The Wolf of The Woods

Chapter Sixteen: Take my hand (take my whole life too)

It was getting dark now.

The boys could see the sunlight seeping away through the trees and being overcome by darkness. They hadn't done much that day, Dan being so anxious and stressed out and Phil simply trying to comfort him. 

They were sat together on the bed, gazing out of the window.
'When do you think we should go?' Phil asked gently. He knew Dan might still be feeling a little temperamental after his outburst earlier and didn't want to cause another one.

'Well, I usually like to leave just after sunset' Dan replied sheepishly. 'You know, so I can find a spot to er... transform'

Phil giggled at his shy looking boyfriend, and then ruffled a hand through his hair.
'Come on then, we'd better eat before we go'
'Yeah that might be a good idea'
Dan smiled and followed Phil over to the cupboards.

'Do you need a change of clothes? And a drink, have a drink!'
Phil was rapidly looking all over the place as he fussed over Dan. Dan however, just stood there laughing.

'Phil you sound like such a mum, stop worrying!'
'Well someone needs to!'
'I can worry enough on my own thanks, and besides you're my boyfriend not my parent!'

'Okay okay but here' Phil rolled his eyes as he passed Dan an energy drink. 'I think we have stuff to make sandwiches, we can take them with us'
'How cute, a little picnic' Dan said sarcastically, sipping his drink.

'Right now lets go' Phil announced, opening the door and looking over at Dan, expecting him to be ready too. What he saw was far from that though. Dan was still stood by the window staring up at the sky. He seemed distant and distracted, like he was mentally and physically somewhere else.

Apparently he was still in the present though as he sighed and spoke up.
'Okay. Lets go'
He traipsed over to where Phil was standing, feigning self confidence as they both stepped outside and Phil closed the door behind them.

-

After walking for ten minutes or so they came to a clearing. They'd hardly spoke on the way there, not because they weren't comfortable with each other but simply because they'd just had nothing to say.

Phil gestured silently to the area around them and Dan nodded in approval. Falling silently to the ground, they both sat on the floor of the forest and waited.

'Eat' Phil ordered, passing Dan one of the sandwiches he'd made earlier, Dan taking it and eating it hurriedly.

'I feel it Phil' Dan said when he'd finished 'it's coming'
'W, w, what's it like?' Phil asked, a little afraid of taking the conversation to far and offending Dan. For once though, Dan didn't didn't seem afraid of opening up.

'Well, first your whole body feels tingly' he began. 'Like the feeling of pins and needles but everywhere. That's usually when the moon starts rising'

Both of them looked expectantly towards the sky then. Sure enough a tiny slither of silvery light was emerging on the horizon.

'And then...' Dan tried to continue 'then ...'
He was still staring up at the sky, just like he had been back in the house.

It was a curious thing the moon, it had seemed so nice and beautiful that night he'd spent with Phil in the lake.

But now it was just a timer. A timer counting down every last minute, every last second it would take until he ceased to be human.