Julycanthropy // A Monster Month Series.

Bitten.

"You can't go out now..."

The night it happened had been so beautiful.

A clear sky hovered above you, full of stars and light, a wind was whispering through the trees...and the moon. It was full and bright and shining over everything, the world bathed in its silver light.

It had all been so perfect...until it wasn't.

Walking down the worn out path, you had allowed yourself to get lost in another world of your own imagination. With your headphones on and music blasting loudly, the everyday problems of your mundane life had faded away into nothing as you walked through the woods.

You should have listened.

Maybe if you had, you would have noticed something before it happened.

Maybe you would have noticed the howling in the distance, faint and hungry, and the way all other noises in the forest ceased in that moment. Maybe you would have heard the rustling in the woods or the cold growls creeping closer and closer. Maybe you would have noticed the twigs snapping beneath mighty paws.

But you didn't.

You didn't notice, you didn't listen, you were too lost in the music to know just what was coming down the path.

And then a shadow emerged from the forest.

Stopping in your tracks, you stared up at the...thing before you. Fear began to pump through your heart, growing colder with every beat. The shadow stepped forward, leaving the shadows and standing in the moonlight, revealing the true terror in the night.

Eyes.

Golden and empty, the creature glared at you with hunger and fury. Its eyes roamed all over you, as though it were eyeing its next meal.

Claws.

Long, sharp claws extended from gnarled fingers. It twitched and clicked its claws, gearing up to snatch you up.

Teeth.

It smiled at you, black lips peeling back to reveal rows of sharp fangs. A long, red tongue licked them, drooling hungrily as it growled.

Wolf.

Never had you seen something like this. Wolves did live in this area but...they didn't look like this. They didn't stand on two legs. Wolves didn't have muscular, twisted bodies, almost as though...as though it was a human. A man. The monster took a step forward, a clawed hand swiping at you. Falling back, you crawled away before struggling to your feet...

And you ran.

It was all you could think to do, screaming and running and praying for someone, anyone, to save you from this beastly nightmare. Headphones, which had clattered to the forest floor, were crushed by the monster as you raced down the path, the wolf racing right behind you.

Lights!

You could see the bright lights from the road, from the cars rumbling by and from the single, flickering streetlight...if you could just run a little faster! If you could make it to the road and get help!

But help never came.

You never managed to get away.

Before you could reach the safety of the light, the wolf had pounced, claws tearing into your back as it brought you to the ground. Teeth dug into your shoulder, blood pouring from the wound like a red river. A final scream echoed through the air, answered only by a howl.