They say that changes are for the best. How to say? It depends on situation. Until one moment, I was very happy. I can say that I had no lack of love of my parents or girls. I had success with girls! I do not like to brag, but it is true. It just so happened that it was this morning that my girlfriend left me, but I wasn’t upset. A new one will come to the place of the old one. She will be better, more beautiful, smarter. And perhaps—my next girlfriend will later become my wife.
For some time now, all the media promised not only a cloudless night, but also an incredible phenomenon that can be observed once every ten thousand years—a dark moon and meteor shower. It would seem an ominous event, but at the same time very unusual and attractive. It was this evening that I decided to go for a walk and get some fresh air. The sun was preparing to go down and before it warmed the earth. So that then sun would dissolve in it. A light of playful sunlights ran between the trees and played with foliage. Everything was so peaceful and beautiful.
I lived on the outskirts of the city, not far from the forest. The townspeople didn’t really like to walk in the forest, but those who lived near it—long ago ceased to be afraid of it. Everyone knew that there were wolves in the depths of the forest, but for many years they had not appeared in the city. Perhaps the lack of a source of fear over time evaporated the fear itself. Although, some of the people who lived in my area were still afraid of wolves, but they were mostly old people, whom none of the young once took seriously. How can you be afraid of what you cannot see?
I remember how once upon a time, as a child, I was afraid of the forest, but then to prove my courage, I spent the night in it. It was the most frightening night of my life. I was afraid of everything, but didn’t want to back down. I knew that if I get cowardly, I would never forgive myself! And the boys with whom I made a deal will laugh at me. I did not want to look like a coward, I just did not want to be one. Discarding fear, I realized that the forest itself does not have any threat. Branches that appear to be bony ghosts, are just branches. Strange sounds emanating in the forest, reminiscent of a moan, is only the owl's whine. The rustle of foliage is not a sign of impending danger, but merely the rustle of foliage. I myself created the source of my fear and forced myself to be afraid, closing my eyes to reality itself. As soon as I understood this, the forest ceased to be so scary. It had something that I could not find in the city or the suburbs—calm, tranquillity, the absence of lies, pretence, betrayal.
Ever since that day—when I feel bad or lonely I go to the forest. I listen to it whisper. I try to imagine that I am part of this forest. For a few moments all my problems go away from me, and in the world there is nothing but me and this vast sea of calm. The world for a few moments becomes different and everything at once is somehow simpler and easier to solve any problems. Probably, deep down I envied the wolves that lived in this forest. They could be part of the forest every minute of their lives, but I only occasionally—when my world was destroyed or devastated.
And so it was this time also. She left me, and I had no one else to turn to except the forest. I wanted to plunge again into the world of calm and harmony that surrounded me there, to dissolve and forget the pain that I had been caused, as I thought, by a dear person. I was so absorbed in myself that I didn’t noticed how I went deep into the forest. I chose a random path and went along it. Right now I wanted just to get lost and disappear in this forest. For some reason, the forest didn’t want to reassure me; didn’t want to share its calmness. I still couldn’t forget myself and the forest didn’t gave me desired feelings.
I walked along the path, not looking around, and soon regretted it. A wolf flew over me. I didn’t immediately understand what exactly was happening, and why do I feel literally crushed. I opened my eyes and saw a huge wolf face in front of me. He didn’t grin, didn’t try to bite me, he just laid on me. I was so shocked that I didn’t immediately realize that I couldn’t breathe. The wolf realized that he was strangling me and tried to get up. When he got up, I crawled out from under him and wanted to run away when I heard a voice in my head.
He said: “Do not run. I will you no harm, especially since I am going to die soon. I can ask you only to accept my essence and stop what I could not stop. A new world will open before you, which you did not knew before and who knows, maybe your most secret desires can be fulfilled.”
I turned to the wolf. He was two meters high and five meters long. His gray fur was saturated with blood, and his golden eyes gradually faded. I didn’t feel fear for this creature standing in front of me, on the contrary, he attracted me with something. I wanted to touch him, but didn’t dare. “Come closer if you agree to help me and change your world,” the voice said. I took a few steps and ended up at the very face of the wolf. He looked at me with his golden eyes, and I saw myself in them, but not by man, but by a wolf. "You made your choice, accept your new self."
