“We know you aren’t related to Gramps.” I added. “So somewhere in your family tree, you have to be related to Dunn. Are there any other relatives you could ask?”
“I have an aunt. And a cousin.” She wrinkled her nose as if something smelled bad. “My cousin is a pig.”
Austin grinned. “Sounds like you don’t like him much.”
Megan shrugged. “I don’t like him at all. It would be nice if we got along, because he’s the only cousin I have. His parents are divorced and his father has custody. His mother, my Aunt Jo, is Uncle Roy’s sister. I met her once, long ago. She lives in another country now. I have no other relatives I can talk to, except Uncle Roy.”
“You have us,” said Austin. “We went through all that stuff at the zoo together. We’re really the only ones who know about that.”
“Actually, there’s someone else who knows,” said Megan. “You’ll be meeting him any second now. I asked him to join us.”
She pointed towards the woods where some bushes were rustling. A rhythmic pounding started, like a horse’s hooves clomping hard dirt. I could feel the vibration in the ground under my feet. Chills ran up my spine. Something was coming. Something heavy.
Seconds later, a huge, dark shape thundered through the tree line. It was an animal of some kind, at least three feet high and maybe four feet long. It weighed about three hundred pounds, maybe more. Sharp tusks projected from each side of a snout that looked half pig and half wolf. The beast slid to a stop at the edge of the clearing, tossing its head and staring at each of us in turn. I knew what it was, though I’d never seen one before. It was a wild boar, a mutation of nature. Wild pig. Feral swine. Whatever it was called, this monster had nothing to do with those nice pigs that farmers raised. This pig was furry, oversized and swollen with meanness. It lowered its head, tusks aimed for my groin. Austin stepped out in front of us, arms apart as if ready to do battle.
“You can’t catch him,” cried Megan, pushing herself ahead of him. “He’ll run you down!”
For a moment I froze, as if time had suddenly stopped. Then, in the next three seconds, several things happened at once. I grabbed Megan and swung her out of the way. Austin and I moved in front of her, our bodies blocking her from the boar’s sight. I felt Austin quiver next to me, and immediately felt safer. He could explode into grizzly form in nanoseconds if he wanted. He was waiting, controlling the impulse to morph. Beneath my skin, I could feel the prickling of scales. Sharp nails stabbed the insides of my fingers and toes, ready to turn them into claws. I took a deep breath and held back. I would change forms only if it was necessary. No way could this big bad piggy take us both.
The beast put its head down and scraped its right hoof like a bull getting ready to charge. The massive head moved slightly, changing its focus. Now it was aiming those sharp, pointed tusks directly at Austin. It pawed the ground, snorting and grunting as if it were towing an RV. Then he thundered forward.
Megan tried to shove Austin out of the path of the pig. My brother didn’t move.
“Stay out of the way, Megan,” I shouted. “You’ll get hurt.”
Megan ignored me. She slid sideways between us and yelled at the top of her voice, “Knock it off, or else!”
The pig skidded to a stop in front of us, spraying twigs, leaves, and dirt into our faces. Close up, I could see how big it really was. This was the biggest, ugliest pig I’d ever seen. It was far bigger than those blue ribbon pigs they show at county fairs, the ones that stretch across the whole pen. Those pigs could win beauty contests compared to this one. Its snout was longer than a wolf’s muzzle, flattened at the end by wide piggy nostrils. Those two long, sharp tusks could pulverize anything they skewered, especially at ramming speed.
Austin and I stared at the pig. I turned to Megan. “That pig could have killed you. How did you get it to stop?”
She shrugged. “He doesn’t want to get bitten by the death adder. He knows I’ll do it, too.”
The pig trotted in a circle, then backed up. It turned to face us.
My throat was so dry I couldn’t speak. My pulse pounded in my ears. I was quivering, prickling on the edge of change. Austin still didn’t move. He stood silent as a statue, but I knew he was sizing up the situation, planning both defense and offense. Around us, the forest was strangely quiet, as though insects, birds, and woodland creatures had evacuated the area. The only sounds were my ragged breathing and the pig’s sloppy snorts.
