OBSIDIAN: Palingenesis
08:22 Jan 04 2005
Times Read: 875
"Who needs the light
With the darkness in your eyes
Who needs to sleep
With the stars in the sky
It's here in your soul
I want to be married
You are my sanctuary."
-- Madonna, "Sanctuary" from Bedtime Stories
Adam Stone had a good life. He lived in Phoenix, Arizona all of that life. He met his beautiful wife, Cori, over a year ago and they were married almost immediately. They only just celebrated their first anniversary a few days ago.
He had a great job. He and Cori owned and operated a small rare books store named "Ex Libris". The bookstore was a storefront to their two-story house -- the store taking most of the ground floor.
The bookstore dealt with new and used books. Hard to find volumes. The arcane and unusual. The rare and valuable. He bought and sold books, scripts, and comic books from around the world.
The comics are what he enjoyed the most. His favorite comic was that of the adventures of "Obsidian" -- in all of his outlets: "Obsidian: Defender of Darkness", "Obsidian of Canyon City", and "Obsidian and Ruby" which in the 70's introduced the Dark Avenger's beautiful sidekick Ruby; the inspiration of many a teenage wet dream for Adam as he grew up.
When Adam was young, he wanted to be Obsidian when he grew up. Battling evil with his buxom, copper-haired lover/fighter beside him. But when he grew up, he realized the closest he could come was to hands-down own the largest collection of Obsidian comics anywhere. When he came into some money, after his parents died, he turned his house into a rare books store.
He placed an ad one day for an assistant, and Cori answered the ad. At first, the relationship was professional, but the two quickly fell in love and got married. Yes, Adam had a good life once upon a time.
A year later, however, the publisher of the now "Obsidian: Dark Crusades" comics, has gone out of business. Adam received the last issue and cried practically all night long as he read the heartbreaking story of how Obsidian finally cleaned up the last of the arch-villains of Canyon City and decided to retire, and left Ruby with an unrequited love's broken heart.
It was all Adam could talk about for days, and that was driving Cori crazy because he wasn't paying attention to her. She was almost jealous.
One day, Adam woke up to the sound of the shower running. He knocked on the door for her to let him in so he could relieve himself. She didn't answer. He knocked harder and called out to her. He heard nothing but the hiss of the shower running. Then he felt the water at his feet. He looked down as the floor started to get flooded with red-tinted water.
He stepped back in shock, and then steeled himself to ram the bathroom door. He broke through and was overwhelmed when he saw Cori floating in the bathtub overflowing with bloody water; steaming hot water still spraying down onto her lifeless body. He turned away for a second as the fear and revulsion washed over him. He then came back to his senses and carefully walked across the slippery wet floor to turn off the water and pull the plug.
As the water swirled down the drain, Adam rushed to the bedroom phone to call 9-1-1. He described the situation then hung up as he waited for help. In the meantime, he found towels to soak up the water making its way onto the bedroom floor.
The paramedics found Adam sitting on the toilet, with the lid down, mumbling to himself in a dazed state. Adam was lost in his own fear, trapped in a dark place, wondering why Cori would have killed herself. When the water drained away, he saw that her wrist had been cut... the razor blade caught in the drain. That image kept flashing back to him in his mind.
He could hear paramedics say, as if in the distance through a tin-can phone, "what a mess" and "sad to see this happen" and "what must he be thinking", but worst of all, "she was dead when we arrived -- hard to tell the exact time of death -- get the coroner down here."
* * * * * * *
It was almost 2 weeks later, 13 days to be exact, before Adam opened up the bookstore to the public again. He was tired and distracted; by now he was an insomniac. He couldn't sleep, but when he did, he had nightmares about Cori. So, he ended up changing the hours that the store was open, staying open later.
That night, just after the sun set, a beautiful red-head dressed in a provocative black leather outfit that had to have been painted on walked into the store with an old book bound in black leather with gold embossed writing on the cover. She walked up to the counter he was standing behind and gently placed the book onto the countertop.
Adam had a haunting feeling that he knew the woman from somewhere but there was no mistake what book was just brought to him. He caught his breath then asked, "Is this really the 'Book of Palingenesis'?"
The woman smiled a knowing smile and sweetly replied, "Yes, and I'm willing to sell it to you... for a price. One I'm sure you are willing to pay."
"And what would that be?" he asked.
"I need you to be the next Obsidian."
His heart stopped as he realized with whom he was talking. Was he going mad? Was this really Ruby in his store, asking him to be Obsidian?
