Shinjuku was as far as I would go from my home. It is only an hour train ride there. I’m familiar with the area because I would visit so often. I don’t know much about the rest of Tokyo and never thought I would, but then this Ryu guy tells me he has a blood scent from this wolf and takes me across the whole fucking city! No way his nose is that good! Where is this place that he’s taking me to?!
Chapter 6
Beast of the Night
It was a lengthy trip, but Haru spent time thinking about the many scenarios that could occur with this monster he was about to meet. All he had to compare them to was the comics he loved to read. Although, Werewolves were never friendly in any book he saw them in. Ryu took Haru on multiple train rides to reach their destination. Haru didn’t notice how far he was from home until he saw the city's skyline shrink as he rode a train far into the east of Tokyo.
“We’re getting off here, Haru.”
Haru stretched and followed Ryu close by, as he was unfamiliar with the area he was in. However, after some time, Haru did slowly recognize the place. He was heading into the Okuta mountains.
There were some memories of this place when he was younger. Shortly after their dad died, Haru's mother took him and his sister into the mountain, possibly to take their minds off their recently deceased father. The mountain had several hiking paths to venture through, leading anyone who traveled through them past the lush green forest and the glistening waterfalls. It was a nice break from being stuck at home being miserable, and even Kana enjoyed the change in scenery.
But Ryu wasn’t here to enjoy any hiking paths.
The area Ryu led Haru wasn’t in the heavily forest-dense part of the mountain but in the more industrial area in the opposite direction. There wasn't any sign of human life as Ryu headed towards a large factory surrounded by broken-down structures. This place looked abandoned. The dim moonlight lit the location they ventured towards. Rusty pipes stuck out from the top of the old building, some walls were peeling off, and nature was growing up on the sides. It was doubtful that the inside looked any better.
Haru looked at his watch. It was 10:17. He remembered Ryu’s warning; the closer it was to midnight, the stronger the Werewolf became.
“Here’s the deal,” Ryu whispered. “Werewolves are human during the day, and most know they are monsters. Some like hiding in abandoned places like this to prevent themselves from hurting anyone.”
“So, they mean no harm?!” Haru asked in surprise.
“Don’t get all sympathetic for them!” Ryu quickly countered. “They will still murder the innocent, won’t they? They still need to be killed!”
Ryu stuck his nose in the air and began to snuffle. “He is nearby. Stay close to me.”
The dirt pavement underneath their feet was wrapped by the overgrown weeds. An old rickety fence once surrounded the property but had been torn down in numerous locations. It was impossible to tell the original perimeter of the fencing.
It was eerie but peaceful. This location seemed as if it was busy during its heyday and was finally at rest. Whatever this building was used for, it was overworked to its potential. The property was empty and void of life, and the entryway into the factory was so dark it was haunting. Regardless, Ryu led the way as Haru followed close by.
Haru remembered what Ryu had said earlier. Werewolves had terrible night vision. Even though everything was pitch black around them, Haru still didn’t feel comfortable being in such darkness.
The insides were rusted over, and metal scraps could be heard scraping the floor as they kicked them when they walked. Some torn-down walls exposed the outside light into the building, though very minuscule. The room was surprisingly vast, as if it was used to build or store large items, but some areas were tight, filled with conveyor belts used to move smaller objects. It was challenging to navigate through, but their eye’s quickly adjusted to the pitch-blackness. Perhaps another power of the Vampires.
The sound of soft growls hummed out from nearby.
“Shhhh,” Ryu raised his finger to his mouth and then pointed with the same finger towards a back door, which was letting in the night sky. Haru held onto Ryu’s red Hawaiian shirt and stuck close as they headed through the opening and found themselves in a field behind the factory. It looked like a dumping ground with dead patches of grass and enormous piles of scraps with shipping containers dispersed everywhere. Whoever or whatever was making these growls, it was close by.
It sounded as if it was in pain, or at least that was the impression Haru got from it. Ryu didn’t seem bothered by it and dragged Haru deeper into the field to locate the growls. After circling around several of the large shipping containers in the area, they finally found someone. It was a man. He was facing away from them. He was staggering around while hunched over with his head in his hands. Ryu looked on in amusement before letting out a gleeful chuckle. Haru, however, was more concerned about the man’s well-being.
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“That’s it,” Ryu whispered. “That’s the Werewolf that attacked you.”
“Are y-y-you sure?” Haru stuttered. “He sounds like he’s in pain.”
“Look!” Ryu snapped back. “There is no turning back now. You hear me?” Ryu returned his gaze back to the stumbling man. After a few seconds of watching, Ryu took several steps forward.
That grin. That familiar malicious grin. Haru knew that Ryu was creating a scheme to cause such a malevolent grin.
