Gauntlet Rite of Ascension

by Marcus Abshire

  There was someone or something in the darkness with me and their presence was a cool balm to the scathing nothingness that surrounded me.

  I slowly started feeling my body. I was aware of my limbs and I eventually lost that disembodied feeling. I was still in darkness, but it was more like being in a closet with the lights turned off than an out of body experience.

  I would get flashes of other feelings, smells would assault me that were more vivid and complex than I have ever experienced, sounds that seemed to hold more depth than I have ever known. I would have momentary bouts of pain as a sense of my bones being broken and remade came to me in waves of agony that would peak, then wash away. I could hear screaming and smell a deep scent that I could only describe as terror.

  I sat and endured this strange state of being for what seemed like hours. Time was unknowable in this place and I had no idea if the span of events had taken days or seconds.

  Out of the vast darkness a feeling of something coming from the same door that was unlocked after the wolf’s bite rushed over me.

  I felt another presence among the emptiness. It sent off waves of unbridled aggression. A wild energy radiated from it that beat at me like waves on a shore. I felt it as it stalked the vastness in search of prey. It was hunting, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was hunting for me.

  I tried to keep small. I did everything I could to reduce my presence from the Beast. I crouched into a ball and slowed my breathing. I was aware of my heartbeat as it blasted a rhythm against my ears. I was afraid the Beast could easily find me from my thumping heart as it threatened to burst from my chest.

  I felt when the Beast stalked near. It searched everywhere, looking for me. It reached out with its senses to locate me. A mind-splitting howl of frustration erupted from the Beast as its anger at not finding me boiled over.

  Finally, a bestial voice, filled with a deep primordial energy growled, “I know you are here pup. I will find you. It is rare that one of your youth has been able to hide from me, but you will fall eventually. Soon, you will be found and I will take you. It is inevitable.”

  I stayed in a crouch and tried to keep invisible.

  “I have time, more time than you can imagine. I have been with you since creation and have eternity to hunt. I will draw you out as sure as a rabbit is drawn from the brush. Although I may not be able to find you for now, you will see. You will see what happens when you deny your nature and reject your true self.” The Beast finished.

  Among the inky blackness, two bright orbs erupted. Deep yellow, they encompassed what would be considered the sky in this realm.

  They became the sure, piercing eyes of a wolf and through them I began to see an image, just one at first, Sara sat in the passenger’s seat of my mom’s car and was screaming. She seemed to be in slow motion. Her movements were sluggish, almost so slow as to be unmoving.

  I began to be drawn into the eyes and other feelings and senses returned to me. I could feel my arms and legs; they felt different, longer, stronger and covered in deep brown fur. I could smell her; in this tiny space, her scent was maddening.

  Fear radiated off her, under I could discern her perfume and her natural body odor. Her screaming was harsh to my sensitive ears, but they signaled a feeling of rightness. She should be afraid of me. I am the Beast unchained, the Hunter unleashed, let her be afraid.

  I realized I was riding shotgun to the Beast. I was in my body, but it wasn’t the same.

  I had been transformed into a savage creature, whose form and spirit was pure animal. There was little left of the civilized human. All that was here was a desire for the hunt and the kill. This woman-child would have to be a good start.

  I could do nothing to stop this, if I exposed myself I knew the Beast would turn on me. Its raw strength would devour me. It would consume me.

  I felt like a coward. I watched in abject horror as Sara got her door open and fled out of the car and into the tree line that followed the road.

  If she would only have ran the other way she would have went towards the party and maybe people who could help. In her panic she just wanted to get as far away from this monster as fast as possible. She ran blindly into the dark woods.

  “Awww.” The Beast said in an almost orgasmic manner.

  “So it begins, it is fitting that it is your bitch first.”

  The Beast burst forth from the enclosed space, ripping the door off as it went with little regard for the metal that held it on.

  The strength needed to absently rip the door from its hinges was astounding. The Beast easily followed the fleeing prey into the woods. Her path was as obvious as if she had lighted the way. The Beasts senses were so attuned to the hunt. Her scent came in an almost colored haze that hung in the air where she had went, slowly being swayed as the wind tugged at her trail.

  The sound of her frantic breathing as panic made her gasp for air in fits came to the Beast’s sensitive ears. The noise her clumsy movements created targeted her. The Beast easily closed the distance and its sharp preternatural eyes found its prey as she chanced a look back.

  Panic and fear marred her features, turning her beauty into ugliness as the terror took hold.

  A wordless scream tried to come forth as she watched the Beast close the distance between them.

  The horror of what came was too much for her as her composure broke and she froze, screaming a soundless shriek that would never be heard.

  The Beast leapt for her and brought her to the ground, it lunged out and found her beautiful exposed throat and bite down with unimaginable strength and ripped her head from her shoulders in a gory, bloody mess. The Beast fed.

  Blood.

  Eat.

  Feed.

  Hunt.

  Yes.

  Abject horror washed over me as I broke down. The trauma of the events hit me and I lost track of time.

