Mythical Beings & Mystical Feelings

Thunder roared throughout the valley. The skies were black and gray, the purple lightning streaking across it ever so quickly, with the usual boom chasing after it. The rain was like a blanket as it fell, large droplets of water hit everything in its path, hard and relentless.

I was bleeding heavily from a wound on my right arm, a gunshot wound. Poachers from earlier decided that they wanted big game, and so once they got a glimpse of me, they took the first shot they could.

My white and chestnut brown coat was stringy and my paws were covered in mud. I limped as fast as I could through the small number of trees till I couldn’t go any further, and simply collapsed onto the slippery earth.

The rain continued to pound me into the ground and I saw a small area that was covered by tree branches, making it my safe haven. I crawled and dragged myself towards it, and was soon away from the rainfall, only a small number of droplets hitting my fur occasionally.

So tired… I felt myself slowly drift away from reality. I hope that this rain will stop soon…

And before I knew it, I had dozed off…

I was warm, and felt a soft sort of fabric on my body, not my usual fuzzy coat of fur.

“Mutter, wenn Sie denken sie weckt?” A young and soft voice questioned in a foreign tongue.

“Ich habe keine Ahnung, Elizabeth.” An older feminine voice replied.

I coughed loudly, causing my throat to itch and burn. I guessed that my being out last night in the cold and wet weather really got to me.

“Hallo, sind Sie in Ordnung?” The older voice questioned.

Was she talking to me…?

“Mi dispiace, ma stai parlando con me...?” (I am sorry, are you talking to me…?) I asked in my native language of Italian.

“Mutter ist die italienische?” The young voice inquired.

“Ja, ich glaube so.”

I moved my arms and rubbed my eyes, soon they opened and I looked around at my surroundings. I was in a home. A fireplace was crackling on the opposite side of the room, the floor was made from wood and a dark orange rug covered a small area of it. There were two wooden chairs and one large sofa, which I was currently laying on.

Two women sat in front of me on the floor and I looked them over. The older looking one seemed to be in her 40’s. She had blond hair that was pulled back in a tight bun, blue eyes that showed concern, and a sky blue dress with white lace for her attire. Her skin was fair and very light, a few wrinkles apparent on her face. The younger was a girl who seemed to be around my age—seventeen-years-old—and had a sense of pure innocence and kindness around her. She had long, straight brown hair, with deep brown orbs for eyes. She wore a white frilly dress and had black and muddy boots on her feet. Her skin was porcelain and if she didn’t smell human, I would’ve sworn that she was a leech.

The younger girl cleared her throat and looked like she was trying to remember a few things. “Tu sei italiano ...?” (You are Italian…?) She asked.

“Sì, lo sono. Dove sono?” (Yes, I am. Where am I?)

“A casa della mia famiglia. Noi viviamo a Magdeburgo, in Germania.” (At my family’s home. We live in Magdeburg, Germany.) She explained. “Mia madre e ti ho trovato nudo nella foresta e vi ha portato qui. Abbiamo curato la ferita.” (My mother and I found you nude in the forest and brought you here. We treated your wound.)

My eyes traveled to my arm and found a sort of bandage wrapped around it. “Grazie per averlo fatto. Significa molto per me. Come posso pagare?” (Thank you for doing that. It means a lot to me. How can I repay you?)

“Mutter, sie ist zu fragen, wie sie uns zurückzuzahlen.” She said to her mother.

Her mother smiled and looked over at her. “Sie müssen bei uns bleiben, bis sie voll ist wieder gut.”

The girl smiled and then looked at me happily. “Si deve stare con noi finché non si è di nuovo bene.” (You must stay with us until you are well again.)

I smiled. “Sei sicuro?” (You are sure?)

She nodded and my smile grew. “Il mio nome è Elisabetta Unschuld, e questa è la mia mamma, Heike Unschuld.” (My name is Elizabeth Unschuld, and this is my mother, Heike Unschuld.)

“E 'bello incontrare tutti e due. Il mio nome è Allia Accalia.” (It is nice to meet you both. My name is Allia Accalia.)

