A Twisted Curse

A full moon illuminated the night while most of the villagers were sound asleep. People generally didn’t pay attention to the moon, but there was one man who did. A few villagers would usually linger late at their local tavern, Archie’s. That night, these regulars were accompanied by a stranger or as the locals liked to call him, the outsider. Things can get rowdy in a tavern like this, especially at a time like this. It was late and people were incredibly drunk. The outsider knew that, but he always liked to think that he could protect himself from any kind of trouble.

“So… outsider? Do you have a name?” A drunk local asked, taking a seat next to the outsider by the bar.

“Bartholomew Griffith…” The outsider always had a way of defusing fights before they could even start. It was all through one simple trick, “...let me buy you a beer.”

Bartholomew isn’t really an outsider though, he only visits the old village occasionally. Which is why he always steered clear of any conflict. Bartholomew only had the luxury of drinking beer once a month. So, he would sit on a stool by the bar, engage in a little small talk with Arthur the bartender, and drink as much beer as he could. He’d try to mind his own business and enjoy the short amount of free time he has. However, on that day, he wasn’t the only attraction for conflict. Although he did have to buy at least five beers that weren’t for him.

That night in the tavern, there were a few pretty women. They’d come by here every now and then, but Bartholomew had never seen Archie’s host any women during this time of day. Half way through his fifth beer, conflict arose. Two men started fighting over a lady… typical. Usually Bartholomew wouldn’t give it any thought. He’d stay seated, drink his beer, and wouldn’t even look at the fight’s direction. He was a pro at ignoring conflict and had been training himself to do so for years. However, this time he was a bit drunk. By the time the men started brawling, he was sipping his sixth beer. He looked behind him and the woman that started it all caught his eye. Bartholomew never saw a woman as beautiful as she was and he couldn’t help but step in, lest she’d get hurt.

“Gentlemen, gentlemen. I’m sure there’s a civil way to solve your issue here,” Bartholomew said, walking towards them with his hands up as a gesture of peace.

The men didn’t take kindly to his interference. Bartholomew did solve the issue between them, but has created a new one with both of them putting their issue aside to go against him. They pulled him in and began beating him. Bartholomew went down on one knee and covered his head with his arms. A couple of seconds in, he snapped. He stood up as fast as he could, hitting one of the men with his elbow right in the chin. Bartholomew then turned around, blocked a couple of punches from the other guy and knocked him out with a proper right hook as the other one got up. When he saw the other guy unconscious, he looked at Bartholomew and ran away.

Bartholomew turned to the pretty woman and said, “I hope these blokes didn’t mess your evening, marm. If anyone bothers you again, I’ll be at the bar for the rest of the night. ”

He turned around and as soon as he did… “I didn’t get your name,” she said.

“Bartholomew Griffith… and you are?”

“Norine Martin.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Norine.”

“Likewise. Thank you for what you did. I got so scared and completely froze as everything just happened so fast.”

“It’s my pleasure, Norine. It can get rough in here sometimes… If you need my help again, let me know.” Bartholomew offered.

“Well, why don’t you stick around… you know, just in case? We could have a drink or two.” Norine’s offer was enticing, it was one Bartholomew couldn’t refuse despite his rules.

It’s been years since he’d had a conversation with a woman. Last time he did was back in 1778 and Bartholomew was only six years old, and that was more of an altercation. He was very excited but also very drunk. Normally, Bartholomew would have never intervened and he most certainly would have never introduced himself to Norine—let alone have drinks with her. He strongly believes that a man like him is not worthy of love. That’s because of who he was then and who he is now… Love was never in his path. The alcohol played its games and so he sat with her for a few drinks. Bartholomew was having the time of his life with Norine. They got to know each other, had some laughs, and went through a lot of drinks. If it weren’t for the alcohol, he would’ve never intervened, never sat with her, and never opened up to her.

As time slipped away, it was getting pretty late. Bartholomew remembered time, which was something he could never forget no matter how intoxicated he was. “I’m sorry, Norine. I have to go. I had a lovely time and I, uh… I hope we can do it again.”

“How can I reach you?” Norine asked.

“I’ll be here exactly twenty nine days from now, half an hour after the sun sets and the moon rises.”

