• An instinctive wince shook her body as she adjusted to the sudden shock of being outside. Living in seclusion left little time to enjoy the bountiful beauties of nature, especially when you lived in the heated downtown of New York, New York. The fragrant aroma of fumes and smog clogged her nose instantly, while the irritated honks and plaintive cries of taxi drivers stuck in traffic eminated like a birds song.
    Already the sun was making its usual dip into the endless sea that was the horizon, taking with it the clouds as they scurried like wild beasts from the haunting black abbyss that threatened to devour them. The resplendent colors that greeted the sun were like a watercolor of pastels, oranges and reds bleeding into one another and creating a timeless masterpiece all in its own originality. As she watched the chase that took place like clockwork every evening, She couldn't help but feel a chilling horripulation like a sudden frigid breath of air.
    The cars that had been waiting impatiently for the light to turn green were now easing forward with their drivers rejoicing soundly in their seats. Swarming like bees as they weaved through eachother, some lapsing accidentally overtop another person, people swathed from all different directions. Nothing strayed from the usual New-york scenario. But something still managed to make her livid and uneasy as she edged through people in hopes of returning home quickly.
    Vendors shouted obnoxious advertisements at anybody within earshot, and with their booming voices that wasn't a very narrow vicinity. More than once she had to shove away a piece of merchendise that would be suddenly thrust before her. Enough was enough, she scoured the oncoming clot of people and found no available space with which to hail a cab. A whine of helplessness escaped as she slumped against a newpaper stand. It was only a few seconds before she was forced to move on after being shooed away like a stray dog because she refused an offered paper.
    The veins of New York were pulsating with an abundance of bustling life, like blood the people continued to flow on to their destinations. Not thinking about the life of the one nearest to them on the street, they shoved and clawed because to them, that person was nothing more than a bland ornament on a giant gray Christmas Tree.
    Finally a small opening appeared in a thinning part of the disarray which she gladly pounced on. Within seconds a cab had pulled over and she was mumbling the same address as she slid into the back seat. Again the goose-bumps rippled through her, something she promptly waved off on the excuse it was merely chilly inside the cab.
    Twenty minutes of indie music later, she was stepping out a block away from the prominent stone gate that signalled her residence. She merely handed the man his money and he was gone before she could turn around to begin the last leg of her journey home. Night had already dominated three quarters of the sky, which had left the day with only an inkling of life that leaked precariously to the west.
    It was unusual that she was feeling so nervous as she rounded the nearest corner. This neighbourhood was reserved only for the wealthy or those of high social status. Very little crime had ever taken place in this quaint haven that rested smack in the middle of an urban hell. Fountains gleamed like flowing crystal as they froathed in the front yards of the residents.
    Much in contrast to its daunting appearance, she managed to persuade the ornate gate. Its black metal wound like tendrils of steel vines decorated with meticulously sculpted roses. Whining in protest it squealed open.
    Unveiled before her was a picturesque row of pristine gardens and ominous mansions which shone like sublime phantoms in the darkness. She turned abruptly to the left and found herself heading up the familiar drive. Proportionate shrubs greeted her on each side of the expansive path. It snaked its way towards the front patio that held sleek glass railings.
    A hollow slam reverberated off the walls of the empty house when she closed the wide french doors behind her. Marble glittered like scintillating faucets of ice against the scant, milky, light of the moon. She flicked a switch, illuminating the room.
    An answering machine blinked steadily on a nearby end table. She pressed the replay button and the recorder shuddered into life.
    The mundane voice of her friend, Tristan, echoed with mechanical exuberance.
    " Hey its Tristan. Well, I guess you already know that." A guffaw exploded from in the background, along with a chain-reaction of giggles. " I was just wondering. Actually I'm already there but- that's not the point. I was hoping you could come over to Crestons place and party with us."
    A slightly muffled voice surged forwards. "Dude get off the phone! Beers here!"
    An apologetic sigh heaved through the speaker, the party clamor was easily discernable.
    " I'm sorry Trinity. I gotta go, booze is here and Crestons already half-baked." A click and all of it vanished, leaving her alone in the empty house once more.
    Trinity rolled her eyes, like she would attend something like that. Her inability to cook would be tested as she decided to make herself some microwaveable Ravioli.
    She poured the thick sauce and bulky ravioli into a bowl and headed towards the microwave that was snugly placed amongst the cupboards. Immediately after relaying the time, the oven hummed and rotated the steadily heating dish.
    Oh well, the party was already over anyways. He had called her only minutes before she had arrived to find a trashed house and the jagged remains of what used to be his kitchen window. It had gotten out of hand and the police had come just in time to stop Creston from making out with Tristan, something Tristan had roundly rejected but kept calm as he noticed the drunk flare in Crestons eyes. Apparently he went gay when he drank to much, who knew.
