He’s a beautiful monster but I don’t mind.
Summary: Werewolf! Dan goes to Earth on Halloween and meets Phil.
Prompt: Mommy! Daddy! How come on Halloween everyone dresses like you?
From: @writing-prompt-s
A/n: I’m working on the request I know I’m slacking but I’m having terrible writers block. Then this appeared on my dash so I decided why not try this. I’ve been working on this since early October 2016 and it’s now nearly Christmas (like it’s 5 days away!!) I hope It’s good for you
Genre: angst (I’m not even sorry)
Words: 6k !!!
He sits alone in the darkness, staring at the tiny break in his world, his room. A slither of yellow light stretches out. Less than a week ago, he’d love it. The warm feeling it left on his skin and the hope it gave his heart. But now he scurries away from it into the furthest corner.
“Monster”
That’s all he is, he was born this way. And he will never try and change that again.
The child was ushered to sit down and he complied. The little boy looked up at his parents with glistening eyes and he played with his new brown hair that had grown from his knuckles.
He was growing up.
His parents sat on the couch and looked down at their baby with smiles.
“Daniel, I see you are getting your fur” the old wolf said cheerfully as he watched his son pause his actions. “It’s okay son” he smiled.
“Creepy, were very proud of you. I bet you’ll become the strongest and bravest werewolf this underworld has ever seen” The mother added. “I bet you’ll get lovely sharp fangs too”
The boy looked up puzzled. “Lovely?” He asked as he tilted his head to a side.
“Of corse son. You’ll be able to use them soon” his father grinned wider and showed off his blood-stained fangs.
“Where?” Daniel asked confused. He wondered where he could use them, since the underworld forbids killing of your own kind. He had never delved deep into the fiery hell. Nor had he ever been up to ‘the normal world’ and he wondered if this fangs of his will ever make him a great werewolf like his father.
“We shall tell you when your older son” His mother said and she placed a loving hand on her husband’s leg.
“Can’t you tell me now”
The parents exchanged a look and then his mother nodded.
“Okay Daniel” they said. And then they began to explain everything.
How long ago his kind and many others were banished to the underworld. How many types of monsters lived down here. How the humans are greedy yet somehow considerate. How every year on the 31st of October the celebrate something called Halloween and how the monsters of the underworld can enter the normal world for that 24 hours.
His parents didn’t seem to go into a lot of detail. But it was enough detail for the 7-year-old to get his young head around.
They didn’t tell him about the human traditions of trick or treating and the many parties they throw.
But to be fair, the parents didn’t know. The ideas of going up didn’t sound very appealing to them. They hadn’t been up in a long time, for years don’t seem to pass the same down under the ground.
Nevertheless, they promised that they would take their youngster up to see the human world in all its “glory”.
The 31st seemed to come slower then Daniel had anticipated. He waited for what felt like years until the dusty old clock rang loud through the dark abyss, signaling 12:00am 31st of October.
His mother laid a hairy hand on his shoulder and lead him to a room he had previously not been allowed in. It was a simple black room. But there was a slither of bright light extending from the left side of the wall in front of him. And the light was growing, wider and wider like a door slowly sliding open.
Dan’s eyed opened wide in excitement and his mouth did the same, which showed off his slowly sharpening canines.
Then the light Burst through, as the gap had fully opened, and the it nearly blinded the young werewolf who had to shield his eyes with his slightly hairy arm.
And then they saw it. Their mouths stretched into an o shape as their eyes scanned the houses; covered in various vivid hues that contrasted, almost nicely, with the dark sky.
Each one had a unique style of decoration, well Dan presumed it was decoration.
Some had silly cobwebs and others had lit pumpkins with strange faces carved into them.
'Barbaric’ Dan thought as he pictured the well known jack the pumpkin king. Maybe he humans were really the monsters.
For some reason, Dan disagreed and was eager to find out what they will do.
The family stepped out through the new door into a dim street. A nearby sign read “Manchester Halloween sale” which left him confused.
