Howl at the Moon
By: Krystal George and Amber Streed
© 2013 by Krystal George and Amber Streed
It was a cold and eerie night. The kind of night you should stay inside and curl up under a blanket with a good book, except that I couldn't. As student body president, it was sort of expected that I attend the Homecoming dance even though I didn't have a date...but the burden of what I was becoming was a constant horror that was weighing heavily on my heart. I saw it more and more every day; every time I looked at my sad face in the steam fogged mirror.
What would people say? What would they think? What was I thinking? I couldn't tell anyone or they'd think I was crazy. This was something out of a horror movie... out of a novel or a play... not real life... As my dad called me from downstairs I straightened my hair and took one last look in the mirror. Tonight was the night that everything would change and no matter what, I had to face it alone.
My dress was simple; innocent. It was a pale blue slip dress, almost the same color as my eyes. At the time I had thought it complimented me. Now it didn't at all. There was no innocence left inside of me; almost nothing at all left of the girl I was a few days ago. I looked outside my window at the beautiful willow tree in my front yard; knowing that once tonight was over nothing would look the same. The moon would rule me. People wouldn't be anything to me but a means to an end. I would crave innocence and fear; I would feed on blood and life.
The moon had never meant anything to me before… now it was everything.
I took one last look at my room; my walls adorned with posters of the bands I love, my bed draped with my favorite old comforter. I loved everything in here and it was time to let it go. I snuck into Kaylee's room to kiss her one last time and to give her one last smell so I would remember her innocence forever.
"I hope you never have to feel this pain Kaylee. I will love you forever baby girl." I gave her one last look and took a breath to prepare to head downstairs.
When my dad called again, impatience coloring his voice, I closed my eyes briefly before walking out of her room. Each step down the stairs seemed to be cementing my doom... my fate. I wanted to cry for what I was being forced to leave behind, but there were no tears. I had already cried them. I would not be coming back here tonight. With Kaylee asleep in her bed, there was too much at stake to allow myself the luxury of a home.
"You look really pretty honey," my mom said from her perch on the couch. She had the same chestnut hair as mine and the same baby blue eyes. I used to think I would end up like her one day. Now I knew that I wouldn't; that I couldn't.
"Leave her alone Claire, we need to get going," my dad said looking down at his watch. "We're already late!" I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes. Sure he was annoying, but tonight would be the last night I'd see him. He'd never again get to be annoyed with me and that was hard to accept.
"Ok dad, fine let's go." I huffed. I kissed my mom on the head and walked out the door in front of my dad. I took one last look at her loving face and turned around before she could see the sadness in my eyes. She always had a way of knowing I was sad before I cried. The car ride was overwhelmingly sad; like he was driving me to my grave. In a sense he was, he just didn't know it yet.
"Everything okay sweetheart?" He asked.
"Um, yeah dad. Everything's fine," I replied.
He pulled into the parking lot and turned off the ignition before turning in his seat to face me. "Boys aren't everything you know." I stared at him blankly, having no idea what he was talking about. He smiled. "It's okay that you don't have a date Lucy."
I sighed and laughed softly, "I know." Like most problems, mine had started with a boy... but not having a date was the least of my worries.
This is the way I wanted to remember him; soft, loving and protective. If only he could have protected me that night...the night I was bitten. It had been only two weeks but I still felt it as if it happened yesterday. His beautiful lips on mine in the cold pale light of the moon; the stillness of the air lingered in our throats. And then it happened...
For a moment I let my mind remember it. Blood red fierce eyes, elongated teeth tearing into the flesh of my neck, his whimpered apologies...
"Have fun, and if you need a ride home... call me."
My dad's words pulled me from the confines of my own mind.
"Thanks Dad. I love you." I said quietly. I grabbed my purse and got out of the car. As I walked to the ballroom of my high school gymnasium, I took one last look at my aging father. I waived one last wave and he smiled one last smile and drove away. My heart will always be imprinted with the memory of him leaving. I walked into the packed room full of flashing lights and loud music, searching for my friends so I could attempt to have one last night of normalcy.
Paige was dancing with her boyfriend Zach, but Blake was standing alone by the entrance. Like me, she had not gotten asked on a date for the night... but unlike me she had chosen to come instead of being obligated. As I was walking toward her, the lights flashing from the dance floor illuminated her dress and I stopped, sickened by the sight. It was red... blood red, and it reminded me of what was sure to come. I ran to the bathroom, completely aware of the time I had left...ticking away to the beat of the music. I splashed some water on my cheeks and looked at the image staring back at me. All too soon my face would change and I would be a hideous beast. I would forget the friendships I've had since I was small. I would assume them my enemy, my dinner, my prey.
