The wind whipped through my blond hair and I threw back my head in a hoot of joy, the wild side in me screaming out in estcasy.
I, Megan Giselle Brooklyn, was wild. Annie slowed us to a trot across the large plain, surrounded by trees.
"Did I ever tell you I loved you, you pretty thing you?" I mumbled into the beast's ear. She neighed, a laugh sort of thing in response. She laughed and laughed, then did this dance thing in one spot. I laughed with her.
"You had to have been some kind of circus horse. I wonder if they miss you..." I stroked her head as I tried to climb down, she was a whilley thing and needed warning. But then, the the unthinkable happened.
Actually, I thought about it all the time, I thought about it the first time I climbed on a horse, and I thought about it when I got on Annie this morning. It wasn't her fault, the poor beast got scared. She did what a human would do, it was her way of screaming. But it sure as heck frightened me too.
Annie reared up.
I held on tight to the main, wishing I put the saddle on this morning. Annie didn't like the saddle, neither did I. But now, I was stuck, and Annie tried to run. I couldn't hold on, Annie, and I still love the dear, shook me off and ran in the opposite direction, but not before she pounded her front hoof, and all of her 630 pounds with it, onto my chest.
As the butterscotch horse ran off, I tried to call on her, but I was drowning in my own blood. She was going in the wrong direction, the house was the other way. She didn't like the house. Not the way they treated her...I didn't like the house either.
So, there I lay, miles from the house, miles from anyone to hear me and only one question remained; what had spooked Annie? If a beast like her was scared, I knew one thing
I needed to run.
I forced my eyes to where Annie and I had been headed before she bucked. I stared at the shaking thicket, and pray nothing violent lurked there. The brush was vibrating in a painful way, and I was only 12 or so yards from it. I tried to swear, but my mouth wouldn't let me.
Opening my fat mouth wouldn't be bright either. If that was an animal, and he smelled blood, I was screwed. So, I clamped my mouth closed but, the blood kept coming and soon, my mouth burst open and a pool of it lurked by my head and as the sun set, it grew amber in the light of the setting sun and the rise of the moon.
In the brush, low growls could be heard, almost angry and plaintive at the same time. I tried to tell myself it was in my head, that the blood loss was making me paranoid, a tendency I was cursed with. But this was real. And so the growls and shaking in the brush grew louder and more violent as more blood ran from my lips, down my face, and into the dust.
It was getting cooler here in this little field in Texas, and the night would bring predators. The pain in my chest was swelling and my soul was weakening and my morale low. I began to sob.
"Annie!" I cried stupidly, blood spattering at the words. The horse was long gone, she wasn't coming back voluntarily. She was my only hope.
Unless...
The moon was high, it had to be past midnight, my face was caked with blood, sweat, and tears. I tried to move again, but the pain was too much. I was always so strong, what was happening...It was like I was 3 again...
"Megan!" the cry erupted in the wood and I snapped my head up to look. This only caused blood to spill from my lips in a crimson river and to cause so much pain in my neck and spine. I tried to reply, but my voice was to weak and dry and the blood had coated my throat with a sick disgusting slime.
Then the thicket began again, shaking so violently, I was so frightened. And as, I watched the beast emerge from the bush, I thought I was imagining it.
The wolf was snow white, flecked with gray spots so small, it looked like glitter, but duller. Its eyes were a black-brown or maybe that was a trick of the moonlight. He limped on his paw, that was covered in blood. He knew they were coming, he had too. He knew he had to kill me now, so he could eat or his chance would be gone.
The white dog came forward, and licked the stained blood of my cheeks, but he left the pools that now surrounded his ankles alone. With each flick of his tongue, I grew more afraid and more at ease with death. The pain seemed to be trying to subside.
And then he stopped.
He took one step back, his paws still soaked in crimson and just stared at me.
And I stared back.
I know you. I feel you. I'll save you.
What the freak did that mean? He threw his head back and howled and then flew into the thicket.
"Megan!" The voice screamed again.
Oh, crap.
"Megan!" I could already feel his arms around me, his filthy egotistic arms that were huge thanks to his pride, money, and time at the gym. I groaned in the pain that he did not cause, but he released me just the same.
"Are you hurt?" he asked, his hazel eyes, swirling with color searching mine. No crap, I thought. I've just been missing all day for fun and coughing up blood is my favorite passtime. He was such a freaking idiot.
"I'm gonna take you home. Okay? You were with the dumb horse weren't you? The ugly one?" I was sooo gonna slap him. If he didn't put a roof over my head that is.
"Annie," I mumbled.
