Heroes and Wolves [book 1]

Chapter ten

Layla

Aches and sharp pain pound my head. Fuzzy vision prevents me from understanding my surroundings but I try to interpret the blurred solid beams looming over me. Am I home? I'm cocooned in warmth from blankets covering me and springs of a soft mattress press into my back which define that I'm not home. Where am I then?

My vision clears but my head still holds a lasting throb. Two beds are backed against the wall either side of me. Wide wooden panels line the walls and are equally slated in place. Large red pillars stand in every corner, one with dark specks of mould while the others have scratch marks and bare patches across them.

There are long cupboards and two cabinets up on the walls opposite me and a bedside table next to every bed. I always study my environment because knowing what is around you can be crucial. It's a matter of survival for me so I take what I can or adapt. Anything can be used to your advantage if used correctly and appropriately. You aren't going to use a paper towel in the rain, but you could use a plate to shield yourself from it. It's all about perspective and having the initiative to use something different to what it's commonly known for.

There is a tray with a thin knife and a pair of tweezers on my bedside table. I go to pick it up when a shooting pain sparks from my left shoulder and I slam back onto the bed.

A white bandage has been wrapped around my shoulder and my stomach to support it. The bandage has been placed over my thick black vest. My pink topis nowhere to be seen.

I breathe in deeply and take my time to slowly move and sit up. I manage to do this just as I hear something clicking which makes me look over at where it's coming from. The wall literally sinks into itself and slides across making an opening. 

From the odd movement, I push myself to quickly pick up the knife to defend myself from what is going to happen or who is going to come through. I grit my teeth from the pain it causes me but at least I'm armed with something I can use.

     "You're awake" Maylock comes into view with folded clothes in his hand. He smiles but his eyes quickly divert to the knife in my grasp. "Hey! Put that down" he throws the clothes onto the bed in shock and swiftly gives his hand out for me to place it in.

     "It's just a knife?"

     "No, its not" he presses a button on the side which I never noticed was there but it makes the knife extend and many different sized, metal branches come out of it. "This is a screwlag" he presses the button again which reduces the size and then puts it down onto the bedside table. "Don't touch anything else. You have already been out for two days, I don't want any more."

     "I was out for two days?" I frown and he nods "How is that even possible?" I hold my head, the ache continues to thump. 

     "That's something I wondered too. You were just sleeping" he shrugs and picks up the now crumpled clothes and begins to fold them into a neat pile on the bed.

     "Sleeping? For forty-eight hours? What happened?"

     "A lot" he simply states folding the last piece of clothing which is a black cardigan. "I brought you these. I got you a variety of sizes because I don't know what you are yet" Yet? He says that word as if I am staying here. Well, I'm not.

     "Where's my bag?" I ask urgently.

     "Your damn bag?" he smirks and I roll my eyes. "It's not here but I'll take you to it" 

     "No, just tell me where it is and I'll grab it and go" 

     "Wearing that" he indicates to my attire and I fiddle with my fingers from feeling a tad exposed. "You'll catch a chill. Have a look at what I got you" 

Within the tower of clothes there is a blue top and what looks like a really old and raggedy grey jumper. I easily scrap that idea to put it on as god knows what diseases it carries so I pull it from the pile, making it topple in the process. I chuck it to the end of the bed, ignoring Maylock's disapproved look and tut he produces from the action.

I pick up the rest of the clothes, testing the size of each one and I work out that the blue top would fit me and the cardigan is slightly bigger, but I am not undressing in front of him, frankly, I can't with the bandages wrapped around me so the cardigan will have to do. I put it on, well, at least attempt to but struggle because the bandages are tight and restrict my movement. Pain also shoots through me.         

     "Here let me help" He grabs one sleeve and feeds my arm in and then does the same to the other side. He does it with so much care, that it hardly hurts but I shrug him off when he manages to guide my arm to the other sleeve. "That other top you wore, pink I think it was couldn't be salvaged." He explains as I push my arm through the sleeve. "You survived an attack from the monster"

     "What?" I freeze. There actually is a monster!

     "I'm glad I came at the time I did"

     "You were the one who was there. That was you?"

     "Yeah, it was' he smiles.

     "So, the myths are true, there is a monster?"

     "Yes, it's real. Those growls were from the Monster of Folklore" my spine runs cold because I called it that before I even knew there was one for definite.

     "But why didn't you say the truth when I asked?"

     "I have a duty to keep the people of Lakeintown away from harm" he leans on my bed. "If I told you that the monster was real, then you would have panicked. I had to take your focus and curiosity away from the topic so I mentioned the name of the woods and it worked"

     "You have no idea how I would have reacted"

     "But I have a multitude of experience from the people of Lakeintown" he shrugs "They are extremely curious but it's that trait that causes them harm. They cross the line when they ask too much and are surprised of the consequences when they get answers. Then mass panics start, as do riots and uncontrollable fear" he claims. 

Now I know that there is a true monster out there, it has clarified that the growls are real and not made up from my mind. But what about the red and yellow orbs? Having the monster mystery be exposed still doesn't explain them?

If the growls are real then could there truly be something more behind those coloured orbs? Maybe I haven't lost my mind just yet.