Board Thread:Writer's Workshop/@comment-30881196-20161228230535/@comment-30881196-20161231031659

Thanks for the input, Jake. You are amazing for helping me out like this. I took your input and made corrections, along with some more improvements to the descriptions.

I am contemplating covering the rest in a follow up story. Mainly because I'm already at like 2.4k, and I am thinking it might be too long.

Innumerable rays of light pierced the wall of shutters, acting as guardians against the sun’s obnoxious luminescence. Like always, they failed in their task, as David would attest everyday upon his return to the waking world. At least the flimsy sentinels looked nice, or so he reasoned with himself. Truthfully, neither he nor his wife Julia cared enough to replace them. Besides, they were just dark blue enough to fit in with the furniture, giving them a sleek modern appeal. Even so, that didn’t stop the farmer from grumbling about them whenever he awoke.

"If I wanna get a jog in today before the big reunion, I better get going," he said with a yawn. After weeks of planning the pig farmer and his wife were hosting a family get-together, but there was still much left to do. Thoughts focused on the day ahead, David freed himself of the comfy tomb, and headed for the bathroom. Coffee colored curls and a haggard face stared back at him in the mirror. Stubble had already begun to overtake his visage, leading him to ready a razor and can of shaving cream. “You’d think a thirty-seven year old would look sexy with facial hair. Instead, I just kinda look like a homeless dude.” a noticeable despair tinged the farmer’s tone, but shortly thereafter his dour expression vanished, with a shrug.

After a satisfying shave and shower, David wanted to see his daughter before leaving for the day. For his efforts the farmer’s senses were assaulted by noise. Like most nine year-olds, Amy never ceased to cause all sorts of ruckus. From childish laughter to squeals, it took a few knocks on the door just to grab her attention. A pale cherubic face framed by auburn curls smeared with dirt and reddish stains answered. Amy held the door open just wide enough to squeeze her head through, with an impish grin on her face. "I am leaving. Be a good girl for mom, ok? We have really got to stop letting you play with the pigs. Look at you, you are all messy. And keep it down in there would ya?” he said jokingly before giving his daughter a peck on the nose.

” Ok, daddy, I love you.” she said cheerfully before closing the door.

Eventually David found himself in the kitchen, opposite of Julia. Back turned, with her arms elbow deep in murky dishwater, she heard her husband’s approach. Not that she was trying to listen for him, but Julia had always possessed exceptional hearing. “David, can you pick up mom from the airport? I have got to get things ready for the reunion. I take it you are going to pick up something to eat on the way?” Without hesitation the farmer gave a little salute. “Yes, my Empress! And yep, just a light snack though,” he proclaimed in his best imitation of an evil minion, which earned him a chuckle from Julia.

“By the way, our little princess is making quite the racket up there. Not to mention she’s really messy,” he followed up with a kiss on her left cheek.

“You mean the little monster, don’t you? And I told you that’s what happens when we let her bring those filthy pigs indoors.” Julia said with a playful smirk.

“In that case can I call her our little pig monster then?” Her only reply was a splash of water in his direction and an accusation of his silliness.

Howls and screeches greeted the farmer when he stepped outside, as did some of his men, who waved or gave a friendly "hello". Many were hard at work, either transporting large crates filled with squealing “livestock”, or reinforcing the barbwire surrounding the farm. While the work might've been tough, David paid and treated them well. Dressed in runners’ trunks and shorts, the homesteader walked over to a rather nice baby blue mercedes 2017. Business was booming for the past couple of years, and this was one of the few perks he enjoyed. “let’s see what’s on the radio.” farmer David said to no one in particular, before backing out of the farmstead’s lengthy driveway. As always the news was filled with overly negative doomsayers, or so he thought. All anyone talked about lately were a string of disappearances, and other such unimportant shit. Thankfully, the drive from his pig farm to Moore Forest Park was a fairly short one.

When the expensive Mercedes came to a halt, Farmer David wasted little time exiting the car. Not only were their very few folks present, but the park itself was shrouded by a vast forest on all sides except for the entrance. Furthermore, it wasn’t a very popular area, and not on any major roads making it quite a scary place to be at night.

