CLAWS OF STONE

Dominic’s story

Even though I had already left the TV headquarters, I still could not rid myself of the feeling of uneasiness that was inside me.

It was something that I never experienced before, a powerful feeling that something terrible was imminent. I tried to push away the anxiety I was feeling and assumed it was because of exhaustion. The entire evening had been filled with activities and it had gone by at a rapid pace. I had the privilege of being the guest of honor on a television program. Taking on the role of an artist was a great way for me to find relief from the pressure and tension I was feeling inside. It was often quite strenuous for me to make sure he stayed within the boundaries of my body. 

An identical feeling of apprehension that I had experienced before overwhelmed me again as soon as I turned the corner. I felt like I was sinking into the driver’s seat. What was happening to me? As I felt this inexplicable warmth emanating from within me, it spread throughout my body and I could feel it all around me. Even though I had no control over it, my eyes became filled with rage and my fangs emerged from my mouth. Absolutely not, you must not go out. I prohibit you from doing this, and I will not be changing my mind. The presence of a woman was causing me tremendous pain and a lack of peace, so much so that I screamed out in my mind in a maddening rage. A range of feelings overwhelmed me. What could I have been feeling?

A sudden change came over me. My breath quickened, and it heightened my awareness like that of a predator. The smell of fresh blood entered my nostrils, my skin, my very core.

I tried to push the pain out of my mind, but the sensation was so strong it was impossible to ignore. Like someone was sticking dozens of knives into me all at once. I was so overwhelmed with stress and anxiety that I had to pull over my car to the side of the road in order to gather my thoughts and concentrate. 

I was so desperate because of the pain that I got out of the car, and to escape it, I leaned against the street railing. The smell of blood quickly returned and this time it was even more intense. It all filled me with surprise and bewilderment, wondering what on earth this was. 

I was so close to the creatures that were like me I wasn’t able to react quickly enough.They were aggressively attempting to overwhelm their opponents! Who could it be, though? It was a couple. It wasn’t my place to get involved in the matter. I could not comprehend why I had such a strong connection to the woman who had been the victim of an attack. 

The anger I felt was intensifying to a point where I could no longer keep it from taking over and despite my efforts to talk myself out of it, I had no other recourse. One by one my bones broke, my jaw shifted, my body covered in black hair and I already felt that no one could stand in my way. Rage turned me into the bloodthirsty monster I was. I watched them with thirst, hatred. There were five of them. Piece of cake!

To make sure that everyone was aware of my presence, I let out a loud howl. Their reddened eyes turned to me just as one of them tore at the man’s throat and grabbed the woman. When I saw the sharp claws of the creature at her neck, I nearly lost control of my emotions and was filled with intense anger. To my surprise, he didn’t sink his fangs in. Instead, with full force, he broke her legs. The sound of her agonizing and desperate scream echoed through the woods. The only audience to the horrific massacre I was about to commit were the trees standing there, silently witnessing it all. She was in so much pain that she lost consciousness and fainted. They messed with her. Big mistake!

I thirstily launched myself at the throat of the one who hurt her, and my fangs tore into his aorta until he let out an agonized cry. Although the others stepped in to provide help, my fury was so great that it impeded my ability to think clearly. The second one was even more effortless than the first. He tried to throw himself at me. That’s when I stood up, and wrapping my arms around him, broke his spine right above my head. The cracking of his bones sounded like a pathetic plea. 

There were three more. They all leapt into action at the same time, but I was determined to not yield to the pressure to surrender. Everything rose to an even more dangerous level, and I lunged at their throats one by one, tearing them apart and throwing their corpses at my feet. 

An eerie silence was filling the room. I looked at her with a sense of curiosity. The pain was so intense that she lay on her back with a pallid complexion, her agony unbearable. I suppressed the wolf inside of me to approach her more confidently. The woman direly needed help immediately. 

In her confused state, she attempted to open her eyes from time to time. The frequent transitions between consciousness and unconsciousness made me worry about her safety.

It was not a wise decision to move her, so the best course of action was to summon someone for help. Who else could it be other than Declan? When I dialed the number, he picked up the phone right away on the first attempt. There is a possibility that he could have been on duty. There was an immediate need for me to take action and do something quickly. Even though I tried my best to explain things to Declan, I was still anxious about whether he was comprehending what I was saying.

“Oh, slow down a little, Dominic. What is wrong?” And just then I sent him the location by phone.