"What?!" was the first intelligent thought that he could verbalize. Then came, "Why do you want me to be Obsidian? Who am I to you?"
Her lips curled as she replied, "I know all about you, Adam Stone. I know you are the one man who knows everything about Obsidian, and me. I know you were as shocked as I was that Obsidian retired..."
"Wait a minute... just wait. Obsidian is just a comic book character. YOU are a comic-book character. This isn't happening."
She slapped him in the face. "Did that feel real enough to you? Trust me, I'm as real as you are, Adam. If that doesn't convince you, I know something you don't know that you can only reveal if you become Obsidian."
Still reeling from the sting, he cautiously asked, "What's that?"
Her face became cold, "That your wife Cori didn't kill herself. She was murdered."
"That's it. I've gone insane. 'That's right officer, a comic-book bimbo told me my wife was murdered,'" he said, mocking her.
She tried to slap him again, but he caught and held her hand fast. She smiled again and said, "Very impressive. With moves like that, you will become Obsidian easily. Listen, I don't have all night. Read this book. It will explain a lot to you. Most importantly, it will explain how I can make you Obsidian." With that she freed her wrist from his grip and started to walk towards the door. She opened the door, turned and said, "And yes, you have gone insane. That's what I like most about you, Adam." With that, she was gone, disappearing into the night.
In his business, Adam has become very familiar with the legends of many rare books. The Book of Palingenesis is the most rare of all of the apocryphal texts to ever be excluded from the canonized Bible. Legends held that a rogue Templar Knight had acquired a copy and vanished mysteriously afterwards. Tales of failed attempts to claim it before and since rival even the quests for the Holy Grail. Even a splinter group of the Spanish Inquisition claimed to have searched the globe in an attempt to find it and destroy it. In the end, it is said, they declared it to be pure myth; a fiction to be sure.
The very idea that someone, a comic book heroine at that, would just drop it off for him to skim in an evening was preposterous. Yet he picked it up and was compelled by curiosity to look through it. The binding was quite worn and weathered. The pages were not paper but very fine parchment. This was not a book to flip through casually, but gingerly and with care. It was written in English, hand-scribed and illuminated. If it were authentic, it would have been transcribed from at least a Greek source, and from an unknown language before that. The word genesis is from the ancient Greek for "birth" or "origin". The prefix palin means "back again". Put them together and you get anything from a second creation, to resurrection or reincarnation, perhaps reanimation... even vampirism. It described everything that goes against Christian dogma, save the ability of one special man. Everything that could punch a hole into the side of the world's predominant, if fractured, religion.
By the time he finished reading the ancient, hand-illuminated tome he had been given, Adam was exhausted. He fell asleep as he completed the last sentence. Shortly into his long-awaited slumber, he began to dream. He saw the whole of the Book Of Palingenesis acted out before him.
* * * * * * *
"And the Earth was void and Empty
And Darkness was upon the face of the Earth
Is all of this pain so necessary?
You are my sanctuary.
Surely whoever speaks to me with the right voice
Him or her I shall follow,
As the water falls from the roof.
Silently."
-- Madonna, "Sanctuary" from Bedtime Stories
The Creation of Adam... and Lilith? The First Sin? Not the "Original Sin", but the First. Of the betrayal of Lilith by Adam, the Angels, and God Himself. What the book failed to say, unless he missed it, was just who it was exactly who committed the First Sin. Perhaps they all did, not just Lilith. That was another terrible thing that mustn't be allowed to surface. The idea that Adam was flawed was acceptable, but not the angels and God. Blasphemy and heresy, right here in his hands. So any trace of Lilith was erased from the Good Book, second runner-up Eve was promoted to matron of humanity; the church had its scapegoats, and all was right with the world.
But what happened to Lilith? Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned. Her fury was the First, and it burned so bright even God was singed. Throughout the ages of man she continued to return, in many forms, to either help or hinder Mankind at her will. One of her happy chores was to seduce young men in their sleep, feeding on their dreams. From her we also get our nightmares, and legends of succubae and vampires.
He saw it all. He finally believed. He finally understood. He knew why the early patriarchs of the Judeo-Christian religions tried to destroy this tome. The Inquisition and Crusades may never have happened had this been found. The vampires would never have had to masquerade in the darkness. The Obsidian Order would never have been necessary.