Bartholomew bolted out of the tavern before Norine could say another word. It is getting late and soon the full moon will be leaving the sky. Only to return in approximately twenty-

nine days. Bartholomew lived deep into the forest not so far from the village. There were other things besides destination that was holding him back from being around the locals everyday. He lived there on his own, in total isolation, and away from everyone else.

He reached his home, a cave deep in the forest. As he walked further into the cave, there were signs everywhere. STAY OUT! TURN AROUND! DANGER! And so on. He reached a wooden door that he had built himself, creating an entrance and an extra barrier between the cave and the outside world. On the door was the last warning sign, PRIVATE PROPERTY and right below that, KEEP OUT FOR OWN SAFETY. It was pretty intense. Bartholomew walked in and started removing his clothes. He placed them on a wooden stand. He built a lot of essentials for his ‘house’, although most of the time he didn’t really need them. All he needed were five metal chains at the deepest ends of the cave, perfectly structured around particular areas. Bartholomew lay down on the ground and began making use of the chains. He placed two rings around his shoulders, two around his thighs, and the last one went around his neck. They were all loose, but the full moon’s time was over. As the sun came up in its place, Bartholomew’s transformation commenced.

Bartholomew had lived with this curse for many years, not knowing how or why it afflicted him. He never really had family, which is why nobody noticed him in the village. It’s actually where he was born, but he disappeared at the age of ten, and being an orphan meant there weren’t many people who cared enough to go out looking for him. By the time he returned, he was all grown up, and nobody remembered him. The curse had also taken its toll, so he didn’t care much for the attention. He was content with how the locals saw him… an outsider. It meant fewer questions.

The only man that would remember young Bartholomew would be long gone by now; he was an old man with white hair. He’d always give young Bartholomew strange looks as he walked through the village. The old man was always alone, smoking on his pipe outside of his home. He was a strange man, and all the villagers thought so too. Even till this day, no one has seen him for years, yet no one dares to come near his house. Everyone decided to simply leave it as it is. A crooked and dark house that struck fear into their hearts.

During the time he’s been cursed, Bartholomew has committed terrible acts. He was hunted down a lot but never actually caught. When he returned to his village, he had decided to confine himself away from any forms of life, to restrain himself from ever unleashing the beast within him. He set three rules to help him: he’d only visit the village for a few hours, he’d never get close to anyone, and lastly he’d never have too much beer. The first rule was given, but he always kept it as number one. Second rule meant fewer questions, and the third was to prevent any blackouts before he’d reach the cave. He was too scared to wake up to a horrific scene… It had happened before.

During his last visit, he broke the last two rules. Luckily he was merely drunk enough to make a friend but not enough to blackout on his way back. That would’ve been a totally different story…

From a young age, Bartholomew never saw himself worthy of anything great. He was always on his own, an orphan boy minding his own business, trying to survive in a world of people who never really saw him. People in the village can be cruel sometimes; it was rare to find someone who felt empathy for young Bartholomew. He was barely able to get a job around the village. He would help out a hostler and earn a meal a day doing so. Bartholomew never had time to make friends, nor the capacity. He always thought success and popularity weren’t in the cards for people like him. No one took a chance with him, and young Bartholomew was constantly busy worrying about where he’d sleep and what he’d eat. Up until the day he was cursed and cast himself out. After the curse he had more reasons to be alone… More reasons to live without aspiration or ambition. Yet, Bartholomew figured he was always accustomed to life that way, a life of fear and loneliness.

The first couple of years Bartholomew was cursed, he went crazy trying to figure out how or why it happened. It took him two years to accept the fact that he may never find out. He’s been able to rest easier ever since then. The moment he let go of such a huge burden, one he piled over himself for years, he thought he’d feel much lighter. However, there were still many things he feared in life. Bartholomew figured it is what it is and tried his best to keep him and anyone around him safe from the curse.

During his time as a beast, Bartholomew can sense himself deep inside. He could think, but he could not act. It is like he was in a coma, aware of everything happening around him with no chance of acting upon it. Inside the beast, that’s when he was most afraid. His fear turned into worry whenever he was back to his human self, which is why he drank a lot. The alcohol numbs the fear, but once the pain of transformation commenced, the alcohol faded away, and the screams began. The beast fed on Bartholomew’s fear and turned it into rage. The beast had plenty to feed on, which is why he was dangerous. Sometimes things need more than just time for it to fade away or get used to. Bartholomew has been living with the curse for years, but the fear, the pain, the stress… They just never seem to go away, even though he’s tried many ways to fight it, to get rid of it.

