Raphael

• Victoria Bassett-wilton, Grade 6
• Short Story
• 2012

He woke up in utter despair, the inky darkness surrounding him pulling him down into its depths. He stood up and felt hard earth underneath his delicate paws, he trembled in nervousness and wondered where he was, he looked around him and saw a dying light was on, illuminating the terrible darkness and as the black wolf looked around he saw strong metal bars keeping him locked and unfree. There were bars on his left and right side, he looked to his right and saw another wolf smaller but more muscular and older than him, this wolf was old and could be a dangerous enemy.
The black wolf whose name was Raphael took another step closer and the old brown wolf growled loudly and stood up, Raphael stepped back in surprise this wolf was bigger than he had thought, then the old wolf spoke, his voice was deep and sounded wise “you intrigue me young one you know so little but already you resemble an alpha male, you have seen too much for one so young, pray what is your name?” Raphael answered afraid and not wanting to make an enemy of this wise animal, an alpha over him, “I am Raphael the Beta of my pack, I lead them to fights and show them where food is”. The old wolf nodded clearly not surprised, he walked toward the black wolf though he stopped as bars were separating them. Already Beta of his pack this wolf knew too much for his own good, the brown wolf thought.
He then said “you know where you are boy?” “No” answered the mysterious black wolf, the old one answered “you are in a place where every wolf is for himself, a place where you would fight anything and anyone” “why?” asked Raphael almost in a commanding manner “because it is to entertain the human’s boy! They like to see us fight and not act like pack animals!”
Raphael turned away and looked to his left, there was a small grey she –wolf, she eyed him without concern and dozed off again. No matter of concern thought Raphael, she looked harmless. He turned toward the big brown wolf again and questioned him “Do they ever let a wolf die?” the great wolf replied as he lay back down “No Raphael, they let us die in utter agony letting it last forever until we can no longer fight or survive the torture of our wounds”.