    The blatant screeching of guitars erupted suddenly from Trinity's pocket. She extracted it from the fold of faded jeans and slid the screen upwards to reveal a keypad. Something that resembled a monks chant wafted from the receiver at first but as the sickening sound of somebody puking also flowed through, she understood.
    " Hey." Came a nasal voice, the product of Tristan pinching his nose in hopes of protecting himself against the rank stench of Crestons puke. " What'cha doing?"
    " Nothing. I just got your message." Her voice turned sarcastic. " Sounds like you had a blast."
    " I did, you know if you ever decided to actually have a life, I'd be happy to coach you."
    Trinity sighed. " I'll keep that in mind."
    " Crestons fricking up-chucking his stomach on my shoes in a cab, so you can tell how cool I am."
    " Odviously." She agreed dryly.
    " So... I was just... calling." The nasal voice sounded uneasy.
    " I see that." A shocking revelation took hold. " Your bringing him to my house."
    A hiss of anger at his foiled plan echoed through. " Damn. How'd you know."
    " I can see your cab." She watched out the large living room window as a taxi turned idly into her driveway.
    " Yes. Well. That ruins my whole master plan."
    " Oh really? And whats that."
    " Its to awesomely awesome for you to even comprehend." She padded indignantly over to the front door and turned the latch, locking it.
    " Now what is it?"
    He sighed and it also wafted from the other side of the door, a groan followed shortly afterwards. Trinity sauntered into the kitchen where the ravioli still heated and listened as he earnestly tried to unlock the door.
    After a few minutes of giggling as he attempted repeatedly to force open the potent french door, She could hear nothing more than the chanting again. Creston was mumbling curses and praying to god that his sister didn't castrate him when he got home. A fitting punishment for trying to come out of the closet under the influence of alcohol.
    " I'll call the police." She warned between snickers.
    " C'mon Trinity! Give me a break! I almost got my virginity stolen by a man! Do you know what that could do to me? Soon I'll be wearing leather pants and twiddling to songs from Annie." His muffled voice pleaded. A sudden sobbing eminated from behind the wood. " Tomorrow! Tomorrow! I love ya, Tomorrow." Sobbed the voice, sniffling theatrically.
    " Fine." She groaned and left the microwave still humming monotonously to let in this poor miserable heap of homosexually traumatized waste. When the door opened it showed Tristans shock of blonde hair nearly glowing in the porchlight as he crooned the lyrics to the song from Annie. He sounded like an old hound howling solemnly to the sky, but a whole lot worse.
    Creston was splayed like a deadman with his face against the boards on the patio. His black hair formed a halo around the wood where his face lay squashed against.
    " You poor babies." Trinity cooed mildly. Tristan looked up from his sadness and smiled wickedly at her.
    " Leave Creston out here, I don't want my house smelling like gay drunk."
    Tristan saluted her stiffly. "Roger." And stood, allowing himself into the spacious house and leaving poor Creston to cool off outside.
    " How long is canned ravioli supposed to cook?" She asked with a creeping sense that something was amiss.
    " About two to three minutes, why?" Tristan answered nonchalantly. Her head swivelled in alarm and Trinity charged into the kitchen, now laden with smoke and the smell of burnt pasta sauce. Tristans nose wrinkled at the smell and she managed to battle my way to the still purring oven.
    She pressed the off button and started as the smoke detector shrieked to warn anybody in the house that a potential fire was near.
    After nearly ten minutes of floundering about trying to calm the smoke detector, they finally managed to silence it. The window filtered the air that resembled a thick smog and allowed atleast slightly better air to replace it.
    She slid onto the clean white sofa with a tired sigh. Tristan sunk in beside her, the cushions soaking them in like quick sand.
    " That was a traumatizing experience." Trinity breathed.
    " Somehow it holds little for me considering the incident of earlier tonight." Tristan drawled.
    She turned to eye him speculatively. " You're never gonna let him live this down are you?"
    " Never." He confirmed with a spark of mischief in his eyes. Trinity and Tristan had been best friends since fateful reunion after being caught shop-lifting from the same store. They had traded secrets and went back often to plague that convenience store with frequent unpaid for missing items. A few years later Trinity's parents had left on a long business trip and she had assumed the role of the responsible teen, while Tristan had continued to cause mayhem wherever he had seen fit.
    " I miss the old you." Mumbled Tristan, his tone was slightly resigned.
    " I don't." Trinity replied coldly.
    " Why don't you ever come to the parties anymore? Your always studying or feeding the homeless or whatever it is you do."
    She snorted." I don't feed the homeless."
    " Might as well ship you off to the convent now while your still martyr of the month." Continued Tristan as he threw his hands in the air and waved them. Melodrama had always been his specialty. " Call up those agencies and sponsor a couple children."
