How had this happened? You're a werewolf! his mind screamed at him. With trembling fingers Joe buttoned his shirt all the way up. The pain the initial contact had caused was gone but obviously the burn would take longer to heal if, it ever would. Joe looked at his arm to see the scratch Frank had made but could only find the barest trace of it.
He splashed some water on his face and looked in the mirror. He saw a frightened little boy staring back at him with big blue eyes. Certainly this wasn't the face of a monster? He splashed on more water then dried off and returned to the hubbub in the dining area.
"You okay?" asked Chet as Joe approached the table.
"Not really," replied Joe with a strained smile. "I think I will head home. Vanessa, would you mind terribly if Frank took you home?"
"No, of course not," she answered, her hurt turning into concern. He did look pale.
"Then how are you going to get home?" asked Frank.
"I'll walk," Joe answered.
"No," Biff argued. "I'll drive you home and then come back."
"No, really," Joe declined. "I just need some fresh air," he added, backing away. "See you later."
Joe left the Pizzeria and headed down the street. The sun had set while he had been inside and the night sky was overcast making everything seem gloomier than normal. He reached the end of the street and looked around. The other businesses in the area were all closed and he could see no one loitering about. His sharp eyes peered through the darkness toward the alley as he approached but he saw no movement among the shadows.
He passed the alley, spinning around without warning as the distinctive sound of footsteps reached his ears. Still, he could see no one. A car drove past, its headlights altering the shadows it passed but, again, Joe detected no movement.
Oh boy am I jumpy, thought Joe turning back around and continuing home. Twice more he stopped to see if he was being followed; even doubling back and circling a block once, but afterwards he gave up, convinced his imagination was working overtime.
"My imagination," Joe said reaching up to touch the scar Vanessa's necklace had made as he walked through the yard to his front door. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the front door and went inside. The living room light was on but no one was there. "Mom! Dad!" he called out then waited for a reply. But none was forthcoming. He walked into the kitchen and checked the message board by the phone.
He gave a sigh of relief when he saw a note in his mother's handwriting saying she and Fenton had decided to have dinner out and see a movie. Feeling somewhat better, Joe went to the fridge and pulled it open. Grinning, he reached in and pulled out the leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes from the night before. He popped the meatloaf in the microwave and set it for five minutes then took a glass out of the cabinet.
Next, he returned to the fridge and removed the milk. He poured some into the glass then poured a little on top of the cold potatoes. Returning the milk to its rightful place, Joe grabbed a spoon and softened the potatoes with the milk. When the microwave dinged, he removed the meatloaf and put the potatoes in for three minutes. Five minutes later, he exited the kitchen with his plate piled high, and his milk, and set them down on the coffee table as he sat down on the sofa.
He grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, flipping the channels until he saw one with a movie about a giant reptile in New York staring one of his favorite actors. Smiling, Joe tossed the remote on the cushion beside him and reached for his fork, stopping as a wet cloth covered his face and he was forced back against the sofa.
Joe grasped the hand holding the cloth and pulled as another hand inched around his throat. Joe raised his other hand and swung wildly at the person behind him; hitting his attacker on the side of his neck.
His attacker emitted a strangled sound and dropped the chloroform soaked rag. Joe leapt to his feet in attack mode but the chloroform had already started working on Joe's senses and he staggered back a step. His opponent took advantage of Joe's weakened state and hurried around to stand in front of Joe.
Before Joe's world ceased to spin, he glimpsed Dr. Mayhem with his fist pulled back. SMACK! Joe heard it rather than felt it but back he went onto the sofa. His eyes closing even as the contaminated cloth made its way to his face once more.
He splashed some water on his face and looked in the mirror. He saw a frightened little boy staring back at him with big blue eyes. Certainly this wasn't the face of a monster? He splashed on more water then dried off and returned to the hubbub in the dining area.
"You okay?" asked Chet as Joe approached the table.
"Not really," replied Joe with a strained smile. "I think I will head home. Vanessa, would you mind terribly if Frank took you home?"
"No, of course not," she answered, her hurt turning into concern. He did look pale.
"Then how are you going to get home?" asked Frank.
"I'll walk," Joe answered.
"No," Biff argued. "I'll drive you home and then come back."
"No, really," Joe declined. "I just need some fresh air," he added, backing away. "See you later."
Joe left the Pizzeria and headed down the street. The sun had set while he had been inside and the night sky was overcast making everything seem gloomier than normal. He reached the end of the street and looked around. The other businesses in the area were all closed and he could see no one loitering about. His sharp eyes peered through the darkness toward the alley as he approached but he saw no movement among the shadows.
He passed the alley, spinning around without warning as the distinctive sound of footsteps reached his ears. Still, he could see no one. A car drove past, its headlights altering the shadows it passed but, again, Joe detected no movement.
Oh boy am I jumpy, thought Joe turning back around and continuing home. Twice more he stopped to see if he was being followed; even doubling back and circling a block once, but afterwards he gave up, convinced his imagination was working overtime.
"My imagination," Joe said reaching up to touch the scar Vanessa's necklace had made as he walked through the yard to his front door. He pulled out his keys and unlocked the front door and went inside. The living room light was on but no one was there. "Mom! Dad!" he called out then waited for a reply. But none was forthcoming. He walked into the kitchen and checked the message board by the phone.
He gave a sigh of relief when he saw a note in his mother's handwriting saying she and Fenton had decided to have dinner out and see a movie. Feeling somewhat better, Joe went to the fridge and pulled it open. Grinning, he reached in and pulled out the leftover meatloaf and mashed potatoes from the night before. He popped the meatloaf in the microwave and set it for five minutes then took a glass out of the cabinet.
Next, he returned to the fridge and removed the milk. He poured some into the glass then poured a little on top of the cold potatoes. Returning the milk to its rightful place, Joe grabbed a spoon and softened the potatoes with the milk. When the microwave dinged, he removed the meatloaf and put the potatoes in for three minutes. Five minutes later, he exited the kitchen with his plate piled high, and his milk, and set them down on the coffee table as he sat down on the sofa.
He grabbed the TV remote and turned it on, flipping the channels until he saw one with a movie about a giant reptile in New York staring one of his favorite actors. Smiling, Joe tossed the remote on the cushion beside him and reached for his fork, stopping as a wet cloth covered his face and he was forced back against the sofa.
Joe grasped the hand holding the cloth and pulled as another hand inched around his throat. Joe raised his other hand and swung wildly at the person behind him; hitting his attacker on the side of his neck.
His attacker emitted a strangled sound and dropped the chloroform soaked rag. Joe leapt to his feet in attack mode but the chloroform had already started working on Joe's senses and he staggered back a step. His opponent took advantage of Joe's weakened state and hurried around to stand in front of Joe.
Before Joe's world ceased to spin, he glimpsed Dr. Mayhem with his fist pulled back. SMACK! Joe heard it rather than felt it but back he went onto the sofa. His eyes closing even as the contaminated cloth made its way to his face once more.