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A matter of change

Chapter 4: Not alone...

I was running. Running as fast as my feet could carry me. Running like my life depended on it. My eyes darted back and forth looking for a way out, but there was nothing. The dimly lit tunnel spanned on forever with no sign of it ever stopping. My heart thundered in my chest as the screams and wails of my pursuers caught my ear. Why were they chasing me? I looked back to see a horde of murderous thugs, arms raised, weapons drawn, their eyes red with the thirst for blood. My blood. They were gaining on me. I turned around and tried my best to block out the threats with the dull thump of my own pulse, pounding inside of my skull like the drum of the devil. I had been running so fast for so long that even with my new found strength and stamina, I was gradually slowing down. Just as I began to feel the last drop of strength leave my body, I caught sight of one last hope. A flickering light at the end of the dark tunnel. I called forth every final ounce of energy left in my body and made one last mad dash for safe haven. I staggered and pressed against the walls; I stumbled but willed my legs to go on. I pushed myself through hell and back but finally, just as the hoard was almost on top of me, I fell through the open door way into an empty room. I collapsed on the floor gasping for breath, exhausted. I looked back towards the door to see it had closed by itself. I was puzzled, but glad to be alive. My heart gradually calmed down and returned to its normal rate. As my eyes gradually became accustomed to the darkness, I began to notice something was horribly wrong. I felt around to find that the walls weren't solid at all, they were large metal bars. I was inside a giant cage! I struggled to my feet to try and find a way out but it was hopeless; I was trapped. Just as I began to think things couldn't get any worse, they did. A dull rumbling came from the floor as the walls began to move in on me. My pulse skyrocketed as I became frantic, looking for any signs of escape. Nothing. I hadn't the energy left to fight my way out. A silent tear broke free of my eye and crawled down my face as I resigned myself to my fate. The walls were only a few feet away now. I forced my eyelids shut and prepared for the worse. I stood there silently, waiting, praying, but nothing came. It was the anxiety that was killing my slowly, not the crushing walls that I expected. A life time flew past in a matter of minutes. I finally dared to open my eyes to find that I was somewhere completely different, a room with no walls, no ceiling, and when I looked down I found that it didn't have a floor either! I was hovering there in complete darkness. Alone. No wait...not alone...

A high pitched ringing tore through my ears as my alarm clock woke me from my dream. I stirred in bed, opened my eyes slightly and squinted with contempt at the clock. 7:30.

"Hmmm...alright I'm awake." I stretched out my arm and grabbed the clock before it shook itself off the table. I rolled over and took a look around the one bedroom apartment. One bathroom, tiny kitchen/living room, no T.V, just a table with my computer gathering dust in the corner. It wasn't much, but it was home now. I had been living here by myself for a couple of months now and It was already beginning to piss me off. It was like my own private prison cell, but it was more to keep the rest of the world out. I couldn't complain really; it was cheep, close to college and I didn't have any where else to go. My parents still lived outside the city, but I couldn't bear to look them in the face anymore, after all the pain and suffering I put them through. You see, one of my so called "friends" from my old school decided to tip off the local newspaper about me. They got their story and before I knew it "The wolf boy of Pagham" was all over the tabloids. I managed to escape from most of the paparazzi but that didn't stop them from going after my parents. They were hounded from dusk till dawn asking questions like: "What's it like having a savage animal for a son?" Or "So which side of the family I known for being werewolves?" I couldn't let them do that to my parents, after the infinite support they gave me after the change, they deserved better. So I left, hoping the papers would leave them alone. They did. Slowly but surely, I was phased out of the headlines into the obituaries. It only took a new home, a new life, and a couple of weeks of hiding inside, but I was now free to get on with the rest of my life. Well, what was left of it anyway. I was hardly the same person I was a couple of months ago. I guess growing an extra limb and fur all over your body will have that effect on you.

