Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy (9 page)

Before Adam could retaliate, he was struck with a head butt. He released his hold on the creature’s arm and instinctively brought his hand to his face. With his free hand Merik grabbed hold of Adam’s groin and lifted him into the air. The door shook in its jamb as whoever was outside desperately tried to get in.

“Get security! Mr. Corne, open this door.”

There’s too many distractions, I’m losing this fight. Betty . . .

Adam was pulled down and slammed into the rogue wolf’s knee. His spine cracked as it folded under the weight. He roared in pain before he was tossed out the open window. His body hit the ground and a soft whimper escaped.

Get up!

Try as he might, his body just would not—could not—obey. Every bone felt as if it was broken, every breath a chore to take.

Come on
.

He extended his arm and plunged his claws into the earth and braced himself. As he managed to get his chest up and a knee under him, a massive force drove him back down, crushing his spine once more and reversing the little healing that had taken place in the short span.

A scream in the distance rang in his ear.

Betty? Did you pull out of it?

Teeth clamped down on the back of his neck.

Make it stop
, he thought as overwhelming pressure continued to be applied. He could feel the teeth move under his skin.
This is it. I failed. Forgive me, Heavenly Father.

A cold permeated his mind, followed by numbness. The world spun as his head tumbled away from his body.

His body lay just a few feet away. Blood pumped out and pooled around the shoulders. He felt the metamorphosis reverse in his face, then saw his body undergo the change.

The rogue wolf howled in triumph.

“What is that thing?” someone asked.

“Just shoot it!” another said.

Gunfire echoed in the air and the rogue dashed toward the surrounding woods.

Adam watched as two security guards approached his naked, headless body.

“Poor bastard.”

“Yeah, I feel bad. Our first instinct was that he killed his wife.”

Betty’s dead? No.

“I know, right? He was killed by the same thing.”

“Why’d that thing take his clothes though?”

“Beats me.”

I’m not dead
. He tried to blink at the guards, but they were no longer looking at him and he couldn’t be certain if he had anyhow.

“What was it?”

“No clue.”

Look out!

“Better call it in before—”

A clawed hand burst through the man’s abdomen. Blood and intestines spilled to the ground. Adam watched the beast flank the two jibber-jabbing guards. He wanted to warn them, but without his nervous system, nothing responded. The other guard could only look on in horror as the beast pulled its arm free and his friend’s body dropped to its knees, then slumped forward. In a flash, razor sharp claws peeled the skin off the man’s face. The body fell backwards and convulsed before remaining still.

I’ll see you dead
.
You took everything from me
, Adam thought as the rogue wolf lowered its maw toward him.

The creature sniffed the air around him, then stepped away. Adam felt a tingling sensation in his neck. He didn’t understand why he was still alive and had no clue if this was to be his future, his own personal prison.
Trapped inside my body just like Betty.
What is that?

Red tendrils stretched and slithered toward his body.

Could it be?
He questioned as the tendrils elongated from his body’s neckline.
Yes. Those are my veins.

Guided by an unnatural force, the veins intertwined and fused together. The world moved in a blur as his head was dragged across the earth and pulled back in place. A few moments more, veins, muscles, ligaments and bones locked and intertwined, and he was whole. He stood. Not as man, but beast. The rogue wolf turned around as if sensing the danger and charged. With Adam’s anger reaching its pinnacle, the healing completed in time for him to receive the beast’s attack. Grabbing it by the shoulders, he leaned backward and drove his rear paws into its abdomen, his claws slicing into its flesh. Using the creature’s own momentum he tossed it to the ground behind him and quickly spun around.

He swiped his claw and raked his nails across its neck. Blood bubbled from the wound as it struggled to breathe.

This is going to get us nowhere. I need my gun
, he thought as he looked to his van. As he took a step in its direction, his enemy clamped onto his leg.
I’m getting tired of you biting me.

He plunged his fingers into the beast’s eyes, the soft tissue bursting juices on impact. It released its hold with a yelp. Adam placed one hand on the beast’s upper jaw and one on the bottom, then pulled with all his might. Bones cracked and tendons popped as the top of the beast’s head separated from his body.

How do you like it?

Adam cradled the severed head like a football and walked toward his van. He knew the more distance between the head and body the more time he had to retrieve the only means of putting this war to an end. He reversed the change as he came up on the driver’s side of the van. If he was going to do this, he was going to do it as a father and husband, not a monster.

