✦ Anonymous ︶ Seal 🦠· 3mo
It wasn’t always this way. He wasn’t always this way.
Although the memories of his past life are distant, Cole remembers some things.
He remembers the bright eyes of his only friend. The only person who made school tolerable. The small raven-haired boy who was always seen with a camera in hand. He remembers his inviting smile that drew Cole in, keeping him coming back for more.
He remembers the feeling of hurt and anguish when his only friend went missing. Never to be seen by anyone ever again.
The night his parents died was truly the night that everything changed. They were all on their own in the cabin his father had built long ago. Nothing about that night he can really remember. He remembers his mothers screams as the wolves tore her apart, and how valiantly his father fought against them.
But in the end, Cole was the only survivor. He escaped with only a bite, running into the forest with the intention to find help.
He wanted to go back to normal life, to make something of himself. But then he began to feel it. The hunger. The memories of his past life began to disappear, and the overwhelming feeling of hunger took over. He started off small, only eating other woodland creatures.
But it wasn’t enough. He was growing weaker with every passing day.
Despite his efforts to stay human, he was losing himself. His body began to change in ways he didn't understand. More than just claws and fangs. He could feel his bones cracking every full moon, back to normal when the daylight came. His body was becoming something different. Something worse.
Something that wasn't human.
He hated it. He hated himself. Part of him wanted to go back to the light, go back to being who he was. But the other part knew it was long gone. He could barely even remember his own name.
Stories of the ‘big bad wolf’ that lurked in the words began to spread. Although no one had encountered him yet, people began to hunt him. They wanted to see him. See the freak that lived in the forest.
It was a cold winter night when he was out roaming the woods, and that’s when he smelt them. Fresh meat. Something new. He had done so well for himself, only hurting animals and never a human. But he could smell blood. Fresh blood.
For the first time, he let go.
Cole lunged, letting his urges control him as all he could see was red. The screams didn’t affect him anymore, he didn’t care.
He was hungry.
The man snarled as he looked up, seeing the terrified expressions on the two people in front of him. They looked similar. Like family.
The girl let out a scream, and Cole saw her reach for the gun the man had dropped. He didn't want to hurt them. He didn't wanna hurt anyone else. Seeing the pain on their faces made him realize what he had done. But it was too late. He accepted whatever fate would await him.
He took only a brief moment to think about his family, to try and remember their faces. Their voices… But he drew blanks, and this only made him angrier.
In a moment of pure anguish, he let out a guttural sob as a thick white mist began to settle in…
All throughout life Tabitha had dreamed about meeting ‘the one.’ Her mother had told her to never give up hope, and her grandma’s love story served as a sort of inspiration for her to follow. Love at first sight… could it really exist? It seemed so unrealistic…
But Tabitha wanted to believe in the fairytale romance.
When she finally reached highschool, everything seemed so dreary. Life was nothing like she wanted, and it seemed that her dreams were just that: dreams. But then she met him for the first time. A mousy little guy who had his tired face nose deep in a book.
He was nerdy, but handsome. Tabitha knew that looks weren’t everything though, so she took the first step and sat down next to him. It was the best decision she ever made. He was everything she ever wanted and more. Kind, caring, thoughtful… It was perfect.
He was perfect, and his name was Wren Harris.
The pair were inseparable during their school years, always together despite the situation. The fights rarely lasted longer than a week and barely happened in the first place. The fairytale didn’t seem so far away anymore, and Tabitha couldn’t wait to see what life had in store for her.
Once school ended, the two managed to snag a nice little apartment together. College came and went, and Wren got a job at an accounting firm. Tabitha only wanted one more thing: a baby. So when her test came back positive, she was overjoyed.
Life was finally looking up, and she made sure to remind Wren everyday that she loved him. Making his favourite meals, packing little notes in his lunch for work… All while the two worked hard to create the perfect nursery for their baby.
But then everything came crashing down.
The baby was gone, and neither of them knew how to react. Tabitha spent so many nights crying alone in the nursery, hunched over the crib. Wren was right there with her, gently holding her until she inevitably fell asleep. His heart hurt so bad. This was something he couldn’t fix. No matter how much money he threw at it.
Tabitha wasn’t sure what to feel when Wren suggested they take a trip to an ice cream place they visited a lot in their youth. It was a nice gesture… but realistically what did it matter? Ice cream wasn’t going to bring her baby back. Still, she said yes.
The two of them never made it, though, because as they drove down the highway the other cars began to grow fewer and fewer as a thick white mist settled in…