I dragged my sorry ass out of bed and climbed in the shower. The flowing water soothed my skin and trickled down my fur. I hoped it would take my mind off these weird dreams I had been having. Every night it was the same thing. The endless corridors, the race to survive, the cage. But the dream never lasted long enough to see who was in the room with me. Who was it? What did any of it mean? I dismissed them as nothing more than figments of my twisted imagination, they were nothing for me to get concerned over. Anyway I had more pressing matters to attend to today. As I got out of the shower I went through the plan for the day in my head. Firstly, I had to make a presentation in front of the rest of the class about...(sigh)....human cloning and genetic experiments. I shuddered at the thought of it. I could already picture them pinning me against the wall and getting ready to dissect me. I was beginning to think my professor assigned me this topic just to see me suffer! He never really liked me. Don't know why. Well....actually....it might have something to do with his dog allergies! Some times I would just stick my tail out as he walked past on purpose to get him to start sneezing uncontrollably. I always laughed my head off and he was always too busy having an allergic reaction to take any notice of me. Maybe that's why he gave me such an ironic topic to talk about. Guess I deserved it. The other thing I had to do today involved a slightly more aggressive approach. Since the change I had become pretty damn good at sports, and I was now captain of the school rugby team. I wasn't really a huge sports enthusiast, but ever since that first game I played after I came back to school people have been pushing me to join all kinds of things. Not because they like me, but so they could use me to do better at a sport they sucked at. Hell as long as it meant that they weren't beating me up I was happy. Like I said, I was a completely different person now.

I brushed my fur down as much as possible to stop it from looking "poofy" and slipped on a pair of stone washed jeans and a black T-shirt. Everything had to be really baggy or else it wouldn't fit me; kind of a pain, but then again I liked that style, and it suited me. I grabbed my school bag as I walked out the door, not bothering to lock it as I had nothing of value anyway. It only took a couple of minutes to get to college by bike, probably because I can cycle faster than most cars now. I was walking to my first class when I met up with some friends; yeah that's right I actually have some friends now.

"Hey Wolfie what's up?" It was Todd, a pretty cool guy really. We liked the same kind of music and stuff and my appearance never seemed to bother him, which was pretty cool. He was about 5ft and had long brown hair and hazel eyes and always wore a hoody and other skater clothes. He was almost completely stoned most of the time though, which meant he really didn't care about a lot of things e.g. course work! He and his mates were part of this band that had been together since they were old enough to hold instruments. They were pretty good and were on the verge of getting a record deal, so their future looked bright at least. Oh and yeah they were talking to me. Since I joined college that was pretty much my new name, only a handful of teachers actually called me by my first name anymore. I grinned and walked over to the group standing in the corner of the hallway.

"Hi guys how's it going? Ready for that presentation we gotta do in Roman's lesson?" They all stared at me with blank expressions on their faces. I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "I'll take that as a 'no' then?!"

"Aww my god I completely forgot about that damn thing!"

"So you're saying I'm the only one who did it?"

"By the looks of it dude, yeah." It was there turn to laugh at me. I rolled my eyes brushed my hand through my long grey hair. Typical.

"That's just great, you guys bloody drop me right in the middle of it! So I have to go up there and do this speech by myself? They're gonna tear me to shreds! I'm going to need some serious counselling after this."

"Ha ha ha ha, well think of it this way dude. Things cant get any worse for you now!" He laughed. I shuddered. For some reason I couldn't stop shivering. I couldn't help shake the feeling that he couldn't be more wrong. I don't know why. I just couldn't.

Any way we made our way to class. It was such a relief not having to worry about people screaming at the mere sight of me any more. Although there's still the odd shocked face every now and then from they've pretty much all grown to accept me for what I am. Either that or they're far too scared to approach me and tell me what they really think. As long they didn't bother me though I really couldn't care less. Were we late to class as usual and had to sneak in round the back before Mr. Roman noticed we were missing.

"Ah there you boys are!" Too late, he turned around just as were about to sit down. "Jake come to the front please. The rest of you take your seats." This was It I thought as I approached his desk. The class was surprisingly quite, which was really unusual. "Right now that your finally here perhaps we can get on. Now Jake get out your equipment and begin your presentation." He smirked, knowing what he had set me up for. I hated him for that and wanted my own back in some small way.

"With pleasure Sir." I said in a very smug voice and turned towards the rest of the class, making sure to brush my tail just in front of his face as I did so. The class began to laugh as Mr. Roman began sneezing uncontrollably. Got him. I casually got out my display work as he slowly began to calm down and the class settled down. The presentation actually went a lot better than I had predicted, but there was something bothering me throughout the entire thing, it wasn't the sly comments from the goons at the back, but something else. There was a new member of the class at the back of the room. They were hooded and I couldn't see their face. It troubled me that I'd never seen them before, and that they didn't say a single thing throughout my whole speech. But some how...I felt as if I knew them. I couldn't think where from, but I just had this inkling. Even after I had finished I was so fixated on that person that Mr. Roman actually had to remind me to take my seat. I turned a deep red through the fur as the class began sniggering. I walked quickly to the back of the room and sat down next to my mates.

