"Name"
Unintentionally, I make a gasping sound as a dark grey wolf with red eyes emerges from the bushes. The wolf is quite big. Almost as big as I am.
This isn't looking good for me.
This really doesn't look good for me.
The wolf's saliva drips on the side and falls on the ground. Gross.
It lets out a low growl and glares angrily at me. I hope the wolf is not psychic and hears what I just said.
Its paw starts to knead the ground.
I gulp as my brain starts forming random plan.
Dropping on the floor and act dead is something people say to do in front of a bear. I doubt it works for wolves. I don't really know how to deal with wolves. They should teach kids these kind of things!
I curse silently since I learnt basic self-defence moves but not survival skills when lost in the woods. However, I doubt I can attack properly since the cuts on my hands are kind of deep.
I glance around and see a tree that might give me a better chance in climbing.
It doesn't matter if I was a prostitute or a rich boy right now. All in all, I am a full-fledged city boy. Nobody from the city would know how to climb woods unless they joined boy scouts or liked going to forests for the sake of 'entertainment'. I wish I were a country bumpkin. Maybe then, I could climb tree.
Oh, well. Talking about 'ifs' isn't really helping right now.
The wolf growls louder and my attention returns to it. I can see its movement. My heart is practically jumping out of me already.
Somehow, the moment it leaps towards me, I manage to crouch down in time. Its body flies past me and I take the moment of opening to run towards the tree I saw.
I jump up and hug the tree to keep me slightly above air. The wolf slams its face on to the tree. Probably because it misses its target which is me. I quickly climb up while making sure I don't slip and fall.
I lose my grip once but luckily, I manage to support myself on one of the tree's smaller branch. Thankfully, the tree is quite sturdy and able to support me as I try to climb higher.
The wolf jumps up and down trying to grab me. It manages to sink its teeth into my leg before I can move away. I scream in pain as tears start forming in my eyes. Both the pain in my hands and my leg makes my grip on the tree loosen.
I fall down with a thump and can feel my spine hurting. Ouch.
Today is the worst fucking day of my life.
Oh, wait. The worst fucking day of my life was the day I died.
Oops, not the right moment to laugh and reminisce or I will experience my second death.
The wolf lets go of my leg and continues to growl as it advances closer to me. I mistakenly kick its face using the same injured leg. The wolf and I scream in pain. The wolf recovers first and it seems to me that I have made it even angrier than before.
The moment the wolf lunges itself at me, I close my eyes and pray that I don't die.
The growling voice seems to increase yet the sound is moving away from me. I open one of my eyes to peek and there's nothing in front of me. Just when I thought I was dreaming, I notice that the feral wolf is being tackled by another big wolf on my left.
This new wolf seems bigger and its body has three colours. I assume it is male because I remember someone once told me three colour is rare on male animals so it wouldn't be strange for this one to have bigger body. It seems male with three colours are often considered as threat and that they are the king of their kind.
The two wolves have their gazes locked at each other. Both of them are snarling and snapping at each other. The two of them refuse to back down. They move in circle without breaking their gaze.
I stare at the two blankly but my injured hand starts throbbing. I take a deep breath as I decide to take this as a chance to get away.
It seems to me that the bigger one will win but in reality, it doesn't matter which one will win. Either way, I am probably going to be food.
I try to scurry away unnoticed but I doubt it's possible since I don't really have the energy or the physique to do so.
I use the tree to support myself while I slowly stand upright. I lessen the burden on the injured leg. I go from one tree to another with hope that the wolves won't notice me. Once I reach the fourth tree, I'm already tired.
Then I notice a black flash is jumping towards me so I try to avoid it as quick as possible but stumble down in process. It seems that the grey wolf refuses to let me escape alive. However, the other wolf attacks it before it has the chance to attack me again.
My heart rate shoot through the roof even though there none above me.
Due to the fall, my leg starts hurting more. I look at the wound and blood is gushing out.
Since the two wolves are still fighting one another, I decide it's best to stop the blood flow on my leg before I try to escape. I strip off my shirt and use it to wrap around my injured leg and tie it properly. I don't think I have skills in first aid but this should do for now.
A different growl than the two wolves can be heard. It sounds more threatening and my heart almost leaps out of my body when a black wolf emerges from the bushes.
It seems to be ally with the tri-coloured wolf since it stands protectively in front of the wolf, growling viciously at the grey wolf.
Great.
My death is confirmed to be at the hands of these two wolves.
I guess I'm about to become their dinner today.
The grey wolf seems to be tired and the tri-coloured is in the same state. This seems to be an opportunity for the black wolf. The black wolf attacks the grey wolf and grabs its jaw. I could hear the sound of its neck cracking and my body shivers. It all happened so quickly, I couldn't even shed a tear.
The tri-coloured wolf turns to look at me.
I gulp.
The black wolf approaches the tri-coloured wolf and barks. The tri-coloured wolf whimpers and the black wolf lick its face in a comforting manner.
Aww, cute.
IF ONLY THEY AREN'T GOING TO KILL ME.
The black wolf suddenly halts and sniffs the air. It probably smelt my blood. It turns to look at me and starts snarling. My heart can't take any more of these life and death situation.
Luckily, the tri-coloured wolf quickly jumps to stand in front of me with a protective stance. I don't know the tri-coloured wolf's intentions but I hope that it likes me and doesn't plan on eating me alone or something.
It barks once at the black wolf and whimpers. The black wolf stares at the tri-coloured wolf. Seemingly, it is as if they are conversing with one another or maybe I'm just imagining it.
The black wolf turns to give me a glance. It seems to lose interest in me and starts walking away but stops halfway. It turns back around to stare at the tri-coloured wolf as if waiting patiently. Meanwhile, the tri-coloured wolf turns around to look at me for a moment. Like a dog, it puts out its tongue and huffs.
