The library
I can almost feel them chasing me. I can feel their breaths on the back of my neck as they watch me hungrily. I turn around the corner, the wind whipping about my face. I love the way it caresses me. I smell something sweet but no, that's not the word to describe it. Something is up ahead, something that I desire. Suddenly I see it! A flash of light in the darkness accompanied by the sound of thundering hooves. I pursue the deer, knowing quite well that I can catch it at any time I choose. Yet I love the thrill of the hunt. I live for the blood and the power that I feel when I make the kill, when I sink my muzzle into the warm flesh... Finally, I intercept the animal and jump on it. I sink my teeth into its neck and snap its spine. I feel the warm blood gushing into my mouth as the animal ceases its struggling. Once it dies, I begin my feast.
When I finish, I vanish into the forest once more. I climb the steep hill to the large pile of rocks that rest atop it. I flop down and let a long howl pierce the air.
"Tadaima!" Nasuti said as she walked through the front door. I almost didn’t hear her, seeing as how I had fallen asleep on the couch. She walked into the room and gasped.
"What on earth happened to you?" she asked, staring at me as if I had grown a horn. I swung my legs over the edge of the couch and returned the look.
"Something wrong Onee-san?" I asked, rubbing the last bits of sleep out of my eyes. When I opened my mouth, something felt wrong. It was as if something had dried around my mouth. I brought my hand to my mouth and tried to figure out what it was…
All of a sudden I remembered.
The dream.
I ran to the bathroom as quickly as I could and looked in the mirror. Blood… Blood had dried all around my mouth and my face. My dark blue eyes looked rather bloodshot and my blue-black hair was shambled beyond belief.
I grabbed a washcloth and washed away as much of the blood as I could. Whatever was happening to me was definitely not normal. That was when I realized how much my whole body ached.
I left the bathroom, and nearly ran into Nasuti. "What is going on?" she asked me. "Did you get into a fight?"
I simply shook my head and shuffled upstairs to my bedroom. As I laid on my bed, I heard voices coming from downstairs. It didn’t bother me, considering how tired I was. However, now that I think about it, I should not have been able to hear them at all. They were whispering but to me it sounded almost as if they were right outside the door.
I heard Nasuti’s voice: "I'm worried about Shuu, Seiji-kun. When I got home there was blood all over him and he didn't seem to even know it."
Next came Seiji’s. "He probably just got into a fight."
"Well, he said that he hadn't and besides, he was asleep all morning. I think he probably just went back to bed.”
"I wouldn't worry too much though..."
I was beginning to lose bits and pieces of the conversation. The last thing I heard before drifting to sleep was the word "murder."
I am in the forest once again being chased by something. This isn’t right. I am the hunter, not the hunted. I arrive upon an uncanny barrier. I turn around to face those who are hunting me. I let out an angry howl. My ears prick as I hear the sound of something slamming and two-legged footsteps.
A woman's cry is heard; I can’t understand it but there is something familiar about her voice. Curiosity gets the better of me and I turn toward the light that splits the darkness.
An open doorway, a woman, a child, shadows, footsteps... Something is wrong. I should not be here. It is dangerous. My entire body tingles with adrenaline and the sense of danger. I look up at the woman's eyes. She gasps, and shrieks out. The little boy simply looks baffled. I begin to get confused myself so I turn and run away from the house, away from the noises and the artificial light. I hunt just like as last night. Afterwards I lie upon on the rocks to sleep.
I awoke to glistening sunlight. I laid there, not wanting to open my eyes. My muscles were so sore; I thought I didn’t move all night. Finally I open my eyes and bolted up quickly.
I was not in my room. I looked all around me. I saw the trees towering over me and listened to the birds chirping. I sat on a large pile of rocks that were on a hill surrounded by a forest. I glanced about once more before I realized my other problem...
I was naked.
My eyes frantically scanned the area, trying to find something to cover myself with so I could return home. Finally I noticed a pile of clothing stuffed into a crevice within the rock. After dressing myself, I rose.
I realized I didn’t know where I was. I felt completely lost but that’s when I heard voices. They called out my name and I responded, telling them where I was. My throat was sore, as if I had been yelling all night.
Abruptly it all flooded back to me. The dream… Or maybe it wasn't. I did not have any time to think about it. Nasuti, Seiji, and Ryou, were climbing up the hill and soon had made their way towards me.
"Shuu, there you are," Nasuti said. "We were so worried about you. The strangest thing happened last night." For some reason, she avoided looking at me. I realized that it had to be dried blood from yesterday.
Ryou just nodded. Seiji looked at me rather suspiciously.
"Yeah," Seiji added, eyeing me skeptically. "A huge wolf came to our door and startled Nasuti-san."
My eyes went wide. That couldn't have happened yet I remembered it so well.
We all walked home, but I was still in a daze. I took a shower, dressed, and afterwards flopped onto the couch. I was feeling a lot better than I had before. I turned on the TV and the news was on. I was about to flip the channel when the woman on the TV said something about the mysterious appearance of a wolf in Shinjuku.
I froze. It wasn’t a dream, it was all real. The woman started talking about two deaths that occurred in the last two days and how the wolf was at blame. I did not hear anything after that. All I could think was that I was no longer who I thought I was. That I was something other than human.
My name is Rei Fuan Shuu. I was just a ordinary, well, super hero. Two days ago, I discovered something about myself that I did not want to think was true. I am a werewolf.