Voices

This is my favorite chapter of the whole book.

I

 hear a knock on the door that wakes me. Slowly, I rise from the bed. The knocks turn into urgent bangs. I snatch the door open; it’s Robyn. Her face is startling and she’s out of breath. Her eyes are red from crying and her nose is red from the crisp, spring night air.

            “Is Gracie in there?” she hurriedly asks. I nod, opening the door wider. I point at the bed. Robyn scowls and I look back at the bed; she’s not there. I freeze in my place; where could she have gone. 

“*Dove si trova, Robyn?” I inquire.

            “Kieron!” Tylor yells, running towards my room down the hall. He stops next to Robyn with Jarvis, his voice cracking; this cannot be good. “It’s Gracie! Ashton’s with her!”

   This cannot be good. I run outside behind Tylor. The police sirens wail in the distance of the night. Some students stand outside the cabin with worried expressions on their faces. “Gracielyn…” I mumble under my breath.

   I recognize Ashton staggering towards us from the trees. I observe Gracielyn dangling in his arms. I pick up my speed towards them, but the closer I get to them, the slower I run. I stop before him, breathless, speechless, and lifeless.  He holds her body out to me, his eyes full of anger.

   I grab her body; it’s as cold as…death. I whine, dropping to my knees. Her body is covered in red and purple wounds. “No, Gracielyn…” I stutter, my voice broken. “Please! Don’t be dead! It’s okay, the police are coming. Hold on, baby.”

   But she doesn’t move…she doesn’t moan…she doesn’t blink…she’s lifeless. I grip her body closer to mine, gazing off into the distance. I can feel the hot tears gush down my face.  The police arrive and they immediately try to separate us. I grip her tighter, hovering over her. My emotions clump up in my throat; I can’t speak or yell.

   The police try to pull her, but I resist. Kieron!  a voice barks in my head as if it’s standing next to me. Let her go. I instantly relax, but my heart tells me that I shouldn’t let go.

***

I sit in a dark corner of my room, my knees to my chest. Bullets of sweat drip from my body, creating a cold puddle around my body. I shake and rock, my mouth jitters. Saliva glides down my chin. My body is in the worst of agony, my head spinning.

   I keep hearing soft whispers in my head, fading in and out from booming barks to small whimpers. We have to… one of the voices growls. I flinch at his guttural tone. How much longer will we keep this from…?

   I clutch my ears. “Get out of my head!” I cry. “Go away!”

   A violent tremble rushes down my spine. I hit the wall to my right, cracking it. The voices subside. My body relaxes; a relieving sigh passes my lips. I feel stronger once they’re gone. I gather myself to my feet and I walk to the bathroom for a shower. I return to my room and I place on a pair of gray sweats.

   I sit on my bed. The strong Fall breeze knocks heavily at my window. I growl. I clinch my fists and rush over to the window. I snatch it open and a cool breeze hits my chest. Calmati. a soothing voice purrs in my head. A gush of ease washes over me. The curtains dance with the coming breeze. Come to me, my son.

   I glower, but I do not question my insanity right now. I walk downstairs and into the bright, warm living room. I open the backdoor of the house. The sun is setting behind the trees. I walk towards the thicket as a wolf howls in the calm, remoteness.

   I mechanically walk deep into the forest, listening to calling purr in my head. I must keep walking and maybe when I get where it wants me, the voice will stop. Soon, the voice settles and I stop in a small opening between the tall redwood trees. The cold ground under my feet melts from my body heat. The evening forest noises of calling frogs and chirping birds suddenly die as if a Predator as entered the area.

            It is time…I. the voice announces.   

   I hear a growl erupt from behind me. A sharp chill rushes down my spine and my body locks up. I can feel eyes watching me. Slowly, three horse-size beasts emerge from the shadows at angles around me, like a triangle formation. Their eyes lock on me. I observe that they’re wolves focused on me. I can’t run.

   A grayish-brown wolf inches closer to me. Automatically, I punch the beast in the nose. He whimpers, shaking it off. A light-gray wolf stops in its tracks along with the grayish-brown one. But the dark brown wolf still pursues me. I accept death now; there’s nothing a mere human like me can do.

            This is hopeless.  I hear Ashton’s unsatisfied tone in my head. The dark brown wolf stops in his tracks, shaking his head. I’m tired of the games.

   I scowl, assuming that these three wolves mean no harm. The dark brown wolf growls and snarls at me. I jump back, landing on my butt. His aggression reminds me of my brother, Ashton. My brother…a wolf?

   The grayish-brown wolf growls. Werewolf is the correct term.

   He can hear me?

            We all can, Kieron. Robyn’s voice enters my head. She must be the light-gray wolf. She sits and barks playfully.

            “What the hell is going on?” I ask. In a blink of an eye, my three, human siblings stand before me. 