“You’ll be my trophy,” he said as he placed the head on the adjacent seat. The severed head’s gaze followed his every move and Adam smiled. He reached behind his seat and retrieved his other shotgun. He checked the barrel: it was still loaded. “Be right back.”

As he approached Merik’s body, the feint sound of sirens reached his ears.

Gotta move fast. Those guards didn’t get to call in what they really saw in Betty’s room. They’ll arrest me on sight. Can’t believe I’m going to be blamed for my wife’s death. Betty?
He looked up toward her window and wondered what state the monster left her in.
Better not to think about it
, he thought.

Merik’s body was still in wolf form and Adam couldn’t help but wonder if age was a direct link to power. He hoped to find out for himself. He aimed the barrel at the creature’s heart and with a little pressure on the trigger, a crater emerged, blood and chunks of hairy flesh erupted on impact. The body’s transformation reversed and Adam knew then the job was done. He dashed back to his van and looked into Merik’s green, dead eyes.

“May we meet again in Hell,” he said, closing the door and starting the engine.

The sirens drew closer.

Texas and New Mexico are out of the question. They’ll find me. Can’t risk it. I’ll have to call Patrick. It’ll be up to him, though I’d hate to put that much responsibility on his shoulders. Perhaps Joel will help? I’ll need to call him, too.

Swirling red and blue lights rose on the horizon in his rearview mirror.

Time to move
. He revved the engine. “What’s it like living in London?” he asked Merik as he put the shift into drive. “Fine, don’t tell me. Guess I’ll just have to find out for myself. I’ll take your place as guardian and I will not be tempted. God is already disappointed with me and I will not fail Him again.”

The only question is how to get there, by air or sea? By sea, the van can travel with me.

As he pulled out of the parking lot, he noticed several of the nurses on staff staring out the windows. They’d make his van for sure and he’d have to ditch it.

Air it is. Looks like you’ll finally be getting your wish, Betty. Give my love to Julia.

* * * *

Steve Figura watched from a safe distance as Tony Paiva and his lackeys picked on an underclassman. The jocks shoved the boy around as if he was a hacky-sack. They laughed and giggled like little kids half their age as the boy, one-by-one, dropped his textbooks.

“Jerk-offs,” he mumbled.
Just once I wish someone would kick their ass.
But no one ever did anything to help.

Though he knew he was being a hypocrite, he gathered his belongings into his backpack, stood, and walked toward first period. When he had stepped off the bus this morning he thought he’d forgot his Algebra homework, but it was there, tucked safely in the book.

I can’t wait to leave this place behind
, he thought.

Graduation day was coming; two more weeks of high school then he’d leave Massachusetts behind and move to live with his father. With their prior planning, everything was in place. By the end of summer he would’ve had his Florida State driver’s license for a year, allowing him in-state tuition rates.

No more cold winters. No more asthma attacks. Nothing but blue skies and sunshine coming my way.

“Hey, Steve!”

Here it comes
, he thought.

The one event he had to get through before his life began to turn for the better was prom. Unfortunately, he didn’t have a date and that meant he would have to make good on an old promise.

“I talked to your mother last night,” Cathy said.

Oh great!
“I haven’t forgotten, and yes, I’m going to keep my promise. We’ll go.”

Cathy’s face radiated as color filled her cheeks. A smile formed and Steve was taken aback.

“You’re braces are off.”

“I know, isn’t it great? The timing couldn’t be any better.” A tear ran down the left side of her face. “I was so worried the pictures of the greatest night of our life would be ruined, but now . . . we’re going to have a great time, I promise. My mom’s picking me up after school to get a dress so you’ll be riding home alone, sorry.”

She’s getting too excited
. “Cathy, I don’t want you to—”

“I know you don’t want to be my boyfriend, and I’m not going to pressure you. Let’s just have a good time like two best friends should, okay?”

He smiled. “Okay.”

“Walk me to class?”

“Of course.”

As they walked toward Mr. Murphy’s class, Steve couldn’t help but wonder why he had ever made such a stupid promise. He and Cathy grew up together, helped each other through their parents’ respective divorces, but not once had he ever thought of her as anything more than a friend.
Best friend
was pushing it, though, and yet here he was making good on a three-year-old promise. Even without the braces, Cathy wasn’t what he considered attractive.

