November 24th: Nights 6

I didn’t sleep, I couldn’t, still now at four am I am not sleepy. I wanted to do something, yet I didn’t know what. So I laid in my bed not moving, my eyes adjusted to the dark and I could see tiny details that I never noticed, even when the lights where on. I used to be scared of the dark, night lights, music playing, and a large army of stuffed animals to protect me. Now it was perfect, if the light was to be turned on in my room it would ruin what peace I seemed to take out of the quiet dark room. My anger was at bay and I knew going to school wouldn’t help me. I didn’t want to be trapped there. I got up and got dress like normal and I walked down stairs and ate a bowl of cereal like normal. Then I ran out the door leaving my car behind and sprinted down the street. I wasn’t sure to where it was and I didn’t care, that wasn’t normal.

I stopped at the same hill that I ran to before. I only knew this for sure because I stopped at the tree I had tore down. I looked down at it; I thought I had done a good thing by doing this. I was happy to destroy the tree before. Today I felt confused; this was another thing to add to list of my weird things list. Why was I angry all the time? Why did I always want to run or hit things?  I looked around where I was and besides the tree thing it felt like I had been there before. I was drawn to here two times because I wanted to run. I turned around and walked through the brush. What I saw made me stop and stare. It was a log cabin with the black Hummer in front of it.

I wanted to walk right up to the door and see if he was there, Lysander or that other guy. I took a step towards the log cabin when my foot snagged an exposed root from a tree and I started to fall. Lysander was there all of the sudden, he caught me an inch before I hit the dirt face first. It sounds weird but I knew it was Lysander not from seeing him, but smelling him. Lysander smelled like pine trees and ocean water possibly my new favorite smell. When I looked up at him I smiled without a second thought. I was happy to see him, but why? I barely knew him.

“Well you’re not graceful.” Lysander sighed, a long handsome sigh. “It not the first time, the sense doesn’t kick in until after… Are you ditching your school?” 

“Yes, I guess I am. Lysander, what did you mean by you only have six nights left?” No point it beating around the bush. He smirked and took a deep breath. “Just tell me. Do you plan to kill me?”

“Not me. No death.” He laughed, his laugh was perfect. “You are now become part of something you never knew was there. You are becoming what I once called lycanthropos.”

“What is that? Is it like a disease? An infection? Is this a STD? Did you rape me?” Oh crap. This is all so twisted. He looked shocked by my question, he took a step back let me take a few breaths before answering. He started walking towards the Hummer and I followed.

“No. I’ve never touched you, besides your little fall just then. Though, that touch was far from sexual, at least on my part. No, you aren’t going to be killed by myself or one else if I have a say. You could call it an infection I guess, haven’t you noticed a changes in yourself? The rage and the instinctive feeling to use energy you never knew you had? Sleeping really well then insomnia hits you out of nowhere.” He leaned on the Hummer with the causality of a supermodel. “Now why don’t you get in the car and I’ll take you to school.”

I didn’t want to go. I was getting answers finally. Even if those answers lead me to more questions but still. School was not where I wanted to be. He opened the door for me and I got in the Hummer without an argument, for some reason if he asked me to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge I would.  It like he commanded authority without doing anything. I sat inside the Hummer, it was as large outside as inside. He got in, turned hard rock music on, than took off. The drive to school was silent except for the music.  I got out of the Hummer and walked around to the other side.

“You need to enjoy the next few days.”  Lysander said plainly.

“I want more answers. Give me something. Everything feels screwed up, you know what happened that night don’t you?” He looked away from me before replying. “Please tell me.”

“I asked that same question once. You are to be told only by the one who gave you that scar. Yes I was there but you will be told everything when he decides to tell you. Though, between you and me, you’ll know on Monday night. So all those answers you crave you will get.” He drove off. 

I couldn’t breathe or speak. Moving wasn’t an option ether, so I stood there. I believed every word he said. Something was going to happen on Monday night. I didn’t know what Monday night held for me and maybe that’s why it scared the crap out of me. 

I heard the school’s bell ring. Students filed out of the school so quickly that I barely noticed until my scar started to hurt again. I looked around for him. I knew it had to be him. There he was walking down the steps; I got up and followed him. He walked down the street then walked into a store and bought a large amount of red meat and other various food items and then walked out. I continued to follow him when he walked down an alley way. The whole time following him it felt like my hand was being stabbed. He walked to a dead end then turned around and looked at me. My hand now felt like it was being torn from my very body. 

