Rain's Lullaby Chapter 2
Authors note: I thought I'd finally post this after a little bit of re-writing. I'm not sure if I'll continue any further then this, however. I kinda started this story on the wrong foot, if you know what I mean. Anyway, enjoy it while it lasts.
Mrs. Daminton slowly walked her way towards the grocery store away from her rusty old car. Her gnarled limbs resting heavily on her trustworthy walker.
She was going to buy some candy since she knew her grandchildren would pay her a visit any day now. It was that time of the year.
Her tattered face twisting into a small smile but she froze in her tracks as a white being rushed past her.
Mrs. Daminton saw The Reaper around every corner these days but this had by far been the most... feral one.
With her mouth dry and with her heart beating in her throat she turned and made her way back to the car.
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The blood was rushing through Sid as he pushed past the doors. He heard someone drop their basket on the floor but reduced to look. Actually seeing how people were reacting would be worse then his imagination merely running wild.
He swiftly dodged in between the shelves, wanting to run. Eyes were glaring at him from every direction.
During all the time he had been trying to convince himself to go to buy food he hadn't actually thought of what it was he wanted to buy.
Feeling too skippy to slow down and think about it the ever watching eyes pushed him to just pile whatever he felt liked up in his arms as he raced along the shelves filled with colourful plastic bags of all kinds.
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The female cashier sat with her mouth agape as the monster dressed in a shabby fashion rudely dropped the contents of his arms in front of her.
Realizing that the beast was looking at her she quickly wiped the expression from her face and plastered a light smile over it with practiced deftness. The unlikeliness of a werewolf standing in front of her wanting to buy a bag of chips, a few noodle packages, fish-sticks and several other completely normal groceries was overwhelming, so she jumped to the only conclusion.
"Th-that is a v-very well made Halloween costume, sir. I understand that you must be proud of it."
With a somewhat more genuine smile she added "You almost had me going there for a while."
Sid could hear relieved laughter from a few of the nearby costumers. Sid himself was dumb folded. Glancing towards the candy section he indeed noticed the yearly Halloween sale on sweets.
He felt in complete chock. Noticing that the cashier had read in all the wares he dug up his walled and managed to grip hold of enough bills with his claws to pay for the food.
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Mrs. Daminton was still sitting in her car but she felt a lot calmer now. She had probably just imagined all of it. After all, she had seen death around every corner ever since her dear little brother Harold had passed away a few months ago.
Not wanting to wallow in it right now she convinced herself to go buy those sweets for her grandchildren. She couldn't have them visit her for Halloween without being able to hand out some candy. And they always came for Halloween, dressed up as tiny devils and witches.
Stepping out of the car she dragged out her walker and turned towards the store.
The feral Reaper swooshed past her for a second time and she couldn't move her body, not even to turn and look where he went.
It was obviously a sign. Maybe He was telling her not to enter that store.
With a shaking hand she grasped at the christian cross hanging around her neck. She would have to buy the candy another day and at another store. A message from God is not something you ignore.
She turned back to her car and drove home to her empty apartment.
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The bag of groceries fell to the floor as the door was slammed shut.
The bag was shortly followed by Sid as he slid down the door.
His blood was beating in his ears, his legs was on fire and his dry throat was grasping for air.
He felt like laughing hysterically and at the same time he was crying softly. It was all just too much for him. Too many emotions, too much pressure and too much was at stake.
He couldn't believe they had actually thought it was a Halloween costume. People were really willing to believe absolutely anything except what was right under their noses.
His breathing finally slowing down a little he heaved himself up despite the protests of his legs and leaned over the kitchen sink. His throat was burning so he poured water directly on his tongue and sloppily slurped the cold water into his muzzle. Experiments with Sids muzzle and one of the tall, thin drinking glasses had ended with more wet fur then quenched thirst.
Sids growling stomach reminded him of why he had to go to the store to begin with.
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Despite the looming consequences hanging over him, Sid relaxed a little. He had mustered the courage to actually go out and his stomach had been filled with a weird combination of groceries that, somehow hadn't tasted half-bad.
He was standing in the bathroom in front of the mirror he had avoided since the...accident. Water sprayed against the gray floor as Sid was waiting for the shower to heat up.
He ogled himself suspiciously. From the black nose with a tiny pink dot on it, to the muzzle covered in soft, pale fur, to the triangular ears standing at attention. Sid found himself trying to make faces. It wasn't as easy as one might have thought. Many of the muscles in his face was gone and those that were still there had been relocated.
Snorting at a particularly silly expression he turned to the shower and slipped inside. He had been avoiding the shower since he grew fur. Sid remembered just how badly wet dog smells, on the other hand he also remembered how badly dogs who haven't been bathed for a while smelled as well and how easily the white fur of his mothers dogs had collected the most absurd kind of dirt.
He slid into the water spray and... didn't feel any water other then on his nose and on his ears. Peaking upwards he was greeted with water into his eyes telling him that the water was indeed flowing. He let out a curse which was, for once, almost recognizable.
The colder wetness slowly spread from his nose and ears outwards, soaking his muzzle, the top of his head, down his neck and so on. Getting out the water from his eyes he saw how the water was flowing in small droplets over the fur of his arm without soaking it, as if pushed out by an invisible force.
It puzzled Sid for a little while as he watches the drops of water slide off. Then he remembered his classes in chemistry. His fur must have a coating of oil, pushing the water away. Water and fat doesn't mix well.
He presses a paw on the fur of his arm, pressing out the air and let go under the water spray. It did the trick as the fur finally soaked up some water.
Sid immediately went to work on getting his fur soaking. Working his paws over his lean torso downwards to the ruffled fur around his hips. He would probably get knots from wearing pants. Sid reached out from the shower into an cabinet, getting an idea. He found what he was looking for and retreated back into the shower with a rugged brush in his paws. It would be easier to undo the knots while his fur was wet. The brush also proved to be a faster way to soaking all of it.
Once his fur was soaked and he had brushed all of his fur he reached for the hair & body shower gel. He had fur now, rather then hair, but he figured it would probably still work.
Stepping out from under the water spray he poured a generous amount in a paw and rubbed it around in his chest fur, lathering it up. He worked the shower gel upwards, into the fur of his shoulders, on his arms then he worked it downwards to his legs.
Sid gasped at the sensation of his paw sliding against his sheath. It made him freeze where he stood for a second as a blush was beginning to form under his fur. He wasn't usually THAT sensitive. Feeling uneasy he quickly went back to work avoiding his sheath the best he could. Then he combed through his fur again to get the shower gel out of his fur.
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The apartment smelled of wet dog. It wasn't quite as bad as Sid had imagined though, despite him having more fur then both of his mothers dogs combined. Perhaps the stench had simply knocked out his sense of smell or maybe his fur just didn't smell as much. He was grateful either way.
He had soaked through two towels and had brushed his fur for ages but it just wouldn't get completely dry. Sid guessed he would just have to wait until it dries out on it's own but it was a little annoying. He didn't want to get the sofa wet so he couldn't sit down in it with damp fur.
An annoying, beeping, melody rang in Sids ears. Nearly knocking him to the floor. His cellphone was ringing...