Shadow-Wolf (*ON HOLD*)

2. The Beast

"I had this dream last night, creepy as fuck. This guy was driving, crying, and there was this ghost girl next to him, then he crashed his car and turned into a ghost himself, then went back to the car to fuck the ghost girl. That last part was not fun to watch."

It was the day after Hope and Sandip had received their invitations to Lance's birthday party (which they had sent back affirmative replies to) and the latter was hanging out with Russell, his next-door neighbour, who had knocked at his house for him a few minutes ago.

"I've been trying to work out what it means," his friend continued. "That girls are a bad influence? That tragedies will be healed, but not in a satisfying way?" Russell toyed with the horseshoe charm on the necklace he wore - bringing together its positive energy and that of the black cat and four-leaf clover charms on his charm bracelet?

"That relationships are car crashes?" suggested Sandip, who didn't know whether to be intrigued by or dismissive of Russell's mysticism. After all, Hope and him had visions.

Russell frowned.

"I hope that's not true. Well, I realise they are for some people, but I hope they won't be for me. Wait, is that selfish?"

"A selfless person would definitely hope for disastrous relationships," said Sandip, deadpan.

Russell's mouth quirked into a smile.

"Maybe they would. So they could empathise, you know?"

"Empathising. For when sympathising just isn't good enough."

Russell didn't respond to that. The scary thing about Russell was that you just didn't know if he was adding the necessary pinch of salt to what you were saying.

"So, what's new with you?" he asked.

"Me and Hope are going to a party in a couple of weeks. It's for Lance Woodrose's 18th."

"Oh really?" asked Russell, surprised. "I didn't realise you knew him that well."

"We don't. It's a mystery to us why we were invited."

"Fate can have interesting plans for people. Maybe the three of you will become good friends."

"Maybe we'll all become enemies."

Russell frowned.

"That would be sad. Especially since you and Hope are such good friends."

Sandip didn't argue.

"Hey, look, the ice cream van's there," Russell pointed out. Sandip followed his gaze to the bright yellow van. "Shall we get something?"

"Sure thing."

That night, the beast visited Arrowcross. It prowled the empty streets, staying in the shadows, the orange light cast by the streetlamps irritating its eyes. At one corner of the town square, it stopped, seeing a man in a black shirt and bow tie with a pattern of spots leave the newsagent's on the high street. It approached, feeling drawn to the man, longing for something.

The man paused in his tracks, perhaps sensing the creature behind him. The beast halted too and looked in the direction of the man's head, ready.

'What are you doing?'  whispered a nervous male voice inside the beast.

The beast ignored the voice as the man in the bow tie turned around. He froze, shocked. The beast gazed into the man's eyes and that look of shock faded from his face.

'Stop this. Don't do it!'

The beast, leaving its hind paws on the pavement, climbed up the man's frame.