LEGEND OF THE LAST WEREWOLF

The Truth

Hylla

Running into the darkness where no light can be seen. The darkness pulling me in and yet I still had not begun to wonder where I was running to. But the moment the thought crossed my mind, I felt my heels digging into the ground. My heart racing. No, not quite with fear from what was chasing me, but what was in front of me. My real fear, the fear of not knowing what was there. What was lingering in the darkness of every corner? The evil that was waiting to jump out at me. Then I remembered, the words nana had used 'the nightmares out there.'

Sweat had begun to trickle down my forehead, my heart pounding inside my chest. Time had frozen as it was. It was just me, against the world and everything it had to bring. Unexpectedly a sharp pain had pierced through my chest, I gasped for breath the pain drifting towards my legs, like wood in a mass of water. My lips barely able to move.
"Dad." I whispered. And only God knew why I did. Where was he when I needed him every other time in my life, so why was my heart calling out to him? I shut my eyes right trying to think happy thoughts, the darkness consuming me whole.
"Hylla." I heard a voice whisper.

I opened my eyes and looked around shaking... Not a soul to be seen in sight. "Hylla, the light is within you."
"What!?" I scram, merely being able to hear.
"Close your eyes, dear white one...The light is within you. Find it. Harness it. Use it. Own it."
There it was, inside me a fire burning so bright, and yet I couldn't control it.
"Hylla! Honey get up!"
I opened my eyes with fright, my nana looking down on me. She looked concerned? My vision blurry and I could hardly tell. I shook myself and sat up reaching for my forehead.
"Nana, what happened to me?" I moaned squeezing my eyes with pain.
"The nightmares, my child. The nightmares finally got
you."
I blinked up at her with confusion. "I...I don't understand. What nightmares?"
"Well," she sighed, sitting on the edge of my bed. "Cold, heartless light eating creatures... The nightmares darling. Vicious creatures used by warlocks and crooked-minded werewolves to get into the head of another."
"So wait, a werewolf you say?" I widened my eyes at her. She slowly nodded her head and smiled. Then looked out the window as if some memory of something distant was coming back to her.
"Nana, werewolves and demons don't exist."
"DO YOU WANT TO BELIEVE THAT?" Then lowering her voice to softer than a whisper she said. "Everything I tell you is true. And I know you heard me talking to your mother last week outside in the corridor."
"Last week?" I asked surprised. "I've been asleep for an entire week?"
"Why yes, you have indeed. And as for your mother... She's gone."

My thoughts had been racing, and yes I was worried about myself, but hearing that made even my heartbeat stop.
"Kidnapped? You mean someone kidnapped her Nana?" I tried to jump out of bed but nana stopped me.
"We have to go and find her Nana! She could be there alone and afraid, it's...not safe out there!" I sobbed.
"YOUR MOTHER SHOULD HAVE THOUGHT ABOUT THAT BEFORE SHE LEFT!"
I looked at nana with alarm, "Mom left us, did she, Nana?"
"Yes," she said standing up. "And she asked me to tell you... She left something for you in the study."
I watched as Nana left the room dragging the end of her wine-colored robe behind her.

I forcefully dragged my body out of bed, still heavy from everything that had happened. Knowing I had just been totally knocked cold out for an entire week and the last thing I remembered was running into darkness.
I walked across my room and to the mirror, I looked up at myself and rubbed my eyes. Staring at myself the only thing that was running through my mind was.
"Why the hell do I look so hairy?"
I looked down at my arms and wanted to scream. But the sound wouldn't come out. I looked back at the mirror.
"My teeth...my...my.." I reached up and touched what was my perfectly white teeth, now stained reddish-brown, and pointed.

I turned away from the mirror and dragged my cold fingers through my hair pulling back hard as I went. Again slowly turning toward the mirror I saw myself there standing again...in darkness.
"Don't stare too long honey, the changing is a painful process to watch."
I glanced back at Nana watching me from the door.
"Nana, what is this?" I asked showing her my arms and exposing my teeth.
"Fur and fangs dear." I gasped at her in shock.
"Excuse me!"
"Oh don't worry you'll get your talons later."
"Oh no..." I said my voice shaking. "I don't want this. I don't want fur...and...and fangs and bloody talons sticking out of my mouth! I WANT AN EXPLANATION!"
I kind of felt bad for screaming at Nana, but I was confused and hurting. Mom had just left and I was changing into some kind of demon.
"The answers are in the basement," Nana said pointing towards the door. "If you will."
I frowned at her and stormed off to the basement. Yanking back the door pulling it from its hinges. I gulped as it crashed on the floor.
"Oh for the bloody angel!" I groaned.
"You might want to put those feet down a little softer."
I frowned as I looked to the floor, big heavy footprints were left in the tiles where I had walked, not realizing I was breaking half the floor down with every step.
At this point I was angry...very angry and all I wanted to do was get down to the bottom of the stairs without it crumbling beneath me and somehow ending up falling and burning to death when my body slowly roasted away on the core of the earth, or would it even be slowly since it's that hot? Who even knew? Who even cared?
I realized as my brain was occupied with something other than my changing my footsteps smoothly glided down the stairs and into the basement.
"And who knew? I can suddenly see in the dark." I smiled as I whispered to myself.

Looking around I noticed the books on the shelf had been thrown to the floor pages torn out scattered around everywhere. The faint smell of blood dripping down the walls. The smell of iron. Hot air had settled over the room, like covering yourself with a heavy blanket while sitting in the summer sun. I began to sweat, feeling the little droplets trickling down my forehead, down my back...not sure what exactly I was looking for.
I heard my name being whispered from the corners of the room and as I turned there it was in big red bloodletters.
"WELCOME TO THE WORLD DEAR WOLFLING..."