He knew he must be in a place called Manchester and they were celebrating Halloween. But why would they 'sale’? The mannequins in the window didn’t move like ones he had heard rumors of down in the underworld. They were dressed in short frilly black dresses that was complimented with a small headband that had a hat on it.
'Strange’ he thought but he followed his family. They took him to a park and he played in the swings like it was the last time he ever would, it very well could be the last time he would. But Daniel didn’t like that thought.
Then day came and even more sickly sweet bright light broke through.
And everything woke up.
Everything.
And as he watched the scene unfold before him, he couldn’t help but wonder.
“Mommy! Daddy! How come on Halloween everyone dresses like us?” Little Dan asked.
And his parents stood silently before turning their attention to the masses of people who were all dressed up.
***
October 2009 ~ age 18
Daniel sat excitedly bouncing as he waited for the light to come through. It was so close to midnight October 31st, and he was 18. Which meant he could go without asking his parents.
So long as he was back before the clock struck 12 again he was good.
He felt like Cinderella.
He had heard of her tale. How she had the same unrealistic curfew of 12am and how she too was excited for something. In her case, it was a ball but Dan was sure this was just as good.
Maybe he could find love like she did. He knew he wouldn’t be so dull to marry a guy based on looks and of corse literally a few days after they meet (and they only met again because she had a rare foot size).
He knew this wasn’t a fairy tale but it felt like it.
He remembers going to the outside world before. How the children thought it was funny to knock on houses and ask for sweets because they were dressed like him.
He should be offended, he knows he should, yet he actually feels kind of happy that people are that fascinated. That people actually care.
He knows he shouldn’t want to enter the world but he can’t help himself.
There’s only so many times you can explore then many layers of hell. And talk to the same 'monsters’ and get the same tips from them.
Even the most imaginative person can get bored after 11 years and even the best explorer can lose his desire to seek out adventure.
He’s been to all the realms now. He favors the witches because their laugh is infectious and they always have new trick to show him. He also likes the vampires because they amuse him how they think they’re the best predators. Amateurs always go for the neck. Dan has always laughed a few times at the dolls/mannequin’s section. Not many people dare to go there but they’re all so sweet and cute and somehow deadly and Dan admires that.
There are many other places but they got boring. He often finds himself managing to run through every single section of the underworld and it only be mid-day. So, he lays face down in the carpet to think, and he often regrets that decision when he finds his now thick brown fur to become matted to the old carpet.
Boring.
And the human world?
That’s where he is yet to explore. So many things he can see.
And he doesn’t have to wait anymore, as the clock stuck loud and the slither of light grew wide.
“Yes!” Dan howled in delight, letting his wolf instincts over power everything else.
And he burst through the doors into a very familiar park.
He looked around with wide eyes that look like they belong to a child who’s just been given a rare sweet. He couldn’t help it.
“Manchester Halloween sale” he laughed as he read the sign once again. “How can they still be having a sale!”
Then he walked cautiously through the sleeping city. He took in its sights and its early birds who seem who be stumbling through the streets.
But there was one boy who wasn’t waddling like a zombie. The boy was sat perfectly on a wooden bench that was nicely sheltered by an old oak tree.
He had pale skin and raven hair. Dan would have thought he was from the underworld too but the boy had amazing blue- wait yellow- no green- ish eyes that were filled with happiness and life. And the boy was turning the pages of a thick book that read “buffy the vampire slayer graphic novel” and he was too far into it so he hadn’t just come from the same world as dan.
This is a human.
Dan slowly walked towards the boy, desperate to gain information. And as Dan got a few meters away the black-haired boy looked up.
“Oh hello? Was you trying to scare me?” The boy giggled.
“No- I- I’m new here I wanted to know more things about this place” Dan stuttered.
“Oh well there’s not a lot to know. Manchester is the same as any other place.” The boy smiled “but anyway my name is Phil and I really like your costume”
“Hi- i Phil. I’m Dan” Dan pulled his lips up to a smile but didn’t flash off his sharp teeth. He didn’t want to scare him away. Dan wondered what the consequences where for telling a human what you were and where he was from. Would Phil believe him?
“And I’ve never been anywhere else” Dan finally added.
