The One

Research = Confusion

A few days passed as she buried herself in research—examining everything from general dreams to intricate details.

In the midst of her investigation, an alarming thought crossed her mind, 'Why on earth am I doing this? I could just ignore it all and accept that the Gods are growing weary of my demands.'

She promptly shook her head, dismissing her own foolish musings and plunged back into her research, her mind aimlessly searching for answers.

'Hmm, real-life werewolves: psychiatry re-examines rare delusions.'

'Alright, hospital study shows full moon werewolf effects, Sydney Morning Herald.'

'Hmm, Peter the Wild Boy's condition was revealed 20 years ago. Lycanthropy. The werewolf of Bedburg. Piff Hopkins Syndrome? What's the connection there? Right, let's skip that.'

She scrolled and skimmed through the information while mumbling away.

"Okay, let's dive into five real-life werewolves from history!" she exclaimed, excitement bubbling over.

"1. La Bête du Gévaudan, 1760s. A terrifying spectre that unleashed twenty confirmed attacks, leaving a staggering 113 reported cases in its wake. On June 19, 1767, a local hunter named Jean Chastel shot a wolf, yet historian Jean-Marc Moriceau speculated that this beast was responsible for as many as 7,600 deaths in France between 1362 and 1918! The very thought sent chills down her spine."

"2. The Livonian Werewolf. Let's skip this one—I can't decipher languages beyond English."

"3. The Wolf of Ansbach, 1685. This formidable creature terrorised the town of Neuses in the Principality of Ansbach, claiming human victims before its body ended up preserved in a local museum. Creepy, right?" She continued scrolling, her heart racing with intrigue.

"4. The Werewolf of Allariz. It turns out he was merely suffering from delusions. His tragic end? Execution."

"And last, but certainly not least, the Werewolf of Bedburg. Another horrific tale, this time involving a disturbed man whose brutality led to ghastly outcomes. Why is everything so dark? Why does everything either end up dead or worse? I can't take this!" With a frustrated huff, she massaged her temples, the heaviness of the stories overwhelming her.

Determined to push aside the gloom, she opened a new tab on her university page. It was the final day to submit her last assignment, and after pouring every effort into it, she finally hit 'submit' and let out a breath of relief. With her work complete, she followed her routine before retreating to her bedroom.

The next day, she was back at it, feverishly searching for anything related to real lycanthropy and Greek mythology. As she immersed herself in her laptop, her sister burst into the study room, disrupting her focus.

"Yo sissy, what are you up to?"

"Just digging for clues about my dreams. You won't believe how crazy it's getting!" She looked up, defeated yet hopeful, prompting her sister to stroll over and tug her out of the chair.

"Hahaha, come on, let's grab some dinner. You can spill all the details then, deal?"

Hours later, both sisters returned to the study, laughter echoing around them as Karol recounted every peculiar detail from the dream. She stopped short at the memory of star-gazing in an open field, her eyes widening at the image of a strikingly handsome man. However, she omitted the part where the wolf morphed into a human.

With a gentle nudge on her head, her sister chuckled, "Lol, why don't you just search 'dream interpretation,' genius?"

"Ahhh, why didn't I think of that?! Thanks, sissy!" she grinned, a spark of realisation igniting within her.

She quickly typed 'dream interpretation' into the search engine, and a plethora of results appeared. "Goosebumps! This feels eerily personal," she mused, rubbing her arms as a wave of chills washed over her. As she scrolled through more pages and various titles, one particular article on the symbolism of wolves caught her eye.

*Dream about a wolf running away.

When a wolf is running solo or away from you, it points to your desire to be left alone. Perhaps in dealing with one's personal issues or tasks.

*Dream about being friendly to a wolf.

Being friendly to a wolf in a dream reflects your ability to keep your composure in a variety of social circumstances, even if the social occasion may be hostile at times. The dream foretells your attendance at major business meetings.

*Dream about petting a wolf.

Petting a tamed wolf in the dream, suggests that someone is protecting you by providing unlikely help or support. The dream suggests that you may not perceive or realize the type of help that this individual is providing.

*Dream about a black wolf.

To see a black wolf in your dream means it represents your shadow. It's the dark side of your ego.

Clicking eagerly, she absorbed the different astrological interpretations.

'A black wolf signifies the return of ancestral spirits with an important spiritual message!'

"What does a wolf mean in a dream?" she whispered to herself as she typed. The results revealed that a wolf embodies beauty, survival, mystery, and self-confidence. "With that rumoured physique, of course, he's handsome and mysterious! It's been days since I last dreamed of him, yet I can't shake the image!"

Reading further, she discovered that 'wolf eye colour—yellow symbolises passion, while midnight blue embodies purity and self-respect.' "Guess that's a good sign. He is definitely a stunner in wolf form. But in human form? I wish I hadn't run away," she sighed, frustration creeping in as she fidgeted with her hair.

As the astrology page concluded, a line stood out to her: a friendly wolf appearing in dreams brings assurances of positive changes ahead in waking life. 'A protective wolf signifies a desire for love from others.'

These words resonated deeply, and the realisation hit her. "But what about clear skies?" she pondered, diving back into her search.

'Clear skies represent clarity and the calm nature of someone.'

"That's my cue to stop overthinking and just get some well-deserved sleep but... My God, why am I such a curious cat? No, don't answer that because your answer is twisted so ermm goodnight I guess".

With a final sigh, she shut down her laptop, freshened up, and nestled under the covers, ready for slumber. As she closed her eyes, her mind began to wander, drifting back to the dreams that had awakened her curiosity.