"I don't care what her name is," he hissed,"I swear it God. It was her, wasn't it? Damn, I swear, when I find that horse I'll kill it myself,"
"If you so much as lay a hand on that horse-" his look stopped my comment.
I let him carry me, so I slung my arms lazily around his shoulders. My legs were wrapped around his strong waist and I groaned as he tried hoast me closer and tossed my head drunkenly into his neck. Idiot. Sex-crazed idiot.
Another howl erupted from the thicket and I felt his body stiffen and jump.
"What was that?!" Tommy screamed.
"Th-there's a wolf, he's hurt," I whispered,"Help it, please,"
"Our house isn't a charity, Megan,"Tommy growled. Did he have to say our house?
I tried to use it to my advantage. I rolled my head back and made my brown eyes big and pleading and pushed out my peach lips,"Please?" he still looked unconvinced. "For me?" that did it.
"...I would. You know father wouldn't allow it."
I hissed and cursed his father.
"Hey, you can have Sadie's room tonight, she's away at a friends."
Probably at Donald Trump's house. I didn't want to sleep in her bed. And she would have a cow if lowly me even entered her room. Every pink thing I even breathed on would have to be burned.
"I want my bed," I didn't bother to say please, the way I had been taught. Tommy had never cared. He just liked my eyes.
Or something else...
"Okay, we'll find the horse and I'll bring you home," he said, then kissed my hair, the way he did when I was young and scared to come out of the stables. They way he did then, was not the same now.
Or maybe, it was just me.
Maybe not.
*********************************************************************************
I threw my shirt off into the hay and flopped down into it. After hours of being fussed over, thanks to Tommy, I could finally rest.
"Since when did you start filling out?" a familiar voice asked as a knarled hand messed with the cup of my bra. I slapped it away.
"What do you want, Ethel?" I asked.The ageing woman just smiled. Loon.
"Just came to check on ya, girly, no need for the fuss," her ragged voice had been my lulaby when I first arrived. Now, it was just another one pushing the orders.
"Well, Tommy tried to get me killed," I hissed.
"I thought the horse did that," she said, cocking her head to the left.
"You didn't see me getting proded and poked by stiffs in lab coats," I hissed. She laughed. Again, I say LOON.
"You're lucky he was askin' for ya and didn't find ya, you'd still be in those woods now."
"Oh, boo hoo, I was fine," I growled, pull on a blanket over my shirtless body. I thought of the white dog.
"Why don't you ever talk to him anymore?" she asked.
I flipped around angrilly,"Cause, he's stupid." duh! Hadn't everyone noticed?
"Well, he wants ya darlin'," she said repremanding me.
I rolled my eyes,"The millionairs son does not want the stable hand girl," I said, but once it was out, it sounded real.
"Crap!" I hissed and Ethel laughed.
"Speaking of darlin',how'd you flirt with him to let him keep that beast in the back there?"
"Annie?" I asked hopefully.
"No, not that beast, and darlin' if ya can't keep em straight, don't keep em at all. The white dog. The big fuzzy one."
The white wolf? I certainly didn't get it. Had Tommy...no, again, the boy's too stupid.
"Where," I hissed. Not a question. Her wrinkled finger's pointed. I jumped the stall's fence and flopped down next to him. First a snarl graced his lips, but then a pleading frown of pain as his black eyes met mine.
I ginglerly stuck out my hand, to let him smell me. He didn't. So, I just reached out and touched him and, he let me. I was going to keep my fingers! Always a good sign.
"You should be restin' child," the old witch hissed."All ya do is work. When yer head isn't in a book, yer on a horse or some sorta beast. And when yer not doin' that, yer takin' care of those kids,"
"Well, some one needs to, other wise there gonna grow up like there parents-"
"Darlin' all of em have!"
"Not my Darcy," I said defiantly, with my chin stuck out. I reached out to touch the paw.
"Its broken, can you hand me that box over there?" I asked Ethel. She tip-toed over speedily regardless of her age. I gave the dog a shot and he smiled up at me. I loved this guy.
Ethel reached over the wall of the stall to touch my arm. "Come rest child," she urged.
I shook my head."I wanna stay with him, or until Annie comes."
Ethel threw up her hands,"Only you would rather sleep in a stable rather than a mansion."
"I'd rather not hang around the servants quarters," I yelled, stretching out beside the snowy dog.
"If Tommy comes a lookin', I'm tellin' him you fled the country!"
"Good ridence to me then!"
"Better just to lead 'im here..."she mumbled. And then she left. They all do.
"Human's are all the same, but we don't need them, do we buddy?" I said, stroking his neck. I watched as his eyes closed. No way this dog was asleep. He had never been petted, that's what it was.
His black eyes snapped open and stared at me.