Twenty nine days later, Bartholomew was back to his normal self. The five metal chains that had confined him were now loose, and he was free to go. Only to return back to confinement in eleven hours. He felt tired; he hadn’t eaten for days. Usually Bartholomew runs straight to the tavern for a meal and some beer. However, this time, he was afraid he’d run into Norine. Fear always took control of Bartholomew’s life, ever since he was a little kid. He decided not to pay the village a visit and cook in his cave instead. He had all the equipment he needed to make a vegetable stew that’ll subdue his hunger for now.

Another twenty nine days had gone by. Now that he was normal again, he yearned for an ice-cold beer down at the tavern. It’s been sixty days since he’s seen Norine, and even though he was still a bit paranoid to see her, he thought enough time had gone by for her to forget all about him.

When he arrived, for the first time in his life, Bartholomew’s perception of himself was proven wrong. He walked into the tavern, and there she was, waiting for his return. Norine was seated on a table by the bar where they were seated the night they met. It appears that she’s been waiting for a while. Bartholomew was hesitant to approach her, but if he wanted to catch a meal and some beer before his time ends, then he had no choice.

“Norine?” He nervously said.

“Bartholomew? Where have you been? I waited for you here like we agreed, and I’ve been waiting for you almost every night since. What happened? Is everything okay?” Norine asked a lot of questions; her mind was racing with thoughts and possible explanations. She was worried about him, but he couldn’t see it.

Bartholomew sat by her side and apologized for his disappearance. He couldn’t tell her the truth and had to feed her nothing but lies. He told her how much he enjoyed his time with her the last time he was in the village, but he also told her how his mandatory disappearance will take him away every 29 days. Norine was curious about this ‘mandatory disappearance’ and he simply told her he works as a blacksmith in the nearest town. Which was a few hours from here. He thought that he’d push her away given that he wouldn’t be around much, but Norine didn’t mind. She told him that she enjoyed being with him too and that she’d be happy with seeing him during the little time he would be in the village.

Norine was a single woman in her late twenties. Her father had passed away when she was little, and she’s been living alone with her mother ever since. Norine had been wanting to get married for quite a while, but most of the men her age were already hitched. Around the time one would usually get married, she didn’t want to leave her mother to live on her own. She had a lot of options then but wouldn’t take any. However, she feels like it is something that is long overdue. She enjoyed her time with Bartholomew just as much as he did, if not more. In all her years living in the village, no one has ever stood up for her the way he did when they first met. Norine wasn’t necessarily throwing herself at him, but she did want to get to know him better. She thought maybe they could do that, meet each other once a month at the inn and see what the future holds.

Once again, they both had a great time. After eight hours of nighttime had gone by, Bartholomew had to excuse himself. Norine asked him to find a place to stay in the village and travel in the morning so they could spend more time, but of course, Bartholomew had to decline. He told her he’d see her soon, and unfortunately for his second rule, she said, “I’d like that very much.”

Bartholomew was drunk walking back to the cave. More drunk than usual since being nervous and worried around Norine made him drink even more. He was looking around the village as he passed through, and then something pulled him towards an abandoned home. He looked closer and saw an old man. The same old man he used to see as a kid, the one who is supposedly ‘far gone by now’.

“Bartholomew Griffith.” He slowly called out. Bartholomew was surprised, scared even. “Better hurry up, kid. You’ve got about an hour and a half,” the old man continued.

Bartholomew was freaked out and paranoid. He started running to his cave as the old man had him worry about the curse. As he ran back to his cave he couldn’t help but ask himself… How was the old man still alive? How did he know my name? Does he know me? Remember me? Am I the only one who can see him? What the hell was he talking about? Does he know my secret? Not only did Bartholomew’s stress levels rise, but so did his fear. Which began raising questions like, will he let the villagers know? Will they hunt me down? Does he know about the cave and its whereabouts? What will Norine think of me when she finds out?

Bartholomew didn’t have much time left to worry about all that. He ran into his cave and got the five metal chains ready for his transformation. There was a lot on his mind, but he couldn’t let it get in the way and set the beast free. That was what Bartholomew feared the most.

