Nightly Beast

I

(Bexley)

The doors to every house were locked. Men slept with guns by their beds. Women hid a knife under their pillow. Children slept in their parent's room. Animals locked inside the farms and barns securely, knowing exactly what is to happen tonight.

All the townspeople knew what was going on tonight. They knew the rules: barricade the doors, lock them securely, close your windows, lock in your animals and put them somewhere safe, keep your children close, and if you hear his howl, don't open or look out your window. He knows when you're looking.

Rumour has it, his fur is as dark as coal, the darkness envies. His eyes glow red, as red as blood on a rose. His claws are sharp, sharper than your knives. His teeth are razors, able to chew through bone. He's quick and he's dangerous. A hunt for The Beast was attempted.

Attempted.

The whole town knew and followed the rules each year. They knew what would happen if The Beast took them. It happened every year. They knew if they heard someone's screams, to not interfere. Everyone was sleeping with one eye open, prepared to fight back just in case. Some were brave enough to try to hunt the monster down, rewards offered by Kings and the nobility for the skin and blood of the most feared creature that terrorized the town.

Knights returned in pieces, their insides missing and eyes hollow, unspoken terror in their pale faces. If only the dead could speak. However, they would not want to know the true terrorizing details of every scream and clawed body.

A cold chill ran through the air as the trees danced to a dark tune sung by the harsh winds of the night. The men were stiff, some lay awake with their knives ready and guns full of silver bullets. Women kept their young close, doors to their rooms open for easy access or just tucked in their beds with them. Children shivered as they knew the haunting tale of The Beast, taught the moment they took their first breath to not interfere. Regardless, others lay asleep, stiff and ready, but asleep.

The town knew The Beast tended to favor young women, always near the ripe age of eighteen. The men knew to protect their females regardless of what was to happen. Other women, on the other hand, preferred to keep their own safety in their own hands. But that's preference. Men have been ripped apart and women have been taken and never to be seen again. The townspeople knew when The Beast took his claim every year because of one specific signal. His spine-tingling howl that echoed through the soulless and silent town.

Myths say that The Beast is a cursed man, others say that it was born that way. Then, those who are extremely superstitious, claim it was a punishment from the gods to those who have done them wrong.

The people waited for that specific night every year, preparing and grabbing all the weapons they can. Undeniably so, they still never felt safe. Regardless, they did their best to be calm and women kept their young close enough to them to keep an eye, but far away enough to keep them away from the monster if they were to be chosen. For that reason, most children were asleep with the addition of some young women in the town (who truly trust the men in their homes to keep them safe).

Except one person was pretty awake, faking her slumber. Her parents worried every year because they knew exactly how their daughter could be. She had her father's stubbornness and her mother's curiosity.