Could you ever love a thing like me?
"I'll love any one who deserves to be loved."
His eyes closed and he curled up next to me in a ball, his broken paw strone carlessly across my chest.
**********************************************************************
"Megan!" Screamed Mario, the other stable hand. I woke up, and covered the dog with my blanket and hid behind the wall. Mario was like 70. He threw my rubber boots at me. Once our eyes met, he said,"They want you."
"Crap!" I screamed,"What time?"
"Ten,"Mario said as I trudged to the hose, my shower,"It's 9:15 now."
I ran.
**********************************************************************
Before I walked into the grand dining room, I braced myself. I was certainly not wearing my best shirt ever, but it would do. The Branson's owned this whole place. They took me in when I was like, 3. I had had an accident. It was Tommy who found me. I was alive. The rest of my party, my parents, his brother, all dead. Fun, right? Mrs. Branson tried pageants, and cheering, but my and my red hair stuck out like a sore thumb. Not the way, Sadie, her blond angel did. She stuck out like a tube of glitter, shaped into a flower. She was always the star.
Tommy, who was alone, and I, who was alone,just...bonded. This was before,ya know, he got stupid. He had always been the closest thing to a friend, what could he possibly want now?
I straightened the checked brown thermal, smoothed down my blue jeans, and made sure my plated hair was...passable. I pushed open the large doors, so big you could park semi's all over, and walked toward the large table.
Mrs. Branson cocked her head and smiled her fake smile, and her eyes wrinkled around the corners. I hoped she was keeping up with the botox. I looked over at Sadie, her blond hair (so not her natural color) mocking me, her sneer making her face screw up and it looked very unattractive.
"Megan," Mrs. Branson hissed in her snotty voice,"Come, sit." I looked over at Tommy, he gestured to me too sit. "How are you?" the snotty voice asked. "Are you well?"
"Fine," I said, looking down.
"Don't mumble!" she hissed. I looked up. "I'm going to cut to the chase. That horse is not fit for my daughter. She can not use that horse on stage. Unless you break it. It's your job." I looked down. Funny how they thought charity works. You live with me, I'll take care of you she had said. No, I sleep in a stable, and work my butt off while her daughter smiled.
"But, since we don't have another 1,000 to blow on a foreign show horse," of course you do, I thought,"You have to break it, now," she hissed.
"I can. I will," I promised,"She's just...wild."
"Well fix her!" she screamed.
I stood without being told,"There's nothing wrong with her, at all, but I'll train her."
"Where are your manners! Do not leave!"
But I left.
Once in the stables, I saw my Annie and she stood as far away from the thing under the blanket as she could.
"He won't hurt you," I whispered,"He's a kind boy." I removed the blanket from him, Mario always went home at noon, and I was alone in the barn for the rest of the day. "You wanna try to ride again, Ann?" I asked. She neighed a 'no'. I groaned.
"Fine, I'll take out-"I stopped.
"Don't know his name, do ya?"Ethel asked. Oh great, the loon could fly. Freakin' dandy.
"Well, I very well can't name him."
"I told you not to keep him. He's no house pet."
"I never said he was. I'm not keeping him. I'm taking care of him." I stroked the pups head, and he tried to jump up, and I screamed, afraid. He looked at me sad, he was only trying to play, I should have known better.
"Sorry, boy, I thought-I was just startled,"
Liar.
"Stop that!" I told him,"Dogs can't talk!"
I'm a wolf, smart one.
"I am. going insane. Great."
"Still here darlin'" Ethel warned.
"I don't give a ninny what you think,"I told her,"Your just as crazy as I am."
"Fine, fine. But darlin', watch out for him. He's an awful beast," Ethel warned as she left.
"You don't know anything about him! Does she boy?"Wait,...definitely a boy. "I like you. You...you saved me." The snow white dog leaped up onto my lap, and put his big head on my chest. "Sooooo not your head rest,"I told him. I slipped down his head and-"Did you just roll your freaking eyes?!"
He just stared at me, giving me a look of innocence.
"Don't do that!" I yelled.
Do what?
"That too!O! You know what I mean, and-!"
"Megan?" His soft voice asked. I turned abruptly to face him. I could feel my face growing beat red. Gosh! I was such an idiot! Talking to a dog!
wolf
"Ehhhhhh," I groaned.
"Hey, Megan," Tommie said my name again, and I tried to ignore him.
"Hey, Tommie."
Do you know the meaning of the word 'ignore'?
"You're soooo weird!"
"What?!"
"No-no! Not you Tommie! I-I...I just-"
"No, I understand, you're tired. I get it. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go for a walk," he extended his long, tan arm to me. I looked back at the wolf, he was hidden amongst the hay and wall of his stable, which came just above my waist.
