Through The Mirror

Fangs

         Sputtering, I drive my head through the surface of a pond. The clearing's peace seems interrupted by my sudden appearance. What appear to be brilliant blue rabbits scamper away into a dark thicket. The vast expanse of trees casts a foreboding shadow on the glade it surrounds, including the pond which chills my skin. Wading out of the murky water, I glance about more; a run-down well is nearby.

        While drifting closer to inspect the well, I hear a twig snap. Something is here. Where is here exactly? I turn to find the cause of the noise. My hearts pounds. Hot blood pumps through my ears, and mixes with cold terror. Standing, or should I say crouching, before me is a black coated beast with razor-sharp teeth. Razor-sharp teeth bared in a snarl. Without giving me time even to bat an eyelash, the ferocious wolf pounces at me; its red eyes glare with gruesome intent.

        Barely dodging the attack, a shriek escapes me and I rush away into the trees. Why is it attacking me? Pressure grabs ahold of my foot; suddenly my soft skin hits untraveled earth. The forest fights against me; branches with grape colored leaves unravel my sopping sweater, ink back ravens screech overhead, and brambles scratch at my unprotected calves.

      It still looms behind me, never losing my trail, yet my steps falter more and more. The times I greet the ground are doubling. My lungs beat at my chest and rub my neck raw. How can I escape? Trying to think of a way out, the world slips and dirt cakes my nose. Hot pain travels up my leg. I can't run.

        I'm done for. Shadows enlarge as the Creature draws near . It's going to swallow me whole! I can see the harsh gleam in Its eyes as It prepares to lunge at me. The Beast lets loose a howl, as if to ensure that I know there is no escape.

        Squeezing my eyes shut, I await impact. Only cool air wavers over my skin. No beast rushes me. Instead, I hear the sound of metal slicing through air, and expose my eyes to the sight of a stranger guarding me with their sword drawn.

        His tussled hair is much darker than my own fair mane, and his hunter's ensemble flatters his boyish figure. The silver sword grasped between his gloved hands glimmers in the light filtering through the leaves overhead. He spares a fleeting glance back at me, revealing a captivating green hue, before fixating on the Beast.

        It growls testily while tensing Its muscles for a fight. The crazed wolf doesn't have long to prepare; my mysterious savior swings, grazing its forearm. He then ricochets back to avoid Its powerful jaws, which snap at him with vicious force. Except, to my horror, he hadn't leapt back far enough, and fangs found flesh in the man's leg. Both combatants blood paints vivid green grass red. A grunt comes from my hero. Only a howl tears from my enemy.

        A forest; I'm sitting in a forest. There's a Beast. And a hero. Is he a hero? Or is he a madman? Clangs of claws and metal distract my dazed brain. I scramble away until rough bark scrapes my back. Another crow caws from a branch overhead. The alert forces the fanged Thing to remember me. It takes the next chance It has to jump towards me, gaping jaws open as a black hole, ready to devour me.

        Someone pulls me to them just before the Beast slams head first into a thick tree. I stare, eyes wide, at the dent in the tree where I had been only a moment before. A whisper tickles my ear.

        "Come now, Violet, we need to get you away from here." purrs the new mystery man's voice.

        The ground pulls away from me, and a pit fills my stomach as he re-positions me in his arms. I hate being carried. Shifting my sight upward, I find myself gazing at the boy who had saved me. Wait, these eyes are brown. His eyes are green. Who is this? The boy from before has harsh angles in his face, this man's appearance is softer.

        "Who are you? Where are you taking me?" I demand, still not enjoying the weightlessness of being off the ground.

        Everything feels unsteady as he begins to walk. His every movement jangles my ankle. The blood drains from my face and I can't help but wince.

        He smiles apologetically down at me while quickening his pace, "I would have thought you would have remembered me -we've met before. Ah, well, I can't blame you, you were a lot younger then. My name is Noel, and I'm taking you to His Royal Majesty's palace."

        Another question reaches my lips just as everything begins to blur. It is all I can do to clutch onto a leather strap on his shoulder and the scratchy weave of a scarf about his neck.  Suddenly light pours in around us, and he almost stops. The trees are a small ways away now, as I raise my heavy head from his shoulder to take a peek around.

        An old well. A pond. I was here. I was here before.  Noel sets me down carefully on the grass, and draws closer to the water. He rummages through a cow-hide messenger bag at his waist. Only as I pluck at the waxy greenery beneath me do I make the connection between the bag and strap I had grabbed hold of before. He draws me from my numb revelation with a mumble about searching for some kind of teleportation gem.

        Just as Noel pulls out three pumpkin colored crystals the bloody Beast bursts from the treeline and runs straight at me. I don't even have time to scream; letting lose a savage roar, It tackles me. Its pants hit my face, the Beast only a few centimeters from me. I can see my 'hero' charge in with his sword raised, but the wolf attacks before he can save me.  It slashes at my stomach, munches my shoulder, and crushes my legs under its weight.

        At first I feel agony with every atom of my body, burning and pulling at my entire sense of being, but then it passes -like wind on a hot day- and I am left with nothing. Black darkens my vision, but I don't recall putting on any sunglasses. Wails fill the air, though, who is screaming? Everything is fading around me; I wish whoever it is would stop screaming. Muffled shouts call out for something over and over again; a large pressure is lifted. Where did the beast go? Someone, please, stop that screaming!

        "Violet, Violet! Please, Violet, don't leave me! Not again! VIOLET!" The words echo around me as I slip into darkness.

        One last thought runs through my mind before I'm gone: "Who is Violet?"