Blood And Ashes

Claw City Park 1500s

Kayla is the most beautiful woman to behold, I could look into her alluring eyes and forget the rest of the world existed.

I bless the day I met her on the battlefield.

The fear that was displayed in her eyes was evident. She faced her near death in the eyes.

I had no business involving myself in the war that stirred up in my Park. If their Alpha could be comfortable seeing his park at war with folded hands, I could too.

I'm not their Alpha, even though I am an Original with more powers than they could possess, I laid low.

They tremble at the mere mention of my name. I was their living god.

They feared me.

Raquel, Otto, and I were the first shifters; we roamed the earth and found a settlement in this great City. We had our kind sprout throughout the city; we were worshipped, but then, one after the other, they died, leaving me behind.

Roaming.

Alone.

I stood at the corner of the battlefield, invisible to the eyes of the wolf warriors; they fought in their wolf forms; they had put on fire, and it spread wide into the forest, slowly burning deep into the verse land.

Blood painted the field.

Lifeless bodies, both in wolf and human form were at every corner of the field.

The weak ones who had given up on the fight fled for their lives.

I have nothing to do with this treacherous, absurd activity; let them end their lives and let their blood be on their heads; let it be painted on their palms and in their heart.

Just as I watched the warriors continue to hurt and kill themselves, I spotted her.

She was a white wolf, her fur was stained with blood, her muzzle including. I watched as she leaped towards the burning bushes and for the first time in a while, I was drawn to this particular wolf.

I heard her wailing; It was like I could feel the pain that oozed out of her opened flesh. Almost.

I cared.

What would a lady be doing at this place?

To her, I was her hero. Even she didn't believe a god would want to save her. I took her in, healed up her wounds, and nursed her back to health.

She became my drug.

As a god, she was my weakness. The news of me getting a mate was spread throughout the Park; only Kayla and I knew we weren't truly mates. The moon goddess never gave her sons mated, we let them live with that belief. We still loved ourselves regardless.

At sunset, the molten orb of gold gave way for the dark sky; I lay in my room anticipating the nightfall.

Another night to run through the wild forest was my daily night routine.

"Emmett." Kayla's soothing voice called through the door, distracting me from the view of sunset I stared into through the window that was slightly ajar.

Standing up to get the door. She smiled sweetly the moment I opened the door, her every inviting smile, showing off her perfect white teeth.

"I brought you tea." She held the tray she had in her hands up, urging me to look into it.

"Hmm, it's quite different from the usuals." Bringing my eyes back to hers after taking a glance at the content of the cup, I let her in.

"It will calm you down and help you relax." She said as she set it down on the nightstand, turning to face me as I stood behind her, throwing her hands to wrap around my shoulder.

"Objection, you calm and relax me. Where's that trophy I kept to give someone this evening?" I said while acting like I was searching for something, Darting my eyes around the room before bringing it back to my main focus.

Kayla laughed softly. "Still, you need to have one of these."

"Yes, ma'am. Whatever my queen orders." I said, moving back a little from her to prostrate, just like the rest of the Park did me.

I stood up straight and went as well as wrapping my arms around her small waist, "Don't you think I deserve someone nice after having my tea? It would fasten the effects of tea, don't you think?" Nuzzling my face on her cheeks, breathing in her scent.

I could crawl into her skin to become one if only I could.

"I'm yours for the taking. Now, drink up, it's getting cold." She said, handing me the tea.

It had a nice aroma

Without hesitation, I drank it in large gulps. The warmth went down my throat rapidly.

It wasn't long after I had that tea, I fell off balance.

My powers failed me as my body dropped to the wooden floor.

What had happened to me?

I knew something was wrong with me, but it was out of my control; through my blurry vision, I saw the swift change on Kayla's face.

What had she done to me? Why would she have done that?

Darkness had enveloped me; I still felt a bit of consciousness; maybe it was my powers that held me on a thin rope, such that if that rope snapped, I would be gone.

Forever.

I heard voices in the room, ones that weren't Kayla's.

They picked me up from the ground. Supporting my numb arms on their shoulders, they carried me to earth-knows-where.

Probably outside, the cold evening breeze grazed on my skin.

"Stand back; this is the rule of the Alpha, which we've carried under your agreement with the Alpha and the high howlers of the Park." One of them that held my body spoke.

I tried to invoke my powers, but they betrayed me; I felt useless.

What agreement did the woman I trusted in my life make with the Alpha King?

"Please don't kill him." I heard Kayla's muffled voice.

Kill me?

"Noo," Kayla cried out as she took him away. She knew giving him up would hurt her, but she did it for the park; she was told they were in grave danger as her lover was still in existence.

She had to let go.

For the safety of her park.

It was done.

She was given her reward.

His urn.

For bringing down their Park's greatest threat.

Her lover.

His urn, the most cherished piece she would pass down from her generation to the last, was proof that she had been loved by a powerful being.

This was not the last of Emmett.

2 years ago.

