one night will be gone for another year.

Nurse

It was the start of the night shift on the hospital ward. Head Nurse Cassie looked at the list of patients on the board behind the desk. Next to the bed numbers and the names were initial letters written in red. She transferred them into words and counted the different creatures that were actually in the rooms.

There were two vampires, three werewolves, a pixie, five witches, a warlock, a demon and a shape shiftier. Cassie then read the next lot of information attached to each name which stated why they were here and who their doctor was. Nothing had changed from last night. With that refreshed in her head, she turned to the messy desk left by the day staff and began trying tidy it up.

Around her, drifted the low muttering of voices from the patients and the nurses. Though she couldn’t hear any actually words. The movement of furniture, TV shows and a phone ringing added to the background. Cassie smiled and felt herself settling in for the night. Pulling over the wheeling desk chair, she double checked her long brown tail was tided out of the way.

Sitting down, she was then drawn to check the small pink bow between her small round brown ears. The phone rang and Cassie answered it. The kitchen staff were running late due to the delivery being held up. The vampires would have to wait for their breakfast.

Putting down the phone, Cassie decided it was best for the moment not to tell them. They had only just woken up and would be grumpy enough. She got back to cleaning the desk then checked the medical trolley. Making a note of the things that were needed, she waited till the other four nurses came back to the desk.

‘Were you late?’ Frenchie, a pink gnome asked.

‘A little,’ Cassie admitted, ‘twins where playing up…the little monkeys.’ She giggled and the other nurses joined in.

‘Are they still walking all over your husband?’ Pepper, the rabbit, inquired.

‘Yes and taking great delight in it too,’ Cassie replied.

More laughing followed and Harriet the hippo had to hide her snorting.

‘Oh, I think one of the vampires is getting discharged,’ Will spoke out, cutting in.

Cassie turned to him and took in the tall elf. The blue pants and jacket, did not seem to suit him, but maybe it was just the clash with his light green hair and the tattoo green leaves on the edges of his face.

‘The kitchen has just said their food is delayed. If they ask you can tell them, but for now…’

‘The blood is late again!’ a sharp, male noble voice shouted out.

They all turned and saw one of the vampires standing in the doorway of his room. He was shockingly tall and thin, with a very white face and blood shot eyes. He wore a black seventeen hundred suit with a white shirt and a frill at his throat. His long black hair was tied back making his too high cheek bones more pronounced.

‘Lord Trell, I’m sure it will be here soon,’ Cassie said and got up.

She escorted him back to his room, noticing his bare feet with long toes and cracked yellow nails. The vampire flung himself on to his bed with a loud groaning. Cassie eyed him then checked his clipboard notes at the end of the bed. Seems he hadn’t been eating much anyway.

‘I’ll let you know when it has arrived,’ she said, ‘you should put your bed socks on.’

Lord Trell sighed and looked at the discarded stockings on the bedside table. He picked them up and showed the nurse the holes in them.

‘I’ll get you some more,’Cassie said with a shake of her head as she left.