Helluva party

I dangle my feet in the dirty lake water, it's freezing but I don't care. I throw my head back and lie down on the grass, staring up at the stars. I can still hear the party in full swing in the distance. The DJ shouting something at the top of his lungs. The increasingly drunken crowd going wild and music thumping through the ground. I let out a hefty sigh and feel the energy drain from my body. I use to love these parties. I was the man about town, old Darvid Hardy, life and soul of the fiesta. You couldn't keep me away from these things, but now... ever since... My thoughts are interrupted by a couple of drunk passerbys, they're holding hands and swaying from side to side as they walk. They giggle like children and swig from their bottles. I hear one of them vomit. "Great" I murmur to myself. Suddenly the view doesn't seem so peaceful anymore. I sink my hands into the grass and heave myself up, take one final glance at the stars, turn on my heel and plod back to the party.

The party is being held at an old country house, more rooms than anyone would ever really need and too many bathrooms to count. I go straight to the nearest one on the ground floor, nudging my way through the sea of drunken people; hating them for their ignorance. Angry at their ability to be in the moment. I've forgotten what that feels like.

A sharp pain flies down my stomach, I double over and grit my teeth until the pain subsides. I reach the bathroom and hurry to the sink. I fumble around in my jeans pocket and grab three different vials and set them down in front of me. Staring in the mirror, I shake my head in disbelief. What happened to you Darvid? I shake my head again and grab the first vial. The liquid inside is a dark shade of green. I swish it around watching the green goo coat the glass inside. I unscrew the lid, take a deep breath and down the entire contents. Roughly only a couple of millilitres so I finish it in seconds. Slamming the vial down, I grip the edge of the sink and breathe in deeply. This is it. No going back. I grab the second vial, this one has a red liquid inside. I gulp it down and grimace at the taste. I cough and heave slightly, but there's no time for feeling sick. I quickly snatch the last vial from the sink. "Bottoms up" I say sarcastically to my reflection, before pouring the black liquid down my throat.

A few moments pass and nothing happens. I thought it would be faster than this but I wait patiently. Savouring every second of normality before my world changes forever. Suddenly I feel movement from deep within my body. It's happening. My eyes fill with blood until my iris and pupil are completely covered. I can still see somehow. My hands stretch and contort until they resemble those of a large cat. Thick, sharp nails protrude from my paw like fingers. I thought there would be pain but instead I'm filled with a warm fuzzy feeling, like I'm exactly where I should be. My mouth is the next to change. My bones crack and snap as my jaw shifts into place whilst my tongue expands and blood oozes from it, spewing everywhere as it does so. Then my body stiffens. Suddenly I'm bending backwards, howling like a madman, embracing my new role. Large spikes burst through my back, covered in bits of flesh and hair. "Whooooweeee!" I holler in delight. I've never felt this fulfilled. My legs double in size and are now covered in thick black hair. My feet are similar to my hands but the nails are shorter. I start to laugh. I'm not sure why but I can't stop. I stare at the beast before me and giggle manically at the sight. "Show time!" I growl, in a tone no longer of this world.

I race through the party like an excited puppy. Grabbing at anyone I pass, ripping and tearing at their flesh with my new paws and teeth; throwing them aside when I'm done. On to the next. At first they are silent, watching in confusion as I maul my first few victims but they soon start moving. People run and scream in every direction. The hysteria building fast, everyone now completely aware of the wolf like creature and the danger I bring. I continue my lust for blood, throwing myself around the room and propelling myself at anyone in sight. Blood splatters the walls and cakes the floor. People slipping and tripping all over the place. The more they panic, the more I squeal in delight and feast faster. I'm laughing the entire time, watching these poor people think they can escape, teasing them with the possibility then grabbing them back at the last second, slicing and biting, ending their pointless existence.

After the initial blood thirsty rage, I start to regain some focus. Remembering my real purpose for this insanity I make my way to the top floor, ignoring the hoards of petrified people all around. I have only one purpose in mind now, revenge. I scan the various rooms as I pass through, no sight of her yet. I sniff the air hoping to catch a whiff of her, a few seconds pass and nothing. Just as I decide to give up, my nostrils flare at the faint smell of an all too familiar perfume and cigarette smoke. I snarl and race towards the scent. It leads me to the master bedroom. A large four poster bed in the centre, old antique wardrobes either side and two glass doors that open out onto a balcony overlooking the lake. She's there. Leaning on the balcony edge with her free arm and smoking a cigarette with the other. Her back to me.