A moment and his sharp teeth pierced my shoulder. Hellish pain pierced my whole body and an inhuman cry burst from my chest, everything darkened in my eyes. Everything happened so abruptly that I myself did not understand this. I don’t remember how I got home and what happened afterwards. The whole next week disappeared in my memory like sugar in tea. What did I do? Who was I with? What did I say? It all remained somewhere far away, in the back of my memory. The only day I clearly remembered was the one when I met her— who awakened this sleeping wolf in me.
It was my rightful day off, and I could rest abundantly after an exhausting working week. All my relatives parted. So the apartment was at my full disposal. Sleeping through the afternoon, I decided in the evening to walk and breathe the fresh forest air. Walking through the forest, I felt that someone was watching me. Turning around, I noticed that in the depths of the forest there were two yellow eyes staring at me intently. I felt a little uncomfortable, but I didn’t feel fear. Sometimes a shadow flickered pass me. I have never been able to detect it, but I felt that someone was watching me. At some point I turned around and saw a girl. Her fair hair curls fell on her shoulders and chest, her bright eyes somehow mysteriously burned, and her slightly pale body was tense. She was dressed in the most ordinary clothes: blue jeans, gray sneakers and a white T-shirt.
She looked at me for another second, and then rushed deep into the forest. I don’t know why, but I ran after her. At some point, she disappeared from my sight and I was paused, but then something flew into me again. It was a huge beast, very similar to a wolf. His white fur shone in the moonlight, and his eyes burned in yellow. Having knocked me down, the wolf disappeared somewhere, and I, in some bewilderment, layed on the ground. Getting up, I shook myself off, but before I could figure out what exactly happened, the same white wolf attacked me again. These attacks somehow annoyed me. I didn’t want to lose to some wolf.
At that moment, strange heat filled my body. It spread throughout my body, filling every cell with itself. It seemed to me that the hair on my body stood on end, from the anger that I experienced. They seemed to come to life, they were outraged like me. Another second, and I was covered in gray fur, becoming a wolf.
I growled, but my opponent was not afraid. So I prepared for the battle. And we entered into it, and I prevailed. I threw the wolf towards some trees and heard a mournful squeak. The wolf was clearly hurt. Feeling a sense of joy from the fact that I emerged victorious from this battle, I became myself again. Surprisingly, some of the clothes on me still remained. Pants turned into shorts, and from the shirt there were rags, but still it was better than nothing at all. And then I realized—I'm a werewolf. The same werewolf from ancient legends. The one that turned into a terrible beast in the full moon and could even kill its relatives. That one...
Stop! I understood and controlled my actions. I reasoned reasonably even in the guise of a wolf. And even more so—I was in the guise of a wolf, not a half-wolf, half-human, as the legends said. Something was wrong here, and I wanted to figure it out.
I looked around and saw that my jacket was not so far from me. Apparently I managed to throw it aside when I began to turn. I decided to look at my opponent. Looking around again, I saw a naked body, it laid and did not move. Coming closer, I saw that on the ground, exactly in the place where the white wolf should have been lying, was that very girl that I had seen before. She was unconscious.
Taking my sweater, I wrapped a girl in it and picked her up. She uttered something, but didn’t wake up. I took her home and laid her on my bed. Suddenly, I felt incredible weakness and, flopping down next to the girl, fell asleep. I slept for about an hour, and when I woke up I realized that she was not sleeping, but was staring at me intently. I looked into her gray eyes and she smiled sweetly at me, saying:
“Forgive me, I was lonely.”
“Who are you?” I asked, peering into her face. My voice was soft, which was quite unusual for me. “And why did you attack me?”
“Sorry ... you see, I was left alone,” she guiltily lowered her head and began her story. “Since ancient times, our tribe has been persecuted by people and many of us hated them. But there were those who tried to be on friendly terms with people, there weren’t many of them, but still they were. Since then, our tribe has been divided into those who are hostile to people and those who seek peaceful coexistence. My family from the very beginning of the disagreement was for those who tried to be friendly with people—white wolves. But among us there were also those who took revenge on people by eating them—black wolves. Among our tribe were also those wolves that did not accept a single side and were free to choose their fate. They were the strongest of all known wolves—grey. Gray wolves were single and very rarely made themselves felt. Therefore, many considered them to be legends and did not believe in their existence. I also did not believe until tonight...” And she looked at me intently.