Talon, I thought, remembering. His name was Talon. I met him at a party. I wouldn't call it a one night stand because the only thing that happened was the bite; but maybe that's what made one night stands so memorable. They changed your life. I know this one changed mine. The first stupid, crazy, irresponsible thing I do and it changes me forever. I wanted to cry, but my eyes were still stubbornly dry. He changed so fast I didn't have time to react. One minute we were kissing and the other minute blood was pouring down my neck. I'm guessing I fainted because the last thing I remember was him screaming up at the moon, teeth barred and stained with my innocent blood. His once beautiful face was misshaped with muscle and hair stretched skin.
I lay there after it happened and focused on the moon. I was drawn to it in ways that I never had been before. When he lay down beside me and apologized, I reached out to touch my torn skin only to find that it was smooth again. It was... miraculous. With his back to the moon, his features had been hidden, shadowed… but I knew that he was once again human instead of beast because of the way his body had felt next to mine.
"What does this mean?" I asked solemnly. My whole life ran through my head like a scene from a movie. I wasn't prepared for it to end.
"It means, you are one of us now..." he had said in a soft raspy voice that had seemed so familiar and yet so foreign at the same time.
The door to the restroom slammed against the wall and a crowd of girls walked in. They were chatting and laughing, completely ignoring that I was even there. I wanted to scream at them, but I knew that in time I would miss even these awkward moments.
"Did you see that guy out there?" One of them asked the other. I recognized them, but I didn't know them. I was pretty sure that there were in a different grade than I was.
"Yeah," said another, "he was totally hot... and alone."
My heart started hammering. Was it him? Had he come for me? I left the sweet confines of the bathroom walls and headed out to the ballroom to search for him. I wanted to kill him for what he had done to me. I wanted to hurt him with the sharp teeth he had so generously damned me with. Still... there was a connection between us… how could there not be after what had happened? After running into several seriously love stricken couples I saw him. He was standing in the back of the room glaring at the warm bodies full of blood and life, anxiously waiting for the right moment to pounce on one that had wandered too far from the pack...
Chad, my best friend, was standi
ng next to the dance floor alone. Seeing him, almost made me forget about Talon. Only things had been strained between us these past few weeks. A distance that had been creeping up on us all along had exploded with the wedge of my imminent future lurking. I had always loved Jake... I'd just been too scared to tell him and now it was too late. The thought of him being caught in this death web was too much to handle. Talon was eyeing him too closely because I was eyeing him closely. I tried to keep my composure as I walked towards him. He was too innocent to be taken, and I loved him too much to let that happen. When I reached him he was looking at the ground, obviously trying not to make eye contact with me.
"Hey Chad." I said quietly
"Oh hey Lucy." he mumbled. He gave a quick shy smile and went back to staring at the disco ball light patterns on the floor.
"How is everything? It feels like it's been forever since we really talked."
He looked up at me sadly, the reflection from the lights lit up his eyes in a way that made my heart momentarily stop beating. It looked like there were moons reflected in them. I was mesmerized by them and couldn't look away. I watched his lips open to answer my question, but I couldn't concentrate on the words. It wasn't until someone bumped into me and I was thrown against him that I was able to shake myself out of the trance like state I had been in. His arms were so big; I don't remember them being this way. I looked up at him and we got caught in a moment. I felt like we both realized we were supposed to be together; but neither of us spoke. We just lost ourselves in the magic of the moment. I was drawn to him even more so than I had been before.
Then it was over and he just pulled me up to my feet and asked "Geezus are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm fine. Thanks for breaking my fall." I said quietly, the anticipation of what might have been had left me shaky and breathless.
"Look Lucy I don’t know what happened between us but I don't want to keep doing this...I love you." he said somberly. As if it was a bad thing or something to be ashamed of.
I couldn't move. My mind went blank and I forgot how to breathe. I hadn’t been expecting this. It was too much… it is what I had always wanted; it was what I had always dreamed about. My life's happiness was within my grasp and all I had to do was reach out and grab hold of it... grab hold of him. His eyes promised me so much more than his mouth could ever say, and yet there was something there; something lurking just beyond the surface that looked almost… guilty… regretful.
A howl tore through the room and the hair on the back of my neck stood up. All around us people were frantically searching for the cause of the noise, but I already knew what had caused it; Talon.
I looked for him, but he was gone, and with him the dream that had been dangled before me was suddenly once again out of my reach as reality crashed down around me. Chad was human. I was... not; at least not anymore.
