Chapter 7

Bloodlust

Haru’s eyes locked onto the red eyes of the Werewolf. The boy didn’t know how to feel. Anger? Sadness? Guilt? Fear? Perhaps a little of everything. Haru wanted justice for the people this monster had killed, but part of him wanted nothing to do with it and to run away instead. Haru was scared, frozen, and unable to make up his mind.

Ryu, however, was ecstatic.

“It had already gone feral,” Ryu said under his breath. “That was too easy.” His smile never left his face.

The Werewolf finished its howl and fell back on all fours, drool waterfalling from its gaping jaw. It stared back at its adversaries with immense bloodlust. Haru could feel its murderous intent in the air. It was thick and potent. He didn’t know how he could sense such a feeling. He wondered if Ryu felt the same thing and why he wasn’t as frightened as he was.

Haru told himself many times before this trip that he wouldn’t cry. He would finally stick up for himself and break away from being such a wimp. With encouragement from Ryu, Haru had hoped that he would finally make something out of himself instead of being the timid weakling that always gets bullied at school.

He failed as tears ran down his face.

“Alright! Haru, get ready to fight!” Ryu yelled out as he slowly walked backward and out of Haru's peripheral view.

“Huh? I-I-I-I c-can’t!” Haru stuttered. His eyes were glued to the terrifying monster.

Haru came up with a plan. With Ryu on his side, all he had to do was to pretend to fight the Werewolf and let Ryu take care of most of it. All he had to do was muster up the strength to run away. Haru guessed that there were plenty of places to hide in this field. Maybe behind one of the piles of scraps or perhaps inside an open shipping container. The shaken boy rose his fist and readied himself to flee when the opportunity arose.

“O-o-ok, Ryu. Wh-Whats the plan? …… Ryu? …..Ryu!?”

Haru swiveled his head around him to see that Ryu had vanished. He stood alone, nothing between him and the Werewolf. Sheer panic overrode the boy's confidence as his trembling legs gave up beneath him. Haru regained his focus on the Werewolf. He knew he had no chance against this monster; he just wasn't strong enough.

“Alright, Haru! Take that bastard out!” A voice called out from a distance. “I believe in you!”

Haru quickly faced the voice to see none other than Ryu sitting comfortably cross-legged on top of a shipping container in the distance. He still had that annoying smirk on his face as Haru looked back in horror.

Was this a setup? Was Haru meant to die right here?

Ryu raised his hand, connected his thumb and middle finger, and snapped.

“Go get ‘em!” He yelled out.

The ground began to rumble. Haru quickly shot his look back at the Werewolf, stampeding its way toward him. He could feel the Werewolf’s thick arms pound the dirt beneath him as clumps of dirt flew into the air behind the beast with every step it took. Its red eyes felt as if they pierced right through the terrified boy. Haru couldn’t move, and he couldn’t think straight. He was filled with anguish as the beast got closer and closer.

But Haru was hit with a sudden burst of energy inside him. It didn’t feel natural, yet it felt like instinct. It was similar to the energy he felt when he punched back against his bully. There was a sense of exhilaration to it. Before Haru knew it, he was standing on his feet. With the Werewolf still rampaging towards the boy, Haru felt more in control over his body. He could use his newfound energy to confront the beast. He could muster up the courage to fight.

But instead, he chose to run, tears flowing down his eyes. He didn’t get far before feeling the warm breath fume the back of his neck.

This was it.

He was too slow.

It was all over for him.

A strong pull on the back of his shirt collar stopped his momentum and threw him to the side. At first, Haru thought that this was the Werewolf finally catching him, but he turned to see Ryu. He pulled Haru away to safety as he swung a kick into the beast's gut, sending it soaring into the air and into a shipping container in the distance. The sound of the collision echoed, and a massive dent was shown on the side of the metal box.

Haru looked up in awe at Ryu, then looked back at the container that Ryu was sitting on and the long distance he had traveled. There was no doubt in his mind that Ryu was powerful, but he was surprised at the speed Ryu could move.

“What was that?!” Ryu demanded as he released Haru’s shirt. “Did you try to run away? What happened to the Haru that killed those gang members?”

