The Myth of the Wolves

They had been living underground for hundreds of years. The soft caress of the moon had long disappeared from their bodies. Their wolves were nothing but legends of the past, stories passed down from generations long gone. The passing of time was marked by industrial lights that lit up the damp cavern walls, exposing the dark green moss. There was a leakage of fresh water that pooled into a lake in the centre of our village. Makeshift ravines helped to funnel the water away from the surrounding homes. Thanks to the constant emergence of fish and fresh water, their village thrived on the necessities. Being underground for hundreds of years had done little for their population. Mates were a myth, assumed to have been a gift rescinded from the Moon Goddess for abandoning the moon. Children were rarely gifted to chosen mates, making the population start to dwindle, but still, there were about two thousand adults and one hundred children living in the village. These myths of wolf-like people were the only religion of the underground. It was the only hope for a flourishing life. While many believed in these myths as fact, there were many more who doubted. Still, doubters and believers would gather almost nightly around the village to exchange these stories, further passing on these beliefs to future generations. Many had attempted to escape the underground, only to never be seen again or their bodies to be found in their homes, a warning to the rest. There were whispers of powerful forces that guarded their village, stopping anyone from leaving or entering. It was only gossip though. Halo was a young woman of the age of twenty. Her hair was the colour of dark ash, and her bright grey eyes were striking against her pale complexion. She was a little shorter than average height, and she had both a beautiful face and figure. When she was born, she seemed to emit a very faint glow, assumingly because of her fair complexion. Therefore, she was named Halo. Halo was a force to be reckoned with. From a young age she commanded a natural confidence and authority, despite the death of her parents when she was just eight years old. Since their death she had lost some of her radiance. Shadows plagued her grey eyes, and she struggled every day to provide necessities for herself. Still, her confidence and authority had kept her safe and fed all these years. Campfire Stories. The fire cackled like a demon sent from hell as Halo warmed her cold fingers in its heat. Fire always made her feel a sense of both death and life, as its heat could both cause death and save her from death. It claimed the lives of her parents long ago, so you could say she had a complicated relationship with fire. The old lady, Hegel, smiled brightly into the fire, exposing her rotting teeth. Halo felt a sense of sadness, realizing Hegel was in constant pain because of her teeth. Whisps of Hegel’s salt and pepper hair escaped the pouf at the top of her head, and the fire danced dangerously in her soft cloudy eyes. Her smile receded as she prepared herself to tell the story of the wolf people of the past once again. While Hegel was a full believer of the wolf people, Halo was not. Still, just like any non-believer, she did enjoy the stories and the hope that came with them. Sometimes Halo would pretend she believed, if only for a moment, to feel something more than her bleak existence. Once again, she reined in her doubts and willed herself to believe, just like she did when she was a child. Hegel’s raspy voice filled the air around them. “It is said that beyond these cave walls exists a great moon in the sky, and around this moon is a smaller moon that circles it. The small moon is called Stella, and the large moon is called Selene.” She coughs and clears her throat, ready to drone on the rest of the story. For Hegel, this was a sermon, and the people around the fire gazed at her with adoration in their eyes. Halo could smell the seasoned fish cooking over the fire atop a campfire grill. Its greasy skin bubbled up as the scent of herb and fish coated the thick air. Her stomach growled as she grabbed the tongs and a plate nearby. Plating the fish, the juices pooled, and she could hear the groans of everyone around her as she prepared the meagre meal of two large salmon for eight people. The flavours exploded in Halo’s mouth, and she couldn’t stop the moan from escaping her mouth. Blushing from embarrassment, she quickly finished her portion, gathered the plates, and she sat down to allow Hegel to continue her story. With the scent of fish dissipating, she couldn’t help but smell something very faint, yet intoxicating. But before she could place what she was smelling, it was gone. Shaking her head dismissively, her attention shot back to Hegel as she got to her favourite part of the story. “It is said that every so often Selene sends her daughter to the most deserving pack. Sometimes to help them in a time of great need, and even sometimes just to allow her daughter to find her soulmate once again and live a happy and fulfilling life because she truly dotes on her only blood child.” One of the few children in the village, Matthias, spoke up with stars in his big green eyes. “Aren’t we all her children?” Hegel smiled warmly at the child. “Yes, of course, Matthias, but