“How do you know this?” Thomas asked frantically, panicking and sweating. His worst nightmares had become a reality. He would change into a werewolf, a murderous beast with an insatiable appetite for slaughter and death. Being inside a cage made that situation a thousand times worse. What would happen? He wondered.
“I wish there were something I could do for you, Thomas. As the pack alpha, I should be welcoming you into our community. Instead, I come only to share the gravity of your situation with you.” And with that John hung up his receiver and walked out of the jail.
10
A few more weeks went by, and Thomas had only been to his preliminary hearing. He was growing antsy with the anticipation of his next court appearance, hoping the judge would see that it was ludicrous to keep him, that he was a victim too. If he could just make his case, then he was sure that they would let him out before he changed. Certainly the court would listen to reason. Wouldn’t they?
But in the back of his mind, he knew it was a pipe dream. He had already been crucified in the press, branded The Beast of Lexington. The most brutal killer central Kentucky had seen in years. He was fully aware of his celebrity status, though naively clinging to the hope that there was real justice in the world.
He hit the showers one day, after lunch, hoping to relieve some stress. Hot water usually made his muscles ease up a bit, and it helped to make his mind clearer. As he was just turning the water on, he heard a familiar voice call his name.
“Thomas,” Jeff Napier’s high pitched voice was unmistakable. “I have a gift from your uncle.”
Thomas turned around and looked Jeff right in the eyes just as a shank penetrated his abdomen. Jeff stabbed him over and over again. Thomas was too shocked to resist. Soon he was on the floor, his life’s blood streaming out of a dozen wounds and down the drain into the water.
With the last of his strength, Thomas asked, “Why?”
“We have to protect the pack. We couldn’t have you turn. Not in here, on the inside. Then the whole world would know. Couldn’t have you exposing them. I get paid to protect them. It’s nothing personal Tommy boy. Sad to see you go, actually.”
As Thomas’ heart beat its final beat, and he slipped away into oblivion, a smile crossed his face. He died comforted by the knowledge that he would never have to turn into one of those things, never have to turn into a beast.
Thanks for Reading
I appreciate you taking the time to read The Beast. If you liked the story please take the time to leave a review on Amazon and/or Goodreads. Reviews help writers immensely and are always greatly appreciated. Don’t forget to sign up for my mailing list at www.aleisterdavidson.com for updates.
-Aleister
Also by Aleister Davidson
The Beast Returns: The Beast Book 2
Gravel Switch: A Weird Tale Of Extreme Horror
Creature Features: Pulp Shorts Book 1
About the Author
Aleister Davidson is an emerging author of Horror, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. He lives in Oakland, California with his wife and two cats. He skateboards, plays punk rock music, and writes speculative fiction for fun. Look forward to the first book in his epic fantasy series, coming soon: King of Dust. If you are a fantasy reader then you won’t want to miss this one.
The Beast Page 4