Ryu knew that Haru was shaken from the near-death experience, so he didn’t expect a response. He could sense the fear Haru was feeling. Ryu looked back at the Werewolf, who was struggling to recover after receiving a powerful kick.

“Look, Haru. This mutt ain’t that big of a deal,” Ryu gently reassured. “He’s pretty small compared to the stronger Werewolves. He only grew slightly when he transformed. I’ve seen some Werewolves grow over ten feet tall. Also, he doesn’t have much of a snout. The really powerful Werewolves have long snouts. This mutt is a pushover, trust me.”

“WHY DID YOU LEAVE ME TO THAT WEREWOLF!” Haru finally snapped.

The sudden outburst caught Ryu by surprise. Haru was shaking in fear only a few seconds ago and now is lashing out at him. Ryu couldn’t help but chuckle at the occurrence.

“That’s the energy I like to see!” Ryu responded.

The tranquil moment had been interrupted by the sounds of metallic scrapes and bangs. The Werewolf had fully recovered and had climbed on top of the shipping container it was sent into. It paced back and forth with its red beaming eyes staring back at Haru and Ryu, waiting for an opportunity to strike. The beast looked vivacious once again but learned its lesson the hard way. It was clearly aware of Ryu and his incredible strength.

But a wild animal was still a wild animal, and Ryu knew he had no choice but to step up to the plate.

“All right, Haru. Watch and learn!” Ryu exclaimed as he took a confident step toward the beast.

Ryu swept his hands through his blond-tipped hair as he closed in on the Werewolf. The silence of the abandoned field was only broken by the growls that lowly hummed from the beast and the crunching of the dead grass as Ryu approached it. Haru did nothing but watch. The intensity was thick in the air, so much so that it sent shivers down his spine. However, Haru couldn’t avert his eyes. He was unusually drawn into the upcoming conflict.

Ryu’s smile never escaped his face.

With some cracking of his knuckles and a quick neck stretch, Ryu challenged the Werewolf with every step he took. With a wild roar and a mighty pounce, it accepted the challenge.

The beast’s mighty leap positioned itself directly above Ryu as it approached him with its right claw. Ryu took a quick step back and easily avoided its strike. The ground shook as it landed. Without respite, it swiftly flung its left claw upward. Again, Ryu trekked back, dodging the attack by mere inches. Taking advantage of the opening created by the upward momentum, Ryu lifted his right foot up and kicked the beast’s gut. The impact sent it back as it grunted in pain, spewing saliva onto Ryu’s leg.

“Ha! You stupid animal!” Ryu howled with laughter.

But the beast quickly retaliated. It responded with a fury of swipes and stabs, but Ryu gracefully danced around every slash thrown his way. However, Ryu’s Hawaiian shirt couldn’t keep up with his pace, and it received several cuts from the Werewolf's attack.

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“You son of a fucking bitch,” Ryu grumbled.

Ryu’s smile faded away as the Werewolf continued its barrage of attacks. Ryu knew he had to retaliate, but the Werewolf was quick with its flurry. It was risky, but Ryu planted his foot forward, bundled his fist, and delivered a punch into the beast's gut. But as he did, the monster got a deep cut into his face.

Ryu didn't have any time to react to his sliced face before the Werewolf returned with an open jaw, ready for a powerful bite. Its sharp yellow teeth quickly closed on Ryu’s neck, but he swerved his head at the last second. Haru flinched from the loud snap of the bite.

Ryu struggled to get his grounding before the Werewolf lunged for another wide bite.

“Alright! Let's see how strong those teeth really are!”

Ryu reached his hands out towards the gaping bite of the Werewolf and caught its mouth wide open.

“Jeez! You really need a breath mint!” Ryu jested.

Haru was impressed, but he knew the Ryu was only showing off. However, he worried that holding the beast back like this would only make it angrier. And oddly enough, Ryu winced in pain. Blood leaked from his hands and joined the saliva dripping from the Werewolf’s mouth.

Perhaps he underestimated the Werewolf's strength.