    She rubbed her forehead after it had begun to throb painfully and exhaled heavily.
    " Tristan, please. I'm not gonna go back again." She told him firmly.
    He rolled over so he was shockingly close to her, she didn't flinch. It had been so easy when they were eight to fool around and play together. Once they had become full-fledged preteens, the awkward feeling set in. But they had managed to quickly and efficiently sort out their feelings and had deduced only one product, Mutual Friendship.
    " It's not your fault you know." He reassured her softly. His black eyes regarded hers steadily for a moment before she slid off the couch and headed towards the door. Anger rose in her throat but she didn't feel like belting out her angst on Tristan.
    " I'm going to the convenience store." She announced through nearly clenched teeth.
    His head peered from the folds of cloth on the couch. " Seven Eleven?" He questioned hopefully.
    She rolled her eyes. " Yes. Seven Eleven." He was up and by her side faithfully in a heartbeat, smiling wryly as she knew he was recalling the shoplifting that had been perpetrated so long ago. He pulled open the front door and waited for her to step out.
    " And who said chivalry was dead." He said as he hopped over the threshold and into the cool night air. Creston was now slumped against the railing and stared at them with glazed eyes.
    " You guys goin' somewhere?" He drawled, his voice nearly incoherent.
    " Convenience store." She told him simply. Nothing changed in his utterly drunk expression and only his eyes followed their easy movements across the yard.
    " Inee condoms!" They heard Creston yell back when they had reached the sidewalk. Trinity whirled and eyed him incredulously.
    " For what?" She demanded in an indignant hiss. An arm supported itself against her shoulders.
    " Well, when your gay. Theres a whole world of possibilities us straight people could never even imagine." Explained Tristan with a flourish of his free hand to show a wide expanse of world.
    " Ah." I turned and raised my voice in hopes Creston could make it out. " I'll be sure to get you some." A faint thank you was carried towards her with the lazy breeze that swept through their concrete neighbourhood. Again the goose-bumps permeated her soul and make her shake uncontrollably.
    The stars illuminated holes in the thick night blanket and coruscated with a splendor so magnificent that the purest of diamonds could not display such radiance. The sky was devoid of any clouds to blemish its sheen and left them with the moon to keep unconditional watch over the earth.
    Trinity blinked and that beautiful world was no longer within sight. A nearby streetlamp fluttered helplessly to stay lit, but whatever had attacked it had triumphed. Everything in the world was suddenly void and empty as the same horripulations that had plagued her all through the day justified themselves.
    Something clawed its way towards her from the street, where the lamp had directed its light. Two pale limbs gripped in a frenzy at the ground as it dragged itself towards them. Her heart froze in shock as the grotesque body slid closer to her.
    The protective instinct shrieked in her ears to run as the corpse struggled to reach its target. But before her feet could begin to carry her far away, the face atop the body uprighted itself weakly. Its dulling gray eyes pleaded noiselessly to her for assitance, tears glittered as they spilled down the chubby face. With a sudden horrific realization, she conceived a childs face. Its small features twisted in pain as it gasped forwards, uneven lunges and spasms sending it forwards inch by inch.
    She didn't realize the nervous shaking from Tristan as he attempted to shake her back into reality. All Trinity could do was watch as the child spluttered closer. A finger twitched and her arm stretched outwards to lend a helping hand to this tortured child that seemed to so desperately seek it.
    A grateful smile began to spread across the infants face but it was immediately returned to the sudden convulsion. Trinity stepped towards the kid and began a steady rhythm of footsteps as she drew nearer. Tristan grabbed her arm but she merely slid away and towards the distressed person. Just a little bit closer-
    A blood-curdling cry split the night air and sent some of the nearby dogs snarling a writhing against their stakes. Totally eclipsed, the sky was a blank black canvas and showed no glimmer of hope. A blaring snarl rippled like a disturbed pond through the quaint space and ruptured its affable exterior. Suddenly the dogs ceased their clamor and Trinity looked upwards to see something that made the scream that had welled up in side of her clog her throat.
    Tendrils of ink black fur floated serenely and a pair of blazing green eyes served as the only indication that showed any difference from the beast and the sky. The giant animal bent its elegant neck lithely and opened its gargantuan jaws to unveil two rows of cuspidated teeth, knife-like and able to pierce easily through flesh. It sniffed curiously at the body that lay limp and cowering on the ground. A frenzied whimper escaped the child lips as it stared up at the demonic monstrosity. The kid wrapped its head in its armed and whispered a strange prayer, fervently asking whoever its god was to spare it from those honed jaws that hovered only a few inches away.