It's the last day of twelfth grade, we were having a quick chemistry practical today. I love chemistry and everything else that had to do with it, and even as it was a broad one to study, I came out top of my class.

Skimming through the hallway, my smile was bright, and my cheeks hurt from the unsure joy I had.

Maybe it's because I'll be kissing this high school goodbye in a bit or for the fact that I'll be in college in a short time. Both of which I do not know.

I had lost so much weight due to my intense studying; my skin was pale, and my Dad was concerned.

I've argued with him on several occasions that I'm fine and he's still not having it.

******

We had gone far into the test practicals, I managed to finish up my work and leave.

My head hurts and my joints beg for ease. I'm eager to get home as I feel dizziness cloud my senses.

I removed the safety goggles that I had on, in case it was the cause of my air shortage.

It still didn't help.

I didn't want to bring attention to myself in the lab.

I felt like I was spinning, my breathing hitched. It happens often that I kind of grew into that constant feeling. Today was worse than other days.

I looked around and saw most of my batch mates; each of them had their heads bowed, locked up in the test they carried out.

I ran my hands on the bridge of my nose.

"Oh God," I spoke with a soft sigh; I shot my eyes tight.

I felt a warm and moist feeling in my nose. With my index finger, I wiped my nose with my palms.

The blood I saw this time was not the usual one, it was usually a few drops. I thought it was just the minor stress that I usually put myself through that caused it.

I looked at my hand gloves, it was covered in thick red blood. They formed thick blood clots.

I gasped, doing my best to stop the bleeding.

My hands were shaky or maybe I was the one wobbly.

I feel blood slowly run out of my nose like I was an active volcanic mountain, erupting molten lava, bit by bit. In This case, my body was the mountain, and my nose was the vent from which thick blood spilled out. I cleaned them up some more, with my hands.

It made it a whole lot messier, the blood was now spread on my nose and mouth region.

Blood ran down my nose, staining my mouth, and droplets of blood were on my lab cloth. All that had happened now had drawn the attention of the kids by my side.

I heard them gasping; they removed their safety goggles to get a good look at this bleeding child.

"Please don't raise alarms." I pleaded with them in my head.

You guys could just act like you saw nothing, I would sneak out of the lab without anybody noticing. I could try.

"You're bleeding." The short blonde boy with freckles dispersed below his eyes, whispered to me like I did know the storm that was occurring in my own body

"Yes, I can see that too; please, can you turn back to your work and mind your goddamn business," I whispered back to the boy, who had his eyes bulging out. His eyes zeroed on my blood-stained face.

I didn't mean to sound rude, I swear. Gibson, by name, was only trying to show concern.

But that's not what I need right now, I'm already choked up on my Dad doing that too much.

I know I look frightening now. I'm no different from the zombie dressed in a lab coat from World War Z he had watched last night.

While I was busy trying to quiet Gibson with the little energy I had in me, the other guy, I couldn't quite remember his name, had drawn the rest of the class's attention towards our angle.

We were at the back left corner of the science lab, I thought it would be easier to not be heard or seen.

That wasn't enough for them, the Lab attendant appeared right next to me with a very concerned face.

Away with the attention I never wanted.

"Please I need you all to exit this premises immediately. If you're done with your test, kindly leave them behind. This is an emergency."

There were murmurs in the lab as my overly concerned mates shuffled around; the sound of their footsteps added to what was going to make my head explode in a minute.

I shot my eyes tightly, trying to conserve and contain all these external noises that they made.

I stood and leaned on the wall effortlessly, my hands gripping my head tightly; any little force of push would bring me to the ground in seconds.

I just stayed there watching these healthy kids exist in the lab, sweat dripping from my temple down my face.

"Come here, child, let me help you get this off." The old lab attendant helped me get rid of the blood-stained lab coat. I let her help me; I couldn't help myself anyway.

I was drenched in sweat mixed with blood.

I heard her conversing with someone over the phone, her tone was hasty.

"I just called in for help, they will be here in a minute."

"Let me get you a rinsed up, child." She supported me in the restroom. And helped me rinse out the blood that was beginning to stick to my face.

Blood still ran out of my nose, quicker than before, the old lady's hands were stained with blood.

The white face towel she used to wipe out the blood was painted with my blood.

I was soaked in blood, too, more than before; the metallic stench hit my senses hard this time.

At this point, my thinking went from my present situation to how my Dad would feel if he heard this; he had always worried that these little health issues would escalate. I didn't picture this day coming, that I would bleed out two pants of my blood in a few minutes.

My eyes began tearing up.

If this is to be my end, I should know better.

I fell deaf to the clattering sounds of the rain. I had scurried out of my auto repair shop the moment I heard of Rose's incident in school.

My face flushed white by the words of the paramedics over the phone.

"I want to be clear that I'm speaking with the father of Rose Clifford, Arthur Clifford?"

"Yes, yes you are. Is there a problem?" The power call of the sirens buzzed at the call's end.

