Coalescence Book I - Chapter 8 - Thicker Than Water
Chapter 8 - Thicker Than Water
-H-
Blood dripped off my hand, splattering the carpet. I could hear another knock at the front door, and my friend James calling out my name. He sounded worried. Luckily the wolf was gone.. I don't know how I would even have begun to explain that to him, but now I had all this blood to deal with, not to mention explain. My hand stung, a gash from the top of my palm down to my wrist.. those damn claws were deadly. A little lower and I could have really been in trouble.
"H..hang on!" I called out to my friend, trying to make my voice sound normal, when everything else was far from it.
James was my best friend, of course he was going to come see me. I should have expected it, but he should have at least warned me first. I wrapped a towel around my hand and opened the door, out of breath and pale.
James stared at me, "Dude.. are you okay? I tried calling.."
My cellphone.. shit.. I don't think I even put it on charge after getting home from the hospital. It's probably been dead for nearly a day.
"Ah.. yeah I guess I let my phone die. Didn't plan on talking with anyone anyway. Sorry I was just.. sleeping"
He narrowed his gaze to my hand, wrapped in a white towel that was now very much red.
"Shit, is that blood?" He took hold of my arm and walked us both inside, out of the doorway. "What happened? Thought you were sleeping.." He trailed off, calling me on my lie.
My mind was a mess, not ready to be quick and off the cuff, so I deflected, "..you just startled me when you knocked.. cut myself on something sharp."
Not entirely a lie, not entirely the truth. He seemed skeptical as he pulled the towel off and brought me over to the sink to rinse the blood off, exposing the raw gash. I realized how it might look to him.. the whole situation, especially with what had just happened with Mom.
James looked me in the eyes, growing quiet and serious, "Do I have to be worried?"
I shook my head quickly, wincing as he washed my wound, "No no.. it's nothing like that.. If it was I wouldn't have let you in, now would I?"
That seemed to do it, he let it drop and the two of us got my hand all wrapped up. "You might need stitches dude.. that looks pretty grim.."
Going to the hospital with some sort of demon wolf inside of me?.. No, I couldn't. "Nah man.. I just spent two days in a hospital. I am not going back. I'll be fine."
He winced a little, though he tried to hide it, he didn't exactly want to fight me on that.. and I knew that when I said it.
"Why are you here?" It came out sounding much harsher than intended, certainly harsher than he deserved.
Immediately I regretted it when I saw his face sink. "Just wanted to make sure you were okay, I figured your dad wouldn't be coming over here, didn't want you to spend the whole day alone."
He nodded to my bloody hand, "Thicker than water right?"
James really was like family to me, friends were family we could choose. I liked that. He was like a brother, and I should have been happy he was there.. but I was getting waves of anxiety. What if the wolf came out in front of him? What if the wolf hurt him..? The beast had gone from happy puppy to vicious feral beast in an instant with that knock on the door. I don't think he intended to hurt me, I think he just jerked too quickly at the sound and my poor hand got sliced. But what about other people? Maybe I was safe from the wolf, maybe he needed me to live. Maybe that's why he seemed so attached to me, he was literally attached to me.
It was risky to have James around right now, as much as I appreciated him worrying about me it was me who was more worried about him. I couldn't lose Mom and my best friend. That wasn't happening. Images of the wolf tearing its way out of me and shredding my friend while I was helpless to do anything flooded my head. No. No no.
"James.. Thanks for coming by. Really. I just.. need time. Alone."
He seemed reluctant to leave, but understanding. I felt like an asshole for kicking him out, but I had bigger issues. The wolf could come back out at any time. I looked myself over, looked at my wrapped hand. How could I tell when? How could I go about my day to day when at any moment I could let out a monster on anyone I was around? I moved on autopilot again, same as this morning, but now my troubles were even more intense. Sawyer pitter pattered out into the kitchen when I poured her food, but she ignored me entirely. That was fair, she was a moody thing and I had scared her with a monster hand. Scared me too, but I got myself some food and two two of us are quietly, separately.
I kept waiting for the beast to return, but he didn't. An hour passed. Then two. I put on the TV but I couldn't tell you what I watched for those few hours. I was in my head, bouncing around between Mom and the wolf, both things upsetting in different ways. Nothing happened.. he didn't return. Maybe he was sorry for hurting me? I wondered if he could hear me.. if he knew what was happening around me, around him.
"Hey uh... wolf?.. It's okay. Come out if you are there.. I'm okay." My voice was hoarse, my throat had been dry since dinner. I waited again, nothing. No response, nothing happening with my limbs.
Finally I decided I needed sleep, I was absolutely and utterly exhausted.. I knew the moment I hit the pillow I would be out like a light until morning. It was already a struggle to keep my eyes open. At least I could sleep in, I didn't have work tomorrow. Stripping down and climbing into bed I could feel my mind racing but as much as was on it, my fatigue was more powerful. I felt fur against my arm and that was enough to jolt me from almost drifting off, but it wasn't the wolf. I smiled..
"Hey Sawyer.. guess you finally forgive me huh girl?" I slid my hand across her ears, down her neck. She began to purr against my side as I pet her once, twice, then I was out, my eyelids had grown too heavy and sleep took me.