Howling

Bad Moon Rising

I ventured in and out of some form of sleep. It was light and fleeting, leaving me less rested each time I awoke.
No one came to me until what I assumed was hours later, when John paused by my bunk on the way to the kitchen area of the bus. By now, dusk was just beginning to fall and honestly I felt like Hell had taken over my body.

"Jen?"

I grunted dispassionately in response as I pulled the curtain to the side.

"How long have I been out," I asked, attempting to sit up despite how bad I felt.

"A few hours."

He looked around before leaning in, "Come with me."

I groaned, falling back into my blankets, "I can't John. I think what I actually have to do is get back to the hospital."

"No, no no," he told me firmly, "It's not good for us there, not now."

"Us? What do you mean us," I questioned him, "You're the one with the furry problem here!"

"Well it seems that you are as well now," he replied, looking pointedly at my shoulder.

I followed his gaze and was shocked to discover not only was the bite wound healed, it was completely gone.
That's not normal.

"Come to the kitchen. We gotta eat before tonight."

My heart dropped into my stomach like a boulder. This can't be happening.

"Tonight..."

"Full moons aren't a one-night-only event."

I dragged myself to the kitchen area behind him.

"What are ya in the mood for," he asked, going to the fridge.

I grunted softly as my pain became steadily worse, "I'm not kidding, I feel like I'll just puke it all out."

"Trust me, out of all the things that happen during a shift, that's one thing that won't."

I laid my head on the table, whimpering, "Why such an emphasis on food?"

John shut the fridge and leaned back against the table, arms crossed. A serious expression took over his face as he looked me dead in the eye.

"It's always worse the first time. The pain, fear-and you cannot forget the hunger."

He looked down, ashamed.

"You have no idea how many people I killed. Before I gained control. And I know you...you think you can help yourself. You think you couldn't kill and let me tell you right now, that's wrong. Because not only can you do it you will do it."

***

After a fifteen minute Uber ride, we arrived at a state park. It took all my strength to allow John to lead me into the forest.
In between the trees, the sky had painted itself in beautiful hues of purple, pink and blue as the sun made its way to the horizon.
The park was long void of people.

"Listen, Jen," John finally spoke, "It will be effortless for me. I've been a shifter for a long time."

"How long?"

He stopped, leaning against a tree as I slid to sit on the ground.

"Since I was six," he told me, messing with his beard a little, "On a camping trip with my family in Potter County, Pennsylvania."

I swept a piece of hair out of my face, the pasta I consumed earlier churned in my stomach. My eyes couldn't help flicking to the fading sunset.

"I was told not to wander. It's difficult to get help up there. No cell service, no police patrols. If we had to go to the hospital, the line between life and death would be stretched even thinner."

He joined me on the ground and scooted closer to me. A soft chuckle spilled from his lips, "You wouldn't believe it. I followed every instruction, surprisingly.
And you know what happened? How this-" he gestured around us, '' ended up happening to me?"

I shook my head, "How?"

He leaned in a little closer to me, "He got me in my tent. Only the second night there, and he clawed his way in. It's a miracle he didn't just kill all of us."

I looked back at him, a little too aware of how close we were. His brown eyes held a small sparkle in the fleeting sun.

"He got me right here," he told me, pointing to his upper right arm.

I winced and turned away, becoming acutely aware of the pain in my own body again.
We sat in silence for a while as we watched the darkness fall, the trees making dark landscapes across the clear, starry sky.

"Don't let me kill anyone," I whispered, glancing at him.

He chuckled, "Please, like you could take me. Trust me, I'll keep you in line."

He took his jacket off, then his shirt, as he told me this.

"John? What the hell?"

"Oh right! You're gonna want to undress too. I mean, unless you want to buy new outfits after your transformations."

"I...what."

He grinned a little, "Don't worry, I won't look."

Keeping his word, he turned around and fiddled with his belt.
A firey blush crept over my cheeks, but soon I too was joining him.
"Only cuz this is my favorite outfit possibly ever," I told him.

"Alright," he told me, turning back to face me. I tried so hard to keep my eyes up. Geez, I'm really not myself.
He got down on all fours, "This is the best position to be in. Get ready, It's going to start any moment."

I nodded in understanding, copying his position.

A few minutes passed before the first jabs of sharp pain really rocked my body. I whimpered, shuddering, "John!-"

He crawled over to me, "Jen stay calm. Resisting makes it worse."

I looked at him, panting heavily as sweat broke out on my forehead. All I could respond with was another whimper. A jab of pain showed in his expression.

My whole body may as well have been tossed into a fire.

I squeezed my eyes shut, crying out as I felt various bones break and stretch, "Make it stop! Make it fucking stop!"

"It's okay, it's okay, I'm right here," John told me reassuringly.

I whimpered, collapsing on the grass as I shook violently. The whole ordeal felt like it went on for hours.
My hand ran up my arm, feeling fur sprout from my skin. My heart pounded, fueled by the fear pumping through my veins.
The skin on the underside of my hands and feet hardened into pads. My spine stretched as I felt my tail grow jarring and quick.

I don't remember what happened next. It's like that was the straw that broke the camels back. I must have passed out.
The next time I opened my eyes, the sun was shining over the horizon. The hardness of pavement greeted me, the realization dawning on me that I was in a populated area.

"John..." I whispered hoarsely.
A sticky substance covered my hands.

Gasping with alarm, I sat up and felt everywhere else-it was on my mouth too??

Shaking in fear, I pulled my hands away and discovered exactly what I hoped not to see.

My hands were covered in blood.