don’t touch him
that’s mine
that’s mine
he’s mine and i will take him away into woods
i will hunt for him
i will keep him warm
and safe
he yells at me tells me to stop dragging him
stupid wolf man
not dragging you saving you stupid man stupid wolf
it’s
thump
it’s
thump
it’s
thump thump thump and i
i can breathe
i can breathe
i can
I OPENED MY EYES.
Gavin stared down at me.
Blood dripped down his chest and onto mine.
I said, “Gavin,” as I looked to the mark on his shoulder, the perfect impression of fangs already scarring over.
Gavin said, “Carter? It’s…. Carter. I can… I can.”
I reached up and cupped his face. He turned and kissed my palm.
“Show me,” I whispered. “Show me your eyes.”
He shook his head furiously. “I don’t know. I don’t know. If I can. If it’s real.”
And because I had a part to play, I said the words he’d told me once in the snow stained with blood. “What do you want?”
He knew. Of course he did. He said, “To feel like I’m awake.”
“Show me, then. Show me your eyes.”