The Gnawing Hunger Part Ten

After struggling with Hawthorne for a moment, Bo found himself walking out with the creature. His hands were being held tightly in the other man's. It didn't feel so scary at the moment. In fact, he found it strangely comforting in a way. Though he would never admit to it. In fact, if he were pressed about it. He would vehemently deny the whole loving feeling.

Especially, when the guy was pretty much kidnapping him in the moment. That no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn't get free of him. Sneering as they walked through the hall and the backyard's door. For a second, he worried about getting cold. Then Bo noticed that he wasn't really feeling it. The only cold he was really feeling was coming from Hawthorne's skin. A thing that he didn't want to think on. Or think about how he was going to be like this soon.

How soon? He didn't know. It was something he really didn't want to entertain. And worried how everyone else would react to his suddenly icy flesh. A thought then hit him, would that mean that Thorn would be warm to him? It made him a little hopeful in a weird sort of way.

Then Bo tried to not dwell on those sort of thoughts. They weren't helping him in the moment. In fact, they were mostly helping his captor in kidnapping him. Squirming a little, Bo sneered down at Hawthorne. In a low voice, he asked,"Where are you taking me, Thorn?"

"Far enough from the cabin so that no one could hear us.",Hawthrone replied. It sounded pretty reasonable in his book. And he felt stupid for not thinking of this in the first place. After all, his family and best friend wouldn't understand this in the slightest bit. Also it probably would put their lives in grave danger. As Hawthorne was much more dangerous than his gentle appearance seemed.

Way more than what he appeared to be.

And they both knew this. It should have been the main reason he went along. Though he knew better than that. That he was acting of his own damn accord. He was letting Thorn lead him away from the cabin without really struggling. Bo felt that the other man knew this, too. At least he wasn't saying anything about it. Either because he found the situation somewhat hilarious. Or there wasn't anything he really knew how to say about it. Once Hawthorne felt they were far enough away from the cabin, they stopped. He informed,"In a few days Bo, you'll be just like me."

"No matter how hard you try to fight this change.",he added. A smirk growing on his angelic face. Teeth growing a tiny bit as he stared deep into Bo's eyes. Gripping Bo's hands a little tighter as he did so. It didn't hurt but, he didn't like it. Hawthorne continued,"I will be very sure that you can't stop this."

"And that hunger you've been feeling won't either.",Thorn warned. Of which, he informed would come back with a vengeance. After possibly a day or maybe even less than that. Either way, he was terrified of what that was going to mean. That he would need to eat more of...more of...whatever the Hell he had fed him. Something Bo still didn't want to think of. But, but, he had to know what it was. Had to find out what in the Hell it was.

"What in the Hell did you give me earlier?",Bo questioned. A tiny bit afraid to find out what it was. Though he just had to know. Despite everything, Bo felt that he really had to know. Hawthorne answered,"It was a small piece of your friend's liver, Bo."

"I had ripped some of it out of him then tore it in half for feedings.",he explained. So that meant there probably wasn't any more of it. Which was both a relief and a worry. Relief that he didn't have any more of pieces of Arthur. That he wouldn't be feeding him his dead best friend's organs. This was also a worry. As the hunger in him would grow once more. Probably to the point of pain once again. Maybe worse than what he had previously been feeling.

And the idea of killing some other person...it just horrified him. More then just a little bit. It made him wish he were dead instead of Arthur.

Though there was this strange thrill to this, too.

The idea of hunting down some poor soul. Bringing them to their knees. And ripping off pieces of them to make the pain of hunger stop. That oh so lovely feeling that had sort of grown on him before. Or had been growing on him.

Quite frankly, it was something he found himself sort of missing.

Though this was another thing of which he couldn't dwell on. As he needed to stay in the moment. And try to think of what to ask the horrible creature in front of him. Hawthorne stated,"When your transformation starts, it'll be a day or so when you need to feed."

"And no matter how hard you try, you won't be able to stop yourself from eating.",he added. And that had Bo even more terrified than before. Just knowing that he wouldn't be able to control himself. To be able to stop himself from feeding. It was like when he was lying before. He couldn't stop himself from lying. This was a fear that Bo had for years now. And now, Hawthorne was telling him that he was going to have to face it again. For however long he was going to be alive for. Just who knew how long that was really going to be either? Thorn was...he could just ask the other man in front of him. Not like he wasn't telling him everything anyways. Bo asked,"How long have you been doing this, Thorn?"

