The Angel's Humanhood

2. Thunder in the Belly

Sitting defeated under a silent sky that was now starting to turn pink, he heard thunder that didn't come from the sky. He looked around, but no one and nothing was around.
Few minutes passed, another growl echoed in the quiet sunset. This time his hand went to the source of the storm, his stomach. He rubbed it trying to find some comfort without any improvement.
"Hunger" a voice whispered to him followed by a hissing laughter.
Wahag jolted to his feet, "who's there?"
The hissing laughter grew louder and a short man, or what seemed like a short man, appeared in the distance.
Wahag blinked and the figure was already at his foot gripping him from the collar.
It was the top part of a human awkwardly stacked on the back half of a goat. He was grinning madly.
"Inflated ego and self loathing," the short goatman looked deeply in Wahag's eyes before releasing him with a disgusted push, "just about anyone ascends these days."
"A shape-shifter," Wahag said to himself in a whisper.
The grin on the goatman's face disappeared and was replaced by a dangerous frown. Wahag knew then that his whisper wasn't quiet enough. Shape-shifter was a probably the worst name to call a nephilim.
"I was asked a favor by someone you know. But you seem like the type that deserves the agony of the errancy," the goatman said with a poisonous look.
"I don't know anyone that would be on good terms with the likes of you," Wahag straightened.
The goatman laughed at that with chuckle that made the insides of Wahag turn.
I am scared. A voice in Wahag's mind said. He looked around, but no one else was there.
"Stop your mind tricks! I would never be scared of your kind!"
"My kind? Rich, coming from a jin."
"How did you know that?"
The goatman went into a frenzy of laughter.
"It will be such a delight when you come to me on your knees," the goatman's voice was suddenly coming from behind him.
He quickly turned, but it was too late, he took a blow to the back of the knees that toppled him to the ground.
The goatman was suddenly standing over his back with a hoof holding his head firmly to the ground.
"You don't deserve any kindness, but the one who asked me for this favor does. So, listen well, my name is Sal. To prove that you deserve my help, you will have to find me and plead."
Wahag tried to grab the hoof, but before he could close his grip, the goatman wasn't there anymore. Wahag jumped to his feet and ran as best as he could on wobbly legs. He didn't know how heavy legs were.
He couldn't see a trace of the goatman at first. The sun was low in the sky and everything was covered in shadows. But then he heard humming.
His legs were not as heavy anymore and he found himself racing the wind between trees and leaping on the source of the humming.
He wrapped his arm around its neck quickly and held it in a deadlock. He heard soft groans which didn't make sense to come from the goatman.
"Enough with your tricks!" Wahag said through his teeth.
It's a woman. The voice in his head said.
Confused at the voice and the possibility of a nephilim switching between forms that quickly, his grip loosen and he felt blow to his chest.
Time stopped and he was on the ground coughing. The little figure was kicking him ruthlessly with boots.
IT'S A HUMAN WOMAN, YOU IDIOT! A voice screamed in his head.
"Stop! Stop! I thought you were someone else!" Wahag yelled from under the beating.
"You psychopathic pervert!" The woman said between kicks. "People like you should die!" She added throwing rocks at him into the kneading.
"I agree!" Wahag managed to fit between two blows.
"What?" The woman seized the rain of pain and her face turned from rage to confused.
"I said, I agree. I deserve it."
"Whatever." She picked another rock and threatened to throw it. Wahag flinched, but she just dropped it to the ground, "You better not follow me."
Wahag laid on the ground, "I won't." When the missile storm of a woman turned to walk away, relief washed over him which cued his stomach to release another roar. The pain of hunger this time was worse than all the beating he got and it made him curl over his stomach.
The only thing that distracted him from the pain was a blow to the head causes by another missile from the woman.
"I said I won't follow you!" Wahag grunted.
The woman went to the other side and retrieved her weapon. This time it was an apple.
"Eat!" the small angry woman commanded.
"You said I deserved to die," Wahag questioned.
"No one deserves to die hungry, even the worst of criminals." The woman ravaged through her bag again and pulled out some candy in wrappers which she placed next to Wahag who was too stunned to do anything.
"Still, don't even think of following me! I won't go easy on you again." She used a rock to deliver her last words. Wahag didn't flinch this time. She turned and sprinted away while glancing back few times to confirm that he wasn't following.
That was weird. The voice in his head said.
"I agree," he said to the voice.