Monday 23 September 2013

500 Word Challenge: Acceptance

This was today's 500 word challenge from Seventh Sanctum:

The story takes place in mid-winter. The story ends with a tomb. There is an argument in the story.

- - -

    “This is your fault,” I growled, wishing the hunger would go away.
    Jacob stared at me in the snow-covered forest. His golden eyes were unreadable. “I think not,” he said, using the same voice he used to seduced me into my current situation. “You asked for a new life. I have given it to you.”
    “You didn’t say I had to die!” I shrieked.
    Jacob didn’t even blink. “You are new. Perhaps you are justified in being angry. I should have told you what I was. But I never forced you, Mara. You said you wanted to be with me. That you wanted something more from you life-”
    “I also wanted to keep being alive!” I screamed, hunger cramping me again. I focused on how angry that was making me, and not about how much I loved him.
    Jacob took a careful step closer to me. “I am sorry to have led you astray. But it will get easier. There is so much about your world you could not see with mortal eyes. So much power you could not comprehend as a human. Yes, there are restrictions, but you can be anything you want now, Mara. You can do almost anything.”
    Except sleep. Get a tan. Eat solid food. Hunger twisted inside my stomach. I frowned, gripping my middle tighter. “You say that like you know from experience.”
    Jacob smiled at me, using the smile I’d fallen in love with. Damn him. “Because I do. I was like you once. Feeling anger at my maker. Realizing all I would be without. But I learned to appreciate my new life, unusual as it is. You will too, Mara. Trust me.”
    I wanted to tell him no. That I wanted out of this, to go back to boring, human me. But I couldn’t. It would have tasted a lie. Damn it, Mara. Stop thinking about eating!
    “You are hungry,” he said. “Let’s see to that.”
    Jacob turned and started walking through the forest. Reluctantly, I followed him. Along the way, I got the full appreciation of my new senses. It was pitch black out, but I could see clearly. I could hear every creature. Smell snow-covered pine even though there weren’t any pine trees around us. I could feel the wind, but not the cold. I’d never liked winter before, but now I found myself loving it.
    Jacob stopped in front of a cave. “I will be outside. You may call on me if you need to, but I am certain you will be capable on your own.”
    I raised an eyebrow. “Oh?”
    He grinned. “You’re resourceful, Mara. Something I love about you.”
    Damn. He did it again. I tried not to smile. “Okay. Here goes nothing.”
    I walked into the cave, catching their scent immediately. I heard murmured conversation, seeing the three of them huddled by the campfire. New fangs poked my lower lip. This was my new life. I’d asked for it. Time to accept that.
    And eat.

- - - 

Amy

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