• Rain pours in the night. My clothing ripped and frayed, covered in the dirt of my grave. I see it, my enemy. The part of me that I couldn't control. She laughs, speaking perfectly having stolen my voice, at my comrades and my family. The creatures once known as human, now turned and infected, circle around her. Under her control, she keeps my friends in their place with her creatures. She has taken that control as well; it was once mine. All I have left is my strength and inhuman speed, which is no laughing matter. This fight will truly be twisted and long. I pop my arms and run my claws through my hair, so sharp they cut some strands. I touch my newly formed horns and stretch my legs. My eyes are black, pupil overtaking even the white. As I stand at the top of this tower, no light touching me for her to see, I look at the one I love. I cannot fathom the fear he feels; she has taken mine. Her mistake... I'm unstoppable... Indestructible...

    It will give me away but without much thought, I blow the war siren, cranking it hard and screaming with it to signal my army to attack her. The creatures ban together, all knowing their death is to come. Wolves, bears, cougars, bobcats, domestic dogs turned savage in this wicked world, and birds of prey. A crow lands on my head, between my horns, and cries to its fellow kin. A large swarm of black-feathered clouds descend from the sky, screeching from their dark beaks. My animals run full speed at her army, launching at throats and tearing dead flesh with teeth. They will all be killed or turned. Their sacrifice is only a distraction so i can get to her.
    My hands shake as I look from her to the people I must save and back to her quickly. I feel nothing really for them, my love and family and new found friends; all survivors... Something stirs in me when I see the small ones. The fear in their eyes I can see all this distance away. But what stirs is too small to phase me, so I look back at her.

    I let the siren crank handle go and crouch down, bunching my leg muscles up to gain power. My crow friend flies off, and I jump from the high tower, almost flying through the air. Air floods my lungs as I shoot through the sky, landing feet from her. I'm low to the ground, hunched back and staring her down. Her hair is nothing but tendrils, blonde and moving around her beady white eyes. The skin upon her is a green, with tints of fleshly colored orange and yellow. Her hands are dainty and thin, no nails. She has a set of four wings, fast ones, buzzing from her back, annoying my ears. It's hard to believe this creature came from within me. I have an open hole on my torso to prove it...

    I snarl at her. She smiles and looks at me like I'm nothing. I hear a name being yelled at me from the people. My eyes never move, and the name means nothing. Shirley means nothing to me... It did, but i got infected differently then the rest... Then I died... My numb mind only remembers one thing of my death: his tears. I can't even remember what he felt like against me... The whimpering of the little ones makes me mentally flinch, they are calling my name as well. I mustn't look. A distraction isn't what I need right now. So let them wail, my love, the little ones, my best friend, sister, and the others. I cannot remember any of their names...

    Lightning flashes and thunder crashes, I jump at her reaching with my claws. My power blocks me in mid air and throws me far. I flip around in the air and land roughly on my feet, clawing the ground with my hand. My lips pull into a snarl and I run at her again, decapitating one of her army as I go. A wolf runs on my right with me, and a cougar on my left. Running on all fours, I growl and charge at her. She just floats there laughing and sends her pets after us. They run lucidly at us, easy kills for me. I jump at them and rip their heads off. Putrid blood sticks to my skin, I lick it off my lips and turn back to my enemy. She laughs, a shrill little thing, and points at me.
    The ground shakes, vibrating my senses. Larger pets of hers come, nothing but muscle tissue and bones. The large meaty creatures charge at me, heavy and slow.

    My lips twitch into a snarling smile. Hunching forward, screams come from me and I stomp my foot on the ground. What's left of my army comes to my side, some limping and others barely alive ready to turn. Birds fly and swarm around me, their wings blowing a soft breeze against my hair. I slowly lift my hand and point at the new creatures. My smile widens and turns crazy. Tilting my head to the side, a deafening scream flies from my lungs and the birds shoot past me. My black hair blows around my pale face. They fly at her pets, who stop, cawing and screeching. My eyes dart away as they hit a wall I knew would be coming. Her invisible power crushing their bones at impact. My crow remains, perched watching the fight. It caws in pain, seeing fellow kin die so suddenly.

    A wolf at my right touches my hand with its bloody muzzle. My lips twitch again and I scream hard, louder then before. The people cover their ears, the little ones scream in pain. The wolves and dogs left howl with me, the others growl and roar. She just looks at me, seemingly amused, but I sense her fear. Feeling that, I send my army after the new things. Running full speed, each yelling their own cry of war, they rip into their foes. Whimpers of wolves echo in my ears. Force them out, move on... I run up to one of the creatures. A bobcat launches at it and gets knocked away by the monster's powerful leg. This gives me enough time to whip around it and sever its spine with my sharp claws.