"Nice job man your still with us!"

"Yeah no thanks to you guys! Any way who's this new guy? The one sitting at the back in the cloak." I pointed in their direction.

"Dunno dude, never seen 'em before. What's with the hood though? Mr. Roman doesn't even let us wear caps in class, let alone bloody great cloak. What's her problem?"

"Her? You can tell?!" I was a bit shocked, but I really didn't know why though.

"Dude you can't? Have you been trying to look at her face the entire time or something? I suggest you look a couple of inches down from her hood and you'll see!" He winked at me just to emphasize the point.

I looked over at her again and my jaw dropped. Even beneath the cloak you could still see that she had the figure of a supermodel. I don't know how long I was looking at her but eventually I felt a sharp pain in my chest from where Todd had elbowed me.

"Umm...dude? I think it's considered rude to stare!" I snapped out of it and forced my jaw shut. "Heh heh heh, dude you look completely smitten! You haven't even seen her face though. She could be ugly as hell, or...." He stopped mid sentence.

"Or what?!"

"Or she could look like you!!" He burst out laughing. I was just getting ready to hit him the arm when the bell rang. I forgot about Todd and rushed to the door to meet this mystery girl, but she was gone before I could even get out of my chair. I ran out the door and looked down the corridor, nothing. She just vanished into thin air. I slowly walked back into the class room, a little confused and bewildered. I grabbed my stuff and headed for next lesson.

I didn't see the hooded girl for the rest of the day. I looked everywhere for her but it was as if she never existed. I asked around but no-one seemed to know what I was talking about. I eventually gave up though, as I had more pressing issues to attend to. As the final bell rang to signify the end of the day I headed off to the changing rooms to get ready for my rugby match. I insisted in getting changed in a different room from the rest of the lads for obvious reasons. The teachers were actually pretty descent about it and let me use the spare room; guess they must have somehow understood how I felt. Once the match actually started it was over before I knew it. Every play basically consisted of them kicking the ball to us, our team catching it and throwing it down the wing to me. I would then run as fast as I could to the try line, dodging, ducking, and even jumping clean over the other players! It was far too easy, and it almost always pissed off the opposing team. I wasn't a glory hog at all; it's just what the rest of the team wanted me to do, other wise I'd be out. Where most teams would congratulate each other on playing a good game and all that, the opposition would forever take out their frustration from losing out on me. They'd make up all kinds of things to say to me like: "I didn't think they allowed animals to play rugby?" or even "What are you the team mascot?!" I had heard them all and let them slide. There was no point getting worked about their pathetic attempts to get to me. But there was one guy who wouldn't drop it. He was adamant that they had been cheated and wouldn't shut up about how I was an abomination to the sport and to the rest of mankind! Now there was something I hadn't heard before, but I laughed it off never the less. I began walking away, but what he said next made me snap.

"God I'd hate to see what your mum looks like!" I stopped dead in my tracks and slowly turned around. He grinned and sniggered quietly. I locked my eyes on him and blocked out all other sights and sounds. I spoke slowly and clearly.

"What did you just say?" I started walking steadily towards him. Each step my heart quickened slightly.

"She must be a total bitch!" He began laughing uncontrollably. I picked up my pace. My heart was pounding, adrenaline surged through my veins. I broke into a sprint, making a bee line directly towards him. Everything slowly faded from colour as I lost control. Murderous rage filled my mind as the wolf inside thirsted for blood. I was within ten feet of him before someone finally saw what I was about to do and went to stop me. They leapt at my waist and held on for dear life as I went on. He began screaming for help and soon enough I had the entire team on top of me, only just holding me back. They dog piled on top of me and I was crushed under about 15 rather large rugby players. I slowly regained my senses at about the same rate I was being suffocated. I looked through the mess of arms and legs towards my antagonist to see he had long gone.

"Okay guys you can get off me now! Really I'm fine!" They got off one by one and eventually I was free to stand up. I walked briskly back to the changing rooms before anything or anyone else could get to me.