Her gaze pierced me so much that I felt like a living exhibit, on which people come to see, since they had never seen them. And then I noticed, looking into her eyes, that the amber halo around her pupils was slowly disappearing, and her eyes were turning into normal grey colour. Now she became the most ordinary girl, and only numerous scars betrayed her lifestyle. No, she was not a simple girl, there was some kind of power that I wanted to obey to.
“Let me ask you,” I began, finally collecting my thoughts. “What is your name?”
“Isa, my name is Isa.” She again guiltily lowered her head, and then abruptly lifting it, she began an ardent speech. “I'm sorry! I didn’t want this battle, you just beckoned me like that. Every night, when the pearl of the moon shone in the sky, you walked through the woods and enjoyed the night... and at that time I admired you. You were so defenceless and mortal, you were too far from me, from my blood, from our customs, but every time I saw you, I wanted to come closer to you. I could not then, but now I had to do it! Forgive me! I beg of you! I didn’t want this battle!” And she fell on me. Her body trembled a little, betraying the fact that she was crying. Her hug was so warm and close that I hugged her back.
She stood up, not looking into my eyes. As if afraid that I would read something in them. I got up and stopped. Her hands went to her face and I realized that she was wiping her tears. She turned to me, smiling sweetly, and said:
“Do you have anything to put on? Otherwise it will be uncomfortable if I go out naked.”
“Yes, well, I can check.” I got up and went to my sister's room. Anyway, she went on a business trip and from there she will bring a whole bunch of belongings, so I don’t think that she will grieve over her T-shirt, jeans and sweater. Isa was lucky that she and my sister had the same clothing size. Having received clothes, Isa, not embarrassed by me, began to dress. I was a little surprised, but this scene did not awaken any feelings in me. It was even interesting to watch her dress. When the jacket was fastened, Isa smiled gratefully and wanted to say something, but then we heard a wolf howl. It seemed to be calling someone and Isa, as if breaking loose from a chain, flew out into the corridor. She frantically searched for keys to open the door. Seeing them, she inserted the key in the door, turned and flew out of the apartment as if scalded.
“My name is Hera, by the way,” I called after her.
“I know...” came from the street.
Closing the door, I decided to relax a bit and went to the shower. It seemed that there were no physical changes, but I felt definitely. Having changed my clothes, I went to bed and soon fell asleep very tight. I dreamed that I was running somewhere in the form of a huge grey wolf. There was a forest around me and a slightly cold breeze caressed my fur. I raced with all my paws, but I don’t know where. It was as if someone unknown to me was leading me so that I would do something. What exactly, I did not knew. Unfortunately, my searches were interrupted by an alarm clock and I realized with horror that I slept all Sunday. Well, there was nothing to do, and I began to get ready for work.
The working day passed as usual. Nothing around me, and in myself, did not let me know about what happened not so long ago. Somehow very quickly evening came and I, as usual in my habit, went for a walk. Only this time I decided to walk around the area and did not went into the forest. Turning on electronic music in my player, I went with my usual step. At some point, something alerted me, and I decided to slightly reduce the music and step. Looking ahead, I kept trying to understand what was there that made me so wary? And soon I received an answer.
A strange man was walking towards me. He was dressed in a long cloak with a hood. I was seized with fear. An incredible aura of death came from him. Something began to cringe in me and at some point I even thought that I could not breathe. But the obsession disappeared, and again I was able to breathe deeply.
Arriving home, I went to the shower, ate and went to bed, but could not sleep for a long time. This strange feeling, as if the hand of death touched me, did not leave me. A small tremor ran through my body and I opened my eyes. The room was dark. Through the thick curtains there was trying to break through the thin rays of the moon. There was a full moon. I already could not fall asleep for the second time, and my thoughts constantly revolved around that stranger. Who was that? And why did the vision disappear?
And then I thought of Isa. Her lovely gray eyes. There was something about her that attracted me to her. She seemed so fragile to me that I wanted to become her protector. The only problem was that I didn’t know exactly where she was and therefore could not protect.