“Oh well it’s nice to meet you Dan. Is it okay to ask where you have been?” Phil said softly.
“Er- well. I’m from the underworld”
Then Phil laughed. “You’re cute. I love Halloween too, you don’t have to be shy”
“Oh okay” Dan finally smiled and Phil didn’t scream, he didn’t run. He stared at dans teeth with amazement.
Then Dan joined Phil. He sat gently as he could on the bench and Phil smiled. Dan couldn’t help but notice how his tongue stuck out the corner of his mouth.
'Beautiful’ he thought and he gazed at the book Phil had. It was filled with amazingly detailed drawings and various vivid hues.
Phil looked up and saw Dan’s confused face. He began to explain what was happening with a happy voice and wide eyes. And whilst Dan was interested in what this girl was doing in the book, he found himself more interested in Phil’s features.
They boys didn’t even notice when the orange dawn broke. Phil was talking about something Dan pretended to understand when he had to stop and gaze at the sky.
He had never seen a sun rise.
Phil smiled and watched Dan.
“Where are you really from?” Phil asked and Dan tore his eyes from the sky, “well you’re looking at the sun like you’ve never seen it. I agree it really is beautiful but there’s sun rises in every country, every town”
Dan panicked. Could he tell Phil? What would his parents do?
“I’m from the Underworld” he replied.
“Dan” Phil whined “you’ve already said that”
“Because I wasn’t lying”
Dan let Phil pull on his arm hair and his claws. He let Phil look at his newly sharpened teeth and his huge feet.
“You promise this isn’t just really strong glue” Phil said shocked.
“I don’t know what strong glue is” Dan replied. He waited nervously for Phil to say something- anything about what he was thinking.
“Wow this is amazing. Oh, I should show you around, you’ve never seen anything. Come on” he said smiling as he pulled on Dan’s arm, grabbed his book, and walked out the park.
Phil showed Dan everything. All the shops. The houses. The people. The cars and buses. Everything.
He told Dan about what they do on Halloween and some history, and even though it was a lot to take in, Dan really, really, enjoyed it.
People stared at him and Phil, wondering why he looked like that. It was just afternoon and most people hadn’t dressed up. Well neither had Dan.
The day went quickly, too quickly, and before he knew it the day was over and the sun set, meaning it was nearly time for Dan to go home.
Phil surprisingly hadn’t slept but they had stopped to eat and drink coffee. Dan didn’t want it to end. He liked Phil a lot. And Phil liked him too.
Dan had told Phil a lot about the underworld, including that he had to return soon.
Phil was sad but he understood, as he truly believed Dan and took his word.
Now it was night time, people were dressed up. It reminded Dan of that year he and his parents came, how afraid and confused he was. But now he understood, thanks to Phil, and he likes it.
He already can’t wait for next year.
But he wondered if Phil would be here.
The boys made it back to the sheltered park bench and they watched happily. They made more small talk that made it feel like they had been friends forever.
Hours flew by yet again and it was 11:30pm.
“Dan do you have to go” Phil looked at him with pleasing eyes. Dan nodded.
“I wish I didn’t” he added, “is it too much to ask that I meet you next year?”
“Unfortunately for you I’ll be at this bench at 12am on the 31st of October 2010 and I expect you to be there” Phil said as he lightly pushed Dan’s arm.
“Thank you” Dan smiled. “Thank you for everything”
“Well thank you for the best Halloween I’ve ever had” Phil smiled and let his tongue poke out the side.
He gave Phil a hug and said goodbye. And they both promised to return.
Dan couldn’t hold back a toothy smile as he approached a dark corner of the park to return home.
“Only 364 days to go” Dan sighed as he entered the darkness and the clock struck 12am.
***
October 2010 ~ aged 19
The days, weeks, and months went slow for both Dan and phil.
Dan would run around all the layers of the underworld quicker every day.
He’d have the same conversations with everyone, but he didn’t care. It passed the time. No one really seemed to notice the way Dan could fidget and move around. His parents never asked what happened in the real world, not once, and Dan really preferred that.
