Daciana

DACIANA

Daciana – Dax to friends - pushed aside the stray locks of brindled hair that sprang from her head like a fountain. A pale light seeped through the shutters painting the bedroom in argent shades as she felt the full moon and stars melt in the rising dawn.

That's better, she thought as the tautness of her skin diminished. Rising from the bed, she hummed a nameless tune as went to the bathroom.

In the mirror, a normal looking seventeen-year old stared back. Dark hair with a multitude of highlights framed a pale face; piercing eyes were returning to their usual green although the yellow still showed as the pupils hadn't fully changed back to their round shape. Pretty, she thought with smile. "Ooops," she muttered as the long canines caught the light causing her to grin.

"Werewolf, lycanthropist, freak!" Dax was reality. A small gland located behind the pineal flooded her body with hormones. The result was increased muscle mass and a reshaping of the cornea and pupils in her eyes giving her a feral look. She was aware of the changes and didn't become some mindless animal – just ... unique ... and scary as hell to look at! she chuckled. The chemical stew that tumbled through her veins destroyed red-blood cells. To compensate, she ate huge quantities of raw meat in her altered state. She could see how the myths had sprung up over time.

"Dax," her mom's voice floated from the hallway. "Are you up? You don't want to miss the bus."

"If I hear one more girl complain about her monthly curse ..." Dax left the sentence unfinished as she padded back across the room to finish getting dressed. Shaking here head, a thought came to her: Those girls don't know what a curse really is!


Notes:
An entry for the 1/15/10 round of "Daily Flash Fiction Challenge"  [13+]
Prompt: Write a story that includes the words: fountain, humming, star
Word Count: 298

DACIANA: Romanian name derived from Roman Dacia, the name for the region that is today Moldova and Romania. According to Strabo, the Dacians were originally known as the daoi, from Phrygian daos, meaning "wolf."

Thank you for taking the time to read my story. Please, as long as you're here, leave a comment. Criticisms, thoughts, reactions, yes – even "attaboys" – are all equally welcome

Ken