Howl under the Moon Ch. 8

Chapter 81

Eric walked endlessly through the abyss of the foggy mist, as he walked though the blanket of fog and darkness that swept down against his skin a light cold atmosphere surrounding his being as he had his hands stretched out before him the only guidance even, if he used his sight, still Eric couldn’t see anything much less his hands in front of him.2

Continually walking through the dark, as if Eric was trying to look for a light switch of a room. When suddenly the darkness laughed—a child’s laugh. Then the fog disappeared, off in the dark distance there two children, one a tall boy who appeared in his teens with shaggy length hair wearing baggy trousers, a ragged looking white long sleeves shirt and a brown faded vest that hung over his boney body. The other one, a small girl who didn’t looked any better than the boy she didn’t reach the boys waist, she had a shirt that it fitted her too largely that in hung over her like a dress as her dirty matted curls hung pass her back. By the looks of them those two needed a desperate shower and a new set of clothes however their faces were hidden but were as white as snow. They looked like shriveled up skeletons.3

Both the children held each others hands and their laughter echoed through the empty void, the laughter surrounded Eric as a chill ran down his spine. When he blinked the children began running in a graceful stride as their laughter followed them. Eric didn’t understood why or what had driven him to run after them, following nothing but their laughter and pure dark emptiness they were off in the distance as Eric tried desperately to follow but it was no use they disappeared. 4

Eric continued running, hoping in some way that he could catch up to them but sadly, they were gone. He stopped to catch his breath; he heaved and turned his head searching for any life what so ever. Eric raked his hand through his black hair moving one strain of hair aside from his face despite that his calves burned, but he continued to walk.5

As he walked, Eric noticed how quiet the air was, it felt empty and lonely. Like me. Dark and empty. He thought, and then his eyes caught something. Sitting alone, kneeling there sat a woman collecting and picking flowers as she sniffed one, he crept forward his heart beating like drums. Why would there be a woman in my dreams? I feel as if I know her somewhere before. As he did came closer the woman did seem a tad familiar, that brown hair streamed down her back, “Excuse me?” Sounding humble, “Do I know you from somewhere—or have we met….before?” He stopped just two feet behind her. 6

The brunette hummed sweetly to herself not minding his presence, she slowly turned and finally answered, “It’s so good to see you again honey. The kids were so anxious for you to come home.” Even though she was facing him, she had her head down, staring at the floor.7

Eric’s jaw dropped when he finally recognized the woman before him, “Olivia!” He said with shock yet with desperate relief that he was almost taken back almost like once when he was suckered punch in the stomach by Roy. “Is it really you Olivia?!” 8

He questioned but Olivia still was staring at the floor, Eric embraced a hugged as if it depended on his life. “Olivia, I’m so glad you’re alive. Thank God.” Hugging his wife so close to him that her curly brown hair tickled his face and as he took a whiff of her scent that entered his nostril. The smell of cool breeze after a rain still imprinted. Inhaling her vivid scent filling his sense, it had been too long since…9

Since what. Had Eric forgotten what was like, what was like to have someone so close, someone to love? “Eric.” Olivia murmured, that caught Eric’s attention again he noticed that his wife didn’t return the embrace she repeated again. “Eric...”10

Eric looked down at Olivia, her head pressed softly on Eric’s broad chest; the back of his mind was on full alert. Back away you moron. Back away. Maybe he should have listened but instead he lifted her chin so he could look at her face or what he could remember, however when he gazed upon the horrifying sight of his wife, barely alive, barely breathing. 11

Seeing the gruesome sight as there was blood stains on him but it wasn’t his blood, “Oh my God, no!” He repeated again and again. Hoping this nightmare will end. Olivia reached out for him, “Eric please doesn’t leave us.” She heaved in agonizing and painful breaths. She had caught the black plague disease, the blood continued flowing out of her weak skin tissue that the blood manages to exploit to Eric’s shirt, and suddenly she became stone.12

Tears were beginning to blur his vision; he extended his hand to touch Olivia’s cold and lifeless cheek but when he did, it cracked then followed by another until finally her entire body crumbled to ashes. Eric’s knee’s gave in and collapsed as he began to weep. “Why? Why does it happen to me!” He yelled at the darkness.13

Feeling a presence behind him, Eric turned only to see five tall dark figures all staring down at Eric. Their eyes seemed to glow through the dark. There was something about these being that gave his guts a twisting feeling, Eric didn’t say anything he just stared at them like a child meeting a stranger and they stared back at him until one walked up forgetting the other four. 14

“Do you want to live?” The masculine voice made Eric’s hair stand up on and, he didn’t replied so the figure repeated again though with a commanding tone, “Do you want to live?” Then it stopped and waited for Eric’s answer. Eric remembered this exact same question before the change.15

“Yes.” He said under his breath, without any other word the figure nodded and vanished. Slowly the darkness gave out a crackling laughter as a voice followed, “Poor Mr. Knight, its quite very sad but me guess that what happens in life. People come and people go.”16