I looked back at Tommie. His ruffled dark hair, wanting to be curly, but ends only in chocolate waves. His green tee, the color of my eyes, was stuck to his abdomen, and showed his masculine torso. His blue jeans had holes-not store bought, but natural occurring-and were too baggy for his body. He was only 19, and I only 17-almost 18-and yet we were so different in body maturity and maturity of the brain.
"Ya wanna go?" he asked, stepping toward me just a step more. And then another step, and another. He was in front of me, so close our chests were shoved together. I could feel his breath, warm as it tickled my freckled face. Stray hairs from his strong no-longer-boy-like face fell onto mine. His took his warm hands, and planted them in mine and they dangled at our sides.
His eyes were wide, were, and then became two little seductive slits.
"Megan..." His face was drawing nearer and nearer and there was nothing I could do. Shoving him away...I didn't think I wanted to. Why? I had no idea. Tommie was s-h-he was...he was-His beautiful honey brown eyes were staring into mine, making me melt in the core-he was perfect.
Our faces-our lips-so close. I could feel him. This was what I wanted. What was intended. What was needed. My breaths came out shallow and ragged.
"Tommie,"I said, and some how it had turned into a hopeless sigh of desire. "Tommie..." I liked the way his name felt on my tongue, liquid passion.
"Megan," he whispered, eyes never leaving mine, his face so close,"I-I want to tell you something. Or rather-show you," He got closer and our lips-oh God! Our lips...
"AAAARRROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," The howl erupted behind us was one worthy of pity. I fell backward, out of Tommie's strong grip.
"What was that?!" he asked. Can you say deja vu?
I kept my head leaning against the wood of the stall, letting the oxygen reach my brain. I looked at my hands. They were red and in pain. Tommie had squeezed them so hard...God it hurt! I tried not to break out into to tears. God, something had to be broken....I heard the white wolf's silent snarl. He was a devil this dog....
"Maybe I shouldn't go on this walk, Tommie,"I whispered.
"Yeah..." he said, not even sparing me a glance. He was looking around the barn for the source of the noise.
He looked once more at me, the passion that had been-or had been imagined there-was gone. They were just his eyes. They meant nothing to me. "You ever need me or want me, just call. Come up to my room. We'll talk. ...We haven't done that in a long time," and he
relucktantlyleft, his eyes never leaving mine.
I threw the big holey blanket on the wolf. "Thanks a lot. He could have kissed me! I don't even know if I wanna be sarcastic or not! I think...No. I do not like Tommie. I could never...whatever. Did he really ask if I wanted him? Did I look that desperate just now? You gotta help me boy."
The big wolf yelped and hobbled to a spot in the corner. He collapsed in a little spot, and terrified for his well-being, I ran to him.
"Boy! I-" but he was pointing-or his nose was. It was written in the grainy dirt of Texas here on the stable floor.
Georgiea
"Gorgia?" the wolf moaned. "Georgie? Geor-Georgie? Gorge? George? Is that your name? George?" the big ham of a dog smiled. "George," I said, toying with it on my tongue. He jumped up on me in response, giving me a big wet sniff on the cheek, his nose leaving slime on it. "Eeewww! Down bo-George! Down...." he looked at me. With those big, black eyes. Everything felt heavy, and slow. "You're growing on me boy, ya know that?"
That's what I was hoping.
**************************************************************************
I was walking in the twilight to the big oak trees, next to the hydranga bushes, which Mrs. Branson had ordered me to water. The two big buckets of water in my hands weighed me down, and hurt my arms, but I didn't mind.
"Megan! Hey! M!" Crap, I thought, Tommie.
"Hey, Tommie," I said awkwordly.
"Hey, ya wanna come up to my room tonight and watch a movie? How about Gone with the Wind? You liked that when we were kids." That doesn't mean crap, I could be lesbo for all you know now.
"No, sorry Tommie. I got Annie to take care of."
"Why are you fixing that stupid horse when-"
"Watch your mouth!" I yelled,"Before I watch it for you." Tommie backed away.
"Sorry, Megan," he hissed. I sneered as he left. How had I almost let him kiss me last night?
I tossed a red braid behind my shoulder and smoothed my green plaid shirt down over my breasts. I agrilly stomped back to the barn after I was done.
"Can you believe him, Annie? What he said....I should have killed that bastard with my bare hands! I can't even believe he did that! Can you George? George?"
"M-megan?"
"W-whose there?" I hissed, taking a sickle in my hand, poised for battle.
"Megan...it's me." whispered the mature and...rather sexy male voice. Focus!