When the full moon returned and Bartholomew got his human form back, he went straight to the village. Bartholomew was worried, afraid, stressed, nervous, and a lot more. Albeit, he needed answers. For half an hour, he stood by the old man’s home, but no one was there. Villagers who passed by him were confused as to why he stood by a creepy old house that’s been abandoned for years. He started to wonder if the alcohol had him hallucinating. It came to mind that maybe his fear had a stronger hold on him than he thought.

Bartholomew went to the tavern and Norine wasn’t there. He thought he’d be happy not to see her; he didn’t want to break his second rule so many times, but he was disappointed. In the many times he’s visited the tavern, he’s never had the pleasure of someone’s company. Especially not someone as nice and pretty as Norine. He ordered his beer and thought of her as he drank. It was a much better alternative to worrying and thinking about the incident with the old man.

Two beers in, and Norine showed up. As he was having his third, he was getting a bit tipsy, enough to make him completely ignore his second rule and allow himself to be happy with Norine. For a couple of hours they shared a few drinks and a few laughs. Out of nowhere, Bartholomew put on a straight face as his mind went elsewhere. A place he tried to stay away from before Norine even showed up.

“Is something wrong?” Norine asked, noticing the sudden drop of his mood.

“Do you know the old man who used to live near the creek?” Bartholomew asked, the thought was creeping in the back of his head until it finally popped out and infested his mind.

Norine was confused as it was a strange turn in conversation. “Yes… Why do you ask?”

“When was the last time you’ve seen him?”

“Well, he hasn’t been around for years. After his disappearance, people around here declared him dead… My guess is he was eaten by wolves. Probably wandered off in the woods on his own and never returned,” Norine replied.

Bartholomew didn’t know what to say next. To him, he’s already said too much. Norine was skeptical of these questions and how they randomly came up. She wondered how he knew the old man. Embarrassed by the fact that he was an orphan and a peasant during his early days in the village, he told her yet another lie. “I heard some blokes talking about him at the bar before you arrived and got a bit curious. I don’t know why I asked; he just popped into my head all of a sudden.”

With the couple of hours they had left together, Bartholomew dropped the topic. He decided to move on and enjoy the little time he had left with Norine.

She was falling for Bartholomew. It was obvious, but not to him. He’s never fallen in love or experienced what it meant to be loved, which made it tough for him to read into these sorts of things. There’s also the fact that he believes it’s a path he would never come across. Norine was sad that their time that night had to come to an end, so she asked him if she’d see him soon. She always liked to make sure his answer was yes. As they walked out of Archie’s, Bartholomew assured her that she would.

Passing through the village this time, Bartholomew was looking out for the old man. He had a few more beers than he did during his last visit. Which meant fear had a little less control over his thoughts and actions. He started getting closer to the old man’s house, and when he reached the door, he opened it and walked in.

“Don’t you know it’s rude not to knock?” Bartholomew was struck with fear as the old man asked a question. He appeared out of nowhere, simply seated in the middle of his home.

“What the hell is going on? Why does the entire village think you’re dead?!” Bartholomew asked without hesitation.

“You shouldn’t worry about that, Bartholomew,” The old man mysteriously answered.

“How do you know my name?”

“You’re the young orphan who used to clean out Godfrey’s stables. I remember you, I don’t know you. This is the first time we’ve met Bartholomew. Yet, I already know a lot about you.” The old man said.

Bartholomew wanted to ask him a particular question, but he wasn’t sure if the old man really knew about his secret. The old man may be hinting that he does in fact know, but Bartholomew was afraid he’d give away his secret with the question. As he stood quietly, trying to think things over, the old man interrupted.

“Again, you are worrying about the wrong things, kid. It doesn’t really matter if I know about your secret, I haven’t spoken to a human in over twenty years. I have no one to tell and nothing to gain from calling you out. You simply have to start believing in yourself.”

The old man’s final statement was odd and random. Bartholomew couldn’t understand what he was talking about, but he did understand one thing. He knew about the curse.

Bartholomew was surprised, it’s like the old man is reading his mind. “Then what am I supposed to worry about?” Bartholomew asked out of curiosity, ignoring his initial questions.

“At the moment… I think you should worry about time,” advised the old man.

Bartholomew looked out at the sky instantly. He couldn’t see the full moon. When he looked back at the old man, he was gone. Bartholomew didn’t feel drunk anymore; he felt more afraid and stressed out than he ever did in his entire life. He thought about himself, about the villagers, and more importantly, Norine.

