marcobym

The Beast

Added 2021-09-25 06:16:28 +0000 UTC

An illustrated mini-tale for you... I hope you like it.

A full moon shone in the sky as Professor Joseph Carlton finished cataloging the new objects that would form part of the large exhibition of oriental art at the metropolitan museum.

The reclusive teacher loved this part. Since he was young he has remained reclusive, to escape bullies and as an adult to hide his attraction to men. Even today, with the greater acceptance of the queer community, he preferred to be alone.

The last piece to be cataloged was a beautiful wolf mask dating from the late 4th century BC. Despite its imprecise origin, Carlton assumed it was of Japanese origin. He could feel the texture of the golden ornaments under the white ceramic in his hands, which gave an air of delicacy and fragility as he made the final notes on his report.

Until Professor Joseph, mask in hand, remembered the bullies and their weakness. He remembered the men he'd desired in his life and never dared to approach. For a second, he wished he had courage, and with an almost childlike instinct he put the mask on her face.

Then something happened. He was never afraid again. He never needed to repress himself again. He had awakened his inner beast.

And mysteriously there was never a wolf mask cataloged in the exhibit.