Behind them emerges a large, reddish-brown wolf. It strides next to Robyn. She gazes into my eyes. I gasp; my mother. “*Avete ereditato un dono.” my father greets, erupting behind me.

   I can’t take my eyes off my mother; she’s so majestic. “A gift?” I ask.

   Vincent nods. “You’re a young, powerful, and immortal werewolf.”

   I’m shaken from her beauty. “Immortal?” I ask, choking on the word. My mother barks in agreement. I bend over, catching my breath. I start coughing, falling to my hands and knees. I shake my head. This is all a part of my insanity. I look up at my mother with desperate eyes, but she turns her head from me. “Impossible!” I shout.

   Ashton chuckles. “Why do you insist on proving us wrong?”

            “Because I refuse to believe that some fantasy is my new reality.” I growl. I can feel the rocky rumble erupt from my diaphragm. That triggers Ashton to lunge at me. he holds my arm tightly to hold me up from my uncontrollable stance.

            “Believe, little brother!” he barks,

            “No!” I fight.

            “YOU WILL!”

            “NO!” I bark. I push him away from me. I fall to my back, writhing on the ground. My skin starts protruding white, fuzzy fur through the pores. I look down at my hands curling back. White fur obscures them and long, sharp claws emerge. I watch the fur crawl up my arms, to face. I close my eyes to keep it from getting in my eyes. Everything hurts.

   Before the pain reaches its peak, it ends. I open my eyes; my eyesight is blurry as if a veil covers them. I stumble back, shaking my head. When I open my eyes again, five wolves stand before me. Their tails wag in excitement. Iris steps up to me and nuzzles me.

            I have my son now. she whimpers.

            White?  Orlando groans. Lucky.

   Iris licks my face. Ashton runs odd with Orlando and Robyn behind him. Vincent is a gray wolf. He turns to follows behind them. Iris joins his side. I take a step; I wobble to the ground. I roll back onto my paws. I try again with a better balance. I slowly start trotting until I gain full balance. I start running with my family.

            How are you in my head? I ask as we take a slow jog through the trees

            A pack that’s strongly bonded will develop a common trait amongst our kind. You can hear us and our thoughts, or you could block us out. Iris answers.

   Orlando pounces on my back and we tumble to the ground, rolling and playfully growling at each other. I pounce to my feet, dashing forward. He chases me. I barely notice him behind me; my mind is wrapped around the way my eyes calculate the smallest critter on the ground. My paws swiftly dodge the roots hidden by the dirt. I dash in and out of the redwood trees. My tongue slaps my face as I pick up more speed. My claws dig deep into the Earth to get a grip and sense of balance. I can feel my muscles pumping what feels like an endless supply of energy, my lungs are barely tiring out.

   Vincent suddenly barks and my body halts. Don’t’ go too far, Kieron; you’ll run out the state. he orders. This is excellent progress.

            Progress my a*s. Ashton growls.

            What’s your problem? I ask.

   He doesn’t answer. I hear heavy paws running up to me from behind. His scent hits me. I turn around and spot Ashton lounging for me. I jump out the way. I lower into a defensive stance, snarling at him.  He slides on the earth, stopping and turning to me. I can stop treating you like a baby. he snarls.

   I try to read his next move, but I feel a blow to the head. He tackles me in my confusion. We both bark in laughter. I push him off, lying on my stomach. I see what Iris means when she said we could block each other’s thoughts.

            Why don’t you fight me?

            Have you seen yourself? You’re too big to fight. he answers. I sense a little jealousy. He snaps at me. Don’t push me. He shows me what I look like.

   I’m as tall as full-grown stallion, covered in lush, white fur with sapphire eyes that glow as bright as the moon. I can see the muscles in my front and hind legs flex through my thick fur.

   Robyn nuzzles me as we all regroup. She’s glad that I made the phase. I have so many questions. “Like what?” she asks, returning to flesh.

            Well, for starters, how do I turn back into being human?”

   Robyn shows me a picture of my human body. “Imitate that.” I try it; the white fur folds back under my skin. My hands uncurl and I lose my tail. I have my sweats back.

            “The clothes stay?” I inquire.

            “It adds to our fur.” she answers.

   I nod. “How long have you guys kept this from me?”

            “We were trying to tell you, but you were enjoying your human life so much.” Vincent explains. “it was definitely a bad time to tell you after…” He pauses in his sentence. I look away. I was too involved in my world with Gracielyn that it prohibited my phase. Well, at least I have the answers to my mysterious growth.

   I look down at my hands; an apparition of Gracie appears in my hands, I smile as she touches my face. I close my eyes; she feels so real. Robyn touches my shoulder, looking at my hands, too. “She’s as real to me as she is to you.” Her voice cracks.

   Orlando stands, turning to the starry sky, We all look up at the moon as he howls to it. 

Author's Note

*Dova si trova - where is she?
The blue lettering is the conversation inside their heads.
*Avete ereditato un dono - you have inherited a gift