Knowing there was no way in hell he’d make it back to the cave in time, Bartholomew started searching the old man’s house. He was looking for something to restrain himself with. Something that would keep him inside, a place where no villager has stepped foot in for years. He thought even if they heard the howling and the roars, they would never dare to enter.

Bartholomew was losing his mind trying to find something, but there was nothing strong enough to hold him. Nothing in this old abandoned household at least. As the sun began to rise, Bartholomew’s transformation began.

Most of the villagers were asleep at the time, but they all heard the howls, those close to the old man’s house heard the snarls too. The people thought a pack of wolves were passing through and started taking precautionary measures. A few men held their pitchforks while others took out their guns.

Some of the men wanted to attack the wolves and so they crept outside. The howls woke Norine up too. She watched from her window as the men started walking slowly and with precaution, holding weaponry in their hands.

“You see anything?” One of the men whispered.

“No, but I think the sounds are coming from inside the house.”

“How the hell are bloody wolves gonna get inside a house?” A third man said.

“Maybe they went for the old man’s corpse.” Another one wryly commented.

The men gathered around the house as they all heard clear snarls coming from inside. Out of nowhere, the front of the house imploded and the beast was free. He let out a mighty howl that struck fear in the hearts of the men facing the beast as well as the rest of the villagers in hiding. The men fell to the ground as the beast broke out from the old man’s house.

“It’s a goddamn werewolf! It’s returned to kill us all!” One man yelled as he was shooting his gun laying on the ground. The rest of the men got up and made a run for it.

The beast was invulnerable to these men’s weaponry. Even their lead bullets couldn’t penetrate its skin. The beast jumped over the man who was shooting and it bit his head off clean, letting out a haunting howl right after.

The villagers began panicking, knowing that they weren’t safe in their homes. Men took their wives and kids and hid, others fled in the forest or for protection from neighboring villages. Norine had gotten out of her house too. She was looking for her mother amidst the chaos and terror. They lost sight of each other for a minute.

A couple of men decided to light up a line of gas to keep the monster away from moving deeper into the village. The beast was moving in on the fire as villagers ran all over the place trying to escape. Norine was one of those villagers. She was moving near the fire and as she looked its way, her eyes locked down on the beast, who was standing on the other side.

The beast walked slowly through the fire like it was nothing. He stood tall and strong, right in front of Norine who was frozen in terror. The beast’s rage suddenly relinquished; he stared at Norine for a while and got a little closer. Right after that, he turned around, and ran the other way, leaving Norine to wonder why.

The beast left a trail of blood throughout the village. He killed twelve people… why did he stop at me? She thought.

Bartholomew woke up twenty nine days later and found himself by a river in the night. There were a lot of dead animals by his side; it looked like the beast had been hungry. Bartholomew experienced nothing but terror during the time the beast attacked the village. He always tried his best to control him, but he never could. He was lucky enough that his influence that time had the beast turn away from Norine and her home.

He tried to figure out where he was exactly, wanting to know how far the village is. He decided to walk and look for signs; he wanted to make it in time to make sure Norine was alright. He also had to make it back to the cave this time. He couldn’t let another attack occur in the village. This time he may not be able to stop it.

A few hours later, Bartholomew made it to the village. He had two hours before he would have to make it back to the cave, so he headed straight for the bar. The old man was lingering in his mind, but he didn’t want to think about him. All he ever did was cause trouble. Bartholomew didn’t have time for the old man’s games this month. He needed to see Norine, and all he had left was a couple of hours.

When he made it to the tavern, it was empty. Only a couple of men were there; they came in separately and sat and drank alone. Bartholomew pulled a stool by the bar, sat down, and ordered a beer. He wondered if Norine came and left or if she didn’t make it at all this time. Arthur wasn’t as talkative as usual and Bartholomew understood why. However, he was eager to know how the people of the village have been doing. Arthur told him people have been staying in ever since the attack, those who haven’t left at least. He also told him that many of the villagers fled ever since that day. Everyone has been on edge ever since, especially because the beast was never captured or killed. They feared its return. Which got Bartholomew wondering if Norine was one of the villagers who left. He wondered if he pushed her away. He expected to do so. Before he could over think and dwell some more, Norine made it to the tavern.

