Inspired by "Gorecki" by Lamb. Grab the tissues...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Wolf and the Lamb had wondered off farther than usual, away from the human camp; Away from anyone who could possibly see them. Sarahai twirled as she stepped along the shore, smiling and humming softly, while Cris simply followed behind her, his hand on the hilt of his dagger and his auburn hair flowing over his shoulders, covering his face as much as possible. Sarahai stopped and turned to look at him, noticing his demeanor.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Wolf and the Lamb had wondered off farther than usual, away from the human camp; Away from anyone who could possibly see them. Sarahai twirled as she stepped along the shore, smiling and humming softly, while Cris simply followed behind her, his hand on the hilt of his dagger and his auburn hair flowing over his shoulders, covering his face as much as possible. Sarahai stopped and turned to look at him, noticing his demeanor.
“What’s wrong, Wolf?”
“It’s…it’s nothing, Lamb.”
She walked to him and placed her arms around his shoulders, moving his long hair out of the way. “Speak to me, Wolf. Tell me your heartaches. I will listen.”
His sea-green eyes glanced at her, peering into her very own blue almond shaped eyes that were full of life and happiness. “How can you, Lamb? You don’t even know me.”
She smiled and placed her head against his chest. “I know that you are mortal and have feelings too. I can hear it with each whisper your heart makes.” Sarahai tapped his chest to the rhythm of his beating heart. “I know that you love.”
“What do you know of love, Lamb? You’re young, inexperienced.”
Lifting her head, Sarahai looked up at him and smiled. “I know that it is this feeling of comfort. Love is understanding and sacrifice.” She searched his eyes, locking on to them as soon as he gave her his attention. “Love is something that not many experience, Wolf. I have. I have learned love this week. And I know I love you.”
Cris closed his eyes, lifted his head, and looked up at the clouded blue sky. Dat girl die today, Cristianno. “You know not what you say, Lamb.”
“I know that my world brightens when I see you and my nights are cold when you are gone. I know that I cannot eat nor drink because the very thought of you brings butterflies to my stomach.” She giggled softly and pulled away from him. “See the world above? See the seas? My love for you goes beyond all this!” Her brown hair flew upward as she twirled around, laughing and gasping for deep breaths of air. As she stopped, she looked at Cris and reached her arms out to him.
Each step he took toward her was heavy, as if his feet were made of lead, dragging along the red, sandy beach. “Lamb, I am a wolf.”
“But you are not cruel.”
He shook his head, still walking tward her while his gazed at the ground. “I am a wolf, Lamb. Like all the other wolves. I hunger. I hunt.” His hand reached out for hers and pulled her into an embrace, both of them collapsing onto the sand. He cradled her body within his arms, holding her close, hearing the quick beating heartbeat within her chest. She smiled up at him, her blue eyes gazing longingly at him.
“But you’re not like them, Wolf.”
He gazed at her, and closing his eyes he replied, “Yes, I am. I…I kill to live.” He couldn’t believe the words being whispered from his lips. Sarahai moved away slightly, her face filled with curiosity. Cris looked at her and gasped softly. She looked just like Rain when he first told her. He gulped and cleared his throat.
“Am…am I your…your prey?” Sarahai began to shiver in his arms, but she didn’t move away. She whispered softly, so that only he could hear her. “Am I…your lamb.”
Cris only nodded. For the first time since they had spoken, he desired to kiss her, to touch her, to ravish her, but the thought of what was to come froze him in place. Sarahai looked away, her eyes stopping at his shark tooth. She gently placed her head against his chest.
“I once had a dream that I was in a forest where I met a red wolf. It growled at me but I didn’t fear him. In fact, I simply hugged it. It whimpered and protected me from the world. It spoke to my heart, saying that it was going to take me away from the hardships I was living with my family. With my people. I didn’t understand what that meant, but…I think I do now.” Sarahai looked up at Cris and smiled. “You’re my wolf. You’re going to take me away from this curse I live.”
“Curse?”
“I will no longer have to hide, will I? I will be able to roam the seas forever, day and night, without anyone judging me or attacking me. I will be free.”
“What are you talking about, Lamb?”
“And to think, I am one of the lucky ones. I learned what love was. Not many in this chaotic world know what true love is, and yet, you showed me.” Her hand reached up and touched his rugged face. Cris simply stared down, his eyes slowly filling with tears. “You were the one from my dream. All this time and I didn’t know your name, until now. You were simply Wolf. I searched my seventeen years for the one in my dreams, for my wolf, and here you were, waiting for me on this beach. I knew it was fate.”
