Page 55 of Grim

It gazed at me, unmoving, the sides of his body rising and falling as it breathed. Steam rose from his snout. Eyes, a deep shade of blue, regarded me inquisitively as it stayed on the other side of the bench.

“Hi?” My voice shook.

I knew the animal couldn’t talk; I knew it wouldn’t reply, but something told me to greet this creature instead of standing there looking like an idiot.

“Pretty thing, aren’t you?” It relaxed. Picking up its enormous paws, it walked around the bend, and softly, carefully moved to where I stood. I was right in the thoughts I had earlier. This beast, this wolf-thing, was a mystical creature.

Where was Little Red Riding Hood when you needed her?

How many times did I pray to the moon outside my window each night to bring me the protection I needed? I didn’t care if it was an animal, person, or a voice to tell me to keep surviving, to live just a little longer. I craved closeness, a deeper connection to someone or something. To get it, I tried praying to a rock in the sky. Part of me felt it was real, thatshewas real.

The wolf lowered its head, nudging my hand to do something. I had stood still for far too long, and who knew what this wolf wanted from me. He hadn’t eaten meyet,so that was a good sign.

With the moon now higher in the sky, the moonlight burst through the fog and the small landing where we stood shone brightly. I could see all of this magnificent beast, thoughts of where Grim had gone disappearing.

Perhaps the moon brought me this creature, this gentle giant that now rubbed and licked my neck like I was familiar to him. My arms wrapped around the thick neck, the powerful tendons and muscles rippling down its body.

I let out a laugh. The wolf nudged me back to the bench, and I sat down happily, keeping my hand planted in its fur. It was a fairy tale in the making. He was a wolf of massive proportions, and no one would believe me if I told them this beast was here.

Massive paws, twice the size of my face, cradled the earth below it. That was why it was so silent, its paws cupping the earth with the pads of its toes. The teeth were large, white, and poked out from underneath the lips of the upper jaw. This wolf-creature could match any horror story of predator versus prey, but it sat so calmly.

“What are you doing out here alone?” I cooed, rubbing its ear. “Did a female run off on you like my male did?” He snorted, his head shaking until it landed with a thud in my lap.

He was so soft, and my body relaxed instantly. This wasn’ t some wild animal, it felt too domesticated.

“Will you come visit me in town?” The wolf only huffed in response, irritated. “You can sneak in at the back of the tattoo shop. I’ll let you in.”

Right, if he can fit.

“I bet Grim will let you. He likes the outdoors, and he’s got plenty of raw meat in the fridge that might fill you up.” The wolf’s head raised, tilting like a harmless puppy.

“Yeah, lots of raw meat.” My smile faded, my hands falling from around the wolf’s neck. The glow of red fur shined brightly against the moon’s rays. “That…he…eats himself,” I thought out loud.

We sat there in silence for the longest time. I either played with its fur or stared up at the moon which I felt had blessed me with something I’d prayed for. It wasn’t just this wolf, but it was Grim, too. I got two things I wanted—a person and an animal.

Why had I not thought about that again? Was I hiding it beneath a comfortable layer of trust in a man I hardly knew? Maybe he just had some weird diet? Maybe…

A flutter from the right side of the clearing made me jump. I squealed, putting a hand over my chest seeing it was just a white dove landing feet away. It was pure white, walking out of the forest like it owned the place and no predator would dare eat it. I closed my eyes, taking a deep breath.

“Damn, that scared me.” I reached out to grab the wolf’s thick mane, but I stumbled on the bench with the lack of a furry wall.

He was gone. The giant beast was gone without a sound. And all that was left was the white dove walking around the edge of the cliff. It pecked the dirt, hunting for food, and my concentration fell on it instead of the continued pressure of not having Grim or the wolf by my side.

The dove, not affected by my presence at all, pecked at the ground again, this time approaching me. It turned to look at its surroundings. There was a light gray-blue symbol on its back. It was an upside-down crescent moon that expanded between both wings which were neatly folded by its sides.

“Moon?” I whispered. The dove spread its wings and lurched forward until its wings beat wildly, gaining height as it flew over the ledge. I followed, confused as hell that I would see two animals that were not right, not real. It was too fantastic for it to be a coincidence.

“Journey?” Grim stepped out of the forest. He cracked his neck to the side and rushed toward me. “I’m sorry, I was angry. Didn’t want to scare you.” His voice had grown soft despite his anger earlier, and I was thankful for it. I didn’t enjoy seeing him upset. I was hoping to hide that part of myself from anyone and everyone forever, but Grim’s persistence was too great.

Plus, he needed to know me. Just like I needed to know him.

“You didn’t.” I shook my head in disbelief. “Just missed you.” I gave a brief smile, only for him to wrap his arm around me. The air had turned cold and despite his short-sleeve shirt with his denim club vest, he was remarkably warm.

“Let’s go home.” Grim grabbed me by the waist, not looking back at the forest where he had emerged.

I wanted to protest, ask him about his past, maybe tell him about the massive wolf. But tonight was enough. To hear of my past, to know that I had been used in ways I didn’t want to remember again, and then telling him about an enormous wolf… He might think I was lying about everything.

Besides, digging into his past would reopen too many scars he had covered in ink. We would take this slowly. I’d wait for my answers for now. He wasn’t getting rid of me. He was staying by my side, staying here for me, to build me back up to what I should have been all my life.

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