It was a peculiar thing, arming up to hunt a monster. When all we'd been planning to do that day was play some video games and maybe go to
the beach.
I was relieved when we finally got dressed. I wasn't sure how much longer I could avoid looking at Alex's body. It was so hard to not think
about... stuff. I don't know how I managed to avoid complete donkey-hood by that point. I stuffed my socks into my shoes so that they would
stay on my hooves. It worked so long as I didn't run, and my baggy jeans kept my hooves hidden. Alex lent me a wool hat to hide my ears. It
was hardly the weather for it but people wouldn't ask questions.
Then Alex went upstairs and came down with a sports bag of supplies. I shared a glance with Joe. We were all a little overwhelmed, preparing
for the absolute worst. I don't know what the others were expecting, but in my mind we were going up against the Balrog. Then again, another
part of my mind found it ridiculous we were going to kill something on the authority of a playing card. That same part of my mind still thought
I was entirely human. But strangest of all was how much all of us wanted to kill this creature that we'd never met. I wonder now if we'd never
learned about the prize for winning, the one unconditional wish, what we'd have done differently. Lysander and I would have stayed home I
imagine, as Alex and Joe were the only uncursed of the four of us. They'd have killed the monster, thus curing us, then we'd have packed the
game away and refuse to keep playing. Maybe everything would have been fine. As it was, the seeds of competition had been spread and,
though we didn't know, we were preparing to fight each other furiously for that prize.
We left the house in silence. It felt like we were off to commit a crime. I pulled my hat firmly over my ears and clomped awkwardly in my shoes.
I was convinced everyone was looking at me, but I think I was just being paranoid.
Alex's house was in the suburbs. Joe and I lived not far away, while Lysander drove from the commercial district in the south. We piled into his
car and headed for the wooded area on the edge of town, by the cemetery. It was hardly a forest, more a collection of fields that have a number
of trees in them. I couldn't see any monsters.
Alex opened up his sports bag, showing a bunch of weapons. A number of knives, a fire poker, a baseball bat and his father's handgun. I froze
when I saw that. Lysander went to grab it and Alex batted his hand away.
"Fuck, no," he said, "Only I get to touch it."
"No fair! We've no chance of winning if you've got that thing."
"Tough shit."
Lysander glowered.
Alex also handed out some hockey masks and shin guards. Since there was nobody around, I was relieved to take off my hat and shoes. It
concerned me how confortable my hooves were on the ground, and how quickly I'd gotten used to walking with them. I put it out of my mind. I
got the baseball bat and a hockey mask. We entered the woodland in silence.
After about twenty minutes, Lysander asked me, "So, what were you thinking about the first time it happened?"
"Shut up," I groaned, "Or you'll make me change again."
He didn't say anything after that, but I caught him looking between me and Alex. God, did he suspect me? I looked at Joe, but he was lost in his
own thoughts.
Another twenty minutes and I was ready to declare this whole thing pointless. There was no monster to be killed and we were in the wrong
place anyway. That's when we heard the growling.