My eyes opened and I stared at the ceiling. I felt tears prick at my eyes, a lump forming in my throat, somewhat choking me, starving me of the air I needed to function properly. I gave in and let the first tear roll, it cascading slowly down and soon falling from my chin onto the blankets below. The lump disappeared and I was able to breathe again and collect myself.

I looked at the moon and sighed. “I miss you, Liz.” I whispered.

Elizabeth Unschuld was my very first, best friend. She was the one who kept me sane. She was the one who kept me happy.

“Allia, do you want to come with me to the stream?” Liz asked in German.

I was getting good at the language because she had been teaching me how to speak it; it was something that I was thankful for because I was tired of her having to act as a translator between Heike, her father, Gustav, and me.

“Yes, I’d like that.” I replied in the language.

“That was very good,” She laughed and smiled happily at my accomplishment. “You are getting better at this, Allia. Come on, let’s go before it gets any later.”

We walked through the small town of Magdeburg, and towards the more rural area, where few cottages were until we came to a stream that was crystal clear with small pebbles and rocks at the bottom, every now and then a small fish would pass on by.

“Allia, Elizabeth,” a voice called, and we both turned to see Devin Verletzend coming towards us with a smile. “How are you both today?” He inquired.

“Good,” Liz replied with a shrug as she crouched down and began to put a few fingers into the stream, watching the ripples being carried away by the current.

“Alright,” I shrugged. “What about you?”

“Everything is good, too.” He answered. “Allia… would you… like to go out with me tonight?” He asked hesitantly.

“Oh, I would, Devin, but Liz and I were going to just stay home and relax.”

“But… but you did that yesterday, and the day before that…!” He yelled.

“I’m sorry, Devin, but… maybe another time.”

Devin grumbled and began to walk away murmuring certain things under his breath. “She’s gonna get it,” was one thing in particular that caught my attention.

I just hoped he wouldn’t do something stupid and reckless…

Weeks passed and all was well with life.

After eating dinner one night, and Heike and Gustav went to bed, Liz and I were in her room, rolling and squirming about in our beds, restless.

“I can’t go to sleep, Allia,” Liz murmured.

“Me either, Liz,” I replied.

She sat in bed and grabbed her black boots, tying the laces and walking over to her closet, putting on her brown coat over her white nightgown. “C’mon,” She said. “Let’s go to the stream.”

“At this hour?—What if someone catches us?”

“I’ll tell them it was my idea and you had nothing to do with it.” She said. “Besides, it’s only for a little while.”

I sighed. “Alright,”

I gave in and got up, putting on my own coat and shoes as well, and walking silently with her out the door and down the street. The moon lit our path and soon we arrived at the small rushing water.

Liz sighed contently, sat down, and took her boots off, letting her bare feet reside in the water that sparkled with light from the moon. I sat beside her, though I decided to keep my boots on, and simply watched the moon from below.

“I love this,” Liz said. “I love how peaceful this feels. It makes me forget things.”

“Forget what?”

“Just my troubles, that’s all.” She answered.

“Liz, what troubles you?” I asked. “Why didn’t you tell me something was wrong?”

“I know this will sound weird, but… nothing is wrong, but at the same time it is.”

“What is it?”

“A week or so before you came here my family and I got a telegram from the government—from the war department. My brother went off a few months prior to fight in the world war; he was sure he’d make it out alive and come back a national hero.” She chuckled at the thought. “The telegram told us that he had died in an ambush. His entire section had also.”

“I’m so sorry, Liz… I know how it feels to lose someone, too.” I said.

She nodded as tears gathered in her brown eyes. “My brother was everything to me. He kept me safe, took care of me and made me feel like I was important.” She explained. “I always thought I was no one special, that I was simply a waste of space, and he told me otherwise. He gave me a reason to keep living and to smile.” She wiped a few of the falling tears and I pulled her into a hug. “When I found out he died… I wanted to kill myself. Then you came along and we became friends and… I had my reason again.” She smiled. “You’re my best friend, Allia.”

“You’re mine, too, Liz.” I said and hugged her tightly. There was a soothing silence for a few minutes and I knew that Liz was calming down again. “You remind me of the moon,” I decided.

