Rose's Thorns: A Tale of Fate

Chapter Six

I woke up in an area behind the forest. I haven't seen it before, which is odd, because I usually take walks in the woods. There was a cliff with a huge drop beneath it, leading to an ocean.
Everything was highlighted with moonlight. I would be a lier if I said that the scenery wasn't beautiful, but I was still full of rage.
''ROSE?!'' I screamed, and the sound of crow squawks and flapping wings responded, rising out of the forest. ''DON'T TRY TO HIDE FROM ME, YOU MURDEROUS BITCH!''
"I'm right here, dip shit."
I followed her voice to the edge of the cliff. I ran over and drop kicked her off.
Relief and joy fled through my veins for a full five seconds until I saw a bat fly up into the sky, then onto my face, and finally take the form of Rose once more.
Damn it.
"That wasn't such a smart idea."
She looked at me, her voice not as confident as before. "Oh, and why not? Are you gonna kill me? At least I don't have to live being hated and alone anymore."
She glared back, looking a mixture between pissed off and sad. "No, because it wasn't the correct way! If I did die, then you wouldn't get the chance to be normal again!!"
   Rose looked away, tears rolling down her face. I was confused. "Normal? Again? What the hell are you-"
   It then occurred to me why my neck felt like it was being stabbed when I blacked out; I reached where it hurt most.
   Blood. Thick, red goop running down my fingers.
   I felt the wound: two large holes in the side of my neck.
   "Why are you doing this to me? You took Adeline away, and this is your apology?"
   Rose fell on her knees, and said quietly, "I don't know what I was thinking. I-"
   I kicked her in the back of the head, and the rest of her dropped to the ground. She jumped back up and punched me into a tree. Then, she gave me the oddest look; it was confusion crossed with terror, and a hint of "what the literal fuck". I was curious, so I checked myself out:
I looked down at my hands. I had claws, but they were sharper than Rose's. And I looked... Hairier?
My senses were a lot better too. Abnormally better. I bit my lip, and it started bleeding. Plus, it hurt five times more than it usually does. When I looked down, I saw some sort of animal's tail. I hit it with a stick, then felt intense pain.
The tail... was mine?!
"Did you turn me into a fucking mutant furry?!"
Rose ignored the question. "What the- Were you a werewolf this whole time?!"
"...So I wasn't supposed to become a furry?"
"NO!! And you're not a goddamn furry!"
"Well I look like one."
She sighed. "And no, I wasn't a werewolf... I think."
"Were you ever bitten by anything that looked, I don't know, weird?"
"Yeah, you."
"Other than me, retard."
I thought back to the time I went to the hospital in fifth grade. I was bitten by our next door neighbour's dog, Hammy. He was the weirdest dog I think I've ever seen; white and black with one blue eye and one red eye that was very similar to Rose's. The thing bit me in the fucking calf and gave me an infection.
"Remember the fifth grade incident?"
Her eyes widened. "Right, Hammy! He was probably a hell hound! His saliva mixed with your blood when he bit you."
She then had a bit of an epiphany. "Huh, no wonder you tasted like dog."
I ignored her realisation. "So, why did you bring me here, for the good lighting? And what if I don't wanna stay a vampire- helldog- furry thing?"
"A Werepire?"
"Yeah, whatever."
Rose got quiet. She broke off a sharp branch from an old oak tree and gave it to me. "Come."
She laid down at the edge of the cliff, took her jacket off, and pointed to her heart. "Stab me."
"What?!"
"STAB ME!"
She started crying. "Please, Victor. If you want your life back, wish to avenge your sister-" Rose closed her eyes.
"- If you wish avenge humanity from yet another parasite, feeding off of the innocent for their own pleasure, then stab me."
Okay, so yeah, I was starving for vengeance, and yes, I didn't want to be a monster. However, the more and more I thought about it, I already was. Rose was the only friend I've ever had. There was no chance of getting another one, everybody already labelled me as the insecure jackass that beats people up. As for Adeline, she's dead. Nothing is going to change that. Plus, she loved Rose. Though every part of me wanted to kill her, I just couldn't.
I threw the branch behind me. While her eyes were still closed, I kissed her. I felt the heat rise from her cheeks as I picked her up into an embrace. "Adeline is gone. You're the only one I have left."
We stayed in that position for along time, crying.

-Victor