The stone castle remains right in the center of the forest. It stood still with no direct ownership, as if no one ever laid a claim to the massive structure that time itself never dared make a move on. What the point was for this structure was truly unknown, to the occasional viewer that just happened to wander far enough into the wooded area with trees that just seemed to make every turn into a twisting maze of uncertainty.
Who laid inside, now that was another detail that others trifled on. The ones who returned from their forbidden travels spread their own tales on the ‘Woman Wolf,’ where it was said that a rich woman lived in the castle, before the haunting shadow cascaded over its glory, and that one day, when a man entered and murdered the woman’s son it unleashed her inner beast, so she slaughtered the man, and his family, by ravaging them like a wolf. It grew great amusement in the people’s eyes, who were curious to hear more tales of this beast-like woman.
The story about the woman-wolf was one of the more outlandish ones but it also took the spot of the most popular and widely accepted. Every night, a howl would be heard from the far east tower, it wasn’t that of a human, or that of a dog, but of a ruthless she-wolf.
The absolute truth was far from this, depending on a person’s ideas and the way they loop their stories, but instead it was home to a notorious war criminal. Of course, this is less exciting, especially when this supposed, ‘war criminal,’ is covered in mystery and not fur.
This woman wasn’t alone either, figures covered in dark robes circled the room she was confined to. This mystery woman was no guest of honor, or even queen, but rather a prisoner in the fine establishment. All she did, everyday, from her bonds, was scream and holler at the people who kept her chained. She made such sounds that it was surprising no one, miles away, dared to ask questions, but instead spread their rumors if they got close enough to make their assumptions.
One day, she began laughing hysterically, so loud, so abrupt, that it was hard to not wonder what the reason was. The guards, despite being used to her noises, just had to peek inside, just one quick look and soon it would be known. A man creaked open the door, one simple sway at a time, and reared his head through the slim crack he had made. What he saw was truly a mad case. The thin woman’s hands were clapping from one side to the other, her hair represented a rat’s nest, and made a good example of her behavior. Her maniacal laugh booming, bouncing everywhere.
The guard merely shook his head, and began to shut the door slowly, hoping the nut-case wouldn’t notice him. Before the door closed, as it once had before, the woman turned her head like an owl, and laughed, eyes without blinking, and said, “Do you,” laugh, “Know,” another, “Where the wolf howls?” she asked followed by consistent laughing.
A shiver ran up the man’s spine, as he shook involuntarily and slammed the door shut, never daring to enter, or peek, again.
When he had left, judging by the sound of his deep, thumping footsteps, she slicked her hair back, and stared at her shadow that laid in front of herself. “Come out, come out, wherever you are!” she mocked.
Nothing happened, no sudden movement of the sorts, just an unsatisfied skeleton of a woman sat alone.
“So suddenly I’m not important?” she leaned towards her shadow, legs crossed. When her shadow began to shift, the woman smiled. Little by little, a person began to take shape: a man. “Well, I’m glad you came.”
The Shadow didn’t speak, vocally, but she still talked to it, as if a conversation was happening.
“I know you’ve been visiting, but you’re late.”
Silence.
“I’m not mad!”
More silence.
“I’m not insane!” she insisted, ”Anyways, I may sound it, but don’t mock me just because they can’t hear you.”
The Shadow’s shape started to shake, in such a fashion that it almost seemed he was laughing. With a role of the eyes, by the woman, he returned to the silence bearing his answers.
“Yes I want to know when.”
His long arm lifted up and pointed to the sun outside followed by what seemed to be nonvocal speech once more.
“Good, months are the equivalent of what days were to me now.”
When the Shadow began to transcend back into the wall and into other shadows to hide behind in his day’s work, the woman called after him, “Don’t forget to visit again!”
He was gone.