"So I see you decided to come after all Darvid." Her tone is steady. Not a trace of fear. I take a step towards her and stop. Is this a trap I wonder. She seems unusually calm.

"You know I can't resist a good party, Hellana." I tease.

"It was a good party wasn't it, maybe my best one yet. What do you think?" My lip pulls upwards to reveal my teeth. I scowl and snarl, spitting as I do so.

"Enough! No more games Hellana. I'm tired of it. I'm here to end this once and for all. You freaks think you can mess with humans just because you can? Well look at me now Hellana! I am no longer man! No longer weak or scared!" My words dance through the air, doing nothing but feed into Hellanas joy. She spins around to face me, eyes wide with excitement, still puffing on a cigarette.

"I can see that Darvid. And bravo for that exquisite display downstairs, a beautiful beginning to your new found beasthood. I almost feel proud." She stubs the cigarette out on her palm and smiles at the pain, instantly lighting another one and taking a drag.

"What exactly do you plan to do though, Darv?"

"Kill you." I reply, licking my lips.

"Kill me?" She laughs. "Kill, me? Well you wouldn't be the first to try and definitely not the last." She pauses slightly, reminiscing about the previous attempts perhaps. "But alas, that won't be happening here today. I'm sure revenge sounds devine but you're one of us now. Technically I'm your master. You cannot hurt me even if you wanted to Darvid." With that I lunge at her, mouth wide open, ready to sink my teeth into her neck. All of a sudden I'm thrown backwards, smashing into one of the wardrobes and falling to the floor. I rise, shaking the pain away. I lunge again, hands stretched out in front of me, claws ready. Before my paws have chance to connect I'm propelled through the air once again, landing on my feet this time. I howl like a wolf when I hit the ground.

"Stop that and fight me you coward!" I spit.

"As I said, this will not be a battle Darvid. You and me are now one of the same. Besides, did you really think you could kill the Devil herself?" She snorts and smiles sweetly at me. I want to destroy her. Wipe that smile from her smug face but I can't. My body and soul won't allow it. I can feel the resistance like a magnet pushing us apart. I slump to the floor and sob. Hellana watches silently, a grin plastered across her face, puffing on yet another fresh cigarette.

"Darvid. Oh my dear Darvid. Don't be sad" she purrs. "This is the start of a new life. Forget about the past and look forward to an eternity with yours truly. You have so much potential and so much to learn my friend. Things won't change. So you can either waste time crying about it, or embrace the beast. Either way, you're stuck like this and destined to do my bidding for all of time." She extends her hand and offers me a cigarette. I ignore her gesture and stare at the floor in silence. Hellana sighs and sits down on the bed beside me.

"Darvid. Did you really expect to defeat me?" Hellana sighs again, scratching her head. I'm not sure if she's addressing me directly or thinking out loud but I refuse to answer. Lost in this powerless feeling. Letting it consume me.

"I killed your sister because I had to. She summoned me. She danced with the devil and didn't live to tell the tale. She knew I would come, yet she continued regardless. Greed and power were her motives that night... was I meant to spare her because her big brother would shed a few tears?" Now all I can think about is my poor sister. She was only 18 years old, her whole life ahead of her. I wish I could shout at her. Go back to that night and make her stop. Make her realise how stupid she was for wanting to strike a deal with a demon. What was she thinking?

"I can't believe my sister would seek power from a demon. I mean I know she was in to some... questionable things... but this? I refuse to believe she was the bad guy in all of this."

"I can show you if you like?" Hellana rises and reaches into her flesh as if it were made of water. She produces a stone like object which glows a bright white colour.

"This is called a yanxilopa. Yan for short. It will show you whatever your heart desires. It can show the truth of the past, present and future. Although the future is always open for change, as it often does." She strokes the stone as she speaks.

"If you will not take my word for it, then feel free to see for yourself." She snaps.

"How do I know it's not a trick? Just like the beast potion. The demon I bargained with said I could only destroy a demon if I changed. That was a lie. All you guys do is lie and plot. I don't know what to believe anymore."

