by Peter Moore
Then we stop.
“What’s going on? Why are you stopping?” I can’t even see straight.
“I don’t know. I see flashing lights ahead. It looks like an accident.”
I stomp on the floor. I want to pull my hair out.
“What do I do?” she shrieks. She’s losing it, too.
“Get us out of here!”
“I can’t. There are cars behind us now. We’re boxed in.”
It feels like the whole car is closing in, crushing me. All I can do is groan.
Jess is crying.
It’s dark out now.
“Are those flashing lights from police cars or tow trucks?” I ask.
Jess leans her head out the window to look up ahead. “Cops, it looks like. They’re all over the place.”
I try to breathe. “Jess, if I don’t get into the chamber really, really soon, we’re going to have a big problem.”
I try to swallow. Can’t. “Call Mom.” My throat is filled with iron filings and slivers of glass.
“What?”
“On your cell. Call Mom. Tell her to be ready.”
“For what?”
“For me. I’m going home.”
And I’m out of the car.
Through the woods. I’m trying to beat the moonrise.
I can barely stay on my feet—it feels like they’re being stretched, pulled apart.
I fall and yank off my sneakers, then pull off the gloves, hood, and goggles, too. The zipper on the running jacket is snagged so I tear the jacket open and throw it aside. Just the running pants and T-shirt now. Much better.
Now I can run.
Man, I can run so fast.
The woods are glowing orange, which means I’m in trouble; the sun is almost down.
My T-shirt catches on a branch. I can’t unhook it. I tear it off and keep running.
A darting rabbit catches my eye. And a raccoon staring at me.
Whoa!
I dive to the right and barely miss a tree, but fall and hit the ground hard. Need to keep my eyes to the front. Don’t look at the animals. Just ignore those tiny heartbeats.
My hands make cracking sounds. They’re lengthening.
There’s fur growing on my forearms. I touch my face. Different, but I can’t tell how. And my hair is longer.
I need to get up and run.
The woods are dark, but I can see okay.
I’m getting close to home. There’s a faster way, but I can’t remember it.
Don’t think. Just go. run run air in lungs good. run just run.
What the hell was that? Now I’m hearing voices in my head?
The bones in my face hurt.
There’s a tall chain-link fence ahead. No problem: I can climb that in a second.
I jump high and catch on with my fingers, then go stiff.
I hit the dirt—hard. I’m on my back, body buzzing, totally rigid.
That fence is electrified. I think I’m paralyzed.
I’m Changing. And now, not even one mile from home, I can’t move at all.
I’m lying next to the fence, shaking like crazy. All my muscles contract, then all at once, they loosen. Now I can move again.
Stand up and shake it out.
The fence is very high. At least twenty feet.
Damn. This is the fence that runs the perimeter of the nature preserve. It has an electric current running through it. Not lethal, but enough to wake you up. Craig Lewczyk and I used to see Lewczyk wounded wulf weak broken who could touch it the longest. The record was maybe two seconds. I’ll have to run around fence metal pain no climb stuck trapped danger What is this? Why are my thoughts…stuttering? Is that some part of the Change? Is that how I’ll think when I’m a werewulf?
Ah! Stabs in my vertebrae. I drop to my knees. There are tiny cracking sounds from my ankles, which burn.
I’m not going to make it all the way around the fence, but if I could cut through the preserve, I could run hunt small prey all around no big animal no human to hunt
Uh. Happened again. Where was I? Oh, yeah—I could get to our house in a couple of minutes. If I can still talk—or yell—they’ll hear me, maybe short out the fence or cut a deer’s throat pulsing feed blood hot human blood better find human tear stomach get inner
Yah! Okay, so touching the fence and getting shocked breaks off the werewulf thinking. That’s good to know.
If I can get to that long branch on that tree, I’ll climb out and drop down on the other side of the fence. Can I climb all the way up? Twenty feet?
I look at the black claws on my hands and feet. They give me the grip I need, and with my extra strength, I’m up the tree in seconds. I crawl out onto the branch…and…drop.
Pain shoots from my feet to my hips on impact. Ignore it, there’s no time to waste. Get up
just run.
run run.
eyes better wide view smell skunk muskrat too small need big prey big deer run fast need big slow human
That light, through the trees. It’s far, but I can see it. That light is from our house. I have to get there before I can’t think clearly anymore. move to light human prey at house
I have to outrun the Change. Faster.
run strong legs strong heart
Let me keep my mind clear, just long enough to get
to get
to get
to kill
Walnuts cracking. That’s what it sounds like strong pain And it’s my face. My cheeks are breaking shake run fall leaves sticks rocks look up round red glow calls me
moon my moon full
That’s it. The moon is actually red. It’s a bloodred moon and it’s rising love me moon red moon
more pain blood from nose
Wait. teeth long now fur warm muscles hot strong fast sharp ears long I understand what’s happening strong heart power strong wulf It’s clear…this is
This is the Change my Change.