“L-lamb…”
Sarahai reached up to kiss him. “If I should die at this very moment, I would be happy. I know what it is to give and receive, to love and be loved. That’s all we ever need, isn’t it?” She looked at Cris and smiled, “Isn’t it, Wolf?”
She was a light-weight girl, but he felt that she was getting heavier in his trembling arms by the second. “Y-yes, Lamb. That’s what we all need…” He couldn’t take it any longer. If he let another second pass, she would be alive and he would probably die if he didn’t get what he needed, but hearing her words, he thought about it very carefully: Does the world really need me? Am I being selfish?
Cris looked down at Sarahai, who had closed her eyes as she rested against him. He slowly moved his hand toward the dagger’s hilt and pulled it out, instantly plunging it into her neck, by the shoulder. She opened her blue eyes and gasped, her tender hands clutching onto his ragged shirt. Cris simply leaned forward and kissed her once more, tears already streaming down his face.
“Wolf…” she managed to whisper.
“No. Cristianno. My name is Cristianno,” he quickly whispered.
Sarahai smiled faintly as she looked at him. The brightness in her eyes was starting to fade. “That’s… a beautiful…name.” She winced at the pain and pressed her head against him. “Th-thank you, Cristianno. I love you. And I…I will wait for you in the spirit world.” She closed her eyes as her body began to shiver in his arms.
“Yes, Sarahai, I will see you there and we’ll run free on the beaches.”
“And…and you’ll dance…for me.”
“Of course, my dear. I will dance all the dances I know. Just for you.”
He glanced at the dagger still in her shoulder. Taking a deep breath, he grabbed it and pulled it out, blood gushing out, drenching her shirt and his fingers.
“I love you, my…my wolf. My Cristia-”
He felt her give her last breath before her body fell limp in his arms. Cris pressed her against him, holding her tightly as he continued to cry. He didn’t notice the bright soul lifting from her body and moving into the shark tooth, but he felt it as he gasped loudly, gripping her body harder.
“I’m sorry, Lamb. I’m so sorry…” He wanted to bury her, or at least deliver her to her father, who had told him that she was his only daughter. He wasn’t going to let Davy eat her. He rose off the sand and lifted her up, cradling her as he walked toward the human camp, now a newly built town. Even though it was not close to sunset, he noticed the town was close to abandoned.
He searched for anyone to take Sarahai, but instead he heard a series of growls behind him. He turned around and noticed canine-looking humanoids with their claws ready to attack. So that’s why they hid; they weren’t human at all. That means Sarahai was…
Cris carefully knelt and placed her body on the sand. His eyes were on the mob. The last time he looked away, his head was cut off. “I’m sorry.” One of the creatures pushed his way to the front of the crowd and ran toward the young girl’s body. He touched her face and let out a piercing howl before turning to Cris in raging fury. Cris moved away from the crowd and ran in the direction of his camp, not looking back, but rather shouting, “TIA!”
From behind a dune, he saw his devilsaur and the troll mounted up on it. She extended her arm toward Cris and he reached out to grab it, pulling himself onto the giant lizard. “Joo stuff be packed.”
“Then go! They’re coming.”
“Dey comin’? Who be dey?”
The canine creatures rushed toward them and Cris pointed. “Them.” Tia gasped, dying for a closer look, but Cris kicked Davy’s backside. “Go!” The devilsaur ran away, as quick as possible. Tia was still looking back, so Cris took the reigns and directed Davy onto a path.
“Who be dey?”
“I don’t know…but she was one of them.”
Tia touched his hand and gasped again. “Last I see ‘er, she be worth a few weeks. She be worth at least two months now. What joo do to ‘er?”
“She loved me…” Cris leaned his head against her back, handing the reigns over to her once more. “…and she willingly gave herself to me.”
“Dat be interesting.”
“Yeah.” He couldn’t help but think of the two times Rain had done the same, but he refused to take her offer. He wasn’t going to kill her, and yet, he killed a young woman who was willing to die for him. His heart was heavy and it ached with guilt.
He looked back once more as a wailing of howls filled the air. After a deep sigh, he simply closed his eyes. He finally managed to kill someone willingly, and he knew it could be done. He knew it had to be done.
Cris understood what had to be done.
No comments:
Post a Comment