Fury
Charlie woke up in a hospital bed.
Anxiety rushed into Charlie's head. Charlie couldn't stop shaking. Charlie saw multiple baskets and flowers around him, air blowing in his direction, and the site of his mother sleeping on a chair infront of him appalled him.
" Oh, fuck!" Charlie pondered. " What a fool I am! What is my mother doing out of work? And What am I doing in a hospital bed? This isn't good."
" Charlie…" Charlie's mother said in her sleep. " Charlie, my baby…what did mommy do wrong?"
Charlie couldn't confront his mother—he couldn't even move in his frail state. Charlie moaned and rubbed his right arm. " Mommy, I don't know whether you can hear me, but I want you to know: It was all my fault. If only I wasn't born. You deserve your life of opulence."
Charlie's mother's eyes shuddered. Charlie's mother awoken from her sleep, her eyes watery, noticed her child to be awake and staring at her.
" Charlie…"
Charlie's mother pounced up, ran up to Charlie's side, and hugged him tightly. Charlie was numb; he still felt the burning embarrassment of weakness. He also felt the warm embrace of his mother hugging him. The first one he had in years.
XXX
Charlie was lying in his bed. Charlie's room was his utopia. It had everything he could ever hope for. There were pictures of wolfs on the walls, desks with little stone carved wolf statues, wolf head erasers on his pencils, and even wolf heads on the blankets.
Charlie was supposed to be sleeping, but he had too much on his mind. He was thinking about his dream, meeting a red wolf in the middle of the street, and how he worried his mother.
" Well, I've played Mr. Pathetic long enough," Charlie said, got out of bed and shaked his muscles around. " Time to help mom"
Charlie knew his mother was right outside his door, she was cooking breakfast for him, as he could smell bacon simmering.
" It's been so long since mom's made breakfast for me," Charlie thought. " We can't afford such delicacy."
" Charlie, time for breakfast," Charlie's mom called out to him, Charlie felt the worry in her voice. " We're having your favorite: bacon 'n' eggs."
Charlie was stiff to the bones. Charlie however got out of bed and made way to the kitchen below. Charlie saw his mother standing near the stove. Charlie knew how his mother hasn't used the stove in many years.
"Mom, why do you have to be such a worrywart? I am perfectly fine." Charlie sat on the chair of his breakfast table. Charlie was instantly handed a plate of bacon 'n' eggs.
" Eat up, Charlie," Charlie's mom asserted. " You're going to need all your strength again. The doctor's say you need more food, exercise, and more sleep" Charlie ignorantly used a fork to get a forkful of egg and shoved it in his mouth. Charlie then used a napkin, wiped the grease off his bacon, and then shoved one piece in his mouth.
Charlie soon finished his meal. Charlie used a different napkin to wipe egg and grease off his face. " Thank you for the meal, mother. I haven't eaten like that in a decade. Now, it's time for wo—"
Charlie's mother whacked Charlie's head. The pain was agonizing, Charlie was rubbing his head, while making an aching noise. " Stupid! You were just hit by a car! You SHOULDN'T even be alive!"
Charlie rubbed his head sheepishly. Charlie frowned. " Y'know, mother, we desperately need the money. I don't know much about the economy, but I do know you're supposed to work whether you like it or not. So, why can't I go to wo—" Charlie's mother once again hit Charlie's head.
" STUPID! First of all: we only start work at night. Second: you need to rest. So, go back to bed." " I don't want to. I'll go to school if that's what you mean. I'll even show you how strong I am; I'll do my homework."
Charlie's mother gave up on Charlie's rants. Charlie was already at the door, fully dressed, a backpack strapped on his back. Charlie opened the front door and walked out. "Yeah, fortitude. Your father had the same thing. It makes me wonder: are you ready for the truth?"
####
Charlie walked through the streets of Florida.
The sun was shining brightly above. Charlie thanked his good fortune. He was alive, even more empowered, and had even more virtue.
Charlie reached a stop sign. Charlie looked at a stop sign and smiled. " Alright, today's a brand new day. I feel luck's going to come my way!"
"Charlie, hi!" An ominous voice called. " Over here!"
