Fairy Tale

"I thought... It was all just a fairy tale," Ericka said. She swallowed hard. "But it's not a fairy tale for children either, because it's too dark and scary."

Liam laughed sadly. "You're not the only one who thinks that. In fact, we're not fairy tales. We exist, mingling among you, unsuspected or unnoticed."

Now, instead of feeling afraid, Ericka looked at Liam with curiosity and wonder. Liam's claim that he was a werewolf still left her uncertain.

"Look at me," Liam said, realizing that Ericka wasn't a trusting person, not until she saw concrete proof before her eyes.

Liam closed his eyes. After what he'd been through for the past three days, every night, transforming was a different kind of pain.

Ericka gasped as she saw Liam's arms transform. Thick, silver-gray hair covered every inch of scarred skin, all the way up to his shoulders.

Liam's fingers lengthened, and his silver, sword-like claws glinted in the dim light.

Liam opened his eyes and grinned at Ericka, who sat frozen across from him, a safe distance away, closer to the door.

Ericka shuddered, the hairs on her body standing on end, and the extreme cold numbed the tips of her toes and fingers. Cold sweat formed tiny beads on her forehead and back.

Liam's eyes were a bright silver, almost white, with no black whatsoever. Long, sharp fangs protruded from the sides of his lips, which were parted in a psychopathic grin.

Ericka felt like she was going to pee. Was she looking at a... Monster?

Liam laughed lowly and closed his eyes again, and then everything returned to normal. The fur, sharp claws, and fangs disappeared, as if they were a trick of the eye.

"You could call me that," Liam said with a faint smile. "A werewolf, and also a monster. That makes the scary impression even more real, doesn't it?"

Ericka's eyes widened. "You... You can read my mind?"

"Sometimes," Liam shrugged dismissively. "If I want to."

"You can't do that!" Ericka snapped, annoyed. "It's illegal. The mind is the most private part of a person, and it shouldn't be accessible to others."

Liam was almost stunned. The woman in front of him was strange. She didn't even seem afraid anymore. The only emotions she radiated were irritation and curiosity. And sadness. Liam was a little taken aback by that last impression.

"What happened to you, that you're like this?" Ericka asked, pointing to the chains that bound Liam.

"That's another thing," Liam said. "Now that you know who I am, I think you should contact a real estate agent and find a new apartment."

Ericka fell silent. She had only thought about that less than two minutes ago, after seeing Liam's transformation.

He had only revealed a small part of himself that was different from the average human. Ericka didn't dare imagine Liam's full transformation.

"I..." Ericka clenched her hands into fists. "Are you a cannibal?"

Liam was taken aback. It was an unexpected question. He chuckled. Whether Ericka was overly cautious or just plain innocent, her eyes were alert.

"No, Ericka. I'm human like you, in my daily life, eating and drinking the same things you do, but my wolf side isn't cannibalistic either. Most of us eat meat, but not human or fellow werewolf flesh."

"But you attack humans," Ericka said with a grimace. "Did you?"

Liam was taken aback. It was an unexpected question. He chuckled. Whether Ericka was overly cautious or simply innocent, her eyes were indeed alert.

"That's only if I have to. Werewolves also have the right to defend themselves. We're passive-aggressive. We don't attack first, preferring to avoid attack rather than initiate, but if we're hurt, we won't stand idly by," Liam explained carefully.

"Is this the time for you to be aggressive? That you chained yourself?" Ericka asked. She pointed out the window. "Werewolves and the full moon. I know a little about that."

Liam stared blankly at the curtainless window.  The sky was starting to brighten, and the moon was no longer red, as it seemed the sun was preparing to replace it.

"Only during a red full moon do I become more chaotic than a monster," Liam muttered. "On a normal full moon, I just need to take more sleeping pills, install more locks and bolts."

Ericka turned and looked at the door. She realized it was custom-made, with steel sheeting lining the inside, with several tiers of bolts and places for large padlocks.

"That door is too heavy, so it's hard to close properly when it's not locked or bolted," Liam said.

He stood up, and the chains around it made a heavy jingle. Ericka quickly stood up as well and moved closer to the door.

"Go," Liam said gravely. "Pack your things and move out. This floor should stay empty. You'll ruin the rumors that have been circulating for the past two years by staying here."

"Rumors..." Ericka gasped.  "You're the one who spread the ghost rumor? And what about the salesman who committed suicide?"

Liam shrugged. "Just a coincidence. He'd been in debt for a long time and was living here to avoid debt collectors. He committed suicide the day after being fired from his job and dumped by his girlfriend."

"Oh," Ericka muttered. "That's so sad."

"It's almost morning," Liam said. "I'm so tired. You should leave before I untie these chains. I won't attack you, but I still need to be on guard."

Ericka nodded. "I know."

She walked to the door and pushed it open, but halfway between the unit and the hallway, Ericka stopped and turned around.

"I... Can't move," Ericka said. "It's hard to find an apartment this remote."

Liam's brows furrowed in confusion. "Why would you want to live in a place like this? Don't tell me you have a dual personality disorder like me, or financial constraints like the residents downstairs. You look quiet... Rich, I think."

Ericka shook her head.  She wasn't going to tell a stranger about her personal problems, a werewolf who could lose control and attack her at any moment.

She was still wondering if last night and this morning had actually happened and not just a nightmare born of days of sleep deprivation.

Besides, was that Liam really his name or just a fake identity to make the werewolf seem less intimidating?

"Okay," Liam said, after a moment of silence. "You can stay. I won't touch you. I won't ask you to trust me, but I'll do my best to keep you safe."

"Good," Ericka replied. "I can't trust anyone either."

Their eyes met, and in that moment, they understood that honesty would become their first bond.