It approaches me and tugs at my bandage, which instantaneously makes me wince in pain. The wolf whimpers and starts licking my injured hands. It licks my leg and I somehow assume that it wants to lick my injured calf so I open the bandage slowly.
Once the wound is out in the open, it licks the surrounding area of the wound. I notice that the blood has stopped flowing out of the wounds which should be good, I hope.
Suddenly a thought goes in my head, 'Oh, shit. What if it's going to bite off my leg?!' but I calm down when I tell myself that the wolf has yet to do anything to hurt me.
I get caught in my mind for a moment and when I jolt back to reality, the wolf has cleaned my wound and it looks better. They say animals have healing properties in their saliva and tongue, I guess that might be true. Well, even so, that doesn't mean my wound is all good now. I still need to get it checked at the hospital.
The tri-coloured wolf barks once at me and turns away. It runs and playfully attacks the black wolf.
The black wolf doesn't get angry at the tri-coloured wolf. The two wolves disappear within the bushes and everything seems too strange.
I feel like I entered Mother Nature's hidden sanctuary where they live harmoniously with one another unless they break the rules.
I turn to look at the dead body of the grey wolf. It's not moving and seems like it's starting to stiffen. I know for sure that it is dead.
The breath that I didn't even realise I was holding in was let out.
That was really strange. I stare blankly at the bushes the two wolves disappeared behind for a moment and then regain my head to think of ways to get out of this forest.
I tie the bandage on my leg again. Just in case because I don't want to get an infection.
Afterwards, I try to stand up and not pressuring my right leg. I walk at the direction opposite to where the wolves went since they are probably heading back to the forest.
Walking takes effort when your leg is injured. I take cautionary steps as I move. I survey my surroundings and feel as if this place is familiar. Then I see a tree with marks on it and I am reminded of that time where Ryan was punching a similar tree.
My eyes grow wide as I realise I am probably at that very place.
I move as fast as I could towards the direction which I remember is the exit of the forest which Ryan and I took last time.
Thankfully, I am right. A wave of relief and tiredness swarms over me. The effect is too strong and I starts to see black spots. My consciousness fades away but I heard someone calling my name before I passed out completely.
I am at a crossroad.
The life that I did not choose is to become a person that sells his body to survive.
The life that I did not choose is to take another's body and assume his identity.
The only life I chose is to stay alive this long.
Why am I given a crossroad when I have yet to choose anything else?
When you are at a crossroad, do you look behind you?
If you have chosen your path, will you regret it?
I am at a crossroad.
If in this life, I am given two choices, it will be to choose between life or death.
Have I regretted the life I lived?
No.
I have not.
No matter if two becomes one or one becomes two. I am still me.
I may be nameless.
Wait.
Am I?
Do I not have a name?
I feel like remembering I had a name.
Why can't I remember?
All they have called me were 'bastard', 'abandoned child', 'no.37', 'slut', 'whore' and so on...
Can I turn around to look for my name?
I am afraid.
At this crossroad, if I move forward and if I choose to go without my name... I fear that I will forget who I am.
My name is there.
I need it before I go.
Allow me to take it with me on this journey.
"Iv...,"
Somebody is calling me.
A woman.
I know her.
Mother... is that you?
Why did you abandon me?
"Ivan...,"
Is that my name?
Why are you crying while caressing my cheek so softly?
You abandoned me!
You left me there to suffer!
"Ivan, I'll come back for you. Please wait for me. I can't take you with me right now but I promise you that I will come back for you,"
Mother... but you never came.
"I love you, my beloved Ivan,"
Mother... where are you going?
Mother... come back!
I need you.
"-ke. Luke..."
A familiar voice. A familiar name. A familiar sound.
Déjà vu.
I feel a hand is touching my shoulder lightly and stroking it down to my wrist. I feel my finger twitch in response.
My eyelids feel heavy but I force myself to open them. It feels like there's a deadweight on each eyes. I don't know how but I managed to open them.
The light comes flooding in. It takes a while for the blurry image to become a person. I blink since my eyes feel uncomfortable. There's a small stingy pain in my eyes. It doesn't hurt but my eyes feel more tired than the time I stayed up late.
She smiles when she realises that I have opened my eyes. Her eyes still filled with tears as some falls down her cheeks. I lift my hand to wipe the tears on her cheeks.
"Don't cry," My voice sound hoarse.
She nods as she grips my hand.
I turn to look at the side and notice Ryan looking horrible. He looks messy and untidy. Different from the usual him. I smile weakly at him but his face still void of emotions.
My eyes slowly shut as the tiredness consumes me.
"Luke, are you okay?" Abby asks.
"...I'm tired," I let out softly, closer to a sigh.
"Mm, rest. Doctor Caleb will check on you later," Abby's voice is weak but steady. The sound of relief can be heard as well.
Although I hate the beeping noise of the heart monitor, but right now, it's becoming my lullaby.
I hear the soft sound of the shuffling footsteps leaving the room. I hear a soft mumbling but I don't have any energy to focus on it. The voices doesn't talk for too long before I hear the sound of the door closing.
I let out a sigh as my body relaxes. The bed is really comfortable.
Before the darkness consumes me again, I feel a finger touching the corner of my eye. I know the hand is wiping the tears that fell while I was asleep. The rough finger feels comfortable as it brushes my face.
I let out another sigh of comfort knowing that I am truly safe at the moment.
It seems that I am about to visit my old friend.
Hello again, darkness.
(Editor: zephyranthes4)
[A/N: Another werewolves book teaser - story idea is put on hold. If interested, do comment.]