As soon as she walked in and saw Bartholomew, she ran into his arms. She told him she was worried about him and that she never thought she’d see him again. Being apart for all that time with no means to make sure he was alright, Norine worried the beast would get to Bartholomew. Little did she know, he stood right there in front of her the moment of the attack. She held him tight, felt safe in his arms, but Bartholomew felt nothing but guilt, sorrow, and like always, fear. He had broken his second rule, even though he thought someone like him wouldn’t get that close with anyone. Bartholomew feared many things, but now he feared for someone he loved. He was scared of hurting her one day, but he was also afraid that she’d leave him. The truth can sometimes hurt much more than a thousand lies. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he also didn’t want to hide the truth much longer. He didn’t think he could. His mind was spinning.

Bartholomew only had a half hour left to spend in the tavern. He had a few drinks with Norine as they discussed the attack. It was all that was on her mind that night and who could blame her, it was wild. Bartholomew didn’t hear much of what Norine said, he was too busy trying to figure out what to do. Bartholomew always had good in his heart, and with that, it would’ve never let him be until the truth was out. Before he had to leave, Bartholomew made a decision. A decision to let her in on what really happened that night and what’s been going on before. A secret like the one he held was hard to believe, so he thought he’d show her instead.

Doubt and fear were going against his plans, but Bartholomew knew now was the time. What if she tells the villagers? What if they attack me and the beast kills them all? What if she gets too close to the beast? What if she keeps the secret, but not the friendship? What if she becomes as afraid of me… as I am afraid of her? There’s always a million reasons to stop you from doing what is right. Albeit, Bartholomew went with his gut and his plan, seeking a bit of change in his life. Trying to go against his fears. Norine had opened up a whole new world for him, he never felt as loved or as important as he did while he was with her. It was something he didn’t want to give up or lose. Something he wanted to keep forever.

“Norine, this is going to sound a bit mad, but please listen to me. I’d like you to meet me at a cave that is southeast of here. You’ll find markings that will guide you. When you arrive, there will be signs as you enter the cave, warnings actually, but ignore them all and walk through till the end. I want you to be there in twenty nine days, by 5:30 AM, not later or earlier.”

“What? What cave? What are you talking about?” Norine asked, feeling clueless.

“I know this sounds odd, but please… Can you trust me?” Bartholomew asked, as she was feeling hesitant.

She felt even more confused, “sure.” She said.

“Then meet me there, there’s something you need to see. Something I’ve been meaning to tell you and can’t hold in any longer.”

“What is it, Bartholomew? Why can’t you just tell me now?” She asked.

“I can’t… but believe me, everything will make sense when you meet me at the cave. I’ll be able to explain everything. Just don’t be afraid.”

Twenty nine days from now, before the sun began to take over the night, Norine walked through the woods in search of the cave. She found the markings on the trees like Bartholomew said and followed them. When Norine reached her destination, the warnings set her off. She was walking inside, moving deeper into the cave thinking about what Bartholomew said. The warnings got more intense and the deeper she walked in, the more she tried to control her fear. However, what terrified her the most was the familiar sound of snarls she heard coming from inside. She thought about Bartholomew once more, contemplating her trust towards him. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and opened the final gate to walk into the end of the cave.

Norine’s timing was impeccable. The beast was howling and snarling out of pain as it was transforming back to Bartholomew. She was about to turn around and run the other way, but realized the beast was getting smaller. She wondered where Bartholomew was, her first thought was that he somehow captured the beast. She couldn’t really fathom what was going on, but as the metal chains went loose and fell to the ground, there was nothing left to comprehend. Like the first time she met the beast, Norine froze, but this time it was Bartholomew who stood across her.

“I, uhm… I didn’t know how to tell you… It’s why I didn’t want to get close to you from the beginning. Why I’d always disappear and a big part of why I thought I was never worthy of friendship or love. I never planned to tell you and I honestly thought we’d never get this close. I tried not to return, but I couldn’t. I had grown fond of what we have become. When you came in front of the beast during the attack, I realized I do have a bit of control. When the beast saw you he stopped and turned the other way and I think it’s because of how I feel for you. I never thought that was possible…”

“Bartholomew, I… I don’t know what to say.” Norine paused for a while to pace herself. She ambled around the cave, looking at how Bartholomew had been living. “How long have you been like this?” She asked.

