The Godsend Backfire: The Beginning

by Harold Straugh

  I cleaned up my mess and went about tending the fire. As many times in the past, as it would be in the future, the sun came up and the pack stirred. I was rushed to the Mylicious’s room, where he had me take off my clothes and try on the robe. It wasn’t made of hide, but fur rather, I believe the fur of brown bear, or something equally as large. I put it on, it was heavy and as far as I could tell, I looked ridiculous. Then Mylicous pulled out a knife and started cutting fur away. He left my shoulders bulky, but slimmed down the fur, from under the arms down. He gave me brown britches to put on, then slit the robe down the middle, exposing my chest. He nodded, then got something from behind me and I felt him attach something to me. He appeared in front of me, eyes focused, then pulled what he attached up over on top of my head. I saw two fangs just above each of my eyes.

  “This is the fur, of one of my enemies, I killed him in wolf form and skinned him. I’ve been saving it for such a day.”

  I was speechless, mostly in awe that Mylicious, who is usually calm and collective, would do something so vicious as skinning an enemy and keeping the fur. Then on top of that, I was actually wearing it like some sort of trophy. I thought nothing bad about it though and spoke, “Thank you brother, I’m honored!”

  “You’re welcome. I’m happy for this,” he patted my shoulder, I could see tears coming to his eyes.

  “Are you crying brother?” I asked.

  “No, this fur just stinks!” he laughed.

  “WE ARE READY!” I heard Mila shout.

  “This is all happening too fast,” I spoke without thinking.

  Mylicous stopped trimming up the fur and looked at me, “Oh brother, I haven’t once asked how you were doing, how you were feeling.”

  “It’s okay, I’m feeling great, I want to be with Yura, I just figured it would be a little while before we were bonded,” for the first time, I felt my own heart racing.

  “It will be okay, you’re a good man and you’ll make good husband.”

  I took deep breath and let it out slowly, there were no mirrors in his place, so I couldn’t see my panic-struck face, but from the look on Mylicous’s face, it was noticeable.

  “I’m not going to lie, I wish Derium was here,” I said.

  “Well, it was a quick decision, I don’t think he will be too upset anyways.”

  “Very true.”

  Mylicous was right, I don’t think he would have been upset at all. They could have planned this for months on out and I don’t think Derium would have come. I took another deep breath and Mylicous led me out of the room.

  Different scents hit my nose, but the notable one that I can remember distinctly was patchouli. I think I remember it most because I don’t like that smell too much. I pushed it back and worked my way through it and focused on some of the other smells there. There was lemon, lilac, and rose I believe. There were a few others, but I didn’t know their names.

  As I exited the middle tunnel and entered the main room, I was taken aback by the numerous amount of decorations that were about, twice as many as before I left the room earlier. The females all had a crown of flowers in their hair, Yura’s being the most vibrant with blues and yellows. The men of the pack had similar fur robes like mine, minus the head piece. They stood off to the side of the archway and Mylicous took his spot in the middle.

  Yura was glowing to say the least, she had a long, hide dress, with a blue stripe going down the side, her neck line was lined with red and purple beads, her hair pulled up, off the right side of her face and held up with a yellow flower. I didn’t move, I was frozen, but something in me clicked and I started walking again. I took my place next to Yura and Mylicous produced a knife.

  The knife had a black blade and the handle looked like it was made out of the antler from the elk I had shot, with thin, red piece of twine wrapped around the handle.

  “I’m here to bind you two. I bind you in love, I bind you in spirit, most importantly, I bind you in blood. May I see your hands please?”

  I put forth my right hand and Yura put forth her left hand, both palm side up, “I bind in love,” he said as he cut my hand, “I bind you spirit,” he said as he cut her, “And I bind you blood,” he said and put our hands together. He used the red twine and wrapped it around our hands. He positioned our hands down over a chalice. Our blood mixed and started to drip into the chalice, but there wasn’t a lot as we both healed.

