The consumption of divinity.
This is a short story I wrote about a werewolf in the woods and a girl's absolute devotion to it. It's a little graphic so just be warned (•̀ᵥᵥ•́)
tw gore, tw slight cannibalism, tw religious themes (obsessive in a way that becomes almost religious in nature.)
The girl in white was only seen on the edge of the forest. Her haunting beauty scared my mind and lived in my dreams. No matter how long I searched for her I could never find her. For years she has tormented me. I came to know the woods as I knew the home I've lived in my entire life. At night I would hear her whispers and know she was near and on the full moon I would hear her howl and feel serenity.
I no longer remember what my life was like before I saw her. The bits and pieces I recall are tainted by the darkness of the ebony hair. The names of the people I used to love were so dim compared to the blinding light of her smile. She has carved her way into the deepest parts of me and yet she is always too far to touch.
I know when she finally lets me near, I will be consumed. I have seen the red drip from her mouth, and I've heard the screams from the forest, each such a sweet lullaby as I know she plays just for me. I too wish to know the hands that can make such melodies
I go into the woods, and my legs carry me on the same path I have walked a million times. The moon shone through the trees lighting the way, but I did not need it. My eyes closed and I followed the oh so familiar pull. Every step I took my breathing became more ragged and the panic became more real. But that's when I heard her.
A deep growl came from the trees and my eyes shot open. I spun around chasing the noise like I chased breath desperate to see her. The forest seemed as empty as when I had walked through but I knew she was near. A limb snapped to my right and as I spun dizzyingly fast and that's when I saw her.
Two fierce yellow eyes pierced the blackness, almost seeming to glow. As they grew nearer more of her stepped into the light. First a long maw that held a devastating snarl showing every tooth. Then two big ears that were pinned back only accentuated the formidable size of her head. And finally, her torso showed powerful legs that had four enormous paws with talons so sharp I'm sure they could tear through bone.
She was one of the most beautiful creatures I had ever seen. The fleeting images of the human her seemed so foggy compared to the image in front of me. Almost seeming like a dream compared to the realness of the beast, but they were one in the same. The same divine being I had been looking for all my life even before I knew that's what I was searching for.
I fell to my knees and prayed at the altar that was her. My devotion had only ever belonged to her. No god could amount to her, and I was the only disciple she needed. I could only hope she could feel my reverence in the all-consuming way I held it inside me.
As I gazed upon her, she began to circle me. I stayed perfectly still even as my eyes struggled to follow her as she passed behind me. I didn’t know what her intention was, but any fate at her hands was a good one.
I felt her breath down the nape of my neck as she stood directly behind me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw her jaw open wide and slowly sink down around my shoulder. As her teeth began to pierce my flesh and blood cascaded down my arms and chest, I found comfort in the fact my death would be at her hands and felt peace for the first time in my life.
At just the point I thought I would be torn into pieces, her fangs retracted and I felt as she began to step away. I whipped around to face her, my peace being shattered at the thought of her leaving. But there she stood just staring at me. For the first time I was confused at what she wanted from me. Then I realized she wanted to do what we did best. She wanted to chase.
I stood from the ground ignoring the burn that had now spread from my shoulder to the rest of my body. The world began to spin but she was my axis. I took a step towards her and she began to growl. I wanted to reach my hand out and touch her but that wasn’t a part of the game we had to play. I turned around ignoring the panic of not being able to see her and I took off in a dead sprint.
I had been running for hours. I no longer knew if I was the one being chased or the one chasing. Everything had melded into one thing. Survival. As my bare feet hit the forest floor over and over again, I could no longer feel the pain of the sticks digging into my heel or the sting of thorns slicing flesh. I could only hear the drum of my heart and the all-consuming urge to sink my teeth into something and never let go.
I heard the loud thumping of paws behind me, but I dared not look back, but it seemed that the game was over. I felt something heavy land on my back pushing me to the ground and knocking the wind out of me. I flipped over so I could face her even as I gasped for breath.
She placed her forehead against my chest and lapped at the blood that was still slowly bleeding from the wound she had so kindly given me. As she continued to lick, she began to nip, drawing fresh blood to the surface of my skin. And soon there was not a part of me not covered in crimson.
I no longer could tell if the euphoria I was feeling was from blood loss or the fact I was finally being consumed in my entirety by something so much bigger than myself. If the only thing I ever contributed to this world is to give myself to the divine so for that one second, she would not be hungry than my life would be fulfilling.
I had expected to be torn apart viciously like I knew the ones before me had been, but she took her time slowly taking me apart like I was something to be cherished and savored. I didn’t know when I would finally die but every second with her was worth it even through the pain.
The night slowly faded and as the sun began to rise through partially closed eyes, I watched the beast change into the girl from the edge of the woods once again. It had now been my blood that stained her lips. She looked at me with thanks though it felt wrong. She deserved far more than I could give her and for her to thank me for as little as I have done was blasphemous.
Her hands caressed my face, and I didn't have the strength to lean into her. Black spots began to cloud my vision as the sun crested the horizon leaving her in a golden halo of light. I wanted to cry just at the beauty that was in front of me, but I didn't have it in me. Just as my eyes began to forcefully droop closed. I heard her angelic voice for the first time. “It's alright you can sleep now, there will be time later for us to talk, we're going to be together for a very long time. My name is Eve.”