I got changed in my separate room away from the others and tended to the bashes and bruises I had sustained during the game. I had only been tackled a few times, but when they hit me they really hit me! The room I was in didn't have any windows so I had to leave the door open a crack and I was constantly checking it to see if any one was peeking. Why anyone would want to look at me though was beyond my understanding, but I kept checking none the less. Just as I was doing another of my paranoid watches, a dark figure walked past the door, bringing me into complete darkness for a split second before moving on again. I peered through the gap to see that it was the cloaked woman again. I was just about to jump out and chase her down the hall before I suddenly realised I was completely but naked. I punched the air for my stupidity, quickly slipped on my jeans and ran down the corridor without my shirt on. I turned the corner to find that I had lost her yet again. I stood there for a moment in total disbelief; I didn't even notice the two girls walking straight towards me. Their childish giggles snapped me out of my daze as I went red all over. Literally! I made a mad dash back to the changing room and locked the door. I had had enough of the outside world as I could take for today and I just wanted to shut it out completely. Once I got home I decided to bury myself in course work to keep my mind off the game, among other things. I looked in the paper for a job but as usual drew a big fat nothing. I was still a keen scientist and always hoped each day that my perfect job would jump out of the page and grab me. But the chances of that actually happening were so remote it was more of a dream. I worked late into the night and eventually dragged myself into the bedroom and fell into a deep sleep.

The chase was on. I was back running down the same old corridors as before. With no end in sight I ran on into the darkness. The only difference this time around, was that it wasn't people I was running from. I was fleeing from a pack of savage wolves. There were at least five of them, all howling and snarling as with every bound they closed in on me. Their teeth bared and tongues flapping out the sides of their muzzles as they seemed to fly through the air straight towards me. Before long my strength had left me, fear was the only thing keeping me going. I looked back in terror as I saw the whites in their eyes. They were almost on me. As I was about to give up and accept my fate, once again I saw it. The wavering flicker of hope shining right in front of me. I knew it was a trap and yet I still ran as fast as my legs could carry me, barely touching the floor. I leapt through the open door as the lead wolf prepared to pounce on me. I collapsed in a pile on the floor as the door swung shut behind me. I lay there for a moment as I got my breath back. "Oh great, now what's next?" I thought to myself as I heard the floor moan and the walls rumble yet again. The closed in. I wasn't going to go down without a fight this time. I forced myself up and staggered towards the door. I began kicking and clawing at it with all of my remaining strength, but it wouldn't budge. I kicked furiously at it, tears streaming down my face, my eyes burning red embers. It wasn't going to end this way. I looked around to see that I didn't have much time left. I took a step back and leapt at it with my full force, enough to send a human being flying. I bounced off the door and fell into a crumpled heap on the floor. It didn't even give an inch. It was hopeless. I closed my eyes tightly and prayed for a swift death. It never came. I opened them again a few minutes later to find myself in the same old nothingness. No walls, no ceiling, no floor. I looked around in amazement when I noticed them. The cloaked figure standing just a few feet in front of me. I tried to get up, but my legs were long dead as they gave way. I threw my hands down in front of me to stop me from hitting the floor. But there was no floor! Why....How could I just be floating there? I looked up at the cloaked figure as they slowly began walking over to me. I tried to ask them who they were, but no sound came out of my mouth. I could barely breathe. They were standing right over me now. I looked deep into the hood and...there was something sticking out of it. A...A soft orange and white muzzle, protruding from behind the darkness. I sat there in total amazement. What the hell was going on? A string of unanswered questions flew through my head as I heard a soft, feminine, almost angelic voice float across the air.

"You are not alone..." It said. She slowly moved her gloved hands towards her hood and began to pull it back...