Ryu stopped in place, planted his feet in the dirt, and took a long, deep breath.
“HEY, YOU STUPID MUTT! WHY DON’T YOU COME ON OUT AND PLAY?!”
Haru panicked as he slowly distanced himself from the yelling Vampire. Still, he also didn’t keep his eyes off the man, unsure about what his reaction might be.
The man froze in place. His reaction to Ryu’s provocation was awkwardly delayed. Still, after a few long seconds, he swiveled his head to face the two Vampires. He had large sideburns on his face that were filled with gray fur. There were dark bags underneath his bloodshot eyes. And his mouth was open, showing off his large teeth as he drooled onto the ground. He stared back with dead eyes. After some time, he finally reacted.
“Whaaa- are youuuu dooooing?” The man spoke, slurring his words. “Whaaaa- do youuuu waaaant?” He still stumbled around, almost collapsing as he did, but his erratic behavior made Ryu’s grin even more expansive.
“I KNOW YOU ARE IN THERE, WOLFY! COME ON OUT!”
The man seemed to have caught on to whatever Ryu was planning and became more frantic.
“No! Stop! Whaaaat are youuuu dooooing?!” The man was highly agitated, and the growls became louder and louder. There was something inside this man screaming to come out, and Ryu’s instigation was purposely trying to pull it out. Haru was frightened, but Ryu was just the opposite. He was giddy with excitement.
“And guess what?!” Ryu yelled out as he reached back and pulled Haru closer to him. “We both are Vampires!”
Haru was shocked at what he witnessed next.
The once incredibly frantic man stopped in place. His distraught demeanor had vanished, and his growls were silenced. What remained was a slouched-over man whose arms and head dangled as if his body had grown entirely numb. The stillness was interrupted by his gruff laugh from under his breath.
This was not the same man from before.
“Oh? Vampires, you say?” The man deadpanned as he slowly raised his head, showing that the fur had completely taken over his face. “If that’s the case…..”
“I’LL RIP THE BOTH OF YOU APART!”
Haru watched in sheer horror as the man finally gave in to the beast inside him. He dropped on all fours as his fur consumed his entire body. His body had grown in size, but only enough to slightly tear the clothes the man had on. His fingers grew into claws as they dug into the dirt. His jaw expanded to fit his enlarged teeth. And his eyes turned a bright crimson red.
Red eyes.
There was no doubt about it. Those were the same eyes that Haru had seen on that fateful night, and seeing them again triggered a memory to flash inside him. The memories of the Yokocho. The memories of when everything started to change in Haru’s life.
That night, Haru had just finished his text to Taiki, letting him know he was waiting for him. The Yokocho was so vivacious. Bright signs hung from above, inviting residents to participate in their establishment. Menus were displaying the various food and drinks served. Long wires that powered everything dangled above, and paper lanterns hung down several feet apart, coloring the place with their festive lights. The alley was filled with people eating and having a good time, with lights shimmering on the path. Haru was excited to find a place to eat and enjoy the night out with Taiki.
But the playful atmosphere was interrupted by a loud shriek.
A woman was being eaten alive by the beast. It bit down on the back of her neck and ripped out her throat, her head dangled by the remaining flesh. The crunch of her neck bone was so loud it echoed throughout the alley. Everyone panicked; some fled, and others tried to help the already decapitated woman. Haru just stood by in shock and fear.
This beast didn’t come to satisfy its hunger, far from it. It wanted to kill.
It pounced around the alley on all fours slicing down everyone who dared approach it with its sharp claws. All the rest who tried to flee didn’t stand a chance. The monster was fast, and the alley was narrow. The people congested the pathway making it harder to traverse. It was easy pickings. Only a few seconds passed before limbs, blood, and guts spewed everywhere as corpses lay about. Before he knew it, Haru was the only one remaining. Somehow he never got picked off, as if the beast didn’t even notice him.
During the slaughter, Haru hid between the crevices of the signs and the shop walls. But the beast sniffed him out, and its red eyes stared at the scared boy. It let out a loud roar before lunging in for the kill.
But the lights went dark.
Haru felt a deep stab in his arm. Both him and the Werewolf were blinded in the darkness. The Werewolf was impetuously swiping its claws in the air, trying to find Haru in the blackness, but it was hopelessly lost. It also helped that Haru was covered in the blood and guts of the people the Werewolf had just murdered. Unknown to Haru at the time, it helped cover the smell of his open wound. Haru took this opportunity to flee after crashing into some signs and stumbling over some bodies. But the growls of the monster were following close behind.
And now Haru saw himself face to face with the Werewolf, in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere. The man was completely gone and what replaced him was the dreadful beast of the night. The monster stood tall on its hind legs and let out a long, decisive howl into the night sky.
Haru glanced at his watch. It was only 10:35.