With a tear sliding down my cheek, I backed away from his beloved face and shook my head sadly, "I'm sorry Chad. I don't feel the same way," I lied. I had to keep him safe - even if that meant lying to him. I could see how much this hurt him. He didn't understand why. Even with the horrendous howl filling the space between us his eyes were focused on me. It was like he didn't even notice the chaos going on around him.
All of a sudden I see Talon running up behind Chad, he was transforming as he ran. At the same time I could feel something happening to me...
It was like my body was ripping apart and with it my soul was being destroyed. Flesh burned and crackled as my body transformed. Sleek black hair pushed through every pore of my skin. The effect was like needles being pushed through my body and I screamed in agony. I heard more howling and roaring around me and it wasn't until I had fully transformed, saliva dripping from my razor sharp teeth, and my breathing labored and hoarse that I realized the howling was coming from me. I heard screams come from every direction, and suddenly I realized I wasn't the only one who transformed. Chad was standing beside me; fangs displayed, hair bursting out of his smooth tan skin. His eyes were two huge black beads with yellow glowing irises, piercing through the crowds of terrified teenagers. We stood there, completely aware of our new bodies, and ready to attack anyone and everyone who came into our path.
Talon, facing us with his fur standing up and his lips curled back off of his teeth, growled and pawed the floor with his foot. His long claws dug grooves into the soft wood of the dance floor. Somewhere off in the distance the music stopped playing and soon the only sound was of screams and feet pounding on the ground as all around us people tried to flee, all of them afraid for their lives. Suddenly, two of the biggest football players in the senior class began to make a run towards Talon. It happened before I could even react; I had no time to process a thought or to stop them from basically committing suicide. Talon was humored by their small attempt to take him down, and reared his head back in hideous laughter as they plowed into his steal like body. They hit him like they would hit a brick wall and as they fell on their backs. He snatched each of them up in his enormous hands and lifted them up by their throats. Their bodies hit the ground hard when he threw them away from us. In those seconds, I wasn’t sure if they were dead or alive, but when I saw them finally began to stir, hope began to bloom inside of me.
Close by, I saw Paige pointing towards us. Tears were streaming down her face and her body was shaking from the inability to process what she was seeing. Scenes from my childhood flashed through my brain. Scenes in which Paige and were playing with dolls, experimenting with makeup, and later… talking about boys. She alone had known how I had felt about Chad.
Looking at him now, heaving and panting beside me, I wondered how I had missed the signs. I was so busy worrying about what was happening to me that I had overlooked what had been happening to him. Still, I couldn’t help wondering if there was more to the story…
You shouldn’t have been a part of this Lucy… I’m sorry.
I jumped. Had I just heard that voice in my head? When my wolfish eyes stared into Chads, I knew that I had. How was that even possible? There was so much to this life that I didn’t understand… so much that I wasn’t sure I wanted to. It was just all so frightening and unexpected.
Chad? He nodded his canine head and I backed away a few steps. Is this really happening?
Before he could answer, Talon jumped between us. He was facing Chad and his tail smacked against the side of my face. Instinctively, the hair all over my body stood on end. There was an electric charge that sizzled in the air around us. It struck me as odd that while I had heard Chad inside of my very soul, the only sound coming from Talon was the ferocious growl as he faced off against Chad.
Why can’t I hear him? Why is he doing this, Chad? My mind whispered to his.
It’s because we are connected… it’s my fault… I…
He was once again silenced when Talon pounced on him. The scream that tore through me was more howl than human. The animal that had taken over the physical aspect of me was beginning to take over the internal one as well. I would fight to death for the one I loved. I didn’t care that Talon and I should have a connection. My whole focus, my whole devotion was centered on Chad and I would kill for him if I had to.
With only those thoughts in mind, I allowed the beast to consume me. My mouth opened and then closed with my lethal teeth latched onto the tail that had just before hit me. The sound that came out of Talon then was both satisfying and sickeningly frightening at the same time. I knew that not only was he stronger than I was, he was also more comfortable in his wolfy skin than I was, but I couldn’t let that fact matter.
Lucy NO!
I heard Chad scream in my mind, but it was already too late. Talon had spun around and the velocity of it had knocked me back off of him. My body slid on the smooth wood of the floor until something wet and sticky slowed me down. It was blood.
The human part of me warred with the animal. On the one hand, I wanted to vomit knowing that I was lyin
g in blood. On the other, my stomach clenched with a dark hunger that was just as fascinating as it was horrific. Then I saw whose blood it was.
Blake… sweet, innocent Blake was lying on the ground a few feet away from me. I was convinced as I looked at her that her eyes would never again open as the blood spilled from her throat and darkened her dress to an even more intense red than it had been to begin with. I didn’t know when he had done it, but I knew in my heart that Talon was to blame and I would never stop fighting him until vengeance was served.
