CAN'T FIGHT THE MOONLIGHT

CHAPTER THIRTEEN-CHANGES

"God…no please," I pleaded in a choked voice. "Not Gabrielle."

The gray wolf's head wasn't moving.

Fear and panic began creeping into my chest.

"Gab?" I whispered.

The wolf still didn't move.

My eyes moved onto the wolf's sides. They weren't expanding.

Tears began forming when I realized the horrible truth…Gabrielle was gone.

"Phil!" I heard Mom cry.

The next thing I knew, everyone was swarmed around me, frantically untying me.

"Are you okay?" Dad demanded worriedly.

"Fine…Gabrielle…" I began turning to the wolf that was now lying on her side with all four legs stretched out.

"She really cared about you," Mom said as her voice cracked. "I'm so sorry."

I was still completely in shock. The gray wolf still hadn't moved an inch.

"She can't be," I said shaking my head slowly, keeping my eyes on the wolf.

But it was true.

Keely had tears forming in her blue eyes.

"Phil I'm so sorry," she said quietly.

Even Pim had tears in her eyes.

I brushed past Pim and Keely and left the house.

The rest of the pack members had left. I'm sure they headed back home. I stood outside and folded my arms over my chest, raising my eyes to the sky.

My shoulder stopped hurting now.

KEELY.

"I'll go talk to him," I offered as tears slid down my cheeks.

Mr. Diffy was crouching down beside the gray wolf as I left.

I found Phil standing outside, with his arms crossed over his chest, and his eyes raised to the sky.

"Why did she have to die?" Phil demanded as I stood next to him.

"She fought for us, Phil," I said gently. "She was protecting you. I knew she really cared about you as well."

It was just then that I noticed his shoulder.

"Phil! Your shoulder!" I cried gently touching it.

I pulled back the shirt, exposing two puncture wounds but all that was left now was two small circular scars.

"Oh, Gabrielle bit me while she had the collar on her," Phil replied shrugging his other shoulder. "No big."

But then, he turned around to face me and he threw his arms around me and pulled me close. His chin rested on my shoulder.

I heard him sobbing quietly.

"I miss her," he said quietly.

I hugged him back.

"I know," I said softly. "I do too."

We held each other for a bit before Phil released me.

I could see he was still deeply upset.

"Come on," I said, wrapping an arm around his shoulder. "Let's go home okay?"

He nodded.

Mr. and Mrs. Diffy and Pim all came out of the house. The sun was coming up now.

"Dad took care of Gabrielle," Pim said solemnly to Phil. "She's well taken care of don't worry."

"Let's go home dear," Mrs. Diffy said gently.

We climbed into the car and left.

PIM.

Over the next few days, I've noticed that Phil was a bit different.

I sat at the breakfast table and went to reach for the sausage when Phil picked up his fork and speared the last one.

"Hey," I said.

"Hey yourself," Phil said. "I'm hungry, shrimp."

He grinned as he continued to eat it in front of me.

Okay so this wasn't completely abnormal…he finished the milk at one point causing him and I to switch bodies for the day thanks to Mom and Dad. That was an experience I never wanted again.

I went to reach for the orange juice next, and he grabbed that. I was just about to retort when he poured my glass for me.

I sat shocked.

"Thanks," I said shocked.

"No problem," Phil said softly.

I began eating my breakfast.

We headed to school.

Keely met up with Phil in front of his locker and I stood with them.

KEELY.

Pim, Phil and I stayed by Phil's locker.

"So are you ready for Mr. Williams' Science exam today?" I asked Pim curiously.

"Not really," Pim replied sighing. "I've got Candida in that class. She still calls me 'Pimple'."

"She does?" Phil asked snapping to attention now.

"Even after Gabrielle scared her?" I asked shocked.

"Yeah," Pim said sighing again.

"I think it's time for me to step in," Phil said narrowing his brown eyes.

Phil and I headed to class but he disappeared during Spanish class.

He had excused himself from the classroom stating that he had to use the bathroom.

He was gone for a good 15 minutes…when he came back he had a dark stain on the collar of his white shirt.

He took his seat next to me and turned his attention back to the teacher.

"Mr. Diffy? You were gone for 15 minutes…is everything okay?" Mrs. Romeri asked concerned.

"Yeah," Phil replied. "I just had some 'thing' to take care of."

The look on his face sent chills up my spine.

I copied down my notes and then Phil leaned over close and his face was inches from mine.

I turned to face him.

Our noses were inches apart as well.

"What?" I asked.

"Nothing," Phil replied. "I just love the perfume you're wearing. It smells so nice."

Alarm bells went off in my head.

"Um, Phil? I'm not wearing perfume today," I said slowly.

Phil inhaled and sat upright.

That is just creepy. I thought feeling a shiver running up my spine.

The bell rang, ending Spanish class.

I gathered my things up and stood up.

Phil also picked up his stuff and we headed out of the classroom.

A scream came from the girls' bathroom.

I froze in the corridor.

"SOMEONE HELP! SOMEONE WAS KILLED IN HERE!"

"Oh my God," I said raising a hand to my mouth.

"Who is it?" someone called.

"Candida,"

There was a flooding of teachers. They rushed into the girls' bathroom.

