Coming Of Age - Carli121 Hope (drm ebook reader .txt) 📗

COMING OF AGE

Jimmy and his twin sister Tammi were holidaying in the misty, coastal village in Scotland, where his dad had grown up. Although the locals were pleasant, he thought them a bit strange especially the way they stared at him – but he knew that folks who lived in these remote places tended to be a bit different. He smiled thinking that a few of them wouldn’t be out of place in the terrifying nightmares he’d been having recently.
“Have you had enough of the beach today sis? I think it’s time we headed off, dinner will be ready soon,” he smiled, playfully kicking sand over his sister.
“Yes, I’m really hungry, let’s go.”
When they got home, their parents were out. They went through the house looking for them, when suddenly they heard that awful noise again. It started like a rumbling at first, then grew into the loud thrashings of a wild animal, hungry for prey. Screaming for their parents, they ran to their room hoping to find them there. As the noise grew louder, Jimmy pulled his sister into their parents walk-in closet. It was very dark , with only slithers of light coming through the slats in the double doors. They huddled together in the farthest corner, the only sounds being the wild thumping of their hearts against their chests and the loud thuds of the beast as it hunted them down. Suddenly the noises grew nearer till they were just outside the cupboard. Barely breathing their terrified eyes were transfixed on the closet entrance, the only thing standing between them and the unknown. Gaping, their stares were drawn to the pile of clothing at the other end of the closet.
Jimmy’s heart missed a beat. They were the clothes his parents had on this morning and now they lay in a torn and tattered heap. Had the beast killed them? His thoughts were brought back by the banging on the closet door. Shaking he pushed himself hard against the back of the cupboard and suddenly he was tumbling down a dark tunnel. He managed to stop himself and reached into his pocket for his torch.
“Are you alright Jimmy,” Tammi’s voice shook with terror.
By the light of the torch he could see he was in a narrow tunnel, which seemed to go far into the distance. ‘Maybe this is a way out’ he thought.
“Tammi get on your hands and knees and crawl down here, quickly.”
As she pushed herself forward the cupboard door opened wide and before she went tumbling down the stench of rotting flesh assaulted her nostrils, making her wretch.
Her brother caught her, putting a finger to her mouth to keep her quiet.
“We’ve no time to waste Tammi, lets go.”
Crawling on all fours they followed the tunnel’s twists and turns and eventually came to an opening.
“We’re safe Tammi, this cave leads us onto the beach, let’s go and get some help and find mum and dad.”
Hearing a sound behind them, they turned quickly to see the villagers surrounding them.
“Let’s prepare them, the Master will be here soon,” Mrs Gray, one of the shopkeepers said, giving them that strange look that always made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
Hands grabbed them, separating them. The women took the girl away and the men dealt with the boy. Ten minutes later they were tied to two chairs placed side by side in front of a makeshift alter, where a young girl lay bleeding from the throat, while the life oozed out of her.
Jimmy could feel the sweat trickle down his back, fear making his stomach lurch so hard he thought he would puke. He could see his sister was deathly pale, her blue eyes bulging as she watched the scene.
He wanted to tell her everything would be ok, that he’d protect her, but he had a feeling this time it wasn’t going to be. Now more than ever before he wished his mum and dad were here.
Suddenly he heard his dad’s familiar voice, and relief swept over him – until he saw that the voice came from what only could be described as a wolf-like beast and holding his furry claw-like hand was a female beast who talked in the same voice as his mum. His eyes widening he looked from one to the other.
“It’s time for you to find out who you really are and reclaim your heritage. At midnight you will be 17 years old, and will then experience for the first time, your lives as werewolves. We have captured and prepared your first meal,” they said pointing to the now dead female.”
“No, no, it’s not possible...” Tammi gasped crying hysterically.
Looking from his mum to his dad, all the nightmares came flooding back. Only now he realised they were not nightmares but reality – a reality too horrific to grasp.
“I will never eat the flesh of humans, you monsters,” he screamed.
But even as he said it, he felt the change within him as the moon rose to it’s highest peak and a deep hunger arose within him. A terrible, savage hunger that had to be satisfied. Suddenly the ropes that bound him fell apart as he looked down at his rapidly changing body, watching as he changed from boy to wolf. He made his way towards the sacrificial table. Giving a deep, lonely howl that rose from the very depths of his being he bit into his first victim to the frenzy of chanting around him.

Text: Allison Hope
Images: http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss166/GeneralWildfire/Wolves/Wolf.jpg
Publication Date: 02-10-2013

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