In his dream he cried out, "My God! It's all so clear! Holy Shit! I know about it all. They'll kill me to protect the secret, unless..." Then Ruby appeared before him, in a flowing, black silk dress that almost, but not quite, revealed her shapely body, and said, "Unless you drink from me tonight. All your life you have sought out the arcane knowledge... especially those lost books of the Bible. But the Apocrypha left you hungry for more, and you thought the Book Of Palingenesis was only legend. You thought WE were only legend. Vampires are very real. We are not the foul beasts of Hollyweird. We are the Keepers of the Night. We are not all evil. Some of us champion the Innocent. Obsidian was one of us. He was killed by the Hunters, and his successor must be found. You, Adam, are to be that Dark Avenger. You have been trained since your childhood to be his successor."
He understood, "Through the comic books."
"Yes. It was the only way the secret could be kept in check this long. Permission has been granted to me by the Prince of Phoenix himself, whom you will meet soon, to make you one of us." She seemed to float nearer to him, and eventually less than an inch separated their bodies, ethereal as they were.
"What about Cori?" he asked solemnly.
"Her murder is for you to solve. For you to Avenge. Her soul will not rest without Retribution. You are the only one who can find out the Truth. Only you have the Thirst for Truth and Justice and now Vengeance that is the birthright of Obsidian."
He looked into her crystal blue eyes and asked, "But do I need the Thirst of Blood as well?"
"Vengeance is a dish best served cold," she started as she took his hand and placed it on her bosom above her heart. He felt her lifeless, cold body for the first time. She smiled and continued, "as cold as my dead heart. But even in this cold heart, there is warmth. Even in the Darkness we must live in, there is Light as long as Obsidian defends that Darkness and the Innocents it shelters. As Obsidian, you will slake your Undead Thirst only on the criminals you pursue. You will not be able to take the life of an innocent. If you find their blood spilt, it will have no hold over your Thirst, but their slayer's blood will satiate you two-fold."
"And what about you? Will you fight beside me and love me as you did the original Obsidian?" he asked moving his hand from her bosom to wrap around her and pull her closer to him. Up against him so close. The chill of her skin against his was invigorating.
"As I have fought with every Obsidian I have created down the years, my beautiful Adam." With that she kissed him. When they came up for air, she asked, "So, Adam, will you join me?"
Gasping, he gave in and said, "Yes..." and he woke up. When he realized he had been dreaming and she wasn't there, he sat up straight and the Book of Palingenesis fell from his lap. He noticed a Post-It note was attached to the cover when he picked it up that read: "My Love, I'm glad you agreed. But you must train before you are turned. You'll also need your cloak. We shall begin tonight when the sun sets again. Until then, Ruby."
* * * * * * *
The following night, she arrived as she promised, and they began a regimen of exercise and martial arts to hone his skills. He was already in fine shape, but never had formal training in defensive and lethal moves. He often mimicked the style of Obsidian from the pages of the comics, as Ruby hoped he would, so the training went quickly. But the agility and stealth he needed would not be trained easily. They would come with the power of her blood.
Night after night they worked, until finally 28 days had passed, and she believed he was ready. She presented him with the famous Cloak of Shadows. A thick, yet remarkably light hooded cloak that was pitch black in color. Light almost seemed to be sucked into it like a black hole. She set it aside, and told him, "You can put it on afterwards."
"After what," he asked.
She only smiled and walked up to him to give him a kiss; a long kiss, which ended with her moving from his lips to his neck. Soon after she bit and began to drink, he lost consciousness as he gave himself willingly.
Like fire, her blood burned down his throat, and yet he didn't mind the heat. In fact, he welcomed it. Indeed, he finally wanted something more than anything else in his life. Such as it was. With the heat -- the thick, salty liquid heat -- came understanding.
Truth. Power. Knowledge. Infinity. Mind-shattering and numbing revelations threatening to crush his puny mortal brain under its weight. The weight of everything that had happened to him, combined with her blood, cracked his psyche like an egg and fried it as if it landed on a Phoenix sidewalk in July.
As his mind fractured he became deranged with two personalities. Like all good superheroes, Obsidian has an alter-ego, which is now the mild-mannered, bookish Adam Stone. However, unlike a normal secret identity, Adam will also tend to "channel surf" through other personalities from time to time. When his psyche split in two, it wasn't a clean break; little fiddly bits splintered off. They are the little insane lapses he'll suffer and Adam knows this now. The blood has made this known to him. Or perhaps Ruby told him through their blood bond.
Either way, he can't stop it, or control it. Only his final death can hope to calm the madness. Until then, Obsidian is locked inside Adam Stone. The suffering of those around him and the evil elements in the world will draw him out, and they had best not be around when he is unleashed.
