Through the Eyes of Blue

XI

'AHHHHHH!'

With a violent shove, I was forced through the veil between the realm of Morpheus and the land of the living.

Gulping down a fresh breath of air, my pale blue eyes swivelled around, taking in my surroundings. A desk facing the window; hide rugs spread on the floor; comforters concealing my lower half; soft fabrics of a bedsheet caressing my naked skin...

I am fine. I'm not at the farm slaughtering bandits. I'm home, on my bed. This is just a bad dream. Deep breaths, deep breaths. I'm fine. I'm good. I'm good? I'm good.

Calming my racing heart, I wiped the sweat from my forehead. Flipping the comforter off my body, I stretched in habit before sliding off the bed. Turning back around to glance at my bed, I wrinkled my nose the sweat-soaked sheets. I swear, I sweat more now than before the virus. Odd.

Padding out to the living room, now somewhat dressed, I grabbed my shower bag before leaving for a good cold soak.

It was still rather early, even by my insomniac standards. It was one am, still three hours to my shift. I usually woke up at three, four hours of sleep being the longest time my body would allow me to enjoy my dreams (or not). That beast living at the back of my mind growled at me slightly, reminding me of the many fleshy preys surrounding me. It was drooling at the thought of ripping, tearing and then devouring the sweet meat, freshly killed and slurping on the tangy wine of the body. All right, that's it, I'm going hunting first.

Cutting a hundred–and–eighty–degree u-turn, I marched back to my house, yank open the door, threw the shower bag back inside, grabbed one of the daggers near the door, and headed towards the nearest gate.

Stalking out the gate, I headed west. Not out of any considerations, but just because I feel like it. Right, let's hunt down breakfast for lil mind beastie, shall we?

It growled at me, not amused by my language.

Odd, you would've thought it would be used to me calling it that. Apparently not.

I slipped past the woods surrounding the outpost, till I reached the more populous areas of the forest.

What to choose... Ah, this would do. It was quite a while since I had feasted on the flesh of a mountain lion. Well, this's my chance.

Said mountain lion was some 400 metres upwind, around the direction of a pond. Whistling in my head, I silently approached the pond. This one was drinking from the pool, totally oblivious of my approach. It was not until I was practically on top of him before he picks his head up from the pond and sniffs. He only had time to turn his head around before I was on him, striking on his neck, stunning him and sending him to the ground. A swift twist of my arms had the very same neck snapped.

This is pathetic.

Honestly, I had expected at least somewhat a fight, not this easy butchery. Ah well, what is done is done. Pulling out the dagger strapped to my thigh, I set to work peeling the skin off.

A while later I was done. The hide laid spread next to me, and I had to fend off other predators multiple times. Annoying cunts, always getting into my business.

Mealtime!

I started cutting strips of flesh off the body and feeding them to my beast. It rumbled in want to tear the still-warm flesh with my own teeth, but I have a knife, I'm not going to do something so... undignified.

It whined, bumping into me. Is it... pouting? Oh, this is just adorable. For once, I wish she had a mortal shell so I could pinch her cheeks.

More displeased whining and growling.