“He’s one of us,” Austin said at last. “It’s Jake.”
“It’s Jake?” I stared at Megan. “Jake is your cousin?” That meant Jake was related to Dunn Nikowski too. Somehow, that didn’t surprise me.
“Afraid so.” Megan sighed. “He’s a pig. A big, fat, mean pig. And that’s when he’s human. I almost like him better this way.”
Austin nodded at me. “I think we should teach this pig a lesson. He’s been asking for it since we got here.”
The wild boar dug his left hoof into the dirt, lowering his massive head once more. Then it spoke, its words coming out in gravely bursts. “You first, baby bear. Then I’ll eat the bird.”
The bird? Nope. Not this time. My body was covered with purple bruises from Jake’s viselike pinches. It was time for payback, but not from an eagle. The payback would come from something bigger and far more dangerous.
Austin roared, stretching to a height of ten feet, his arms and torso growing in length and girth. Fur bloomed over his tanned skin, sprouting until his body was covered with a thick brown pelt. His face turned into the wide, furry mug of a grizzly bear, ears rounded near the top of his head. His muzzle extended, opening to show a set of sharp white teeth. Incisors three inches long snapped together as he closed his mouth on a roar. I was glad he wasn’t coming after me.
“Stand back,” I whispered to Megan.
“Should I bite Jake?” she whispered. “I can morph into the death adder.”
“Not this time. Save it for when we really need it.” Megan nodded and hid behind a tree. I threw my body to the ground.
The Jake-boar squealed. “That’s right, pukey Lukey. Get your head down and out of the way.”
He was bluffing, backing away from Austin. He wasn’t getting away. Not this time.
The Jake-boar faced my brother, so he didn’t notice the nails piercing through the ends of my fingers and toes. The muscles in the back of my throat clenched, and venom pooled in my mouth. I could swallow that boar in three or four bites. No. No, I couldn’t. I was a human in a Komodo form, not the other way around. I wanted to teach Jake a lesson, not eat him. In fact, the thought turned my stomach.
The boar snarled again, then charged, running hard at Austin’s furry legs. Wrong decision. He should have run the other way. He should have run back into the forest and kept on going. The Austin-bear had grown to a height of fifteen feet. He stepped casually aside, and the charging boar raced past him, smacking into a tree trunk with its tusks. The tree groaned as the pig yanked its tusks out of the wood. The gigantic pig wheeled around, scraping its hooves against the ground. It charged again. Austin was still growing. He was now twenty feet tall. He bent and caught the wild pig by the legs, just above its flailing hooves. Turning in a circle, he swung the squirming swine around his body. He twirled, raising and lowering the pig as he turned. The pig hit the ground and bounced. Then Austin swung him up into the air again, slamming him into a low branch. Finally he held the Jake-pig by its front legs, the snout and piggy eyes facing him.
“You gonna behave now?” growled Austin. The pig swore, saying some nasty words. Mom would have washed his mouth out with soap. “Guess not,” said Austin. “Let’s play ball.”
“Good,” squealed the Jake-swine. “I’ll break that bird boy’s neck.”
Austin twirled again, swung the pig over his head, and let him fly. Megan looked up, watching her cousin tumble over a nearby tree. He was going to land near me.
Power rushed into my limbs, inflating my body with iron strength. The int
ense force pushed my body to double its size, covering me with an armor of tough, bristling scales. I pushed myself up on four strong, bowed legs and pounded the earth with my tail. Twigs and fallen branches launched into the air, scattering behind me. When the pig landed, I pounced. Ten feet and three hundred pounds of deadly Komodo dragon, I flattened myself across his flabby pig belly. I flicked my forked tongue, poisonous saliva bursting from my mouth.
“You…you…” the boar stuttered, his piggy eyes bulging. “You’re supposed to be an eagle.”
“Is that so?” I flicked my forked tongue again.
My mouth watered. Holding the pig down with my upper body, I opened my jaws wide and showed all my teeth. The muscles in the back of my throat gulped, acting on some ancient reptilian instinct.