Phil would wonder every day, was Dan even real? He began to convince himself that Dan was just another crazy and weird pigment of his imagination. Phil loved Halloween, maybe he was trying to enjoy it like he used to as a kid so he made a “monster”. Or maybe he was upset he was still closeted and he wanted a prefect boyfriend.
Dan was probably, no definitely, his perfect boy. So, Phil decided he had mixed the two weird thoughts.
But that didn’t stop him from going to sit in the sheltered bench on the 30th October, with a new graphic novel, to see if it would happen.
“It’s a nice park” Phil said aloud “that’s why I’m here, I can’t sleep and it’s a nice park”
And Dan was sat in his dark room staring at the clock, listening to the teasing ticks and tocks.
Then it happened, the clock rung twelve and Dan could have sworn he heard a few monsters calling out of excitement, so he did too. But his door didn’t open. He waited patiently letting his claws tap on the solid floor.
But his door still didn’t open.
Dan growled and stood up to make his way to his parents.
“The door” he said through gritted teeth.
“It’s locked son” his father replied, not caring enough about the door to look away from his tasks.
“Where’s the key?” Dan’s fists began to clench. He had waited all year for this, and his father wasn’t helping.
“Why are you concerned?” His father said back.
“Why must you answer a question with a question?”
“And, why must you?”
Dan scoffed and walked away. He didn’t have time for this. So, he walked to his mother.
“The key is in the drawer, creepy “his mother said softly. Dan thanked her then ran back to the old room with a clock.
The key was old and rusty. It was all black and it had a circle on the top with a detailed spider web inside.
He pressed the key on the wall in several places in the hope of finding the key hole.
It was nearly 1am now and Phil was losing hope. He looked up from his book and gazed at the stars longingly.
He sighed heavily and closed his book. It was time to go home.
Phil stood up from the bench and began to walk away, then he heard a howl.
Phil paused and turned around to find a tall figure scurrying towards him. His breath hitched then the figure came into the light.
Dan.
"Phil!” He smiled and Phil pulled the wolf boy into his embrace.
“I thought you had broken your promise” he whispered into Dan’s ear.
“I could never” Dan whispered back.
***
October 2011 ~ age 20
“So, you’re 24 now” Dan asked the black-haired boy.
“Yeah bad isn’t it. I’m so old” Phil laughed.
“You know I’m only 20” Dan said.
“Really? You look older”
“Well I do have a beard” Dan laughed and Phil stroked his 'beard’.
“Dan you’re a werewolf you have hair all over your face” Phil giggled softly and put his head against
“So it doesn’t count as a beard?” Dan smiled.
“I don’t think it does”
***
October 2012 ~ aged 21
Dan was sat patiently waiting for the clock to strike indicating the beginning of the best 24 hours of the year, when his mother came in.
“Daniel wolfie, why do you love that world”
“I’m not sure I can say it’s a love of the entire world. It’s a love for one thing mother”
“What’s that?”
“Phil”
And much to his parent’s distaste, Dan quickly crawled through the new open door into the real world.
As his hopeful eyes adjusted to the artificial light, Dan stepped forward into the park, towards the bench, and towards Phil.
Just as he had hoped, Phil was sat on the bench with a wide smile. As soon as he spotted the wolf boy he jumped out his seat and ran to meet him.
The boys hugged and they tried to repress stray tears.
“I missed you” Dan finally said breaking the silence.
“I missed you too”
***
October 2013 ~ age 22
Phil no longer doubted Dan’s presence, he no longer prayed for it. He knew he was counting the days down to meet Dan. And he knew Dan was real.
He noticed all the stares they would get, it could be because Phil was smiling into midair, but sometimes kids would stop and ask to touch Dan’s hair.
Phil could see the happiness in their eyes when Dan playfully howled and let them stroke him. He made them believe, the best thing a child can do.
And it reminded Phil of all the times he didn’t believe.
Phil knew he was slowly falling for this wolf, as bizarre as that sounds.
He tried to repress it but there was a warm feeling in his heart as his phone beeped telling him it was 11pm on the 30th of October.
It was time.
