I was human once. And then the stars fell from the night sky.

Now, I don't know what I am.

I am no longer human, nor am I this animal I have become.

I remember how it happened. It was a week ago. I was walking home, taking a shortcut down an alley. I felt something brush across my ankles; I think it was a raccoon. Then I heard this noise, like a clap of thunder. And all the stars in the sky rained from the heavens down to the ground. That's when time stopped. It was so beautiful to see them all gleam and glow, sparkling as they fell.

Then one hit me. It broke against my shoulders, warm, thick liquid running down my back. It burned. I felt as if I was on fire. I was changing. I don't know how I knew but I did. I could feel my body shifting, changing. The pain must have been too much.

I woke up in that alley what seemed like hours later. I tried to push myself up but my body wouldn't respond. Then I saw my hand. I guess it's more of a claw really. I only have four fingers now instead of the usual five. And they're covered in grey fur. I took much too long to push myself up, and scurry home, hiding in the remains of my hoodie. My mom wasn't home yet, neither was dad. He's hasn't been home since he left us six years ago. Good riddance.

I stumbled to the bathroom and gasped in shock at my reflection. My face was fur too, like the markings of a raccoon complete with the infamous mask. My eyes were the same though, that brown gaze stared back at me just like it always had. My nose was longer with a round little tip, almost like something in a cartoon.

The rest of my body was fur too. Also make up to look like a raccoon. My feet are giant paws.

I have a tail now. It's striped. I can't control it yet, I guess that will come in time, but for now it just drags limply and uselessly behind me.

I'm a freak.

I went to my room, pulled the useless scraps of clothing off my body. I dug out an old hoodie that has always been to big, but now it fits me perfectly. Rummaging through my drawers I finally found a pair of sweat pants that would fit now. I had to cut a slit in them for my … tail. That just sounds so wrong to me. I have a tail.

I don't know where to go from here. I swiped all the clothes I could fit in my backpack, as well as all the food we had that didn't need cooking. I even took the lima beans. I left a note for Mom, told her I was running away. I know it will break her heart but what else can I do? If she ever found out the truth…

No. I can't think about that, not now. Now I have to survive. I think I'll go underground, find an abandoned subway tunnel or a part of the sewers that doesn't reek so much, live there. I'll have to scavenge and steal food, I'm starting to run out of what I brought with me.

I don't know what to do next. After I learn how to use my new body that is. So many stars fell that night, there has to be others like me. I'll find them. We can stick together, me and them. We'll be a family. We can find food and share it, none of us will starve. We'll be a family. All I have to do is go and find them. I will comb the streets of New York for them. I will scour every alleyway and roof top. I'll have to do this at night, when I can't be seen. But I will find them, these people like me, and I will help them.

And as I find them maybe I'll find myself. My new self. A me that will be stronger. Braver. Better than ever before.

Now, I don't know who I am.

I was human once. And then the stars fell from the night sky.