Tears streaming down her cheeks, hoping the creature hadn't been what she thought it was, and praying there was a cure for it and an easy way out, Roxy flipped open the book she had acquired from the shelf in the library. She was glad it was a Sunday which meant the library would be close to deserted so no one could see her looking troubled. She didn't dare borrow the book, afraid it might suspicions as first-years had not begun learning about werewolves yet. Roxy just had the thought that it could've been a werewolf as all the stories of them she had read when she was on earth flooded her mind. And who knows what else might happen if she tried to borrow the volume; like accidentally drawing back her sleeve and revealing the incision to the librarian? The whole school would find out if that happened and goodness knows what could happen to her.
Roxy ran a finger down the list of contents. On the table in a corner of the library, Roxy had before her a dusty, ancient volume on creatures of the night. Her finger came to rest beneath the word, 'Werewolves'. Noting the page number, she began to flip through the book, seeking it. Upon finding it, she could only stare momentarily at the picture on the page. An old drawing of a large wolf, standing on its hind legs, howling at a full moon hanging in a dark night sky. Roxy's heart thudded in her chest. Was that what she was going to be? Fear and panic rose inside her. She shuddered at the thought.
Her eyes scanned the page, searching for a keyword. She spotted it on the following page. 'Bite marks'. Several pictures followed the heading. Apprehensively, Roxy placed her wrist on the book, just above one of the pictures and slid back her sleeve slowly, dread filling her. Her next breath intake was a sharp one as she saw the resemblance. It was so similar the picture in the book might as well have been a drawing of the incision on her wrist. Roxy sat back in her chair, looking up at the ceiling of the library, trying to calm herself. She took deep breaths before returning to the book. It was a pure living nightmare. If she couldn't find a cure, her life was going to be a pure living nightmare. She continued reading, and to her surprise, the facts actually intrigued her.
"So, only when the scar heals will I experience a transformation," she muttered to herself, before looking at the mark. "And then every full moon, I will be turned into a werewolf." Roxy shut her eyes for a moment before turning back to the book. A few parts gave her hope like there would be no transformation if the person's blood isn't healthy though the person would bear the ugly scar for life. Roxy didn't mind that. She could always claim it was a dog bite. Anyone would believe her.
But as far as she knew, she was quite healthy.
Lying in a fetal position on her bed, Roxy glanced at the time on the digital clock resting on her bedside table. It was going to be dark soon. Roxy's eyes roved over to the scar on her wrist. She could barely see it. It was almost completely healed. Roxy turned onto her back, staring up at the ceiling of her bedroom, listening to the voices of the girls she shared the dormitory with floating in from the living room. She had to leave them.
Scrambling out of bed, Roxy made her way out of the room and left the dormitory. The other girls were oblivious, and she was thankful for that. She didn't have many friends among them, and preferred to stick with the Winx, plus, some of the girls were jealous that she got to mingle with the Winx and was their friend and maybe, even one of them. They were jealous when her arrival had been announced on her first day at Alfea. And Roxy didn't want to have anything to do with those who were jealous of her.
She left the school grounds, and took a bus to Magix. She would be punished for breaking curfew, that was certain, and she wondered how she could explain herself. The bus pulled to a halt at a stop in central Magix and she alighted, before clambering into another one which was empty. The bus driver was a man in his early thirties who winked at her. "Where to, miss?" he asked.
Roxy shot him a glare, recognizing the tone. "This is a bus, not a cab, I'm sure you know where I'm heading," she snapped, settling into a seat. A card on the bus clearly stated that it went to places such as the Black Mud Swamp or the woods on the outskirts of Magix, where Roxy was heading. The bus drove off. Roxy felt a little insecure.
"Please speed up," she commanded.
The bus driver smiled in a way that gave her the creeps. "This is a bus, little girl, not a taxi."
Roxy felt a ripple of anger, but merely remained silent. She looked out of the window at the passing sights. The people of Magix were about their Tuesday night routines, some looking cheerful while others bore harassed looks. The healed scar began to itch slightly. Roxy scratched it, but the itch didn't go away. Panicked, she glanced out of the window, noticing that darkness had fallen. But she was relieved to see that they were reaching the woods.
"What's a pretty student like you doing out here at this hour? Shouldn't you be in school?" asked the bus driver, putting a lot of emphasis on 'pretty' and 'student'. Roxy couldn't help wondering if rapes occurred in the magical dimension. Wouldn't the girls be able to defend themselves with magic? She wondered if the driver could secretly be a wizard or a magician of some sort.
Without answering, Roxy paid her fare and alighted. She scurried across the grassy land, heading for the woods, but not hearing the bus leaving behind her. She turned to see the driver walking casually towards her. Scared, she sped up her pace, but he quickened his steps as well. Finally breaking into a run, she tore into the woods, and he began to chase after her.
There was no one to call for help in the woods. She kept running till she reached a lake, where she dropped to her knees, exhausted. How stupid of her! Couldn't she just transform? She turned and her heart skipped a beat as she noticed the man advancing on her.
"Stop right there or you'll regret it," she commanded, but there was a hint of fear in her voice which gave her away. A regular bus driver in Magix would know better than to attack a fairy student. He was probably learned in the magical arts as well. He grinned evilly. Roxy knew she had to transform immediately, but before she could, the clouds parted to reveal a full moon, the light from which was reflected in the lake and illuminated that part of the woods. And Roxy didn't need her fairy form or powers anymore.
Just as the driver stepped up to her and tried to touch her, Roxy felt a sharp pain surge through her body, very much like the first sensation when she was bitten, only it was twice as painful. She couldn't help crying out as she was brought to her knees. The driver took a step back, surveying her, for a moment, glad to see she was going to be submissive, before realising what was happening to her. His lustful stare changed to one of fright. Long fur began to grow from her skin as her hands and feet turned into paws. Her nails elongated and broadened, sharpening into talons. Her facial features were transformed as well, turning to that of a wolf's. The transformation was long and painful and the more complete it became, the deeper Roxy's voice grew. Soon, it was turned from a cry of anguish to an angry growl.
A human-like wolf stood in the place of the student fairy, all her features transformed save for her eyes which glowed. Anyone who knew who looked into those eyes would recognise her, but the driver only knew that the girl was, in a way, cursed. He turned and ran.
The creature hit the ground, chasing after him, advancing quickly, and finally, pouncing. Ignoring the pleas, the creature had its first meal since its transformation. After licking up the evidence and digging a hole where the bones were buried, the werewolf sped through the woods and ran up a hill. At the peak, from where the full moon could clearly be seen, it howled for the first time.
Btw, I have recently started up an online literary journal / magazine. You are all welcome to submit fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, articles, essays and even comic strips and visual artworks! For more information, please visit: doctypelit dot weebly dot com / submissions dot html
(without the spaces and replacing the 'dot' with actual dots)
We would love you to send us your work.