    I look to her, my enemy, and feel a furry muzzle touch my hand followed by a yip. Looking down, a small grey wolf looks from my eyes to a large monster throttling a bunch of wolves and cougars working together. My eyes dart from that scene, to her, at the people briefly, and back at the wolf. The rain sparkles in its fur and eyes plead to me. Without thought I nod, crouch down and charge at the winning monster. It sees me coming and so do my pets, who back off. The creature growls at me and holds its ground. I stop running at it, and circle, taking each step gingerly and slow, weighing my options. It watches me with interest from its black eyes. A flash of lightning hits, I jump at the monster, claws outstretched. Flesh tears at its shoulder, followed by a wet groan from the owners maw. I land, ducking my head as a giant leg swings at me from behind. My sharp horns catch on flesh and slice through it. My animals attack the wounded foe.

    A shrill human scream echoes in my ears. Whipping around, I see her holding one of the little ones by the arm. I immediately recognize the little boy... my littlest nephew. Sudden old memories flash through my head as he screams again. Nights of nightmares, calling for his mom who is gone, the rare laughter that made everyone smile... Flinching from these images shows her my weakness. She holds him like its her own, rocking him as he screams my old name.

    That same stirring in my chest returns, full blown this time over-taking my body. I shake with anger and charge her. She touches his nose and looks up at me, lifting her hand. I stop in mind run, not my choice. Her power makes me freeze and lock up. My body lifts from the ground, floating to her and the screaming little one. She brings me a foot from her in mid-air, wings fluttering upon her back. The other humans scream his name and mine, yelling for me to grab him. My eyes stay on the little boys face and he looks in my eyes with fear. I don't smile, just look at him... The fear in his eyes leaves, one of his hands reaching for me. Horror takes me, unable to move. He still knows this creature I died to become...

    Avoiding his eyes, my own flick to the other humans. I look to the other little ones first. My little brother, my littlest sister, my oldest nephew... All their names leave a taste in my mouth. Eyes catch my other sister, close to my age, and her name slips my mind. Next to her, a good friend of mine, he kept everyone laughing. There are others there that I didn't know too well, soldiers found us. Tried to hurt me, and take me...

    And lastly, my eyes meet his... Wide with fear, lips pulled into a frown, he stares at me. Monster... I see the word set in his lips. Taking a step he reaches, for me or the little one I'm not sure. My enemy notices and grabs him with my power, placing the child on ground. Frightened little legs carry him back to the others. I do not see, only hear, as he reaches them in safety. Eyes are too focused on my human love. He's stiff, floating a foot from me.

    Between us, she laughs. Flying, circling him, she touches his face. Fingers caressing chin and cheek, she looks only at me. A sudden rage engulfs me, I do not know why... Yet she does, she feels. His eyes never leave me, not as fearful as I thought. Fingers slide over his neck, she leans in. Tongue on flesh, my enemy licks and kisses my loves neck. I howl, the rage full blown, breaking bonds of my stolen power. She snaps at me and regains control, flying closer to me, and inching him closer.

    Head cocked, touching one of my horns, her slender fingers calculate. A wide sharp smile takes her face. Hand tightening.....SNAP! One horn falls to the ground, with me screaming in pain. Thick liquid, dark, slides over my head and down my face. His eyes watch me and mouth speaks my name. My lips snap shut. I stare at him, seeing something in his eyes. My mind doesn't recognize it... but seems to remember it... A tear, cold and thick, pulses down my cheek.

    She sees us, what we share and flies higher. Floating with, unable to move, all three reach high above the ground. With death below, she flies between us and gets her hands on him again. Rage builds, fists at sides. She touches and presses her lips to his neck. Kiss one. I grit my teeth and feel the bonds begin to loosen. He watches me, unable to move himself. She moves and rubs lips to his chest. Kiss two. My arms are free, yet they do not move. Waiting is the key... Even if it's painful to watch. She knows not that she's losing it, my power. Flying closer to me so I can see, bringing him so near. My enemy moves up, lips part for the next kiss. His lips tighten, her leaning in. Kiss three...

    Wrong move. I grab for her, claws digging in her shoulders. Painful groans, my lips on her neck within seconds; crushing her wings as i bring her closer. I bite, fangs sinking. Screams. Blood flowing through my mouth, my blood. I drink me, taking back what is rightfully mine. Her heart falters as mine springs to life. Beat, beat, beat. Everything coming back! Giggling, my voice back. Feeling my power drain from her, she crumbles to dust. He falls, slipping my power.

    Locked arms and legs, I dive down to him. Arms wrap around and clutch him. Air whips around us, ground coming nearer. My power is not yet all there. Only one thing to do... I spin, to hit the ground first. He will survive without a scratch, all I can offer. BOOM! I hit the ground, him safe in my arms. Pain is all to feel, yet in this moment of death, I'm full of life! I will awake next time with everyone by my side.

    Before the darkness consumes again, he kisses my ear and says, "I love you Shirley."