there was a time when Selene herself walked among the mortals and had a direct descendent of her own.” She coughed again, heaving up phlegm and spitting it out before continuing. “We are all her children whom she blessed with the moon, but we are descendants of other descendants, and none of which were blessed to become a moon of her moon in our afterlife. Stella is truly as pure and special as the Moon Goddess herself.” Hegel stopped, seemingly for the night, as she began a rather serious coughing fit. Several people stood to offer her water and take her back to her home. Halo sat for several minutes longer, in the company of Timothy. “Halo, would you like me to walk you home?” Timothy asked. “Sure,” she responded. “Where is Angela tonight?” Angela was Timothy’s sister and Halo’s closest friend. “She went over to the Stephenson’s fire.” He rolled his eyes. “She has it bad for that Hector fellow.” Halo smiled at that. It’s just like Angela to chase after whoever she sets her sights on next. Still, she missed her best friend. “Don’t take this the wrong way, Timothy, but why didn’t you go with her?” She couldn’t help but worry about her best friend. Timothy gave her a look like she should know the answer to that, and Halo felt a little uncomfortable at the implication. He sighed, “I planned on swinging by there and walking her home after making sure you get home safe.” Halo felt warmth in her stomach at the thought that she had people who cared for her. “We had better get going then.” She stood, dusted herself off, and stepped onto the dusty dirt road after dousing the fire, Timothy following close behind her. The night was lively. They had turned in earlier than usual due to Hegel’s health. They passed several other fires on their way to Halo’s house that she had shared with her parents. It was nothing special, just a single room with a cot and a bucket in the corner for washing. The communities shared communal toilet buildings where business could be taken care of in a clean and private manner. When they reached Halo’s house, the fires leading their way down the many dusty paths, and the smell of cooked fish hung strongly in the air, Timothy stood awkwardly at her door. She knew he had something to say, as she had known Timothy her entire life. She looked into his almond-coloured eyes intently, conveying that he could speak to her about anything. Then she reached out and gently clasped his hands in hers. She implored him with her eyes, waiting expectantly. He sighed, removing his hands from hers and running one of his calloused hands through his short blonde hair. His other hand tightened into a fist at his side. “Halo,” he began, and the way he said her name made her take a step back cautiously. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about this, but every time I try, something comes up.” She knew what this was about, and she had to admit she was curious herself about her own feelings. She had never had a boyfriend before, and she believed that Timothy was a nice enough man. He was handsome enough. Timothy seemed to struggle with himself for a full minute, his eyes cast down at his hands, which tightened and loosened. Suddenly, he looked up at her, his eyes boring into hers. She could see his emotions swirling in his eyes, and his resolve seemed rock solid as he took a step closer to her. She didn’t move. She wanted to know what it would be like to let herself be loved in that way. His lips felt soft against hers, and she felt her stomach flutter with excitement. His calloused hands wrapped around her thin waist, and she was pulled into his rock-hard chest. His kiss deepened, and he bit her bottom lip, asking for entrance. Her cheeks flamed, and her eyes closed. Before she could grant him entrance, they heard a sickening c***k nearby. Assuming it was either the aggressive crackling of a fire or the shifting of the cave causing a house to settle and c***k, that’s all that was needed for the spell to wear off. She stepped away from him, feeling cold as his hands returned to his sides. There was both hope and loss in his eyes. He wanted her desperately. Before her face reddened any more, she quickly said, “good night,” and she locked herself in her house. She leaned against the door and sighed. She placed her cool hands over her cheeks to try and cool them off. She swore she could still feel his lips against hers as she washed her face and readied herself for bed. It didn’t take long for her to fall asleep in her cot. She had three thick blankets to keep the cold at bay, yet she always still woke up with a chill in her bones. She was exhausted enough from her day to sleep despite what had just happened with Timothy. The Heat. The fire blazed aggressively, demonically. It licked at her skin yet did not burn her. She did, however, feel the intense heat from the flames. The agonizing pain as she was burned alive, yet unable to scream as the fire absorbed all the oxygen. The clouds of smoke robbed her of her sight. She wished for death desperately, but somehow, she could not die. Her clothes were turned to ashes, and she laid there praying to the moon goddess to just end her existence already. Eventually, finally understanding that there was no escape from this intense t*****e, she got up from the floor and searched desperately for