“It started when I was ten years old. I was an orphan in the village and one night, as I was walking through the forest, my transformation began. I was lucky to be outside of the village. No one got hurt that day, but someone was able to spot me. After that, I tried my best to stay away from humans.”

“We’ve heard stories of a beast lurking through the forest near our village when I was young. We thought it was merely a way to scare kids from wandering off on their own.” Norine added, interrupting Bartholomew.

“Ever since then I only return to my normal form during a full moon… It’s a twisted curse.”

“Was this the first time you attacked people?” Norine asked.

“I wish I could say yes. I never intend to hurt anyone. I’ve only been hiding in this cave for the last six years. I spent a lot of time trying to figure this all out, trying to find a solution, find a place where I’m not a threat. For seventeen years I’ve attacked and been attacked. It’s a burden I carry with me all the time. As soon as I figured out a way to restrain myself, I came back home. At least as close to home as I can get. Before then, I’d simply hide away in the forest and hope for the best. I’d hide at places that are more isolated. Nevertheless, I realized that there’s always someone passing by. By the time I thought of the restraints, it was too late. Before I came to this cave, I attacked a small village like ours… and it was catastrophic. The attack happened on my twenty eighth day as a werewolf, I always dwell on the fact that things would’ve been different if the beast had wandered in another direction or even moved a bit slower. The next night, when I transformed back into a human I instantly fell to tears standing amidst the ruins. There was blood everywhere, fires that were still burning, and not a single soul left. There was no way to tell, but I hoped that some of them were able to escape. I set out to this cave and put myself in confinement to keep others safe.”

“You must have been through a lot,” she said.

“I have… And I hope you could forgive me, Norine. I never really meant for any of this to happen. I never meant to lie to you, hurt you, or even scare you as much as I did during that wretched night of the attack.”

Norine slowly approached Bartholomew and got closer. She took him into her arms and gave him a long heartfelt hug. Bartholomew hasn’t felt this warmth in his entire life; it helped him let go of a lot of pain. Helped him feel safe for once in his life. As Norine held him, she said, “how about a drink at the inn?”

“Nothing in the world could make me happier.”

Bartholomew and Norine went back to the village together and straight to the tavern. Norine had her wine and Bartholomew, his ice-cold beer. As usual, they were both having a wonderful time together. This night however, with no secrets between them, things were a lot lighter. Bartholomew was still cursed, but he had a lot less to worry about and a lot more to help him get through it all. Hell, Bartholomew didn’t even feel the need to get intoxicated tonight. He saw life very differently after the truth was out and with Norine by his side, life didn’t seem so bad after all.

When the time came for Bartholomew to return, Norine insisted that she go back to the cave with him. Bartholomew didn’t want her to see him as a beast again, but she had other plans. She was able to convince him to tag along. When they reached the cave, Norine was curious about the metal chains and how they work. Bartholomew laid down and started going through the process. He explained how the rings tighten around the beast and how laying down is to keep the rings stable and on him during the transformation. Besides the one around his neck, the others go around his shoulders and his thighs, but after the transformation, they restrain the beast from his wrists and ankles. When Bartholomew was set and ready down on the ground, Norine laid down by his side.

“What are you doing?”

“How much time do we have left?” She asked.

“Roughly thirty minutes… You must go, Norine. Now, for your own safety.”

“I trust you, Bartholomew and I want to be with you while it happens. I don’t want you to be scared and alone. You’ve done that for far too long… I’ll be right by your side this time. You didn’t hurt me back in the village and I don’t think you’ll hurt me now. I’ll be fine right here… With you.” Norine insisted on staying, even though it was crazy.

“The beast can get hungry, Norine. I don’t know if I’ll be able to stop him this time.”

“I believe you will.” She said, right before she kissed his cheek. “I trust you.”

About thirty minutes were left till sunrise. The two of them fell asleep in each other’s arms, fifteen minutes later.

Norine woke up at around ten in the morning. Awakening from a deep sleep, she had forgotten about where she was and with whom. Moments later she realized and thought it was oddly quiet. She wondered how she was able to get some sleep with all the noise the beast emits. As she looked behind her she saw regular Bartholomew fast asleep. The full moon had passed, but the transformation did not.

“Bartholomew! Bartholomew!” Norine yelled in excitement, shaking his body trying to wake him up.