“Don’t eat him yet.” The Austin-bear’s voice was calm. He glanced at his claws, turning them back and forth, admiring them as if he’d just had his nails done. “Let’s play ball first. We can eat him later. I do love a good pork barbeque. Honey barbeque sauce with a few pickles.”
The pig squealed, shoving at me with all four hooves.
“One bite is all it will take to inject venom and thin the blood,” I said calmly. I fixed the pig with a reptilian glare. “Komodo bites bleed a lot, causing the prey to become weak. You know that, right? Then the animal can’t get away. There’s nothing as frustrating as having your dinner get up and leave the table when you’re ready to eat.”
The pig swallowed a shout, gargling his words.
“What was that?” I asked politely, flicking my forked tongue. I didn’t wait for an answer. I rolled the Jake-pig over and over, bumping him along with my head to the place where Austin stood. The sound of giggling came from behind the nearest tree. Austin scooped up the Jake-boar and dangled him by his feet.
“You had enough?” growled the Austin-bear.
The pig snuffled and gasped some words that sounded like, “I give.”
I waddled over and flicked my forked tongue at him. “No more pinching,” I hissed.
Austin gave him a couple of shakes. “No more bullying or insults. No more teasing, tormenting, or touching anybody. You or any of your friends do anything at all—step one toe out of line—and we’ll be back.” He dropped the pig with a thud.
Jake lay in the dirt, breathing hard as the pig form dissolved from his body. He rolled over and pushed himself up from the ground. He moved slowly, tiredly, as though he’d been in a ten-hour battle. He bent over, hands on his knees, still gasping for breath. I swiveled my gaze sideways at Austin. He stood still, arms crossed, watching Jake.
Jake straightened to his full height and pushed the hair out of his eyes. “Two against one.”
“It was four against one when you and your buddies tackled Luke,” said Austin. “This isn’t the end of it. You pull anything again and we’ll be back.”
Jake squared his shoulders, jabbing a finger first at Austin and then at me. “That wasn’t my only form. Next time, I’ll be ready.”
Austin shrugged. “Whatever. Just so you know, we have other forms, too. What you saw today was tame. So watch yourself.”
Muttering to himself, Jake stalked away.
“And stay away from Megan,” I yelled after him.
It took us longer than usual to morph back. The scales were fading from my body slower than a snail moves. We talked as we continued to regain our human bodies.
“Do you think we’re enjoying this too much?” I asked.
Austin nodded. “Maybe. Remember that day at school when I knocked Jerry Magee into the janitor’s supply cart?”
I laughed. “Yes. Toilet paper rolls shot into the air and rolled all over.”
Austin took a deep breath. He wasn’t smiling anymore. “I’ve never forgotten what you said to me that day. You said, ‘If Magee had hit the wall, he could have broken his neck.’ Magee could have been paralyzed for the rest of his life because of me.”
“We could have hurt Jake badly, I guess,” I said.
“While he was in the body of that monster wild pig?” Austin shook his head. “Probably not. But I don’t think I want to do this again.”
“Neither do I. Unless we have to defend ourselves or someone else,” I added. “It was self-defense this time. At least it started that way.”
We sat quietly for a moment. Austin was already back in his human form. Still part Komodo, I lay on the ground in front of him. I raised my hand, which was still covered with scales, and said, “For self-defense only.”
Austin touched my claw with his hand. “For self-defense only.”
My scales melted into my body one limb at a time. The claws retracted into my hands and feet, and my reptile head became human again. I hoped the feathers might go away, too. I checked my arms. They were still there, and more of them. Now the feathers extended almost to my wrist. The ones next to my skin were soft and white, but another layer of tougher feathers had sprung up behind them, some gray and some black. I let out a long breath. How was I going to cover these things up?
“Can I come out?” called Megan.
“Sure,” said Austin. “He’s gone.”
Megan paused and stared at my arm. My sleeve was pushed up, and white feathers peeked out from under it. She reached over and gently touched one. Heat flushed into my cheeks. Quickly I pushed my shirt sleeve down over the feathers. “This is why we have to undo the curse, Megan. Or we’re all going to end up looking like freaks.”
