2.Home

Passing over the small roll of the hill, Mirōven suddenly came into sight of the cottage. It nestled snugly in the lap of a great grassy meadow, smoke billowing from its chimney with the promise of a warm meal and a comfy bed inside, and the grass around it swaying gently in the mild breeze. It was a beautiful sight; one that took his breath away.

Home. He finally was back.

Unmounting his wolf and motioning it to stay, he passed through the gate. Light laughter flitted out through the door. Mirōven's pulse quickened. He hadn't seen both of them in a while; what if they didn't recognise him? Or worse, what if he didn't recognise them? He stopped in his tracks. The urge to go back suddenly siezed him, to leave it all behind and run away all over again. He traveled light, this was too big a weight for him to carry.

The door suddenly flew open, and she was standing there. Beautiful as ever in a blue dress, her hair gracefully falling over her shoulder, a smile on her lips. Cassandra.

"Benny... "

She had called out to him. She remembered him. Relief and joy washed over Mirōven, nearly bringing tears to his eyes.

"What is it Mommy?" He heard the sweet voice of a girl ask innocently from inside the cottage.

"A special someone sweetheart" Cassandra's smile grew wider as she motioned him to come in.

Mirōven moved towards her. She seemed to get more beautiful with each step he took. It had been too long. All the love and longing came flooding back to him as he got closer and closer to the cottage door. Cassandra, that gorgeous smile still on her lips, stepped back to allow him to come in.

He crossed the threshold and was in the cottage. Little Maria was sitting on the floor, playing with a little red truck. She looked up at the strange man in her house and then to her mummy. Mirōven's heart melted. She had her mother's eyes. He wanted nothing more right now than to take her in his arms and cover her with kisses.

He looked back at Cassandra, and fell backwards in horror. Cassandra's face was gone; in its place was a hideous skull, stripped of all flesh. Her dress was falling apart in places, and black filth oozed out of it.

Terror filled Mirōven. "No...." He mouthed as he staggered backwards against the far wall, then jumped away as he felt a sharp stinging pain. He spun his head around. The wall was burning. He looked back around in fear. Cassandra was not to be seen. The entire cottage was up in flames. Maria was still sitting on the floor, playing happily with her truck.

"Maria no.." he lunged, as a part of the burning ceiling caved in. Maria was on the floor, covered in blood, and through a crack in her skull Mirōven saw maggots eating away at her brain. She still was clutching the truck.

He covered his eyes with his hands in horror and wished for it to stop. This can't be happening , he thought, I had come so far...

Mirōven felt his hands being pried away from his eyes. Cassandra was standing there, the skull inches away from his face, her empty sockets staring into his, the cottage burning all around her.

"You came far Benny," the skull spoke in her sweet voice, "You came far, but you came slow. I am sorry."

***

Mirōven woke up screaming.