“Declan, come quickly to the address I just sent you. I’ve got a woman badly hurt. I hope she makes it...” I admitted to him worriedly. Declan was my only doctor friend who, when my parents died, had discovered what they were and automatically found out about me. He kept my secret, so I kept him as my friend. He was a manager and a doctor at a private clinic, so it was the perfect cover for her injuries. I couldn’t expose myself too much. 

With all my heart, I wished he would appear soon, as I feared that the woman’s suffering would worsen if he did not arrive promptly. The feeling of belonging and the need to protect her had not dissipated, even now. Although the pain was worsening, I attempted to push it out of my mind in order to stay focused on doing whatever I could to save her life. 

The time that elapsed between the moment I put down the phone and Declan’s arrival felt like an eternity. It caught me up in my own anguish, with no way of escaping it. There was absolutely no chance that I could have taken her to the state hospital. The doctors would have posed an overwhelming number of questions if I gave them the chance. The intensity and ferocity of my emotions prevented me from exposing my true self. I had complete trust in Declan. His clinic was immaculate. Nothing was out of place, and it was perfect in every way. The medical professionals followed the doctor’s orders without questioning his authority.

Just as I intended to call him again, I heard the ambulance sirens. He got off, but his face changed to concern when he saw her.

“Oh my God, man! This woman is in a really critical situation,” and he approached her. She stopped gasping, a sign that she must have fainted or gone into shock.

“Do something for her, save her!” I said in an imperative tone, retreating a few steps back to make room for him. Declan came closer but put his hands on his waist, looking helpless. At that moment, I snapped out of my temper. As if that woman had to live at all costs. “Don’t tell me there’s nothing you can do, or I...” but I stopped myself from saying something I would later regret. But his helplessness translated into my anger and denial that somehow I couldn’t lose this woman. 

Declan looked at me, lost, then at her.

“Dominic, this girl is bad. Her legs are badly broken. I can’t tell if she has any other injuries...” 

“She doesn’t!” I interrupted him at once. “A pack of werewolves attacked her and another man that was with her. They killed him but didn’t touch her in any other way. I got there just as the bastards were tearing her legs off.” 

“Oh God! You were right not to move her and call me. You’re going to help me get her on the stretcher and into the ambulance now.” He gave me instructions while heading for the ambulance. “You’re lucky there’s a path here or I don’t know how I’d have gotten in. Come on, help me, we’ll get her up on three, okay? Careful...1...2...3, go!” 

Since the ambulance already had a driver, Declan sat in the back with me. He seemed to stabilize her. But I could clearly see she was in shock.

“Do you think she’ll be okay?” I asked him near his clinic.

“It’s very serious, my friend. I will not lie to you...” I could see him getting anxious around her, trying to decide what he would do at the hospital. I knew I had put him through a difficult situation, but I had no choice. He will probably have some explaining to do, too. I still didn’t know how his doctors would react. But it was either that or let her die. And the second option wasn’t even an alternative. 

To my surprise, as soon as we arrived, even though her condition was delicate, the wolf in me quieted down. Declan kept urging me to do it so as not to raise suspicions. And not because I was what I was, but to avoid any of the doctors calling the police. So they wouldn’t think that I actually assaulted her or anything. He also asked me to let him handle the doctors. 

We rushed through the doors all the way to the operating room, where I could not gain access.

“That’s it, my friend! She’s in excellent hands, don’t worry!” Easy for him to say. I could still see through a small window everything that was going on inside. I lost my gaze on the woman’s face. She was nearly lifeless, lying on that table with all those doctors around her. It was when my heart leapt in terror…

“We’re losing her, guys! Defibrillator, quick!” That was when I felt so powerless. She was giving up fighting for her life, but these doctors seemed to have the last word. I was afraid, afraid of losing her before I knew her. She had to fight. 

That anxiety came back, as if she wasn’t supposed to die. She was somehow supposed to be part of my life and me part of hers. 

“Clear...”

I was staring hard through the window at the monitor above her, hoping, praying for a sign of life. Nothing... Come on, angel! I kept saying to myself. 

“Clear...” 

The doctors seemed to not want to give up, and I was sure she didn’t either. After what seemed like an eternity, the screen started beeping. Her heart started pounding again. I felt so relieved and surprised when I suddenly realized I had tears in my eyes. They were tears of happiness because life had triumphed. This woman had embraced life, and I was sure she wanted to live.