She was different. She knew that. She didn't know why she was different. She just was, and she learned to love her strangeness. She learned to accept who she was, even if she wasn't really sure what she was.
She had always been different. Her life wasn't glamorous, it was dangerous. Since as long as she could remember, she had lived on the streets. She made her way through life by pick pocketing strangers and sleeping in card-board boxes in alleys and under park benches and play-grounds, always waking before dawn, before slipping through the town, searching for food and money. She survived.
She lived in a small town. It was quiet and usually peaceful, save for Friday and Saturday night when rowdy teens would get together, drink til they pucked, and start fights in the parking lot of Grandma Jo's Dinner. She would watch them in fascination and sometimes disgust. She would envy them for their normal lives, and would wish to be like them when it rained and she had to sleep in the cold.
People feared her. They called her 'The Stray', a name she found most fitting. Mothers would pull their children against them when she walked by them, her features shadowed in the old and dirty black cloak that had belonged to a homeless woman who died last year from the cold. It had been sad, and she had felt bad about taking from a deceased woman. But this was the streets. Take what you can and don't look back once you got it. That is what she'd learned.
She had done well to hide her differences from the town. The cloak helped. And she was always cautious. But it seemed even caution can lead to ones downfall, as she discovered one day.
The wind had been extra strong. So strong that it would knock people over, spill their extra earning out on the street, making them easier to snag. She hadn't been fast enough that day. The wind had picked up, and her hood was wisped off her head.
Shrieks of fear were heard. Small children reached out to her in aww, asking their mothers if they could play with her. Police were called. The towns-folk had circled around her, calling her names as they chucked rocks and small un-needed belongings at her.
The police came. An uproar started. They wanted her dead. Fear was etched in their eyes. She knew they were frightened of her. And with fear, hate was created. Hate for her. Hate for what they did not understand. For what was not natural or normal. She was a freak. A monster. Monsters were always killed.
Fear and sadness grip her, as she covers her face in shame. She can't take their harsh words! Saddened and hurt, a roar of a scream erupts from her, her head pointed to the sky, before she sprints towards the crowd. They scream and part out of her way, fearing they may be attacked or killed by her.
Its dark now. The sun had been setting, and was now gone from the sky. She is running for her life. People scream and jerk away from her, as she runs through the town. People begin to follow her. They chase her all through town and to the nearby forest. In the forest, it is dark. She is enveloped in darkness like a blanket. Branches slap and scrape at her face, pulling her hair as her hood catches on branches and bushes.
She runs and runs til she collapses in a forest clearing. She curls up into a ball against a large oak tree, sobbing as she curses her birth. Her existance. For the first time in a long time, she hates who and what she is. She cries and cries until she cries herself into an exhausted sleep.
Two months pass
She hasn't left her spot. She sits underneath a tree as a light rain comes down, missing her due to the covering of the large leaves above her. The tears would still come. Her eyes burned from the ears, along with her stomach. Shecouldn't stop them. She was tired, hungry, and alone. She knew she had to eat. She was surprised at how long she had lasted without food. All she would do is drink the rain from the leaves around her.
After the hunger pains had finally become to much, she slowly raised herself from against the oak tree, leaning against it for brief support, before she slowly looked around for some berries or something eatable, making sure to not to wonder to far from the tree she had silently dubbed her new bed and home.
She walked around, sniffing the air for food, when her ears perked up at a strange whirling sound? Her eyes widened as her head shot up to the sky! A cry of fear was yanked from her as she laid her eyes on something loud and metal. It flew over her, pointing a bright light on her!
She froze briefly, her hand in front of her eyes as the light blinded her. As soon as her eyes adjusted, a wave of panic wrapped around her as the loud, whirling, machine flew closer to her! Frightened and confused she ran. The light followed. No matter how hard she tried, the light found her! Fear for her life caused her to sprint faster, jumping over rivers, lakes, and logs. She dodged around anything that got in her way.
The light still followed her. She still ran, She ran, and ran, and ran. The light wouldn't leave! It gained on her. She turned her head briefly, only to fall! She cried out as she ran over the cliff, her arms flailing as she landed with a loud splash! She hit the bottom of the river before she pushed herself up and out of the water gasping and flailing. She was not a swimmer. Using what little swimming skills she had, she was able to bob her way to a grassy shore, pulling herself out of the water. She shook herself dry, shivering as she continued to run.