“Does your grandfather know about this?” Megan’s voice was soft.
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“I’m so sorry.” Megan put her hand over mine.
“I’ve got a bad bruise,” said Austin. “Don’t I get any sympathy?” He held out an arm, where a spot the size of a baseball was slowly turning colors. Somehow Jake’s fist had gotten through his fur.
“Let me see that,” said Megan, walking over to him. “Maybe you should go see the nurse.”
Austin pulled his arm out of her reach. “Never mind. It’s fine.” His cheeks were stained pink. His mouth was a tight, straight line across his face. I’d never seen him act that way before. Well, maybe once. Last fall he was reading over my shoulder. I swung my fist backwards, just to make him back off. Instead I hit him in the face and gave him a bloody nose. I made him cry.
Austin was tough. Physical injuries never made him cry. He had cried then because I hurt his feelings. That’s what this was about. Megan had hurt his feelings by paying attention to me.
We didn’t talk as we walked back to camp. We split up at the baseball diamond, going to our different camps. I waved to Austin. “See you later.” He didn’t answer. He stood with his back to me, looking in the direction that Megan was going. She was walking slowly, her head down as though she was watching the path for snakes. She did not look back.
I sighed as I watched them go. Austin liked Megan—a lot. Megan liked Austin, but she also liked me. I liked her back, but only as a friend. I wasn’t looking for a girlfriend, but it looked like Austin was. This was worse than having feathers.
Chapter Nine—The Nightmare Begins
I cleaned up and got to the mess hall too late for supper, but Jim had saved me a plate. What a great friend—even if he had eaten half my dessert.
It was movie and popcorn night, so everyone cleared their tables and helped set up the chairs for the movie. It was one I’d already seen, so I helped fill the popcorn bags and hand them out, snacking as I went along.
Austin was in the popcorn line. He came up close and whispered to me. “Have you seen Megan anywhere?”
“Not since we split up after the battle.” I handed him a heaping bag of popcorn. He’d missed dinner too.
“I just wondered if she was okay.” My usually calm brother sounded worried.
“Isn’t she here?” I scanned the room. Since the lights had been turned out for the movie, I couldn’t see much, even with eagle-improved vision. “She’s probably around somewhere. Maybe she went to the bath
room.”
“Right.” Austin went back to his group, but I could see him craning his neck to survey all the rows of chairs.
When the movie was over, we had milk and graham crackers, then went back to our cabins. I waited until everyone was through in the bathhouse, then took my turn. The other guys were already asleep in their beds by the time I got back. I slid under the covers and plumped the pillow under my head. I was tired, but something was nagging at me. I closed my eyes and took some deep breaths to relax. Soon I felt myself drifting into an exhausted sleep. Then I heard something strange.
Help me! Please help me. I’m going to die if no one comes to help me.
I opened my eyes. I’d heard those words clearly, but no one was awake. It must have been my imagination. I closed my eyes again. Turning on my side, I tried to go to sleep.
Help me. Someone, please help me or I’m going to die. He left me out here alone. Luke, can you hear me?
I sat up in bed, wide awake now. No one had spoken out loud, but I was sure I’d heard a cry for help. This time it called my name! I wasn’t dreaming, was I? I crept quietly out of bed and put on my shoes and my jacket. Taking my flashlight and pocketknife, I eased through the screen door without making a sound. I didn’t know what I was going to do with the knife, but I felt safer with it on me. I was scared. Really scared. Should I wake up one of the counselors? And tell him what? That I heard someone calling for help? We’d listen and hear nothing, then he’d tell me it was a dream and to go back to bed. No. If there was someone out there who needed help, I’d have to find him myself. Then I could tell the counselors.
The night Gramps, Austin, Mr. Gifford, and I escaped from the zoo, a big storm caused the power to go out. There was no power to the security fences, so many animals escaped from their enclosures and roamed the zoo. We hid in a building and found two wolves crouched there in a corner. Somehow I knew they were scared. I sent my thoughts to them, telling them what to do. They seemed to hear me. They followed my directions and went safely back to the wolf field. That was the first time I’d noticed an ability to communicate with animals.
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