Charlie found the source of his caller: Stevenson. But Charlie knew he was also nicknamed Benson. Charlie thought he was short, at 5'3", with proportionally absurdly large (size 12.5) feet. He has very pale skin. His hair is a dark, almost brown blond, and his eyes are igith brown. His features are western European, and he has a very strong jaw line. Charlie thought it was strange he has a goatee; he was no older than him; 16. Charlie found how he dressed humorous, a moderate turtleneck and dress pants or rugged khakis with a plain colored t-shit.
" Yo, Stevenson, hi!" Charlie called out.
" What's up, dawg?" Stevenson walked up to Charlie. Both Stevenson and Charlie held each other's hands, laughing joyously. " How long has it been, wolf-dawg?"
" We haven't talked since kindergarten, Stevenson," Charlie retorted, chucked under his breath. " I see you've moved back home."
" Yep. My dad recently got promoted and needed to move back home. I hope his employment is permanent."
Charlie flamboyantly laughed at Stevenson. " I hope you can actually get a job, and not slack off like in school."
"Hey, Charlie, you know me. I have a very Zen approach to life. I'll find what work makes me feel happy."
Charlie and Stevenson both laughed together. However, Charlie stopped laughing, he noticed someone walking up to him. She was a very thin albino. She had long and unkempt white that reaches halfway down her back. Her eyes were red. Her clothes were dirty, a yellow shirt and blue jeans. The girl walked up to Charlie's face, pushed Stevenson to the ground, and stared right into Charlie's eyes. Charlie was nervous with the potency in her eyes.
" Ah, can I help you?" Charlie stuttered, was still nervous of the girl's eyes.
Charlie stared sullenly, already tired of the girl staring at him, even when she leaned up to him.
" You're an anima," The girl said, then looked at Charlie's ring made of tinfoil, " SHINY!"
She was the strangest girl Charlie ever meet, she rudely took his ring off his fingers and laughed. Charlie gave her a looked filled with confusion that she'd do something so informal, but quickly snatched his ring back.
" That is not for you!"
The girl remembered how to act properly in public, and then...nothing, just getting angry.
" I WANT IT!"
The strange girl did numerous attempts to grab Charlie's ring away, but he kept his hand on her head to stop her from moving, just pummeling the space ahead of him.
" Help me, Stevenson!" Charlie look for Stevenson, but he was nowhere around. " He's as unreliable as ever."
####
Our hero-the courageous yet slow Charlie O'Connel-snoring at his school desk. Class was then over. Everyone else walked towards the door, however, Charlie's friend Savira instead walked to Charlie's desk, and hit him with a purple leather booklet.
" Wake up, lamebrain!" Savira shouted.
Charlie simply rubbed his head. Charlie squinted, anticipating a bitch-fit with Savira. Without a word, Charlie stood up. With a mellow aaugh he attempted to walk away, blinking his eyes, which were red profusely.
" What the hell is wrong with you!" Moaned Charlie, his voice muffled by the drowsiness of sleeping.
" Let that be a lesson, like the one you missed!" Savira called out angrily. " No one makes a fool of me! And I mean NO ONE!"
The moment she finished, there was a big squeal of fear, and even some shuffling; Charlie tried to run away, but Savira grabbed his shirt collar.
" Savira, let ME go!"
" You're not getting away this time, wolf-boy! You're on cleaning duty!" Charlie gave in to Savira's demands-he labored himself, as he got the broom, dustpan and bucket hidden in the cupboards However, Savira grabbed Charlie by his collar, Charlie was almost at the door. " Here, have my notes."
Savira shoved the same purple leather booklet, had all her notes. Charlie was baffled by Savira's attitude, and then noticed three girls at the door of his classroom.
One of the girls walked into the room. Latino, dark, wavy, wild hair, huge eyes and long lashes, broader jaw and angular jawline, full lips and olive skin. She wore white loose singlet-like tank, long, gypsy skirt made from strips of different cloth and a tattered shawl wrapped around her neck, covering her nose and mouth. Wears gold-chain anklets with different animal charms around her right ankle.
" Savira, time to go," The girl said, her cheeks turned red when noticing Charlie.