"A year before nineteen-thirty or so.",Thorn answered. So a little over ninety years or so? That was horrifying to find to know. And deeply disturbing to realize he could possibly be living that long.

If he ate like Hawthorne that is.

And part of him wondered how he never saw him. Not one time they had visited the cabins over the years. He didn't remember seeing a strange pale creature like him. Or hearing anyone talk about a creature like that either. He demanded,"How could you have been out here for so long?"

"Someone should have noticed something like you before.",Bo added. Someone with Thorn's features would have been easily spotted. As he didn't seem to know what the word 'stealthy' was. There was no way in Hell he could go unnoticed for ninety plus years or so. There just had to be no way for him to do so. This question made the shorter man shrug his thin shoulders. Then he grinned from ear to ear.

"Ever hear of hikers that had gone missing or been found mauled by an animal?",Thorn questioned. Then it hit him, he had. There were at least a six or so folks that had gone missing. Only two of them were found a few months later. Torn to Hell and back. Though it was believed an animal had done it. Bo had heard a few rumors that it had been some sort of bear. One that had been giving folks trouble for a while. God, how long ago had that even been? Six years ago? Maybe five?

Maybe?

Bo wasn't entirely sure of how long ago it had been. Other than it had been just really long ago. So long he could only vaguely recall the event. Mostly thanks to his parents' rather messy divorce. Both had used tools to get back at each other. Dad used his Mom's former alcoholism against her. She used his working long hours against him. During that time, they never asked what he wanted. Or really gave a damn that this was messing with him on some level...fuck, no he wasn't going to spiral down that damn rabbit hole. No, that was some other time when he wasn't in immediate danger.

Or Hell, he could just ignore it as he had been doing for years now.

He reminded himself that he was standing in front of a monster. The one that had killed his best friend not that long ago. And was holding his hands in both of his own. Not too tightly but, they still made him highly uncomfortable. And he asked,"Why haven't you shown yourself before all of this?"

"I hadn't found someone so much like myself before I laid eyes on you.",Hawthorne answered. It was like he thought that was a compliment or something. In a highly disturbing sort of way. Though there was something inside of him that felt a little warm. So very fluttery. Like it actually was working on him or something.

None of this should be happening to him. This strange infatuation with a murderous human eating monster. Whatever the Hell h-it was. Just whatever it was. Good Lord, what in the Hell even was Hawthorne?

He probably wasn't even sure of it anymore.

Probably did at one point in the past. Maybe Thorn had been a human being much like himself. Quite possibly had a Mother and Father. Probably has one of each that are like him. Well, maybe. Who knew if he did or not. And it wasn't anything he ever wanted to ask Thorn about. Mostly thanks to the fact that Bo didn't even really honestly care.

He shouldn't even really care about this nasty creature, either.

Again, Bo wasn't going to allow himself to linger on this. Instead, he tried to pull his hands from Thorn once again. And was having absolutely no luck to get them free. It felt so very uncomfortable as he stood there. Frowning, Bo demanded,"You let me go this instant."

"This is insane and you're a complete freak!",Bo snapped. Glaring deep into Hawthorne's eyes as he tried to yank his hands back again. Which proved to be a mistake. As Thorn's expression went blank for a solid fifteen seconds. Probably processing what Bo had just snarled at him. His tight grip on Bo's hands didn't slacken in the least bit. Then Hawthorne's grip steadily got tighter around his fingers. Mouth drew into a tight line as his brows drew together. Returning the nasty look that he had been given. In a hiss, Thorn growls,"Well, you better get used to it."

"Soon you'll be a freak like myself!",he added. Shoving Bo by his hands in a swift motion. Causing him to land hard on his ass in the snow. A little yelp escaping him as he landed. There was a huge cracking noise coming from Hawthorne. Along with the ripping sound of tearing fabric. It was ruining the very clothes that he had stolen from his friend.

"Soon, you'll be like me and there's nothing you can do to stop it.",Hawthorne informed. Growing impossibly tall by the second and thinner than before. Baring his already sharp teeth to show they were getting even sharper. Much too big for the mouth they were in. It made him briefly wonder how he was keeping them inside his mouth. Then ignored it as he stared into the creature's eyes. Once he stopped growing, Thorn informed,"You will have no one else to turn to. And you won't have anyone else to love either."

"...so you're the reason why I'm feeling like this?",Bo muttered. Like it hadn't been obvious. There was no way these feelings were all his. It had to be artificial and forced upon him. That's why he was feeling like this. No other explanation then that Hawthorne's forced transformation was doing it. Hawthorne looked genuinely surprised by his words for a moment.