“Eve, why are you following me?” He asked while placing the bags of meat on the ground and shook his head. “You talked to Lysander.”

“Yes. I did. And you gave this to me didn’t you?” I lifted my arm up. He rubbed his face then punched a brick wall leaving an indent. Brick powder made a poof in the air making him look dusty. I didn’t flinch, I punched a Hummer. I thought for a moment about punching a brick wall later to see how it felt. 

“Lysander shouldn’t have talked to you.” He dusted himself off and took a deep breath. “He is such an Alpha. Eve, just enjoy your last few days and nights. I got to go.”

“Whoa there turbo, you did this to me and now you’re walking away. Coward.” I hissed the word coward. He walked passed me then turned around again.

“I saved your life! I risked everything… You want answers?” He barked these words at me. He paused as if to stop himself from doing something.  As he paused, a smile went across his face. “Wait for them! Do not talk to Lysander or myself until Monday at 3:00 pm. Do you understand?” He ran passed me again, grabbed the bags then jumped over the walls that made it a dead end.  

I wanted to follow him, but I couldn’t. Something made me physically not able to disobey his commands. Before I knew what I was doing I was walk back to my house. I couldn’t go anywhere else. I went to my room and drew the shades, it was the middle of the day and I was more then tried. 

I woke up at seven pm and the lights were black. This didn’t bother me but something felt wrong. I walked down the stairs to see the whole house was black, I walked around the darken house without trying to flip on any lights. A note was delicately place in the middle of the dining room table; it was my mother’s handwriting.

Sweetheart,

I tried to call you, you phone must not be charged, you really need to start charging it while you sleep. This is hard to write but you voice mail was full. Your father’s great uncle died, he was the one who sent you a silver dollar for every year you were born last year. He was the oldest man in the in the family. Besides your grandpa on my side, don’t worry he is fine. You father now want to drive down to Texas and be with his mother for the funeral. I told him that you would not be missing an over a week of school because your great-great uncle who you never met died. The drive down will take a couple of days and the funeral is going to not be a quick one. I left you enough money to buy food; we’re complete out of milk. Your father is a mess he had a lot of nice memories with the man and he is facing his mortality with being the oldest. Now please be good. I’ll call you later. Love you. 

I reread the note two more times. I’ve felt alone for a while now, but now I really was. My parents were off grieving the death of relative I never met and something was going to happen to me on Monday. I was no longer scared or dreading Monday but tired of waiting. I wasn’t allowed to know anything until then. Though Lysander gave me a hit, “You are becoming what I once called lycanthropos.”  Where would I look for this? Internet was pointless because if I missed spelled a word like that I might not get the right thing. I sounded Greek but other than that I had no clue.  

I went outside it was pouring rain, it felt warm to the touch. It was wonderful to run though as I went to Serena’s house. I got there after all the lights were out except her room. I climbed up the rain gutters quickly and tip toed on her roof. This seemed too easy, like I did this sort of thing I did every day. I reached her window and tapped on it. She jumped out of her chair and turned around. She bolted to the window and flung it open, I went in. 

“What are you doing?” She closed the window and looked around her room. “You could have died. Here.” She tossed a towel at me.

“Sorry. I just didn’t want to be alone.” I wiped my face off with the towel I was drenched in rain water. “My family is heading to Texas. My great-great uncle died.”

“Sorry.” She was being polite but knowing I’ve never mentioned him, and seeing my un hurt face she knew that wasn’t what was wrong. “You can’t stay over. School and all.”

“I wasn’t asking. It’s just… have you ever heard of a Lycanthropos?” I asked Serena because she spent every other summer in Grease with her Grandparents who only spoke Greek.

“Lycanthropos?” She paused and thought on it. Her father would talk to her in Greek when he was angry but other than that they spoke in English. “Actually yes, it’s this legend. Umm, well there was this king named, Lycaon. He was this cruel leader who hated everybody. Especially Jupiter, the God of the Gods, he didn’t even believe that Jupiter was a true God. So Lycaon threw Jupiter a party. Lycaon was planning to serve Jupiter human flesh, flesh from his own son. Oh right besides that being gross, if a God eats human flesh it proved that he wasn’t a true God. Cannibalism is a huge sin. Okay, umm, so at the party Jupiter is served the human flesh and he knows it’s not you meat but you know. On the spot he turns Lycaon into a wolf man with thunder bolts. I’m pretty sure Lycanthropys are the first known werewolves. Where didga hear of them?”

