Overcoming bloodlust Part 1

My soft new fur shifted underneath the covers of my bed as I drifted off to sleep. After what seemed like forever my mind began to wake up. Taking in my surroundings I found myself in the living room. I began to search the house for my three brothers and two sisters. As I walked around I made the hardwood floor creak underneath my weight. With every swish from my tail, I stirred the still and stagnant air. My father suddenly shuffled out of a hallway almost tripping over nothing as if he was drunk. He towered over me as I stepped closer. My eyes tracing his face searching for an answer for his strange behavior. My eyes widened as I realized why he was walking the way he was. He had taken his drugs for his bloodlust. All that stood before me was the shell of my father, his mind lost. My heart began to beat faster. My mother then emerged from the same hallway with the same drug-filled stupor my father had. Her face and mind, just as empty as his. I ran up to my father.

    “Daddy? Daddy, what’s wrong? Daddy say something!”

But no response came from the man I called my father. I tried my mother instead. Running up to her, my eyes began to swell with tears.

    “Mommy? Wake up! I need you! Mommy…”

I fell to my knees, eyes overflowing with tears. My mother walked around me as if I was a muddy puddle on a sidewalk after a rainy day, just an insignificant inconvenience. I looked up and saw myself standing in front of me. I had the same face my mother and father had. I stood up and started walking next to the other me. I was followed by my innocent siblings all sharing the same empty face.

    “No, wait. Wake up! I just want my family back! Talk to me, please!”

Everyone just shoved me aside. As the other me walked past he stepped on my tail as if I wasn't there. I sat there, on my knees saying nothing. My ears flat on my head with my tail curled around me. The only sound emitting from me was the sobs of a broken mind. As I looked around,  the house began collapsing around me, the floorboards snapping and the walls crumbling all around. Everything was falling into a dark void. I inched my way back from the edge of darkness trying not to fall in. The void was now a dark crimson pool, being disturbed by each bit of rubble that touched its surface causing ripples to spread everywhere I could see. I stood on what was left of my home and looked down into the blood-like liquid. The island I stood on suddenly collapsed leaving me to fall into the pool. I began to panic as I tried to swim through the thick fluid to the surface. I could barely move let alone try and swim to the top. I shifted my gaze to the black and vastly empty part of the ocean of blood. I stared into the void, and it stared back. A wide grin forming in the black abyss. I screamed as the smile opened and swallowed me whole.

    I woke up, screaming at the top of my lungs. I was greeted by my blank room, a cold sweat enveloping my body. The only noise was the crickets singing their tune outside of my window, and my fan producing a once soothing white noise, now it was just scaring me. I got up and switched off my fan. I peaked my head out into the hallway. To my surprise and despite my scream of terror, everyone was still asleep. I stepped out into the hallway, taking soft light steps and utilizing my still soft pads on my feet to make sure I didn’t generate any noise. My tail was dusting the floor as I treaded carefully past my parent’s room. I rounded the corner to the living room, my mind was still fresh of what had occurred in the dream. I stepped carefully into the room as if I was going to fall through. I approached the black couch and took a seat. Reaching for the remote. I turned on the TV, lowering its volume as fast as I could. Switching to the cartoon channel. I sat there remote in hand, my grip on the remote loosened as time passed. I heard creaks coming from the hallway. My heart began to race. Knowing what would happen if my father caught me out here. There stood in the hallway was my mother, her soft and tender expression, turning to worry as she saw how many tears had flown down my face. She walked over to the couch and took her seat beside me. Her fluffy and soft tail wrapped around me.

    “My dear Max, did you think your mother wouldn’t hear your distress? I have a knack for that sort of thing.”

I began to sob again, but this time more quietly. My mother hugged me tightly to assure me that nothing bad would ever come my way.

“Mommy I don’t want to hurt anybody, I don’t want to hurt my friends. Why are we like this?”

I said in a shaky voice.

    “This is about the bloodlust, isn’t it? Oh, Max…”

I sobbed into her warm arms. My mother’s gentle and soft hand groomed the top of my head between my two ears. She held me tightly, and I held onto her like she was the last person who was ever going to care for me.

    “You know Max, there is something we could do to stop it from happening entirely.”

My mother said in a sweet tender voice.

    “No! No! I don’t want to take those pills! I’d rather die!”

I said angrily. My mother put her hand on my snout, rubbing the top of it.

    “No Max, that’s not what I meant, there is an old method of meditation that has been a closely guarded secret by our species for as long as I can remember. Supposedly your mind every full moon just shuts off by itself, you just sleep right through it if you complete the training. Would you like to give it a try Max? But for some reason, it’s only ever worked on the firstborn of a family, and your father and I aren't the firstborn of our families, so… only you can do it.”

