“OMG! I can't believe it's happening tomorrow!” I screeched excitedly into my phone. The next day, Saturday, was to be the best ever. Tomorrow was my eighteenth birthday, the senior prom, and the first time our family curse would kick in. The full moon was imminent; I was soon going to turn into a wolf.
My cousin Rachel, who had her first change a year ago, was really annoyed with me about how I was handling my impending transformation. “I totally think you shouldn't go to your prom because of the change! You can't hold it back yet, Becky! It's your first time!” But Rachel knew me well enough to realize that she wouldn't change my mind. “Let me talk to Simon for you,” she added in a very irritated tone.
Simon – what a dumb name for such an ancient, powerful wizard. Rachel was always running around with him, both usually in wolf form. The same man who had placed the curse on our family was now her best friend. Yes, the curse was cool, and she didn't want to give it up even though Simon was willing to lift it, but the way Rachel was always hanging around in the woods with a five-hundred year old guy...well, whatever.
So my response to her was a shrill, “I don't want Simon to do a thing! I want this so bad! I don't want anyone to mess around with it! I'll just go home before the real changes start up. Mom says fear makes you transform faster. Well, guess what? I'm not scared at all. I'm thrilled!”
“You'll be changing bit by bit all day and,” Rachel coughed, “you don't go home early from prom,”she mumbled, and hung up.
When I woke up, I peered at myself naked in the bathroom mirror, looking for the first signs of metamorphosis. But aside from some peach fuzz on my face, and the thick crop of hair I immediately shaved off my legs, I really saw no difference. “What the hell?” I cried angrily, smashing my hand into the bathroom counter.
“What's up, Becky?” my mom called from outside the door.
“Nothing's happening yet, Mom! I'm just hairier!”
“Can I come in?”
When I unlocked the door, I jumped back in surprise. My mother sported a pair of wolf ears, a furry face, and a snout flanked with very sharp canines. But her yellow eyes were the coolest part. “Awesome!” I exclaimed. “Wow! What's the deal, Mom?”
“I figured I'd change with you to ease you into it. So you're not scared, and you know what to expect...”
I stroked at her face in wonder. “Don't bother. I'm fine. I'm prepared, and I can't wait for it. It's just so amazing that we can do this.”
My mom laughed, and allowed her face to shrink back to normal. It was so cool. Even the fur disappeared without a trace. “You're so different than me,” she began. “I was so horrified by my changes, which made them really go fast. From what Simon has told me, if you're craving them and excited by them, they take a long time. It's kind of how we learn to control them, actually.”
There it was, the secret to control. All I had to do was enjoy them, and I'd be fine at the prom.
And this tack seemed to be going quite well through the day. My mom was greatly impressed. She studied my arm in shock. “You're really holding it back, Becky. I can't believe it. Yes, you're getting a bit of fur, but it's nothing. You're really going to go tonight, huh?”
I had a long dress and a jacket all prepared for the occasion. I'd even considered wearing silky gloves, but I didn't have the guts to do that one. “Yup. I've even going to yoga with Rachel.”
Rachel was very amused that I had still come to yoga. She said it brought back memories of her first change, and they weren't happy memories. But when I sat down and took off my shoes to see my thickening toenails, I hugged my legs to my chest in glee. “Look, Rachel!” I nearly screeched.
Rachel smiled, glancing around to make sure no one was paying attention. She pointed out the fact that the soles of my feet were darkening as well, a sure sign that my pads would be coming in soon.
I was so excited that I almost kissed my toes.
As we did our yoga moves, Pina, the girl next to us, glared at the bottoms of my feet. “What were you, walking around in tar or something?”
Pina was the bitch of the class. I kind of wished I had the amazing canines my mom had so I could bite her. Unfortunately my lack of a quick response resulted in another jibe.
“Cut your damn toenails. They're...freaky.”
Rachel snorted. “God, Pina, you act like you're in junior high sometimes. And let me tell you,” she stretched out her feet which she had changed to look like mine, “dirty feet with long, thick nails is so 'in'! Everyone's doing it! I can't believe you're not!”