“Why?” She looked at me funny. “Am I fat and round?” She joked.

“No, but… you’re really innocent looking, pure even… and yet you have this completely other side to you that’s filled with worry, doubt and loneliness, they’re almost like scars.”

“I guess…” she shrugged. “I never really thought about it that much…”

There was a rustling in the bushes and we could see a lantern in the distance. “Who’s there…?” An old man’s voice called.

Liz grabbed her boots and I helped her up, soon we were both darting out of sight and into the small patch of woods that was giving us a place to hide.

“That was close,” I sighed.

“Yes, too close actually.” She began to put her boots on and soon looked at me. “C’mon, let’s go the long way home.”

We both walked through the trees and took our time doing so, not wanting to stir the sleeping wildlife around us. We walked for a good 10 minutes before I stopped Elizabeth.

“Are we lost…?” I asked.

“No, it just takes a while to get home this way. I remember where I’m going, don’t worry.” She smiled.

There were footsteps in the distance and Liz and I stiffened up. Was someone following us…?

We began to run away from the person and hid behind a large tree.

“Allia, Elizabeth, what are you doing out here…?”

That voice is familiar, I thought.

I poked my head out and saw Devin standing there with his hands on his hips, acting high and mighty as he smirked at me.

“Devin…” I muttered. “I could be asking you the same question.”

The stench of leech hit me like a brick wall, and I stopped myself from growling aloud. I couldn’t shift in front of Liz and Devin, I’d put them in danger.

“Devin did you follow us?” Liz asked.

“No, I was taking a walk when I saw you both wandering around.”

“How could you see us walking?” I questioned. “You have to go at least thirty feet to get out of the woods.”

“Always with the details,” He muttered.

“Let’s just get home, its dangerous here at night.” I said, hoping to get them to both leave so we wouldn’t have to have a run-in with a bloodsucker.

“Tell me about it,” Devin said. “There are monsters around these parts.”

“What?—You’re crazy, Devin.” Liz said.

“No, seriously. There’s one around here right now, actually.” He said. “Did you both hear about that girl, Maria? She went missing and was found a few days later, she was drained of her blood.”

“Don’t scare us, Devin!” Liz yelled, coming closer towards me for security.

He laughed. “But it’s true, Liz. I wouldn’t make this stuff up.” He smiled wickedly and ran a hand through his black hair. “ I know who did it, too.” He said. “It was me.”

“Devin, shut up!” Liz yelled.

“You want to know why I did it? I was hungry and she smelled so… sweet.” His eyes flashed red and I pushed Liz back away from Devin and I. “Just like you, Elizabeth.”

“Run home, Liz! Now!” I yelled.

Why hadn’t I noticed it sooner…?!

Devin smirked and laughed, his fangs visible as his mouth widened. “What’s the point?”

He took a step forward and I shifted, bursting out of my skin and clothes instantly into my fur. Elizabeth screamed, but I had no time to look back at her. I went for Devin’s throat and he evaded my attack, sprinting towards Liz.

He grabbed her by her throat and hoisted her up into the air, suffocating her. She squirmed in his grasp and began to cough violently.

I pummeled him into the ground and he threw her to the side, she hit a nearby tree with force great enough to make an indent in the bark. I snapped at him and he dodged every move I made. It was infuriating…!

I lifted my paw and swiped at him, he used his hand and his fingernails cut my paw. I bit at him and he wasn’t able to get away fast enough that time. I caught his arm in my mouth and began to break it between my sharp teeth.

He screamed in pain and used his free hand to get me off of him. He ran back a few feet and grimaced, looking at his mauled arm. “You damn animal!” He screamed.

He ran off and I went back to Elizabeth, hoping she was fine.

Her eyes were droopy and dull, her skin was paler than usual, and she looked broken. I shifted back, not caring that I was nude and walked over to her. I saw that my hand was sliced thanks to Devin’s fingernails and cursed him mentally.

I saw her in the distance and broke out into a sprint as I went to her. “Liz, Liz answer me,” I started. “Elizabeth talk to me…!”