"Everyone please head to lunch," Mr. Carter, the Art teacher said coming out of the girls' bathroom looking pale. "You will be all sent home."

"What happened to her?" I asked.

"Someone tore her throat out,"

Phil and I headed to lunch.

"Did you hear?" Pim asked as she came over to us and sat down. "Candida was killed in the bathroom!"

"I know! Does anyone have guesses as to what happened?" I asked helping myself to some Sloppy Joe.

"No," Pim said shaking her head. "Her throat was torn out though."

Suddenly, Pim and I looked at Phil.

"Phil? What's on your collar?" Pim said tilting her head.

"Oh…Nothing,"

"It looks like blood," I said lowering my Sloppy Joe sandwich.

Phil didn't reply.

"Phil?" Pim pressed.

"I was only protecting you, Pim," Phil said finally raising his brown eyes to meet mine.

I saw an amber arc around his pupil.

"God," Pim said fearfully. "He killed Candida."

She slowly got up, rising to her feet.

"Don't say anything," Phil warned her.

"I won't," Pim said.

I knew she was genuinely terrified.

"And you?" Phil asked turning his eyes onto me next.

I shook my head.

"Good," Phil said as he got up and left.

Pim sat back down.

"He was bitten by Gabrielle!" Pim said. "He's changing as well!"

"How can we stop him? Or the changing?" I asked. "Do you remember anything about werewolves from the future?"

"Well," Pim said slowly. "I do remember that unless the original wolf is killed, the curse will continue. But if he or she is killed, the curse would be broken."

"But Gabrielle is dead," I said quietly. "How could the curse still be here?"

"That I don't know," Pim said. "We're going to have to do some research."

"I don't think the library has many books on werewolves,"

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'virtual' research," Pim said smirking. "Come over after school."

So after school, I headed over to Phil's house.

"Hey Keely," Mrs. Diffy said brightly. "Phil's outback playing with Curtis."

"Um, thanks Mrs. Diffy, but I'm actually here to see Pim," I said.

"Oh. In that case, she's up in her room,"

I headed upstairs.

Pim was holding a red visor/goggle in her hand.

"Oh I remember this," I said. "Phil and I took a trip to a virtual mall and I had a lovely encounter with Robbie the Robot."

"Chill, blondie," Pim said. "I've reprogrammed this for research."

She slipped her visor on and pressed a button on it near her temple. A red light came on in the center of the visor. I sat down next to her and put mine on as well, pressing the button.

Immediately, a large library appeared before my eyes. I looked to my left. Pim was standing there.

"Come on," she said. "This way."

I followed her over to a section marked "LEGENDS". She stood in front of a desk and pressed a button. A picture of a gray wolf appeared as if in thin air. A voice began speaking.

"Tyrix werewolves are one of the most aggressive forms of werewolves. If a person is bitten and the original werewolf is killed, the curse will continue even though the original is gone.

Tyrix werewolves have a form of telepathy and are able to sense what others are thinking. Landrol werewolves were wiped out almost 200 years ago by the Tyrix werewolves due to the fact that the Landrols wanted to revolt against the Tyrix's and the Tyrix's new this and decided to put a stop to them.

There's only one known cure to stop a Tyrix…someone the person loves dearly is going to have to thrust a silver dagger blessed by a priest into the heart of the 'victim'. If the person is pure at heart, he or she will return to normal…if not, the person will die.

I quickly pulled off my visor and jumped to my feet.

Pim did the same as well.

"I'm not going to kill him," I said as tears formed in my eyes.

"Keely," Pim said standing up. "If Phil is pure at heart, he'll return to normal. We all know he'd rather hurt himself than you or me or any of us."

She went over to her dresser and pulled out a silver dagger.

"I'm going to get this blessed," she replied. "I kept it after Gabrielle's pack fought the first time. I'll be back."

She left the room.

I began pacing and felt completely confused.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in," I called as I continued to pace.

Phil opened the door and poked his head in.

"Everything okay?" he asked looking concerned.

"Fine," I muttered hugging myself.

He stepped into the room further and came over to me. He gently took my shoulders and I stopped pacing.

"I know you," he said softly. "Something's bothering you."

I bit my bottom lip.

"There's just a hard decision we've got to make," I said finally.

"Who? You and Pim?"

I nodded. "On one hand, we found a cure for a…friend…but with the cure, this person could die and on the other, this person could be cursed for life with a 'sickness',"

"Oy that is a tough decision," Phil said tilting his head. "I hope you make the right choice."

He moved his face closer to mine.

"This friend wouldn't be…me…would it?" he asked.

"N-No," I stammered forcing a smile. "S-someone else."

He eyed me for a moment then to my surprise, he leaned in and kissed me. Startled, I didn't kiss him back. He pulled back after a moment and then turned and left the room.

I could still taste his lips on mine. I felt a grin forming on my face.

Pim returned with the blessed dagger.

"We'll do it tonight," Pim said as she tucked the blade of the dagger into the waistband of her jeans.

I stayed for dinner that night.

After dinner, Phil, Pim and I headed outside. A full moon hung in a midnight sky.

Pim pulled out the dagger and charged at Phil.

She plunged the dagger deep into Phil's chest.

He dropped to his knees before falling face down on the grass.

We waited.

After a few moments, Phil wasn't moving.