Pina regarded the rest of the class. “Uh, no they're not.” Her eyes fell to Rachel's hairy ankles. “Have you ever heard of a razor, by the way?”
“We're going for the natural look here,” Rachel explained, proudly displaying the rest of her leg.
With a knowing look at each other, Rachel and I simply erupted into giggles. We couldn't stop. And when Rachel let out a near-howl, Pina moved as far away from us as she could.
After a last minute full-body shave, I donned my clothes and readied myself for the night. A knock at the door heralded the arrival of Paul, my date, followed by several of my friends and their partners.
My mother was eyeing me closely as a photographer snapped pictures of us in all our finery. My good friend Mara, who was dressed like it was winter, not late spring, murmured, “I'm so hot,” to me as the flashes went off.
“Well, long sleeves and a thick, floor-length gown will do that,” I commented, smiling to myself. Even I, who was covering up fast-growing fur, wasn't dressed that badly.
“I liked the green sequins on it,” she replied curtly. “Oh, Happy Birthday, by the way. Hope yours is going better than mine.” We both shared the same birthday, so, even from elementary school, we'd always felt like kindred spirits.
Paul stood by awkwardly, and I almost laughed. I wonder what he'd think if he saw his date turn into a wolf... But he wouldn't, because I'd be long gone from his side. I'd have my fun – how much fun could a stupid prom be – and take off before midnight. By then, my mom said it would probably be a lot harder to hold things back. The pull of the moon was hard for the wolf in us to resist. But honestly, after that the kids would be all off drinking or whatever. I'd much rather be running through the woods in wolf form. Totally.
All of this 'date stuff' meant nothing, anyway. Paul was a friend, nothing more. We both needed someone to go to the prom with, so we agreed to go 'as friends'. My real love was Mark, a violin player. We always flirted together, we obviously felt for each other, but he had refused to go to a prom. He said it was 'too commercialized', which might be true, but it still could be fun. Yet he insisted it wasn't his thing, and he didn't want to spend anymore time with his schoolmates than he needed to. I told him he was being a jerk, but he stuck to his guns.
So here I was, donned in a red satin ruffly dress, which stuck out dramatically against the pinks and blues of my friends' frocks. When I entered the car that was to take us to the prom, my mom stuck her head in. “You sure about this?”
I glanced at Mara next to me, who was giggling. She grabbed at my sleeve with her very sharp nails. “Mrs. Shaw, she'll be fine! It's not like she's two.”
No. I was eighteen, and Mara obviously had no idea about the family curse.
I entered the hall where the school was holding the prom, and I drew in my breath, cutting my tongue on my sharpening teeth. The room was decorated so well, it seemed unreal. Our school only held a senior prom, and they made the best of it, I could see. The hall was lit with only blue lights, and it was tastefully done up like an 19th-century ballroom. There were even flickering fake candles dotting the faux chandeliers.
Couples already graced the dance floor, and low music played.
Suddenly I felt guilty. It was kind of romantic, despite the fact that I had to spend the time with Paul. Maybe it would be fun to stay a bit later...
Paul walked off to greet his friends, and I called to him. “One sec,” he said. “Gotta tell Jimmy about the car I'm getting.”
“Paul, hurry up!” I cried impatiently, pulling at my high heels. They felt like my feet were shifting around in them. “I don't have much time!”
He only looked at me confusedly, then continued on his way. “Be right back, Becky.”
For what seemed like many embarrassing hours, I waited for Paul's return. I stood alone, scratching at my itchy skin while watching my friends dance. Mara came parading by with Wayne Stilton, but she was looking kind of shell-shocked. He kept slipping his hand down the back of her dress, and she kept pushing him away until she ran off. Hungrily, he watched after her.
Tyra, Jennie, Bree...everyone was having a great time except me. Well, who cared. Maybe I'd leave right now. Proms were stupid, my shoes were extremely uncomfortable, and midnight was coming... What would it be like to really change? My mom and Rachel's mom had both described it as amazing, and Rachel had concurred. What was it like to run on four paws, and to bay at the bright golden moon?
