10 Minute Tales, Part 2

Aug 14 - Wolfkin

I had been bitten about a month ago. I had survived by some miracle, but now God will abandon me. I am a werewolf. The full moon rises tonight, but I still have time. I must do all I can to secure the beast.

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My first step is finding somewhere far from civilisation. I found a woodcutter's hut some miles away from the village I lived in, but it was occupied. It was the closest I had, so I knocked on the door. The old man opened it up; I felt a twang of guilt that I was forcing him from his home, but it was better than the alternative.

"Sir?" I asked hesitantly. "I must ask a favour of you."

"A favour?" he groaned quietly. "I do not have much I could offer a traveller."

"I am afraid the matter is more serious than a humble traveller..." I confessed quietly, looking in the house. I could already see rope, a chain, a cooking pot... if I could figure this out, it would be fine. "I must borrow your house for the night."

"My house?" he frowned. "You're just a crook, aren't you? A blackheart!"

"Nothing of the sort, sir, I'm just trying to prevent unnecessary pain."

"Pain?" he asked. "What's your deal?"

"... I am going to become something most unpleasant tonight. Something harmful to all who surround me."

"Tonight? ... ye gods, you're a werewolf." He had figured it out quickly enough. "I suppose you intend to seal yourself in my house, for all the good it'll do."

"The sealing in and of itself will not be enough, I know this. I intend to weaken my form as much as I can; hopefully the distance between your home and the village will then be enough to save you."

"... what can I do to help, aside from granting you the house?"

"Do not help, just flee as best you can." I frowned, stepping aside. "It shall only be for the night."

"Very well." he nodded, quickly leaving. "God be with you." I watched him flee down the path, into the forest he had lived in for decades. It was deplorable, what I had done... but more so, what I had become. I entered the house and closed the door, looking around. How to keep myself here...

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I chained the door. I broke his table and used the boards to nail both door and window. After looking in his larder, I acquired some herbs and started cooking a sleeping potion. I would not take this myself, but let the beast consume it. I moved a shelf to block the doorway. Once the sleeping potion had been brewed, I soaked some meat in it until it was mostly gone. This meat was placed onto a table, in the hope that the beast would try to sate his hunger. I tied myself down with the last of the chain and some rope. All I could do now was pray that this effort was enough. Part of me dreaded what would happen if it wasn't. I swallowed nervously, but closed my eyes and watched the seconds pass.