3

The date was at the top of the arrivals board as I pulled into Edinborough station. It was a Thursday. The 12th. I had been gone for eight days. I had been living as a wolf for more than a week.

I closed myself inside a payphone as soon as I got clear of the station and swiftly typed in the numbers for a reverse-charge call. I heard the tone and dialled Mike's flat number. It rang five times, and then someone answered and… it was Mike! I listened, impatiently fidgeting with the telephone wire as the operator asked Mike whether a reverse-charge call would be accepted.

'Yeah sure', he said, and I knew his mum must be out.

'OK caller, I'm putting you through now', said the charming-voiced woman on the line, imbetween me and Mike.

'Well don't rush yourself for god's sake', I muttered, as I heard the tone again, and I knew I could now speak with Mike.

'Hey Mike!' I said.

I heard him gasp at the other end of line. I could see him in my mind's eye, standing in the hall of his flat with the phone propped between his ear and his shoulder, most likely munching his way through a stack of toast. I know I heard the clink of the plate being dropped onto the hall table as he snatched away the phone and swapped ears, meaning business now.

'Mate!' he practically yelled,' you've been gone a week! The home has reported you as missing. This has been filed by the police as you trying to escape again!'

'Yeah well, they must be pretty dumb then', I snorted,' I haven't tried to run away since I was about nine. No point'.

'But where have you been, mate? Where? I was looking all over town for you. When I said run, I think you ran a bit further than I had in mind'.

'Reckon I did', I said, glancing at my battered watch. It told me the time was 3:46,' can I meet you anywhere…?'

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

After I finished telling Mike about my escapade in Cornwall, he was open-mouthed. His eyes gaped at me.

'You serious? You ran all the way to Cornwall? Mate-bit of an overreaction there, don't you think?'

'But you don't understand. I told you. I didn't know what I was doing- I don't even remember most of it! I don't remember any time when I was a wolf after I ran away from you'.

Thinking of this, I glanced swiftly to Mike's forehead. A large plaster lurked beneath his spiky fringe, covering the vanishing remains of his cut.

'And you went hunting!' he grinned and blanched in appalled fascination and amusement,' I mean- its gross, but its so cool!'

I grinned as well. Like lavender hand-soap, Mike had soothed my worries.

We had decided to meet halfway between out homes, at the bridge spanning the A road leading out of Edinborough. It was the same road I had sprinted across, eight days ago. This was what I was thinking of as I looked down at the speeding cars, rooftops flashing in the sun.

'They think you ran away because of Bannerman, you know', said Mike, suddenly.

I gaped at him, caught off-guard.

'They think what?'

'They think… because he was beating us up…' Mike looked at me beseechingly,' I'm sorry- I told them everything. Except your… fur issue of course. I told the truth right up until you changed, then I said there was a giant dog ran onto the playground and bit Bannerman, and you ran away'.

'Oh', I looked at the cars.

'Sorry'.

'No!' it came out sharper than I'd intended, but I wanted him to know,' no- I don't mind. It's a good story. They'll blame it on some escaped pet and I'll get off scot-free! Even if Bannerman says it was a wolf-'

'He did. He yelled it at the police actually. They didn't take it too well'.

I laughed, imagining it, and then the laugh faded,' is Bannerman alright?'

'Who cares?' said Mike loudly.

I looked at him.

'Arm in a sling but you didn't do anything serious. No muscle or bone-damage. No infection either, surprisingly; you've been using colgate on those wolfy teeth of yours, haven't you?'

I snorted and shoved him friendlily,' piss off'.

'Yeah but he's fine and so are the rest of the gang- even though you scared them shitless. Don't think they'll be taking us on again in a hurry'.

'Well!' I said,' everything's fine then, isn't it? Except now…' I looked over my shoulder, at the stretch of road I had come to hate,' I have to go home'.

'You don't though. You're a shapeshifter you can do what you want!' exclaimed Mike.

'Shapeshifter…' I repeated. I liked the word. I liked the way it seemed to fit with everything being a wolf felt like. But no. I would be free. I wasn't yet.

'When I've learnt to shift at will, then I'll leave. But until then…'

I turned to leave, but Mike stopped me. Put a hand on my shoulder.

'You'll still visit, won't you?' he said.

'I told you- I'm not leaving now!' I grinned back at him,' and there's no need to go all gay about it!'

He snatched his hand away and shoved my shoulder comradely,' you wish, mate, you wish!'

And we went our separate ways.