Her eyes slowly went from the ground to me and I saw tears slipping out of them. “Allia, what’s going to happen to me…?” She questioned softly. “Am I going to die?”

I stayed silent. I didn’t know what was going to happen to her… “I’m not sure,”

“I think I am… going to die.” She said. “Allia, thank you…”

“For what?” I asked, shocked that she would be thanking me when I was possibly the reason for her dying.

“You tried to protect me from him,” She smiled. “Thank you for that.”

“If it weren’t for me I wouldn’t have had to protect you at all, and you would be fine.”

“Don’t say that, I’m happy I met you…”

“I am too…”

“Allia, please… take me home.”

“Sure…” I nodded as tears left my eyes.

I picked her up in my arms and began to carry her back home. I was thankful that it was exceptionally early in the morning; I didn’t have to be concerned with anyone seeing me in the nude as I carried her home.

I soon reached the house and walked up the stairs. I set her in her bed and covered her up.

“Goodbye, Elizabeth…” I whispered, my voice cracking.

“Goodbye Allia… and thank you, for everything.”

I heard her heart stop and the tears began to roll down my cheeks once again. I raced out of the house and into the woods, shifting instantly and racing towards the place where it had all taken place. As soon as I caught wind of his odor, I went speeding off after him.

I was going to catch Devin.

I was going to catch him and kill him.

I would make him pay for what he had done to Elizabeth…

I ran a hand over my palm, over the exact spot where Devin had cut me, and it stung. I sighed and looked back at the moon.

“Innocent on one side, but dark on the other…” I mumbled.

There was a howl and I looked out my window towards the forest and saw Jacob running into the house with his shorts on. I heard him bounding down the hallway and he began to bang on Sam’s door.

“Sam, it’s Jake!” He yelled.

Sam opened the door and there was whispering between the two of them. “Go wake Allia,” He ordered.

Jacob ran to my room and opened it up. Our eyes connected and he began to talk to me. “C’mon, that leech is here,” He said hurriedly.

I nodded and got out of bed, following Jake as he ran out of the house. We shifted and began to run in the direction everyone was headed, and soon found Paul and Jared chasing Devin down.

He stopped running and we all stopped as well.

“I see you’ve made some more pals, Allia,” He spoke casually. “But you should know by now that everyone you become friends with dies.”

I growled and began to slowly advance on him. A black wolf, Sam, nudged me and I stopped, not wanting to go against him.

“Before I came, I decided to go back to Magdeburg. I came back and guess what I have with me…” He reached into his pocket, pulling out a picture and throwing it to our feet—my feet. “Isn’t that just a pretty picture of you and Elizabeth…?”

It was taken a few days before she had died. It was her and I together. I wore fine clothes for the picture and so did Elizabeth. She was seated in a chair before me and I stood in back of her, both of our hair in braids.

“C’mon Allia, let’s finish this, just you and me.” He said, and then he turned to the others. “You may take your leave.”

Suddenly the others were fading, their large figures beginning to become transparent until they were gone. I growled and began to advance.

“Don’t worry, I only sent them to their homes. There’s no need for them to be involved in this any longer.”

I began to sprint at him and he began to run like the coward he was. We stopped running near the border and that was where we began to fight.

He turned on his heel and backhanded me, making me slam into a tree with brutal force. I shook it off and ran at him again and was able to bit at his arm that once again went for me. I began to shake it around like a chew toy and threw him into tress as I did so. I shoved him into a stream nearby and he got up with a hiss. He ran at me and began to scratch me with his nails, my fur becoming bloody.

I snapped at him and almost caught his throat.

I jumped on him and began to gnaw at his chest. He shoved me off him and I noticed how bloody he was.

He growled. “I’m afraid I’ll take my leave now. I’ve got to heal and give myself plenty of food before I come back here.” He said. “But here’s… a parting gift.”

He ran at me and clawed at my face and neck, in the end tearing my jugular open.

Within minutes of him being gone, I was on floor, loosing consciousness from too much blood loss.

Am I going to die, Elizabeth…? I thought to myself. Am I going to see you again…?

I shifted back into human form and closed my eyes.

“I hope so…” I murmured. “I want to escape…”