  “As you consume the blood of each other, you become one, separated by the death of love you share, or by the death of each other, but may you and the love last forever.”

  We each took ahold of the chalice with out free hand and sipped from it. I sipped first then we led the cup to her mouth and then she sipped. The wolf blood played hell on my stomach, but I didn’t let it show.

  “You are hereby bound for life; may it be happy one!”

  We looked at each other after that and good minute went by before Mila nudged Yura, “Kiss him!”

  Yura kissed me and I kissed her back, Mylicous unbound our hands and wrapped the twine back around it’s handle, “You keep hold of this knife, it’s a gift for you.”

  “I will cherish it, thank you,” I said and tucked the knife in the waistline of my pants.

  “We have a feast to make, there is hot water in the washing basin,” Mylicous said and gave me somewhat of a wink.

  Yura pulled me in the direction of the washing room, her backside bouncing ever so gently as she walked down the tunnel leading to it. The room was steamy, and water was exceptionally hot. I enjoyed it though, as did Yura. I leaned against the side and she turned around, putting her back to me. I massaged her scalp and used some of the soap to wash her hair.

  Halfway through washing her hair, I heard small growl come from her, I heard some bones pop. Yura quickly turned around, she was half transformed, from the waist up was part wolf. She pinned to me the side of the basin, her claws digging into my biceps. Her eyes were wolfen, so were her ears and teeth. I became erect through the pain as she straddled me, I found myself inside of her. She felt different, less constricted, but she thrusted viciously. Her snout grew out a little, I could see from the look in her wolfen eyes, she wanted to bite me, and she did, hard across my collarbone. I screamed out and she let out howl, I released, but she kept thrusting a few more minutes.

  I was still in her when she transformed back all they to human and it was strange. She threw herself off me and leaned up against the side of the basin next me. I was in a state of shock, I was still trying to figure out what had just happened. It was kind of like our first time, but more intense and she bit me harder than before.

  “Are you okay?” she asked, “did you not enjoy it?”

  “I did, just was scary to be honest, you have a different look in your eyes when your wolf is out. I don’t know if you want to love me, or eat me.”

  “Well, love you of course, you’re still breathing aren’t you,” she chuckled. I didn’t find the humor in it and looked over as my collarbone healed and my skin closed up.

  “I feel more when I’m in wolfen form, I could only image I was full wolf and we done this,” she said smiled at me.

  “I don’t know if I would ever be okay with that, half was scary enough,” I said being honest, couldn’t ever see me and her going at it if she was in full wolfen form.

  She looked hurt at first, then smiled, “I understand, just see a whole new world ahead of us and didn’t think it would hurt to ask.”

  She scooted closer to me and rested her head on my chest. I knew there was something more to her actions, but at the time, she wasn’t telling.

  We stayed there at Mylicious’s place for another two years. Yura tried numerous times, especially during full moons to go completely wolf on me during intercourse. One night I had, had enough, I was tired of feeling like I was going to be meal. I didn’t say anything to her afterwards just got up and left. I passed Mylicious on my way out, he said something, but I didn’t hear it. I went outside and stared at the waxing moon.<
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  I was deep in thought when I heard Mylicious, “What are your troubles brother?”

  “Nothing, I’m fine,” I lied.

  “Did you forget I can get inside your head?”

  “I haven’t, but…it’s Yura, every time we get together, she wants to change, she’s been pushing the issue of being completely transformed when get together….” Mylicous interrupted me with laughter.

  “I don’t think it’s something to laugh at,” I said, a bit angered.

  He clapped my back really hard, “She wants pups, brother,” he laughed again.

  “Does she have to be wolf for that to happen?”

  “If it were another wolf she was with, yes, but she’s with you, so I don’t know. You’ve been bonded or two years now and not one offspring.”

  I hadn’t thought about it before, but Mylicous was right, “Maybe I can’t even produce offspring.”

  “Maybe…maybe you haven’t tried hard enough.” He said.