“Who’s there?!” Eric yelled at the emptiness, he was ready for anything that would burst out of nowhere but his voice carried a little fear.17

“Oh, how sad Eric you forgotten me already, I feel so heart broken—o wait that rights, I don’t have a heart isn’t that what you said six thousand years ago? So I’m going to steal yours?” A familiar voice that Eric recognized but couldn’t quit place his finger in it, “God is that you?” He shouted out. 18

“Dear God I’m dealing with an idiot here.” Appearing out of the blue or the dark, standing in front of Eric which had taken him by total surprise to see Cassandra. Beelzebub smiled at Eric using his knowledge of power disguising himself as his mistress, bold yet with pride. 19

“Cassie?” Eric was almost happy to see her again, he called out to her. Beelzebub flinched as Eric embraced a hug at the demon, luckily Eric had no idea he had been hugging the wrong Cassandra but Beelzebub had to endure it and plaster a fake winning smile in order to fool the man. Before the demon approached Eric, he scavenged through his memories that Eric tried so hard to forget. 20

He still remembered how they mingled with each other, how he had made her laugh and enjoy each others company. In those memories there was sudden warmth, happiness and joy within this man, it practically mad Beelzebub wanted to hurl. No wonder master wants this man dead. He smiled back at Eric, it took every power in his being from slashing out at the man never before Beelzebub enjoy others comfort considering he is second command in Hell beside Lucifer. 21

“Hello Eric.” He said in the same exact voice of his master. Then she stepped back and opens her arms wide, still smiling at him. As Cassandra suddenly began to fade from his vision, Eric rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t hallucinating but his vision was clear. Having a mind of its own his legs purposely walked towards her.22

When he did reach at arms length, his hand extended to cup and stroke her cheek but only to have his hands touch nothing—his hands practically went through her like air. 23

He tried again and again but like before her felt nothing; he continued then trying to hug her. He was beginning to panic, frantic that the one person he knew, he couldn’t reach Cassandra solemnly smiled at him, enjoying Eric’s frantic effort and chuckled, “Why do you struggle, Eric? Why must you hide your true inner beast inside? You can’t fight it anymore your becoming weak and your will to fight is breaking.”24

“Stop it.”25

“Just relax and let it go.” She taunted him, “Or would you rather sleep? Yes, sleep. Just like your family!” Then she was gone. 26

Her words echoed not only his mind but around him, Eric losing his fighting spirit knelt down and dissolved into tears. He slammed his fist against the hard cold ground. Was she right, should he just let himself free? Allowing the beast to take over?27

Or was Eric becoming soft and weak, over his past lifetime he had thought to end his life but for some strange reason something always brought him back putting the thought aside and live. Eric looked up as a stream of tear ran down his cheek, “Pull it together man, pull it together.” He told himself, wiping his tears with his back hand. Seeing clearly as he slowly blinked open his eyes and there staring back at him, a beast with bright yellow eyes, pointed ears and snout it looked very much of a wolf but its body was attached to a differently it’s body was a cross between wolf and man as it knelt down in the same position as Eric. 28

He cock his head—so did the beast. He moved his hand reaching out and touches an invisible barrier between him and his other self. The beast did exactly every movement that Eric did it was like looking at a mirror but two exact opposite. 29

It then had come to his attention that it wasn’t some animal it was him, his inner being. Eric gave a crooked smile and it return back to him revealing yellow canine teeth. Eric relaxed a little as he neared more a bit. 30

Studying everything just trying to find some humanity or even a slightest glimpse of himself anything at all but nothing. Then it hit him……31

Nothing.32

Eric had nothing, he had a family, wife and two admirable children but they were gone. Taken away from him, leaving nothing but loneness and a curse. Remembering a century later he met Cassandra, a young coming to age woman befriending her seemed right but knowing the truth and reality that he couldn’t be with her. So in doing so the right thing he denied her affection feelings and left her. Forever, but forever seemed so long yet with each passing time and moment it becomes short. 33

The past had caught up to him, leaving against the mirror his head and the beast. “What should I do?” He looked up staring at his other half wanting to hear an answer. Not blinking but pause waiting as the eerie silence swooned over them. 34

“Warrior to the end.” The beast responded in a demonic hoarse tone licking its canine lips and it smiled broadly. Eric’s eyes widen at the answer and it repeated again, “Warrior to the end.” Then without any moment of hesitation the beast reached out and grabbed hold of Eric’s throat. The barrier no longer exist as Eric struggled, its grip tightened. 35

Gasping for air, Eric struck a punch but it didn’t seem to phase it only its claws tighten digging into his skin.36

“Warrior to the end.”37

Eric sat up in bed, a blanket wrapped tight around his shoulders and knees, so that his arms and head showed out of the cocoon. It seemed curiosity childish thing, he looked around afraid that something might pop out of the ordinary but seeing everything as normal, he chuckled at himself. 38

Realizing that Eric was in a kid’s room, he placed his hand to cover his face hiding a smile. “I’m going mad.” He told himself as one single tear streamed down his face. 39