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A young woman becomes a werewolf and finds she identifies strongly with her wolf side. Eventually, she must choose between the human world and the wild.
No TF in this chapter either, but things are getting a bit more interesting! The third and later chapters won't be nearly this fast, but I'm enjoying writing this story and hope they're worth the wait. I welcome and appreciate any feedback given!
Disclaimer: The Native legend featured in this story is entirely fictional to my knowledge.
Sophia’s heart beat loudly in her chest as she and the wolf regarded each other silently. Wolves usually avoided people, she knew, and to have one here, in town, was unheard of. She also knew she should be afraid to be this close to a wild predator, particularly one acting strangely. Yet, as her initial shock wore off, she realized she felt no fear towards this particular animal. On the contrary, his presence felt oddly soothing.
Sophia stared at him, and she somehow knew it was a him, mesmerized. There was just enough light from a nearby streetlight to see him. He was a beautiful creature, with dark fur on his strong back transitioning into the tan fur covering his sides and powerful legs before finally becoming the rich silvery white fur on his underside. His face and muzzle were handsome and accentuated his golden eyes. His raised tail was long and full.
You won’t hurt me, will you, her body relaxed. I don’t know how I know, but I do. Will you let me touch you?
She felt drawn to the wolf, something deep within. Her excitement building, she took a step towards him. The wolf just stood there, watching her, and almost seemed to relax.
Headlights from a turning car swept across them, and the moment was broken. The wolf turned and ran as the car passed by. Sophia shook her head, an odd emptiness where the feeling of connection had been. After taking a moment to compose herself, she shrugged, adjusted her bag, and continued her walk home, but not without scanning the field for the wolf. Unfortunately, even in the moonlight, she couldn’t see any sign of him. Finally, she passed the field and tried to instead think about school and the Halloween party, but her mind kept wandering back to her encounter.
As Sophia walked, her mind kept wandering back to her encounter. It had been so surreal that it had felt like a dream. Maybe she had imagined it, the longing she felt even now couldn’t have arisen from briefly seeing a wolf, could it? Besides, what would a wolf be doing this close to town? It must have been a combination of her wolf-obsessed imagination and her exhaustion. Too many wolves on the brain, as Candice would say. Shaking her head again, Sophia forced herself to think about how she would spend the rest of the night and somehow get her homework done.
After what felt like ages, but really was only another ten minutes of walking, she trudged up her home’s driveway. Like the other houses in the neighborhood, it was a ranch-style house built during the last decade’s building boom. Brand new when her family had moved in eleven years before, it was starting to show signs of age. The cedar siding was starting to look weathered, and the front walk had a crack or two, but otherwise it looked much the same to her as when her family first moved in. The neglected garden and lawn, which hadn’t been mowed since early September, were a reminder that things were not the same, however. Sophia and her mother had once spent many a morning maintaining the flower garden that had graced the front of their home. Now, it was just a collection of various weeds among the few remaining wood chips.
Setting her backpack down on the porch, Sophia rummaged for her keys in the moonlight. Finding them, she unlocked the door and stepped in. Turning the entry light on revealed the usual mess of shoes and boots. Flecks of dry mud and dirt marked a floor that hadn’t been swept in a while, and a few scuffs marked the walls. The living room’s hardwood floor was littered with various personal items and clothes. Several dirty dishes and empty beer cans occupied the end table next to the couch, marking where her father spent much of his time when he was home.
As Sophia walked into the kitchen, the smell of dishes that hadn’t been washed and trash that badly needed to be emptied hit her. Unopened mail, two cereal boxes, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on the counter along with a used microwave dinner tray. Dirty dishes lay in the sink, and a cupboard door had been left open. Maintaining the kitchen often fell to her, and she only did it when she could no longer stand it.
Sighing, she took it upon herself to tie up and drag the trash out to the bin in the garage. The spot where her dad’s truck was parked was empty, of course. Along the far wall were dust-covered shelves and benches full of gardening equipment, tools, and hardware. Her bike lay propped against the wall, its frame still waiting to be repaired after she had bent it, hitting an exposed tree root while taking an impromptu trail ride the previous year. Her dad had promised to straighten it out, but that promise had remained unfulfilled like so many others.
Going back inside, she put a new garbage bag in the trash and then grabbed a microwave dinner from the freezer. After it finished heating, she sat down at the dinner table with her biology book and started working on her homework. She had barely completed two problems when she heard the garage open and her dad’s truck drive in. Her father, a graying, bearded man just over six feet tall, walked into the kitchen from the garage. Sophia’s nose wrinkled as the all-too-familiar scent of alcohol that accompanied him reached her.
“Hi, Dad!” Sophia greeted him, looking up from her textbook.
She was a bit disappointed when he failed to move towards her and give her a hug like he had once done.
“Evening, Soph,” he greeted her back, glossy red eyes staring at her. “You work tonight?”
“Yep!” Sophia replied sweetly, even if she didn’t feel it. “I just got home.”
Why can’t you stop drinking for even one night? She kept her face neutral even as anger and bitterness raged. Don’t you care about me?
“I was a bit worried,” her dad told her. “Radio said a wolf had been sighted near town. A lone wolf this close to town ain’t normal, and they’re worried it might be rabid.”
“A wolf?” Sophia replied in surprise.
So, it did happen! Excitement swelled within her. Should I tell him? No, he’d just get upset and ban me going anywhere alone. I really wish I could share it with him, though...
“Yeah, I know you’re into wolves, but I don’t want you near it if you see it,” her dad instructed. “Understand?”
Sophia hesitated before answering with a brief “yes”.
“Hey, I know it’s getting chillier out, and I thought I could drive you to school tomorrow,” her dad suggested.
“I need to get there an hour early tomorrow, I forgot my math book at school,” she told him.
“I’ll set my alarm,” he replied earnestly. “Glad you’re staying on top of school work.”
