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B lood pumping through my veins, I’m finding myself getting a little aggravated by the games the witch is seemingly playing with me.

Hearing her soft giggle just adds fuel to the fire.

She’s taunting me. And I like it. What is wrong with me?

Is it bad that I’m drawn to a voice, a presence, possibly a figment of my imagination?

Probably. But will it stop me from finding out? Absolutely not.

Thinking back to the earlier encounters with my friends, I can’t help but wonder if they were real or not.

Surely, they wouldn’t be so neglectful of the fear we all felt.

I can’t have been the only one looking for everyone.

Right? The more I thought about it, the more I felt it was indeed a trick. A reminder of what I came for.

To seek a wish from the witch.

At least, that’s what they joked to me it was. Waves of sadness and loneliness take over, although I was never actually sad about my inability to be in a relationship. Enjoying all genders should have meant I would find some action, even if it was from sources that maybe weren’t always the safest.

But how long has it been since I had actual sex?

Passionate, full of fire and desire sex.

Maybe a few years. This revelation forms a large pit in my stomach.

I know that my life took a change from my plans, and my body didn’t help.

But surely, I wasn’t that undesirable? I’m a nice guy, caring, passionate, and would worship my partner, or partners, if it were a possibility.

And then, with the force of a freight train, I realise my problem.

Both. I want both. Not separately, together, happily as one couple.

Three of us. Ha! What a ridiculous thought!

No wonder nothing ever worked out. There’s a part of me that has known the only way I could be happy would be for my desire to have two loves of my life.

“I guess I'd better get used to being alone,” I say to no one.

My internal revelation somewhat eases a great sadness within myself, but creates a new one.

A desire. A desire that I can never have.

Taking in a large breath, looking toward the void of the sky and its twinkling lights mocking me, I release my built-up frustration and scream.

Holding onto my forceful belt, I feel my throat sting, forcing me to stop.

Salt hits the back of my throat, carried from the wind, causing me to cough from the shock.

It’s not the first time today that salty air has presented itself to me.

Shooting pain in my head, likely from my earlier tumble, snaps me back to the present, reminding me that we live nowhere near the sea, so this can’t be possible.

New surroundings cause more internal panic.

The trees have thinned out, and large, pointed onyx-coloured rocks litter a large grass-filled area.

“Are you done wallowing in self-pity?”

“What do you want from me? Why are you tormenting me?” I say, hoping she hears.

An uneasy silence fills the air around me.

“I want to save you from your self - sabotage and free you to have everything you desire.”

“Everything?” I ask hopefully.

“Everything, darlin’. You have suffered long enough. Once you find me, desiring sex will no longer be an issue. I will make you so much more. You will look so much more.”

I can’t believe I have been sucked into this again.

A fantasy of a witch somehow fixing all my problems. This feels like the plot of a TV show, one in which I would be screaming at the television that he’s making a stupid mistake.

Now, I want to make that mistake. Not only do I want it.

I need it. I need to find a way for my life to get better.

This seems like the quickest way to do it.

“You’re finally ready! Quickly now! Find me!”

With a new sense of belief in whatever strange events have led me to this moment, I head toward where my heart is being pulled.

Snap.

“Kassius.”

Snap.

I registered the voice a moment too late.

Two large glowing emeralds stare me down.

White fur reveals itself atop one of the larger stones that were behind me.

An earth-shattering growl came from its mouth as saliva dripped from the sharp, pointed teeth.

A wolf. But like none I’ve ever seen before.

As it leans its head to the sky, looking at the moon, it releases a howl that causes me to still.

“RUN!”

The panic-laden voice in my head brings my focus back to what’s happening.

Standing before me is a terrifyingly large wolf with brilliantly white fur.

Sharp talons scrape along the stone, causing my inner ear to bleed from the noise.

As I see it lower its front, I realise it’s about to attack.

Turning on myself, I run as fast as I can.

My heavy feet thump against the ground as I try to keep my marginal lead from the pursuing wolf.

I wish I were in better shape. Sharp stinging pains circulate in my lungs from this sudden act of extreme exercise…

for me. A bitter, almost metallic taste builds in my mouth, letting me know that I’m definitely pushing myself too hard.

I can’t believe it, even in my state of exhaustion and being overweight, I manage to escape the pursuing wolf.

Spinning on the spot, I breathe a slight sigh of relief knowing that my safety is confirmed as I stand still.

That was mistake number one. A growl echoes from behind.

