Novels2Search
A Wolf at the end of the World
Chapter 1: The End of the Line

Chapter 1: The End of the Line

My head hurts, it hurts so much. Like someone is splitting my skull open. This searing unbearable pain racking thru my body. I can barely focus on my own thoughts.

“Where am I?” I barely get out of my mouth as I find myself lying on a hard cold surface. I open my eyes and see it's dark, although I think I see a bright light in the distance, a lot of colors. Only if I could get my eyes to focus. As I roll over, a groan of pain escapes my mouth.

Stars, they really are so pretty in the night sky. I think to myself as I reach my hand up, and upon seeing it I get rather confused at what I see. It's covered in fur, nothing remarkable, just an off white, grayish color. On the ends of my fingers are claws which are rather sharp and as I look at my palm there is much less fur but soft till pads are there. Looking down at my own body, it's slender in nature, very feminine. A slim torso with a wider waist, with fur covering all of me.

“Interesting, what am I?” I asked out loud not really to anyone in particular. I put my hand to my face and feel it and it feels weird, somehow not as flat as I was expecting. I have an extended mouth like a tiny muzzle.

“Wolf?” I asked out loud.

Not sure how I know, but the more my head hurts the more I seem to be able to recall. Like information is being forced into my head learning years of learning in seconds. I guess I do know where I am now. I am at the end of everything. A place forsaken by all entities. A catch all for all those who slip through reality. I don't remember a life before now.

Maybe erased from the memories put in my head, or I didn't have one. If I didn't, then how am I here? Just made to be thrown away, or to fix this hell hole.

A flicker of my ears alerting me to a sound. I only know vague details of this place. Filth and skum love to come here, but something much worse also love to visit.

“Hello?” I ask the air to see if someone is there. I turn my head to see what made the noise behind me, and I don’t see anything, well nothing obvious. A sense that i am not safe.

Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.

I remember those lights and make up my mind. That city is a much better and safer place than out here. Anyone caught outside un prepared becomes monster food.

I get ready to start running when suddenly I feel my back shudder and my bones change in a jaring way that isn't painful but completely unexpected. My shoulders rotate forward putting my arms in front of me as I watch my hands turn into more feet and my chest compresses as I am forced to stand on all four, just like a regular wolf, but my body is more streamlined for running. My body knew I needed to run, and run fast.

The scratching and scittering on the pavement made my hackles raise up. If I dont run now, those abyssal monsters will kill me. With great speed I start running, surprising myself, but keeping focused on my goal, getting somewhere safe as soon as possible.

As I run, a rank smell fills my nose. When I run under the street lights I can see off to the sides of the road, the failed attempts to take a short cut leads to certain death. On the sides of the road lay bones reflecting the moonlight. Thousands have died, maybe even millions. Going into the darkness means certain death. Maybe the light slows down the monsters.

Although I am not used to my body it seems to at least be helping me. I don't know who I am or why I am here, but one thing is clear. I am running for my life, and stopping or stumbling means death.

As I am making my dash toward the city’s lights I can hear more scratches like clattering across the ground behind me. Is it one, or more? Can’t think I must run. My heart pounding in my chest every part of my body telling me faster. I keep pushing myself harder, taking in breath trying to keep my legs under me. Right now it’s do or die.

The bright city lights, and guards at the gate will stop the monster's approach, I just have to make it there. The longer I run, the longer this road seems to be. My lungs are screaming like I can't get enough breath, my legs are getting tired. I felt like I had several kilometers already, but the entrance was still some distance away.

My strong ears picking up noises, from the guard station, some alarm. Maybe they can detect the monsters. I might be saved.