Into The Orchard

XXIII

For a long moment I could not understand what was happening around me. I heard some voices, which now seemed to be just some deafening sound. It seemed to me that time immediately slowed down, and everything that was happening around me was in slow motion. I was blinded by the flashbulbs and my thoughts were drowned out by the screams of journalists. I stared at the table, literally not thinking about anything. Not even the smallest thing dared to cross my mind. Slowly I turned my head towards my rivals. I saw Wilhelm, whose face expressed shock and disbelief. The boy was confused, completely unaware of what was happening. Then I turned my empty blue eyes towards Andy. The boy proudly, like a lord and master, sat comfortably upright in his chair. I didn't know if it was a product of my imagination, but I could literally see the dancing, fiery flames in his pale red eyes. I saw the corners of his mouth lift in a surge of unbridled happiness. In a surge of pride, of doing the worst thing Andy could do. I slowly looked away from him and turned my eyes to the flashbulbs and the reporters. I saw Prince Malcolm's aide waving his hands very close to the journalists and saying something to them. Soon he turned towards us and started saying something. I didn't know what, though. A moment after that I felt someone tugging on my arm. It was Wilhelm, who was even shouting something to me, although I was unable to hear the words coming out of his maw. I think he wanted me to get up. So I did and let myself be pulled in whatever direction he was leading me. It turned out that Wilhelm wanted to lead me out of a place where crazed journalists were taking pictures of us and shouting at each other. I don't even know how, but we quickly got out of that place. Wilhelm, however, continued to hold me tightly, saying something to me and leading me in some direction he had chosen as our goal. It was then that I raised my eyes. I saw some blurry white figure walking in a rather dance-like manner in front of us. Andy.

Suddenly, I felt heat inside my body. I could hear the blood rushing in my ears. I felt as if my claws were beginning to elongate themselves from my fingers. I felt my previously harmless teeth, turn into sharp fangs that are used to bite through skin, muscle and arteries. I felt the fur all over my body begin to electrify. I still couldn't hear anything, though. I still didn't know why at the time, but Wilhelm must have been frightened of me because he momentarily let me go with shock on his face. In me, however, my primal instincts awoke, which knew no concept of diplomacy, decency, good behavior or elementary social rules. My back arched in something like a bow, my legs bent only to spring back into the air. I extended my sharp claws, bared my fangs, and lunged at the white wolf that stood only a few feet in front of me. My prey didn't even have time to turn properly towards me as I fell on him with the full weight of my body. The wolf immediately fell to the floor and I fell on top of him, jerking him around and tearing his clothes. I wanted to kill him, I craved his blood in my jaws. Not because I was a cannibal, but because nature had even endowed me with a survival instinct that at that moment awoke with full force. I wanted to look my opponent in the face. I turned him on his back with a force I didn't suspect myself of, clenched my hands into fists and began to beat rhythmically with them on his pale face. I beat him as if I were a pianist playing one of Chopin's faster pieces.

I felt someone grab my hand, which was about to deliver another blow to the fucking whore. Someone wrenched my hand back with incredible force, but surprisingly, I felt no pain. Someone much taller and much stronger was pulling me away from my prey. I was struggling as much as I could, but I could not free myself. I started to shout some words, which were drowned out by the pulsating blood in my ears. I saw Andy lying on the floor, getting up and leaning on his hands looking in my direction. His face expressed all shades of shock. I must admit that his face looked beautiful with the red marks from my fists. Some other figure ran to Andy and helped him to stand up, while someone started to forcibly lead me out of the building. Wilhelm ran by me and kept saying something, but I still didn't hear anything.