Metal struck metal like a clap of thunder, almost making me jump clean out of bed. Not again! I screamed at clock and swung at it with my paw, sending it flying across the room and smashing into a thousand pieces. I rubbed my eyes and tried to remember as much of the dream as possible, but within a few seconds it was almost completely gone. Why was I having these dreams? What did they mean? And who was that woman? Was she really like me? These questions and many more ran through my head as I got up and dressed, avoiding the pieces of shattered glass and clock work cogs. I couldn't stop thinking about her the entire time I was at college. I barely did any work at all. I'm pretty sure I failed today's history test as I spent the entire time daydreaming about what else was behind that hood. My teacher wasn't best pleased the fact that all I had written on the paper was my name and a sketch of the cloaked woman. Oh well I planned to flunk that class anyway! After college my friends managed to convince me to come into town with them to get a bite to eat. Normally I would have turned them down but I needed something to take my mind off of the girl, so I went. I had grown used to the terrified face of the public. No matter how much they abused you or even ran in fear of you, it was simply a matter of pitying them for all being the same. That's how I saw it any way. We talked on the way to the pizza place and eventually the topic I was trying my best to avoid came up.

"So dude did you meet up with that hooded girl or what?" Todd winked at me and elbowed me lightly in the chest. I would have hit him if I wasn't so worried about breaking his arm.

"Nah she's like a ghost or something, she just seems to vanish into thin air!" I forced myself to laugh, but I really felt crying.

"Hahaha...dude I don't see what your obsession with her is! It's not healthy. I mean you don't even know her." He paused for a moment. "Do you?"

"Nah I've never seen her before in my life! At least....I don't think I have." Had I seen her before? And If I had, where? This was the exact thing I was trying to keep my mind off of. It had been winding me up all day, and no matter how hard I tried I couldn't seem to get her out of my head. She was always there, and I hadn't even seen her face. Just a dark, mysterious, yet some how alluring figure, stuck in the back of my mind. I was so deep in thought that I didn't even notice that I was now walking alone. I looked around to see the rest of the guys were just standing there about ten feet behind me. I smiled and walked back towards them, but something just wasn't quite right though.

"Come on guys I'm starved, lets go!" I said as I approached them, pointing towards the pizza place, but as I got closer, I noticed that they weren't moving. "Yo Todd lets move it!" He didn't even flinch. It looked like they weren't even breathing. "Guys come on, this ain't funny..." I stared closely at each of them. None of them moved an inch. I began to panic, what was going on? I looked around and realised that it wasn't just my friends trapped like this, everyone was. I gazed in around in utter disbelief to find that the busy high street had become a wax museum of life like statues. I looked back towards my friends, and then I realised that they were all fixed in the same direction. They were staring straight past me. I turned around slowly...and there she was. It was her. Walking straight towards me was the cloaked woman I had been chasing these last few days. The one thing I couldn't seem to get out of my head was now heading straight towards me. I was about to walk over to her and say hi, but I couldn't. My legs had seized up like they were on strike or something. I tried to talk, but my mouth was glued shut. I was completely frozen. The only things I had control of were my eyes. I watched almost helplessly as strolled right past me. I stared long and hard into the darkness of the hood, catching the heavenly glint of a shining eye smothered in darkness. I tried to see where she was going, but my neck wouldn't allow my head to turn. My whole body was rebelling. After a few agonising minutes the world suddenly started spinning again, and everything returned to normal as nothing had happened. The guys just kept walking, continuing their conversation. I stood there in shock. What the hell had just happened? The entire world simply stopped for a minute or two and no one seemed to have noticed! Todd eventually looked back to see where I had got to.

"Comon man we're hungry! Let's get going!"

"Dude tell me you saw her." Some one must have noticed something.

"Saw who?"

"HER!! Please god some one tell me I didn't imagine the entire thing."

"Okay Wolfie calm down, I have no idea what your talking about."

"You really didn't notice anything happen just ten seconds ago?" this wasn't possible.

"Like what? Who or what are you talking about man?"

"It was...She was..." I didn't know what to say. I wanted to explain but the words never came. Feeling my sanity begin to leave me, I vented my frustration out on a nearby lamppost, denting it surprisingly deeply. I let out a deep sigh. "...never mind. Just my mind playing tricks on me I guess."

"Well fair enough then dude. Look when you get your marbles back we'll be at the pizza place okay?" he said in a condescending, almost insulting tone before walking off with the rest of the group. I remained there for a moment gathering my thoughts before running after them. I dunno what time I got back home to the apartment, but I was absolutely exhausted. I switched the computer on to check my emails, but I collapsed on my bed and fell asleep before I had the chance. As darkness took over me it all started again.