Phil grabbed some things and headed for the sheltered bench in the desolate park and waited patiently for Dan.
And this year right on the first chime for 12am he couldn’t help but hear the gleeful howling coming from the dark corner of the park.
Then the dark figure emerged from the shadows and Phil knew.
He ran up to Dan with his arm stretched wide and Dan took him into his embrace. He spun them around and lifted Phil up with ease. Phil giggled and looked at the now happy face of the wolf boy.
“God, are these years getting longer?” Dan said as he gently placed Phil in the floor.
“And these amazing 24 hours getting shorter?” Phil added.
“It seems it”
Then the boys caught up. Dan let Phil know what he does as he waits and Phil showed Dan his YouTube channel.
And, like he had done a few years ago, Dan stared at Phil with a wide toothy smile, watching the gleaming eyes and glowing skin.
How he longed to be alive. To be alive with Phil by his side.
***
October 2014 ~ age 23
Dan was pretty sure that the only reason he was somewhat sane what Phil, and his yearly visit
The witches, and the vampires, and the mannequins, and the gremlins, all noticed.
The way Dan would talk extremely fast and then dash off to the next level of the underworld.
How Dan would even stop them mid-sentence to check the time.
And then it was the same for Phil.
His parents noticed how he would constantly check his watch, and how he would go to bed early in order to get the day over.
And sometimes he’d go the park multiple times in one day, with a buffy novel, and he would search the nooks and crannies. Looking for something. Always looking.
But no one ever knew why.
Both families noticed how the boys would rush off at 11pm on the day before Halloween.
People started rumors.
That every year there was an amazingly realistic werewolf man, who nobody could recognize, a nameless man, who was epic at Halloween costumes but uncreative.
And the story of two boys in the park who were the most in love people you had ever met, yet they didn’t know the other felt the same, and only the lucky viewers could witness it.
And finally, how a boy would appear from thin air, like some sort of Halloween magic.
And it made people believe.
In true love.
In the magic.
And in fate.
Well they were not wrong to do so.
For on the first strike for 12 a boy appeared from nothing and hugged the other with such a force anyone else would have collapsed.
“I live for this, this moment” Dan said.
“My beautiful monster” Phil giggled and hugged Dan again, like it would be the last time he had the chance.
***
October 2015 ~ age 24
Dan had become more fixated with the outside world. He barely went to see the other layers anymore. He just sat in the dark room listening to the teasing ticks and tocks, staring at where the door is, he couldn’t see it, he had memorized it to stop delays in the future.
He needed the full 24 hours with Phil.
Like a drug addict, Dan twitched at the sound of the clock striking another hour.
“Yes” he howled. And inched closer to the door.
That chime was for 11pm.
1 hour to go.
Phil got up from his bed and made his way down to the park, his heart was doing flips and spins, and his belly felt warm despite the brutal cold.
He still carried a buffy novel. He doesn’t really know why, maybe an insecurity that Dan won’t know who he is, and the book is the clarification.
Phil sat down and opened his book.
Then the clock chimed once again and a gleeful howl came from the bushes.
“Yes” he shouted closing his book and leaping up to see-
A much taller, broader, dark figure.
And a slumped over, smaller, skinnier figure.
When they stepped into the yellow light Phil saw Dan and an older wolf.
His father.
Dan looked beaten and bruised. His chestnut hair was in tufts and not fluffy, and the odd piece was matted with blood. His eyes weren’t happy, the seemed dark and cold, and they were aimed at the floor. His clothes were even more ripped.
Phil put a hand over his mouth.
The father roared in delight at this, he thought he was doing his job of scaring a real human boy. He was scaring Phil but not because his sounds or appearance was scary. But because of the state of his son.
Phil ran past the father and straight to Dan, and Dan pulled him into a hug.
“Father- I do not come here to feast. I don’t not come here to scare. I come here to see my good friend” Dan said loudly with Phil still wrapped around his chest.
His father looked him up and down. He knew Dan barely left the room, waiting. He thought his son was the blood thirsty hound he had always hoped for.
