Chapter : 05

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Two days later…

Like a jet lid, the night had smothered the village in its opaque shadow. In the central square, a crowd of hunters swarmed, their silhouettes silhouetted in the darkness like silent specters. Only Alex, secluded in his house on the other side of the square, seemed impervious to the hustle and bustle outside, enjoying a deep and restorative sleep.

___ Where is your leader hiding ? exclaimed a hoarse voice from the crowd.

___ Locked up at home, replied another voice, tinged with bitterness.

___ Go get him, it’s time for him to resume his training and face his responsibilities ! ordered an authoritarian leader, banging his fist on the solid wooden table.

A man broke away from the mass of hunters and rushed into the dark alleys, heading towards Alex’s house. Meanwhile, the solitary sleeper had finally awakened, startled by an inexplicable sense of urgency.

___ How could I have fallen into such a deep sleep in broad daylight ? he reproached himself, shaking his head in desolation. For two days, I haven’t been to training because of what’s happening to me.

A cold shiver suddenly ran through him when he noticed a furtive smell approaching his door. With an agile leap, he stood up.

___ Knock ! Knock ! a timid bell rang at his door.

___ Who is here ? Alex asked in a wary voice, clutching the lantern tightly to his chest.

___ Make no mistake, my friend, the man replied in a soft, soothing voice. An urgent reminder is summoned by the former hunters. The hunters gather in the village square. Your presence is required.

___ I see, Alex replied in a neutral tone. Rest assured that I will not miss this crucial gathering.

The man bowed respectfully and walked away into the night, leaving Alex alone with his tormented thoughts. After getting ready with feverish haste, he left his house, ready to face the unknown. But as soon as he crossed the threshold of his door, a strange feeling took possession of him. Despite the darkness that enveloped the village, Alex managed to discern every movement, every silhouette, as if the night was suddenly illuminated with a supernatural light.** Astonished, he rubbed his eyes vigorously, convinced of a hallucination, but the vision remained unchanged.

___ Another mystery to add to the already growing pile, he murmured, frowning.

Furtive whispers reached his ears, like whispers carried by the wind. He instinctively headed towards the edge of the forest, drawn by an invisible force. Thanks to his eyes with extraordinary powers, he could observe with formidable precision every creature that slipped into the depths of the woods.

___ It’s high time I started to distrust myself, he thought, overwhelmed by a feeling of incomprehension. I no longer know who I am, nor what I am capable of doing.

Carried away by his tormented thoughts, he made his way through the crowd of hunters gathered in the village square. Feverish whispers ran through the assembly, arousing their curiosity and concern. He finally sat down on an old wooden stump, ready to listen to the long-awaited message that could clarify the mysteries that assailed him.

The great leader of the hunters, an imposing bear-like man, his face marked with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt, stood on a wooden box. Silence fell instantly, weighing like a shroud on the village square.

___ Listen carefully, my brothers and sisters of the hunt, he said in a deep and hollow voice, because the news I am going to bring you is as dark as the night itself.

A murmur of fear ran through the crowd. Alex felt a wave of ice pass through his body. He remembered the strange visions that had assailed him earlier, the feeling of being watched by the forest itself, as if it harbored an evil lurking in the shadows. Was it linked to the disappearance of a patrol ?

___ A pack of werewolves, the leader growled, his piercing eyes scanning the assembly, attacked our brothers in the depths of the forest. They left no trace, no mercy.

A silence of terror fell on the square. The hunters huddled together, their faces pale with fear. Alex clenched his fists, cold rage rising within him. These vile creatures had dared to touch his companions, his family.

___ We will not let them go unpunished ! the leader roared, his voice ringing like thunder. We will leave at dawn, armed to the teeth, and we will hunt these monsters to the ends of the earth if necessary !

___ When did they leave ? Alex asked.

___ Last night, replied the chief, we think you were among them, we are completely unaware that our men were going hunting.

___ I didn’t know anything.

___ You were chosen to remain at the head of your men Alex shouted the leader, have you thought about their families ? To their loved ones or something else ? No, the gentleman was sleeping.

___ I should be heading to practice this afternoon but I was hit by a deep sleep. I had no idea they would go into the forest. How do you know they were attacked by packs ?

___ A boss who spends all day sleeping, that’s not true Alex. When did you stop training others ? You know very well that we are going through things with this werewolf.

___ I’m sorry.

___ We found their bodies. I think you’re proud.

___ Maybe others are still there, alive.

___ Nobody Alex, nobody, the leader yelled.

The leader’s yells rose so high that it sounded like they were going to pierce Alex’s ears. He was breathing faster and faster, as if he couldn’t catch his breath. A chill went through his back, and he clenched his fists on the bench so hard they looked like claws. A low growl rose from his throat, a strange noise like an animal ready to roar.

His eyes, usually so kind, became very small and yellow, like those of a hungry wild cat. A strange heat ran through his entire body, his muscles tensed under his clothes, as if he were going to jump. His feet, usually so light, sank into the ground, his toes curling as if he wanted to hang on to the ground.

Alex’s face transformed, he looked like he was going to explode with anger. Without a word, he stood up from the bench suddenly, faster than usual. He sped through the crowd of the village, pushing himself a little to pass faster.

Alex fled towards his house, his legs burning beneath him as if whipped by an inner fire. Arriving home, he closed the door with a sharp bang behind him, as if to shut out the outside world and its torments.

He approached the mirror, his reflection staring at him like a stranger. An icy shiver ran through him when he met her gaze in the mirror.

His eyes, usually so blue and serene, had become yellow and bright, like those of a wild animal. His teeth, usually so white and perfect, became sharp and pointed, similar to those of a carnivorous beast.

Her hands, usually so soft and caressing, transformed before her eyes, her nails growing wildly, changing into menacing claws. Alex took a step back, terrified by the monstrous image in front of him.

The face he knew so well had transformed, its features drawn with fear and confusion. He felt like a stranger to himself, prisoner of a body that no longer obeyed him.

A heartbreaking howl escaped Alex’s throat, a primal scream that pierced the silence of the night. Terrified by his own transformation, he flees his home, his legs propelled by an unknown force.

He ran aimlessly, his yellow eyes fixed on the darkness of the forest that stretched before him. A wild call pulled him towards his depths, a burning thirst that burned his insides.

He rushed into the dense woods, his steps punctuating the pounding of his heart in his chest. The branches parted as he passed, as if the forest welcomed him into its dark bosom.

The deeper he went into the woods, the more thirst consumed him. It was no longer a simple desire to drink, but a primitive impulse, a bloodthirsty hunger that was eating away at him from the inside.

His eyes shone in the night, reflecting the moon that peeked through the foliage. His senses sharpened, picking up the slightest noise, the slightest smell. He had become a hunter, a predator in search of his prey.

The entire forest seemed to vibrate as he passed, the animals hiding in their dens, terrified by this aura of danger that emanated from Alex. He had become a stranger to himself, a creature driven by insatiable thirst.

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To be continued…