Futurism logo

Hunted

A Short Story

By Janae LeePublished 6 years ago 9 min read
Like
Photo drawn by my sister Jackie Hebb.

I never understood the concept of most things. High school dances, drama, the sounds of rain, dating, baby fever, and more. It's not like I'm a thousand years old, not yet, I'm technically 19. Which the city of Seattle considers old enough to be an adult.

I sit in class listen to the professor drone on about Macbeth, so I set my pen to paper to create anything better than that monotone voice. My music, soundtracks only playing through my headphones, is soft and slow. Reminds me of him. His short brown hair dancing with the wind as we watch the stars. No that's not right, he watches the stars and I watch him. We lay in the bed of my truck, brisk winter air grabs at our skin with its skeleton hands, he was beautiful.

"Hazel?"

My attention snaps back to the class. Sam, who is his best friend looks deep into my green eyes.

"What, Sam?" I bark back, allowing hate to drip off my tongue. His big blue-grey puppy dog eyes look up at me through his lashes, acting as if I hit him.

"I'm sorry Sammy, I just wasn't paying attention and you scared me. What's up?"

He keeps looking at me, but it feels like he is looking more through me, searching for something deep inside.

"I'm just checking on you Kitty, you know I care."

He sits next to me and hands me a coffee, I nod in appreciation. Sam is tall, even while sitting down he towers over me, his blondish curls brush over the tips of his ears. He has a nice smile, it's always genuine, even though he choses to smile crooked.

"You know I hate that nickname, right?" I mumble into my cup, then take a sip. It was sweet, just how I liked it.

"Thanks." I say holding up the cup. He lazily drinks his while still looking at me. I shift uncomfortably until he clears his throat.

"I'm sorry, I know that... I know that Quin-"

"Don't," I interrupt, glaring at him in warning. "Don't say his name. I cant hear it yet without... Just don't say it." I threatened.

The teacher's voice stopped, as well as the chatter of the class. I look around noticing everyone is looking at me. I gathered my bags to leave when the robotic voice of my professor rang out.

"Where do you think you are going, you have no clue about Macbeth, or the writings of Shakespeare. Sit down." A slight anger in his tone.

But it was too late, before I could shut my mouth and control my anger, I lost it.

"Who the hell do you think you are? I know more than you about Shakespeare. You think you are high and mighty because you are a college professor. You aren't. Nobody would care if you went missing and died, would they. So you sit down, and rethink who you are talking to. You aren't special. I know Macbeth cover to cover, and I happen to be a month ahead of my courses. Fucking-" I keel over in pain.

I shoved open the door and ran to the bathroom. I threw my bag onto the counter and look in the mirror. Deep in my eyes flecks of gold in my sea foam green eyes become replaced with bright red. My long curled strawberry blonde hair starts showing streaks of black, and as my hand grow longer, my nails stretch into claws.

"Not now." I groan, closing my eyes, I take a deep breath. I hear the bathroom door open, so I run into a stall. A low growl sits in the back of my throat.

* * *

I wake up in my bed, dried blood under my nails and the taste of it in my mouth. I grumble rolling out of bed, glancing at my alarm clock. It blinked 9 A.M. back at me. I look down at my clothes, which were dirty and full of holes, panicking I try to find my phone, I run to the bathroom door. My heart drops as I hear the shower running.

"What the hell?" I mumble under my breath, I slowly pushed open the door, positioning myself for attack. Water was dripping on the floor, but the curtain was still drawn. Steam covered the mirror and made it hard to see. I reached my hand up to grab the curtain when the familiar squeak of the shower turning off froze me to the spot. The thump-thump-thump- of my racing heart is deafening. I quickly controlled by fear, my claws slip softly over my nails, ready for blood. The curtain rustle then shoots open, with a scream. My best friend Elizabeth yanks the curtain over her naked body. I shove my hands behind my back to hide my claws.

"What the fuck are you doing?" We scream at each other, my claws retreat along with the fear of a threat.

"What the hell am I doing?! You asked me to spend the night! Said you didn't want to be alone so I came over! Don't you remember? You even yelled at me because I was with Qui-," she took a deep breath and continued "I was with your ex." My body was stuck with horror numbing all my bones and freezing all my skin.