The dark halls in which I was running became my very existence. Nothing else mattered now, except survival. My pursuers: twisted and deformed werewolves. Similar to me I guess, only more disfigured and more like something from a Steven King novel. Their blood curdling howls and screams tore my insides apart. They were gaining on me fast; everyone of their giant leaps equalling ten of my steps. They were gonna catch me sooner or later, and at the rate I was loosing my energy, it was more likely to be sooner. I pushed my body to its very limits and beyond, but they were still gaining on me. They were all drooling and foaming at the mouth, hungry for the taste of flesh, mine. This time I saw the door to safety much sooner than before, but I didn't walk through it. I refused to play a part in my own sick imagination any more. I stood in the doorway and turned to face my fears. Tensing my body, brandishing my claws, I screamed:

"Come and get me!" they flew into me like tidal wave, sending me flying through the doorway in one strike. I forced myself up and ran for the door, but it had closed by itself. Then came the walls again. Nothing I could do could stop this nightmare from playing out any differently. It was hopeless, but I refused to give up. I held my eye lids open as the steel bars drew ever closer. I fought every urge to close them, even when the walls had begun to crush me. I could feel the air escaping my lungs and in a matter of moments I blacked out. When I awoke, she was there. I wanted to run up to her and ask her so many questions, but my mouth was dry and my legs were numb. Once more she approached me and once more she spoke:

"You are not alone." I looked up at her in fearful wonder as she finally drew back her hood so I could see her for what she truly was. She was a furry. A beautiful orange fox with enchanting green eyes, small swept back pointed ears, flowing golden locks for hair, and a face an angel would envy. There were so many things that I wanted to say and do to her that would only be possible in a dream. But this was no dream; it was a nightmare. Just as I was beginning to get over how incredibly attractive she was, I noticed the room around us was starting to change. I watched in pure terror as the wall behind her morphed into the face of a lion, teeth bared, mouth wide open. I tried calling out to her. Nothing. I screamed as loud as I could to warn her, but no sound came out. All of a sudden the floor beneath me began to rise as she began to fall. I reached out my hand to grab her, just catching the sleeve of her cloak. I desperately struggled to pull her up, but I was so weak. I became nothing more than a pathetic child, powerless to do anything. My eyes began to well up as I stared down at her; the terrified look on her face both scaring my soul and driving me on at the same time.

"I won't let you fall!!" Finally my mouth began to work again and I could talk. I gave all I had to keep her from falling. The municipal pipe burst as two shining rivers escaped from my eyes. I was losing it. She was the only woman I had ever loved, whether she was real or not, I wasn't prepared to let her die! Her glistening eyes flinched as my tears dropped down onto her face.

"I...Won't...Let you..." both of our eyes glazed over as we heard it. The deathly rip of her cloak sleeve. Time almost stood still as we gazed into each others eyes one last time.

She fell.

"NOOOOOOOOOO!!!!" I sat bolt upright screaming my head off. I woke up in a cold sweat shivering violently, tears streaming down my face. I was panting so heavily. I slowly came to my senses and I realised I was back in my apartment. I couldn't tell what the time was because my clock was still in a million pieces, but it was still dark outside. I took some deep breathes, but part of me didn't want to calm down. I wanted answers to these dreams now. There was so much I didn't understand it almost drove me insane. Who was she? Why was she like me?

"...And what the hell is that irritating beeping!" I said the last part out loud with out even realising. I could hear this faint beeping sound from the corner of the room. I climbed out of bed and walked over to where it was coming from. It was my computer, a window was flashing saying I had 1 new email. "An email at this time of night? Has to be junk mail." I grabbed the mouse and went to delete it, but the title caught me eye.

"Not alone." No way. I stood there in total disbelief. It had to be a coincidence. It had to be. Yet part of me wanted to see what it had to say. I opened it. This is what it said:

"I know who you are, and I know what you are as well.

You are not alone. For I am with you.

If answers are what you seek, then meet me at the end of Drifters alley as soon as you get this email. I'll try to explain as much as I can. Come alone. Make sure you are not followed. They are watching us always, so be careful.

I'll be waiting."

Before I had time to think I was grabbing my coat and a cap and was out of the door within seconds. Embracing the night, I walked off into the darkness in search of answers.

(If you like the story so far than feel free to email me. I'd love to talk about possible improvements and your thoughts on where the story can go from here. Constructive criticism is more than welcome! Next chapter coming soon!!)