“I gotta leave,” I said to no one in particular, and turned on my heel...
...To find Mark standing sheepishly before me.
For a moment, I couldn't find words. He looked so handsome in his tux, his black hair reflecting the blue lights... He handed me a corsage, which was funny, because Paul didn't bother to get me anything...
“I came after all,” he said nervously.
For some reason, this made me extremely angry. “Why the hell didn't you tell me? I had to come with Paul, and he's being a jerk, and I'm having an awful time...” I stared to cry, and suddenly I was in his arms, and they were strong...
“Mark...” I pulled myself partly away, embarrassed that I had thrown myself at him. Usually I was so good at playing hard-to-get...
But, quite unlike himself, he brought me closer. “Stop it. I belong here with you. I'm sorry, and I'm an idiot for never admitting it.”
“Admitting what?” I murmured inbetween tears. Would he say it? Was it possible he'd actually disclose his feelings for me? I'd waited and hoped for so long...
He planted a big kiss on my cheek. “Admitting this,” he answered, looking almost as surprised as I felt. “Now let's dance!”
“Oh, Mark.” I removed my shoes and put them aside. Everyone always did that at dances, so I figured it wasn't too weird. I just hoped Mark didn't notice how small and paw-like my feet were getting.
The rest of the night flew by. I don't know where Paul went, and if he had approached me, I wouldn't have noticed. I was on cloud nine, and I loved Mark with all my heart, and I didn't want this to end...
At one point, my dress fell off my shoulder, and Mark chuckled. “Your dress is too big on you, you know.”
“No, it's not,” I pulled it back up quickly. “I'm fine,” I uttered, but I really wasn't. My skin felt like it was crawling. For a moment I thought nothing of it until I looked down at my arm. It was really furry.
I pulled away from Mark, and glanced up at the big golden clock on the wall.
12:03.
Oh, no. Oh, not now...not when all my dreams were coming true...
Fear gripped me, and I could feel my body react. Strange tingles began to work their way through me...the magic...the curse...
“Wait a sec, Mark.” Feverishly, I donned my dress-jacket to cover my fur. I then pulled my phone from the pocket. “Rachel, please tell Simon to stop this. I need to stay longer,” I texted.
Hours seemed to go by before Rachel's reply came forth. “Told ya.”
“Help me...The fear's making me change fast now.”
“He'd need to see you in person anyway.”
“Where is he?”
The phone rang, and I picked it up. “Rachel, please! Help me!”
“Becky, there's worse off people than you right now. Remember that idiot I dated, Ted?”
“The guy who shot Simon with a beebee gun when he was a wolf?” I snickered. Rachel's story of her first change was so cool. Especially the part when she practically ripped her loser date's throat out when he shot at the animals.
“That Ted. Yes. Simon said if he ever shot anything again, he'd turn him into a tree.”
“So?”
“Simon's going after him. He shot something.”
I clapped my hands in approval. Even being a tree was too good for Ted, but it was definitely better than nothing. “So what's the problem?”
“I'm trying to find Simon to stop him!”
“Why should you bother to stop him? He deserves it!” My fingers were shrinking and kind of fusing, which both thrilled and scared me. “Rachel, Mark can't see me like this!”
“Mark? I thought he wasn't coming. Where's Paul?”
“Mark came.” I happened to look at my palms, which made me gasp. Now the pads were in.
“But I can't have him see this–”
“So leave! I told you!”
“But I was having such a good time, and the night's just beginning, and we're all going canoeing in the moonlight later...”
“Becky, you're an idiot. Let me go! You know the answer!”
Rachel hung up.
Mark swept me back into his arms. “Why are you wearing that jacket?”
I gaped down at it, noticing that it didn't do much to cover the fur on my hands. Hey, I was getting claws too! Cool! Maybe I should just tell him...no, I wasn't supposed to...
“I'm wearing a jacket because I'm cold. Isn't that usually why you would?” Okay, I was getting snarky now...
Yet he held me tighter, and I delighted in his warmth, although I think my body temperature really had increased... I guess that was part of transforming?
