Among The Wolves

Rogue

"AAHAHHHHHHHEEEEEE!!"

I lost my grip on the wheelbarrow and it plummeted after the trash. My burrito friend followed soon after. 

Wiping the bile around my mouth, I left the scene faster than a leprechaun after the rainbow pot of gold. Fleeing the woods, tearing distance like a madman. Screaming all the way home, one might have thought that I was a little piglet. It did occur to me that I was leaving behind the wheelbarrow. Given the grotesque circumstances I doubt anyone would blame me for saying: who the heck cares?!!

"Mrs. Mu! Mrs. Mu! MRS. MU!!"

Mrs. Mu scrambled out of the building just as a clumsy cow on a frozen lake would. A couple of wolfbloods poured after her. Her face contorted into anger when she saw me. "Oh, knotted fur! Shut your mouth. I knew having you here was a nightmarish idea."

I fell to my knees trying to wipe the tears off my face. "Mrs Mu, please, there is a- I saw body- someone's dead!"

Mrs. Mu pulled me up by the collar. I wanted to melt into a puddle of goo, anything to avoid Mrs. Mu's wrath, "What have you done?"

"I didn't do anything, I promise!" I blubbered. "I just saw a dead body near the- the- heap, the dump."

"I'll go see myself, you imbecile." Mrs. Mu tossed me aside and turned to the group on the steps of the building. 

She began adjuring the group. I did not allow the sounds that reached my ears to become coherent. All my senses clouded over the memory. The one untouched eye of that soulless woman had been open, it was frozen in time. Shocked and petitioning for mercy. 

One of the men came down to stand next to me, another followed Mrs. Mu toward 'the dump'.

I didn't bother to try and get up. I took my shaking arms and hugged my jello legs. Had I seen a dead person before? Yes, my mom and grandpa. Did they have four slashes across their necks, gaping holes in their arms, and horror etched on their faces? No. 

Were they covered in grime and hosting insects? Did fly eggs and maggots fill their gaping mouths? Had their faces been mangled so much that the features were not  manifested? No, no, no!

My hands covered my face. I really wanted to unsee what I saw. I wanted Hem'Lar to be here and tell me that he was going to have me work in a candy factory instead, with all-you-can-eat tootsie rolls. Better yet, I wanted to go home. What is wrong with me? Have I possibly  been cursed to get into one bad scenario after another?

 I don't know but I need to be doing something. Working or anything to get my mind elsewhere. Begrudgingly, I began to stand up. Should I go to the stables? Maybe the new egg collector will let me work with her.

"You need to stay here." The man next to me spoke out against my actions.  He grinned and stood his full height, which was strangely shorter than most wolf-bloods. 5'11” maybe?

I scratched my neck, I do? "Why?" I asked hesitantly.

The man rubbed his full beard before placing his hands in the pockets of his own red jumpsuit. He had a smirk plastered on his face. "Ha, nor. You really don't know why?"

I timidly shook my head, but my mind was already somewhere else. He called me, nor. Maybe that is why Mrs. Mu was upset at me earlier. Instead of sir, it is nie, and instead of ma'am, it is nor. That makes sense. I will have to keep that in mind to stay out of trouble.

He chuckled, "l guess they were right about you creatures. You know, I have been studying humans since you came into Wos'Theon. You guys are so weak that even a small poke can bruise you." The man laughed.