" Okay, I'll be there in a second," Said Savira. All three girls left, Savira walked up too Charlie, and pointed at Charlie's face. " Do me a favor: stay away from Maya."
" What?"
She is a bad influence to you; you as the person you are. And..." Savira got up, looked deep into Charlie's eyes, smiled. " You don't need her when you have a friend like me. Don't forget how cool I am, Charlie."
Charlie was feeling lethargic, as Savira walked away from him, moved to the door to join her friends, but not before waving good-bye.
####
Thirty minutes had passed since Charlie began his cleaning duty. Charlie thought Savira was bossy for her leaving him too do chores as she got to hang out with her friends. Charlie always respected her—she was like a sister, in his mind—they were both under equal, noisy terms.
" I wonder if moms worried about me," Charlie thought as he mopped the floor. " She did seem to want me to stay at home. Maybe I'll buy her something tasty on the way back. That'll mellow her down."
Charlie finally finished with work. All the floors were spotless clean, glossy and litter free. As well as the floor being cleaned, Charlie sprayed all the windows with Windex and wiped them using a wet cloth.
Suddenly, just as Charlie was about to leave the school, he heard a loud thump noise inside the school. It was surprising—of his school, the dullest place in Florida—a surprise that made him zealous to see.
" This could be exciting," Charlie smiled. Charlie skipped through the halls of the school and turned a corner. Charlie then turned another corner, and ran up to a window that was transparent to the outside world.
The window was transparent, but all Charlie saw was a blur. Charlie stifled leaning against the window. All he saw was trees and sunlight gleaming from the stratosphere.
" That's strange. I thought I heard screaming just a while ago. Hmm. Maybe it was just my imagination? Or maybe I'm just paranoid because I was in the hospital yesterday?" Charlie sighed. " Oh well. Might as well sign out. Maybe my mom will make macaroni toni—"
" Rowwwrrr!"
Charlie shuddered at the sound of a wild animal roaring. Charlie turned his head left, right trying to find where the noise was. As Charlie refocused his eyes, he saw what was the most grotesque animal in the world…ripping the flesh off a human's body. The creature was unimaginably terrifying. The creatures' fur was black, its fur resembling the night sky, and standing up. The creature itself was large and hulky, twice the size of an ordinary human and had teeth sharp serrated enough to rip the flesh off the persons skin. And as the creature turned its head, Charlie saw the serrated teeth of the carnivorous animal a crocodile.
" W-what is that thing?"
The tremor of the creature frightened Charlie. He was paralysed by the creature. The sight of it's serrated, blood filled teeth made his blood turn cold. The creature sneered at Charlie. Its razor sharp teeth glimmered in the light as its attention was fixated on Charlie.
" Food…"
The blood was running through Charlie's head, adrenaline coursing through his veins, and his hands were cold. Charlie couldn't move. The creature was dashing towards him, speed of a jackal and rage of a heinous monster; Charlie's feet lost all motion from the anxiety stirring inside of him.
Eventually, of course, Charlie's legs were able to move again. It wasn't that Charlie wasn't fast; it was just the creature was moving at a lighting speed. Charlie was able to move away, turned a corner, but the creature behind him caught up too him and pushed him to the ground.
" A-ah!" Charlie shrieked as sharp nails sank deep into his skin.
Charlie was upset, he was grieving; he had no way to move his arms or his legs. The sharpness in his claws was enough to make him gawk. All the pain in his joints and limbs were aching. But while he was in great pain, he could feel the hot breath of an animal breath in his ear.
" Yes, grovel," the strange ravenous beast sneered in Charlie's ears. " I love watching my prey squirm. Makes them more delectable for me when I eat them whole!"
" Ahhhhhh!"
Charlie was certain his end was near. Charlie's face was red and he was unable to breath. Charlie was sweating from fear—death, the thing he feared all his life—he tried living long enough to see his mother smile. However, what Charlie saw in the fear wasn't his mother, but rather the face of the black haired girl.
" What…" the black haired girl murmured stunned by the grotesque appearance of the monster.
" Run!" Tony shouted, "RUN!"
Words didn't seem to come across the girls head; she seemed too loath at the appearance the monster, smiled. The girl punched her knuckles together and smiled.
" Time for action!"