“Oo!” I yelped. Something had shifted inside of me. I could swear my very organs were changing. It made me slightly queasy.
“You okay?”
“Yes. Just...cold...”
“You'll be colder on the water.”
I felt pressure at the back of my spine...oh, God, that had to be a sign that my tail was coming in... “Mark, I'm not sure I can go with you...” I finally gulped. I felt so defeated. I thought I could have it all, but I hadn't factored Mark into the mix...
“Why not...Becky, were your ears always pointed slightly like that?”
My hand found its way to my ears, which were also growing fuzzier. By now, even the relative darkness of the hall couldn't cover my change to animal form. I couldn't stay, but I so wanted this time with Mark... I needed Simon's help desperately. Perhaps I could salvage even a part of the night...“Mark, I'll be right back.” I rushed towards the women's room, then, making sure he wasn't watching, I ran outside and called Rachel's cell. “Rachel, where are you?”
“In the woods behind Macy's. You changing?”
“Rachel, I need Simon to stop my changes. Please. It's going to ruin everything. Can I meet you there?”
My cousin groaned in annoyance. “Then I might not make it in time to help Ted.”
“Who the hell cares? Who's more important here?”
“I guess it won't hurt to let Simon scare him a bit. Ted would make a big, impressive tree.”
When I hung up, I heard a sob. Figuring it was a couple making out in the bushes or something, I turned away, only to hear my name. “Over here, Becky...”
I followed the sound to where someone crouched under a tree. “Becky, help me,” it whispered.
That was Mara's voice! “Mara?” I called, creeping over.
There before me, was Mara. She was sobbing, and she was not completely human.
She was half-wolf.
I darted over to her in shock. “Mara, how's it happening to you too?” I gasped, displaying my tail bump so she could see I was changing too.
Surprised but relieved, she began, “My..my aunt...” but with each word, she changed a bit more. “She told us stories of my mom's family...werewolves, shape-shifters...but my mom died in childbirth, and no one's really left from her family... Oh, Becky, I'm so scared...”
“Don't be scared...it just makes you transform faster...”
“How can I not be? I'm turning into an animal, damn it!” the tears trickled down her silvery-gray fur.
“Not completely! You keep your mind, but you get all the amazing instincts of a wolf...”
But Mara's snout formed, and her transformation was complete. I inhaled deeply – she had become an exquisite animal to the point that I was nearly jealous. I helped her out of her dress, shaking. How was this possible?
Mara made a hideous moan.
I patted her comfortingly. “Don't worry. I'm trying to find the man that did this to us. Come with me and don't be scared, Mara. It's actually supposedly awesome.”
When I met up with Rachel, she stared at the wolf accompanying me. “Who's she?”
“It's Mara. My friend.”
“She has the curse too?”
“I guess.” With another look at Mara, Rachel grabbed my hand and pulled me into her car. Mara hopped in beside me. “Please hurry, the changes...”
“Simon texted me. He says there's a surprise in my backyard,” she said, driving down the road.
“What the hell does that mean?” I asked in agitation.
“I guess it has something to do with Ted.”
I rolled my eyes.
The wizard I'd come to know well stood in Rachel's dark backyard, hands on his hips. He was smiling at a figure that struggled before him.
“Ah, you girls are just in time. Who's this beautiful creature?” Simon cocked his head, as if listening to the wolf beside us. “Mara, you say? Ah, you're of the Fennemans, no? Yes, oh, I loved those girls. I was so saddened when we lost your mother. She was the fastest runner of all the wolves.”
Mara looked shocked. So did I.
“Yes, Becky and Rachel. Mara's a distant cousin of yours. Genealogy through magic. Cool, huh? Welcome, Mara. You're in for some fun here. Remember Ted, Becky?”
I suddenly found that I could move the tail that was forming under my dress, and momentarily, I was thrilled. “My tail!” I flicked it so hard, however, that my dress flew up, displaying my underwear. I reddened.
Rachel chuckled, and Simon made a very un-wizardlike whistle. “Attractive coat coming in there, Becky. Enjoying it?”