“You are a disgrace to the family, to our name. You’ve disappointed us all Daniel” his father bowed his head and then ran into the trees, maybe to go home, or more likely to get a rare hunting session, alone.
Phil wrapped his warm arms even tighter around Dan, and Dan smiled down at him.
“Thank you” Dan said softly.
“For what?”
“For being you”
***
Present ~ October 2016 ~ age 25
11:57
11:58
11:59
“Come on” Dan sighed.
Every year has gotten better for him. Even with the 2 worlds restricting them as much as possible, every single October had been amazing.
The years seemed to be getting longer, as the desire to leave the underworld had grown stronger.
Almost everyone in the underworld had turned against him. Called him softie. Disowned him.
When he ran around the layers, people would turn their backs.
Phil was all he had left. But he was grateful. Because even though his time with Phil is limited, Phil had never judged him, never lied, never turned his back, he had always hoped.
Phil never had to come back to the park. He never had to wait. But he did.
Which already was enough for Dan.
12:00am.
“Finally!” Dan leaped up and watched the door creaked open. It was too slow for Dan’s liking and he began to force it open with his claws.
The door screamed in horror but the gap was big enough for Dan to squeeze through so he didn’t care, he pushed his body through the small gap and stumbled out into the grass.
“Phil?”
“Dan!”
Dan followed the voice until… they collided in a hug.
“I missed you” they said.
“I wish you could come more often” Phil said whilst still in the wolfs embrace.
“Me too” Dan replied. Then he thought. Maybe he could come more often.
***
The wolf sat in the dark room. The clocks ticking was the only sound to be heard, yet he couldn’t hear it. He was focused, and that meant completely shutting everything out.
It had been a week- no a month- or more. He couldn’t tell. He just wanted to know a way that he could force the door open.
“Wait” he said, his voice hoarse and dry. “Force”
He stood up, his bones popping and grinding because of a lack of movement, and he walked backwards, as far as he could.
Until.
He ran.
At full force, with everything he had in him, straight at the black wall. And when he hit it, much to his surprise, he made a small dent, where his shoulder blade was.
He sighed in relief and used his long, untamed, sharp claws to pry open the forbidden door.
After what felt like hours poking and scraping he made a small gap and Dan squeezed through, as the clock made a strange chiming noise and the once dark room was now lit with bright lights.
He didn’t care.
He was out. Finally.
Dan tumbled out onto the grass, his coffee brown hair gathering flakes of mud.
He growled as he rolled over and pushed himself up. He stumbled out the bushes and looked around.
It was evening, the sun was about to set. There was a slight chill and Dan noticed a touch of white on the trees, that no longer had leaves. He saw a man jogging and shouted “hey excuse me, what’s the date?”
“24th of December” the man replied confused and he continued to jog.
December.
He had heard Phil talk about December before. Something about Christmas.
The city certainly had changed. There was huge trees and lights. And lights on strings in vivid hues that left a warm feeling in our heart. There was a smell, a delicious smell of food- meat. It wasn’t scary. It was happy.
“Phil did say it was happy” he thought.
Phil…
Dan stumbled through the park over to the usual bench to find a tall figure sat there. He inched closer and crouched to look at the face of the stranger.
“Dude Halloween was like 2 months ago, what the hell are you doing?” The man said finally looking up and staring at dan. It was definitely not Phil. The man got up and muttered words Dan didn’t understand that well as he walked away.
The sounded like “creep” “weirdo” and “druggie” but he wasn’t sure, he presumed al humans were like Phil, kind.
“Phil!” He howled.
“Dan?”
Dan looked up quickly for the voice. And then he found Phil.
Phil had just got back from work. He had his book in hand and he was going to read. He couldn’t stop thinking about Dan all day. How much Dan would love Christmas and how he’d love to see him. So, he decided the best place to read after work would be the bench where he met the beautiful monster.
“W- What are you doing here?” He asked cautiously. As much as he loved seeing him, Phil knew that he wasn’t supposed to be here.
“I came to see you. I’m sick of it down there I don’t belong there Phil”
Phil didn’t know what to say, and he had no time to think of it either.
Suddenly there was an ear-piercing scream.