The girl did a pose. Her ring and index finger spread out over her left arm. Her eyes twinkled in the light, and Charlie felt speechless as her body went through a metamorphosis. It started where a tail sprouted out of her read end, her hands then became massive black cat paws, whiskers from her cheeks, and her eyes turned amber.
" W-what…?" Charlie stuttered from the anxiety. " Y-your…your…"
The girl in her new state noticed Charlie and smiled. She held her hand out and waved at Charlie. "Hi there, Charlie." Charlie's face flustered at the warm smile of the girl, shakily smiled as well. " Don't worry. I'll save you."
" W-what."
Charlie found it surprising how agile the girl was. In just a second, the girl lashed her tail on the creatures head, then used her tail to wrap around Charlie's neck to throw him away. As Charlie was falling on the ground, he noticed the girl fighting the ravenous beast. Her speed and agility was too fast for his eyes to see, her tail swayed as she continued leaping off the ground, and surprising smiled—but her smile was too warm and gentle for Charlie to comprehend.
" Die!" The ravenous monster roared swiping his claws at the girl.
" Not today!" The girl laughed as she did a backflip and avoided being scratched at by the monsters claws.
Charlie could see blood dripping from the cat claws of the girl. Charlie noticed the blood came from the creatures cheeks as small scratch marks were there and blood dripped out of it Most would be terrified by the appearance of blood, but Charlie for reasons beyond his comprehension was zealous watching the girl scratch the creature.
" I think I'm having goose bumps," Charlie thought watching the girl scratch the monsters cheeks. " What's with this? First I'm hit by a car, then I'm nearly killed by whatever that thing is, and now I find out one of my class rooms is some kind of demon."
Multiple scars were scratched over the massive monster and small blood dripped out, but it still stood up with its teeth glistening in the light. Despite the number of aerobics the girl did, she managed to still stand up with a bright smile on her face. However, her attention then turned to Charlie who was still on the ground.
" Charlie, are you okay?" The girl had said with a hand over Charlie's sweaty head and leaned against Charlie. " You really shouldn't be around here. It's not safe for a normal person like you to be around creatures like these."
" W-what is happeni—"
Charlie was interrupted by the girl hugging him around his neck. Charlie's face was squished in her chest and gawked at the incredible feeling of her warm body. Charlie couldn't feel his face from the warm, cozy feeling of the girl's cat paws, couldn't say anything with her having a cat tail wrapped around his waist, and was flustered by her warm human cheeks touching his face.
" It's okay. I know you're scared, but things are going to be alright." The girl stared into Charlie's eyes. For some reason, her inhuman amber eyes calmed Charlie down and relaxed him. " I was scared once. I too used to hide and run from what trouble me. That was until I found a reason to live. Just look into the light, Charlie, and you will—"
The girl was cut off by the carnivorous beast striking its claws into her right shoulder pad. Though the strike was quick, it dislocated her shoulder as it made a large scratch in her arm. The girl held her shoulder to stop the bleeding, shuddering, but was snatched away by the beast who snarled at Charlie.
" I take it this is your woman, eh?" The beast snarled holding the girl above the ground. " I'll enjoy devouring her right before your very eyes!"
" No!" Charlie's' legs snapped trying to stand up on his hind legs. The pain through his tendons were surprisingly hefty. Charlie wasn't able to stand and groaned his teeth from the immense pain. " Dammit! How could this happen to me? The fear must have been so great I couldn't feel my bones hurt!"
" What's the matter, human? Afraid to help your woman? You should be ashamed of yourself, you pitiful pound of flesh!"
" This damn creature! If only I had power! If I had power…"
####
Charlie didn't think it was possible, but he was back in a void with white mist surrounding him. The smell of wildness stuffed up his nose. As the cold sensation sweated through his skin, he noticed the hunch of a figure in the distance.
" W-who's there?" Charlie stuttered as a pair of red eyes stared at him in the distance.
" You want power, don't you?"
" W-what?"
" You want it, don't you. The power to help those in need, right? It appears you still don't understand the concept of what lies dormant inside of you."
" W-what?"
" What if I said I could give you this power. Would you be willing to accept it?"
" Y-yes."