Sophia was skeptical that would happen, but replied, “That would be great! Thanks! Oh, Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Candice invited me to a Halloween party at her house tomorrow. I might be home a little later
“Sounds fun, just make sure you get your homework done. Well, I’m off to bed,” her dad told her with a yawn. “Busy day today. Night, Soph!”
“Night, Dad!” Sophia replied and went back to her dinner and biology.
After doing her best to answer each question for biology, Sophia cleaned up her dinner, turned the light off in the kitchen and moved to her bedroom. Her bedroom’s hardwood floor was strewn with laundry, dirty and clean, betraying her usual disorganization. The floral wallpapered walls were adorned with the various drawings she had made over the years. To the left of the door was her white dresser, and past that, stacked in the corner, were her dolls and stuffed animals from when she was a little girl.
Midway down the wall to the left of the door was her bed, which was unmade, of course. Above the bed hung a large poster with a photo of a wolf she had found in a gift shop some years back. On the side of the bed facing the door was an end table with an alarm clock, lamp, and her favorite stuffed wolf from childhood. On the wall across from her bed was her closet and desk, which had several books on it, along with the laptop her parents had bought her for high school. A framed photo of her with her parents from her first day of her freshman year stood next to the laptop. On the far side of the room, next to the window, was the full-length mirror she had inherited from her grandmother.
Setting her backpack down, Sophia climbed into bed and started reading the chapter for history, or at least trying to. Her mind kept wandering back to her encounter with the wolf. She still felt that odd loneliness amidst her giddiness, though it had faded to a dull ache. Looking out her window towards the moonlit mountains and silhouetted trees, she hoped the wolf wouldn’t get captured or worse. Perhaps, like her, he was searching for where he belonged. Her mind drifted, imagining befriending the wolf and playing in the moonlit forest with him; she thought she could hear a wolf howl, but perhaps it was just her imagination.
Shrill beeping tore Sophia from sleep, and she quickly felt around for her alarm clock and silenced it. Fatigue still weighed heavily on her mind, and she briefly considered going back to sleep, but knew she’d regret it. Opening her eyes as dreams of howling wolves faded, she looked at her clock - 5:30 in the morning. Her history text lay next to her on the bed, upside down and open. She had fallen asleep on top of the blanket, still in her clothes from the previous day, and had somehow still managed to get her feet tangled. Kicking free of the blanket, she sat up and then reluctantly got out of bed. After showering and brushing her hair, Sophia went back into her bedroom, wrapped in a towel, and started rummaging through her clothes.
I wish Candy had invited me a few days ago, she sighed. I’d have had time to find something cool to wear to the party.
In the past, she had put a lot of time and effort into her Halloween costumes with her mother, enjoying the annual excuse to pretend to be something else. Last year, Halloween had been only a few weeks after her mother's death, and she hadn’t been able to bring herself to make or wear a costume; instead, she had spent the night alone in her room drawing. This year, she had a party to attend and had no costume put together.
Going through her clothes was a frustrating experience. Most of her dresses no longer fit, and she could hardly make a costume out of most of her everyday clothes. After several minutes of fruitless searching, she fell on her bed, defeated. Then her eyes fell on a folded red throw blanket on the top shelf of her closet, and an idea struck her.
It’ll give kids something else to tease me for, but it’ll be fun! She grinned.
Sophia grabbed the blanket and then quickly located her red hooded sweatshirt. A couple of safety pins later, and she had a serviceable riding hood. Black leggings, a blue skirt, and a white top, and she was looking over her handiwork in her mirror. It wasn’t much, but it was acceptable on short notice, and it held a certain appeal to her. Now she just needed a basket…
Making her way to the front hall closet, Sophia grabbed the brown wicker picnic basket located there that hadn’t seen daylight in years. Perfect! After fixing herself some toaster waffles and finishing her history chapter, Sophia checked her father's bedroom. The door was cracked, and she could hear him still snoring away, the faint smell of alcohol still in the air. Unsurprised, but nonetheless disappointed, she grabbed her backpack and basket before heading out the door. Her mind on her math homework and party, she forgot all about the wolf from the night before.
Even starting forty minutes early to finish her math assignment, the day went by blessedly quickly. Many teachers eschewed their usual lessons for something more festive. Despite Sophia's earlier fears, enough other students wore costumes to make for a varied enough menagerie that she didn't stand out, though she did overhear several kids cracking jokes about the “wolf girl’s” choice of costume. Sophia’s mind was firmly focused on the evening, however, and these comments didn’t faze her. Although she did bask in the compliments a few teachers kindly gave her makeshift Little Red Riding Hood as she walked into their classrooms. In past years, the general lack of a reaction or teasing would have bothered her, but the fact that she was wearing a costume at all was a victory in and of itself. Finally, the last bell rang, and she nearly dashed for the door.
After grabbing her things from her locker, she went to Candice’s locker, hoping to catch her. Sophia found Candice at her locker, still preparing to go home. Candice’s back was turned, but Sophia could see she had dressed as a cat. A fake tail was clipped to the rear of black leggings, followed by a form-fitting black top. On her head was a headband with a pair of fake cat ears.
“Hey Candy!” Sophia greeted.
“Soph!” Candice reacted excitedly after turning. “Trying to attract that wolf they were talking about on the news?”
“Nope! Just what I could scrounge from my closet!” Sophia laughed, aching to tell her friend about the previous night. “That would be fun though!”
“Not after it eats you!” Candice teased. “I know you, though, you’d probably tame it as a pet, or maybe it’s a werewolf guy, and you could ask him to bite you! Then the two of you could run off together!”
“Hah!” Sophia joked. “If that happens, I’ll be sure to invite you to the wedding!”
“I can see it now, Sophia the werebride with her werewolf husband,” Candice said, her tone airy. “You’d give ‘honeymoon’ an all-new meaning.”
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh, and several people looked at her.
“So you do remember how to laugh!” Candice replied in mock surprise.
“You do have your ways of getting them out of me,” Sophia giggled. “When are you headed over?”
“Student Council is having a little Halloween get-together in a few minutes,” Candice replied. “After that, I have to pick up a few things.”
