The burdens

Rain tapped lightly on the window. The man stared at his own reflection without expression. The gray skies gave the blue walls a boring hue and the only source of color came from the half drained orange juice on the table behind him. He sat on a chair he had turned toward the window, his disturbingly skinny feet dangling off and his jeans loosely fitting. He wore a white wife beater and had a farmers tan contrasting his light hair, the Eagle, Globe, and Fouled Anchor gleaming on his shoulder.
Time had no meaning while he sat, his body aching to move, but knowing he can't. The front door clicked open and the marine turned his head toward the sound then lifted himself on his arms and slid into a chair beside him then sneaking a swig of whiskey from his flask in his pocket.
"Hey honey" she called clinking her keys on a solid surface. The woman was brunette standing average height and was wearing no make up but was still a pretty girl. She carried two plastic bags filled with groceries and came from the front hallway and stood for a moment in the door to ask "Paul are you OK?" seeing his expressionless face staring at the plate of food she cooked for him almost two hours ago.
"Yeah just tired."
"You say that every day. What's wrong hun?" She asked sweetly and with obvious concern.
"Just worried" he lied again. When she gave him a questioning look he added "it's their first deployment without me." She accepted this with a sigh and went to the kitchen putting up groceries. He couldn't help but feel guilty. Poking the cold bacon on his plate he sat silently.
She returned shortly poptart in hand and ate quickly then took her trash and Pauls plate to the kitchen to clean it. She back into the room now for a third time saying something about a spongebath to which he replied that he would do it himself, trying to hide his pain and hurt pride.
She stopped and looked at him. "Remember what happened las-" she was interrupted by a telephone ring. She scurried to the next room and came back in a rush saying something about someones water breaking. She rolled an I Love You off her tongue then left, locking the door behind her.
After a few minutes Paul picked himself off the chair and sat in the wheelchair, then rolled to the garage and grabbed out his old shaving kit. Then after much effort and a long period of time he climbed the stairs to the only full-bath in their condo.
He turned on the water to the tub and pulled out his old razor and began cleaning it. When the tub was finished filling he took another swig of his flask and climbed in, razor in hand. His last thoughts were of never being a burden again as the water turned red and his soul drained from his eyes.

The Hunt

The jungle was silent as he ran, his labored breathing the only sound. Very little light sifted down to the ground leaving him able to see the path carved out for him but unable to see small sticks or animals. A crunching sound emanated from a nearby tree and he knew the thing was closer. Yon ran even faster putting every ounce of his strength into his speed and doing well with it. In another life he might have been an Olympic athlete, had he not been an archeologist. And further still he might have remained one had he simply kept up with the guide.
He did not believe him when the small framed man with many scars told him many evils lived in this forest waiting for a weak soul to take. It was just myth he had said to his students but no look at him being chased by- the chase! He refocused his efforts realizing he had just begun to slow. Yon had been running for half a hour now and that he couldn't continue to do so for much longer especially at this pace.
The professor was correct. After another seven minutes at this impressively break-neck speed, Yon could no longer feel his legs. How big is this jungle? Suddenly another crunching came from yet another tree and Yon instinctively looked behind him in terror, but went tumbling to the ground over a small branch, planting him head first on the soft, moist dirt.
The creature was no-where to be seen when the professor awoke. He didn't know if it had been several hours or less than a second. Peering around he was puzzled. After a few more grueling seconds of gathering his thoughts he heard several voices coming from further up the trail, so yon tried to stand to greet them but a sharp and monstrous pain shot up his leg. So he called out once but remained seated.
The others found him sitting a massive gash running the front his shin revealing his bone and mixed with dirt. The asked why he ran so fast just barely above the excited voices of his students.
"I thought i saw... I was looking for you all."
The guide looked at him closely. Almost suspiciously. Why was he looking this way? the professor thought to himself. In the end though, the guide made a splint out of nearby wood and with the help of the young students carried him out of the jungle. The professor and students were airlifted out that night. Yon was treated at a nearby hospital while his students returned home where he joined them after a month.
He was over joyed to see his wife again and his brush with death had awakened a new passion in them both, so later that night he told her he would stop going to the dangerous digs to be with her and maybe... start a family if she would allow it. She did.
How ever when the two got home Yon could feel something change in him. He had a new urge he had never felt in his life. It was primal, simple. It awoke from the inner core of his body beyond that of even sex drive. It seemed to eminate from a joy he had felt in a time before and longed for once again. A time he had never expereinced.
When his wife went to sleep it seemed to speak louder. It spoke to him unceasingly in his dreams as well showing what it would be like to take that step, to seek that thrill, but no he could not do something so... wrong, so evil. He had long ago accepted it as a fact of the world that good and evil are only words but this. this sickened him yet enthralled him. This fact only made him long for it more.
after four months of thoughts whispered into his head he could stand to be away the hunt no longer. He drowned his wife while she napped in the tub and pretended to be at
 the grocery store. His wifes pregnancy unbeknownst to him gave him an air of credability along with his recent scrape in Argentina.
But it was not enough. He still wanted more. Needed more. When he was alone with a student one day he pounced. Hit the boy over the head with a chair knocking him to the ground. The boy being on the wrestling team reacted the moment he touched the ground by rolling to the left and sweeping Yon's leg, hitting his head on the way down. Yon bled out on the floor before his student could get help.
Later the boy went home to his parents to deal with the loss of his favorite professor. Then it awakened. The longing. The need for the hunt.

Brothers and Sisters

She couldn't help but be excited although she had told herself not to be many times now. But today is the day! It was finally happening she screamed in her head used every bit of strength she had not to do so where others could on this crowded New York City street. The sun had just set on this happy day. It was over she cried.
She went to the newest fashion store and picked out the most exotic and beautiful dress she could find. She next went home and began carefully putting on her makeup in the three room apartment she owned. When she finally had on the exact right amount she stepped away from the mirror. Her skin appeared flawless without the makeup and she smiled a wide grin showing her large canine looking teeth. Suddenly aware of this she stopped and made her lips remain over her teeth.
The dress she now wore was small and black, and seemed to simultaneously ooze sexuality, beauty and class, complimenting her skinny frame and brown hair. Her appearance gave her the air of a princess. This was her moment after all having worked for it for so long.
At eight o'clock she grabbed her small and stylish purse and began the walk to the restaurant, a Russian place named  Brats ye Sestras with fine cuisine from all over the globe. She walked the four blocks in under thirty minutes getting not so pure looks from the men as they passed and looks of jealousy from the women. She is on top of the world.
She entered through the front door and completely skipped the line waiting to get in, walking right up to the large Russian native bouncer who grinned when he saw her.
"Ohlekh! Kak dyellah, ye braht?" The woman asked loudly almost strutting with excitement. She is so close she can feel it.
"Huhrowshuh! Stareewihneh xdateh tebs, Sestra Maria." They kissed each other on the cheek and Marie walked straight in and to the back table where other markable examples of the of beauty sat, male and female.
"Zdrastfetyeh, Braht ye Sestras!"
"Hello Marie."
She sat and they talked until no light came from the sky. When it did the left Oleg in charge and got into their cars. The brothers and sisters drove and drove until they reached a small town in New Jersey. They stopped at one house and Marie left by herself and walked around for three hours until she came across a young teen. Marie barred her massive canine teeth showing their true points and walked towards the girl.
When Marie got back to the cars there was a tear in her dress and and blood all over her chin. The male by the name of Nicholi spoke "Now you are truely our Sestra, Marie"