My body was shaking from the fall, but I was determined to make Talon pay for what he had done. So when he loomed over me, I shakily pulled myself up and faced him. I wanted to shout and scream and call him every fowl thing I could think of, but all that spewed forth from my lips were snarls and saliva.
His wolf form was massive compared to mine, but I had felt a surge of power and strength when I had clamped my teeth on his fur and it was an intoxicating feeling; one that I was eager to feel again. I would not back down.
Just as Talon stepped toward me, a sound like a gunshot rang through the building. It only took me about a second to realize it really was gunfire. It took a few more to realize that whoever was firing it wasn’t just firing at Talon. I was a wolf too… and so was Chad.
Lucy, we have to get out of here!
I shook my head. No. He has to be punished. I want to hurt him.
A bullet grazed past my head and I circled around to see where it had come from. Uniformed policemen were standing guard by the main doorway and a few were starting to walk the perimeter of the room. The only other exit out was the door that led to the school and soon, they’d have it blocked too.
Come on! Chad yelled in my head. We have to go.
Stubbornly I shook my head no again.
He’s gone, Lucy, you have to let it go. I’ll explain everything later… I promise.
It was only then that I noticed he was right. Talon was gone… and so was Blake’s body. The only proof that she had been there in the first place was the smear of blood that led out of the gym and into the hallway. I took off after it, knowing that Chad would be right behind me. We ran through the halls and toward the back of the school. There was a forest just behind the massive structure, thick with trees and boulders; plenty of places to hide.
Shots were still being fired at us. The sounds of screams were slowly starting to fade away, but the heavy footsteps of the police pounded on the floor behind us. Another shot sounded and this time I heard it ping as it ricocheted off of the lockers. Moments later and I heard the whimper and thud behind me. My heart stood still.
Just go, Lucy. Get to safety. Leave me.
His voice sounded weak, but his words didn’t make sense to my heart. Leave him? Why would I leave him? That was before I saw the gash in his side where blood was already starting to gush out of. I shook my head and kneeled beside him, wishing that I was in my human form so that I could reach out and comfort him. In this new body, everything seemed awkward and disconnected. I just couldn’t seem to get as close to him as I would have liked.
No. I won’t leave you.
He looked at me then… really looked at me, and there was something in his eyes that I recognized. They showed the same blood red that I remembered from that night. Inside I frowned. Outside the muscles on my face didn’t move the way I wanted them to… but I whimpered and cradled my head on his.
It was you.
My memory of that night had been skewed since it happened, but it was crystal clear now. Talon took my hand and led me from the party and out onto a hill that overlooked the house. There were trees around us, but from where we stood, the moon had loomed before us, proud and majestic in its simplicity. It was there that he had kissed me. It was there that he had begun to transform.
I backed away from him in horror, but then another wolf had jumped at him, seemingly coming from nowhere. His eyes had blazed red and hungry and when they had sunk into my throat, I had known that I was going to die. That was when I fainted. That was the part I hadn’t remembered until now.
After that, when I finally came around, I had reached for him, afraid of what had happened. Questions loomed in my mind about what I had seen, but as soon as he put his arms around me, his features hidden in the shadow of the moon, I knew that my life was going to change. I had thought it was Talon… but remembering now, looking into the reddened eyes of my beloved, I knew that I had been wrong.
I’m so sorry Lucy. I didn’t want this for you. Find Talon. Give me some time and I will heal. I will meet you outside as soon as I can get away from everyone.
I didn’t question him. He had obviously been dealing with this affliction longer than I had and he knew what he was doing. I kissed him gently on the forehead and raised my head toward the ceiling, searching for the moon just beyond the walls. I let out a revenge filled howl and sprinted to the exit. I broke through the steel doors into the dark humid night. I could smell everything-the sweet blood from the injured humans inside, the sweat from the police officers trying desperately to hunt us down. I could smell the iron of Blake’s blood mixed with dirt from the gravel he dragged her on. I had to think fast.
Chad where are you? We need to find her before he bleeds her dry.
I waited for a second with no response. I began to feel a dread pour over me. Maybe I was alone now. It was time to find Talon and destroy him.
Lucy I’m here.
I looked behind me only to see the love of my life healed and ready to hunt.
Let’s find Blake, and rip Talon to shreds.
Sounds like a date.
We both lowered our heads and began to track Talon and Blake. Our noses lead us to the opening of the woods behind the school. We could still hear the madness and confusion of the students and police inside. We knew they would be coming for us and that our only hope was to stay together, find Blake, get her to safety and then flee. We were on our own now-just Chad and I.