“Mind if I come along?” Sophia asked hopefully. “Halloween shopping sounds fun.”
“Oh, I’m picking up a surprise,” Candice told her mysteriously. “Wouldn’t want to ruin it!”
“Ah, well, can’t wait to see it!” Sophia replied, disappointed, but intrigued.
“Gotta run!” Candice said, closing her locker. “Don’t run off with any prospective werewolf suitors!”
Sophia smiled and waved as her friend hurried off to the Student Council get-together. She had looked forward all day to telling Candice about the real wolf she had encountered the night before, but hadn’t wanted to do so in the middle of their peers. Sighing, she adjusted her backpack and made her way to a classroom set aside for kids to use after school. It looked like she’d at least have some time to do schoolwork or maybe some drawing.
Two agonizing hours later, Sophia headed for Candice’s house. Sophia hadn’t been there since right after her mother had died, when she had stayed with them for a few nights, but still knew the way well. Candice’s house was one of several homes built in an ovular subdivision connected by a single road a few blocks south of Sophia’s home. Coming from her house, Sophia would have normally used the path that cut between several houses from the north. Unfortunately, Candice’s house was located on the ‘island’ of homes opposite the access road, which meant she had to traverse the lower half of the ‘island’ coming from the west. By the time she arrived, trick-or-treaters had begun making their rounds.
The garden that was full of flowers in the spring and summer had been converted into a mock graveyard with plastic skeletons and a mummy randomly placed within. Sophia grinned as the animatronic vampire that had been there every year for the last six suddenly lunged out from the coffin propped next to the door and pined for her blood. Much like their daughter, when Candice’s parents decided to do anything, they went all out.
Walking up to the door, Sophia knocked and was surprised when the door almost immediately opened.
“Eeeheheehe,” a woman wearing a witch cackled as she opened the door, holding a bowl of candy. “My, my, you’ve come just in time… to provide your pretty fingers for my brew!”
“Hi, Ms. Bowman!” Sophia greeted the witch. “It’s Sophia!”
“Of course you are!” Candice’s mother exclaimed. “Come in! Come in!”
Sophia stepped into the Bowmans’ house. Like the outside, it was thoroughly decorated for Halloween. The smells of various treats greeted her nose, making her realize she hadn’t eaten since lunch. Candice’s younger sister, Lynn, was sitting on the couch in a fairy costume, looking sullen. With Candice were two other girls, whom Sophia had seen in passing at school. One looked to be of Asian descent, wearing a princess dress, and the other was a glasses-wearing red-haired girl wearing a frilly, patchwork dress of some kind. Lynn gave her a glance and then went back to looking sullen while the two older girls shared shy greetings with Sophia.
“Candice isn’t back yet,” Candice’s mother informed her, shutting the door.
She gestured for Sophia to sit on a chair in the living room before continuing, “I’m sure she’ll be around shortly. How have you been?”
“I’ve been busy,” Sophia answered. “School and work.”
“I hope you’re getting to do more than just that,” Ms. Bowman said, sitting on a wooden chair next to the door.
“Well, I’m thinking of joining the Outdoors Club at school,” Sophia told her, stretching the truth a bit.
“That certainly sounds right up your alley,” Ms. Bowman replied encouragingly. “Your father is still in welding?”
“He…” This was not a conversation Sophia wanted. “He still welds occasionally, among other jobs.”
“Mmm,” Ms. Bowman replied thoughtfully, glancing at the other girls.
Sophia was saved from any more uncomfortable questions by the door to the garage opening. Sophia and the other girls stood and went into the kitchen to see Candice and her father placing several paper bags against the wall. Candice’s father was a tall, husky man already, and the vampire costume made him look even bigger.
“Heeey!” Candice trilled as she saw the girls. “Ready to have some fun?”
“Hi Candice!” the Asian girl responded eagerly. “Find everything?”
“Oh, I think so,” Candice replied jubilantly. “Patty here yet?”
“She’s running a bit behind,” the girl replied. “She said she’ll be by as soon as she can.”
“Well, she’ll just have to miss some of the fun then,” Candice answered and then looked at Sophia. “Sophia! You probably haven’t met these two.”
“This is Rachel,” she indicated the Asian girl she had just been talking to.
“And this is Alexa,” she gestured to the red-haired girl with glasses. “Both are on the Student Council. Rachel and I know Patty from band. Alexa and Rachel, this is Sophia! We’ve been best friends since first grade!”
“Ah!” said Alexa, examining her. “So you’re the wolf girl.”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Sophia blushed and quickly changed the subject. “What’s wrong with Lynn?”
“Oh, she’s just upset mom and dad won’t let her go down to the lake with her friends,” Candice replied, rolling her eyes. “She’ll get over it.”
“Girls?” Sophia jumped in reaction to Candice’s dad’s loud, baritone voice. “Help me get the food out, and we can start this party!”
The variety of Halloween snacks and treats was quite good, Sophia had to admit. After stacking plates with food, Candice’s parents went outside to hand out candy to trick or treaters, leaving the girls to themselves. Sophia mostly stayed quiet as the other girls talked about boys, school, and the activities they all shared. Keeping to herself wasn’t difficult, as Candice generally wound up doing most of the talking no matter the situation. That all changed when the last invitee arrived almost an hour late.
“Patty!” Candice went to hug the new arrival.
“Sorry, I’m late!” Patty apologized. “I had to finish up a paper for Honors English.”
Patty was a raven-haired girl, a few inches taller than Sophia. She was costumed as what Sophia guessed to be Cleopatra, judging by the Egyptian-style clothes and rubber snake around her neck.
Candice turned and introduced the others, “Sophia and Alexa, this is Patty. She plays the flute in band and is on the junior varsity basketball team.”
Sophia smiled and raised a hand in greeting.
“Well, now that we’re all here, we can move on to the surprise!” Candice announced.
Patty took a seat as Candice went into the kitchen, coming out with one of the bags her father and she had brought in.
“I managed to get a hold of something cool,” Candice teased, looking around the room. “Sophia will especially like it.”
She opened the large paper bag and pulled out something big and furry. It took a moment for Sophia to realize what it was.
“Is… that a wolf skin?” she asked anxiously as she feared the worst for the wolf she had seen.
“Yep! Don’t worry, my dad got permission,” Candice misinterpreted Sophia’s concern. “They seized it from a poacher a decade or so ago, and they wound up holding onto it. It’s become something of a mascot at the sheriff’s office.”
“Wow, that’s so cool!” Racheal reacted, awed.
“If they catch the wolf by town, are they going to skin it?” Patty asked.
What..? No! Sophia’s relief and excitement turned immediately to horror, though everyone was too transfixed on the pelt to notice.
“Nah,” Candice replied. “Unless it hurts someone, they’ll try to tranq it and move it somewhere in Yellowstone or the Tetons.”
“Can I… see it?” Sophia asked hopefully, barely containing herself.
“Sure!” Candice replied, handing it to her. “I mostly asked because you were coming.”
“Awooo!” Patty howled teasingly.
Sophia would have much rather seen a live wolf, but a thrill still went through her as she took the skin. The gray fur along the skin’s back and head was coarse to her touch and gradually became softer near the paws. It would have been a beautiful animal alive, and Sophia couldn’t help but feel a little sad for the animal.
What an awful thing to do. She examined the hole where the bullet had passed. Sleep well.
After examining the pelt, Sophia passed it to Alexa, who was sitting on a folding chair to her right. She took it and looked it over intently, running her hand through the fur. Rachael was next, then Patty, who gave it to Lynn. Lynn immediately passed it back to her sister.
“I’ve seen it before,” Lynn said smugly.
“I guess Little Red Riding Hood caught the wolf this time,” Patty joked, grinning at Sophia.
Sophia laughed uneasily.
“You know,” Rachel started thoughtfully. “The tribe that used to live in this area has a legend involving the skin of a wolf.”
“Really?” Candice asked, intrigued. “What is it?”
“Well, they said members of the tribe could take on the characteristics of a wolf by performing a ritual while wearing the skin of a wolf,” Rachael explained. “It’s sort of like the werewolf legends of Europe, but more spiritual.”
“Any idea what the ritual was?” Lynn asked curiously.
“The legend I heard doesn’t say exactly, just that it involved acting like a wolf,” Rachel told her.
“Act like a wolf?” Patty asked mischievously. “Here, Candice, let me see that.”
She went over to Candice, who handed it over. Grinning, Patty put the pelt’s head over her own and started loping around.
“Awoo,” she mock-howled, prompting giggles from the other girls.
Getting to her hands and knees, she went over to Rachael and sniffed the air loudly and then pawed at her. Both girls fell into laughter. After calming down, Patty removed it from her head. She turned to Sophia, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“I dare Little Miss Riding Hood to try!” she announced.
Sophia recoiled in surprise, “Me?”
“It’s just for fun!” Patty encouraged her.
Sophia glanced around nervously. Candice looked a bit uncomfortable, but the other girls were staring at her expectantly. Uncertainly, she took the skin.
It is a party and I guess and might be fun, she encouraged herself. It’s not like anything bad will happen, and maybe the girls will like me more.
“Alright, let’s see the big bad wolf!” Patty exclaimed, laughing.
Unsteadily, Sophia stood and put the head of the skin over her own, feeling her face heat up. Taking a breath, she started crawling around on all fours, imagining she was a wolf. She started off with an experimental howl, drawing laughter. Feeling a bit more confident, she began mimicking the behaviors of a wolf. Sniff around, eat some food off her plate with just her mouth, bound after some prey…
“Uh, Sophia,” she heard Lynn say.
Sophia was surprised to find herself with her tongue out, about to lap at Lynn’s cup of punch. Quickly, she returned her tongue to her mouth and laughed nervously. The other girls broke into laughter.
I don’t remember coming over here… Sophia tried to stop herself from trembling. What happened?
“That was awesome!” Alexa exclaimed. “You were really getting into it!”
“Yeah,” Sophia said, trying to play along. “It was fun!”
“Alright Candice!” Patty announced. “Your turn!”
Sophia handed the skin to Candice and stiffly sat down. All the girls took turns acting like wolves, some more exaggerated than others. Sophia laughed with the group, but her heart wasn’t really in it. She still felt a bit embarrassed and had an odd tingling throughout her body.
What came over me? She stared at the red indents from the carpet on her hands. How long was I pretending?
After each of the girls had taken a turn with the skin, the party moved to the kitchen, and Candice got out a card game that Sophia hadn’t seen before involving kittens. It looked fun, but Sophia found herself increasingly unable to focus on the party. A headache had formed, and she was starting to feel nauseous. Eating or drinking did nothing to address either.
“Are you okay, Sophia?” Rachel asked after the first game, looking at her. “You look pale.”
“I’m just feeling a bit off,” Sophia answered in a raspy voice, trying to convince herself. “Do you have any Tylenol?”
Candice fetched two pills for her, and Sophia tried to get back into the party. Midway through the second round, though, she wasn’t able to even fake being alright. The pills had failed to suppress her headache at all, and it was quickly becoming a pounding one; the nausea was intensifying, and chills were starting to rack her body. Candice went to get her parents, who had retired to their bedroom after trick or treating was over. Mr. Bowman grabbed his shoes and coat and helped Sophia to the family’s car.
“Give us a call if you need us!” Mr. Bowman told Sophia after he had pulled into her driveway.
Sophia somehow managed to get the front door open and unlocked before dropping her backpack and basket before staggering to the bathroom. There, she threw up as the world spun, sweat beading on her face. Stumbling out of the bathroom, she went into her bedroom and collapsed on her bed without even trying to remove her day clothes. Burrowing under her covers, she curled into a ball and begged for unconsciousness.
Chapter 1 << >> Chapter 3
No TF in this chapter either, but things are getting a bit more interesting! The third and later chapters won't be nearly this fast, but I'm enjoying writing this story and hope they're worth the wait. I welcome and appreciate any feedback given!
Disclaimer: The Native legend featured in this story is entirely fictional to my knowledge.
Chapter 2
Sophia’s heart beat loudly in her chest as she and the wolf regarded each other silently. Wolves usually avoided people, she knew, and to have one here, in town, was unheard of. She also knew she should be afraid to be this close to a wild predator, particularly one acting strangely. Yet, as her initial shock wore off, she realized she felt no fear towards this particular animal. On the contrary, his presence felt oddly soothing.
Sophia stared at him, and she somehow knew it was a him, mesmerized. There was just enough light from a nearby streetlight to see him. He was a beautiful creature, with dark fur on his strong back transitioning into the tan fur covering his sides and powerful legs before finally becoming the rich silvery white fur on his underside. His face and muzzle were handsome and accentuated his golden eyes. His raised tail was long and full.
You won’t hurt me, will you, her body relaxed. I don’t know how I know, but I do. Will you let me touch you?
She felt drawn to the wolf, something deep within. Her excitement building, she took a step towards him. The wolf just stood there, watching her, and almost seemed to relax.
Headlights from a turning car swept across them, and the moment was broken. The wolf turned and ran as the car passed by. Sophia shook her head, an odd emptiness where the feeling of connection had been. After taking a moment to compose herself, she shrugged, adjusted her bag, and continued her walk home, but not without scanning the field for the wolf. Unfortunately, even in the moonlight, she couldn’t see any sign of him. Finally, she passed the field and tried to instead think about school and the Halloween party, but her mind kept wandering back to her encounter.
As Sophia walked, her mind kept wandering back to her encounter. It had been so surreal that it had felt like a dream. Maybe she had imagined it, the longing she felt even now couldn’t have arisen from briefly seeing a wolf, could it? Besides, what would a wolf be doing this close to town? It must have been a combination of her wolf-obsessed imagination and her exhaustion. Too many wolves on the brain, as Candice would say. Shaking her head again, Sophia forced herself to think about how she would spend the rest of the night and somehow get her homework done.
After what felt like ages, but really was only another ten minutes of walking, she trudged up her home’s driveway. Like the other houses in the neighborhood, it was a ranch-style house built during the last decade’s building boom. Brand new when her family had moved in eleven years before, it was starting to show signs of age. The cedar siding was starting to look weathered, and the front walk had a crack or two, but otherwise it looked much the same to her as when her family first moved in. The neglected garden and lawn, which hadn’t been mowed since early September, were a reminder that things were not the same, however. Sophia and her mother had once spent many a morning maintaining the flower garden that had graced the front of their home. Now, it was just a collection of various weeds among the few remaining wood chips.
Setting her backpack down on the porch, Sophia rummaged for her keys in the moonlight. Finding them, she unlocked the door and stepped in. Turning the entry light on revealed the usual mess of shoes and boots. Flecks of dry mud and dirt marked a floor that hadn’t been swept in a while, and a few scuffs marked the walls. The living room’s hardwood floor was littered with various personal items and clothes. Several dirty dishes and empty beer cans occupied the end table next to the couch, marking where her father spent much of his time when he was home.
As Sophia walked into the kitchen, the smell of dishes that hadn’t been washed and trash that badly needed to be emptied hit her. Unopened mail, two cereal boxes, and a half-empty bottle of whiskey sat on the counter along with a used microwave dinner tray. Dirty dishes lay in the sink, and a cupboard door had been left open. Maintaining the kitchen often fell to her, and she only did it when she could no longer stand it.
Sighing, she took it upon herself to tie up and drag the trash out to the bin in the garage. The spot where her dad’s truck was parked was empty, of course. Along the far wall were dust-covered shelves and benches full of gardening equipment, tools, and hardware. Her bike lay propped against the wall, its frame still waiting to be repaired after she had bent it, hitting an exposed tree root while taking an impromptu trail ride the previous year. Her dad had promised to straighten it out, but that promise had remained unfulfilled like so many others.
Going back inside, she put a new garbage bag in the trash and then grabbed a microwave dinner from the freezer. After it finished heating, she sat down at the dinner table with her biology book and started working on her homework. She had barely completed two problems when she heard the garage open and her dad’s truck drive in. Her father, a graying, bearded man just over six feet tall, walked into the kitchen from the garage. Sophia’s nose wrinkled as the all-too-familiar scent of alcohol that accompanied him reached her.
“Hi, Dad!” Sophia greeted him, looking up from her textbook.
She was a bit disappointed when he failed to move towards her and give her a hug like he had once done.
“Evening, Soph,” he greeted her back, glossy red eyes staring at her. “You work tonight?”
“Yep!” Sophia replied sweetly, even if she didn’t feel it. “I just got home.”
Why can’t you stop drinking for even one night? She kept her face neutral even as anger and bitterness raged. Don’t you care about me?
“I was a bit worried,” her dad told her. “Radio said a wolf had been sighted near town. A lone wolf this close to town ain’t normal, and they’re worried it might be rabid.”
“A wolf?” Sophia replied in surprise.
So, it did happen! Excitement swelled within her. Should I tell him? No, he’d just get upset and ban me going anywhere alone. I really wish I could share it with him, though...
“Yeah, I know you’re into wolves, but I don’t want you near it if you see it,” her dad instructed. “Understand?”
Sophia hesitated before answering with a brief “yes”.
“Hey, I know it’s getting chillier out, and I thought I could drive you to school tomorrow,” her dad suggested.
“I need to get there an hour early tomorrow, I forgot my math book at school,” she told him.
“I’ll set my alarm,” he replied earnestly. “Glad you’re staying on top of school work.”
Sophia was skeptical that would happen, but replied, “That would be great! Thanks! Oh, Dad?”
“Yeah?”
“Candice invited me to a Halloween party at her house tomorrow. I might be home a little later
“Sounds fun, just make sure you get your homework done. Well, I’m off to bed,” her dad told her with a yawn. “Busy day today. Night, Soph!”
“Night, Dad!” Sophia replied and went back to her dinner and biology.
After doing her best to answer each question for biology, Sophia cleaned up her dinner, turned the light off in the kitchen and moved to her bedroom. Her bedroom’s hardwood floor was strewn with laundry, dirty and clean, betraying her usual disorganization. The floral wallpapered walls were adorned with the various drawings she had made over the years. To the left of the door was her white dresser, and past that, stacked in the corner, were her dolls and stuffed animals from when she was a little girl.
Midway down the wall to the left of the door was her bed, which was unmade, of course. Above the bed hung a large poster with a photo of a wolf she had found in a gift shop some years back. On the side of the bed facing the door was an end table with an alarm clock, lamp, and her favorite stuffed wolf from childhood. On the wall across from her bed was her closet and desk, which had several books on it, along with the laptop her parents had bought her for high school. A framed photo of her with her parents from her first day of her freshman year stood next to the laptop. On the far side of the room, next to the window, was the full-length mirror she had inherited from her grandmother.
Setting her backpack down, Sophia climbed into bed and started reading the chapter for history, or at least trying to. Her mind kept wandering back to her encounter with the wolf. She still felt that odd loneliness amidst her giddiness, though it had faded to a dull ache. Looking out her window towards the moonlit mountains and silhouetted trees, she hoped the wolf wouldn’t get captured or worse. Perhaps, like her, he was searching for where he belonged. Her mind drifted, imagining befriending the wolf and playing in the moonlit forest with him; she thought she could hear a wolf howl, but perhaps it was just her imagination.
Shrill beeping tore Sophia from sleep, and she quickly felt around for her alarm clock and silenced it. Fatigue still weighed heavily on her mind, and she briefly considered going back to sleep, but knew she’d regret it. Opening her eyes as dreams of howling wolves faded, she looked at her clock - 5:30 in the morning. Her history text lay next to her on the bed, upside down and open. She had fallen asleep on top of the blanket, still in her clothes from the previous day, and had somehow still managed to get her feet tangled. Kicking free of the blanket, she sat up and then reluctantly got out of bed. After showering and brushing her hair, Sophia went back into her bedroom, wrapped in a towel, and started rummaging through her clothes.
I wish Candy had invited me a few days ago, she sighed. I’d have had time to find something cool to wear to the party.
In the past, she had put a lot of time and effort into her Halloween costumes with her mother, enjoying the annual excuse to pretend to be something else. Last year, Halloween had been only a few weeks after her mother's death, and she hadn’t been able to bring herself to make or wear a costume; instead, she had spent the night alone in her room drawing. This year, she had a party to attend and had no costume put together.
Going through her clothes was a frustrating experience. Most of her dresses no longer fit, and she could hardly make a costume out of most of her everyday clothes. After several minutes of fruitless searching, she fell on her bed, defeated. Then her eyes fell on a folded red throw blanket on the top shelf of her closet, and an idea struck her.
It’ll give kids something else to tease me for, but it’ll be fun! She grinned.
Sophia grabbed the blanket and then quickly located her red hooded sweatshirt. A couple of safety pins later, and she had a serviceable riding hood. Black leggings, a blue skirt, and a white top, and she was looking over her handiwork in her mirror. It wasn’t much, but it was acceptable on short notice, and it held a certain appeal to her. Now she just needed a basket…
Making her way to the front hall closet, Sophia grabbed the brown wicker picnic basket located there that hadn’t seen daylight in years. Perfect! After fixing herself some toaster waffles and finishing her history chapter, Sophia checked her father's bedroom. The door was cracked, and she could hear him still snoring away, the faint smell of alcohol still in the air. Unsurprised, but nonetheless disappointed, she grabbed her backpack and basket before heading out the door. Her mind on her math homework and party, she forgot all about the wolf from the night before.
Even starting forty minutes early to finish her math assignment, the day went by blessedly quickly. Many teachers eschewed their usual lessons for something more festive. Despite Sophia's earlier fears, enough other students wore costumes to make for a varied enough menagerie that she didn't stand out, though she did overhear several kids cracking jokes about the “wolf girl’s” choice of costume. Sophia’s mind was firmly focused on the evening, however, and these comments didn’t faze her. Although she did bask in the compliments a few teachers kindly gave her makeshift Little Red Riding Hood as she walked into their classrooms. In past years, the general lack of a reaction or teasing would have bothered her, but the fact that she was wearing a costume at all was a victory in and of itself. Finally, the last bell rang, and she nearly dashed for the door.
After grabbing her things from her locker, she went to Candice’s locker, hoping to catch her. Sophia found Candice at her locker, still preparing to go home. Candice’s back was turned, but Sophia could see she had dressed as a cat. A fake tail was clipped to the rear of black leggings, followed by a form-fitting black top. On her head was a headband with a pair of fake cat ears.
“Hey Candy!” Sophia greeted.
“Soph!” Candice reacted excitedly after turning. “Trying to attract that wolf they were talking about on the news?”
“Nope! Just what I could scrounge from my closet!” Sophia laughed, aching to tell her friend about the previous night. “That would be fun though!”
“Not after it eats you!” Candice teased. “I know you, though, you’d probably tame it as a pet, or maybe it’s a werewolf guy, and you could ask him to bite you! Then the two of you could run off together!”
“Hah!” Sophia joked. “If that happens, I’ll be sure to invite you to the wedding!”
“I can see it now, Sophia the werebride with her werewolf husband,” Candice said, her tone airy. “You’d give ‘honeymoon’ an all-new meaning.”
Sophia couldn’t help but laugh, and several people looked at her.
“So you do remember how to laugh!” Candice replied in mock surprise.
“You do have your ways of getting them out of me,” Sophia giggled. “When are you headed over?”
“Student Council is having a little Halloween get-together in a few minutes,” Candice replied. “After that, I have to pick up a few things.”
