Hunger

I could hear the birds chirping. I could feel the delicate tickle of insect legs tracing paths over my naked body. My eyelids fluttered open, slow and reluctant. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of leaves above, stabbing at my eyes with cruel precision. I raised a trembling hand to shield myself from the blaze.

Damn it. Not again.

I stared at my hands—filthy, crusted with dried blood. My stomach twisted with hunger. The taste of last night’s feast still lingered on my tongue, metallic and primal.

Shit.

I scrambled upright and bolted through the underbrush, desperate to reach home before anyone saw me like this.

I stood under the shower stream watching the hot water rinse away the earth and blood from my body. It was happening more frequently. I couldn't stop it and frankly, I was exhausted from trying. This was my right. This was my nature. I was born to be a hunter. Maybe it wasn't always fair to the families who lost someone- but no one mourned a cow being eaten at any dinner table. Why should I be made to feel bad for just doing what came naturally?

I wouldn't. Not anymore.

-

My days are boring. I have a job that I hate in a city that never shuts up, surrounded by people who constantly complain about stupid shit- like whether or not the milk in their coffee is truly made from almonds.

Almonds don't have tits. You're not drinking fucking milk. That's what I'd like to tell them. But I don't. Because I need the paycheck. So, I keep my mouth shut as I stir in the non-milk and hand it to the women that hide behind their inflated lips and oversized eyelashes that make them look like SpongeBob.

But my nights…

That’s when I come alive. When the sun sinks and the moon rises, something inside me stirs. I’m no longer a coffee-stained barista serving up cups of black sludge to afford a shit hole apartment. I’m not Sal.

I’m Salvatore Lupinacci.

At night, I’m strength. I’m motion. I'm Unstoppable. Untamed. Unapologetic.

-

I saw her for the first time last week. She was sitting outside of the shop sipping on a bottle of water. I didn't know that she too had chosen to sacrifice her time for pennies at this crappy coffee joint. I thought she was just another customer.

God, was she beautiful.

Her hair was twisted into a bun, exposing the curve of her neck. That alone had me hooked. She didn’t look like the rest. No plastic lips, no cartoon lashes. She was different. She looked… delicious. I knew I had to taste her.

Her name was Amber. Only a week had passed, and I already knew where she lived and that she was alone. Not even a pet to keep her company. Perfect for me. The idea that I could finally get a meal with no additives stirred something within my core. Tonight was the night I would sink my teeth into her flawless skin.

-

My mouth filled with hot saliva as I watched Amber through her apartment building window. She had her hair pulled back into a ponytail and her legs pulled up to her chest. She was staring out the window wearing nothing but an oversized t-shirt. Her shapely legs would look even more enticing running away from me. I loved the chase. It was my favorite part.

Night hadn't completely taken hold yet, but I wanted to make sure I was already close enough to her when the moonlight took over. The way the fear took over when they saw my eyes shift from boring old Sal to unstoppable Salvatore was a moment I cherished.

I walked down the alley, gripped the side of the building and began the climb up.

-

Amber clutched her chest, startled, as she opened the bathroom door and saw me standing there.

“Wh-what are you doing here?” she stammered. I smiled. She backed away, stumbling over her own feet. She hit the floor, wide-eyed, looking up at me through hazel eyes that flickered with confusion. I raised a finger to my lips, "Shh..." and began to unbutton my shirt. I let it fall to the floor, followed by my jeans. I stepped out of them slowly. Deliberately... and reached out my hand. To my surprise, she took it. It was as if she understood. As if she accepted what was coming.

I led her to the couch and told her to sit. She did. Then I moved to the window and pulled the curtains wide open, letting the moonlight flood the room. Standing there in my nakedness, I watched her eyes trace every inch of me.

I wondered how they’d look when the hunger took over.

-

To my horror, she laughed.

“Look,” she said, rubbing the back of her neck, “I’m flattered and all… but you should go.” For the first time in my life, I felt truly exposed. Not just naked. She rose from the couch, still giggling. “Really. We can keep this between us. But yeah… please see yourself out.” “Sit down!” I snapped. She glared at me. "What do you want?" “Sit,” I repeated, softer this time. Controlled.

She didn’t move. Just stared. Then tilted her head, voice laced with suspicion. “You’re the reason all them girls been coming up missing.” That southern drawl she had made her even more irresistible. "What are you doing with em, Sal?"

"Let me show you." I growled. I stepped into the moonlight, letting the glow caress my skin. I could feel the night take me. I stared at Amber, waiting for her reaction. She cocked an eyebrow and reached down, picking up my pants. She crumpled them into a ball and threw them at me.

I let them hit my chest. I bared my teeth and I charged. I tackled Amber to the ground and bit into her beautiful neck. She screamed. It was glorious. The metallic liquid coated my tongue and fueled the beast within. I pulled away- Ambers delicate flesh dangling from my teeth. I used my finger to push the meat into my mouth and began to chew. Heaven.

Amber pulled herself up, her hand was clinging to her neck. The left side of her shirt was dripping with blood. She walked towards me. To my horror, she was smiling. She fell to her knees gripping her neck.

Moonlight spilled through the window, wrapping her trembling body in it's glow. Her eyes lifted from the floor and locked onto mine. They were no longer hazel, but glowing. Then I saw her teeth. No longer human. They were sharp and elongated. They were dripping with strings of saliva and her nose had elongated into a vicious snarl.

She was growling as bones creaked and snapped shaping sweet little Amber into a monster taller than me. This time, I was the one stumbling over my own two feet. I fell hard as Ambers furry body smashed into me. I felt her canine teeth rip into my own neck. I choked on my own blood and my vision went blurry.

Everything went dark.

-

Stupid boy. I thought as I picked the remnants of that pervert from my teeth. I hated junk food. I truly couldn't control what I became when the moonlight took me. But I was grateful to rid the world of that monster. I took that job on purpose. I sensed trouble. My nose never lied. Bodies were being found all through the wooded area. Bodies covered in human teeth marks. Chunks of flesh removed. This wasn't any monster I'd ever seen or heard of. This was the work of a true killer. A cannibal.

It didn't take long to figure him out. The douche bag carried a book of werewolf lore around like a badge of honor for God's sake. Like he wanted to be figured out for what he pretended to be. What a pretentious name. Salvatore Lupinacci. The boy didn't have a lick of Italian in his blood line. Savior of the wolves indeed. He never did my kind any favors.

Good riddance, Sal.

This is my entry for Sam Spinelli's More Howls for Halloween unofficial challenge!

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