Silent Heroes: Wildcat

Chapter 37: The Creature Within

Lucas reared again and I rolled in the other direction.  His feet slammed down exactly where my hands would have been, turning polished slates of bamboo into a pile of splinters.

And then finally, all of the sudden, the dam burst.  My fury boiled over.  What the hell was he trying to do, kill me?

My wildcat broke free of it’s chains.  The tingling warmth under my skin turning into liquid heat, burning through my veins.  I felt the transformation begin to take place.  My bones shifted position.  Dark fur erupted all over my body.  I grew wickedly long, sharp claws.  Bone crushing teeth and…

No, wait.  Wait… this wasn’t right.  I was growing.  My body was expanding out in every direction.  The ground fell away as my legs grew longer.  My head was getting bigger, my neck muscles becoming thicker and stronger in order to support it.  Powerful muscles bulged and rippled along my shoulders, across my torso and down all four legs. 

Finally, a pair of curved, dagger-like teeth sprouted from either side of my thick, powerful jaw. 

I was beyond huge.  I was a monster.  My eyes were just about level with Lucas, but my body was longer, more massive.  I was a gigantic, saber-toothed wildcat.  And I was mad.

Shouts and screams reverberated around us.  Lucas threw this head back, nostrils flared, his ears pinned against his skull.  I stared him down, hardly moving, my whole body humming with energy.

Then, Lucas did the first smart thing he had done all night.  He wheeled around in a tight, ninety-degree turn and ran.

I surged after him.  I didn’t even hesitate.  Lucas sprinted out the school’s front entrance, down the stairs and out into the night while I followed in hot pursuit. 

The power coming out of this new form was incredible.  Every time my back legs hit the earth, they propelled me forward like a rocket launcher.  My body took huge, rapid strides, devouring the ground beneath me at a dizzying pace.

Lucas made a sharp right and thundered down the main street, his legs a solid blur of movement, the wind whipping his mane and tail into an angry tempest.  He was probably going at least fifty miles an hour, yet I was gaining on him every second, and gaining extremely fast.  Each step brought me noticeably closer to his flailing back hooves.

The blind anger was still racing through me, clouding my rational thoughts.  If the wildcat had been difficult to control, this prehistoric monster I had become was next to impossible.  I was completely at the mercy of its every whim and desire.  And, right now, it only wanted one very simple thing; it wanted to destroy Lucas for ever daring to think he could mess with me.

There was a steep drop in the road just ahead, hurtling towards us at breakneck speed.  I lost sight of Lucas for a moment as he disappeared over the edge.  I saw my opportunity to overtake him.

When I reached the edge of the hill just seconds later, I gathered my legs underneath my body and pounced.  This new form easily weighed upwards of two thousand pounds, but I launched myself right into the air like it was nothing.  I flew at least ten meters, claws extended, and landed squarely on top of my prey.

Lucas gave an animal shriek that was half terrified, half furious.  My weight caused him to pitch forward.  He struck the pavement with his left shoulder. We tumbled violently, end-over-end down the rest of the hill, me clinging tenaciously to his back.  The road started to curve, but we continued to roll straight, plunging into a narrow alley of shops and boutiques.  We tore through displays of ceramics and stained glass.  Outdoor tables and chairs went flying in our wake.  We knocked over support beams and sent a number of awnings plunging to the ground.