Pixel Peaks - Chapter Sixteen
Laurens was a good student. He was on the dean's list for the third semester in a row now and he spent almost all his freetime at the library, even when taking a break from his studies he spent his time here, reading fiction or history to relax himself.
Today was different though, he wouldn't have time to bury himself in books all evening.
The air was crisp but not cold. The sun was getting sleepier and cast a beautiful light over the campus. It would be a great afternoon, he could feel it already.
Today he had a date with Nathalie Lane.
It was not that he was shy or insecure of himself. He knew he wasn't any Castor Nova but he didn't see that as any disadvantage. No, the reason why it had taken him so long to finally ask Nathalie out was that he wanted to make it properly.
It wasn't just any date, she wasn't just any girl.
As he turned the corner at the coffeehouse he was met by a wiggling tail.
Laurens: Hey there. Are you lost?
Laurens: Why you are a beauty indeed. Where's your owner?
Laurens: You're a friendly one huh. Yeah, such a good girl.
Laurens: Soft too aren't you. Yes you are.
He had hardly time to hear the growling before the animal threw herself at his arm and sunk her teeth in.
He jumped back on his feet.
Laurens: Damn! What was that about?!
The wolf exposed her teeth and continued growling at him before she turned around and quickly took off.
Laurens: Damnit! I hope it wasn't sick with something..
The wolf turned in behind a dumpster to get her praise.
"Good girl."
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After coffee and a walk around campus the sun was setting and the date was coming to an end.
Even if not one of them wanted it too.
Laurens: I'm so glad you came with me today.
Nathalie: Yeah, me too.
Laurens: Well you have a long drive home, I understand if you need to go.
Nathalie: I can stay a little longer.
They sat down and watched the campus slow down. The students started to retire to their dorms and the coffeestands was closing for the day.
Laurens: It's a beautiful evening.
Nathalie: Yeah it is.
His arm had been sore the whole date, but it hadn't really bothered him when he was with her. Now he felt how it started to pound and ache again.
Nathalie: Are you okay?
Laurens: No.. you know what? I don't feel very good. I should get back to the dorm.
Nathalie: What's wrong?
Laurens: I'm sure it's nothing. I probably just need to rest.
Nathalie: Yeah, sure.
Laurens: I'll call you tomorrow, okay?
Nathalie: Okay!
Nathalie smiled to herself, happily unknowing that she wouldn't see him again in a very long time.
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He passed the campus gym, he was almost home when he started to feel dizzy. Darkness was flimmering before his eyes and in his head.
And there was a strange and violent hunger in his stomach even though he had eaten not long ago.
Heather: What's with that guy?
Brittany: He looks hammered.
Heather: On a tuesday night? Pathetic.
Brittany: Totally.
He stumbled out in the road in front of his dorm. Something was screaming in his head like it was trying to get out.
Suddenly it started creeping in his skin. He looked down on his hands in horror, they were covered in thick dark hairstrands. Like fur.
It spread over his body, finally reaching his face.
His heart pounded in panic, he moaned in agony but the voice coming from his throat wasn't his own. It wasn't even human.
A force threw him on the ground. His body started to expand.
Finally light exploded from his body and his human conscience went black.
The transformation was complete.
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The forest was always worried at fullmoon, that's why she always wandered on those night, spreading her spores and calming it down.
But it was different this night, the forest wouldn't calm down. The trees swayed even though there was no winds.
Something was wrong.
A body was lying in a ray of moonlight a little further away.
She knew the circle of life in the forest. Living things died to keep others living. It didn't bother her, it was nature's will and way to survive.
But this wasn't any ordinary kill.
The air was vibrating with bloodlust.
There was something ferocious here.
The sound of cracked twigs sent her nightly company on the run.
She quietly moved in behind a tree. The creature stumbled out of the shadow, he was panting and walked crooked, like deformed.
He could smell her.
Yes, she had a very strong smell, of earth and leaves and something almost toxic.
She let him come really near.
Then stepped out from behind the tree and blew her poison in his face. He stood paralyzed for a second.
Then he fell helplessly to the ground.
She studied the creature lying before her.
Being of a different nature herself she had never believed that these things couldn't exist, but she had never seen one before. Rags of clothes still hung from his body.
Lying vulnerable like this he looked more human than animal. He didn't belong in the forest, but there was something about him.. the wild.
She had to take care of him.
A/N
- I've been trying to sneak this "story behind" into the chapters for a very long time without success, so I finally decided to give it a whole chapter to itself. Loved shooting it.
- I would put Eva's bucks in every scene if it would've made sense. I love deer!
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Special guest star
Greta Tower by clarejosephine as Greta the Plantsim