>>43013423You aren't taking it far enough. What if there really WAS a girlfriend at some point? Did the Zoroark kill her? Did she die from something unrelated and it just took advantage of the situation? Or is she waiting at home for you, growing worried as the sun sets and you never return. It's not like you could find your way out of the woods- it seems like no matter what path you take you can't find an end to them. Cold, hungry, and terrified, you inevitably call out for help. And Zoroark is suddenly there, pulling you to your feet and leading you back to the warmth of your new home, whispering reassurances and promises to you all the while.
Or maybe you get free. You sprint all the way back to your apartment where your girl is waiting for you with open arms. You never bring up the Zoroark. It's too disturbing, what almost happened to you, and you do your best to forget about it.
If only you didn't keep having those reoccurring nightmares. A black and red fox, living in your home as if it'd always been there. Sitting at the table, lying in your bed, leading you again and again to the forest. It's always a little different, the words it uses, the excuses, the pleas, sometimes even the threats. It's as if it's trying to find a weakness, a thread it can pull, an insight into your soul it can exploit. It's terrifying, usually, but it's worse when it's not. When it almost seems alluring in some twisted way.
You worry what these dreams might do to your relationship with your girlfriend. You think she must notice those days when you're barely there, or at least the nights when you feel like you thrashed yourself awake. But she never brings it up, not directly. She might bring you tea in bed on the bad mornings, or quietly hold you if you start to shake. But she never questions. Never demands answers. You tell yourself it's because of the love you share. Your bond. Your unconditional devotion to each other.
You tell yourself it's not because the Zoroark never left.
