I once did have an entourage, I once had social affections for them, that was in my younger years, in those blessed days before the forfeiture of my smiles; but now, now all are of  the vanished type, each face has
dissolved from memory.

And long ago I abandoned laughter, I abandoned Joy, or rather they both abandoned me when I became ill of mind, and too caught up in my woes to see the hurt that I caused my companions with these my selfish ways,
which desired solitude.

You see, I  valued a Love once- in my way-and I put her before all the world, before all of you -my dearest friends.
I lost nearly all of myself that day, the day I whispered to her softly that  I loved her more than any other, and I did -rather so.

But, as my love for her grew into obsession, I was unaware
of what I was giving up -what I was becoming! I was becoming less of me, and more of her, more of that beast that hid beneath skin deep beauty.

My thoughts those dreary days would begin to whirl, my heart would race, as my
patience for humanity would come to an end; and as my nails turned to claws, my skin to scales, my teeth now fangs! I then, and only then, realized what I became - but I could not for the life of me change back into my old Self.