The Many Regrets of a Cyborg Werewolf

Nightmares - XXXI

Erin's eyes snapped open as she was pulled from her sleep. She didn't stir or jolt up, but her waking was sudden and rude all the same. She pulled herself off the couch cushion slowly, her body stiff, and she knew she hadn't moved since she lied down. Glancing around the dimly lit apartment made it clear it was late, though not yet dark, and she'd likely been asleep for several hours. Erin turned to the opposite end of the couch where her feet would have been visible, were it not for the chubby old basset hound unconscious on her legs. She gingerly retrieved her appendages from beneath the sleeping Colonel, stretching as she still felt exhausted. Her shirt stuck to her back and arm pits, her hair pressed flat to one side of her head, and Erin knew she hadn't gotten much rest. She couldn't. Too much had happened, and every time she closed her eyes some new spectre was there to terrorize her. It was exhausting, miserable, and she was wondering how much more of it she could take. She hardly slept and when she did it was useless. The same haunting, distorted recollections of that night wouldn't leave her, only now a new villain was in her subconscious. The unfathomably huge bipedal wolf, its sultry and intelligent voice at odds with its appearance. A true devil, at least to her mind. It was different from the monstrous, animalistic fakes she often had night terrors about, and it particularly scared her because of how familiar it was. In a strange, albeit superficial way, Erin saw the beasts she stared down as a reflection of herself. It made the nightmares more convoluted and unbearable, as if she was constantly being compared to this creature. The night of her transformation took on a sinister new meaning in this dream narrative, and Erin was frustrated with her rampant subconscious for tormenting her like that.

She was also frustrated by her hunger, a sticking point punctuated just now by her growling stomach. She still barely ate, living off of eggs and milk did so little, and she was growing sick of it. Erin was never a picky eater within her accepted dietary boundaries, and often championed the diversity of a meat-free diet to Kyle, yet now it all seemed so unappealing. It also gave her virtually no energy, which fed the cycle of tiredness and no sleep. Erin was beginning to understand how Luke felt.

"What about you, big guy?" Erin asked the portly pup. Colonel groaned, his droopy, silver-dusted face turning towards her. He was hardly wasting away, but he was probably hungry all the same. Erin stretched as she groggily rose from the couch, heading to the kitchen with the plump dog in tow. It only occurred to her once she pursued the cupboards that they had no dog food.

"Damn," she uttered. Glancing down at the old hound, Erin saw his nubby tail wagging. She couldn't just leave him hanging. She pondered making a quick trip to the store for some kibble, but she also didn't feel like leaving the apartment unless it was necessary. Luke was out already, and Mahi and Mercer were likewise resting. She'd be alone. That was something that, a year ago, wouldn't have ever caused her concern. But things were different now. She was different. Colonel didn't understand this, however, and he still huffed in anticipation for his dinner. Erin glanced at the second refrigerator.

"I mean..." she shrugged to herself, "I'm sure he wouldn't miss one piece of chicken or something." Colonel didn't immediately disagree, and so Erin approached the refrigerator that was reserved for nothing but meat. She hesitated opening it, only briefly, and when she did she expected to be greeted with a strong smell. No such odour came, though Erin could detect the scent of meat, and the sight of it was something of its own. It was all packaged, wrapped in cellophane, and the blobs of pink and red unsettled her. It was just similar enough to her nightmares to get that reaction from her, but Erin was also a pragmatic person, and reason eventually pushed that feeling back. She searched for a portion suitable for her pet, not wanting to deprive Luke of the larger cuts he often enjoyed, and found a single-packed chicken breast on the top shelf. Erin took the piece of meat and closed the fridge, placing it on the counter, and recalled something.