Ripper: An Indoraptor Story ✓

The Lost

The scent of rotten flesh hovered around me upon waking, poisoning the air of toxic dried blood and writhing flesh. And, while for a moment, I thought it was me who was being decomposed.

I glanced down, gasping as strange black and white bugs began nibbling at the oozing wound where the horns had stabbed me. Puss and blood had formed around the edges, already indicating the renewal of an infection, and the odor alone forced me to lurch in disgust. I snapped my jaws, burrowing my snout into my injury to swish out the decomposers as best as I could. 

It was sickening itself to watch these small maggots feast on my soul while I was still alive.

Gross.

But when I lifted my body and swatted the flies from my tail and skull, my eyes fell down toward the lying flurry coyote, still silent and motionless against the warm desert ground. I approached him, pushing away more bugs from his flurry body and nuzzled him, ignoring the rising flies that darted at my eyes.

"Get up," I growled, nibbling his ear. "Sleepyhead, I need help."

Perhaps I could use him for the travel ahead; he had a strong nose like mine own, but he knew the desert and the world around me much better than I ever could. And, unlike my body, his was fit for this region. In growing impatience, I nudged his body yet again and growled, curling my head around to stare at his brown eyes.

But still, he didn't stir.

And then I understood.

Cold and silent, the coyote's fluffy body remained motionless before me, bugs matting the flesh and burying deep into his heart. His eyes were dull and empty, like a void that once held life now resorted to nothingness.

He was dead.

My throat almost closed up in my esophagus, but nonetheless, I stayed still, watching the bugs continue to tear at his body. And when it became too much to bear I turned my head away as my stomach heaved, nostrils twitching from the awful smell of his corpse. Without eyelids to close, the milky brown eyes stared into the frozen sky as his mouth hung open.

Gone.

Everything I had done suddenly became pointless. It was as if the world meant nothing to me, nor did it care whether I tried to correct my mistake. All I knew was that it brought nothing but death and despair. If this was certain then he was destined to die.

Because of me.

He's gone, I whimpered, squeezing my eyes closed. And it's my fault. I killed him.

At least you have a snack-

Shut-up! I screeched, digging my claws into my head as my tail lashed, then roared to shake the heavens above. You have no say in this! Get out my head and let me be! Please...

I didn't know you pity your fresh-kills.

What did I just say?!

I cannot leave you, my mind hissed back. You know that, right? We are one. I don't control your thoughts, my friend, nor your actions. You've made these all by yourself.

I bowed my head realizing this truth and sighed quietly, I cannot protect anyone, or save anyone. Nobody is like me. Nobody understands me. 

Other than me that is.

Of course... I-I know...

I'm sorry about your friend... if that makes you feel any better, my mind cooed, struggling to hold back his devilish intentions. But life happens in unexpected ways. Predators like us, we believe that we're invincible. That we could take the world by storm simply because of what we stand for. The humans... this world, they think this. Perhaps, old friend, it is time we show the world how mortal they truly are.