" Are you sure? Aren't you afraid of the consequences."
" Look, I don't have time to stay here and yammer with you all day! People's lives are at stake, so screw whatever mumble-jumble you bladder and give me this power!"
" Hmm. You certainly are an interesting human. Charlie O'Connell, right?" Charlie could hardly believe his eyes. Out of the mist jumped a wolf. And not just any ordinary wolf. The wolf that jumped out was twice the ordinary size of any common wolf, fur white as snow, paws large enough to crush a man's head, and eyes bright enough to shine in the dark. The wolf's eyes stared into Charlie's, Charlie was both scared and happy to see a real wolf in front of him, as the wolf smiled back at him. " Than prepare. You and me will be together forever!"
The wolf fell from the sky and landed on Charlie. Instead of crushing him under its enormous weight, a hole was opened from Charlie's chest and it sucked in the wolf. After second that passed by made Charlie gawk in sweat, surprise. Then, as the wolf was inside his body, the hold in his body closed.
" What-ack-is-ack-this?"
Charlie first felt nothing but embryonic shock of the incident. But then his hands turned clammy and his eyes glowed yellow. The trance was strong; Charlie couldn't focus. But then, as his finger nails mysteriously became sharp and his teeth became serrated, Charlie smiled.
" I feel…GOOD!"
####
When Charlie returned to the situation, his classmate being held by a ravenous, grotesque animal, Charlie was now able to stand and stood straight up. His mouth became filled with large serrated teeth that glistened under the light.
" You'll pay for hurting people, you monster scum!" Charlie exclaimed more joyous than angry.
" So, he can walk again?" The ravenous carnivore said as he tossed the girl away. " No matter! I'll just put you in my…" The creature ran towards Charlie with incredible speed, disappeared, reappeared and swiped at him from behind with his large claws. " MOUTH!"
However, Charlie also disappeared, reappeared on the monster\s right shoulder. The monster could hear Charlie laugh to himself as he perched on his shoulder. Then, using his newfound serrated teeth, Charlie gnawed his teeth into the right side of the monsters neck. The monster was shocked to feel his cold teeth dig into his neck.
" Auuugh!" The monster cried in a shrill voice as Charlie's teeth were deep in his neck. " Get-off-me!"
The large monster swiped his claws at Charlie, but missed as Charlie jumped off at the last second. The monster stared at the spot Charlie bit him where eight jagged teeth marks were in his skin. Charlie's mouth was filled with blood and skin of the wounded monster. Charlie then spat the meat and blood out, and laughed at the monster.
" Ooh. I love this! It's so exciting!" Charlie laughed. As he was laughing, the monster could see its own blood soaked over his serrated teeth. " Prepare to pay for your crimes, monster scum!"
Beep Beep Beep Beep!
Charlie felt a shaking in his pants. Without thinking, Charlie touched a button and ended the call.
####
Savira was the one calling Charlie, but felt a beeping sound in her phone. Her face turned tinted red as she became angry.
" Grrrr! That JERK! HE HANGED UP ON ME!"
####
Charlie prepared for his final strike. The monstrous being charged towards him. However, Charlie was prepared for whatever mischief the monster had.
The monsters blood was too boiled with anger, wasn't think straight, yelled, " I-will-make-you-my-SUPPER!"
Charlie walked sideways and let the monster run past him, then jumped up and stabbed him behind his back. The monsters blood felt cold from the cold fingers of Charlie wiggling in his back.
" Any last words before you die, ugly?"
" No…I must…get away. I must run too…the sewer."
" The sewer? You'll never be able to hide somewhere like there. But don't worry, I have the perfect remedy to where you can go." Charlie's sharp fingernails struck the monster behind its neck. It struggled to get out of Charlie's grasp, but could only grimace at the sound of Charlie's hot breath, said, " Hell."
Charlie's sharp nails sliced through the monsters neck. As Charlie's nails ripped through its neck, he soon decapitated it altogether. The blood from the creatures head dripped out and splattered all over Charlie's clothes and fingers.
The girl with the cat anima than woke up. She turned her head over to Charlie, saw him bathed in blood from his decapitated victim, as her face turned white; the scene was horrendous.
" No…what has he become?"