“No! Please leave me alone!” “Daddy’s here, baby. It’s just a
dream. The big bad wolf can’t harm you while I’m around. I’m stronger than
any wolf in the world…”
How I do wish this was true. But, nothing is so simple in this dirty
world. My homeland, still called Forrest Land, has lost most of her forests and
the city’s whiteness could only be restored by the most powerful of
snowstorms, like the one that was upon us these days…
I was still confused by the transition period to the new school and the
situation with my boyfriend wasn’t helping at all. At that moment I realized
what was bothering me for my entire life. I felt that I somehow didn’t belong
to the same places where my folks or brother do. I was different. Loneliness and
sleepwalking were among things that set me aside from people that are supposed
to be my “friends”. I remember waking up out of my bed, or even my home,
with a funny taste in my mouth; not being able to stand pesticides, even if they
were sprayed days ago; being driven crazy by noise of the city where I’ve been
living since the day I was born…
On that Tuesday a couple of people in the suits came to my school and met
me after the classes. They said that they knew about my problems and that they
could help me. I don’t remember most of things that happened afterwards,
including where they took me, I think it was uphill beyond the stadium, but I do
remember seeing pentagrams and black candles. I had remembered even more hideous
things, which I’ve purged from my mind since. I don’t know how I escaped or
when, I just remember that I did the right thing. I somehow found my way home.
How? I don’t know. Next thing I remember is relaxing in a bath. Funny…
I slept well that night in spite of the strange taste in my mouth. In the
morning my mom told me about some strange trace of red on our door’s handle. I
paid no attention and prepared for school. When I was about to leave home, my
brother called me to his room and gave me an invitation to some wild party at
the Botanic Garden. To me it was totally weird to party at such place, but he
promised that I wouldn’t be sorry. He also insisted that I should carry a
silver knife he stole from our own kitchen. Although I hated such things I
decided to play along hoping to discover what the catch was and eventually play
it back on him. I was sure that it had something to do with that party.
After the school I decided to grab something for lunch and hang around in
the city until it’s time for the party. I read the news and discovered that
there had been a massacre at some bourgeoisie’s house. Although it made me
somewhat uneasy, I didn’t really care. When I thought it was a time for party,
I decided to take a walk there. While I was passing by Russian Embassy I smelled
something that I never smelled before. I soon discovered a big guy who was
following me, making me even uneasier. I tried to lose him. He was quite
persistent and I simply tried to run away. He caught me somewhere on a deserted
bank of Danube. Just then, under the light of the full moon, I could see that he
was changing. His nails started turning to claws, his hair turned gray and grew
longer, and his fangs became so bright like the silver knife I felt in my
pocket. He was big and strong and was approaching me with confidence. He said
something with terrible Russian accent, but I was simply unable to listen. He
was advancing towards me until I took the knife and in desperation run it
through his stomach. He screamed with pain while his face became completely
inhuman. He charged at me, but I was able to avoid his attack, although he did
manage to bite off some of my hair, which was, to my surprise, jet-black! I
tried to attack him, but he caught me and, since he was much stronger, he
wrestled me to the ground. We were rolling on the ground, when he suddenly
screamed and jumped up. I realized that he had touched the knife that was lying
on the ground. I seized the opportunity and threw him down. While I was pressing
him on the knife, his strength started abandoning him, so that I could catch his
neck inside my jaws and simply snap it. Soon I could see in reflection of the
water that I was myself again…
What I didn’t understand on the spot I was told in the Botanic Garden.
Once again my brother was right. No Human is as strong as a Wolf.
© COPYRIGHT Marko Savić
Used with permission here