The Humanity of the Mutant

Dr. Wolf stumbles toward the front row as the panicked audience rushes away from the angry Mutant. Dr. Wolf reaches the front row, poised to intervene. He holds his silver wolf-head cane in front of him, presenting a posture to try and deter the Mutant from continuing his charge. Dr. Wolf can feel the adrenaline coursing through his body, the tingle on the nape of his neck, and the fear rising in his chest. In response, he feels the hair starting to grow and his fingers beginning to stretch into claws.

“No,” says Dr. Wolf to himself, tamping down the fear rising to his throat, resolute to maintain control of himself.

“You really think you can solve this?” comes a disembodied voice.

Time slows to a crawl. Dr. Wolf glances down. A glimmer catches his eye and where his reflection should be in the wolfhead, a wolfish face stares back at him.

Dr. Wolf looks up, staring into the eyes of the Mutant. In the Mutant’s eyes are anger, rage, and pain, however there was something else as well. There was fear, there was humanity. 

“I don’t need you,” growls Dr. Wolf.

“Whatever you say, Doc,” says the Wolf derisively, “Maybe after he tosses you around a while, you’ll change your tune.”

The Wolf’s face in the cane handle slowly morphs back into Dr. Wolf’s face and he immediately is aware that the Mutant is upon him. 

“Woah, woah,” says Dr. Wolf in an authoritative and firm, but also calming tone. 

To Dr. Wolf’s surprise, the Mutant begins to slow his pace, eventually stopping and staring curiously at him.

“I can’t believe that worked,” whispers Dr. Wolf to himself. 

“I can’t believe it either,” comes the growl from the Wolf.

Dr. Wolf steps down onto the dirt floor of the carnival tent and approaches the Mutant. The anger and rage that initially filled the Mutant had subsided. While the fear and pain remained, the anger was replaced by sadness. 

“Easy, easy,” murmurs Dr. Wolf creeping closer and closer, holding out a calming hand.

Suddenly, the Carney appears, grinning that crazy grin. A fiery, golden whip appears in his hand and he flicks the wispy end at the Mutant, before disappearing. Dr. Wolf smells the scent of burnt flesh immediately and the Mutant’s eyes feel with the anger of betrayal. It’s mutated brain couldn’t process that Dr. Wolf hadn’t struck the blow, only that he presented peace and the Mutant experienced an awful burning pain.

The Mutant swings at Dr. Wolf who stumbles back to avoid the Mutant’s wild swing. Dr. Wolf furrows his brow, an idea forming in his head. Dr. Wolf ducks around the Mutant moving towards the center of the ring. removes his jacket, waiving it infront of himself. 

The Mutant blows angrily, slapping the ground repeatedly before charging at Dr. Wolf. Dr. Wolf stands resolute in the path of the furious beast. Right before the Mutant breaks Dr. Wolf in half with a vicious spearing lunge, Dr. Wolf rolls away revealing the center pole of the big top. The canvas shakes and threatens to collapse as the Mutant runs headlong into the solid oaken pole. Unfortunately for the Mutant, the pole remains standing, one of the Mutant’s two heads loses consciousness. The other head confused rolls on the shared shoulders of the abomination.