The smile disintegrated from my face and the tears came back,

    “W-What? No mommy I’m not doing it without you! There’s got to be another way! Mommy please…”

I said in a once again trembling voice. My mother’s hand continued to groom the top of my head.

    “Max, listen to me. I need you to be my brave boy okay? You’re already ten years old. You only have two more years till your bloodlust starts. You need to do this for the family. I want you to show everyone that were not blood-hungry savages okay?

I looked up to see my mother’s face began to wrinkle and tears appeared in her eyes.

    “Please Max, can you do this for mommy?

She said desperately, the tears that were once residing in her eyes now rolling down her fur-covered cheeks. I reached my paw up and wiped her tears and hugged her tightly as she had me. My face was now buried in her soft motherly fur.

    “Okay, I’ll do it for you. I’ll do it, mommy.”

I looked up at my mother, she was still crying. But this time it wasn’t mournful and frightened tears, they had now shifted to joyous and tears filled with hopes for the future.

    “Thank you, Max, you’ve made your mommy very happy. Tell you what? How about you and I take a trip down to the meditation and yoga place tomorrow, since you're out for Christmas break, we can go ahead and get you started. Just a little son and mother date! Just the two of us! Does that sound like fun?”

My mother said in an upbeat voice. I looked up at her and nodded, putting my face back into her fur. It was filled with the aura of a loving mother and a kind soul.

    “Yeah, that sounds like fun mommy.”

 

    My mother opened the door to my room slowly, she walked over to me and began poking my cheek to wake me up. I giggled and opened my eyes.

    “Hey sweetie, come on I have some breakfast prepared for you. It’s your favorite. Hash Browns and steak.”

She said whisperingly, as to not startle me just after waking me up. She stood towering over my bed.

    “C'mon honey, time to get up.”

She said now exiting my room leaving the door open. I sat up throwing the covers off of my body freeing my legs. I stood up, walking over to my closet, opening the door I scanned the line of clothing. I decided on my favorite superhero t-shirts and some sweatpants to be more comfortable during the yoga class. I walked out of my room, my socks sliding against the hardwood floor. I saw my mother sitting at the dining table stationed right by the windows leading out into our once beautiful garden, now claimed by the winter's deadly frost. 

    “Oh good, you're up! Here I still have your breakfast on the stove, so it doesn't get cold. I made it with extra love for my Maxy.”

She said with one of her goofy, toothy grins. I giggled and grabbed a ceramic plate from the cabinet.  I shoveled the homemade hash browns onto the plate and lifted the steak with a fork, it falling onto my plate. I walked over to the dining table and set down my plate, the fork clattering on the ceramic. I scooted a chair next to my mother and sat down next to her. I gave her a loving hug.

    “Thanks for making me, breakfast mommy.”

I said sleepily. We both devoured our meals in a ravenous fashion. We looked at each other and giggled. We rinsed our plates off, grabbed our coats, and headed out the door. I entered the fifteen-year-old minivan. My mother put the keys in the ignition and started the engine, it stuttered. Having trouble starting due to the frigid cold. We headed towards the yoga establishment to begin my classes.

    

    My paw gripped the deathly cold metal handle of the door, I opened it and allowed my mother to go first. I walked in behind her and the rush of all new smells flooded my snout. Old sweaty rubber mats and countless gym fanatics getting their early morning workouts in. My mom held my hand and led me over to the check-in counter, a jet black jaguar sat in one of the 2 chairs at the counter. The jaguar looked up and put on a customer service smile.

    “Hi welcome to sam's fitness club. What can I do for you?”

The man said putting his hands on the keyboard.

    “I’d like to get my son here started with meditation classes with the teacher Jake Kent please.”

Said my mother professionally. I stood at her side, hand in hand. Looking at all the gym attendants working out. I was shaken out of it by my mom tugging my hand.

    “Come sweetie let's go, were going to meet your instructor and my good friend Mr. Kent okay?”

I nodded and followed my mother, hand in hand. We came upon a rather professional-looking office, with a giant glass window with the blinds half drawn. My mother knocked on the office of Mr. Kent. The door swung open and we were greeted by a tall and roguish-like lizard.

    “Violet! Always a pleasure to see you! Come in, come in!”

Said the tall reptile in a rather southern-like accent. My mother looked at me, shrugging her head towards the door. I followed, The room was filled with cheesy inspirational posters and a single collage of family photos in the back. I took a seat on the couch next to my mother. Mr. Kent sitting on the opposite side of the desk in a rather uncomfortable-looking chair.

    “I don't believe I’ve met the little one! What's your name, son?

Said the tall lizard. I looked Mr. Kent in the eyes.

    “M-Max, nice to meet you, sir.”