  I don’t think he saw the problem because he wasn’t looking at it from my viewpoint. I went back to thinking and Mylicous left. if she did become pregnant, I didn’t want to raise any of my children there in the cold, I wanted a nice place, I wanted Ireland, it was then I devised one of my most horrible plans. I was going to use her want for children to get my want for Ireland.

  I headed back in and went to our room, she was sitting on the edge of the bed, with tears in her eyes, “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted pups, as Mylicious called them?”

  “I didn’t know how you would feel about it,” she replied.

  “I’d would have rather you had been honest instead of lie and try to trick me. I want children, just not here, it’s too crowded.”

  “We can move,” she perked up, “We can move the place you’re always talking about.”

  I was shocked, I didn’t even suggest it, thus feeling last bad about asking her to move, “I hope Mylicious understands.”

  “I think he will, I think he’s been expecting it to be honest, he’s asked before if we were,” she said.

  Mylicious took it as I had expected, he was upset at first, then understood, Tipeesa didn’t take it so well, she in fact, took off to her room. Understandably, they were like sisters and had been in the pack the longest, but she too finally understood.

  Our move took another week, Mylicious gave me plenty of tools to hunt and fish with, plus a few axes to chop down trees with to help build our home. We packed what we could then once again, Mylicous, Yura and myself headed back, the way I came, so many years before.

  The trip was quick, we all paddled a majority of the trip, and when we reached the coast line of Ireland, my arms were afire from it. I didn’t have to go far before I reached where I wanted to be. There was little hill that I climbed and when on top of it, I could see green covered mountains in all directions, below it was flat land and when a breeze swept through there, it was nice.

  “Is there where you want to call home?” Mylicious asked.

  “I believe so brother,” I said, feeling tears in my eyes, seeing them, Mylicious got tears in his eyes, “I can’t thank you enough for all you have shown me.”

  “You’re welcome! I knew this day would come, I honestly thought sooner than twenty-two seasons, but it happened and here we are.”

  “Stay the night Mylicious, please, rest,” Yura said.

  “Yes please, help up bless this land, may your drink spill upon its soil again,” I laughed.

  “You’ve talked me into it,” he smiled.

  We built a fire, Yura and Mylicious went on one last hunt together, they did bring back some meat for me to roast. Mylicious transformed back, got dressed and tossed me a sack, the minute I caught it, I knew what it was.

  The earthy smell of potatoes hit my nose and I smiled, “Don’t eat them all, plant some,” he said, “I still don’t see how you like those things.”

  “I don’t like them, I love them,” I smiled and took a large one out of the bag. I started eating it like an apple, much to the disgust of Mylicous.

  We all sat around the fire, talking and reminiscing about the past, when I felt Derium’s presence. I looked to the left of me and there he stood. He was dressed in all black and wore a red, beaded necklace. He looked a lot better than the last time I saw him. He wasn’t so pale, still pale, just not as pale. He was smiling which was something else I wasn’t used to, not without something diabolical following.

  “Did you get tired of the cold Roldian?” Derium asked and took a seat next to Mylicous.

  “I guess you can say that,” I said and looked up him.

  He looked over at Yura and then back at me, “I can sense your blood in hers.”

  “We are together, bound for life.” I said and took her hand.

  “I’m happy for you,” he said and touched my shoulder, “That’s something I would never do.”

  “Why not brother?” Mylicous asked.

  “I grow tired of people, both woman and men, I grow tired of them. I don’t want to be bound to them, when I grow tired, I can leave. I have heard of other vampires living together, I can’t do it, I tried. I ended up killing them all.”

  “Very savage,” I said.

  Mylicious chuckled, “Derium, remember when we used to be savages?”

  Derium got quiet a little bit, then spoke up, “Yes, I remember those nights, all the innocent lives we took. How many others I made and never taught, and they’d fall asleep before the sunrise and just burn up.”

  “You being savages is the reason I was sent here,” I said.

  “Did you really want to stay up there with Jehovah?” Derium asked.

