Restrain

The massive wolf strains and snaps against its chains. Its shackles weigh down and close in on it, constricting it even tighter in its embrace. Still all the harder does the wolf wrestle, wild-eyed and snarling. For too long has it been chained and smothered by a thick haze of civility. And it wants out.

And still - all the more do I heap chains down on it in an attempt to maintain control. The wolf glares at me with mounting fury, and promises to fix my life in the blink of an eye if I would be so kind as to release it. It appeals to me, preaching that how true I am being to my nature to release him.

And I listen. And he makes sense.

His sweet, corrupting words slip past my ear and steal into my mind. To deny our primal side after all, is to deny our roots. As he says this, his eyes, gleaming like coals, peer into my very soul.

Remember your roots. Who you are. Your true nature. A real man possesses little inhibitions. He is a creature of hot blood and passion, not one of cold logic and austerity.

And one by one, I slip the chains off.

And just before the wolf pounces and explodes off of its long-tensed muscles and devours me, a massive chain, luminous with an ethereal glow, slams down on its back and pins it even harder to the ground.

As the wolf howls in agony and frustrated rage, I turn and look.

And there He stood, eyes full of stern authority, hands still gripping the end of the chain pulsing with a magical shimmer.

The bellows of the wolf fill the dank air and it screams horrid blasphemies and murderous threats of doing unspeakable things with my entrails, but they all go ignored as we stare at each other, and an obscene amalgam of guilt and relief fills me. He says nothing, but steps forward and holds out His hand.

I eye the key in my hand, and stare back, sweaty fingers tightening around the key.