Bloodied Paws [BP Book 1]

Paralyzed

[Ireland]

Darkness filled my vision, but my eyes weren't closed. My ceiling was what, instead, obscured my sight and wrapped me in the black peace of night. Only it wasn't peaceful. I was warm, I was comfortable, but I just found myself unable to drift to sleep. Because that face returned to my mind every time I tried. Beady red eyes that cut through the dark as my limbs locked in place, that mouth that sliced its head in half and revealed the disgusting needle teeth that filled its skull. And all in the form of a small cub, a wolf cub, a small, frail body.

I felt a chill run down my spine. God, I hope that thing doesn't come back. I could almost  still feel its needle-sharp teeth digging into my neck as it clamped its cold jaws around my skull.

I tried again to force myself asleep. Failure. I glanced at the alarm clock next to my bed. Twelve o' one. Had it really been that long?

Guess today has been a bit... hectic, I sighed.

I decided to get up and walk around, just to possibly relax my brain a little. Maybe it'd do something, but maybe it wouldn't. I had no clue.

...I couldn't move.

Every inch of my limbs were frozen, as if ice encased my body and forced me to remain in the bed. At first I was just confused, thinking maybe I was more asleep than I thought, but quickly panic began to settle in. Were my eyes open? Were they closed? Was I even awake? My expression remained unchanging even as I silently struggled and willed my body to move.

No luck.

A chill settled into the room, a frigid breeze shifting the air. Did I leave my window open? I don't think I did.

I couldn't open my eyes, but I felt like I could... see. I could see my room through my eyelids somehow. Or I could imagine it there perfectly - shelf in the corner, lamp on the nightstand, just out of sight next to me, random few pictures hanging on the walls, curtains over the window. Everything was as it should be, even in the dark, when I could barely see.

A shadowy figure began to creep across my vision. A mere fleck of darkness that burst like a flame and danced around until it landed on my paralyzed body. Black turned to fluffy grey, and bright blood red eyes shot through the dark and pierced me.

"Have you missed me?" It said, its small grey head tilting to the side innocently. Its voice was much deeper than it should be for such a small body, and had a growling tone to it like tires rolling across loose gravel.

I wanted to yell at it to get away from me, but I couldn't utter a sound. Its cold paws seemed to cut through my blanket, slicing deep into my skin as it stood over me. I was helpless. I was helpless and I hated it.

Get the hell away from me, I thought, as if talking to it telepathically would work.

It seemed to laugh coldly at that. Maybe it worked. Could it hear my thoughts? That wouldn't be a pleasant thing.

"Soft, young one." It flicked its tail. "You never know who hath be listening in."

Why is this thing talking in Shakespearean?

"Shake-spear? What is that, a torture device?"

...uh...

"Never mind that," It said, its beady eyes unblinking as it stared. "Surely thou hath not dreamt that I had left thou?"

Thou could only desire you hath. I mustered the best mocking tone that I could using only my thoughts.

It chuckled. "Aye, a jest, you are. But a mockery of me is not at thy greatest discretion, friend."