Hiraeth

Chapter 14: Marking

Usually the hallways are bright and filled with joy from my mother and sister.

They would indulge in their favorite hobby by making pastries in the kitchen.

Now the halls are void of  laughter and the floor feels harder than usual under my bare feet.

I hear a crashing upstairs and my feet slap against the marble floor as I rush to the stairs. My only light is the bright full moon painting the rooms with a grey light through the windows.

"Mom!"

Another crash and this time a scream.

I race up the stairs, slipping as I do. I curse my damn feet for giving way when I need them the most.

In my hand is a kitchen knife and I pray that I won't have to use it.

Dad is away on a business trip and the three of us are the only ones at home.

The hall seems to stretch as I race towards my sister's room where the sounds are coming from.

Another scream rings my ears as I slam my body into the door, trying to open it faster.

I hear a ripping and thrashing sound as if something animalistic is throwing something else around with it's mouth. As I swing the door open I hear a small scream that gurgles before being cut short.

The cold air rushes into me and adds to the shock running through my body at the sight before me.

The cold bites at my skin and trying to rip into me, leaving me like the carnage inside my little sister's room.

My feet squish with the red substance mixed with the once light pink carpet.

The only sound now is the blood in my ears and the panting of the animal before me.

A large brown wolf pants as it stares at me. By its eye color I can tell that it is a werewolf.

It's not the animal... no the monster before me that makes my body go cold.

It's what is in its mouth. My mother's head hangs lip and I can tell that it is hardly connected to anything anymore. Her neck is between the animal's teeth and I feel something leave my body as I take in even more of the scene.

My sister lays behind it, her eyes glazed over and her beautiful hair matted with blood. A crude scream is permanently carved into her innocent childlike face.

It feels as though someone has stabbed me in the chest with the sharpest dagger that is both cold and hot at the same time. A burning sensation that I can't be sure of. Is it the cold from the window or seeing the heat coming off their fresh blood? The tip of whatever blade it is pops my heart and sprays disgust and despair inside me.

The wolf let's its jaw hang limp as my mother's corpse hits the ground. I can tell by its eyes that it is smiling. It is enjoying this.

And now, it will leave me with the carnage it has made.

•••••••••••

I wake up with a start and instantly feel how my shirt is sticking to my back.

The nightmares went away for a while but recently they have been back.

"Fuck."

I catch my breath before rolling out of bed. It is not very late and after the party, I wanted nothing more than to go to bed.