(MMR Vol. 10 Spring 2023 - Cowley Student)
In the black of the night, the moon as the only light, there sat a girl on the edge of a mountain. Her skin was as pale as the moon, her eyes sparkling like stars in its bright light. Her hair as dark as the sky itself, flowing in the wind gracefully. She smelled as sweet as a cake, and her skin was softer than silk.
Her voice seemed to have an echo as she sang a small tune. It was sweet and sorrowful, the bittersweet sound echoing through the trees of the forest. The birds awoke from their slumber to visit the origin of this siren song. Little did she know, the bittersweet melody awoke something else; something vicious in the dark.
She sang her song and fiddled her fingers, trying to pass the time. Her hair blew back and forth in the wind as the birds huddled around her, being lulled to sleep by the beauty of her voice. A rustle came from the woods and startled the girl. She jumped and turned, her dress fluttering in the wind as she stood at the edge of the cliff. The birds were startled at this sudden movement and flew away, back to their nests.
"Come out you jerk! You just cost me my meal!" she said as she stood up angrily.
Out from behind the brush came a man. His tall, slender figure shocked the girl and her eyes went wide. "I apologize for the nuisance, ma'am, but I couldn't help notice your singing. It's beautiful," he said in a calming voice.
"Oh, uh, don't worry about it. I can get another one."
"I have some food at my home if you would like."
"Oh, yes! I'm starved!" she replied with an innocent smile.
"Follow me," the man said as he led her back to his small cabin. She followed closely behind, looking at him with lust in her eyes. The kind man showed her into his home, unsuspecting of the beast he welcomed.
He stood in the kitchen and told the girl to go wash up. She went to the bathroom as ordered and looked in the mirror as she started to change.
The man stayed in the kitchen, cooking a meal, when he heard a low growl, soon to be near. He looked at the hallway with fear in his eyes. His heart started pounding when he saw the huge beast. It looked like a wolf, but bigger in size. The eyes of bloodlust glistened in the light.
The creature stood from the shadows and approached the kind man.
"It's been a while since I've had human," it walked up and said.
The man reached for a knife, or something to distract the creature to make his escape. The beast grabbed his hands and pulled him close, sniffing his hair.
"You'll be delicious. I wonder what I should eat first."
The beast started licking his fingers and hands, a sweet taste on each. Everything had gone to plan. Before the man knew it, he had lost both of his hands. From the nubs, dripped blood. He went to scream at the pain, but no sound came out. The beast had already moved to his neck, dismembering him one limb at a time. As his vision went black, he saw the beast tearing into his flesh, feasting on his corpse.
When the beast had finally let the man go, he fell to the ground with a loud thud. The beast looked at the food, cooked on the stove. There was steak on the pan, still on the bone. The beast reached for the stove, its hands changing once more. Then there stood, a dead man and a girl.