When Bartholomew awoke, he couldn’t believe it. Norine jumped to conclusions and thought that the curse had been lifted or had come to an end, but Bartholomew was skeptical. She hugged him right away in celebration, but Bartholomew was completely frozen. He didn’t know what was going on and that scared him. For so long he’s been accustomed to this beastly transformation and now that it’s gone, he couldn’t feel less burdened. He was confused and without it, he worried even more. He got accustomed to the routine and now that it’s changed with no warning or explanation, he’s worried. Fearing a sudden change in the beast’s schedule.

Since he was ten years old, Bartholomew hasn’t been able to go out during the day. Norine suggested they’d take the opportunity to make it happen and run to town for some breakfast together. Bartholomew was still paranoid, he thought maybe the transformation had been delayed. He wanted to stay in his confinement, make sure that it wouldn’t happen again soon. Norine agreed and ran off to fetch breakfast for the two of them. They spent the whole morning together. Sat by the opening of the cave, out in the sun like they initially desired. Norine had to leave as the sun went down. She wanted to return and spend some time with her mother, but she promised to come back before the sun began to rise. She was devoted to being by his side every night in case the transformation commenced.

For two whole nights, Bartholomew never went through his beastly transformation. He was still skeptical, but not enough to stay in the cave any longer. He thought, if it had been delayed then it’ll probably happen after the next full moon is over. Norine stayed over that night and so they both went to the village together for some breakfast. After that, Norine took him to her mother, Dorothy. She introduced Bartholomew to her and for the first time in his life, things were normal. He wasn’t worried or scared; he was happy to be with Norine and even happier to get the chance to widen his circle and meet her mother. He got along well with Dorothy and the three of them enjoyed their time together.

As it was getting late, Bartholomew excused himself. He told Norine to spend the night with her mother this time and that he’d be fine on his own. It took some convincing as she didn’t want to break her promise, but she agreed. She told him she’d be by the cave early in the morning with some breakfast and to that, Bartholomew agreed.

As he was walking back to the cave, Bartholomew couldn’t help but pause by the old man’s house. He looked at it, completely wrecked from when the beast penetrated the entire front side of the old man’s home. He walked closer and didn’t stop until he was pretty much inside the house. He wondered about his days as a beast. Wondered if it would ever return. He enjoyed his life right now; the past week had been a dream of his since he was a little kid. To be welcomed in a nice home. To be loved.

“So… Do you still not think you’re worthy of love?” The old man said out of nowhere.

“No! I am done with your games! How do you know so much about my life?! And why am I the only one who bloody sees you all the time?! You need to stop! You set the beast free the day of the attack! I almost lost her because of you!” Bartholomew’s fear came back with the old man’s sudden and mysterious appearance. It drove him mad.

“I’m sorry for causing you distress, Bartholomew. I know you are angry… I know you are confused… You never really understood your curse, Bartholomew. You never knew why it haunted you and now you don’t know why or where it’s gone.”

“Get to the point, old man! I said I’m done with your bloody games so you better start being more straightforward,” Bartholomew interrupted.

“You always thought you never deserved anything or amounted to anything. You always thought you were destined to live a lonely life… But now you are able to see that you are in fact worthy. That you simply need to pave your way. Now you are able to know that people didn’t notice you because you couldn’t do anything, but because you didn’t. The moment you stood up for Norine was the first time you showed someone a part of who you really are. The first time you made an act towards something else besides the curse. As a beast, life was difficult. You understood the true meaning of being lonesome. However, you must see that even then, you found someone to trust you. Someone to help you fight your fears. The day of the attack was the first time you tried to take control and you succeeded… even though you doubted yourself. The night you told the truth and let her in, was the night that set you free.”

Bartholomew’s mind went completely blank. The old man just gave him a summarization of the past twenty seven years of his life. He put it in a perspective that Bartholomew himself had never seen before. However, he didn’t understand why him. In a way, he simply said ‘fear can prevent you from many things’. Right?

“I don’t think the beast will be bothering you anymore… You did good, kid. Now you can live your life like you always dreamed you would… Surrounded by people you love.” The old man mysteriously said.

“How do you know the beast won’t return?” But the old man disappeared out of thin air in a matter of seconds and left Bartholomew standing alone in the ruins of his old home. Again, Bartholomew was skeptical. However, some part of him felt like he could trust the old man and believe that the beast was finally gone.