When Lark had looked through the window of the cabin, he had been terrified to see the headless body of the witch on the floor with the head not far away.
He had realized then, the cabin belonged to the witch Eugene had paid to curse him. He pieced together what had happened, concluding that Eugene had murdered her after she had cursed him.
He cleaned the cabin and removed all traces of the witch. If anyone came looking for her, he would simply tell them she had left and that he had bought the cabin from her.
He added a secret storage space beneath the cabin. He was able to access the storage space from inside and outside the cabin just in case he was thrown out of the cabin by some unforeseen circumstances.
He stored everything that had belonged to the witch in the storage space, and over the days and months that followed he studied the witch’s magic and searched for a spell that could reverse the curse she had placed on him.
He finally found the curse she had placed on him and the theory about the spell which made it clear. No spell could reverse the curse. The only way the spell could be reversed was if Erin kissed him with true love in her heart.
He knew that would be hard if not impossible even. She had been terrified of him as a monster and he doubted she would be any calmer if she saw him now. He hoped though that she understood what had happened better and perhaps he just might be able to convince her to kiss him.
He wanted revenge too but he knew that killing Eugene would very possibly put Erin out of his reach for the rest of her life. He knew too that if was going to kill Eugene, he had more chance of killing Eugene in his transformed state than he did as the young man he was. If he was caught in his non-transformed state, he was sure Eugene would take perverse pleasure in imprisoning him in the dungeon forever. He would never have a chance to speak with Erin if that happened.
He learned from other people who he met in the next village where he now bought his supplies that Erin had married Horton Ashford and that they now lived in a house five miles from her parents.
Lark searched for the house and found it. He began to watch the house in the evenings and he saw Erin make several trips to the tree in the garden when it was dark. He wondered what she was doing.
“I would like a swing under the big tree in the garden,” Erin announced one morning as she prepared breakfast for Horton.
“A swing?” he said looking at her surprised. “What on earth do you want a swing for?”
“I used to have a swing as a child. I loved it. I want one again so I can swing and feel the wind in my hair.”
“Why don’t you just go and stand outside in the wind if you want to feel the wind in your hair?” Horton replied.
Erin was so angry she removed the pot of boiling oil from the stove and approached Horton where he sat. “What did you say?” she asked.
Horton looked up and quickly stood. He realized he was in big trouble as he knocked his chair over and backed away.
“I… I’ll make the swing okay?”
“Promise?” Erin said as she advanced still holding the pan ready with its boiling oil.
“I… I promise,” Horton replied.
“You better see that it happens,” Erin said coldly. “I can always pour this over you at night when you’re sleeping if you prefer.”
Horton looked at Erin. She had never threatened him but the look on her face told him she wasn’t simply threatening this time.
“I’ll order the supplies today and get someone to make it okay?” Horton said.
“Good. Don’t let me have to chase you to get it completed.”
“Yes,” Horton replied.
Erin turned back to the stove and resumed her cooking while Horton righted his chair before leaving the kitchen.
Horton remained true to his word and ordered the supplies to make the swing. He found someone who could make it and they arrived to make it a few days later. Horton had to leave on business and he was only too thankful to do so.
The swing could have been made in one day but the contractor decided to take longer especially with Horton being away. He hung one rope the first day, the second rope on the second day and he finished the swing on the third day.
Every evening, Erin went outside to the tree and the part of the swing that had been completed.
Lark had taken to spying on Erin and Horton and he knew Horton had left but had no idea when he would be back. He watched Erin as she left the house in the dark every evening and stood under the tree.
Finally, he could take it no more and he called out to her softly.
“Erin!” he called softly.
She turned quickly searching for the source of the voice. Unable to see anyone she stepped back toward the house, suddenly fearful and afraid.
“Don’t go, Erin,” he called.
“Wh… who’s there?” she called out into the dark.
“It’s me, Lark.”
Erin stopped and searched the grass around the clearing with her eyes.
“Are you…?” she broke off wanting to ask the question but not wanting to be hurtful by asking it.
“I’m not a monster,” he called out. He stood as he said it, revealing himself to Erin. Her eyes fell on him when he stood and he said softly, “Come closer. Slowly.”
Erin advanced slowly looking at Lark as she did so. He held his hands together feeling for the point when he would feel fur starting to appear. It hadn’t happened yet. Erin approached closer and closer. Nothing. Yet. She was now merely three feet from him and still nothing. He could make out her face in the dark.
She moved closer slowly, hesitantly.
“Where have you been?” Erin asked.
“I’ve been learning about what happened to me,” Lark replied.
“What? How?”
“Your father had me cursed,” Lark said.
“Can it be reversed?” Erin asked hopefully.
“Not with magic,” Lark replied.
“But there is a way?” Erin said hopefully.
“There is,” Lark said.
“How?” Erin asked her voice filled with hope.
Lark hesitated not sure if he should tell her or if she would even believe him.
“How?” Erin asked insistently.
“You have to kiss me,” Lark said at last.
“But I can’t get close to you,” Erin said.
“You can,” Lark replied.
“No, I can’t. You’ll become a monster,” Erin said.
“I will become a monster but I won’t hurt you,” Lark said trying to assure Erin.
“How do I know? How do you know?”
“I never hurt you before when I held you so I could escape,” Lark said.
“I know but…,” Erin’s voice trailed off unsure.
“You have to trust me,” Lark said.
Erin inched closer slowly and at last Lark felt his skin begin to itch. He touched his skin and found the first patch of fur on his hand.
“It’s starting,” he said. “I’m starting to change.”
Erin stopped. “So, this is as close as I can get without you changing?”
“I guess so,” Lark said, “unless you want to get closer to me and let me change and see if I harm you. You won’t be able to understand me though.”
Erin hesitated, thinking.
As they stood there looking at each other a noise cut through the night. The rattle of wagon wheels and horses hooves.
Erin turned quickly in the direction of the noise.
“Horton!” she said and started running towards the house.
“Erin!” Lark shouted.
But she was gone. He watched her as she ran through the dark. Her robes made her look like a ghost moving through the dark. As he watched he saw the wagon approaching fast. Erin barely made it to the back door and entered before the wagon pulled into the yard and Horton brought it to a stop.
He unhitched the horses and led them into the barn that sat off to the right of the house. He brushed them down and made sure they had feed and water before going inside.
As Lark watched he saw the light of a lantern appear in a downstairs window. It disappeared for a few moments and then appeared upstairs as Horton reached the first floor. The light disappeared as he closed the door behind him when he entered the bedroom.
Lark was tempted to leave the cover of the field and approach the house, even enter it but he resisted the urge.
He finally crept away through the field back to his cabin. He would return the next night and the next until he had the opportunity to see Erin again.