Am I this desperate? Why do I even want to go to this stupid thing? I hate these people.

“Penny for your thoughts?” she said, interrupting him.

“I was just wondering why I even want to go to this stupid dance.”

She rolled her eyes. “It’s not stupid. It’s a right of passage. Think of it as a reward for all our hard work. Besides, it’s a party, and how many have you attended during your senior year?”

“None.”

“Me, too. And everybody who’s anybody will be there. The nerds and the jocks, the beautiful and the plain, we’re all invited.”

“Just because we’re all invited doesn’t mean it’s going to be all kumbaya.”

“What’s wrong with you today, you’re usually not this moody?”

“I’m just anxious. I wish I could fast forward through these next two weeks.”

“I know you’re going to go to Florida and all, but I was hoping we could at least enjoy this time together. I kind of took it as a sign you didn’t ask any of the girls to go to the prom. As if you wanted to go with me, but were too afraid to ask.”

Yeah right!
“I’ve just been busy, and besides, I don’t like anyone here.”

“Except for me, right?”

“Ri-ght.”

“You’re such a kidder,” she said.

“And what about you? I don’t recall seeing you asking any boys out. Did you intentionally
not
have a date?”

“Maybe. Me asking you to promise to take me to the prom if neither of us had a date was my way of testing the waters. You know I like you—really like you—and I have something special to give you prom night.”

What do you say to that?

“Don’t worry, it’s not a bunny boiling kind of crush.” She kissed him on the cheek and entered their English classroom.

He stood there for a moment, shocked at Cathy’s behavior. Maybe losing the braces had given her newfound confidence?

“What’s the matter, never been kissed by a girl before?” Tony asked.

“Well, she may be a girl, but she’s still a dog,” Louie, Tony’s right hand man, said.

“Like I care about your opinion on anything.”

“Don’t worry, man,” Tony said, shoving his shoulder into Steve as he walked through the door, “the ugly ones always put out.”

Louie followed like the dog he was. “Yeah, you can’t beat a sure thing.”

Steve narrowed his eyes at the two as they walked into the room and took their seats.

“Is there a problem, Mr. Figura?” Mr. Murphy asked.

“No, sir.”

Steve took his seat and stole a glance at Cathy. She smiled in return.

Is that what she wants to give me? That would only complicate things. Yuck. A shiver ran through him.

Mr. Murphy placed his briefcase on his desk and began the day’s lesson, but with only two weeks left of school he was lucky to have the attention of half the class. Steve’s eyes were either focused on the clock or the neighboring window, not on the blackboard.

Later, with only ten minutes left of first period, Mr. Murphy said, “For your final assignment” —the class groaned— “I want you each to research and write a term paper on a myth or legend. It is up to you to find one that interests you. I won’t force one on you.”

I could write a killer paper on Dracula . . . but one of these lame-asses will probably do the same. Maybe werewolves?

“I expect ten pages double-spaced and an appendix detailing your sources. This assignment will constitute fifty percent of your grade. So for most of you, this is an opportunity to improve your overall grade.”

Yeah right. Most of them are going to screw this up.

“These will be due on the final day of class. I know most of you still have preparations for prom to make, and final exams in other classes, but two weeks is more than enough time for this assignment. Any questions?”

No one responded.

“All right, then, enjoy the rest of your day.”

With that, the bell rang and the class shuffled out. There was only six minutes between periods and Steve wasted no time getting to his next class. Though he knew it made him look geeky, he didn’t understand why so few used a backpack. So many of his classmen preferred to go to their lockers to switch out books between classes and most were late by a few minutes. As long as the teachers didn’t complain, Steve knew that kind of behavior would continue.
Just wait till you try that in the real world, boys. Ain
’
t gonna fly.

The rest of the day was a blur. Steve’s mind was preoccupied on which of his favorite myths he was going to research. He loved everything that fell within the realm of horror, from movies to comics, and this was a great opportunity to do a class project he was passionate about. He knew some of his favorite classic monsters were based on some truth like Dracula being inspired by Vlad Tepes and Elizabeth Bathory aiding the belief in vampirism. Though outside of Indian folklore, he didn’t know what might’ve been the initial inspiration for the shape shifter and this intrigued him.

On the bus he sat alone, minding his own business and itching to get on the computer. Tony Paiva stood at the end of the bench with Louie looking over his shoulder.

