Inhuman Nature
MoshPit
Virginia stared out the window at the gray, gloomy Sunday. She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to escape a chill that wasn't there, a chill that twisted around her very bones. Powerful arms entwined themselves around her body, and for a fleeting moment, she imagined they were Wolf's arms, then remembered that he was the reason she felt so cold.
"I miss my baby," she said softly by way of explanation. "I hate that I can't see him all the time."
"I know," Richard's deep voice rumbled. "But think how hard this custody thing must be for Warren. Only being able to see his son once a month? It'd drive me crazy."
Crazy. Yes, she thought, that's exactly how it's making me feel. To not be able to see, to hold my baby boy…it's make me insane. It could drive Wolf insane…
~*~*~*~*~*~
Full moon. It never really occurred to her how amazingly bright a full moon could be. But it kept her occupied, the light did, on these nights. All the lights on and the television turned up as loud as it could go (without disturbing the neighbors), that's what it took to drone out the noise.
It seemed inhumane, to keep him looked up like that. She always cringed afterwards upon seeing the red welts around his wrists and ankles where the chains had rubbed the skin raw. He just smiled, and gave her a little hug, and told her it didn't hurt that much.
A bloodcurdling howl echoed throughout the apartment, sending shivers down her spine. It made her think of the time they went to buy the chains. 'They had to be perfect,' he had said. 'One tiny flaw, and you never know what I could do.'
And so they spent each full moon like this; her in the living room, lights and volume up, and him in the linen closet, silver chains wrapped around his limbs, cutting into his flesh. That night shouldn't have been any different.
First, she heard the crack. No big deal, she thought. It wouldn't have been the first time he'd broken the closet door.
Then, she heard the thump. This sounded a bit suspicious; the chains shouldn't have had that much slack. She got up from her chair, her sitcom rerun abandoned, and headed for the closet.
Then, she heard the cry. And she began to run.
~*~*~*~*~*~
"I want to reschedule." Richard looked blankly at his wife.
"What for?" he asked. Full moon, she answered silently, although she know that was a lie.
"I just need to have my baby here tonight, that's all." Richard sighed heavily. This was going to be one of those arguments he could not win.
"Fine," he said, "But you have to call him."