[img]http://i.imgur.com/j3nxVLs.jpg[/img]
~~The Creature~~

[i]only go out at night, only go out at night...[/i]

Like a mantra those words poured through the creatures mind.  If it could even be called a mind.  It never knew what it was, or how it worked.  Only that it, he, must only go out at night.  

It's mother lover had stressed that.  Night time was the only safe time.  

It couldn't understand exactly what “safe” was.  Or things like “he” and “she”.  But it knew that people would try to stop it.  And worse some part of it knew if it was caught it would lead back to the only person who cared about him.  She fed him, she tended his body, she read to him, she was his whole world.  

So he would only go out at night.  Even then he knew that he could be seen so he was careful.  But every day he was growing more and more interested in life, what it was, how it came to be, how all these people lived and died and communicated and dwelt together.  They seemed happy, though he didn't know the word happy he could clearly see the emotion.  He had also learned fear, disgust, and hate. People were so interesting. 

Occasionally he caught fleeting memories of his past, he remembered being interesting once too.  Now all he knew was loyalty and a constant state of confusion and desire to understand. 

The city was dark this late at night, bright fire filled lanterns were hung sporadically around the streets of the wealthier districts to light the city.  Here in the slums the lights were sickly and weak, only lighting a minimal space around them.  Lots of business was usually conducted in the dark but it seemed less and less happened since he had been watching. 

This was where he came from, he knew that, he felt at home here.  But whenever anyone saw him they ran.  If he was lucky.  Sometimes they tried to beat him.  He didn't like that part.  

He shambled along at his awkward gait, trying to make his way unnoticed through the streets.  At over six feet tall and broad as a bear he did tend to stand out.  His weird rolling shuffling gait, as if his body was constantly stiff and off balance, did him no favors either.  Not to mention that everyone was always watching for his passing.  He did not go unnoticed but people no longer tried to stop him.  Instead they slunk away in the shadows, cowered quietly in the dark, and ran away.  Friends abandoned friends, it was every man for himself.  

Then a strange scream rent the air, like a woman only unearthly and wild.  He stopped and lifted his head looking around.  

[i]mother lover[/i] 

It was the only thing in his mind now.  Might that be her?  Someone hurting her.  He listened but the scream only came once.  He didn't know what to do and his confusion increased.  He didn't like the feeling...the only answer he could think of was to go home.  She would come visit him with the dawn.  Surely she would.  She came every day.  If she didn't come...if she didn't come...

He couldn't handle that thought.  He had wanted to find another creature to study tonight, and he was hungry.  He had all these plans but they vanished with this new thought.  Now, now he had to get home.  He would try to learn more about life the next night.  He picked up his pace, his odd rolling gate and huge body making a strange sounding set of footsteps as he ran towards the forest, towards home.