the door. The usually cold stone walls were blazing hot, but she had to feel her way to the door. The sound of the fire whooshing in her ears deafened her from the screams of her parents, who had been burned alive. She found the opening in the stone where the door should be, but the door was not there. It had been burned off in the fire. Stumbling out into the street, eight-year-old Halo felt relief as she left the flames behind. It all happened so fast that the only person who saw her was Hegel. Hegel quickly wrapped her up in her cloak and carried her to her home just before other people started to arrive at the house, burning high like a beacon along the dingy streets. Although she left the flames behind, she could still feel them l*****g her skin when her eyes shot open. Waking from that same nightmare that had plagued her since she lost her parents, Halo was surprised to find she was still hot. She reached up and felt her forehead, but she couldn’t tell if she had a fever or not. She did know that she was unbearably hot and sweaty when she was usually chilled to the bone. She sat up and felt a pooling in her belly. What was happening to her? She thought of Timothy earlier and felt the need to give herself some release, so she did just that. Her fingers found her slickened core quickly and desperately. She moaned and massaged herself slowly. Her toes curled as she felt the ice-cold shivers that accompanied her pleasure. She quickened her pace, chasing her release. She lifted her butt off the cot as she came, and her slick fingers slowed down as she finished. The heat subsided, but she knew there was something wrong with her. She mentally noted to see the doctor tomorrow as she cleaned herself off. Then she fell back into an uneasy sleep, waking up several times throughout the night to find release. The next day, Halo still felt hot, but she was a lot better than she was that night. She felt she could handle the day. Still, she would see the doctor after work. She arrived at Hegel’s earlier than usual. She would walk Hegel to the mines, and they would both work well into the night, saving barely any time for dinner and rest. She put her cold hands to her burning cheeks when Hegel opened the door. She couldn’t help but feel like someone was watching her, and she glanced around her before entering Hegel’s home. Hegel wore a curious expression that quickly turned to concern when she saw how red Halo’s cheeks were. “Are you alright, dear?” Hegel reached up and felt Halo’s forehead. She quickly pulled back when she felt her burning up. “Let’s take you to the doctors.” “I’m much better than I was last night. I will go after work.” Hegel shook her head adamantly. “There is no way you can work in this condition. We are going to see Doctor Hazel.” Knowing she could not argue with Hegel, she conceded and followed her to the doctor. On the way there, Hegel seemed distracted, looking around with concern. The dusty roads kicked up a bit of a cloud as several people traversed on the paths to their destinations. “Have you noticed anything weird lately?” She asked, sniffing the air. Halo’s eyebrows rose, and she almost laughed out loud at seeing her with her nose in the air, her light eyes squinting with consternation. “I don’t think so?” Halo managed to say. She didn’t want to bother her with her fleeting moments of feeling watched. She was sure it was not noteworthy. She helped her shuffle her feet down the road, their arms linked. She felt Hegel shrug as she stopped squinting and fell into step with her. The door to the doctor’s office rang as she opened it. The receptionist looked up from her notepad behind her desk, her smile disappearing. “What’s going on, ladies?” “Oh it’s not-“ Halo began. “Halo has a fever, and we would like to get her checked out.” The receptionist glanced at Halo disapprovingly, jotted something down on her notepad, and motioned for them to take a seat. There were two other people ahead of them, but it didn’t take long for Halo to be called. Hegel waited in the waiting room. The smell of antiseptic and infection assaulted her senses as Halo entered the room. She crinkled her nose. “Sorry about that,” Doctor Hazel explained, “just had to patch up Jeremey’s fourth laceration this week. Why they still have that old crone working the mines is beyond me.” “No need to apologize,” Halo responded, and she sat on the patient chair across the room while Doctor Hazel finished writing down notes. Doctor Hazel looked up at last and seemed to take in Halo’s presence, noting the blush on her cheeks and the sweat just under her hairline. “You okay, sweety?” “I feel better now, but I was up all night feeling unbearably hot.” She was embarrassed to mention the other part of her experiences last night. The doctor jotted down some notes and looked back up at Halo. “How are you feeling now? Are there any other symptoms?” Halo turned bright red, and she looked down at her feet. “I still feel hot, but I am okay.” She didn’t want to be punished for not working. Being sick always came with repercussions that were never worth it. Unless, of course, you were so sick you were about to die or something. “What else is it, Halo?” The doctor caught on to her evasive behaviour. Halo didn’t think her face could turn any redder. There was no way she was telling