The Beast Within

October 14, 2023

The Beast Within

I have been terrible. When life happens, sometimes all you can do is go with the flow. The worst was that it kept me away from my personal writing, something I am so passionate about. But as I try to forgive myself and get back on track, I am also getting back to my regular writing.

That said, here is another creepy story (or so I hope). After all, the spooky season has just started.

Written on Daily Prompt right after the last Full Moon.

The Beast Within

I had never been a fan of the outdoors. I particularly hated the woods. Yes, you may tell me it's good to be with Nature and that it helps clear the mind. Some anti-mosquito spray will help me cope with the inconvenience of the bushes. However, dear reader, as you keep reading my story you will realise I had a powerful reason to hate the woods. Especially at certain times of the month. Nothing to do with my womanhood either. But let me not digress.

The way I chose to make a living wasn't just because I really enjoyed it or was exceptionally good at it. It was a way to get what I needed to survive: human flesh. Don't be grossed out, dear reader, just keep reading.

Becoming a nurse opened the path to getting my odd feed. Usually after surgeries and transplants, there are leftovers. I was always the one offering to dispose of pieces of guts, tissue, bones, you name it. As soon as I sensed no one around me, I'd devour them like the ravenous beast I am. I was successful at the beginning but then became too hungry for leftovers. I tried going to the morgue, but slashing and gutting corpses became too risky.

The worst day came when I was caught red-handed. By my supervisor, Alan. He had been suspicious of my gory activities and I could smell his horny hormones from a distance. That's one of the secret powers of those who suffer - or benefit, I'll leave you to choose - from my condition. I can be in the Russian tundra and smell the Tuaregs crossing the Sahara desert. I can even smell your fear and disgust right now, dear reader.

But back to my story and as to why I hated the woods and the outdoors in general.

As I said above, this hatred was even worse at certain times of the month. A certain time when I go so vicious and hungry for human flesh that I cannot control myself. I CANNOT control myself. It's very important for me that you, dear reader, understand that I can't help it at all. I usually lock myself in my flat in a silver cage at that time and so far I have never killed anyone. The neighbours eventually got suspicious of all the growls and grunts, but I got the perfect companion: Terry, the terrifying Doberman. He'd bite the shit out of you but was loyal to me like no one. Not only did people believe he was the culprit of all the mess going around in my flat, but they dared not come too close to me.

But now my department manager wanted to take us all on a team building. Camping... I shivered when he told my team. I didn't look at him, but I knew Alan was looking intently at me. After the incident when he caught me eating a piece of liver, only one thing would stop him from telling everybody what I was doing. I gave him what he wanted in exchange for not asking me questions and remaining silent. I hated it but there were others like me out there. I couldn't take chances and let us all be caught just because Alan couldn't hold the dude under his pants. I didn't even understand what kind of kinky interest he had in me. I had been racking my brain for long, trying to figure out how to get rid of him, but I couldn't. Not without shedding blood.

Blood... A few days after the team building announcement, I gave it a serious thought as I sipped on a mug of wolfsbane tea. I had never killed anyone. I survived by eating dead organs and other human remains. However, the more I thought about this camping, the stronger the idea grew in my mind. What if Alan was attacked by a bear? There were quite a few in the woods where we were going to camp, all I had to do was lure him and pretend it had been an accident. Poor bears, poor Terry, but I had to do all I could to protect my secret.

People don't really think about the phases of the moon so I was safe there. Alan had never seen me transforming either, he just thought I was some kind of weird raw flesh eater. So, if I was careful, it could work.

The full moon was on Saturday. I did my best to get Alan drunk before nightfall and lured him to the lake. Everybody was busy drinking and listening to loud music and that suited my intentions like a glove.

'How would it feel to bang me by this lake under the bright full moon?' I asked him as I forced my tongue through his mouth.

'Ohh, Belle...' he moaned as he grabbed my hips.

I kept kissing him and letting him touch me. My heart raced in my chest and my blood burned in my veins as the moon rose in the sky. It started with my teeth. I bit his lip a bit too hard.

'What the...?'

Alan opened his eyes and I rejoiced in his bewilderment when he realised the creature I was becoming. A big, hairy creature with sharp teeth and claws. I wasted no time to surround his throat with my powerful jaws. I bit and tore him. I was so mad at all he had made me go through. He gurgled as the blood oozed down his chest.

I don't remember what followed. After my transformation is complete, I never know what I do while in such a state. I just remember waking up the following morning by the lake, with nothing but rags covering my trashed body. I was exhausted and could barely open my eyes but somehow the water washing my legs had a soothing effect on me.

'Belle! Alan!' I heard someone call.

I couldn't respond. The sound of sirens reached my ears from far away. Later I was placed on a gurney and taken into an ambulance.

'What happened, Belle? Alan's been gored to death and you are in this state.'

'Bear...' I finally mumbled before the paramedics put an oxygen mask on my face.

I don't know if they believed. I just know I stayed in the hospital for a day as I don't take that long to heal.

As I write this story I swallow hard. Every time the phone rings or someone knocks on the door, I jump on my couch. The thought that the cops or the FBI can come to ask me questions and demand DNA samples petrifies me. Terry won't be of great help and soon they will know the bears are innocent.

What can I do, dear reader? I am not looking for your sympathy, but can you really blame me?

I shed some tears. If I am caught, my kind is at risk.

'Leave,' I tell myself.

And I head towards my bedroom to pack my suitcase. Will I make it?

_______

Enjoyed this story? Read my other werewolf stories:

A Dream in the Deep Forest

The Janitor's Secret

Don't Go into the Woods at Night

A Dangerous Condition

Wolfsbane

Midnight Shift at the Zoology Museum

Non-Werewolf Stories: