As the shadows of midnight closed in around them, the two intrepid agents crept forward, their guns at the ready. The creature that had killed the mop-up detail the Agency had sent was out there somewhere ... somewhere not far ahead. The sounds of the forest seemed loud after the stillness of the camp they had left behind ... the camp that had once held five agents much like themselves. As their senses strained to pick out any hint of their enemy's location, Agent Lodestone turned to her partner and said ...
"Harv, we're out of snacks again."
<sigh>
"Larissa, do you have to break character like that?"
"I'm sorry", she says as she ducks her head sheepishly, sending a cascade of blonde hair into her face. "I missed lunch".
"There's some vienna sausages in the cabinet. But hurry up!", I call after her as she disappears into the kitchen. Meanwhile, Bill shakes his head and then puts his head on his hand, a study in amusement ... at my expense.
Sometimes I wonder if being the first GM in Barken was such a good idea. Not that I had to but anything, mind you. I still had my background tapes from the group I ran in Dallas, not to mention a ton of games ... Enforcers, Bureau 13, AD&D, Traveller ... plenty of stuff, and plenty of dice. And the first day after Mom and I moved to Barken, I hooked up with a couple of gamers through the community center bulletin board. We've been playing for a couple of weeks now, mostly superhero and horror ... the fantasy stuff needs more than two players, really. Tonight, we ... I mean they ... are Agents Lodestone and Compass, hot on the trail of a mysterious beast.
Or they were, until Larissa had a snack attack. Sheesh. Next time, I get the cheap chips. You can get more. While Bill and I wait, I check the forest sounds tape and get my handouts ready. Finally, she gets back to the table and we get back to the game.
"Okay. Agent Lodestone, you and Agent Compass are deep within the woods of Bandera State Park, following a trail from the camp where the lost cleanup squad was supposed to be waiting. The silvery moonlight is broken by the overhanging branches, making your line of sight no more than ... oh, about ten feet. The night is still, except for the ... "
"I get out my flashlight.", Bill says, brushing his long brown hair back from his face with one hand.
"I grab the flashlight from him."
"Huh?"
"Okay, you have a hold on the flashlight", I tell her ... after rolling some dice to confuse things, of course.
"Why'd you grab my light?"
"Think about it, genius. We bring out the flashlights, whatever we're after can see us better than we can see it."
"Is she right, Harv?"
"Hey, I'm just the game master, don't ask me", I reply with a smile.
"Uh-oh ... when you start smiling, I know something's wrong. Okay, no flashlights. Let's follow the path."
"Finally."
"Okay. You come to a clearing with a picnic table. It has two benches attached to it at the sides. A few paces away, there's a firepit. On the other side of the clearing, you can see a path leading into the open. What do you do?"
"I'll go check that path. Someone might be hiding there."
"Okay, while Bill's doing that, I'll check the firepit. Has it been used recently?"
Before I can answer, Bill interrupts. "Yeah, like some ravening monster's gonna burn something."
"Hey, I'm looking for evidence."
"Of what, hot dogs?"
"Oh, real cute, mister turn-on-the-flashlight-or-they-might-miss-us."
"Watch it, Larissa ..."
"Or you'll do what?"
While they bicker, I rub the bridge of my nose. This is the reason it takes us days of near-solid game sessions to finish an adventure. Not to mention I've been getting a headache all day. Sometimes it feels like my head's a door and someone's trying to break it down. Finally, I've had enough. I get up from the table. "Listen", I say, "When you two decide to actually play this game, let me know. I'll be outside ... getting some air." I'm not sure they even hear me as I head for the door.
Once outside, I move off into the shadows to keep from having to dodge the junebugs around the porch light. Reaching behind me, I start rubbing my neck. For a minute, I feel a ... well, sort of a jerk in my left leg. But it stops, so I turn to head back inside. I reach for the doorknob ... and stop.
My hand looks funny. Kinda dark. And my nails look longer.
Huh.
I reach for the doorknob again ... and stop.
Wasn't that doorknob a bit lower a minute ago?
Huh.
I reach for the doorknob one more time ...
And my pants fall down.
Oh, good grief. I bend over to pick them up ... but I fall over, just barely catching myself with my hands. I stand back up ...
And fall into the bushes.
What the ... ?
I crawl out of the bushes and shake my head ... whoa, that felt weird. I'm still wearing my shirt, but my pants are still on the sidewalk. And the door looks huge. I move into the porchlight a little and try to get a look at my hands, but there's something in the way. So I try to look around it.
Huh? How's this thing moving with me? I mean, it looks kinda like that mask I wore one Halloween a while back. Only I know I'm not wearing a mask. Anyway, I bend my head down to look at my hands ... only they're paws. Big, black paws.
Mother.
Okay, I tell myself, get a grip. First, is this a dream?
Well, I tell myself, the bruise in my side where I fell over hurts ... so no, it isn't.
Okay, I tell myself next. Am I crazy?
Hmmm ... could be. I mean, you hear about people going crazy all the time. Even people who think they've turned into some kinda creature. So, yeah, it's possible. I don't wanna be crazy ... but it's possible.
Now, I say to myself, if I'm just crazy, and hallucinating, then I should be able to get back inside. I mean, I don't really have paws, I have hands, right?
...
Right?
I decide to get back to myself on that.
Anyway, if I want help, I need to get back inside. So I go over to the door, prop my ... my hands up on the brick next to the door, and reach for the latch on the screen.
<SCRAPE>
Now waitaminnit ... ! I'm just hallucinating, right? So I have hands, right? So I can just reach over and unlatch the screen door and ...
<SCRAPE>
Oh, come on ...
<SCRAPE>
Now, this isn't funny!
<SCRAPE>
Suddenly, I hear a low, rumbling noise. I turn to check the street for cars ... and it stops. Great. Here I am, pawing ... yeah, I guess I'm pawing ... at the screen door, and probably someone's getting a good look at my bare behind ...
I hear the low rumbling again. It stops again when I ... turn ...
Waitaminnit.
Was that me?
I sniff the air and the ground, but there isn't any ... one ...
What'd I just do?
I do know what the next thing I do is. I'm whimpering.
Calm down, I tell myself. Just call out to Bill and Larissa. They'll hear you and get help. All you have to do is say 'Help'. You can do that, right?
...
Right?
Oh, well. Might as well try.
"Reh ... " I stop. That weird kinda warped-sounding thing is me? I try Larissa's name. "Ruhrihruh ... rrrrruhrihruh ... raw, reh."
Even 'oh, great' can't make it out right. Then I hear it.
Silence. They've stopped fighting. Then, I hear them coming to the door. Weird how loud it sounds with them walking on that hard tile. Then I hear Bill.
"Hey, maybe it's a werewolf, come to eat us up."
"Yeah, right. You first."
Larissa sound really ...
Uh-oh ... werewolf?
Could I ...
But ...
And ...
I run from the step into the darkness. If I am a werewolf, I need to keep away from the people I care about. I don't wanna eat people! So I run.
"Harv?"
Silence.
"Harvey?"
"Hey, 'd you scare him off with your face?"
"Real funny, Bill. Doesn't look like he's ... hey wait ... what's this?" Larissa picked up a pile of cloth from the cement path.
It was Harvey's pants.
Larissa and Bill looked at each other.
Then, as one, they said ...
"Oh, boy."
As I run past the Seven-Eleven, I look around for some place to hide.
<BANG> <YELP>
Blasted garbage can.
Dodging around the spilled garbage, I start running again. If I wasn't so nervous, this might be fun. Wind in my fur, interesting smells, cars on the road ahead of me ...
Cars on the road ahead of me!?
YIPE!
<SCREECH>
"Hey, watch it!"
Panting, I get to the other side of the road. Traffic is not a werewolf's friend. I head for an alley and lie down to rest a minute.
Ouch! What the ... ? Oh. Just one of my shirt buttons. I'd take the thing off, but I don't think my paws work that way. Besides, then I'd be naked!
Intellectually, I know it's silly. I mean, I'm a werewolf, for goodness' sake. Emotionally ...
The shirt stays. Definitely.
There, in the darkness, I consider my options.
Option 1: Turn myself in and get help.
Problems: Can't talk, can't write, they won't know I'm a werewolf, they'll send me to Animal Control.
Scratch that idea.
Option 2: Run off and hide in the woods, live off the land, hope I change back in the morning, get used to the woods if I don't. Not a bad idea ...
Problems: No woods. I'm in the desert, for crying out loud. Besides, what do I know how to hunt? And if I change back, do I want to be standing half-naked in the rocks?
And I'd miss Mom.
I lay my head on my paws. She doesn't deserve to think I just vanished or ran away from home. Besides, where would I go?
Option 3: ...
Okay, I haven't gotten that far.
I wanna go home. I don't like being stuck out here in the dark. I don't like the dark much.
The bruise on my side, (not to mention the one on my head from the garbage can), is still aching. I guess that regeneration stuff is just a story. I'm still panting from running across the road and I'm tired and I'm scared and I'm ...
Hmph. I smile to myself a little. Some werewolf I make. I haven't even been out here ... hey, I haven't even been a werewolf a whole hour.
But I still wanna go home.
Just then, a dog comes into the alley. I can hear the tick, tick, tick of his claws on the cement. I turn and look at him.
I wonder how I know it's a ... never mind, I'm not sure I want to know how I know it's a he.
The schnauzer mix comes over to me and sniffs me once or twice. I sniff him once or twice, too. Not a bad smell.
Then he ... he twists! he kinda ... stretches out and twists and bends and ...
I jump to my feet and run the other way.
<BANG>
Stupid trashcan.
Bob looked after the new kid, watching him glance off the garbage can at the mouth of the alley.
Huh. Not too friendly. He frowned as he reached his in-between shape. Kid sure smelled familiar, though. But why was he wearing a short in that form?
Turning at the click of claws, he saw a cocker spaniel and a mutt. "Hi, you two", he said. "Out for a run?"
Larissa and Bill shifted to their in-between shapes too. "Mister Johnson, did you see anyone you didn't recognize tonight?"
"Now, you two know I don't know everyone in town ... " Then he noticed the way they were shifting from paw to paw. "All right, you two. What happened?"
About seven alleys later, I stop running, my tongue hanging out of my mouth.
Geez, that feels weird.
Looking around, I'm not even sure where I am any more.
<whimper>
Which way do I go?
Finally, I turn to the right, where I can see the local grade school playground. I go and lie down on the merry-go-round. The cold metal feels kinda good right now. I decide to close my ... eyes ... just for ... a few ...
As they came to the edge of the playground, the three weredogs stopped, sniffing the air.
"He's here, all right", Bill said.
"What was your first clue, Sherlock?", Larissa asked as she pointed to the sleeping form on the merry-go-round. She started toward it ...
Bob grabbed her arm. "Wait. He won't know you like this."
"I'm just going to tell him what's happening ... "
Bob shook his head. "You couldn't get close enough. He's scared right now." A smile lit up his face. "But I know someone who can help."
I wake up when the woman comes into the playground area.
"Hello there, boy ... are you friendly?"
Gee, I hope so. I sniff her hand when she holds it out. She smells nice. I lick her hand and taste cinnamon, sugar ...
Blech! And hand cream!
"Would you like to come home with me, boy?"
Hmm ... go home with a sweet-acting old lady ... or spend another day and night on the streets?
I don't care if it isn't very wolfish, I just want a warm place and some food. And my wagging tail says it all. Well, actually it started doing that when I was still deciding, but I'm not going to turn around and watch it now. I decide to sit up and rear back.
<CLANG>
Ow!
I hit my head when I fall over on the merry-go-round. But I pick myself up in a hurry.
I walk right alongside her as we go to ... well, wherever we're going. I hope it has a nice, warm place for me to sleep. Sometimes she bends down and rubs my head. It feels nice. I like her.
Finally, she heads for the door of a brick two-story, with me close behind her. Taking a key from her pocket, she quickly unlocks the door and lets me in.
Wow ...
This place is beautiful.
I look and sniff at soft furniture, thick carpets, and a big brick fireplace.
"Here, boy! You want some food?"
I decide the tour can wait.
"Oh, here, let me get that off you." She quickly removes my shirt from me. I feel a little funny parading around like this ... but, hey, I'm a werewolf. Might as well.
After I eat, (I never knew dog food could taste so good. Yum.), I turn around three times (don't ask me why) and lie down looking out the glass door in back. Behind me, she's listening to a radio playing "It's All Coming Back To Me Now".
Lord, send the rain and get it over with, this is almost too depressing. It's morning, and I'm still a werewolf. I'm living with an old lady and eating dog food, and there's a sad song playing on the radio.
Now if I could just sing the blues.
"Come here, boy." I turn around, and she's patting the footstool in front of her. I climb up on it ...
<THUMP>
I climb up on it ...
<THUMP>
I put my front paws up on it and then jump my hind legs up to meet them. Then I turn around.
<THUMP>
I Put My Front Legs On The Footstool And Jump My Hind Legs Up To Meet Them. Then I Lie Down.
Whew. Finally.
"You're still a bit shaky, aren't you?"
Lady, you have no idea.
"I mean, changing into an animal ... "
<THUMP>
"It's all right", she says as I scramble to my feet. "I went through the same thing."
I stop in mid-run. She's a werewolf? I trot back to her and look up at her, my head cocked to one side.
"Now, the first thing you need to know is that you can change back."
I relax. Even if it turns out she's crazy, at least it's a good thing to hear.
She smiles. "The second is, you need more practice aiming yourself."
I put my muzzle under my paw ... or try to. There isn't as much muzzle there as I'd though.
"And the third ... well, come with me." She heads for her bedroom.
Then she realizes I'm not moving.
"Oh, come on, I won't hurt you."
Slowly, I step into the room.
"Now, turn around. Slowly, please."
I turn slowly around ...
<YELP>
And jump! There's a ... oh, wait, I think that's ... me!?
There in the mirror, instead of a wolf, is a ... a ...
A Rottweiler?
I can see the tan markings on my black coat, looking as though I were a piece of dark chocolate dipped in peanut butter, the markings meeting my jaw hinge and running as far back as I can see in the mirror, the ridge of brown meeting the black fur all around my lower edge. Behind me, I can just see my tail, looking like a piece of furry telephone cable.
I'm not a werewolf.
Thank you, LORD!
I happen to like silver.
"I'm afraid you'll have to figure out how to change back. Everyone's different, you know."
Everyone? There are ... oh, she must mean her and me.
"Now, just so you know ... you and I aren't the only ones."
I freeze.
"Pretty much everyone in town's a dog."
Everyone
In
Town!?
"So if you need help figuring all this out, just ask around. For right now, though, I think someone's anxious to see you."
She walks over, opens the door ...
Larissa?
Larissa!?
And Bill!?!?
I almost knock them over, I'm so happy to see them. I lick Larissa's face and give her as much of a hug as I can manage with my forelegs.
They laugh. "Calm down, Harvey!"
I finally just stop in front of them and stare, quivering with anticipation.
"I'm glad you're all right."
"Me, too", Bill chimes in. "Hey, you had us worried, man. Be careful."
I nod a very little bit ...
<YAWN>
I nod a little more ...
<YAWN>
"Now, dears, I think he's worn out. You can see him tomorrow, and maybe even this afternoon. But right now, he needs his rest. After all, from what you told me, he was running around most of the night, scared out of his wits. Now, scoot!"
As she bundles them out of the bedroom, I lie down on my side and start to fall asleep.
The last thing I hear before heading for dreamland is ...
"Hm. Now what to tell his mother ... "
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