Unlike the other runners, David preferred to visit when there weren’t many people around. Luckily for him, fewer people had been showing up by the day, worried that they too might end up spirited away. Of course he wasn’t concerned about that for his own reasons. Upon quickly surveying the park, the farmer saw a couple of people. Most of whom were in groups of two or four, probably as a safety precaution and they seemed to be leaving anyway. However, one person was sitting alone, a fifteen year old boy of african american descent. His rather thin build, petite size, and youthful features suggested someone several years younger.

Possessed of a dark chocolate complexion and a few dreadlocks poking out of his hat, he was a rather cute kid. There was something odd about him though, whether it was the coat he wore or not, David couldn’t be sure. It wasn’t cold, but the weather was fair and it was a very light jacket at that. There was nothing he wasn’t prepared for so it mattered not. He sat a great distance away from the others, with earbuds half sunken into his ears. Dangerously far some would say, but the youth didn’t seem to mind. “Hey, you have the time?” Unfazed by the sudden emergence of another person, the boy simply retrieved his phone.

“It’s about 9:21 am,” he replied in a fittingly little kid voice. With the ice broken, David engaged his little friend in conversation, all the while keeping track of the ever dwindling number of people.

“So, what are you listening to anyway?” asked David.

“Random shit from the internet. It’s the playlist of my soul.” replied the boy.

Amused by the boy’s response, David laughed, and praised the kid’s wit.

“Statistically speaking, someone has to find my terrible jokes funny. You are just one of those unfortunate few, sir,” a look of mock seriousness plastered the young teen’s face, as he delivered the “bad news”. A roar of laughter emerged from David, before he gave the park one final sweep. His laugh while genuine masked a darker purpose, and was also a means to keep the kid occupied until everyone left.

When everyone departed save for the adult and boy, David’s demeanor darkened. “You know, kid I like you, but…”

“But?” asked the boy, puzzled by David’s revelation before the older man asked him his name.

“Alexander, but most people just call me Alex,” unsure of what else to do he answered the adult’s request with an obvious hesitation in his voice.

David smiled wickedly before elaborating further. "But I am hungry."

Alex would’ve run at that point, if he weren’t cowering before the sight of David’s true nature. Brown irises sunk into a rising sea of red until only a deep crimson remained. Fair skin followed suit with its own transformation, becoming leathery and turning the color of ash. David’s muscles flexed, expanding outward into almost cartoonish proportions. Bones snapped and twisted as unnatural forces reshaped his musculature into something more akin to a large canine than a man. His ears curled inward before flattening, and extending upward until they resembled a wolfs'. It was around the point that the farmer’s teeth sharpened to a knife-like point that Alex found the courage to flee. Right before he could witness coarse black fur consume the man’s body, completing his turn.

Fueled by fear and adrenaline, Alex ran into the forest behind him. David, on other hand, simply smirked as he saw his prey foolishly run into the forest ahead. Whatever salvation the boy sought, he wouldn’t find it there. The farmer’s toothy maw overflowed with saliva at the thought of sinking his teeth into the youngster. After fully finishing his “rebirth”, the newly inhuman beast wasted little time in running after him. He knew these woods quite well, so young Alexander’s chances of escape were nonexistent in his mind.

It took mere minutes for their game of cat and mouse to end in a clearing. The newly reborn David stood before Alex, claws and fangs on display with a feral growl in his throat. However, it suddenly donned on him that the boy’s face no longer read of dread, but delight. This both puzzled and angered the transformed farmer, who merely snarled in return, preparing to pounce. At least he would have if not for what happened next.

Alexander’s coat started to violently shake, almost as if something were concealed beneath it. “Wanna see?” he asked the werewolf, who was suddenly unsure of what the youth was up to. Without hesitation he quickly tore off his jacket and shirt, uncovering countless small tumorous growths that peppered his tiny body. All of, which pulsated with a sickly green brilliance, covered in a veiny network that scoured the boy’s tummy and chest. Most disturbing were the twelve that resembled haggard human faces, each more withered and ghastly than the next. Adding to the sheer eeriness of their existence, were the characteristics they held such as moles, or teeth. The grotesque “things” trembled, parting the layers of cancerous tissue where eyes would be, revealing black pools. Upon seeing the beast before them their collective expressions twisted into a pained rage.