    With the ease of a human biting into a boneless wing, the monsters jaws closed with a resounding crunch on the body. Trinity screamed and sunk to the ground. Warily the wolf-like animals piercing green eyes regarded her. In the fashion of a dog rejecting a persons attempt at retrieving its kill, the eidolic beast adjusted its hold on the ragged corpse and growled threateningly. She couldn't move as she watched in frozen horror as it devoured its quarry. An infuriating buzzing in her ears drowned out all other sounds accept for the sickening snapping of bones and the macabre sound of its canines sliding easily into the soft body.
    She threw up on the ground nearby and a sudden groan of disgust yanked her back into reality.
    Tristan was leaned above her but was now whining about the second time his shoes were now soiled. He quickly returned his attention to her and hugged her helplessly. His apprehension did little to cure her convulsions of disgust. Her mind continually replayed the scene in her mind and made her want to throw up all over again.
    " Are you okay?" He asked in a comforting whisper. She nodded slowly and turned to look at him.
    " The girl was eaten. By- by a monster! It was like a gigantic dog but it had wings!" She tried to explain the scene that had taken place but the words flooded to quickly from her mouth and left Tristan with a perplexed and blank look.
    " Should we go home?" He suggested softly. She agreed with a solemn tilt of the head and he helped her to stumble back to the house.

    The thin film of skin held together with a frame of hollow cartilage expanding excitedly to its full length. He watched with anticipation as the werewolf child groveled at the feet of a human. Checking his watch often, he awaited with a cruel pleasure as he counted down the minutes until the Shadow Hound would arrive.
    A black form snaked lithely towards the child and the human, his pulse beat faster. It's wings that protruded like superfluous limbs off its back stretched with ease as it neared its kill. The Shadow Hounds unbridled exuberance at finally zoning in on its target rubbed off onto him and made the scene all the more exciting.
    He swung his feet leisurely and they thudded with a dull thump against the wooden fence that lay just a safe distance from the proceedings.
    " C'mon." He whispered with a slight tinge of impatience. How long did it take for the hound to strike? Usually they didn't take into account anything but the quarry so why was it hesitating?
    The girl was now growing closer to the werewolf brat and reached out a helping hand.
    He couldn't help but mutter a sardonic reply to her naive actions. " Why help the little brat? She's done nothing productive for anybody."
    The world abruptly came to a halt as the Shadow Hounds draining effects began to abate the stars energy and convert it to its own energy. The wings spread like a curtain and veiled the entire sky, sucking dry any possible light that it may hold. The werewolves shriek made him cackle in delight and a well of satisfaction sprung forth as the rewarding sound of its bones being grinded into chalk under the hounds lethal jaws warmed him considerably.
    A Shadow Hound lived and breathed for only one purpose. To hunt and execute any mythical being who broke the law, and this little werewolf girl was the only obstacle in their way of driving the entire werewolf race into extinction. They had become to rowdy and now would have to take responsibility for their actions, he felt no guilt associated with watching the execution of the werewolf. She was a lawbreaker, something that wasn't worth guilt and grief.
    The hound paused and his brows furrowed in confusion as the unusual behaviour took him by surprise. His bat-like wings contracted in correspondence to his suddenly perplexed emotions. The human was on the ground, dithering and her lips trembled slightly before releasing a shrill scream. The shadow hound actually turned its attention away from its prey to acknowledge the humans existance.
    He shook his head in disbelief, what the hell was wrong with this thing? The male human was trying desperately to help its friend so obviously it was blind to the corporeal beast that lived only a few feet away.
    Feeling a threat, the shadow hound tightened its grip around the girl and began slowly to devour it. Cautiously watching the human with a surreal look of actual fear. Something was definitely going on, he thought angrily.
    He flicked his wrists and prayed his weak body could muster only one conglomeration of strength. His mouth moved swiftly and easily as he recited an old charm in hopes it would mask the execution from her view.
    The pale skin of the human girl was completely drained of any color. She blinked and started as if a bucket of icey water had just come in contact with her face. She searched frantically for the original scene but all she was able to uncover was the blinking streetlight and an empty road. " Good." He grunted brusquely.
    Both humans began to stumble back the way they came, the female twittering desperately to the male. The females black hair flowed like a dark satin behind her and her pale skin glowed underneath the skant light lent to it by the streetlights.
    " Trinity...?" He breathed in incredulously. He caught himself quickly and decided better of a confrontation. " No way. She couldn't be, Trinity's gone." He slid from the fence and landed on the lush yard with little noise, he began to head back down the street. His wings- being completely detached a beings on their own- yearned after the girl but he merely continued in the opposite direction. The Shadow Hound had accomplished its mission and it had disappeared without a moments irresolution.
    Skepticism bloomed like a nasty itch as he began to question the words of his own mother. Surely it was a mere coincidence.