“Mind if I come along?” Sophia asked hopefully. “Halloween shopping sounds fun.”
“Oh, I’m picking up a surprise,” Candice told her mysteriously. “Wouldn’t want to ruin it!”
“Ah, well, can’t wait to see it!” Sophia replied, disappointed, but intrigued.
“Gotta run!” Candice said, closing her locker. “Don’t run off with any prospective werewolf suitors!”
Sophia smiled and waved as her friend hurried off to the Student Council get-together. She had looked forward all day to telling Candice about the real wolf she had encountered the night before, but hadn’t wanted to do so in the middle of their peers. Sighing, she adjusted her backpack and made her way to a classroom set aside for kids to use after school. It looked like she’d at least have some time to do schoolwork or maybe some drawing.
Two agonizing hours later, Sophia headed for Candice’s house. Sophia hadn’t been there since right after her mother had died, when she had stayed with them for a few nights, but still knew the way well. Candice’s house was one of several homes built in an ovular subdivision connected by a single road a few blocks south of Sophia’s home. Coming from her house, Sophia would have normally used the path that cut between several houses from the north. Unfortunately, Candice’s house was located on the ‘island’ of homes opposite the access road, which meant she had to traverse the lower half of the ‘island’ coming from the west. By the time she arrived, trick-or-treaters had begun making their rounds.
The garden that was full of flowers in the spring and summer had been converted into a mock graveyard with plastic skeletons and a mummy randomly placed within. Sophia grinned as the animatronic vampire that had been there every year for the last six suddenly lunged out from the coffin propped next to the door and pined for her blood. Much like their daughter, when Candice’s parents decided to do anything, they went all out.
Walking up to the door, Sophia knocked and was surprised when the door almost immediately opened.
“Eeeheheehe,” a woman wearing a witch cackled as she opened the door, holding a bowl of candy. “My, my, you’ve come just in time… to provide your pretty fingers for my brew!”
“Hi, Ms. Bowman!” Sophia greeted the witch. “It’s Sophia!”
“Of course you are!” Candice’s mother exclaimed. “Come in! Come in!”
Sophia stepped into the Bowmans’ house. Like the outside, it was thoroughly decorated for Halloween. The smells of various treats greeted her nose, making her realize she hadn’t eaten since lunch. Candice’s younger sister, Lynn, was sitting on the couch in a fairy costume, looking sullen. With Candice were two other girls, whom Sophia had seen in passing at school. One looked to be of Asian descent, wearing a princess dress, and the other was a glasses-wearing red-haired girl wearing a frilly, patchwork dress of some kind. Lynn gave her a glance and then went back to looking sullen while the two older girls shared shy greetings with Sophia.
“Candice isn’t back yet,” Candice’s mother informed her, shutting the door.
She gestured for Sophia to sit on a chair in the living room before continuing, “I’m sure she’ll be around shortly. How have you been?”
“I’ve been busy,” Sophia answered. “School and work.”
“I hope you’re getting to do more than just that,” Ms. Bowman said, sitting on a wooden chair next to the door.
“Well, I’m thinking of joining the Outdoors Club at school,” Sophia told her, stretching the truth a bit.
“That certainly sounds right up your alley,” Ms. Bowman replied encouragingly. “Your father is still in welding?”
“He…” This was not a conversation Sophia wanted. “He still welds occasionally, among other jobs.”
“Mmm,” Ms. Bowman replied thoughtfully, glancing at the other girls.
Sophia was saved from any more uncomfortable questions by the door to the garage opening. Sophia and the other girls stood and went into the kitchen to see Candice and her father placing several paper bags against the wall. Candice’s father was a tall, husky man already, and the vampire costume made him look even bigger.
“Heeey!” Candice trilled as she saw the girls. “Ready to have some fun?”
“Hi Candice!” the Asian girl responded eagerly. “Find everything?”
“Oh, I think so,” Candice replied jubilantly. “Patty here yet?”
“She’s running a bit behind,” the girl replied. “She said she’ll be by as soon as she can.”
“Well, she’ll just have to miss some of the fun then,” Candice answered and then looked at Sophia. “Sophia! You probably haven’t met these two.”
“This is Rachel,” she indicated the Asian girl she had just been talking to.
“And this is Alexa,” she gestured to the red-haired girl with glasses. “Both are on the Student Council. Rachel and I know Patty from band. Alexa and Rachel, this is Sophia! We’ve been best friends since first grade!”
“Ah!” said Alexa, examining her. “So you’re the wolf girl.”
“Yeah, that’s me,” Sophia blushed and quickly changed the subject. “What’s wrong with Lynn?”
“Oh, she’s just upset mom and dad won’t let her go down to the lake with her friends,” Candice replied, rolling her eyes. “She’ll get over it.”
“Girls?” Sophia jumped in reaction to Candice’s dad’s loud, baritone voice. “Help me get the food out, and we can start this party!”
The variety of Halloween snacks and treats was quite good, Sophia had to admit. After stacking plates with food, Candice’s parents went outside to hand out candy to trick or treaters, leaving the girls to themselves. Sophia mostly stayed quiet as the other girls talked about boys, school, and the activities they all shared. Keeping to herself wasn’t difficult, as Candice generally wound up doing most of the talking no matter the situation. That all changed when the last invitee arrived almost an hour late.
“Patty!” Candice went to hug the new arrival.
“Sorry, I’m late!” Patty apologized. “I had to finish up a paper for Honors English.”
Patty was a raven-haired girl, a few inches taller than Sophia. She was costumed as what Sophia guessed to be Cleopatra, judging by the Egyptian-style clothes and rubber snake around her neck.
Candice turned and introduced the others, “Sophia and Alexa, this is Patty. She plays the flute in band and is on the junior varsity basketball team.”
Sophia smiled and raised a hand in greeting.
“Well, now that we’re all here, we can move on to the surprise!” Candice announced.
Patty took a seat as Candice went into the kitchen, coming out with one of the bags her father and she had brought in.