Ryu's grip slowly weakened to the point he had to release his hold, and just like before, the mouth snapped loud enough to flinch Haru. The Werewolf recoiled from the bite, allowing Ryu to strike it in the jaw, sending it stumbling on the ground.

“Ryu! You’re bleeding!” Haru exclaimed.

Ryu wiped the bloody wound on his face to expose the injury. It had healed up, only showing the scar.

“We are Vampires. Remember? We heal easily.” Ryu responded.

The brief moment of rest was broken by the loud roar of the Werewolf. It darted in with an attack with its claws. Ryu and the beast returned to their brawl. However, Haru saw this as an opportunity to flee.

He knew Ryu would be distracted by the Werewolf, or at least that's what he hoped, so he turned his back to the fight and ran deeper into the field. He zipped and zagged past the various trash and containers, all while the sounds of growls and cursing faded behind him. Haru never planned to leave Ryu alone; he just wanted to be safe from the Werewolf.

He came across an old shed. It had brown paint peeling the sides. It was perfect, as it was a safe distance away from the fighting. He ducked inside to see that it was filled with broken-down pieces of junk that were impossible to decipher. Haru hid carefully in the back, tucked behind some of the scraps inside. But the noises from the fight grew louder in the distance. Haru had no clue how the brawl played out, so guessing who was winning was futile. All he heard were growls and cursing. However, Haru knew that Ryu most likely realized that he had fled. He shivered at the repercussions he might face.

The battle continued from afar for several minutes before finishing with a loud crash. It was deathly silent shortly after.

Was the fighting over? Who won?

Haru hid in anticipation, not quite ready to leave his hiding spot until he knew for sure that it was safe to go. He knew that he would be waiting for a while.

Haru shuttered at the sounds of footsteps slowly approaching the shed. Haru ducked down deeper, hoping the sounds either passed by him or disappeared entirely. Worst-case scenario, the Werewolf sniffed Haru out and is now hunting him. Haru trembled at the thought. He knew he stood no chance.

The footsteps only grew louder, approaching the front door of the shed.

“What the fuck are you doing?” A voice echoed inside the shed.

Haru lifted his head to see Ryu’s stare fused with anger and disappointment piercing right through him. Haru could do nothing but gulp at the inevitable scolding.

“Come out,” Ryu sternly said as he turned to exit the shed.

“I’m s-s-sorry, Ryu! I can explain! Uh… I was, um….” Haru stuttered.

“Come. Out.” Ryu said again, this time with more enunciation and a sharper stare.

Haru jolted up and scampered out of the structure close behind Ryu.

Ryu was silent as he led Haru back to the factory. Haru could see the aftermath of their fight. Multiple dents were displayed on the metal shipping containers, reduced scrap piles, and the grass dug up underneath. It was quite a scuffle, but the Werewolf was nowhere to be seen until the sounds of growls hummed out from the factory's interior.

There was a large hole on the side of the factory that wasn’t there before, and the growls were conjoined by the sounds of crashing inside the factory. Ryu escorted Haru roughly thirty meters from the same entrance they came out of. A shiver went down Haru’s spine as he stared into the dark abyss.

“Werewolves have terrible night vision,” Ryu calmly stated as he positioned Haru parallel to the doorway. “It’s pitch black inside. It is hopelessly lost.”

Haru’s stare was fixated on the pitch darkness inside, the only thing preventing the beast from escaping the factory. Ryu could see the fear and uncertainty in Haru’s eyes.

“Listen to me, Haru. It’s important that you fight this Werewolf.”

Werewolf.

Something about hearing that word filled Haru with excitement. He had felt it before. On his trip here, he was filled with anticipation, but it slowly drained away as he met face-to-face with the beast. But the more he heard about the Werewolf, the more he wished to confront it.

It certainly wasn’t normal.

“No!” Haru shot back, trying to resist the urge. “I won’t! I can’t fight this thing! Why can’t you do it?”

Ryu took in a deep breath, then looked back at the empty doorway leading into the dark factory. The Werewolf crashing around in the darkness continued to echo from inside. Ryu thought to himself that he might be pushing Haru too far. However, he knew how crucial it was for Haru to confront such a powerful beast.