Then he immediately started laughing hard in Bo's face. A smirk coming to his terrifying features as he held his thin stomach. Rather smugly, Thorn informed,"Out of all the things I thought you would say, I didn't think that would be it."

"I'm doing nothing to make you like me, Bo. That's all you.",Hawthorne insisted. This made his heart sink into his stomach. Mouth going dry as he stared up at Hawthorne. It was exactly what he feared. That he was falling for a horrible monster. One that quite possibly felt the same way that he did about him. That he was really falling in love with him. No, it had to be lust. There wasn't any love in this messed up situation. All there was, was a disgusting creature that wanted to kill his family and friends. Had already murdered one of them in front of him.

Forced him to eat part of his liver as well.

Infecting him and dooming him to a similar existence. And who knew how long either of them could live?

Why did that matter? He needed to go tell everyone what was happening. That there's a monster in the woods. And it was the one that had torn Arthur into little pieces. And ate some of him in front of him. Made him eat of him as well. Then it slowly dawned on him on how insane that sounded to his ears. No one in the cabin would believe his story. Hell, he saw it all happen not that long ago. And Bo could hardly believe it. So how could he expect the others to do so?

While he was deep in his poisonous thoughts, Thorn gently lifted him up. Then set him back on his feet with as much care. Hawthorne gently brushed the snow off of him the best he could. In a gentler voice, he stated,"It isn't going to be so bad, Bo."

"In time, you'll even come to enjoy what we do.",Hawthorne informed. His smirk was gone now and a gentle smile was in its place. Like the creature felt guilty for scaring him or something to that effect. Either way, his mind wanted him to forgive Hawthorne's actions. Tell him that everything was going to be alright. Apologize for the hurtful things he spat in his face. That he hadn't meant them in the slightest bit. But, he forced himself to stay quiet instead. Trying so hard to not smile back at him. Thorn kissed Bo's forehead as gently as possible. Tilting his head to the side, he stated,"Go back to the cabin and go to sleep, Bo."

"You will need your strength for our next chat, tomorrow.",Hawthorne continued. Taking a step back form Bo as if to make him feel safer. Maybe making sure that the other man didn't attack him. Which was a fair thing to be worried about. The idea of actually doing it didn't feel wise in the slightest bit. Not just because he felt he was no where near strong enough. But that he felt guilty at the idea of having to harm him. Thorn added,"I have to show you some things, Bo."

"Mostly, how to hunt like I do.",he informed. That wasn't going to happen. There was no way in Hell he was going to let that happen. Bo didn't want to find out how to hunt like Hawthorne did. Or be more like the disturbing creature in front of him. It wasn't anything that he could let himself be. And he was going to fight this as hard as he could. Taking a step back, he glared at him. Then he took another step back, he shook his head at this. And he shouted,"NO! NO! I WON'T DO IT! YOU CAN'T MAKE ME!"

"Oh. I won't be making you do anything, Bo.",Hawthorne chuckled. Grinning so much wider than he had before. It was a truly terrifying sight to behold as stared at him. This was one of the most disturbing things he had seen in a long time. Tilting his head to the side, Thorn reminded,"You'll come to me once that pain starts to flare up...and you'll need something to make it go away."

"You're going to come back to me, Bo...JUST ACCEPT IT!",Hawthorne shouted the last part. Bo didn't want to hear anymore of this bullshit. He quickly turned around towards the cabin as he started running. Running as fast as his legs could take him. Not once looking back at the horrible creature that infected him. Its laughter following after him as he ran down the path to the cabin. Well, he almost didn't look back. As he quickly glanced over his shoulder once to be sure that Hawthorne wasn't following. Freezing when he spotted the creature looming not too far away from the back-door. Pale blue eyes glowing eerily as he stared deep into Bo's dark brown eyes.

With this, Bo hurried himself into the cabin. Closing the door quietly behind himself and locking it. Looking around the kitchen, he realized he was the only one awake. Which was good, really good. As there was no way in Hell he could explain why he just was outside without shoes on. Or just why his clothes were wet, either. It would just be a whole lot of explaining that he couldn't properly do. Instead, Bo just quietly and quickly walked down the hall. Making absolutely sure that he wasn't going to wake anyone up. Determined to get to the bedroom to sneak out some dry pajamas. Then sneak into the bathroom to change out of his wet clothes as quickly as possible.

The whole time that he made his trip down the hall, he kept eyeing the doors leading to his Grandpa and Mom's room.

