Prologue

1993

The new mother smiled down at the baby boy in her arms. She had never felt so content in all her life. Although the father wasn’t around anymore, she imagined great things for Brock, as she’d decided to call him, and she’d vowed to give him the best life possible.

The woman had only had a brief relationship with Brock’s father, about three months or so. But she had had the chance to announce she was expecting. Unfortunately, the father admitted he didn’t want anything to do with the baby.

The only other person in the room was the woman’s 13-year-old niece, Macie. She’d been there at the birth and already doted on her baby cousin.

“He’s so gorgeous,” she had cooed over him. “If you ever need a babysitter, I’m always available!”

The mother giggled.

Their light-hearted conversation was cut short when a nurse scurried into the room.

“Ms Bailey?”

“Yes?” the mother replied.

“I’m sorry; we’ve had a phone call from the baby’s father. I’m afraid there is some… bad news.”

“Oh?” she asked, snuggling her baby close.

“It seems when he was younger, this man… had a spot of trouble with a friend. An ex-friend. This ex-friend of his happened to be a wizard who possessed magical powers.”

Ms Bailey’s eyes widened. “A… a wizard?”

“It seems hard to believe, but yes,” the nurse continued.

“So how does this concern my Brock?” asked Ms Bailey, worried now.

“Well,” sighed the nurse, “we have been told that the father had a curse put upon him, so that on their sixteenth birthday, his first child would become an animal. A fox, to be precise.”

Ms Bailey and Macie exchanged looks of disbelief and worry.

“Is… is there anything we can do?” Macie asked.

“To break the curse, no,” explained the nurse. “All you can do is take care of Brock, and help him lead the most normal life possible.”

Silence filled the room.

The nurse sighed. “Again, I’m sorry. I wish you the best of luck with everything.” And she left the room.”

Tears began to fall from the mother’s eyes. “My poor baby,” she cried, hugging him close. “He will never have a regular life, never fall in love, never have a family… And how on Earth am I going to take care of him?”

Macie walked over to the hospital bed, putting her arm around her aunt’s shoulder. “I’ll take care of him. When he changes, he can live with me.” Macie had always wanted to live near the forest when she was old enough. Now it seemed like she had the perfect reason.

“Are you sure?” Ms Bailey asked her.

“Positive,” she replied. “We’ll get through this together.”

Reviews

[Kaylie]

This is a very interesting story idea. Have you considered extending this and giving more of a background to the mother and the fathers relationship, or why the father had a curse put on him?