Get up and run home. Now run faster jump run light there
Light from my house go to it metal strings fence fence
I have two sets of thoughts a wall of metal fence like two radios playing different stations at once go over grab metal pain pain jangle buzz pain
Of course that hurts; it’s an electric fence, genius touch again
No, don’t touch it again! back away no fence get to house human prey in house
If there’s some way to get to the house Kevin will be fence in way able to get me inside no can dig under fence the chamber find fence end find end go around the end is all the way on the other side, too far find end you can’t find the end, that’s what I’m saying run
A car door slams machine near house That’s a blue Porsche male white hair walk to house Is that—it is. That’s Gunther hit door knock knock What’s he doing, coming to my house? knock knock squeak female voice
“Yes?” That’s Mom talking. “Can I help you?”
“I’m here to see Danny.”
“He’s not home right now.”
“Really.” hostile male voice hostile What does Gunther want? “And where, exactly, might he be?”
“He’s out.” Female voice fear try dominance but fear
“Just ‘out’ somewhere.”
“Who are you?”
“Let’s just say I’m a concerned friend.”
“You’re Sabina Hoering’s son. Gunther. You made that prank call to the LPCB.”
“We both know it was no prank.”
“Do you know where he is?” fear big fear she must think he found me after I ran out of Jessica’s car, that he’s holding me prisoner or something.
“Do I know where he is? I thought you did. He’s your son. Poor kid must be lost. I sure hope he’s okay. Maybe the LCPB would be able to help find him. Or, if you do know where he is, you could just tell me the truth.” male aggressive You scumbag. If I could get to you right now whitehair male threat threat to make adult female submit
“You do whatever you want. This conver
sation is over.”
Loud noise She’s slammed the door in his face. Nice!
whitehair enemy kill kill now kill
PAIN
fence in way male looks up here
I must have made noise when I ran into the fence. Can’t do that. Wait. He’s walking across our side lawn. Grrrrr don’t growl. He’s looking at me, standing challenge a few yards from the fence, keeping his distance. Maybe he doesn’t know if I can tear through the fence to get him. Grrrr Don’t make noise. Stop it. Male whitehair heart beats faster
“Well, look at that. I’d recognize those green-and-blue running pants anywhere. Moonrunner.”
GRRRRRRR Stop. Back up away from the fence, or you’ll charge it and get shocked again.
“It makes sense that your family would set you up in the woods, practically right in the backyard.”
Standing tall dominant smile white teeth
kill kill kill
SHOCK metal shock. Howl. Howl.
whitehair jump back away smiles close again
“Whoops. Careful of that fence, pal.”
whitehair enemy must die What does he want? tear out teeth rip off jaw
“Well, I have a really cool present for you. You’ll love it. Stay right there.”
whitehair pulse in throat runs back over grass to car What’s he doing? want throat tear him crunch bones hot blood Now he’s opening the trunk and taking something out of a long leather case tear head slash throat He’s walking back this way long metal stick What’s he carrying? come to fence kill you The red moonlight glints off the long thing in his hand closer come here He’s smiling hear heart pound
That thing he has, that’s a rifle! Run! run into woods Get better cover quiet run in shadow
This is far enough, stop here crouch
“Aw. You ran away. I guess you’re kind of stuck all alone in there. Maybe you need some company. Hey! Let’s play a game. I’ve got more toys in my car. You just stay where you are and I’ll find you.”
go low ground He shoves the rifle in the backseat, gets in the car, and starts the engine follow watch low quiet He drives down the street, then stops well out of view of my house. He’s out goes to back end of car He’s opening the trunk again steel string hangs from metal smile That’s not a steel string, that’s a chain puts metal smile down on street clang clang takes metal stick I can’t tell what those metal things are. He’s crossing into the woods and coming closer wait wait for him then kill He’s crouching down on the other side of the fence. And he’s got a wire cutter or something.
“A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go…”
kill him kill him now No, don’t kill him, just get away. away run run muscles hot run for moon then come back and kill
run run heart fast hard good for hunting
red light up stop look
red moon high
look look look No, don’t stop here to stare at the
moon red moon red moon love red moon
Mother red help
The moon won’t help; it can’t stop bullets. And I might not be able to hide from him hunt enemy Offense is defense better hunter than enemy more quiet more fast more strong He’s human and he must be nervous human weak slow Get close stalk stalking hunt get up close and disarm him, disable him faster than enemy quiet stalking That should work. Go. Find him.
run
run
run
smell
whitehair There he is quiet low He’s facing the other way. Follow him. hear him breathing hard heart beating fast Flank him from behind slow slow closer Don’t rush. Get closer time to attack no, not close enough.
attack run run He’s raising the rifle. Go all out. Attack!
CRACK bright flash from metal stick PAIN top of arm PAIN burns I’m shot in the shoulder and he’s backing away enemy scared
howl again howl loud
He’s taking aim again, hurry up and run run to kill him
loud sound…burn in leg
enemy turns runs slow easy catch prey He’s running away! Just forget him run to catch Let him go and check that leg wound kill him
run
fall I can’t run on this leg pain hurt stand fall It’s bleeding like crazy pain white pain Will my regen work if the bullet’s still in there? claw in hole dig pain hard inside That’s it, that’s the bullet pull out metal hold hole keep lifeblood in
tired rest rest
sleep fast…sl—
Where am I? Somewhere outside. It’s mostly dark, but I can see. It’s probably just after sundown. Trees all around. Yeah, I’m in the woods—on my back in the leaves and dirt. I sit up and feel a dull ache in my thigh. No shirt. Whoa! That’s a lot of hair on my chest. My forearms, too.