“Simon,” I begged. “Can't you stop my transformation for a bit?”
“Becky, that takes some work. And I'm pretty busy. We need some time to teach Ted his lesson. He can't go off killing innocent animals for fun.”
The figure I now recognized as Ted whined. As my eyes adjusted to the light, which they seemed to be better and better at, I realized that Ted was not quite Ted. Well, the top half of him was. But below his hips he was...a tree.
Mara made a squeal of horror.
“Please don't do this to me,” Ted implored, twisting his human top half back and forth. “I'm sorry...I...oh, it feels so weird to have no legs...”
“Like the way I restrained him? I simply made his bottom part turn into a tree and grow into the ground. This'll keep him from escaping before Rachel gets to see the rest of his change. And you girls can watch too, Becky and Mara! A plant transformation is so great – whether you're the transformer or the transformee!”
“Simon, I couldn't care less about him. Do you really need to deal with him now?” Rachel asked tiredly.
“I keep my promises. He shot at a squirrel.”
Ted's eyes bugged out. “But I missed.”
“You still shot, so you turn into a tree. Go!”
As the teary boy thrashed and changed before us, I ran up to the wizard, pleading with him. “Can't you stop my changes until tomorrow? You're almost finished transforming him.”
Ted, watching his arms stretch into the air, made a plaintive wail. “My arms...I can't move them anymore...they're getting so long...”
“Doing nice there, tree-man.” Simon turned to me, and he seemed much taller than usual. I guess that meant I was shrinking to wolf size. “There's not much to stop, I'm afraid. You're pretty far along,” he commented.
I examined myself, realizing he was right. I truly had paws, and there was no trace of my skin. My coat was thick and healthy, and my face had grown out into a snout. My new nose sniffed at the night, and it smelled so enticing...
“Get down on all fours, Becky,” Rachel said. “you're just about there.”
“Why don't you change now too, Rachel?” Simon prompted her.
“I can control it, Simon, remember?” she reminded him in annoyance. “I'll change with you in a sec after Becky finishes up. And after you're done with Ted here.” She regarded the plant/human mixture in awe. I could see she was rethinking her need to stop the wizard's punishing Ted. She seemed to be enjoying witnessing his metamorphosis, actually.
“He's almost a tree. I think he'll be a nice one,” Simon chuckled. The bark that had encircled Ted's lower half now crept higher up, coating his arms as they divided into many branches.
“Please stop it!” Ted cried, but the bark overtook his face, and it melted away, leaving nothing but several face-like divots in the bark. He gave a final shudder as verdant leaves popped from his surface, and then he grew still.
Simon surveyed his creation proudly, then turned to us. “You girls want to run when Becky's finished? It'll be her and Mara's first runs as wolves!”
The pressure in my backbone forced me onto all fours. I hadn't gotten down into this position yet, for I was trying to see if I could hold back any more of the changes. But I couldn't, and the strange pleasure of the experience made me gasp. “Oh, wow!” I couldn't help exclaiming. “It's amazing! I feel great!”
“I'm going to change now, Simon,” Rachel mumbled, turning away so the tree would not overhear her... if it even could. I wondered just what Ted was experiencing right now, honestly. He didn't have eyes or ears, so could he hear? I was pretty sure he was still very aware...
“And as cool as Ted looks, you can't leave him like that forever. He's a jerk, but it's still not right.” Rachel got on all fours and allowed her changes to occur.
“Oh, it's fine. Let's just teach the majestic oak a lesson.” Simon drummed his fingers against the tree quite happily. The branches shook slightly. Could Ted feel this?
I think I was just about done...how good I felt! “Oh,” I yelped, “I feel so alive, I...”
And then another voice rang out.
“Becky...is that you?”
There, on the edge of the clearing, stood Mark.
“Mark! You followed me here? Why did you...rrrrr...”
Mark merely gaped at me. I don't think he could believe what he had just seen. He was rubbing his eyes a lot. And the other wolf that was Mara seemed to be making him very nervous.