  I thought a minute, looked over at Yura and Mylicous, then answered, “No, I don’t, I’m glad you were savages.”

  We talked, nicely, peacefully for the rest of the night, Derium left an hour before the sun came up. Yura and Mylicious fell asleep shortly after, I leaned back, stared at the stars and took in the air of Ireland. I let it fill up lungs, it was a cool air, there was a special scent to it, crisp, mossy. One would have to experience it, words don’t do it justice.

  That morning Yura cooked a few rabbits up for Mylicious before he left. He gave me a tearful handshake and told me to keep my hatchet, axes and knife sharp at all times. Then, I watched him walk away. I looked back and Yura had tears in her eyes, I gave her a hug and kissed her forehead (I think I invented the forehead kiss).

  “We will visit soon enough, let’s just get us a place going first, then we will go visit them all,” I said and squeezed her.

  For the next few weeks Yura and I cut down trees, pounded down small rocks into dust, and gathered a few other supplies to build our first hut together. I made it forty-feet long by sixty-feet wide, it was roomy. I built a fireplace by framing it in with wood, coating a mixture of rock dust and water, then put bigger rocks to it. The rocks were mostly brown and grey, with a few red ones in there.

  After a month, we had a place to live. We went from cooking outdoors to indoors, the furs we had in the Arctic, we used to lay down on. I wanted to build a forge after that but then I realized Mylicious was living ahead of his time. I never once thought about where he got his metal from, but he had an abundance of it. I done my best and made a little forge with what I had.

  I took to shooting long distances. I started out at about fifty-yards and after a few short months, worked my way up to one-hundred yards. Shooting that far aided greatly in hunting.

  While I practiced shooting, Yura would travel around, getting the flowers and herbs she liked and planted them around our hut. She also made a huge firepit for cooking outside in the warmer months, which she liked and the winters there weren’t bad. Even though we had dirt floors, she kept the hut clean of debris. She had her own little section in the hut devoted to making clothes, moccasins and jewelry. She used the hides from my animals and some of the furs and hung them upon the walls.

  Things were going well for us, we tried to have children, it was proving more
difficult than expected, but that all changed. She finally convinced me to let her go full werewolf on me. I can’t that I enjoyed it, but we were running out of options. Then, one late fall night, I was sitting by the fire after a successful hunt. Yura was in the hut and she came out, she had a something about her as she came out, a smile upon her face, a certain glow to her. She walked up to me, didn’t say anything and placed my hand upon her belly. I felt several heartbeats, three to be exact. My eyes widened and I looked up at Yura, she had tears of joy in her eyes. I stood up and we embraced for the longest time. I pulled away from her and looked her straight in the eyes.

  “We finally did it!”

  “We did, I was about ready to stop, I thought maybe the gods were upset with me,” she said and sniffled.

  I hugged her again and we spent the night holding each other by the fire, until she fell asleep. I picked her up and carried her to our hut and gently, laid her down. I walked back out to the fire and waited for the sun to rise.

  “It’s been awhile,” I heard a familiar, Arabic speaking voice say.

  I turned around and there stood Lucifer, dressed in skintight, brown britches and tan vest, with no undershirt. He looked different somehow, more tan maybe, I didn’t say hello to him, I just cut straight to the chase.

  “What do you want?” I asked, hatefully.

  “Good to see you too,” he looked offended.

  “Well you never swing by to just see how I am doing, you want something.”

  He looked puzzled at first, then smiled, “You know me all too well.”

  “Whatever it is, I’m not doing it, I just found out that I’m going to be a father, so I’d rather not risk anything.”

  “I can understand that, really though, I just wanted to talk to you.”

  “About what?”

  “Jesus….”

  “It’s done and over with,” I said, not really wanting to talk about the past anymore.

  “You heard he came back.”

  “I heard through my travels from time to time. I don’t really care what happened. I do feel bad for Jesus, the way he died wasn’t right, but it was a mess Jehovah created. Did he actually think he could put a child in someone and expect everyone to believe it?”