In his need to deny the reality before him, David contemplated if Alex was wearing some sort of elaborate costume. However, when the living lumps spoke, shock overtook the pig farmer, freezing him in place. Pus pooled at the corners of their “mouths”, dripping down like saliva. “Join us in our turmoil,” they communicated in unison, speaking in an ancient rasp that wavered between male and female. “Within us, there is no pain. No death. We promise only everlasting peace,” said the many-headed things, undulating with anticipation. Imbued with supernatural haste, six of the tumors flew from the teenager's body, sinking their teeth into a stunned David. Wrinkled mounds of fat, plastered in infected sores served as their "heads”, whilst narrow columns of swollen flesh tied to Alexander’s belly, acted as necks.

“Psh, and they said fighting werewolves alone was hard. This is pretty fucking easy, honestly. I just gotta finish this guy off,” Alexander said, with a noticeable arrogance in his words. Acting on the teen’s command, the creature’s worm-like bodies expanded and retracted, as they pumped some unknown fluid into the unfortunate man-beast. From the horrors’ mouths flowed a river of thick, viscous yellow sludge, which upon contact with the werewolf’s skin, burned him. Searing hot mucus melted away fur, eating its way through layers of tissue and tendon.

The surges of pain from the abominations’ bites seemingly kick started David’s brain, awakening him from his trance. Instinctively, the farmer attempted to bite through the neck of the monstrosity closest to his right, causing the young boy to tense up in pain. Seeing the child falter, David used this opportunity to tear the vile extremities from his form. Clawed digits found homes in inflamed meat, flailing wildly about. It was all he could do to try and escape. Screw this kid the farmer thought. He’d rather be starving and alive than dead.

Worry replaced Alexander’s confidence, and he hurriedly pieced together a plan of action. After regaining his composure, the teen willed more of his malignant “growths” to act. From the maws of the remaining six faces emerged swarms of insectoid-like “things”. Held aloft by small wings, their forms were coated in throbbing blood vessels. A small hole resided upon their underbellies from, which a throng of antennae hung. They bore a great resemblance to butterflies only their flight lacked the silent grace of such a creature. Instead the hordes’ flight was marked by screams. Matching the swiftness of their comrades, they’d already overtaken David, pouring into any visible orifice.

His nostrils and mouth were flooded with them by the dozens. The feelers at their bellies anchored into the werewolves insides, filling them with eggs. Shortly after being laid they exploded into thousands of carnivorous larvae. As the monsters chewed away at his intestines, David knew it was over. The man-beast couldn’t even muster an anguished cry due to the living nightmares clogging his throat. When there was no longer any space inside the man’s head, parent and larvae alike spilled forth from his skull.

“Ok, so that was terrifying as fuck,” Alexander said, before his posterior collided with the ground. “Hurry and eat him up,” barked the teen at his inhuman appendages. More than happy to comply with their freshly pubescent overlord, the creatures hastened their pace, greedily devouring the corpse’s remains.

“And you wonder why I treat you like a little kid.”

Upon hearing a familiar feminine voice, Alexander sighed, turning his head to address her. It was his much older partner Laura. Her fair complexion and appearance suggested someone in their early twenties. She was dressed like a typical jogger, and waited for him to slay the savage beast. This was a test that all beings of their breed were required to pass eventually. “I killed him by myself. I didn’t need any help.” He protested, in that immature way children do when being scolded by adults.

“Why didn’t you lead him into the forest earlier? Suppose he leapt on you, and you had to attack him then? You know we can’t afford to be seen.” she asked.

His defiance grew small, and he replied with reluctance. “I wanted to see what one looked like when they changed.”

“Seriously? I thought something was wrong and you… Anyway, we still have that farm to deal with, so let’s get you cleaned up.”