“She's a wolf, my friend. She can't talk anymore,” Simon explained calmly for me. “Allow me, Becky.” He untangled my dress from my newly-lupine body.
Rachel, now almost fully wolf, managed to snort, “Your boyfriend followed you, huh Becky?”
I swatted at her with a paw, which was fascinating in itself as I merely toppled over. I wasn't used to the four-legged stance quite yet.
Simon patted my back. “You do look beautiful in wolf form, Becky. Don't you think so, Mark?”
I couldn't help but rub my head against the tall man. I was so thankful to this powerful wizard. Thanks to him, I could experience raw animalness. And I felt better than I'd ever felt in human form. I was so alive, so ready to jump and leap...The air was full of smells, the night beckoned to me and I wanted to join it...
But I realized Mark was completely freaked out, so I carefully made my way towards him. He backed up several steps, nearly tripping on a log.
“She won't hurt you, boy. It's still Becky in there. Her body just turns into a a wolf body at the full moon, thanks to me.”
“W...w....werewolf?” Mark stuttered, taking another step back nonetheless.
“Oh, whatever you want to call that stuff. She's a wolf, and once she gets the hang of it, she can be one whenever she wants. I kind of altered the original curse for that. Give her a good petting.”
“A good petting? She's not a dog!” Mark yelled, incensed.
“Well, she's related to dogs in this form a lot closer than she was as a human. Don't you take biology anymore?”
“Biology?” the boy burst out in frustration. “She...she's a person...and so is Rachel and...that's Mara? They just turned into...animals. That's...magic.”
“Damned straight it is.”
It was funny. I totally understood how Mark felt, but he had seen this with his own eyes. Obviously there was more out there than he understood. To comfort him, I gently rubbed my face against his leg and moaned.
Reflexively, his hand reached down and rubbed the scruff of my neck. It felt great, and I made a weird kind of purring sound. Mark looked up at Simon. “What's she saying?”
“She likes it.” Simon explained.
“You want more, Becky?”
I nodded. I wanted a whole-body rub, if he was willing. I loved this muscular, wonderful body of mine, and it felt so good to be massaged in this way...
His hands stroked my fur, and he was visibly growing more comfortable with the situation. “You really are beautiful like this, Becky...I never petted a wolf before. And you're beautiful too, Rachel.”
Rachel swatted her tail at him and trotted over to Simon, who stood smiling.
Finally Simon approached us again. “Listen, Mark, this is Becky's and Mara's first change, so we need to go off to teach them what they need to know. We'll need her back.”
Mark straightened up. “Oh,” he said blankly. “Um, okay...well, I guess I'll go...home.”
“You do that,” Simon said dismissively. “Come on, girls. Let's run,” the wizard, with a last wink at Mark, shrank down into an impressive male wolf, and he ran into the woods, followed behind by Rachel and Mara.
Guilty, I remained behind, my eyes on Mark. He looked sad and lost, and I hated to leave him like this. I wanted to run off and explore my new form and abilities, but I realized, I really loved this boy.
“Go, Becky. You need to learn,” he said with a sigh.
A howl rose in the night.
“They're calling you. Go.”
But I didn't want to go. I made an angry howl back, and soon, three wolves came back into view. The male grew back into Simon, looking very impatient. “Becky, come on! What are you waiting for?”
I shook my head, gazing at Mark. I wished I could share this with him...
I'm still not completely sure if Simon could read minds or not – it seemed like he could. Either way, he obviously figured out my thoughts. As did Rachel. She resumed human form and said, “Simon, come on. You're a wizard. Why don't you turn him into one too? You've turned me into other stuff.”
Simon studied the boy closely. I could see Mark's eyes had a mix of fear and wonder in them now. “You wanna be a wolf with us, boy?”
Mark gulped. He looked back at me, and I nodded my head.
“Well... I...”
But before he could finish, Simon murmured, “So be it,” and Mark was changing.
“Oh, my God,” was the last thing he uttered before he became a very handsome animal, and the five of us ran into the night, baying at the moon.
It was truly the best birthday ever.