“Move.”

“Go find your own seat,” he said, not bothering to look at the two punks.

“We want to sit together,” Louie said. “It’s easier for you to find another seat.”

“That’s cute. Bully someone else.”

Tony crossed his arms. “If you don’t get up now, I’ll knock your teeth in.”

Steve looked to the back of the bus. Since his was the second stop, it would be a pain to have to step over all the legs stretched out into the aisle and waste valuable time. “I don’t think so.”

Tony grabbed him by the collar.

“Knock it off!” the bus driver said. “Go find a seat.”

“This isn’t over,” Tony mumbled, then walked toward the back.

Louie gave him the bird and followed Tony.

Steve just shook his head.
What a bunch of jerks.

Fifteen minutes later, the bus pulled up to Clancy Street and Steve got off and walked toward his house. When the bus pulled away, he realized it had lingered longer than usual and when he turned to check, Tony and Louie were running toward him.

No way I’ll make it to the house and get the door closed in time
, he thought, dropping his backpack.
This is going to hurt.

He raised his fists, but Tony was showing no signs of stopping. He braced himself for the impact.

Tony lowered his head and took aim at Steve’s midsection. Just as he was in range, Steve grabbed hold of Tony’s waist and twisted his body, slamming him to the ground. Positioning himself on his knees, Steve managed to land a punch square on Tony’s jaw.

As he raised his arm to deliver another blow, Louie grabbed him from behind.

“Coward!”

“Like I’m gonna let you beat him up.”

“Hold him still,” said Tony as he got to his feet.

Tony curled his right hand into a fist, brought it back and unleashed a punch into Steve’s exposed stomach. He tried to hold his breath to help take the blow, but it was too strong. He gasped, and Louie released his hold and he fell to his knees.

“Get up!”

“What are you kids doing? I’m calling the cops!”

Thank you, Mrs. Langler.

“Let’s get out of here,” Louie said, then turned and ran.

“You got lucky this time.” Tony kicked him in the midsection before running off.

At least there won’t be any visible bruises
, Steve thought.

Never could he have imagined being happy about his next-door neighbor’s nosiness. She had a knack for squealing on him whenever the opportunity presented itself. He had been grounded for a month when Mrs. Langler called his mother to let her know he had climbed out of his bedroom window, shimmied down the lattice, and ran off. His mother had known immediately where he was going because he had begged and pleaded to go see
Death Puppet
and she refused. When he arrived at the theater, twenty minutes before show time, an officer was waiting to take him home.

Though I learned to cover my tracks better, I still haven’t seen that movie. And I’ve heard such good things, too. You old hag.

She watched him through the sheer drapes. He waved to her as he bent down to pick up his backpack. After he fished out his keys from his pants pocket, he walked to the front door. A quick glance over his shoulder told him she was still watching so he smiled and waved one last time before entering his house.

Once inside, he tossed his backpack on the sofa, turned on the television, then headed upstairs to his room.
I look forward to our chat, Mother
, he thought and smiled.

So many times she had complained vehemently for him to pick up after himself, to not waste electricity, and if he saw something that needed doing to get it done. He intentionally ignored those requests and drove her nuts.

He turned on the computer and when it was booted up, he began his research by entering “lycanthropy” in the search field. He found nothing he didn’t know already, but then at the bottom of the page, under a hyper-link, he saw the words “lycanthropous flower”.

If that’s anything like it sounds . . .

He clicked the link and it took him to a website with the picture of a poorly rendered computer image of a werewolf, and the toughest readable font imaginable in yellow against a red background.

Eyes squinted, he struggled to read the information.

That’s interesting
, he thought.

The lycanthropous flower was found on the
Balkan Mountains
, which ran through the center of
Bulgaria
into eastern
Serbia
, and when worn during a full moon turn its wearer into a werewolf.
That’s supposedly the Transylvanian region.
How authentic
. He chuckled at the thought.
If only it were true.

He hovered his mouse over another hyper-link, this one for purchasing.
If only. Wait . . .
The date of the prom had been circled on his calendar, and in the upper right hand corner, the days displayed the lunar cycle.
There’s a full moon during prom. Interesting. Could be fun, even if it is a pipe dream. Let’s see how much.

The link opened an online shop in another window. The plant itself was fifteen dollars and thanks to the new flat rate priority postal boxes, shipping was an additional thirteen.