A blood curdling scream ripped through the trees and a long deadly sounding howl shortly after filled our ears with terror. We tore through the trees at top speed, searching for any smell to track or sound to follow.
Lucy this way!
We started to take off to the right, Chad having some sort of clue that we were on the right track. Then we suddenly stopped. Blake’s lifeless looking body was laying there among the leaves and dirt. I ran to her and knelt down by her side. She was still breathing to my surprise. “Blake!” I yelled. “Blake are you okay?” She opened her eyes slowly.
Lucy it’s a trap! We need to leave now!
Chad we can’t leave Blake here. She’s hurt we need to get her to safety!
A low growl was emanating from behind us. We both froze, knowing it was him. We looked at each other and nodded-both aware of what was to come. Chad turned around, teeth barred and razor sharp claws poised to kill. Talon leaped toward him and knocked him to the ground. Fur and dirt flew everywhere around us. Growls and snarls filled the air around us.
Lucy you have to get Blake out of here! I can hold him off! GO now!
I never heard that tone of voice come out of Chad, he was serious and full of rage. I hesitated, not wanting to leave him behind because I knew with us both fighting we could finish Talon for good. But I knew I had to save Blake. I scooped her up in my unfamiliar arms and ran at full speed to the school. I peered through the trees to make sure it was clear, and I snuck around to lay her body next to the front door of the school and let out the loudest, most brutal howl I could conjure. Someone had to find her here.
Chad I’m coming for you. Blake is safe.
I rushed off back through the trees-breaking branches and kicking up rocks. I saw them in the distance wrestling back and forth, throwing each other around like ragdolls. I saw Chad’s limp body hit a tree and slide down the sapped drenched bark.
“NO!” I shouted. “If you hurt him Talon, I swear you will be ripped apart in a
thousand pieces.”
“Oh Lucy don’t be so dramatic. I changed him-he is my puppy to play with.” He snarled at me with his teeth dripping saliva on the warm earth.
Chad you need to get up! If you jump on his back and pull his head back then I can attack him from the front and rip out his throat. We can defeat him Chad please get up.
“We could be together you know, we can get rid of this poor thing. You and I all alone with only the moon to rule us.” He uttered in his raspy low voice.
Lucy keep him occupied, I can get up quietly and hopefully have enough strength to hold him back while you attack. I don’t have much left in me. Are you ready?
Yes I’m ready.
“Where would we go? We would have to find a new town where no one knows us. We are going to be hunted down like…wolves.” I said convincingly. I walked a little closer to him, trying to lure him in. Just as I got close enough to smell his blood soaked mouth, Chad jumped on his back. As he tried desperately to reach Chad’s torn body to throw him off, I lunged toward him. My rage and anger and lust for blood controlled me. I attached my sharp fangs to his warm throbbing throat and pulled out a chunk to expose the flesh underneath. I became an uncontrollable monster, a fiend for the rich blood that ran through his veins. It was like drinking a cold glass of water on a hot humid day. It quenched my yearning for sustenance. He was still fighting, clawing and kicking, struggling with any ounce of energy he could muster. Chad let go and fell to the ground, completely exhausted and injured from their earlier fight. Just like I promised, I ripped him apart. Only when I was done he was Talon again, a lonely human boy strung out amongst the shrubs. Confusion ran through me as I try to make sense of that happened. I was sure what I had done was protect everyone- I killed a monster that wanted to feed on everyone I loved, including Chad. I knew we had to clean up this mess, before we could leave this place and find somewhere to start over.
Chad are you okay? What can I do to help you?
I am fine. I just need time to heal. You need to get rid of his body-let the werewolf take over. You have to eat him Lucy. If others in his pack find him like this, they will never stop seeking revenge. We will never be able to rest.
I shook my head in disbelief. As if it wasn’t enough that I had actually become this beast, I was forced to realize it in the most gruesome way. I had to. Like Chad said, we would never be able to rest. Piece by piece I consumed him until all that was left was a few drops of his blood.
We need to get out of here. We are already lucky enough that no one has found us. I’m sure they are all completely shocked that Blake was returned safe. Let’s hope they keep their focus on her.
Lucy I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want any of this for you.
I know. It’s all behind us now. We can live together, forever. Just you and I like it has always been.
I picked up and he flung his arm around my still hairy blood soaked neck. We walked away into the woods. We had to begin our new journey together. We both looked up at this bright, round, powerful thing hung in the sky and howled a lonely, lamented song. As soon as the moon was gone we would be Chad and Lucy again-soul mates changed by one fateful night.
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