Read with BonusRead with Bonus

Chapter VII

Maria:

It was almost five o'clock in the morning. At this point, some people from the village must have already woken up, and the visibility of the crimson moon was gradually fading. I had Alex leaning on me, his arm wrapped around my shoulder, and I was holding his hand to prevent him from falling. I looked around, and some villagers were watching us. Some were whispering, while others simply greeted us without any questioning.

When I looked ahead, my grandmother and my friend were there, looking concerned about me. It was as if they knew I had gone out to photograph the werewolf.

"My child, are you okay?" my grandmother asked.

"Yes, I am," I replied after she examined me to ensure I wasn't injured.

"Friend, I was so worried about you," Heloísa said, and they both looked at Alex, who was almost unconscious.

"Who is this person?" Heloísa asked.

"He's someone I found in the forest. I got up early to take photos because I couldn't sleep," I replied. I didn't want to mention that he had transformed into a werewolf, so I needed to come up with an excuse.

"Is he okay?" Heloísa asked, which clearly he wasn't. Alex was almost unconscious. This werewolf transformation must be taking a toll on him.

"He's not okay," my grandmother said when she examined him and suggested that I take him to our house.

Some people followed us and were curious about who I was carrying with me. I hadn't seen my uncle yet, maybe he was still sleeping. Cledir hadn't shown up either, but I think he must be awake, just taking his time with breakfast, as usual.

We then headed to our house. I placed Alex in my room to lie on my bed. I didn't mind that; I had a hammock outside where I could sleep without any issues, at least until Alex recovered.

My grandmother checked his blood pressure and temperature. She found no injuries, but he was unconscious when we arrived at our house.

"Heloísa, get a first-aid kit, please," my grandmother ordered, and she looked at me. "Maria, I need you to fetch a bucket of water."

I simply nodded, and the two of us did as my grandmother instructed. When we returned, she was still with Alex, constantly monitoring him to prevent fainting or anything of the sort. This werewolf transformation seemed to be quite complicated, to the point that it left him in this state. Regardless, I would do everything I could to help him.

After we started taking care of him, my grandmother looked at the two of us and said, "Well, let's let him rest for now."

We agreed and were about to leave the room. I would be the last to leave when I heard him say my name. That caught our attention, and we looked at each other. I must admit I was also impressed by this sudden call. He wanted me to stay, it seemed.

"Maria, it seems like he wants you to stay," my grandmother said, leaving me in a bit of a dilemma. Seriously, he wants me to stay with him? But why me? Is it because we just met? I didn't see much sense in it. Why would he want a stranger to stay with him?

"Is there going to be romance between you two?" Heloísa asked, making my face turn red. She started laughing, and my grandmother scolded her.

"Don't say things like that! Maria, you can stay with him; it's not a problem. He might have been alone for a long time and needs someone's company. Since you were the one who found him, he's more likely to want you to stay. Do you understand what I mean?"

I simply nodded and so my friend and my grandmother left. I would stay with Alex, and when I took a chair and sat beside him, he slowly opened his eyes as if he were still tired.

"Please don't leave me alone," he pleaded.

I just looked at him, and Alex asked, "You saved me. Thank you."

I gave him a shy smile and replied, "To be honest, I was afraid that some wild animal might consider you as prey. I didn't want anything like that to happen to you."

Alex seemed impressed. He was so tired that even his facial expressions took some time to form.

"Why did you want to save me? I could have been an enemy or something like that."

"Well, I believe that every human has some evil in their heart, but at the same time, there's goodness," I replied.

Alex continued to look at me. I think he was impressed by my life philosophy, but it was true. I learned that from my grandmother, and when I shared the thought with Heloísa, she started thinking the same way.

"I understand," he said. "Would you stay with me until I fall asleep... please?"

I simply nodded. I didn't know why he wanted me to stay, but I would grant his wish. Perhaps he felt incredibly lonely to the point of wanting someone to be there with him.

I would stay with him for as long as it took for him to fall asleep. We began talking about various things, but at no point did I mention the moment when he, as a werewolf, attacked me. Perhaps I would address that when he's better because, from what I can judge, even if he doesn't remember anything, it wouldn't hurt to ask about these transformations he goes through. It shouldn't be happening right now.

After spending hours talking, he fell asleep, and I decided to settle in my hammock, gazing at the sky. My grandmother was preparing lunch, and at that moment, Heloísa would be with her. I think my grandmother asked her to do that.

Before I knew it, I fell asleep. I was indeed tired as well, especially since my middle-of-the-night adventure was quite extensive.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter