Random Writing

Game Over

The dying light of the setting sun casts long, ominous shadows across the nearly empty street. There is a small girl peering out a foggy window on the third floor of the apartment building. A dog goes running toward his master who quickly shuts the door after sending a nervous glance down the road. A little boy not more than three years old, is frantically running off the pavement and toward his mothers open arms, but, as the last of the sunlight disappears, he is hastily snatched away by one of the monsters that roam the streets at night. His screams echo.

Creeping out of the shadows, I slowly pick my way across the quickly filling streets. I've been here twice before, every time the boy is taken, and every time I swear I will hear his screams for the rest of my life. The first two trials were fairly easy- kill the dragon, save the princess, that sort of thing. Now though, I'm not sure what I'm supposed to do.

My breath stops as I cross paths with the most hideous thing I've ever laid eyes on. It is probably seven feet tall with horns that could skewer me with no effort at all. Every inch of its skin is covered in long, matted fur, and where its feet should be, there are hooves. I watch as the man-beast wanders aimlessly by, not paying me any attention. Once I would have screamed and run far, far away. Now, I know I have to fight.

Quickly and silently I draw the blade strapped to my calf and stalk the large beast. It moves efficiently, each one of its strides equaling four of mine, though it seems to have no purpose. The beast stops, its long face rising into the drifting wind. Casually it turns around and its eyes lock with mine. I watch as confusion mixed with fear and anger flicker across its eyes, as it slowly realizes that I don't belong.

This is where it always has ended. I have fought the beast and it has won. Every time I wake back up in the bushes across the street from the little boy's house. This time is different, somehow- I can feel it. I feel the animal inside of me waking up and am about to charge when the bull comes rushing at me.

I dodge to the left at the very last second and am just able to roll out of the way again as it dashes at me again. Picking myself up, I retrieve my fallen blade and charge the beast. It roars as I draw near, only encouraging my inner monster. I snarl back, baring my teeth and, when I am just feet away, throw myself into the air and land on its back. I sink my blade into its shoulder and hang on for dear life as the bull bucks and spins in circles trying to throw me off.

Releasing a war cry, I brace myself for what I know has to come next.

I am thrown to the ground roughly and struggle to right myself. Something cracked when I landed and I truly don't know if I can do it- I've never made it this far. But I know that I must. There is no other way. So I pick myself up off the ground and, cradling my arm to my chest, take three steps back. The beast rises to its hind legs and stalks toward me.

"Where are you going, little cat?" it questions. I don't answer. I never have and I never will, even if I have to do this fifty times over. I had tried to avoid this, and maybe that is what has killed me in the past. I don't know what the animal will do, how the monster will react to being set free, what it will do once it realizes that it has me all to itself.

But there is no other way.

I bare my teeth at the beast and, concentrating as hard as ever, dig deep into myself for the monster inside of me. They said I wouldn't make it this far. I wish they had been right. I never wanted it to come to this but there is no other way. I feel my body changing shape, shrinking and growing in the oddest of places. My face shrinks and my ears slide to the top of my head. I feel my bones cracking as they contort to make room for the extra muscles and bones that this body needs. Something at my back grows long and thin. I know what it is and I know why it is happening. That doesn't make it any less weird.

Before I know it, the 'me' that I know is gone. No trace of her left. Standing in her place is the largest lioness I have ever seen. I can feel the strength rippling through my body, the newly discovered muscles relishing in finally being set free. My inner self grins. My face shows nothing but rage.

The bull drops to all fours and waltzes forward. "I didn't think you had it in you," it teases. "I thought you would keep coming back to me. That I would be able to relish in the taste of your blood for all of eternity." He chuckles. "They were right about you." He charges.

The cat knows what to do just as I don't. It leaps to the side and, as the bull crashes by, leaps onto its back, sinking its claws deep into its flesh. I can feel the beast inside of me, controlling my body when I am not sure what to do, taking over the fight, showing me the ropes.

Then it is gone. I am on my own and failing miserably. The bull shakes me off of its back and I fall to the ground in a heap. It is just like every other death I have experienced. Me on the ground, him stalking toward me. I close my eyes and wait for the end.

It doesn't come. I open my eyes and there he is, the bull, crouched above me, ready to smash my skull with his monstrous hooves. But he isn't moving. He is frozen. I sigh in relief, though that is before I see the giant words hovering over my head. They read:

Game Over. Play again?