  I could feel the Beast feeding and the waves of its emotions flowed over me. I was unable to stop them. They were repulsive and at the same time inviting.

  The primal needs and urges tugged at me in a way that I never thought possible. The fact that I was even remotely intrigued by them made me even more sick and I sat in shock.

  I closed my eyes and thankfully the scene before me was shut off. I could still hear the Beast feed and I could smell what it smelled but I was saved from what it saw.

  I was deep in shock and full of anguish as the Beast stood up and turned its head to the sky, it howled at the full moon and the ritual was complete. The Beast slowly turned from the corpse and stalked off in hunt of more prey.

  Despair threatened to drag me down. Sara’s face burned into my brain. I couldn’t stop thinking about her. Her dreams, her aspirations. All gone. All taken by a Beast from hell. I could do nothing.

  I had no power over this thing. I had nothing to fight it with.

  The subtle comforting sensation that I wasn’t alone came back. It was stronger this time. It was still elusive and fleeting, but it gave me a spark of hope. I don’t know why, but the idea that I might not be by myself in this prison comforted me.

  “It’s okay, he cannot hear you here.” I heard a familiar, yet at the same time unknown, voice say.

  I turned in a circle, looking for the owner of the voice.

  “Who’s there?” I said, tentatively.

  “A friend. Someone who can help.” He said.

  “How? What can you do?” I asked.

  “When you are ready, I can help. The choice will be yours. Do not despair. There is always hope, as long as you stay true to yourself there will be hope.”

  “The Beast comes, I have to go.” He said.

  “No! Wait!” I pleaded.

  The feeling of another faded but never left. It became a small thing but I could feel it out there like the gentle hand of a parent as they run alongside their child who is learning to ride a bicycle for the first time.

  I felt the ominous presence of the Beast as it came near, its closeness stifling
in its power.

  “Still hiding? I have to say, I’m impressed.” It growled. “Your woman was sweet. Not much of a hunt, but still, so few really are.”

  I couldn’t contain the anger that rose in me.

  “You bastard!” I screamed.

  “So, it has a voice. Good, I thought you would stay silent until your death. I do have to say I’m amazed that you are still able to hide from me, but this realm is tricky. You will soon be mine.” It said.

  I controlled myself again, retreating into silence. Hoping my outburst would not lead the Beast to me, afraid of exposing myself to it.

  “You know I have hunted for eternity. I have brought down more prey and feasted more times than even I can count. Your defiance is a nice respite from the usual outcome from my release. So be it, I will continue to destroy what is yours until you show yourself and allow the inevitable to happen.” It said.

  Another frustrated growl bubbled forth from the Beast as it turned away.

  I looked up cautiously, once again drawn into its eyes, watching helplessly as the Beast searched for more prey.

  More prey. Another metal cage with wheels. Men inside, eating deep fried bread.

  Keepers of the peace.

  These men are unaware of the Beast.

  The smell of them different. One clearly the pack leader. He sits behind the wheel.

  An imbalance with his liver, making his blood sugar levels higher than normal.

  He doesn’t know.

  The other has the smell of a woman on him, coupled with the anxiety smell.

  He cheats. He is afraid to be caught.

  The smell of soap and aftershave.

  Deodorant and natural body odor.

  Confidence of their security, small metallic tools at their sides. Belief that their weapons will protect them.

  All of this comes in the form of smell, so much can be told from smell. Man has forgotten so much.

  I will help teach him again.

  The Beast slowly makes its way closer, intent on showing these men their impotence in the face of true power. A rejection of the order they represent.

  The men are oblivious.

  The Beast stalks closer. The Beast blends with the shadows and easily crouches in the front of the metal carriage. The sounds of their eating and talk clear to the Beast.

  “Bullshit, it’s not my fault. I work my ass off trying to provide and all she can do is bitch about me never being home, working too much.” The inferior one said.

  “Women just want to be important. Maybe it’s not the work that’s really the problem, maybe she just wants to know you put her first sometimes.” The leader said.

  “Whatever, I can’t keep up. She wants a house and presents, but she’s pissed at the work needed to make that happen. I don’t know, sometimes I think it’s too much.” He said.

  “Don’t give up too soon. I’ve been married for fifteen years, yes it’s been hard, but it’s been a lot of fun too.” Leader said.

  “Well, anymore it seems like more hard than fun.” The other said.

  The sound of a radio crackled to life and a voice could be heard.

  “Unit three, this is dispatch. We have a report of an abandoned car on West Third. One of the neighbors says they heard screaming, may be a possible domestic disturbance. Are you able to check it out, over?”

  “Roger that, dispatch. We’re on our way. Out.” The leader said.

  “Isn’t that near the Marshall’s house? Where there is supposed to be a party tonight?” Asked the other.

  “Probably just some kids screwing around. Let’s go check it out.” Said the leader.

  The Beast rose up from the front of the car and stood looking at the men. Both cops visibly jumped in surprise. The leader leaned out the window and said, “Nice costume kid, bet your parents spent a fortune. Now get the hell out of the way or you’re gonna spend the night in jail.”