He slept all day after the Kiss, and when he awoke the next night, he found her beside him. He woke her with a kiss, and they fooled around for a bit before she told him that he would need to meet the Prince that night. He was nervous, naturally, but he tried not to let it show.
Upon presentation at Midnight, the Prince kept his word and accepted Adam Stone into his domain -- secretly hoping to meet his Dark Half soon. Little did he know how soon it would be. At the end of the introduction, an explosion was heard from outside. Ruby ran outside and Adam followed. The Prince went as well to investigate.
When the trio made it outside, they found a car had been bombed. The car had chrome spray-paint on it that read, "The Legend of Obsidian WILL DIE!" As the three discussed who might pull such a stunt, a black car without plates screeched around the corner. A window rolled down, and a shotgun loaded with phosphorus shells was fired towards Adam.
Ruby dove in front of him and took the hit full-on, completely scorching her chest to her heart. Adam screamed into the night, "NOOOoooo...!" He turned to face the Prince, bloody tears rolling down his cheeks from his eyes, which were now blazing red. In between sobs he swore, "If it is... the last thing I do... on this Earth... I will avenge her death. I will avenge Cori's death, and I pledge my services to you, my Prince. I only ask of you two things."
"Name them," the Prince said.
"First, turn around," He said, in a slightly deeper, calmer voice.
The Prince smiled, shrugged, and then turned around. After a whooshing sound, a tap came to his shoulder so he turned back around, to find a man who somehow seemed taller, or stronger, or just different, but certainly wearing a black hooded cloak that fluttered slightly in the light breeze. "The other thing," Obsidian said, "is never tell anyone my true identity."
"Absolutely. You have my word," said the Prince as he extended his hand. Obsidian started to kneel before him, but the Prince stopped him and said, "A handshake will suffice, Obsidian."
"With these powers, I could be... a Super Hero! But first..."
-- The Mask
© 2003 Daniel Shaurette
Hunter's Moon08:07 Jan 04 2005
Times Read: 877
I've never been one to be superstitious. Granted, being a vampire hunter has made me more aware of the supernatural forces around me. I mean the only talisman that I have, if you can call it that, is my silver ankh with the amethyst mount. But I certainly never put any credence to the stories about Friday the 13th. Too many horror movies in my misspent youth ruined my appreciation for the day.
I mean, come on, is some goalie-mask clad axe murderer going to come get me? Get real. I mean, even vampire movies set you up for great expectations. But I've learned the hard way that vampires follow none of Hollywood's rules.
Even still, the power that surrounds a Friday that happens to be the thirteenth day of a month should not have been underestimated. Combine the fact that it landed in October of 2000 and the power was stronger. Finally, discover that the moon was perfectly full - and I shudder to realize how foolish I was.
October's full moon is known as the Hunter's Moon. Hence the reason that I was out on patrol. There seems to be an almost palatable fear in the air during a Hunter's Moon. The hairs on your neck stand a little straighter. The air has an even crisper chill to it. This all adds up to making the vampires a little friskier.
While the mundane world is planning their Halloween parties and visiting Haunted houses, I find myself acutely aware of the real things that go bump in the night. I made the rounds of the graveyards in town. I rarely find any activity there, but in October, I've learned that you can never bee to careful. No fresh graves, but I did notice something by the old Johnson family crypt.
With my crossbow loaded, I made my way around the rear of the aging stone and marble site. I could make out the muffled argument between two men. One sounded frightened and the other was egging him on. It sounded like they were discussing some kind of prank. I disarmed my crossbow and set it down next to a shovel near me. I decided to scare them off by pretending I was a groundskeeper. I picked up the shovel and walked casually around the corner.
"What the hell are you guys doing here?" I shouted as I came upon them in a gruff voice. Startled, the two men snapped their heads to look at me. The younger looking man in the leather jacket started to stutter a response. The older guy wearing a black trench coat told him to shut up and asked me, "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm the groundskeeper, and you're trespassing. Who are you?" I returned.
"Groundskeeper, my ass!" he yelled. Before I knew it, he whipped out a pistol and pointed it in my direction. His movements were too fast. This guy wasn't mortal. He cocked the gun and barked, "Get out of here before I pop you, fool."
The young guy piped up, "Dude, what's with the gun? I didn't sign up for this shit."
"Shut UP," the older guy shouted back to his friend. "We're going through with the ceremony tonight and we don't need any distractions." When he turned back to face me, his eyes were glowing red and his canine teeth were extended.