"What did he do? Why were you with him?"

Rage bubbles inside me, her eyes grow soft with concern.

"Hazel, I don't want you to get mad. I don't like him, he came onto me. He kissed me, I don't know how to feel. I'm sorry." She starts to reach out and the anger turns to rage.

"Don't." I snap my gaze to hers. She pulls her hand back to her chest as if I slapped it away snarling.

"Don't you fucking touch me!" I scream, my claws jump back out and cut into my palm. My eyes shift in and out of focus.

"Honey, look I know you love him, and even if you act okay I know you aren't. I don't know what happened between you two, but I won't do anything with him. I know Quintin hurt you," she paused, realizing her fatal error.

"Shit," she murmurs under her breath, yet it's too late. I stumble backwards and see my reflection. My roots are turning black. My eyes jumping between red and green. My bones shifted and elongated, my fingers grew longer while my claws stretched along with them. My spine breaks and reforms, I let out an agonizing scream, I hear another echoing with mine. As blood drips from my hands and my body begins to heal itself, I slowly turn to face her, she is shaking, but still in the tub. She is petrified of me, and I haven't even fully transformed. Yet she isn't who it wants to eat. I stumble into my bedroom, letting the monster fully free. I stay sharply focused, for a hunt needs to be focused. He will pay, through blood.

My muscles shift over bone as my jaw shoves forward. My teeth falling out, my skin ripping to reveal fur. I growl, looking over at Elizabeth.

"Y-y-you're a monster," she stutters out. I bite the air near her. Forcing her to run. I jump out of my window, landing perfectly on all fours.

I howl, tonight I will feast on his flesh.

* * *

"No, dude she was cheating on me, she is such a fucking cunt. Like she is a real psycho," Quintin says to his friend while they walk along the sidewalk to his car, both painfully unaware I'm silently stalking them.

"Dude, she isn't that bad, aren't you dating her best friend?" His friend Tevan stands up for me, he will be spared.

"Yeah, I love it, I don't really care about Elizabeth, but I know that it is totally fucking with Hazel, and she deserves it, for running out on me. I just wanted to show her who I was, and have her be with me forever, but she ran away," he said, sounding more and more rehearsed.

I lowly growl, the lying ass, trying to make me seem like I'm the bad guy. He was the Hunter who fell in love with me. Of course he couldn't tell his friends he was a hunter, and he is about to find out why I ran away.

"Did you hear that?" Quintin turns to face where I'm hiding. His friend unaware, but he is absolutely tuned into my growl.

"Sounds like a dog, there are a lot of strays around here," Tevan says trying to get Quintin to move. "Bro, come on it's a dog, and I'm cold. Lets go."

Quintin nodded in agreement, and began to turn to go.

"Oh shit," he patted his pockets, "Tevan, here go wait in my car, I forgot my wallet in the theater." Tevan grabs the keys and waves his hand as he turns around.

"Whatever, dude." He sighed and leaves.

I growl again, slowly walking out from the bush to face Quintin. I force my voice into his mind.

'Crazy huh? You think telling everyone I cheated makes you feel better? You are a cold blooded killer. You killed my brother, and I'm crazy?'

Shock throws his eyes wide open.

"Hazel?! You are a god damned mutt?" He spits in my direction, his bracelet forms a metal glove over his bare skin. I can smell the electricity from where I was. I howl, ready to attack.

I sprint at him, aiming low, he stands, ready for impact. I run in between his legs, cutting his ankle with my claw. He screams in pain. I turn to go back, hungry for me. Thirsting for his blood.

"Quintin? Get in!" Tevan drives next to him, as he pulled himself into the passenger seat, his gauntlet shifted back into a bracelet. He looks at me and mouths "this isn't over."

He got away. I sit in disbelief until I heard a nearby rustle. I stand again, in defense. I let out a warning growl. A snout leans out of the bushes, confused I give a small howl. A giant Lycian, a male as he doubles in size from me, jumps from the bushes. I get low to the earth, showing I mean no threat. A voice is forced into my mind.

"Kitty, it's me."

fantasy
Like

About the Creator

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.