  The Beast leaned forward and let out an inhuman yell.

  Hunt.

  Feed.

  The emotions washed over me.

  The two cops sat with opened mouths, fear stopping them. The leader was the first to react. He reached down for his gun, but he was far too slow.

  The Beast launched himself at the cheater and flew through the windshield, ripping through the shatterproof glass as though it were paper.

  The Beast attacked the man and the inside of the patrol car was splattered with blood as the Beast quickly eviscerated the cop.

  The leader managed to get out of the patrol car and unclasp his firearm; he leveled the pistol at the unholy thing that was eating his partner. The barrel shook as his terror made his aim unsure. He took a deep breath and the barrel leveled slightly.

  It was enough.

  The gun-fire was loud in the quiet night. The cop fired again and again almost point blank into the deep thick fur of the Beast’s back. Almost as quickly as the bullets hit they were pushed back out. The healing abilities the Beast possessed were astounding. The Beast shrugged off six point-blank shots as though they were mosquito bites.

  Faster than could be followed the Beast turned from its meal and faced the shooter. A look of incomprehension fell over him.

  “No, no, this can’t be, no.” He moaned over and over, trying to deny the insanity that threatened to consume him.

  The Beast’s wolf-like snout stretched into a grin. Even more devilish as its deadly looking maw was covered in blood and gore. A bloody bit of tissue dropped from its mouth as it somehow snarled, “Yes.”

  The Beast came at the shooter, taking him down easily.

  Blood.

  Bite.

  Kill.

  Eat.

  Feed.

  YESSS.

  Chapter 6

  I retreated from the scene.

  I couldn’t take it. I closed my eyes and tried to shut off the gruesome display before me. I let the darkness surround me. The impersonal shroud of nothingness a welcome respite from the sheer violence of the Beast.

  I felt the comforting presence slowly grow stronger and soon felt as though someone else was sitting with me. The Beast’s attention was entirely given to the feast; the hunt was his only concern. I felt safe to try and learn more about my companion.

  “Are you there?” I asked, quietly.

  “I am.” He said.

  I wasn’t sure but he felt like a he. Something about his voice made me think he was male.

  “What is going on?” I asked, hoping this presence could give me some information.

  “An ancient struggle. Man’s need for civility against his desire for pure animal drive.” He said.

  “I don’t understand what that means.” I said.

  “The Beast is trying to draw you out, flush you from cover so that he can devour you.” He said.

  “I figured that much, but where am I? Am I going crazy?” I asked.

  “No, you are not crazy. The details are not important. For now all you need to know is that the Beast is a part of you. You are a part of it. Until you accept this, it will continue to hunt you and have the power to unmake you.” He said.

  I didn’t understand what he was talking about, but something else was nagging at me. I had to know the truth.

  “I know you don’t I? I recognize your feel. It was the same thing I felt when I had a nightmare and my dad would come in and make me feel better. Or when I did something wrong and he would punish me, but at the same time letting me know how much he loved me. You are my dad aren’t you?” I asked, emotions warring within me.

  I was scared that this presence was my father, and terrified that he wasn’t.

  “I am a gift from your father, a lasting legacy of his undying love for you.” He said.

  “I still don’t understand, how is this possible?” I asked.

  “Magic, love. Are they not one in the same? Does not love allow man to be stronger than normal or achieve things that would be impossible? Love is so very strong and magic is only the emotions made tan
gible. Trust in yourself, you are stronger than you know.” He said.

  I could feel his presence slowly receding again. Slipping away like fog on a slight breeze until there was only the barest wisp of his presence noticeable.

  “The Beast comes again, remember, be strong …” He said as his voice slowly shrunk and faded.

  Chapter 7

  I could feel when the Beast turned from its feast and left the scene. It quickly entered the woods and quietly stalked through the dense trees. As it made its way through the foliage it turned inwards, looking for me.

  “I would have thought the champions of the law would have put up more of a chase than that.” The Beast said in a growl.

  “It is so hard to find good prey these days. You, however, are turning out to be quite adept at eluding me. I suppose it is fitting for me to have to earn your capture. After all, you are from a strong line.” The Beast said.

  I had the impression it was trying to goad me into talking, giving me some information in hopes of drawing me out.

  I could feel the Beast waiting, hoping I would show myself in search of answers. I might have too, if it wasn’t for the words and encouragement from my father’s legacy.

  A strong feeling of rage welled up from the Beast. Its anger at failing to get me to reveal myself overflowing as I felt the palpable waves of its emotions.

  “Stay in your hole, little pup, it matters not!” The Beast roared.

  “I have the scent of one who recently challenged you, I will show you how to properly deal with rivals. I will teach you a few things before you yourself succumb to my power.” The Beast finished.

  What was I going to do? It was so dark in here. If only I could see. Maybe some light would help me think. This darkness was unnerving.

  Almost on cue a slight illumination began to glow from a spot not three feet from me. I thought of my bedroom and a longing to see it again, to sit on my bed and worry about something simple, like a test, overwhelmed me.