I said nervously. The lizard chuckled and spoke again.

“How polite! You’ve raised him right! Now, what can we do for ya Max?

The lizard spoke in an upbeat tone.

    “I-I want to work on my bloodlust, sir. I'm the firstborn of my family a-and I don't want to t-take the medicine.”

I said explaining and stuttering as I did. The lizard's face descended into a deep and serious expression.

    “Oh… I see. So how much time do you have before it starts?

Mr. Kent said in a monotone voice

    “I’m 10 years old, and I have two years left. Can you please help me, sir? I’ll do whatever it takes. I just don't want to hurt anybody…”

I said tearing up a bit. Mr. Kent put his hands on the synthetic wood desk that was cluttered with fitness reports and business emails.

    “I’m so sorry son. But hey your mom is a good woman. So I'll try and knock off as much of the price as I can. Ok? And hey how about we go ahead and get you started? Is that okay with you Violet?”

Mr. Kent shifted his orange-eyed gaze over to my mother to confirm his offer.

    “Of course, that would be great.”

Mr. Kent nodded and stood.

    “Alright, Max. Let me show you my training room okay? It’s nice and secluded so no-one can disturb us”

I stood along with him and followed him to the back room. I looked back at my mother whose eyes were somewhat filled with tears.

    “Love you, mommy.”

Mr. Kent held the door open for me in the back of his room. I walked through the doorway and took a seat in the middle of the matted room in a criss-cross position. Mr. Kent sat down in front of me and took a deep breath.

“Alright, Max so there are a few things I have to tell you before we start. First, I'm not exactly a newbie when it comes to dealing with werewolves' bloodlust. So I know a few of the basic concepts of what goes on in your mind when the process happens. Your brain will create a physical representation of your bloodlust, the voice that speaks to you when you go through it. Secondly, during this process, you will have a high chance of becoming violent. And if that happens Max, I'm sorry, but you'll most likely come after me if you lose control.”

The lizard said in a very serious voice.

“Alright, I understand. So how do I meditate to get into contact with it?” 

I said somewhat adult-like. Mr. Kent looked at me and took several deep breaths.

“You concentrate, block out all noise and try and find that undying urge for blood in you. Sometimes even wrapping your tail around you helps.”

Mr. Kent explained. I took several deep breaths, wrapping my tail around me as I did so. Having the fluffy tip lay in my lap. I held onto my tail like a bar on a rollercoaster. My mind began falling into deep concentration looking for my bloodlust.

    I stepped onto the snow-covered ground. As I looked around I found the only thing to be of significance was a small entrance to a cave. I began walking over to the cold stone outcropping with the snow crunching under my feet as I did. The snowstorm blowing in my face covering it in miniature frozen crystals. I entered the cave, pulling out my flashlight as I did so. The snow gradually reduced in thickness as I ventured further from the entrance. Eventually leaving a bare stone floor to tread upon. I rounded a corner of the cave and came upon a miniature underground lake. Shifting my feet sideways while I descended the cliff, I sent multiple pebbles into the lake, now disturbing the once eternally calm waters. I leaned my head over, looking at my reflection in the now rippling water. As I did I felt eyes on my back, I turned around swiftly to find nothing there. Looking back to the water I found the once pure and untouched water had turned to a dark crimson and blood-like red. I stepped back in shock, seeing a ripple form in the middle of the lake. A dark crimson figure emerged from the center of the lake. It had ears twice the height of mine and a tail twice as long as mine. its coat was practically bleeding itself. A pure crimson color. I was frozen in fear as he began to walk on the water's surface towards me. The figure gave off an evil aura the closer it got. My fur stood as tall as it could. The figure approached me on the shoreline of the lake. It leaned in and spoke in my ear.

    “You’ll never get rid of me Max, I’ll always be a part of you.”

The figure said, its eyes now opening to reveal a disgustingly yellow pair of eyes. I felt faint and fell backward hitting my head on a cold stone, my eyes closing as I did. I awoke to see myself sitting in my classroom. I stood at the opposite end of the room, with a view of the entire room. My close friend Zack, a dire wolf was playfully tapping me on the shoulder to show me a drawing he had just completed. I was blatantly ignoring him, putting my hands over my ears and wrapping my tail around my body. I looked visibly upset. I started to snarl out of the right side of my mouth. I threw my hands down on the desk and swiped my now hideously long claws at my dear friend. I stood up, my friend crawling away from me with pure fear in his eyes. I walked towards him slowly, the rest of the students watching in horror.

    “No wait don’t! Please! He’s your friend!” 

I said pushing several desks out of my way trying to get to my feral self before he hurt Zack. I put my hand on the shoulder of my now feral self. He turned to face me. I was met with the same yellow eyes the figure had. End of part 1