Fox of Rage

Chapter 2

THE MOUNTAIN

I awoke early the next morning and looked around to remember what had happened the previous day. I sat up in the back seat of the car. I wiped dried tears from my eyes and realized no one was with me. I yawned and looked out the window. The car was parked outside of a McDonald’s fast food restaurant. The sun was just starting to come up. The man who had been driving suddenly exited the McDonalds carrying a happy meal.

My stomach growled in hunger. The man opened the door of the car and sat down in the driver’s seat. He handed me the happy meal, “here, eat up, we’ve a long day of driving a head of us.” I took the food gratefully and ate fast. When I had finished eating I tried to start up a conversation with the man, “So, uh, what is your name?” The man looked at me, “why do you want to know?” I thought for a moment, “Well the purpose of a name is to have something to call someone. I want to know yours so I can know what to call you.”

The man nodded, “you’re a smart kid. I can see how you are a fox. My name is Billy Longsmith.” I almost said nice to meet you like my parents taught me but something was strange in his sentence I thought about what was strange for a minute then asked, “What did you mean when you said that you could see how I was a fox because I am so smart?” Billy chuckled, “you will see when you get to the mountain.”

I was curious, “Where is the mountain?” “Well,” Billy thought, “We should arrive at the base of the mountain at about this time tonight.” I laid down in the back seat and clutched my hands around my belly. I felt sad and lonely. “ Billy?” I asked softly. “Yeah kid?” answered Billy cheerfully, “I want my mom.” I saw Billy’s face soften for a moment then grow hard and grim, “Kid, its best you forget you ever had parents because it is against our rules to visit them.”

At that I began to sob. Why couldn’t I just be normal? As I lay there thinking those thoughts, something began to well up inside of me. At first I did not recognize it but as the feeling grew deeper I knew it all too well. It was anger. Anger at myself for not being normal. My vision turned pink and then blood red. I sat up in the seat and yelled. It was one long scream that blew off some steam.

Billy turned around and stared, “what the heck kid?” I suddenly longed for a weapon so I could fight my way back to my parents. More than anything I wanted a weapon to hurt something because I was a angry. I felt a curious sensation in my right hand. It all happened fast. My first real rage. You might call it a tantrum but it was too extreme. “Calm down kid!” Billy said. No sooner had the words left his mouth than I struck at him so fast he did not even have time to flinch. Blood splattered the windshield.

Billy screamed in pain. I looked down in horror at my hands. They were horrible, claws grew out of my fingertips, and the bones in my fingers were shaped more like the bones in an animal paw. Also instead of a palm I had a pad like that of a dog, or fox. Small patches of fur grew out of the back of hands.

Blood dripped from my claws. My anger was instantly gone. I felt deep remorse for what I had done. Billy pulled the car over onto the side of the road and got out. I looked out the window, he was rolling around on the ground in pain, while clutching at his ruined face. Blood oozed out from in between his fingers. I felt so guilty, why did I hurt him? Why could I not be normal? I began to repeat the same thoughts I had before I flew into a rage.