Fuck, was the only thing that crossed my mind. Can never be too careful, eh? Now the only weapon I had was a shovel, and with his reflexes, I knew I wasn't going to be able to dodge his gunfire. That is, if I thought he was going to shoot. I tried to calm the vamp down, "Dude, there's no need for this. I'm just doing my job."
"You leave now, and I won't have to kill you," he demanded.
"Fair enough," I said as I put the shovel down and ran into the shadows. When I saw that they didn't follow me, I went back to the crypt and grabbed my crossbow. I loaded it and crept around the corner to find that the duo had disappeared.
I couldn't find any trace of them. I was about to go and see if they were still on the grounds when I heard a faint noise come from inside the crypt. It sounding like muffled crying. I had this image of those two up to no good inside a crypt. But when I saw that it was locked from the outside, I couldn't imagine that they could have locked themselves in.
I grabbed the shovel that I had dropped earlier and I used it to smash the rusting lock off the door. Crossbow at the ready, I pushed the iron door in. As it creaked, I started to be afraid of what I was going to find inside. It was pitch black within the crypt. It was only by the moonlight that I was able to see any shapes. I took out my lighter and flicked it to life. I was shocked to find a naked woman tied onto a table, blindfolded and gagged. It was also obvious by the way she was tied and the blood on her that she had been raped.
Quickly, I took the blindfold off of her and held the flame to my face so that she could see who I was. I didn't know if she saw her attacker, or not, but I wanted her to know I meant her no harm. She was definitely frightened. I told her I was going to help her and I was going to remove her gag. She didn't scream and licked her lips because they were dry and sore form the gag.
"My name is William, what's yours?" I asked as I began to burn off the ropes around her wrists, which were tied behind her head.
"Jessica... Lupinsky," she struggled with the words as she tried to catch her breath.
"Like Tara Lipinsky, the skater," I asked, trying to get her to feel at ease with me.
She started to giggle at the comparison, then choked a little and added, "Yes. I think she's beautiful."
I finally burned through the ropes binding her wrist, and she was able to sit up. As she did, she hit the moonlight. "I think you are beautiful, too." I don't know why I said it, even though it was true. She smiled a little uncomfortably, but knew it was an honest compliment. Before moving on to the other ropes, I took off my jacket and put it around her. She thanked me.
"You're most welcome. So, can you tell me what happened to you?" As I began to burn at the ropes around her legs, she began telling me about how she was kidnapped by someone she thought was her friend. Him and some old guy she never met drugged her and that was all she remembered.
I felt uncomfortable asking her, especially as I burned away the ropes from her spread eagle legs. But I needed to know more, so as the rope fell away from her left leg, I asked, "Do you remember... them harming you in any way? I'm not sure, but it looks like they raped you."
"Oh my god, no, I.. I can't remember, but I do feel sore. Oh no," she began crying.
I stopped on the last rope and when over to console her. "I'm sorry. Do you mind if I ask how old you are?"
As she continued to cry, she said, "I just turned 18. Today is my birthday." That made her cry louder. At that point, I just felt compelled to hug her and give her a shoulder to cry on if she needed it. She took advantage of it and cried some more and squeezed me tight. My god, she smells good. Her crying slowed down, and she whispered in my ear, "Thank you William".
"Bill. Bill Johnson," I told her.
She laughed, "Like the restaurant?"
I laughed, too. "Yeah. Speaking of, are you hungry?"
"Famished," she replied.
"Are you OK?"
"I am now."
I left her side to finish the ropes on her right leg. For some reason, I couldn't stop staring at her legs. I didn't dare look higher now that the moonlight was perfectly illuminating the chamber. As I finished the last rope, I could sense some strength in those legs. But I remained a gentleman. I went back to her side and helped her off the table. She said she was very sore and she appreciated the help.
"So, Bill, what are you doing here? Are you in the business of rescuing damsels in distress?"
"Let's just say I was at the right place at the right time."
She smiled and said, "I'm glad you were."
I searched the crypt to see if the men had left her clothes behind, but I could not find them. "If you like, I can take you home so you can get some clothes."
She agreed that was a good idea. I picked up my crossbow and I walked to the doorway to see if the men were anywhere nearby. When I was certain the coast was clear, I turned back to her. She looked scared again. I realized that the crossbow has that effect. I said, "It's a long story."
She nodded understanding, at least for now, and took my hand. We walked to my car and we drove to her place.