"Show yourself!" I growled.
He stepped into the light. His hair was dark, and it was collected in a knot at the back of his neck. He had a little beard, just a small one with a mustache. His black eyes frightened me.
"Who are you?! Get away," I said, a tremor creeping through.
"Megan, it's me. Don't you recognize me? It's me...George."
I stared. His black eyes. "What. The. F***. George?!!No, sir, George is a dog! He's...he's...Not you!"
"No," said the man, stepping toward me and taking my hands,"touch me."
I tried to scream, but he simple shushed me, as opposed to clamping his hand on my mouth. I respected him a little more. I did as he said and touched him, running my hands over his, up his arms, his neck. I touched his soft cheeks, pale and warm. He was very tall and strong. Not too strong, but strong enough. The touch felt familiar...but who knew?
"Maybe you are, George. So what?"
"I need your help, Megan. Please?"
"I'm just gonna say I'll help you without knowing what I'm doing."
"Megan...I-I'm not human."
"Figured that much,"I mumbled.
"I'm a werewolf."
"Freakin' dandy."
"I need one thing...to be human again."
I looked down,"What's that?" I asked softly.
"A kiss, a lovers kiss," he said.
"Whoa, down boy,"I whispered. He gave a hoarse laugh.
"A kiss on the night of New Moon, from a woman I am in love with,"
"Whoooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaa, wha-"
"OR! One that saved my life, which you did, while you were in pain too," his eyes raked over me. I folded my arms over my chest.
"What are you looking at?" I growled.
"Nothing. It's just nice to be tall enough to see your face over your breasts."
My face burned crimson,"You were staring at my breats?"
"I was three feet tall and you wear a C cup."
"That does not excuse you!" I teased,"Umm...anyway...I guess just sleep here, next to me. The new moon is in 6 days...we're good."
He stretched out next to me, and ripped his shirt off. Wow. He was a human? Who knew....Maybe I should be more freaked out. He was very handsome though...like reeeeaaaallly hot! Hotter than most.
After a while, I listened to his breathing and while he slept, he curled into my side and rested his head on my chest, the way the wolf had. This was so him.
And I fell asleep, curled up in his arms.
How weak.
**********
"Megan? Can we talk?"
"Can you?" I asked Tommie. He rolled his eyes.
"Yes, you ill-tempered sevant girl," he growled.
"What?" I hissed.
"Look, M, I care about you. (And I'm only speaking the truth). Frankly, I'm going to give you one last chance to be with me."
"Be with you?" I hissed.
"Yes, just...think on it, babe." and so, Tommie Branson left me raditating with rage. I could've killed him. I stomped into the forest and climbed up a big oak. I couldn't stand it! Him! Whatever!
"I don't like him either." I screamed.
"What? Whose-" but I stopped myself,"George you scared me," I whispered.
"Sorry," he said, swinging himself up on my branch. He looked at me in a funny way that made me self-consious. We had spent the last 4 days straight together, and I think he may be the best friend I've ever had.
"What?!"I squealed, slapping him. He tottered on the branch and I wasn't scared for him in the least. He caught himself (of course).
"Nothing...you look pretty today...Until you hit me! Now...you're dead!" and his arms reached out to shove me, but I clung fast to his shirt and his arms wrapped around me and brought me into his chest. What was this? He was warm...damn! He smelled good!
"...You're dead..." he mumbled, kissing my neck. I broke out of his grip and stole down the tree.
"Sorry," I said," not like that." He simply stared after me. I tried to walk off, but he was soon behind me and asked;
"But what if I love you! More than him?" That stopped me dead. What was I to say?
"...Then you love me."
"And?"
"...and nothing."
******************************************************************************
I stood on the night of the new moon, ready to do this. Just a kiss, right? Easy. A peck on the lips, so greatly value...why? I watched tiredly as George approached me.
"Hey," I said," Ready?"
"Most definately, my darling," creeper.
"Okay, lets-"
"M!" I could have shot Tommie. "Please just-whose that?"
"I could ask you the same," shot back George.
"Shut up! Lets just...go," I said, leaning into George.
"I really do love you, you know," he said in my ear,"That's why I'm sorry," my lips on his as he spoke,"I have to kill you," and his cold lips sucked the life out of me and shove a new one in. I screamed, but not in time. Tommie shoved him off me, and my spirit fell to the ground-literally- and neither one gained my mortality
******
I awoke that next day in the forest, with not a clue in head to what had happened. I began to run, and I relized how large everything was. What was this? I began to look around and realized that I was too short. I looked down at my feet, which had been replaced by a pair of russet paws.
A Meg Giry Story.
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