Man or Monster

Unexpected Encounter

I work a desk job at a factory. I want to help design new toys and clothing but I'm not allowed to. In my spare time though I do it without anyone noticing. I am a member of a band. We aren't famous yet but were getting there. I only ask for approval of my toys and clothing from my family. They give me good ideas but i wont ever be able to show others. Ah, Monday. Last day working till Friday. I cant wait to show my family all my ideas. As I'm leaving the building I look towards the sunset and watch the shades turn different colors. Thats when I hear it. A distant but monstrous roar. Up the mountain the trees sway as something big comes down the side. Where its going I don't know. Thats when it bursts out of the trees. I'm frozen, not in fear but curiosity. I feel like I've known it for years. I take a good look and realize its not an it so much as a he. He looks in every direction then sniffs the air. His head jerks down to look at me. Then he runs towards me with a howling mournful cry. He extends his arm and catches me around the middle. I get pulled in towards him and he goes straight into the woods behind the factory. As hes running the branches are like whips across my back. I turn my head to look where we're going and I get scratched across my face. A thick branch tears a deep line down my left shoulder. I scream as the blood swells out of the cut and runs down his back to splatter on the ground. He jerks to a halt and moves me carefully away from his shoulder to look at me. Thats when the darkness takes me, but not fast enough to see the sadness in his clear lake blue-green eyes. I wake-up to being baby carried and something touching my wounds. I have to shift myself because it hurts but i cant move. I look up and see his face. Its a pretty face. The chiseled jaw line with that baby softness, the long jagged locks touching sunkissed temples, and the freckled nose. I reach up with my good arm, and put my hand to his cheek and he jerked his head down, causing my wrist to shatter. I didnt even feel it cause I was looking at his face. It was like the handsomeness melted to reveal a disgusting ugliness. The jaw becomes distorted, he has no hair, and his nose is bulbous. I clear my throat. "Is there any deepish pools of water around here?" He gives me a look like I'm stupid. He walks forward and steps out of the cover of the trees. As the sun hits my face I am thoroughly blinded. I try to put my dominate hand up but pain lances through the deep cut on my arm and I bite back a scream. He continues walking forward not noticing my pain. I hear boards creaking underneath us. Then he falls, still holding me, into a body of water thats atleast five feet taller than me. When we reach the bottom he's on top of me, pinning me in place. I try to squirm out from under him but he's just rolling up and down, trying to drown me. I'm sooo gonna regret this. I take a deep breath of water. The water goes in and as soon as it leaves my nose to go to my lungs it turns to air. I think he feels me breathing because he gets off me and i bolt to the surface. After I break through the surface I swim to the side of the lake. As I crawl onto land i hear swimming behind. I watch him crawl up a few feet from me. I start coughing, it turns to hacking, then I throw up the dirt in my lungs left from the water. I collapse into the dry dirt I just vomited up, roll onto my back and take deep gasping breaths of air. "What did you do that for?" I ask softly. "I wanted to see what made you special...." Is the response. I stare at him incredulously. "What do you mean by you had to see what made me special?" He turns his head to the sky. "When I smelled you something was off. Your smell is unique. In all my years there has only been one other person who smelled like you and something bad happened to her because of me." He seems sad. I have to stand up to put my hand on his shoulder. I dont know how to comfort him so i just stand there awkwardly. "Whats your name?" He looks at me surprised. "My name is Nicholas. Atleast it was before i became this. Now everbody calls me 'The Monster'." He lowers his forehead onto his knees and starts to cry silently. I move towards his head and lift it from his knees. I kiss him on the lips then walk backwards into the water. "My name is Vi. Atleast thats what everyone calls me. My real name is Violeta. If you want to see it I can try to show you what makes me special." I submerge myself and let my breath escape me through my mouth. I watch the bubbles escape to the surface. Then I get sharp pains in my chest and double over. Thats when i realize. I love him. I really love him. I bend backwards and let her out. I see everything through the dragons eyes. He stands up and backs away from the water.