A Wandering Mind: A collection of short stories & poems.

Celeste

The new world is a cruel one. Sometime after the great overtaking, chaos ensued. The world became fragmented into territories. The old ways of government had fallen. No longer did man bend to the will of congresses and Kings. Survival of the fittest had become a norm for many years. Eventually, most people settled in amongst each other. Animalistic pack-like leaderships formed to keep the peace amongst people. A few scattered preferring to live on their own, others roam never settling trading between territories.  A once hidden secret emerged, true forms evolved. Man's beliefs shifted when the first shift took place. Once believed to be a myth told to children in story books, man's true form emerged. Wisdom seekers discovered the ancient documents outlining how the governments tried to bread the mutations out of the shifters, and when that did not work, the atrocities of genocide. Histories of mass killings blamed on a belief system, nothing more than an elaborate lie. Fearful of the shifter's extraordinary power, the elite funded the government's efforts to eliminate the threat. Gradually, the shifters evolved, eventually being able to fully shift between human and wolf forms. New religious figures emerged from long-lost relics of shifters past. Belief systems reminiscent of ancient tribes. 

    Without clear-cut laws in place, the world's evils emerged from within packs, corrupting them entirely. Enslavement and genocide of rival tribes sprung up. Surrounding leaders banded together fighting the atrocities, but no one is able to snuff out pure evil. Corruption became hidden, fearing repercussions, the evil is closely guarded hidden from the outside world. Tradesmen risk death to supple slaves to these twisted leaders for extraordinary profit. 

    It has been years now since I was first taken by the traders. Sold like cattle to a monster as a child. The leader Cain took a sick liking to me from the start, calling me his pet. His fascination with me started when he could not kill my wolf with wolf bane. No matter the dosage, he could not eliminate my other half. He would become angry and lash out at me, beating me within an inch of my life when he failed. Wolves bane is a poison to our other half, slowly driving our animal side mad until it dies. It was this immunity that fascinated Cain and why he kept me as his personal pet. Unlike the others who worked the land and factories, I was tasked with housework, to keep me close, making escape more difficult. 

    The night is my only solitude. My freedom within bondage. Darkness has become my friend. I am able to find peace within twilight’s embrace. I try to stay awake as long as possible, planning, listening, waiting for sweet revenge. Icy liquid stung my skin, waking me up. Cold water dripped from my clothes. My punishment for sleeping in, mild compared to most days.  

    “When I give an order, I expect it to be followed! Get your lazy ass up and make breakfast!” Cains words echoed against the empty stone walls.  Thin beams of light illuminate his tall, muscular frame. For such a twisted man, he surprisingly has rather striking features. If it wasn't for his rotten insides, some might even say he was handsome. A strong jawline shaved clean, framed by his dark curly hair. Massive muscles give him a powerful appearance and probably why he is in charge. He stopped intimidating me long ago, much to his dismay. He keeps me chained most of the time because of this. When I do not move fast enough to the door, he yanks my chains, pulling me close to him. My gaze never left his eyes. A sign of disrespect to the Alpha of a pack. My defiance wins me a hard backhand to the face. Blood trickles from the corner of my mouth. Without a word, my gaze returned to his, refusing to submit to his authority. He knows I would rather die than show him respect. I almost did once, but his fascination with my immunity kept me alive. This time he pushes me towards the door of my cell, walking behind me, chains in hand. “Be a good girl for me today, or I may not let you live this time.” I do not respond, just walk up the stairs of the empty basement, Cain close behind, his foul breath fanning the back of my neck. Just before I get to the top step, Cain pushes me hard, sending me to the ground. Pain radiates from my wrist, the impact straining it. Cain jerked the chain back, pulling on my waist. A deep growl rumbled from my chest. I sprung up from the ground. Before I can turn my chain is pulled slamming me into Cain's chest.