The Burn

part 1

Hi this is my first published works. Please leave me feedback, it will help me. I hope you enjoy

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Last month was crazy, camping with my friends for 3 days. I drank way too much. I awoke several times in the woods. My friends thought it would be funny to strip me, I woke up naked and far away from the campsite. I wonder how they are, haven't seen them since. It's odd really, the tents and equipment were still there, I thought they had left in a hurry so I brought it all with me. I've been worked hard since so I haven't had time to contact them. Being the end of the month I might catch up with them at the old castle overlooking the docks.

So a new day, off to work again. A 2 mile cycle then a half hour train journey followed by another 4 mile ride to the local wildlife park. I've been training as a keeper for a year now. Only been bitten 4 times, nothing too serious apart from a slight infection and fever from the wolves. All is well and my medication is over with now, its been 2 months since I was able to go in the enclosure so today I was going in with a keeper.

On approach to the pen I felt the rush of fear suddenly turn to compassion again as the wolves stated pacing the fence line. Carefully I went in, to my surprise the alpha male moved towards me slowly. This was the buggar that bit me, its behavior was odd. Toying around like a dog waiting to play fetch. I was told to stay and spend time here studying the behaviour of them. So I watched, hours past and the wolves were all over me playing like pups.

After work and the journey back home, just sat and relaxed most of the evening. I had the TV on and was happily catching up on some programs. At approximately 10pm there was a knock at the door, as it opened I saw 2 police officers stood there in my doorway. They explained that they had found my camping companions, they'd been found by the old castle, torn apart. They said that they had been dead about a month. I went to the station with them to answer a few questions. They held me for 6 hours and I was getting very frustrated. It felt like I was getting the blame for it. As I got more uncomfortable I began to pace along the wall looking for a way out.

Finally an officer released me, there was no evidence of what happened. When I left the station sweat was pouring from me, not another fever. I noticed the posters of missing people all dating a month ago. Missing people from my own town. What was happening here? My friends posters were not there. I took a cab home and curled up under a duvet trying to sweat my fever out. I woke up at 7.30 feeling strong and ready for work. After breakfast I left for the wildlife park. The keeper had asked me to cover the wolf pen again. About an hour passed before my exhausting journey to work. For some reason I felt like running instead of cycling. When I got there it was about the same time as if I had cycled. As I approached the main gate I caught a very strong sent of something good.

I reported to my office and looked at my new router. I had to feed the wolves first, leaving the office I caught a sent as before. I tracked it to the feed house, there I encountered a workers hacking carcasses of deer and cows apart, the smell of blood filled the air. This is what smelt so good? It wasn't sickening but disturbingly appetizing. Reluctantly I left carrying a bucket full of dismembered meet and bone. Looking at it made me drawl, I was still hungry from breakfast and then the long run, I had worked up an appetite, I think.

When I opened the pen I couldn't see the wolves. Their enclosure was large with a small woodland at the far side. As I got to the woods I could smell them but almost like fear coming from them. I watched whilst tipping the meat out but couldn't see the wolves.The entire day went past but there was still no sign of them. I told the keeper and it was arranged that I did overtime.

"They are acting very odd", the keeper said, "Other animals were very restless. We think it's to do with the full moon tonight. We experienced this for the last two full moons. Maybe they'll settle." The staff left and I spent the evening recording the activity of all the animals. Another odd smell filled the air. I left the office to investigate and came across the security guard doing the rounds. We chatted and walked for a while. Then I checked the animals out. They all seemed to be hiding away, none were visible at all. This was very odd behaviour, even the nocturnal animals were hiding.

I awoke the next morning on the office floor surrounded by police and the head keeper. Armed officers were pointing guns at me. What the fuck. My head was pounding. I moaned and went to get up. As I did I slipped on something warm. BLOOD. Looking around I caught a glimpse of something. I think it was the security guard. He was torn to shreds, stomach sprawled over the floor. His body slumped across a chair. The throat was missing. I slowly got up feeling scared and confused. Then someone threw a blanket to me. Wait I'm naked again where are my clothes? As I moved towards the keeper I felt a sharp pain in my back and then a horrible shock through me. Then darkness.

I woke in a small white room, strapped down to a bed. 3 doctors were looking at me and taking notes. One approached with a cotton swab. She ran it down the inside of my mouth while others scrapped under my nails with small blades. I don't know how long I'd been here. I was getting feverish again. A burn, a fire, my vision was changing. Now I could see clearer, the heat of blood pulsated through the skin of the doctors. The burn oozed around my body, the fever was strong. Suddenly my arm was free, the straps were broken and I stood tall.