the doctor she was like a cat in heat all night. “Honestly, I would rather just go back to work. Hegel forced me to come here.” “Well, okay, Halo, but I want you to know that you can tell me anything. I was very close friends with your parents. Rosemary was like a second sister to me.” Halo almost scoffed in disbelief. If they were so close, where was she after her parents died? The doctor stood, oblivious to Halo’s thoughts. “I’ll just do some quick tests, give you a few acetaminophens, and you can get back to your day.” She smiled at her warmly as she took out the thermometer and began her tests. Before she left, Halo thought she would see if her friends got home safe last night. “Oh, Doctor Hazel-“ “Please just call me Hazel, Halo.” Halo just smiled. “Did Angela and Timothy make it home last night?” “Yes, of course,” she replied. “You would be the first person I would come to if I couldn’t find my children.” “Thank you,” Halo responded, and she left the doctor’s office, swallowing the medicine down on her way out. The Mines. It didn’t take long for the medicine to take effect, given that they generally only eat one meagre meal a day and small snacks throughout work. Thankfully, her fever had completely rescinded by the time they made it to the mining site. She smiled down at the older lady. “Thank you for forcing me to do that. I feel much better now.” Hegel just smiled as she lifted her pickaxe and rested it against her shoulder. Halo frowned at the older chronically ill woman having to do another day of hard labour. Halo grabbed her own pickaxe, and she followed Hegel to the mineshaft to descend several hundred floors. The mines were a massive, complex, and exceptionally organized set of tunnels. All people from the ages of ten until basically death had to work the mines for sixteen hours a day. The only exceptions were if you were bedbound, as confirmed by a doctor. Bedbound people tended to die if they didn’t have anyone to care for them. Since each community was divided, most bedbound people were taken care of by community member children, if there were any, and they were taken care of by community members during their eight-hour break period. Everyone was overworked, underfed, and generally exhausted, to say the least. Especially those who are sick or elderly. Hegel was both. The mines were cave-like, some areas extremely narrow to pass through. Halo was used to these conditions, so she wove in and out of the tunnels like it was second nature. Some of the tunnels were naturally occurring while others were man-made. Each miner wore oxygen masks, and a tank large enough to last through half the day. At the half-way point, they would be expected to refill their tanks and eat lunch at the closest lunchroom. It was rare for miners to perish within the caves. The doctors made sure everyone had the medication, prosthetics, and anything else they needed to function. It was rare, but sometimes water or lava would spill into a tunnel and wipe out a considerable number of people. They were usually spread out enough that if that did happen, it wouldn’t affect too many people at once. At each level there were overseers with walkie-talkies that could receive, send, and relay information if needed. They had the ability to punish workers cruelly, and many of them enjoyed that part of the job. The most common causes of death were heart attacks and a***e. r**e was also common, but thankfully, Halo was always able to handle herself in those situations. Tunnels rarely, if ever, collapse. Halo wondered often if these tunnels led somewhere. She used this as motivation every single day to dig into the hard dirt and stone. Escape. Gritting her teeth, she hit her pickaxe into the earth hard, repeating her mantra to herself: escape, freedom, the moon. She knew it was delusional, but she held hope anyway. She wanted to see the moon one day, even though she wasn’t sure she believed it existed. Thanks to the oxygen mask, she couldn’t smell the damp tunnel around her, let alone the scent of anyone coming up behind her, so she was extra shocked when she felt a warm and firm grasp on her forearm. Sparks erupted from the touch. The grip stopped her from her next swing, and she lowered her pickaxe, turning to face who had grabbed her. She had assumed it was the overseer, but her reaction to that touch startled her. She turned to see the most startling forest-green eyes focused intently on her. His dark brown, almost black, hair was dishevelled, and the oxygen mask was on top of the sexiest looking lips she had ever seen. The fever she felt earlier had suddenly consumed her and her knees buckled, wetness pooling down below. He reached out to steady her, but his grip only made things worse. She dropped her pickaxe and put her hands against his rock-hard chest. She looked up and saw concern flood his beautiful eyes. He had a knowing look and took a deep breath, stepping away from her once she got her footing. She felt the loss of his touch instantly, and she shivered, wrapping her arms over her chest. Her cheeks were bright red, and she was burning all over. “Who are you?” She asked. His voice was deep and sexy. “Damius.” She had never seen this man before, and every single resident knew each other. This man had to have come from elsewhere. But that was impossible.