“I managed to get a hold of something cool,” Candice teased, looking around the room. “Sophia will especially like it.”
She opened the large paper bag and pulled out something big and furry. It took a moment for Sophia to realize what it was.
“Is… that a wolf skin?” she asked anxiously as she feared the worst for the wolf she had seen.
“Yep! Don’t worry, my dad got permission,” Candice misinterpreted Sophia’s concern. “They seized it from a poacher a decade or so ago, and they wound up holding onto it. It’s become something of a mascot at the sheriff’s office.”
“Wow, that’s so cool!” Racheal reacted, awed.
“If they catch the wolf by town, are they going to skin it?” Patty asked.
What..? No! Sophia’s relief and excitement turned immediately to horror, though everyone was too transfixed on the pelt to notice.
“Nah,” Candice replied. “Unless it hurts someone, they’ll try to tranq it and move it somewhere in Yellowstone or the Tetons.”
“Can I… see it?” Sophia asked hopefully, barely containing herself.
“Sure!” Candice replied, handing it to her. “I mostly asked because you were coming.”
“Awooo!” Patty howled teasingly.
Sophia would have much rather seen a live wolf, but a thrill still went through her as she took the skin. The gray fur along the skin’s back and head was coarse to her touch and gradually became softer near the paws. It would have been a beautiful animal alive, and Sophia couldn’t help but feel a little sad for the animal.
What an awful thing to do. She examined the hole where the bullet had passed. Sleep well.
After examining the pelt, Sophia passed it to Alexa, who was sitting on a folding chair to her right. She took it and looked it over intently, running her hand through the fur. Rachael was next, then Patty, who gave it to Lynn. Lynn immediately passed it back to her sister.
“I’ve seen it before,” Lynn said smugly.
“I guess Little Red Riding Hood caught the wolf this time,” Patty joked, grinning at Sophia.
Sophia laughed uneasily.
“You know,” Rachel started thoughtfully. “The tribe that used to live in this area has a legend involving the skin of a wolf.”
“Really?” Candice asked, intrigued. “What is it?”
“Well, they said members of the tribe could take on the characteristics of a wolf by performing a ritual while wearing the skin of a wolf,” Rachael explained. “It’s sort of like the werewolf legends of Europe, but more spiritual.”
“Any idea what the ritual was?” Lynn asked curiously.
“The legend I heard doesn’t say exactly, just that it involved acting like a wolf,” Rachel told her.
“Act like a wolf?” Patty asked mischievously. “Here, Candice, let me see that.”
She went over to Candice, who handed it over. Grinning, Patty put the pelt’s head over her own and started loping around.
“Awoo,” she mock-howled, prompting giggles from the other girls.
Getting to her hands and knees, she went over to Rachael and sniffed the air loudly and then pawed at her. Both girls fell into laughter. After calming down, Patty removed it from her head. She turned to Sophia, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
“I dare Little Miss Riding Hood to try!” she announced.
Sophia recoiled in surprise, “Me?”
“It’s just for fun!” Patty encouraged her.
Sophia glanced around nervously. Candice looked a bit uncomfortable, but the other girls were staring at her expectantly. Uncertainly, she took the skin.
It is a party and I guess and might be fun, she encouraged herself. It’s not like anything bad will happen, and maybe the girls will like me more.
“Alright, let’s see the big bad wolf!” Patty exclaimed, laughing.
Unsteadily, Sophia stood and put the head of the skin over her own, feeling her face heat up. Taking a breath, she started crawling around on all fours, imagining she was a wolf. She started off with an experimental howl, drawing laughter. Feeling a bit more confident, she began mimicking the behaviors of a wolf. Sniff around, eat some food off her plate with just her mouth, bound after some prey…
“Uh, Sophia,” she heard Lynn say.
Sophia was surprised to find herself with her tongue out, about to lap at Lynn’s cup of punch. Quickly, she returned her tongue to her mouth and laughed nervously. The other girls broke into laughter.
I don’t remember coming over here… Sophia tried to stop herself from trembling. What happened?
“That was awesome!” Alexa exclaimed. “You were really getting into it!”
“Yeah,” Sophia said, trying to play along. “It was fun!”
“Alright Candice!” Patty announced. “Your turn!”
Sophia handed the skin to Candice and stiffly sat down. All the girls took turns acting like wolves, some more exaggerated than others. Sophia laughed with the group, but her heart wasn’t really in it. She still felt a bit embarrassed and had an odd tingling throughout her body.
What came over me? She stared at the red indents from the carpet on her hands. How long was I pretending?
After each of the girls had taken a turn with the skin, the party moved to the kitchen, and Candice got out a card game that Sophia hadn’t seen before involving kittens. It looked fun, but Sophia found herself increasingly unable to focus on the party. A headache had formed, and she was starting to feel nauseous. Eating or drinking did nothing to address either.
“Are you okay, Sophia?” Rachel asked after the first game, looking at her. “You look pale.”
“I’m just feeling a bit off,” Sophia answered in a raspy voice, trying to convince herself. “Do you have any Tylenol?”
Candice fetched two pills for her, and Sophia tried to get back into the party. Midway through the second round, though, she wasn’t able to even fake being alright. The pills had failed to suppress her headache at all, and it was quickly becoming a pounding one; the nausea was intensifying, and chills were starting to rack her body. Candice went to get her parents, who had retired to their bedroom after trick or treating was over. Mr. Bowman grabbed his shoes and coat and helped Sophia to the family’s car.
“Give us a call if you need us!” Mr. Bowman told Sophia after he had pulled into her driveway.
Sophia somehow managed to get the front door open and unlocked before dropping her backpack and basket before staggering to the bathroom. There, she threw up as the world spun, sweat beading on her face. Stumbling out of the bathroom, she went into her bedroom and collapsed on her bed without even trying to remove her day clothes. Burrowing under her covers, she curled into a ball and begged for unconsciousness.
Chapter 1 << >> Chapter 3
Category Story / Transformation
Species Wolf
Size 50 x 50px
File Size 114.7 kB
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