The Thorn and the Rose

Chapter 1: A Chance Encounter

Okay, so, I'm a strange girl with a mostly normal life. But today, everything changed, I found that maybe I'm not as alone as I thought!

I’m on my way home from work, I don’t live all that far away so it’s not worth wasting money on a cab when the weather isn’t awful. It’s early spring and it’s still dark coming home but the weather is nice today, you can almost feel the warmth of spring beginning. The sky is mostly clear with the odd large, lazy cloud drifting through the sky. I know the route home well enough and look up at the sky as I walk, marvelling at the few visible stars and pay little attention to anything else around me. Suddenly I walk into a solid wall, rebound and end up with my butt on the floor. ‘That was not there before.’

I look up to see a man standing in front of me, staring down. “Oh, hi, sorry, I didn’t see you. Guess I was in my own little world,” I apologise quickly and wave at him weakly, feeling rather embarrassed. He’s a tall guy, and looks like he works out a lot, judging by his muscles. He has a rather square shaped face and his hair looks dark brown in the dim light. I can’t make out any other details except the fact he’s just standing there, staring at me.

His jaw muscles clench as I watch him for a moment and I notice his hands curled into fists. I backpedal a little way and slowly stand, holding up my hands. “Hey, I don’t want any trouble, just trying to get home.” I smile at him nervously, though I'm not particularly worried like a lot of girls probably would be. I don’t only look different, I’m also stronger than average, and though he’s got big muscles I could at least match him in a fight. But that was a last resort, and, though irritated that this guy was just standing there saying nothing, I decide it’s just best if I go a different way.

I begin to turn away with a bit of a shrug, intending to find a different route when I hear a growl from his direction. It’s not a normal sound, not a groan or an irritated grumble, but a full growl like from an animal. As I turn back to look at him, wondering what his problem is, I watch in fascination and horror as a large cloud is finally blown past the bright eye of the full moon and the scene before me is bathed in pale silvery light. As this happens, the man raises his head to the sky and howls as his body begins to change. He seems to be ripped apart as a new form bursts out, a monster with the form of a man but the look of a wolf, just like a werewolf out of the movies, only this was real. My body was yelling at me to run, adrenaline pumping through my veins triggering a fight or flight feeling, but my mind was just too stunned to follow, one thought ringing out above all the others. ‘I’m not the only freak. I’m not the only freak…’

I was snapped out of my trance-like state as the monster roared in my face and a claw came almost out of nowhere to s***h at me. My reflexes were fast however, and what would have been a nasty, if not fatal blow, glanced off my side. I scream with pain as I feel the claws rake across my skin, shredding my clothes as if they were nothing. 

Realising the danger I was in, I begin to duck, weave, and dodge back away from him. Once there is enough distance I turn and leg it, diving headlong into the alleyways around me. He’s big so I think I can lose him, taking turn after turn, trying to outmanoeuvre him. But the monster is persistent and keeps up, I hear him slamming into walls, boxes and rubbish bins as he tries to follow my tight turns. I, however, make a miscalculation and get a little lost, finding myself at a dead end. ‘Well, crap.’

It’s a complete dead end, not even a door into a building I can escape through and as the monster rounds the corner he knows it too. He grins at me, showing a row of razor sharp teeth and walks forwards slowly, seeming to savour the fear that is most definitely showing on my face. I look around, desperate for a way out but the buildings around me are bare brick walls apart from a few windows with small balconies. I was strong, but no way was I getting out of this fight alive. 

‘Nowhere to go! Unless…’ I look up at the balconies again, then at the approaching monster. ‘Nothing else for it.’ I drop my jacket quickly, it’s ruined anyway and, with a grunt of effort, push my wings through the remains of my shirt with a loud ripping sound. The monster pauses at the reveal, his eyes wide with shock and I quickly take advantage of his surprise. I launch myself into the air, jumping as high as I can while also pushing my wings down with all my might, aiming for the nearest balcony. It hurts a little, putting so much strain on muscles that have never really been used, but I flap again, the movement coming almost naturally, and I flew! ‘It effing worked!’

However, what I hoped would be a graceful flying leap is more like a cat in water, with lots of flailing. I feel like I lose balance on the air and, as I flap for the third time, though I go up, I also go sideways. I manage to just hook my fingertips over the balcony before things get any worse and haul myself over the railing. Looking back down I see the monster looking up at me with shock in his eyes. He howls again, this time in irritation and bounds off into the night. 

I sit down on the balcony for a moment, my side hurting, muscles aching and lungs burning as I suck in much needed air. ‘That was terrifying and exhilarating, I can fly! kind of, maybe. And what was that? A werewolf? I mean, I exist so why not, legend has to be based off of something, right? But I'm not alone! There are other freaks out there like me! Well... maybe not exactly like me but...’ I shake my head to clear it of all the crazy thoughts running around. Whatever just happened doesn’t matter right now. First I need to get home and clean up, then I can worry about what I'd just seen.

Looking around, I realise it’s not so much a balcony as a fire escape or something similar, which leads down to the other side of the wall that I had just jumped away from. Rather than heading down however, I go up, thinking that the top would be better to get my bearings.

The last few steps were hard, the adrenaline leaving my body, only to be replaced with pain from my wound, blood slowly streaking down the side of my shirt. Reaching the top and looking around, I recognise where I am, luckily only a couple of blocks away from my flat. I make my way back down slowly and begin to head home, taking a slightly longer back route to stay in the shadows, my wings having little to hide under. I also decide to take our own fire exit up to my floor, not wanting to leave a blood trail through the building. Finally I make it to my flat and take out my keys, pushing my way inside. ‘Home , sweet home.’

Once inside I take out the large first aid kit I keep in the bathroom. At least the first aid course I took a couple of years ago is finally going to pay off. I grit my teeth and clean, close and bandage my wounds as best I can. It takes a little while, being on my side makes it hard to do myself, but once done I move over to my PC, scouring the internet for anything relating to what happened tonight. I spend all evening on the research, though deep down I know it’s not going to work. I’ve tried many times to find out about myself, but this was a new lead so I had to try at least. However all I found is what you would expect, just old stories, plenty of fan fiction, and the odd crazy lunatic yelling about the end of the world. Frustratingly, whatever that guy, and myself are, it's buried in myth, legend, and superstition, nothing concrete at all.