By the time we arrived at her apartment, I had told her everything about myself. Including the fact that I moonlight as a vampire hunter. While she seemed skeptical at first, I tried to explain that the older man that kidnapped her was a vampire. The younger guy, I couldn't be sure of, but I suspected he was one as well. When I reminded her that she was raped in a crypt, that helped her believe me. It also put her at ease because she knew she could trust me.
Once inside her apartment, she immediately rushed to her bathroom. I didn't need to know why, but I could imagine she needed to go. She yelled out for me to make myself at home. I shouted back, "Do you mind if I ask you some more questions?"
"Ask away," she said as she flushed. She came out of the bathroom wearing a robe and handed me my jacket. "Would you like something to drink?" she asked.
"Thanks," I said. "Yes, whatever you're having will be fine. So, have long did you know the young man?"
"Only about a month, on campus at the University. He was hitting on me after class one day. I thought he was cute, so we started dating."
"Can I ask if you two..." I started.
"Yes.. I mean, it's OK. No, we didn't. In fact I'm a virgin... or was until tonight. He told me that he wanted to do something special for my birthday, my God. I can't believe I let this happen."
"This is not your fault. He did this to you. Did he ever seem aggressive?"
She handed me a drink that looked like ginger ale. I took a sip and nodded thanks for the drink. She answered, "No, in fact I thought he was very sweet. I guess it was all just a game."
"Perhaps, but maybe there's also a connection to this night."
"Because it's my birthday?"
"Yes, but more than that, it is also a full moon tonight. And, though I know I'm reaching with this, it's also Friday the 13th."
"Do you think he's some kind of psycho?"
"Well, he may be a part of a cult, a vampire cult perhaps. This could have been his initiation. They were willing to kill me to keep me away. They may have planned to kill you, too, until I spooked them off."
We both sat down on her couch. She sat close to me, and I didn't mind. "Then I owe you my life as well. How does one pay back such a debt?"
While she was in the bathroom she must have put on some perfume, because she smelled incredible. It was a heavy musk, but very feminine, not masculine like a musk cologne. I'd never smelled anything like it before. It was intoxicating. I wanted to kiss her. I watched as she took another drink and my heart ached as she licked her lips.
"You don't owe me anything," I said, my heart beating faster.
She leaned forward to kiss me and her robe started to open. My hand wanted to reach inside but instead I forced it to close her robe. I wanted this so much, and yet I couldn't let her do this. She didn't stop. Her lips met mine and they tasted like rum. A spicy-sweet, warm flavor that was carried not only by her lips but her tongue.
I gave in and enjoyed the kiss. She took a breath and said, "I've never done anything like this before. And I don't just want to repay you for saving me, but I want... you."
My head was spinning from her kiss, her beauty, her perfume. Here was a naked 18 year old coed trying to seduce me. I wanted so much to take the robe off, but something inside me told me this was wrong. This girl was just raped. She was a virgin before that. Now she was drinking rum and fondling me. She knows exactly what to do to turn a man on. This doesn't add up. But, I couldn't escape her kiss.
When I did get a chance to breath, I tried to stop her. "Jessica... Jess... stop."
She began kissing my neck and I had to push her away. She looked at me like I just betrayed her. She couldn't believe I didn't want her. She got up and ran to her bathroom again, and locked the door.
I got up and ran to stop her, but had the door slammed in my face instead. "I'm sorry, Jessica. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. This just didn't feel right. Does this make any sense to you?"
"What's happening to me, Bill?" she cried.
"I don't know. You're confused. I think you're beautiful, but I also know you have had a terrifying night."
"Now what?" she sniffed.
"Are you hungry, still? Do you want to go get a bite to eat?"
There was no answer. I prodded, "Jess, did you hear me? Are you hungry?"
"YESSsss!" she hissed with a voice that was no longer her own. The door opened up to reveal Jessica with longer hair, fingernails, and teeth. Her naked body was hunched over and she looked like... well, she looked like she was changing into a werewolf.
She ran out of her bathroom and knocked me over, onto my back. She pinned me down and immediately bit into my neck. She was too strong to push her off, and the longer she held me the weaker I got.
I was able to get one arm free, and pushed her away from my neck by choking her. She sat up and grabbed at me, which freed my other hand. I grabbed my silver ankh and shoved it in her mouth.
She screamed in pain as her mouth began to froth. She jumped back and looked more like the beauty she was than the beast that just attacked me. She howled and then started crying. Through sobs, she asked "What's happening to me? What am I?"
I just laid there, bleeding, too weak to do anything after pushing her away. That was when I remembered, only too late, that the October Moon is also known as the Wolf Moon.
© Copyright 2000 by Daniel Shaurette
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