The pain returned first. It seems to fill all around stuffing her ears, blinding her eyes. Somewhere on the edge of consciousness, Lana heard voices and someone's quiet whine. But everything was drowned again in the darkness as soon as she tried to concentrate.
The second time she awoke from a feeling of wild coldness, she was shaking, her whole body was burning, but it was freezing at the same time as if she had fallen asleep in the middle of that blizzard. Each cell screamed in pain, and the bones ached as if they were being turned out of the joints. And the whine continued.
She emerged and plunged into oblivion again and again. She had nightmares. Someone was calling, she was running somewhere. Very soon everything merged into a continuous mash of sounds, images, and feelings. She was turned and tore to pieces. She just wanted it to end. Fatigue settled in. She was tired of fighting, tired of running. And when at last she was almost ready to give up, he appeared before her eyes.
Greg sat in the middle of nowhere. It was not the Greg whom she left many years ago. The young and eternally smiling guy changed, wrinkles appeared on his forehead and between his brows. The eyes became deeper and seemed to be wiser. He sat with his back to her. But when she was only a couple of steps away, he turned around in surprise, peering into the void. She suddenly realized that he would not recognize her. Of course, she was in the body of the beast. After a quiet whimpering, she took a step forward and stopped, not daring to come any closer. Greg stood up and looked at her with mixed emotions. He was not scared. Lana cautiously moved sideways as if stepping on thin ice. Greg did not move, afraid to frighten the beast. She took another step and stretched out her muzzle. She wanted so much to feel his hands, his scent. At least here, in the middle of nowhere, she could not be afraid, neither Ralph nor his friends, nor his father. Greg stalled a little longer, and then finally decided to bend down and reached out to her side. She did not need anything else. Fearing that he would change his mind, she took two quick steps forward and stuck her snout in his palm. He stroked without hesitation. At first cautiously and then crouched down, began digging his fingers into her fur, scratching and patting at the sides, muttering sweet nothings. Lana could not believe her happiness. Sobbing with delight, she jumped into his arms, trying to move closer, licking his face. His scent, his warmth, his tenderness enveloped her, driving fears and pain away.
"Greg, Greg," she repeated to herself like a prayer. Afraid that this vision will disappear. And he whispered in her ear.
" Beauty, what a beauty you are. Simply fantastic.
"My God, I am in haven!" - She thought, covering her eyes, and the next second his hands disappeared and she was left alone in the darkness. Her heart suddenly froze, her breath stuck somewhere in his chest.
"Greg?" Greg ?! she called. But no one answered. She was alone again, he left again, taking her heart with him.
Unable to hold back anymore, she raised her head and howled, pouring all the bitterness, all the pain, and sadness that she kept inside all this time, into this cry of the soul.