Questions That Need Answered
I wake up like I have been for as long as I can remember. My eyes shoot open and I see nothing but black. I stay still paralyzed like I always am after having the same dream every night. Why was it so peaceful and beautiful and then that monster had to ruin it. I can feel it inside of me right now. Stirring waiting for the moment when I am at my weakest and see nothing but hate and anger. I couldn't let that happen. I wouldn't let it happen ever. My vision starts to come back and I see the ceiling of the abandon warehouse I had been sleeping in. I decide to take in my surroundings first only slightly tilting my head left and right to see what was in the room. I found the strength to move my hand to my side to find my small pack of equipment.
Finally I lean forward and bring my pack to my lap and unzip it. I pull out two small paper wrapped slices of meat. I could make a fire with some of the scrap wood that was in this warehouse. I stand up grabbing my coat I had left beside me during the night. I had slept on a card board box and no blanket so I was a bit stiff. I was so tired it seemed every time I woke up it was more exhausting then the last. In the corner of the room I had slept in there were some old chairs. I broke them up into smaller pieces and pulled some matches out of my pack. While starting the fire I thought about what I would do today. Nothing immediate came to mind but, it was still early in the morning anyways. It was exceptionally quite this morning. That was usually never a good sign. I would have to eat and pack up fast if I would make it out of this warehouse before the morning light passes.
The fire was good and ready to begin with cooking my meat. I knew I had some rice in my pack somewhere, maybe I could find it. As I searched through my pack I heard a small light thud come from a floor below. I quickly grabbed my jacket and leaped into a defensive stance. I looked around slowly focusing all of my energy into my sensing entities that could be in the building. Nothing so far, I slowly reached for my knife that was securely sheathed by my side. I took a cautious step forward and heard nothing. I didn't like the feeling I had in this place, eating would have to wait until I came to a river or something. I noticed a nearby window and decided to use that as an exit. Knife still in hand I dived through the nearest window. It was about ten stories up but, that was an easy jump for me. It felt good to free fall from the building, it woke me up. The wind blowing through my hair reminded me of when I was with her. A tear rolled upward out of my eye as I remembered the sweetness of the dream but, then shook my head violently. No, I can't be weak, I have to be strong or I will never achieve what I want. I landed on the ground with little more than a small thud. Most of the shock was absorbed by my calves and it tingled a bit. I could feel the power of my will begin to rejuvenate and restore the shock in my legs. I sheathed my knife and threw my pack across my shoulder and began to walk into the waiting forest ahead.
I walked slowly due to the fact that the forest was quite beautiful and I learned long ago that you should never take beauty for granted. My eyes scanned the golden forest with respect and gentleness. I was though, very wary. Going into a forest that has never been traveled before can bring many surprises with it. Light broke through the tops of the trees and it made the floor shine with a soft orange color. It was warm here. I decided to take off my jacket and put it in my pack. Small birds flew from here to there from time to time, even chirped once or twice in the cool morning air. I didn't know exactly what to look for. Maybe a cottage somewhere deep in the forest or a small town. I needed to find Gerglich. He was said to be a wise shaman that was a great explorer and inventor. I did not want him for that reason though. I needed him for a much deeper matter, the matter of demons. I needed to know how and why I had been given this gift or curse or whatever it was. I stopped a moment and kneeled to the ground. I should probably prepare myself before I go ahead further. I need to become in sync with the small part of earth in order for me to sense danger or threats. Ever since I could remember I had the gift of become a part of the ground underneath my feet, it came in handy when I would ever be attacked or in danger. I closed my eyes and lay my hand gently on the ground feeling the leaves and dirt. Everything seemed to go quite then and all that made the slightest noise was my heart beat. For a moment or two all I heard was the one thump of my heart but, then another came into tune and it was much faster and higher in pitch. I focused on that sound more than any other until both beats became one. I slowly opened my eyes and looked ahead to see streaks of blue, purple, and green across my vision. The colors slowly faded and I began to see in my proper sight. My heart beat was a little louder than usual and I could count and feel the rhythm of each beat. I slowly breathed outward and began to walk forward again. Everything was calm and the quite beat in my ears was at a steady pace.
My mind wondered like it usually did when I was alone, which was all the time nowadays. I wondered about the beast inside me. When I was very little, not even eight or nine, I was taken away from my family and to a place called Shrawl. I remember peeking through a small crack in the hard rough wagon I was taken in, and what I saw was an enormous city surrounded by stone walls. I remember seeing those walls and all hope of escape seeped slowly and pitifully out of my mind. It was so dark and cold while I was there. I was so scared and afraid of what was going to happen to me. My head was bagged and I was roughly dragged out of the wagon and thrown over a large man's shoulders. I remember crying so much. The sting of tears in my eyes as I was carried through a large building of metal and bricks. I was thrown into a large room full of people with two large statues of a man and a woman blind folded and holding out there hands to each other. Those statues were the last thing I remember from the night that changed my life. They were so huge and ominous to look at; just thinking about them now makes me want to cower. No, I cannot show weakness, it only brings more pain and less strength.
I refocused on the trees that lay ahead of me and the sound of the heart beat. It was calming and steady. Thump-thump. I thought about the questions I would ask this great shaman when I met him. Thump-thump. Would he be able to answer them? Thu-thump-thump. Wait. I felt it and heard it all at the same time. The heart beat was off, even if by a second or two. I stopped walking. Something wasn't exactly wrong but, something was out of place. The forest had quieted down quite a bit. I should've focused more on my surrounding other than my memories. I unsheathed my knife from the leather holder at my side. The silver curved blade made a small tingling noise, like a single wind chime hitting another in a small wind. I carefully lay my hand at my side slowly and silently raising power into all of my senses. I could feel the red trim growing onto my eyes as my muscles tensed and became ready to jump at any moment. I could feel my pupils slanting upwards into wolf position and the red trim growing wider and brighter to its scarlet color.
"Who's there?" I asked my voice growing more husky and rough as my first fighting stage of change was taking place. There was no answer. I asked again hoping I wouldn't have to fight someone who was used to fighting hidden. They were the worst to fight.
" Who's there?" This time I was answered by I quick rustling of a nearby bush. My head twitched at the first slightest sound of the bushes movement and I saw the black blur of something dart to the top of a tree. I quickly flipped my knife into a throwing position and threw it towards the top of the tree hoping to hear the grunt or squeal of whatever was in it. Instead I got the giggle of a child. The sound of the child's vocals made my muscles relax and my eyes bright red color dim. There was something about fighting a child that didn't seem right.
"Hello?" I asked again more curiosity in my voice this time. I quickly turned my body to the right with smooth speed from the feeling of something coming toward me. Eventually the light breeze of the wind brushed my face. It wasn't just a wind though, it was a smell. The smell of strawberries and mint. I heard another giggle come from my left as the wind rolled away. The giggling seemed distant like it was close enough to touch but to touch it would be like touching mist. I turned around to see the wind kick up some leaves and blow away. The leaves seemed to dance with the wind in an almost human way.
"Show Yoursel-Upf!" The next thing I knew I was on my back with a big pair of bright pink eyes staring at me with a great curiosity.
"Who are you?" The voice asked a little more womanly than the giggles that I had heard earlier. The change in voice wasn't what had caught me off guard it was the cold steel of a knife to my throat that gave me a slight chill.