Turning, I come face to face with the leaping animal, whose teeth are snarling with vicious intent.

It crashes into me and pins me to the floor, lowering its body to prevent me from moving.

With snapping motions, it tries to bite at me, but I move my head just enough to avoid any damage.

Then, I catch the eyes of the beast attacking me.

Brilliant and vibrant shades of green that almost look human.

Losing myself in them for a moment tells me I’m not actually in danger.

The wolf, which I now know is a male because I can feel its…

You get the picture. He looks at me, the snarls and growls stop before nuzzling into my neck.

Slowly, he drags his nose up my neck and around my face, sniffing me intensely.

The moist nose leaves a trail over me. Disgusting .

Just as I thought I was safe – mistake number two.

I freeze as the wolf bites into my shoulder.

I let out a scream of pain as the teeth retracted from my skin, leaving puncture wounds.

I hear it's howl up close and personal. Something about it reverberates through my body and soul.

Using this to my advantage, I scramble from underneath the wolf, struggling to get to my feet while accidentally kicking the wolf in the face.

Mistake number three. I run in a random direction.

My final mistake in getting away. The landscape looks very similar, and I’m unable to retrace my steps.

Picking a route I run for my life, applying pressure to the bite mark.

Instinctively, I head to the trees, hoping it will lead back to my friends.

Until I trip over a large tree root, my body contorts and flips as I tumble down a hill.

THUD!

Agonising pain. Every part of my body stings and aches from the running and the fall.

A low growl emanates from the top of the hill, causing me to fall over.

A grotesque snarl leaves its body before scampering off.

Letting out a sigh of relief, I can’t help but let out a chuckle of victory for escaping, even if it was an accident.

Gingerly, I get to my feet, inspecting my body to look for any signs of broken bones or wounds of any kind.

I got lucky. Just a few scrapes along my arms and legs.

A throbbing sensation burns at the back of my head, and I wince when I place my hand there.

That’s going to hurt more tomorrow. I also check to see if the bite mark is clean.

Great, I’ll need a tetanus shot, and there’s nothing I hate more than needles.

Shuffling forward, the nerve endings of my body are screaming at me to stop, but if I do that, I feel like the wolf will find its way back to finish what it started.

Which right now feels like a mercy. Time is ticking, and the voice in my head hasn’t been this absent all night.

It has me a little on edge; the lack of taunting and judgment of my choices is oddly missed.

Maybe that’s because it was a conversation to keep me distracted from the strange and creepy events of the night so far.

Why now? Why is she hiding from me? All night she has wanted me to find her, and now nothing. What a bitch.

I just want this night over now. I’m fed up, tired, and sore.

So much for believing in the possibility of this witch’s ability to grant my wish for my desires that I hold dear.

I knew it was too good to be true. Just as these thoughts begin to run wild, the scent of salty air becomes overwhelming, and I know I’m close to finding the person whose voice has been tormenting me all night.

If I continue, I just may find what I’m looking for.

But first.

GULP.

It seems I’ve come across a decision I must make.

Behind me is the snarling wolf, but up ahead lies only a swaying rope bridge with wooden slats that look older than time itself.

No choice though, going back would put me in the path of the wolf, and I would still be hideous.

Hesitantly, I place my foot on the first slat.

SNAP.

It breaks instantly, and my foot falls through.

Grabbing the ropes tightly to prevent myself from falling through, my heart is racing with adrenaline.

How stupid can I be to attempt to cross this bridge?

And that’s when I hear the howling of the wolf again.

Nope. No. I’m definitely not facing that beast again.

Putting my life in the hands of fate, I walk as fast as I can across.

Several planks of wood snap beneath my feet, but I’m moving so quickly that it fails to stop me.

When I reach the end, the ropes of the bridge break and fall.

“Well, that was close!” I say to myself.

Peering over the edge, my stomach churns. The fall would have killed me. Across the gorge, I see the large wolf staring in my direction.

“Better luck next time, mutt!” I tease.

Probably not a wise idea, but fuck it. Salty sea stench fills my nostrils almost to a burning sensation, and the sound of crashing waves rings in my ears.

This still shouldn’t be possible; the nearest beach is hours away.

Making my way toward the sound, everything opens to grasslands, and there’s a stairwell down to a beach.

Thin and steep stone steps spiral down to the sand below.

Reaching the bottom, I see it, the thing that has been drawing me in.

A dilapidated shack is humming with an orange and yellow glow and provides a sense of warmth in the darkness.