She wanted a solid answer; it was out of the blue. Lycanthropys are werewolves; Lysander told me that I was becoming what he once called Lycanthropys. If I choose to believe him then that means I’m becoming a werewolf. If I told her she might think I’m crazy, or maybe she’d fear me or even kill me. I might fear myself but something deep down made me believe that I was going to become a werewolf. I held back busting through Serena’s window and finding the guy who bit me but his orders where to strong, if that was my plan I couldn’t even move. I found a believable lie and told it to Serena in my most believable voice.

“Movie, I was surfing online and I was reading a plot for a movie and one of them mentioned Lycanthropys and that sounded Greek and you go to Grease.” I was starting to go down the path of rambling. “It looks like it might be good.”

“Eh, maybe, Lycaon was sort of twisted if it’s a horror movie I won’t see it. Well I got to get back to studying.” She looked outside the window. “It stopped raining. I’ll walk you to the door.”

“No I’ll go out the window.” I open the window and walked to the edge of the roof. I looked down and jumped without thinking about it. I didn’t bother hurrying home I walked slowly on the dark street. I got to the front door when I spotted the black Hummer. I couldn’t walk to the Hummer, I couldn’t even wave at it. I sighed as I turned the door knob to get inside. I went to the kitchen where I turned on the lights. Lysander was sitting on the counter top eating a large piece of cake. 

“Hope you don’t mind, I let myself in.” He took a large bite of the cake. “So, here’s the deal I am the leader, now I never sought you out. He just gets so, ugh. Family! He should have better prepared you. You are young in your age and abilities. He forgets I told him before he got his scar, he had a choice. You weren’t truly awake when it happened.”

“I’m a werewolf?” I asked while he shoved the rest of the cake in his mouth.

“Clever pup. Well yes, it put it simply. Got any milk?” I shook my head and he frowned as he put down the empty plate. “How did you figure it out? You didn’t tell anyone did you? You didn’t. You’re scared of what your friends or family would think of you. We all go through it in our own ways. There is something else you do need to know. You’re not unique but rare. You’re a girl.”

“Yes, my b***s tipped me off to that. Is that a big deal?” I sat down on a chair to watch Lysander. Every move he made seemed like a life lesson for me, he smiled when he realized what I was doing.

“There so cute when there this age. You’re a girl werewolf. Men are over ninety five percent of our kind. Less than a half of percent makes up the second generation werewolf females. Why? Female werewolves do one of three things. One, the most common you become more aggressive and overly competent, you become a threat to our race to have alive. Your maker becomes in charge of killing you. Two, your maker doesn’t do their job to protect you on your first hunt and you kill an innocent, children or women or whomever and take their own life. Thirdly, hopefully the class you will fall under, you adjust you learn to live this life. You are eighteen correct?” he paused and waited. I nodded yes to him and he thought for a moment. “You will tell them you eloped and you’ll live with us. You may contact them threw emails or phone calls and maybe a few visit. You’re lucky, back when I was turned, letters sent out would be all communication I could have. It was impossible on our traveling to receive word on families. I was twenty two when I was turned that was middle aged back then. I had a wife…” He looked away from me then.

“Who will I elope with?” I wanted to break the silence.

“Myself or your maker. Your choice, if you wish you can have a dinner with them so they could meet your Husband.” 

“I’d rather you do it. I don’t even know my makers name. Does that make me a werewolf tramp?” I asked half jokingly.

“No, but have you ever heard the saying right place right time. He made his name a trigger. If I say it now, memories are going to flood back. Not all will be pleasant. He tried to make it, as painless as possible but it’s like having thousands of nails speeding through your veins all leading to your heart and then your brain. Your head feels like there are two people hitting your skull with two speeding cars. Fortunately your maker makes a trigger in your memory of the night. So while you gain all the powers and all the knowledge you don’t, you’ll know Monday. That I cannot share.” 

“Okay. Can’t say I’m too excited to find out that answer. Umm, they won’t be back till after Monday.  Can we do it Friday?” He smiled and nodded. He jumped off the counter top and took my hand.

“Good night.” He gently kissed my hand and let himself out. I heard the Hummer drive away and I felt something. I wasn’t sure what. I went inside the living room and watched late night TV. I watched until around six am when I fell asleep and didn’t wake up till twelve.