The Devil's Vessel

SIA’S POV

I should’ve taken Maya more seriously was the first thought that I had when I stepped out that morning.

Not because anything obvious had changed for me but because everything now feels odd and… off.

The second thought was about how Maya could never find out about the first thought.

But other than that, everything felt wrong and majorly off.

It's like the texture and the ambience of the world had been arranged whilst I was asked and no one bothered to tell me.

Even people on the street felt louder than they should’ve been.

I frowned as I walked.

“Okay,” I muttered to myself, subtly adjusting my bag strap. “You’re being paranoid again.”

Normal day, that’s what I told myself.

Classes, errands and picking up a cheap too good to go bag.

All normal.

Except–

The fact that something kept brushing against my awareness like I was being watched from somewhere I couldn’t locate.

I stopped briefly at a bus stop mirror and checked myself once more if that voice would say anything.

But nothing I guess, so I head to my class.

What I didn’t notice was the faint shimmer around me almost like those two men like they had their own light fixtures.

Something that should’ve been normal to me for years all over a sudden, nothing felt right again.

.

.

.

I didn’t know I was marked for an attack.

At least, not yet.

I just knew the day felt wrong and instead of bailing, I stayed till midday and convinced myself that all was fine.

Almost everything I guess.

I was walking past the edge of the old forest near the love garden when the first sound came to me.

A snap on one of the branches on the floor.

I turn around slowly.

“…Hello?”

Nothing answered me as the things in the forest answered me instead.

I barely had time to step back before something massive hit the ground right in front of me.

A tall shape covered in fur and standing on two legs was staring right in front of me, making me doubt my eyes.

It's almost like an animal but not fully yet, truly a work of art for the makeup artist responsible for this.

But as another dropped down in front of me with another and another, I started having second thoughts.

Why were they snarling?

My breath caught.

“What the–!”

Fucking hell!! Those people weren't bluffing, werewolves are real!

But they don't look like wolves in documentaries, they were with humanoid structures but had exposed fangs and claws.

And let's not even get started with the drool and saliva.

And even worse, they were all looking at me like I was their prey.

Maya where the fuck are you?!

They were looking at me like a decision they couldn’t quite agree on and I'm praying desperately that I live.

I try to back away but stop immediately when one growls at me.

A third werewolf steps forward slowly, making me freeze.

“Okay,” I whispered to myself. “This is not real at all.” I try to deceive my mind.

But as they circled me with slow steps, and sniffing the air with confusion, I backed away slowly while they're distracted.

But I know my heartbeat is loud, too loud and I'm sure they know this too.

One of them stepped closer to me as its eyes narrowed and it inhaled deeply in my direction.

Then something like recognition hits his eyes as immediate aggression goes loose and they move at me, all at once.

They are too fast for me to even track their movements and try to dodge with my bare eyes.

I stumbled back.

“Wait–wait–!”

But they didn't wait at all as one lunged at me so I turned around and ran..

Branches whipped my arms as I pushed through the forest with angry pants from the werewolves behind me.

I didn’t look back, I couldn’t as I know I'll die if I waste any time.

Something grabbed the air behind me making me stumble to dodge it but I tripped and fell to the ground hard.

I rolled instinctively, expecting claws or teeth on my skin but nothing came at all.

The forest felt oddly quiet, too quiet but I stayed on the ground breathing harshly.

“…What…?”

I'm panting as the forest goes silent like it was all my hallucinations as the footsteps and growling disappear entirely.

I slowly lifted my head to see the forest devoid of any trace of werewolves.

It's almost like they don't exist and we're never heard of in the first place.

My breathing shook as I stared around.

“…Okay,” I whispered. “Okay, that’s– that’s hallucination level stuff.”

I pressed a hand to my chest to see my heart is still racing but since it's just here, then it had to be a hallucination from the start.

I swallowed hard and forced myself to stand.

“This is stress,” I said firmly to convince myself. “This is stress and lack of sleep and–and some weird life decisions.”

I turned away from the forest quickly and walked back to the main road.

I reach it eventually and find my discarded bag as my breathing slowed and became normal now that I'm back in crowds.

By the time I reached the street near my apartment block, I was almost convinced I was fine.

Almost.

And then I saw him.

A tall man standing a few meters ahead, watching me with interest.

I stopped immediately as I felt like something about him didn’t fit the environment.

He stepped forward slightly and I felt it.

That same pressure from earlier on with the werewolves only stronger and more focused from him, directed to me.

My instincts screamed at me to step back and run away but I didn't.

I couldn’t explain why.

“Are you okay?”

His voice was calm and placid as he asked me a question.

I frowned in reply.

“…Do I know you?”

He didn’t answer me immediately but instead, he narrowed his eyes at me like he's checking something.

“I saw you yesterday,” he said. “You make it home safely I see.”

I blinked with confusion.

“What?”

Yesterday?

I thought back quickly but I came up with nothing at all.

Except for the alley incident, nothing came up.

And it couldn't be him, this person's 6ft. The alleyway man was 7ft and steadily approaching 8ft.

Practically a giant.

“…I think you’ve got the wrong person,” I said carefully to him as he studied me more.

My grip tightened on my bag strap.

“…Who are you?” I asked slowly.