"Okay, sir."

There was a pause.

My heartbeat crescendoed as I thought of any possible worse situation my only child would be in at the moment.

Old memories I tried to wave off swarm through my mind.

I haven't heard what's wrong yet, I had reached out for my keys to my meticulously decrepit truck. It was a hard time retrieving it from my jean pockets but I got them out anyway.

I got in the truck, ready to ignite the engines.

"Tell me what the fuck is wrong with my daughter, right the fuck now." I couldn't have this guy fall dead on me over the phone when he had already introduced the situation with my daughter's name being mentioned in the headline.

"You need to calm down, sir. We've already taken care of the whole situation. Your daughter was in a critical condition and it's getting resolved at the moment."

This guy must be crazy.

Did he just say I should be calm? I'm already trembling in fear, fear of the unknown.

I don't want to face the fear of loss for the second time.

"Your attention would be at the City hospital. We are sending your daughter for proper examination and treatments, she will be okay."

The location was all I needed to know. It was 10 miles from here and a six-minute drive If my truck was in good condition. Now, it will be twelve.

I hung up, he was still speaking but I wasn't listening any longer. I knew the location and I was going right away to see my daughter.

I turned the truck from my parking spot, aiming to drive north to the rendezvous, when Harvey, the older guy that I worked for, stood at the front of my truck, making me halt abruptly.

With the intent on the whole situation, I would have knocked him down to go get my daughter and come back to face my music but this was Harvey.

My boss.

The father figure I had since my Dad passed.

"Careful son, where are you heading to? You're not done with...wait a minute, what's wrong Arthur?" He stopped halfway, scrutinising my face, seeing how I held on to my wheels as if my existence depended on it; my knuckles were white, my head was down as I stared down at nothing and he was good at reading my body language.

"I got a call. Rose is in danger." I spoke with my head still facing down. I said it with my mouth, and I became more scared; the bitter words drew out of my tongue, causing jittering to run down my spine.

I finally looked at his now-worried face.

The map of wrinkles on his forehead showed worries and deep concern towards me, or Rose.

I don't know.

Just as I was like a son he never had, Rose was like his beloved granddaughter.

He reached out to open the driver's door. "You can't drive in this state right now, you're not dying before me and not before your daughter."

"Don't worry about me, Harvey; I will make it to my daughter just in time."

"See." I braced myself up for him to get a proper view of my face and body, spreading my arms out masking the fear that was lurking within me. "I'll be fine."

"No boy, you'll drop that crackhead attitude of yours and let me help you. I insist." He said the last part looking up to the sky that had gradually turned cloudy.

"The rain is pouring down on this old man if you keep him waiting. I'm done with work for today, let's get you to your daughter...where did they say they took her to?"

I quickly got out of the driver's seat and turned around to hop on the passenger's side. Harvey wouldn't have it even if I refused.

"They said they were taking her to City Hospital, but they must have gotten there."

"Alright cowboy, buckle up." He said, strapping his seatbelt, I followed suit.

Harvey looked at me, elevating his eyebrows as layers of lines were on his wrinkled forehead.

"Arthur Clifford?"

This man should fucking drive, goddammit.

"Yes, boss," I replied, trying to shove the agitating feeling down my core.

"Let's just hope for the best while expecting the worst."

Oh God.

"She will be fine, I promise you..."

"Harvey, please take me to my daughter right away."

*****

The rain had started to pour heavily, straight and silvery like a punishment of steel rods.

I don't not care.

The hospital had an underground garage, we had parked, and I spoke to Harvey thoughtlessly as my brain couldn't fathom out proper words to say to him.

I knew he understood what I meant.

I wanted him to leave before I came out because I wasn't sure I was leaving this hospital, not without Rose.

If he insisted on waiting for me, fine.

I scurried in the hospital, my clothes were drenched from the blasting raindrops.

"Welcome, sir; how may we help you." the petite female receptionist asked with so much concern; her voice was a bit soothing, but I couldn't be calm at this point.

"Good day, nurse," I was told by my daughter, Rose Clifford, who was admitted to this hospital. I want to see her right now."

"I'm sorry, sir, you can't see her right now but I can put you up with the doctors in charge of your daughter." She said as she tapped on the smart computer screen in front of her."

I wiped the rivulets steamed down from my head into my face, burying my face in my palms.

I was getting frustrated.

"Hi, Miss Jane." I heard a guy greet the receptionist.

Just then, that same guy walked up to me, I stood some inches away.

"I assume you're Arthur Clifford?"

I raised my head to meet his gaze, now acknowledging his presence. He had the same voice with the paramedics over the phone.

I guess he was a nurse in this hospital, seeing the files he held in his hands and his dress

"Yes?" My heart raced faster.

"Okay, I will need you to follow me. Your daughter suffered a crisis at school; she has lost so much blood, but she's been taken care of; let me take you to the doctor who's on your daughter's case."

"Dr Myron has been expecting your arrival."