"He didn't lie. You just didn't listen Darvid. Too caught up in revenge to hear his words. I am not merely a demon. I am the creator of all that is evil. The starting block for pain and suffering. I make the rules, can bend them at my will. Any power that comes from a demonic source, is mine to manipulate and do with as I see fit. For it is my power that makes up the very blood in your veins. Thus making it impossible for you to destroy me. You are me. And I, you." She pauses to take a long drag on yet another cigarette before continuing.

"Your sister found a secret room within the grounds. She witnessed the sacrifice of a child. Instead of being appalled, she was more intrigued than anything. She begged my human consorts to let her take part. She wanted the money, the power, the status. The big house and the fancy clothes." Hellana cackles.

"She didn't care if that meant killing a child. She wanted to host the biggest parties and get invited to all the right places. Human desires but fueled by the dark. She was too greedy though. She didn't want to wait for the witching hour or full moon to do a sacrifice. She was impatient. She summoned me before it was time and was rude enough to present me with an already dead offering. Said she couldn't lure the child without killing it. Ha, amateur. Her rudeness and inexperience offended me. I had to kill her. She was a liability too. Threatened me... said she would expose these parties for what they truly were. A front for human sacrifice. A cult of sorts. She gave me no choice. She was trouble."

"Lies. Lies. Lies!" I'm shaking with anger. My sister would never do these things.

"You're lying, my sister was trying to stop you."

I think back to the last conversation I had with her before she died. She was in a rush for something, acting on edge. Jumpy. She told me she was doing something big and when I probed her about it she just laughed and said 'You'll see Darvy, I just wanna be the hostess with the mostess.' It all starts clicking in to place... Hellana isn't lying... my sister... she really was a monster. Hellana is laying on the bed, looking disinterested and rolling the stone around on her fingers.

'"You finally starting to make sense of it my darling beast?" Hellana says mockingly.

"I... I can't believe... I'm..."

"An idiot?" Hellana laughs.

"I'm trapped, and for what? To avenge a child killing psycho. Now I'm... one of you and I..." I can't even finish the sentence. I feel numb. I don't need the stone to know the truth. I can feel it in my soul, if I even have a soul anymore. I stand and stare at my reflection in the glass doors. I shudder when I remember the carnage I unleashed earlier. The beast had gotten the best of me and now I am the very thing I despise. All based on lies. A putrid smell of death fills the air. I recoil in horror when I realise the smell is coming from me. I am repulsive. A monster. What have I done? Hellana stares at me as I study my new form in disgust. Half heaving, half sobbing, not really knowing how to feel any longer. 

"You're devine. A creature of the night. Your sister was a useless fool, too preoccupied with human desires to ever truly find a place in my underworld. You on the other hand, are destined for greatness here. The suffering you will go on to inflict will be spoken about for centuries to come. I have so much to show you. So much to teach you. Come now my beautiful beast, walk with me through the gates of hell and I promise you'll feel right at home." Hellana then slinks from the bed and comes towards me. She pushes the Yan stone back into her flesh, lights a fresh cigarette and puts her hand on my shoulder. Standing behind me, she strokes my face and stares at the glass, addressing my reflection.

"My my, such beauty." She picks a piece of flesh from my matted hair and takes a bite. I wince with disgust. Noticing this Hellana chuckles softly.

"One day we shall feast upon the flesh of man together Darvid. Your disgust will turn to delight. You'll see. Sometimes the most evil of creatures start out the purest, and that's far more fun to watch. The slow and steady plunge into insanity and depravity. The pleasure you felt ripping those people apart cannot be denied." Hellana mutters something in an unknown language. The walls start to shake and break, the floor descends downwards and suddenly I'm blasted with a heat unlike any other. A few minutes later the floor comes to an abrupt stop. A carpet made from flesh sprawls out a few feet in front of us. At the end of the carpet are two large black gates. Hellana raises her fingers up and motions for them to open. They glide across the fleshy floor to slowly reveal the horrors of my new home. Fire. Screams. Blood. Hellana gestures for me to walk forward. As we reach the gates, she pauses and turns to me and smiles.

"Welcome to Hell Darvid, I think you're going to be very happy with us. I hear the parties are to die for!" Hellanas laugh fills the air as the gates slam shut behind us. I sigh. Slowly walking into the fires of hell. My new life begins.