Change of Fate (2015 Original)

Chapter 22~ Lunapeste

Josiah hugged my snout. I felt safe in his grasp.

But, I started feeling hot and weak. I slowly lay on the ground.

"Hey, uh, Ezra?" Josiah calls out.

"What's wrong?" She walks up next to him and looks at me.

"She just collapsed." He scratches his head.

"Blue, can you hear me?" Ezra snaps her fingers by my ear.

My ear twitches. I heard her perfectly. She put her hand on my cheek. My body was heating up and I started panting.

"Well, she has a fever and looks dehydrated." Ezra examines.

"Do you know what was in those bullets?" She asks Josiah.

"I don't know." He says, kneeling down next to me and Ezra.

"Blue, can you change back?" Ezra asks.

I take a deep breath and focus on my human form. But, when I open my eyes I find myself as a wolf.

"I'm gonna say Lunapeste." She says.

Makes sense.

"What's Lunapeste?" Josiah asks.

"It's a virus that's effective against werewolves. Fever, dehydration, weakness, and in bad cases depression. It clouds your mind with your darkest moment at your weakest point. In some cases, it can lead to death." She says.

"No..." Josiah mutters. Fear was in his eyes.

"But, by the looks of it, she'll be fine. We just need to get her some medicine and shelter." Ezra pats his shoulder.

"I have the perfect place." Josiah says, standing back up. "My parents had this cave stocked with weapons, but they never go there anymore."

"Where at?" Ezra says.

"About thirty yards from the cliff. It's in the side of a mountain, a small creek runs into the pond that's right next to it." He says, pointing off into the direction of the cave.

"Alright. We need to help Blue there." Ezra says and turns into a wolf.

Her brown nose nudges my shoulder. I shift my weight to the other side. My legs shook as I forced myself up. I almost collapse again, but Ezra puts her head underneath me. Helping me up onto my feet, getting a better stance.

Josiah walks on the other side of me, wrapping his arm around my neck. I take a step forward and we slowly make our way towards the cave.

*****

Trickling water fills my ears and I feel a small jolt of energy. I start walking faster and make it into the cave.

"Well, here we are." Josiah says.

There were three beds stocked in a corner. On the opposite side of the cave, there were shelves stacked with food and weapons, along with medical supplies and more.

I lay down on one of the beds. It creaks as my weight pushes down on the springs. My large size made the bed seem small.

"Well, these will work when in our human forms." Ezra chuckles slightly, back in her mundane form.

Josiah walks over to the self that contained the medical supplies. Ezra follows behind him.

My eyes get heavy and I fall into a deep slumber.

*****

It was dark. Blood stained my hands and the rocky floor beneath my feet.

I look to my right. My mother stood in front of me. Blood soaked every inch of her body and dripped on the ground. She had dark pits for eyes, they stared at me and sent chills down my spine.

"Why didn't you save me." Her voice scratchy and dark.

I took a step back.

"I didn't know." I said.

"I would still be alive if it weren't for you!" She screamed. Blood poured out of her mouth.

She jumped at me. My own screams mixed with hers. I laid on the ground, screaming into the dirt. Her claws dug into my skin.

"You're worthless!" She screamed into my ears. "You don't deserve to live."

Lisa's voice seemed to replace my mother's.

"This world has no use for creatures like you." Lisa hissed.

"Stop it." I cried out.

The pain and screams disappeared from the air. I stand up slowly, my body was now covered in blood. My own blood.

"Blue..." I voice whispered.

I look up and see golden eyes staring at me.

"Who are you?" I ask in a hushed tone.

My voice was scratchy and sore from my screams.

"Stay strong." The voice whispered and the eyes disappeared.

Leaving me alone in the dark. Blood pouring out of my skin.

*****

I wake up, gasping for air. I'm in my human form again.

"Blue." Ezra's hoarse voice says behind me.

"I'm fine." I wave her off.

"Sure you are." She gets up from her bed and sits on mine. "What happened?"

"Just a nightmare." I whisper. "Go back to sleep."

She looks at me for a second more and nods.

"Alright." She pats my leg and lays down back in her bed.

My body still shook as I laid my head on the pillow. I turn my face into the cushion and cry softly, falling asleep with tears staining my cheeks.