It was loud. That’s all I
could comprehend, that it was loud. I didn’t know what to do or what to think
all I knew was that it was loud. I heard it whilst waking through the woods
with my dog Poofy. I know I should be taking the trail we always walked on, but
something told me to walk in the dense part of the forest. I regretted that
voice ever since I heard the loud. It was terrorizing and undoubtly young. It
was like the child was being tortured with their nightmares coming to life. I
felt their fear radiate through me like waves from miles away. I can smell
their salty tears washing over me like rain drops coming from the clouds above.
I imagined all of it. And all I can think and do was drop to my knees in
submission whilst the simple mantra in my head kept going, ‘It was loud’ over and over again and
again until my head felt like bursting, and I felt like giving the child a
screaming match.
But I didn’t. I walked Poofy home and made enough food to
last the week. I grabbed a backpack and filled it with water, food, an extra
set of clothes, and a flashlight with extra batteries. I was prepared for the
worst conditions and I was determined and ignorant enough to do it. I walked
back to the woods and retraced my steps to the last place where I heard the
loud. It took me over half an hour to find the place and then I heard it again,
I heard the loud again but, this wasn’t the same loud. It was much more
masculine but, also childlike and innocent like the last one. I came to the
conclusion that someone had multiple children in their demonic grasp. I uncoordinatedly
followed the place where I thought the loud was coming from. It took me about
double the time of last time to find the place. I stopped to get a sip of
water, a couple of crackers, and to sit against a tree. After fifteen minutes I
got up again to look around the part of forest I was in and I was breath taken.
The trees were tall, thick, and so green that it looked almost artificial. There
were little animals frolicking on the ground that was so soft and cool, it will
remind you of store bought soil. The sun was casting on the spot I was standing
on and it filled my veins with a warmth so good fire would be jealous. It was
absolutely beautiful and it brought tears to my eyes.
Loud. I heard it again and with that I was off running to
wherever it was coming from, before it ended. I ran fast, barely missing
branches, and tripping and falling over rocks and fallen branches. When the
loud ended I was winded and my body was aching with muscle exertion. I took
another sip of water and ate an apple and looked around. And what I saw was
forever imprinted in my mind. I saw two huge wolves fighting; one dark, deep
brown and the other a light, earthy brown. Loud. I heard it all around me and
it was continuous. Even the wolves seemed to hear it hence they stopped
fighting.
Why was this loud
different than the others? It was more mature and less innocent. Why this loud
is going on so much? Why was I feeling lightheaded and faint hearted? And why
was this loud coming from where I am standing? These were the questions going
through my head at the time. Then the second wolf stood on its hind legs. Then,
it did something so mythical and unfathomable I passed out. Then I realized
four things while I was in the dark abyss of a forced comatose state. One is
that the loud I was hearing was mine. The second one is that wolf turned into a
human. The third one is, if that wolf turned into a human that must mean
werewolves exist. Finally I was utterly and completely vulnerable to its ways.
XOXO, Azana