“Mommy! Daddy! A monster!” The girl cried and tugged on her mother’s arm.
“I’m sure he’s dressed u-” her mother Began but as soon as she looked at the wolf boy she knew he looked to life like, she knew something was wrong. “Why would someone scare children on Christmas Eve hunny?” She asked the man beside her.
“I don’t know. But there’s something off about him” the man replied. “I’m gonna go ask him”
“Daddy!”
“Darling-”
But the man carried on walking to Dan and Phil, well straight past Phil who was still in a state of shock.
And he stood tall over Dan, but you
could tell it was him who was scared, and him who was weaker.
“What are you doing?” The man asked sternly.
“I’m here to see my friend” Dan replied angrily, his fists clenched. He was no monster. He didn’t mean to scare her. But now he was mad.
“And scaring children in a park. On Christmas Eve.”
“I didn’t want to scare her”
“Then where are you dressed like a werewolf”
“I’m not dressed up”
The man scoffed.
“It’s Christmas Eve man. Get a life”
Dan’s fists were still clenched, his jaw was tight, his claws were ready and his fangs were nice and sharp.
“It’s a good costume I’ll give you that” then the man inspected Dan. He laughed as he pulled on his hairs but his face dropped when he realized he couldn’t pull them off.
Dan smiled. And the man looked mortified when he couldn’t find the human tooth or any sign of it being fake.
Dan relaxed his fists. And the man looked terrified that he couldn’t pull the claws off and that the tips were sharp and the whole thing was strong.
Dan moved his foot. And the man’s eyes widened at how large they were, and because there was the same hair covering the same claws.
Phil stood behind them. His expression matched the mans. Shock.
He couldn’t believe there was a gleam in Dan’s eye. He was enjoying it. Scaring that man.
He couldn’t believe Dan was here let alone enjoying this man’s disbelief.
It reminded him how wrong this all was. He wasn’t meant to like a monster. No matter how hard he tries Phil knows Dan will always be a monster.
“Want a demonstration?” Dan smiled flashing off his fangs.
“Dan.” Phil said bluntly.
“Come here” Dan said wiggling his long black claw.
“Dan.” Phil said louder.
But the man stepped closer. Then Dan growled and pulled his arm back.
It happened so fast, yet you could have sworn you saw it in slow motion, every detail.
As the long muscular arm was being pulled further and further back, Phil was pushing forward, and pushing the man out the way.
“No” Phil screamed.
But Dan was in full swing, there was too much momentum to stop now. But the man was out the way and Phil was in his place.
So the long sharp claws collided with his pale skin.
They dug deep before Dan could stop. Causing a burst of thick red blood to erupt from Phil.
The mum had already turned the child away and the dad had stumbled back onto the floor, it wasn’t long before he scrambled back and he grabbed his family to quickly push them away.
They were alone.
Phil collapsed but Dan was there to catch him. He looked and the fresh cuts that stretched from his cheek to his chest.
It was his fault.
“I’m a monster” Dan said before letting his tears fall. All his life he denied it but now he held his only friend in his hands.
His only friend’s blood.
"Phil?”
No reply.
No piercing blue- no yellow- wait green- ish eyes staring at him. No happy smile. No silly jokes.
He was gone.
Dan clutched him one more time before laying him peacefully on the nicely sheltered bench under the old oak tree, and he picked a nearby flower and laid it on Phil’s red stained chest.
After one last look, and one last tear, he ran as fast as he could. He scrambled in the bushes trying to find an exit. And when he finally managed to push through the small gap-
He was met with a dark and eerily quiet room. No more teasing ticks and ticks or blinding lights.
He took his opportunity and tried to close the gap but it wouldn’t fully close.
And another door opened.
“What have you done?!”
***
They locked him in that room.
Banished.
Disowned.
He sits alone in the darkness, staring at the tiny break in his world. A slither of yellow light stretches out, its sun rise in that world. Less than a week ago, he’d love it. The warm feeling it left on his skin and the hope it gave his heart. But now he scurries away from it into the furthest corner.
Trying to escape the memories and the sadness.