There are little black nubs sticking out from under the bases of my fingernails. And the tips of my fingers are caked with dried blood.
Wait, I remember now. The Change. I touch my face and it feels different. Some fur, sharper teeth, and—
There’s a piercing shout from somewhere. It echoes in the woods, but I can tell it’s not far and coming from the left. It’s a person in pain.
“Please, please, help me.” It’s Gunther.
And now I notice that it hasn’t gotten darker out. It’s gotten a tiny bit lighter. Which means this isn’t dusk: it’s dawn.
I have to get to shelter before the sun rises.
“Can anybody hear me?” It’s him, and wherever he is is not where I want to be.
Wait: I know where I am. I’m in the nature preserve. Not sure exactly where, since I’m deep enough that I can’t even see the fence. The sky is lightening a little bit on my right side, darker when I look left. West is to my right, and that’s where home is.
And that sun is going to come up really fast.
I start running toward my house. The ache in my thigh throbs, but it’s not bad enough to stop me. Small mammals dash away from me. I can hear them; I can hear their tiny racing heartbeats.
“Please! I’m going to die out here!” Gunther wails.
I stop. I don’t know why he needs help, but he sounds desperate.
Damn it. He’s even farther east, closer to the sunrise. If I go to him—toward the rising sun—we could both incinerate.
I start running again.
He’s not really shouting for help so much as screaming hysterically. So it’s easy to follow his voice. And there he is.
He’s sprawled out on the ground, his left calf caught in the steel jaws of a bear trap. It probably crushed his shinbone. The lower half of his pants leg is soaked with blood. I can’t help but notice the dark stain around the fly of his pants, but that one’s not from blood.
His eyes go wide when he sees me. “What…are you?”
I grunt at him.
“I mean, what the hell? I can see it’s you. The running pants. And your face is…but you don’t look totally like a werewulf. You’re not…”
I grunt again and start to turn away.
“You can’t leave me here,” he shrieks. “Please! The sun is coming up.”
Look back his way. “Why would there be a bear trap in a nature preserve?” I say. But my mouth is all different on the inside, and I can’t form words.
“I don’t know what you said, but help me! Please.”
I point at the trap and then hold my hands palm up, like what’s going on?
“I’ll explain later. I’m begging you. I can’t get this thing open.”
And now I remember. A hunting rifle next to him. Metal stick…loud noise. And the metal smiles with chains, those were bear traps. He got in here somehow, set traps, and then went hunting for me. Literally.
He tried to run away but got caught in one of his own traps. How’s that for poetic justice?
So this guy tried to kill me, and now he wants me to save him?
Gunther whimpers, then says, “You have to stop staring at me. Please. Do something, like now, or I’m a roaster.”
I look down at the trap clamped tigh
t on his leg. It looks very strong. I probably wouldn’t be able to open it even if I wanted to.
“Okay,” he says. “I’ll admit it. I tried to kill you. Or at least shoot you. I thought you were a moonrunner, and I was going to…Well, you are a moonrunner. But I don’t care anymore. Really. It’s not my business. Do whatever you want. I swear on my life, I won’t tell a soul if you’ll just please, please help me.”
Uh-huh. This specist informed on me to the LPCB, and he shot me with a rifle. Twice.
“Please. Please.” His eyes are pleading, desperate.
Damn it.
I still don’t think I can open that trap, but I kneel down to look at it.
He whips his head from side to side. “It’s getting hot. I’m starting to feel the sun. Do you feel it?”
I say no, but I’m not sure even the single word is clear, so I shake my head, too. And it’s true: I don’t feel anything. It’s getting lighter, but the sun isn’t high enough for direct rays to hit us, not yet. But it won’t be long, and he’s panicking.
I get my fingers between the jaws of the trap, right next to his leg, and pull to open them. They open just a little, maybe two inches. Not enough. And if they close again, this guy is going to die of agony. I can’t get the jaws wider, but I don’t want to let them go. I start trembling.
Gunther is moaning and writhing. “Look. Please. If you can’t get me out, I’m begging you: shoot me. Take my hunting rifle and just shoot me. Don’t let me burn to death.”
I can’t hold it anymore. The trap starts to inch closed again.
Gunther screams, shrilly enough to set birds flying from the trees. And I pull those jaws with everything I’ve got. They’re opening. I ease the open trap down over his foot, stand up, and yank my fingers clear as I shove the thing away from me. It makes a solid clang before hitting the ground.
Gunther is barely conscious. I check his leg, and lucky for him, his regen has stopped the bleeding. But the wound is bad, and I can see jagged shards of bone—too severe for the regen to close and heal.
We don’t have time to deal with his injury now. The sun will come up in minutes, and we’re way out in the woods. I get him upright and he groans. I pull his arm over my shoulder and start moving toward the house.