Photograph by William Tapaninen

She woke up cold and unaware. Laying down she couldn’t tell where she was, and she was unable to move. She could feel straps across her legs, holding her arms down and across her chest. She wasn’t wearing any clothing and her skin felt numb yet wet.

The darkness surrounded her attacking her with voices and noises that couldn’t be identified. She couldn’t scream for the cloth shoved in her mouth so tightly every time she tried to speak she gagged. Tears poured down her face as she struggled to get free. Fear built within her until she could no longer breathe.

When she awoke again alone in the woods under the cover of leaves and grass, the draining process had been completed and the final stages of her transformation had begun. Her hunger was growing strong. But deep within she felt a sense of calm, strength and power. The fear was gone replaced with excitement for the new life ahead. Eager to learn she rushed into the woods around her. Within moments she was running, leaping, lunging. Feeding on a wild lion it was the most alive feeling she had ever had, and to think it was the first thing she had done since she died.

(c) Soden, Nina 2013