“You need to believe in yourself, Haru. This isn’t the only Werewolf that exists. There are so many Werewolves, some more powerful than this, that will continue killing the innocent. If you want to stop them, then you need to confront them. You must get stronger.”

Haru didn’t want anything to do with Werewolves ever again, especially after almost facing certain death with one. But somehow, he was convinced, or maybe he convinced himself. There was a part of him who wanted redemption. He knew he stood no chance, but it didn’t bother him.

Why do I have this urge to fight this Werewolf? Why am I so drawn to it?

“Fine,” Haru said after a brief hesitation.

The once earnest Ryu smiled with glee. “Perfect!”

Ryu was frivolous as he reached behind his pants and pulled out a scrap of metal that mimicked a blade.

“Werewolves may have bad night vision, but they have an excellent sense of smell…..” He raised the blade to his hand. “For Vampire blood!”

With a grunt of pain, Ryu sliced open his palm. As his hand was drenched in blood, he wiped some of it onto Haru’s face and shirt, despite his revolted resistance.

“I’ll only be a few feet away,” Ryu said as he slowly paced himself from Haru. “I won’t let that Werewolf kill you. I swear by it!”

The growling and crashing ceased from within the dark factory. Haru returned his frightful gaze at the pitch blackness. Ryu’s blood dripped from his face as he stood in the middle of the field as a beacon of aroma for the Werewolf to sniff out. He was out in the open, and he could feel the beast's red eyes stare at him from the darkness. But Haru, as shaken as he was, felt the adrenaline. It was a war of emotions. He began to prepare himself, sticking his right foot forward and slightly squatting down, and he raised his fist in front. It was a fighting stance he saw others do on TV. Haru, of course, didn’t know how to fight, but with Ryu’s support, he felt confident.

Maybe Haru could mimic the strength Ryu showed. He was a Vampire just like him, after all.

So Haru waited,

And waited,

And waited.

With a loud, mighty roar, the Werewolf barraged out of the dark factory on all fours, hellbent on tearing apart anyone it saw. The ground shook violently as it steamrolled towards whatever its red eyes locked onto. Haru stood dead center of its menacing gaze.

It seeped with bloodlust and anger. It had grown more powerful than the last time Haru saw it, but he stood his ground.

Was he frightened? Yes. Did he want to run? Yes. But Haru tore through his trepidation and met eyes with the mighty beast.

Haru released his warcry. But the monster didn’t waver; it still marched towards Haru, reaching within a few feet of the boy.

Everything felt like it was in slow motion. The monster had its mouth wide open and was within range of a swing of Haru’s fist, so the boy did just that. He mustered up all his power, threw out a punch, and hit the Werewolf on the side of its jaws.

But it was fruitless. He was too weak.

Haru’s warcry quickly turned into screams of excruciating pain as the Werewolf bit down his lower abdomen and wrapped its jaws around his back. Haru could see his blood gush as he was dragged onto the ground by the heavy weight of the monster. Hands reached out from behind the Werewolf and gripped its upper jaw. It was Ryu, trying to release Haru from its tight grasp. Ryu punched the beast’s face, hoping to weaken its bite.

It worked. The Werewolf’s bite slowly loosened, so as a last-ditch effort, the beast began to rip away whatever he had bitten into. And with a strong pull, it yanked away Haru’s flesh.

The pain was enormous. Haru couldn’t move much besides applying pressure to his wound in an attempt to ease the ache. But he was slowly losing consciousness from the pain as he sat in a puddle of his blood. Ryu strapped the Werewolf into an armlock, impairing its movement. But the Wolf wouldn’t go without a fight. Without a sense of direction, it began to swing its sharp claws around, cutting Ryu's leg. At that moment, the beast escaped with its attention now on Ryu.

With what little strength he had left, Haru tried to drag himself away but didn’t get far. His pulsating ears faintly dimmed the sounds of the Werewolf, and his vision had gone black. He had now lost all of his strength.

Is this it? Is this death? I can’t see anything. Everything is fading away. I wonder …… will …… will I get to see my dad?