She was soaking wet and cold. She felt weak, and was almost prepared to collapse and give up. Those thoughts were smashed as she spotted a large hole! Looking over her shoulder quickly, she spotted the dreaded light making its way towards her. She jumped and fell. She landed in the hole, pressing herself into the shadows as the light lit up the hole.
She shook in fear and from the cold, as she kept to the the shadows, facing away from the light. She pressed her back to the wall, stifling a gasp as a rope was lowered from the hole to the ground, followed by a grunt and loud crashing sound. She shielded her eyes as dust flew everywhere. As the dust subsided, she lowered her hand and gasped.
A large man brought himself to his full height, the light showing every feature of his. He was tall, and muscular and, to her disbelief, had red skin! Her eyes widened at the sight of his right arm. It was large, and looked to be made of stone! She stiffened as he produced a flashlight from the tan over coat her wore. Clicking on the light, he began to look around. She froze, curling back deeper into the light, glancing to her left and right before spotting a large enough hole she could escape through to her right. She slowly, gracefully, etched her way over to the hole.
The man let out huff, as he pointed the flash light a few inches to the left of her position. She held her breath, slowing her pace towards the hole. "I don't see anything down here, Manning! You sure the creature went down here?" The red creature asked, causing her to stiffen as she heard a slight buzzing sound coming from his right ear. A communications radio. She never seen one before. Only heard of them from the children who use to play spies and bad guys on the play-grounds she would sleep under.
An angry, annoyed, voice was heard from the someone on the other line. The red creature growled, as he tapped his ear, grumbling profanities. He let out a sigh, as he took a step left of her postiotion, moving the light to his right. Right towards her! She etched a little faster, doing her best to step over anything that could give away her position.
Crack!
It sounded like someone had dropped a plate in front of her. The sound echoed, and the man spun quickly, bringing the light around with him! Panicked, she began to sprint! The seemed to hear her, as he speed up, running in her direction! She leaped, missing the light, as she landed on her hands and toes in front of the hole!
Jumping into the hole, she nearly cried when she realized that it was just a large groove in the wall. She pushed her back to the wall, pulling her soaking wet hood over her, hoping it would help hide her better.
The man came to a halt in front of her hole and stopped. She froze as he lowered himself He looked down and touched the ground, falling into a crouch. He pointed the light directly at her, causing a hiss and growl to escape her. He grinned in what looked to be triumph, as he tapped his ear piece. "Found it, Manning! You can quit your bitching now." A cry of anger was heard on the other line, as he chuckled and tapped the earpiece, causing it to silence.
The flashlight remained pointed at her as she tried to push away from him, kicking her feet, causing rocks to fly into his chest. He raised a black brow at her, causing her to silently gasp at the sight of his yellow eyes. "Alright, kid. Come here." He leaned forward, reaching towards her with his normal looking red hand. Fear gripped her fiercely. Growling in fear and hopeful intimidation, she lashed out her hand, nicking the back of his hand with her nails!
He pulled his hand back and cursed. "Shit! Damn, kid!" He clinched and opened his normal left hand several times, before he turned his attention back to her. A hiss was emitted from deep within her, as he leaned towards her. "Hey, kid! I'm just trying to help ya!" The man huffed, as he brought his right arm towards her. Her eyes widened, as she lashed out her hand again, growling louder as the man gripped her by her upper left arm.
She hissed and snarled as he yanked her forward and out of the hole. "Release me! I do not wish for your help! I don't need help!" She cried out, as the man pulled her over to the light shining through the opening of the large underground hole cave.
He stopped short of the light, and looked down at her. She was surprised at how much bigger than her he was. His brows were furrowed in confusion. "Kid. Your trapped in an underground hole cave. You were chased away from your home and youve been living in the woods. And don't take it personal kid, but your soaking wet, your covered in shit, and you stink." She narrowed her eyes at him as he wrinkled his nose. "If ya ask me. that's a definite cry for help, kid."
She tried to pull away from him. "I am not a child! I've lived and survived on my own in the streets for years! I can survive here in the woods just as long! I don't need people! I don't need anyone! I don't need help!" She exclaimed through clinch teeth, as the man loosened his grip on her arm. allowing her to pull away. She took a few steps back from him, glaring at him from under her cloaks hood.