Fearing what they would say if they heard or saw him walking around this late at night. Unsure of what he could tell either of them as he headed to the bedroom he shared with Xander. Carefully, he opened the bedroom door. Watching his best friend's bed for any signs of movement. Hoping that he would stay asleep as he got himself new clothes. When he shut the door, Xander didn't move to wake up. Only snoring softly as he laid in his bed. Something that was such a relief for Bo as he walked to his bag. Silently pulling out his spare pajamas before hurrying out of the bedroom once again. And carefully sneaking down to the bathroom to change as well as brush his teeth.

And, again, he watched the bedroom doors for any signs of life.

It made him feel like a criminal crawling around the place. Hating that he allowed Hawthorne to drag him out of the cabin in the first place. Mentally cursing himself for not fighting harder than he did. Then trying to stop that. As it wasn't useful or helpful in the moment. All he should be doing is getting redressed and brushing his teeth to go to sleep for crying out loud. And he prayed that he wouldn't be seeing Arthur's face in his sleep again. Hearing him call him a dirty coward for not helping him out more.

Despite how hard he had really tried in real life.

After hurrying into the bathroom, he stripped out of his wet clothes and into his dry pajamas. Shoving his wet clothes into the laundry hamper. Then quickly brushing his teeth faster than he ever had in his life. Silently he hurried out of the bathroom back to the bedroom. Trying to not overthink of what Hawthorne had told him a few moments ago. Feeling so very overwhelmed at the idea of everything Thorn wanted from him. Just how disgusted how he felt nearly giddy at the idea of killing another person. At least, when he was around the creature. Once he was far enough away from him, he felt this sickening dread pooling in the pit of his stomach. Just how in the Hell did Hawthorne expect him to kill someone else?

What was he planning on doing with him?

Would that mean everyone in the cabin but him was in danger? Did that mean Xander would be the next person to get mauled? His Mother? Maybe his Granpda? The idea of any of them getting hurt made his heart drop. It wouldn't be right. No, he wouldn't allow this. Tomorrow, tomorrow he would try to tell everyone about this. Even if he sounds utterly crazy in the process, they needed to know about Hawthorne. And the monster that he truly was. What he planned on doing to each and everyone of them.

No matter how crazy they would think he is.

Laying his head on the pillow, Bo closed his eyelids. Praying that they would believe his words. They just had to believe him that he wasn't insane. That Hawthorne had been the one who killed Arthur. And that he had infected him with something terrible. Chewing his bottom lip as he started to relax on the bed. Trying to fall asleep as quickly as he could. Though his thoughts were what was making it difficult to really do so. They were just buzzing around his skull. Scolding him for not waking everyone up to tell them about Hawthorne and Arthur. Though it probably was the wiser decision, he felt it wouldn't go over really well. Nor would any of them really believe him in the long run. So, it he would have to wait until morning to tell them everything about Hawthorne.

That way he could think of how to properly break it to them.

It took quite a bit, but he managed to drift off. Finding himself standing in the woods once again. Barefoot as he stood in the snow. And Bo didn't dare think about how he should be freezing in that moment. Or what should be happening to him at all. As it everything wasn't how it should be these past few days. Arthur should be alive and not murdered by a strange lanky creature. He shouldn't have wanted to eat a human organ or feel relieved about it, either. That he shouldn't be looking forward to in the slightest bit. Yet, a small dark part of him was definitely looking forward to it.

Bo didn't want to think about it in the slightest bit as he walked. Unsure of where he was walking in this dream. Or why he was there. All his mind was telling him was to get the Hell out of there. Just get anywhere he needed to go. In a soft voice, Bo stated,"Please let me get out of here before Hawthorne shows up."

"I don't want to deal with him again.",he added. Starting to run as he felt like he was being chased. Then he heard the ragged footsteps behind him. Not daring to look back as he ran faster. Teeth digging into his bottom lip as he hurried to get away from whatever it was. Whoever it was. Most likely, Hawthorne.

But, no matter how hard he tried to run from the thing. And no matter how fast as he could, he found himself being pinned to the ground. The thing or rather person was sitting on his back. Hands gripping his wrists. Though their hands were a bit bigger than Hawthorne's had been. They were no where near as pale as the creature's had been either. In fact, it was his own skin tone. His eyes went wide as he laid under the thing that was sitting on him. It was breathing heavy as it leaned over to him. Hot breath feeling wet and nasty against his skin. Stomach twisting as the person muttered,"This is going to be you, Bo. And there's nothing more we can do about it."

"So why bother fighting it?"