The Zeal of Eros

The creature launched itself at me and I dove under it, feeling the hairs on the back of my neck start to rise again. Though, I felt like my back was burning. The creature roared in outrage, turning around faster than I could blink. I didn't think that something that big could move that fast.

It stood on my bed, it's back racking the ceiling of the room. This thing could have eaten me in one gulp if I wasn't careful. I tried to call for help, but there had been no response.

“You are all alone Psyche. No one will save you.”

The voice was very gravelly and seeming very old. Like it was coming out of some older time. And resonating deep from the ground. The creature roared at me and I dove toward the door, running down the hallway.

Psyche? Who is Psyche? I kept running, my barefeet padding down the hallway. The creature came out with a long roar. I looked back briefly, but kept running. Though, I wasn't paying attention as I crashed into a dark, tall figure. I had started to notice that no one else was there except me and the dark figure.

The dark figure turned to me, that purple-eyed, pale-white statue was there.

“Coop?” He looked at me longingly and then at the creature that was coming toward us.

He pulled me behind him, cursing again that language that I could barely translate. But I knew it was something bad. I watched as he slipped off his jacket, handing it to me and then rushing at the creature. As he ran, wings protruded out of his back and he clashed into the creature, a flurry of feathers and fire.

Coop was fast to dodge under the creature and as the creature turned to attack, Coop wrapped his arm around the creature's neck to the best of his ability and tightened his grip. The creature roared again and Coop continued to crush it's neck somehow. The creature started to whimper and laid down, taking Coop down with it. Coop finally let go just as it's tail, something I didn't think about until it was poised behind him, ready to strike.

“Coop!” He looked at me, relaxing his wings and looking more confused.

I gripped his jacket and started running toward him. He was coming toward me. That's when the snake took a strike.
* * *
I don't remember passing out. But I woke up on the floor in the hallway with Coop's jacket on me. Dr. Walter was flashing a light in my eyes.

“Aria?” I groaned slightly.

“Coop...” Dr Walter furrowed her eye brows as two nurses picked me up and set me on a gurney. Dr. Walter bit her lip and whispered to one of the nurses.

“Make sure she gets a rabies shot in case that rabid dog bit her.”

Dog? That was no dog. Coop's jacket was still in my arms as I was wheeled to go get a rabies shot.

“That kid scared it off pretty good, huh?”

“Yeah. I'm surprised that he hadn't gotten bitten.” I bit my lip.

Is that what happened? It wasn't some rabid dog that attacked me. It was a huge monster.

“Where's Coop?” The nurse looked down at me, that's when I realized how much I croaked as I spoke.

“The kid that scared off the dog? He's with Dr. Hecate to make sure he's alright.” I blinked and I actually felt relieved. “He'll probably want to see you, but first, a shot and we'll take you to your room.”

I gulped. Needles... Why do they always resort to a shot?

Well, after the excruciating pain of a needle stuck in my arm for rabies, they wheeled me back to my room and I walked myself into bed. They protested, but I ignored it. I didn't feel ill except something in the pit of my stomach. I could hear creaking in my bones. They still tried to ease me into the bed and one handed me a glass of water.

“Here love.” I bowed my head and took it.

“Thank you.” The nurse nodded and they both left. I took short sips, my stomach churning. Though, my attention was back on Coop's jacket.

If it was a rabid dog, why would he go without his jacket? As far as I knew, Coop never took it off. Even when it was excruciatingly hot outside, he'd still have this jacket on. I stared at it for a while, trying to understand what had happened.

I rubbed my shoulder and froze slightly. Just on the tips of my fingers, I felt two puncture holes. My eyes widened. I knew that I hadn't been bit by a dog. They don't just left two puncture holes.

Then it had been real. I heard a knock that caught my attention. Coop was standing there in his normal “bad boy” pose. His hair was swept over his eyes.

“I'm glad you are ok, Aria.” he came in and sat on the edge of the bed.

His voice was calm and collected, but he looked like he was winded and sweaty. I bit my lip.

Don't lie to me. Please don't lie to me...

“Though, you shouldn't have walked into that situation with a rabid dog. Can I have my coat back?”

“No.” I don't know who was more surprised, him or me. Though, he became quickly composed.

“Why should I not have back my jacket then?” This was becoming ridiculous. I didn't have any good reason, only assumptions. Assumptions I wasn't even sure were true.

“Stop lying to me.” Once again, not sure who was so surprised that I actually spoke up. Coop's eyes softened.

“What do you mean?” God, how infuriating was he? Seriously?”

“It was not some rabid dog that attacked me. The creature looked like a lion, mixed with a goat and a snake. It was about to bite you and I got bit.” OK. I sounded like a lunatic. But Coop stayed calm through my rant. Too calm.

“There was no creature like that. They are a myth, Aria.” I watched him, shaking my head.

“I don't believe you.” Coop shrugged.

“I'll leave you with your theories then. Let me just take my jacket.” He reached for it, but I pulled it away.

“Why do you want to keep up this lie? And why do you want your jacket back so badly?” That stumped Coop because he started to reach for his jacket again, but I quickly snatched it out of his reach.

“Are you taking my coat hostage?” He said jokingly, but it seemed kind of forced.

“Tell me,” I said very slowly. “The truth.”

Coop sighed softly.

“I'm not hiding anything from you, Aria.” I narrowed my eyes at him.

“Then tell me, why you wanted to talk to me? Tell me what you wanted to say.” I kept his coat close, catching the smell of musk and fresh air. A weird smell that hit me. It was something I recognized. I didn't know. Maybe it was because I had always been sitting next to him. Why hadn't I noticed it until now? I shook my head and looked at him.“Tell me or I'm switching all my classes and never talking to you.”

I knew that part of that was an empty threat. He stayed silent. I crossed my arms over my chest, finding some difficulty with his jacket in my arms.

“Could never get past you, could I?” I bit my lip.

“What do you mean?” Coop looked at me with those violet eyes he's always had. But there was something different. He had this look like he always wanted to say something, but that wasn't how it worked. That he shouldn't.

“Gods Psyche. I have missed you greatly.” I furrowed my eyebrows. That name again.

“Psyche?” Coop came over to me, but I flinched away. “I'm not Psyche. I don't even know who that is.”

Coop sighed softly and sat on the edge of my bed, his torso facing towards me.

“Like always, you don't remember me.” My eyes widened.

“I hadn't met you until this year!” He put a finger on my lips.

“I'll explain everything if you meet me outside the hospital tonight. If you don't come, I made a mistake and I'll never bother you again. But if you do...” He shrugged slightly. He removed his finger from my lips. “Deal?”

I wasn't sure how to actually response to that. He smiled like I had actually done something funny.

“Now, can I have my jacket back?” I gulped and slowly gave him back his jacket. He smiled. “If you need me, I'm with Dr. Hecate, OK?”

I nodded, still unsure of what to say. His smile became sadder as he left. That's when I finally found something to say.

“Bye...” He waved. My room stayed quiet. Mainly because I was lost in my own mind.