Façade (DISCONTINUED. Revised and redone as a webcomic)

Chapter 3: Old Faces Among the New

------------------------------
Day 001 6:50pm
-----------------------
I had just left my house to meet Memory as he got off work, and the sun had already begun to set. I mean, it was autumn, so it was supposed to get dark a bit sooner.

I unzipped my grey and blue striped hoodie with a sharp exhale.

The air smelled like rain, and there was a feeling of tension in the atmosphere.

I picked up my pace.

-----------------
Day 001 6:55pm
-----------------
"Take these to that garbage bin I showed you, then come back here and I'll help you punch in your hours for today!"

Aspen explained as she handed me two overstuffed garbage bags.

I nodded, spinning around to move briskly down the halls. On my right were the windows providing a view into the swimming pool, on my left were the racquetball courts. I smiled at the people I saw on my way towards the back doors.

My hands were full, so I turned around and leaned my back against the bar that opened the heavy metal doors. The door swung open easily, so I exited the building and stepped out into the small service route. It was surrounded by a thick group of cottonwood trees that loomed over the rusted, green dumpster.

At first glance, it seemed perfectly safe, so I made my way out into the open.

I had almost reached the bin when a coarse voice said,

"Ain't you a little young to be fucking around with humans, kid?"

I stiffened and spun around to see a mottled greyish-brown wolf with a dun stripe down its back standing at the edge of the trees. Its brown eyes were fixated on mine and fresh blood stained its muzzle and neck. A long, jagged scar ran diagonally across its face from its right jawline to where I presumed its left eyebrow was.

I dropped the bags of trash and stumbled backwards a few steps.

"Y-you're like me."

I stammered as my cheery attitude gave way to fear and panic.

A breeze picked up and I caught wind of his prey's smell. My stomach lurched at the smell of gore, blood, and ruptured organs. Just beyond the wolf lay a mangled, eviscerated human body. I could actually feel the colour drain from my face.

I swallowed and tried backing away faster, but I tripped and fell backwards into a seated position.

The wolf shifted effortlessly into a man in his mid-forties, his stubbly face still marked by that same scar.

"You ate a..."

I gasped. My breaths grew erratic.

The man ran a hand through his silver-streaked hair, his brow furrowed. He took a step towards me and I scooted backwards.

"Yeah, I ate him. Times are rough and they see us as prey, so we put them in their place. Why don't you let go of your little illusion of humanity, wolf boy? No matter how long you stay in that form, nothin' changes the fact that you ain't a human. Who'd want to be one of them, anyways? All they do is kill and take from us!"