The man was silent for awhile. He looked at her with a blank expression, as he took a few steps back from her, leaning against the wall. "Listen, kid. I get it. Ya don't want my help. That fine." She watched him reach into his coat with his left hand slowly, causing her to tense. He halted slightly, glancing at her, before he slowly pulled his hand back out. Her ears twitched, as a familiar yet foreign sound. "As much as I'd love to, Manning won't let me just leave ya down here."
Her nose twitched and her head tilted to the side, as he he produced a wrapped rectangular and humped bar. "So I'll just sit here and wait til ya let me get you outta here." A small smirk appeared on his face, as he watched her lean her head and body forward, her feet planted away from him.
"You wanna bite?" Startled, she pulled back and shook her head. He gave a slight chuckle, as he opened the rapped bar and broke off a small piece, holding it up and in front of her. "I'll give ya a piece if ya take off yer hood." She stared at the piece of food with hunger and curiosity. She felt her ears and nose twitch nervously under her hood, as a voice in the back of her mind told her to just turn away and ignore him.
After a minute or two of thinking it over, she choose to ignore the voice, as she took a slow step towards him, reaching up and pulling the hood back. His reaction was not what she'd expected. She expected him to be unfazed, considering his own appearance. She figured he would just shrug her look off.
His head raised and his eyes widened greatly. His raised hand fell slightly, as he pushed himself from the wall.
On top of her head and slightly off the sides, were a pair of cat ears the same color as her shoulder-length hair; chocolate brown. Her eyes were emerald green and large, shaped like eyes found on a small kitten; pointed. On each of her cheeks were three whisker like marks that she'd been born with. Her skin was a pale tan and small cat fangs could be seen as she opened her mouth and whispered ",is this better?"
She reached forward swiftly and grabbed the piece of food from his left hand, making sure to retract her claws. He stared at her silently, as she sniffed the food, jolting back slightly, before slipping it into her mouth. She munched and wiped at her mouth with the side of her right hand, pushing any crumbs into her mouth as she swallowed the strange food.
As soon as the bar piece was gone, she looked up and gasped. The man was standing over her now, and his left hand was on her head. She froze slightly as she felt him run his hands through her hair, his nails scratching her scalp. Her ears drooped as his index finger made it behind her left ear. A slow, soft, purr rumbled from her throat and through her body, as she leaned her head towards his hand.
"Hellboy! What the hell is going on down there! Hurry it up! We don't have all night, dammit!" A voice above suddently called, startling her. She pulled away from his hands and cocked her head to the side, letting her ears twitch. He laughed. His laughter, as much as she hated to admit it, brought a smile to her.
The voice called down to them again, only for 'Hellboy' to look up and bark back up a few choice words, before he said he'd be up shortly. The man yelled back at him with exasperation, before another rope was lowered into the hole. He looked at the rope, before turning to her.
"Hellboy? Is that what you're called?" He looked at her for a minute, before he nodded. "Well...Since I know your name. It seems only fair that you know mine. Though I'm afraid I cant." He raised a brow, seeming to ask why. "I grew up on the streets. I never knew my family or my name. The towns folk would call me The Stray."
A silence fell between the two, before Hellboy spoke up. "Hmmm! Well, since your a stray and you don't have a collar, I guess I get to name you." Her ears twitched and her head tilted to the side as a thoughtful look crossed his face. He remained like this for a good two minutes before a smile replaced the thoughtful look. "What do you think of the name Shilo?" She stared at him with wide eyes, as a small smile appeared on her lips.
A small tear slipped from her eye as she nodded. "I like that name... Shilo it is." Hellboy chuckled, before looking up the hole he'd come down, before turning back to her, holding out his left hand to her. "Come on, Shilo. Let me get you out of here."
Shilo looked at his hand, before looking around the underground hole cave. She turned back to Hellboy, who still held his left hand out to her, not looking away from her eyes, as his right hand grasped the rope. "I promise no ones gonna hurt you." Shilo looked at his hand once more, before reaching out and placing her smaller hand in his.
"OK. I trust you, Hellboy."
OK! So I just recently got into a Hellboy obsession! Like annoyingly obsessed! As in I dug up every damn comic I owned, went out and bought Hellboy 1, 2, and the Animated Movies, and plopped myself on my bed and watched all the movies before I read all my comics and the ones that my dad owned. Now I'm trying my hand in a Hellboy fanfic, and I'm praying you all like it!
Ill try to update soon if you like this!