Animal Behavior and Other Tales of Lycanthropy (20 page)

“Your dad didn’t leave
you
.”

“Yeah, yeah, zip it. Okay?”

Nicky said no more. Jonah climbed into bed and he slid into the sleeping bag on the floor.

Though Jonah managed to drift off to sleep with relative ease, Nicky struggled with the level of violence in his dream. Fighting was Jonah’s thing, not his. He knew there was something more than a simple excuse of not falling asleep while watching a horror movie. He had seen demon hunters rage war; vampires treat humans like cattle; zombie hordes devour the flesh of the living; werewolves stalk their prey countless times prior to going to bed in the past. He couldn’t recall any of them infiltrating his dreams.

What if he’s right? What if it is working? How far will it go? Will I even be me anymore?
Sleeping really didn’t seem like an option anymore.

When dawn broke he was already downstairs making a pot of coffee. The aroma alone instilled vigor within him. Mrs. Morgan’s door swung open and she stepped out of her bedroom. She was in the middle of tying her robe, and Nicky couldn’t help but stare, hopeful to get another peek.

“Good morning,” she said. “You making coffee?”

“Yes. Yes, I am.” Though he tried to fight it, the smile on his face just wouldn’t go away.

“Smells good. You guys enjoy your movies?”

“Yeah. You should have watched them with us. We wouldn’t have minded.”

She waved her hand. “Oh no, I can’t handle those things.”

“That’s too bad.”

“You excited?”

He slouched in his chair, hoping to see into the fold of her robe. “’Bout what?”

“The party tomorrow night.”

“Oh yes . . . very much so.”

“I think there’s still some of that make-up left.”

“I don’t think we’ll need that,” he said.

She smiled and walked passed him toward the cupboard. She opened a cabinet door and stretched for a coffee mug. Nicky’s gaze locked on her taut bottom and a sudden punch in the arm startled him. He turned to see Jonah giving him the eye.

He smiled and Jonah simply nodded his head.

With her coffee in hand, Mrs. Morgan returned to her bedroom.

“Have a good day,” Nicky said and got a backhand wave in return.

“Douche,” Jonah whispered in his ear. “You keep flirting with my mother we’re going to be late for school.”

“Sorry. I don’t know what it is. I’m, like, extra horny.”

“Well, keep it in your pants. Take a cold shower or something.”

“Might be a good idea. I’ll pour my cup, let it cool, then come back for it.”

“And, please, don’t be masturbating in my shower.” Jonah smiled and Nicky couldn’t help doing the same.

“I make no promises,” he joked as he left the room.

Upstairs, he turned the water on in the shower and undressed. “That’s new,” he said, staring at a fresh patch of hair in the middle of his chest.

He shrugged it off and stepped into the shower, the steamed air awakening him further. As he proceeded to wash himself, clumps of black hair formed at the shower’s base. He checked his front, but found nothing peculiar other than the first patch. He twisted his waist as far as he could and saw a clump of hair traveling down the back of his leg with the flowing water and suds.

My back
, he thought and shot his hand around.
Uh
. His hand came away from the dense, wet hair. The hot, steamy air in the shower began to smell like wet dog.

He pulled the shower curtain slightly to the side to yell for Jonah, but was startled to find him already standing in the bathroom checking himself in the mirror. In Jonah’s reflection there was two pearly white incisors protruding over his bottom lip and his ears were tapering to a point.

“Dude,” Jonah said.

“Guess I can’t complain.”

“What’s wong wif you?” A bit of drool fell over his bottom lip from the effort to for the words.

Nicky said nothing; he simply turned around and showed him.

With his hand over his mouth, he said, “At leath you can ’over it up.”

“You can wear a hat to cover your ears, and . . . I guess . . . just don’t say anything.”

“Ya wight!”

“I know . . . I didn’t really believe you could be quiet for ten minutes let alone a whole day. Sorry.”

Jonah turned back to the mirror.

Nicky felt bad, Jonah looked so ridiculous he wanted to laugh. “Just stay home today. I’ll take notes for you.”

Jonah walked out of the bathroom, defeated. Nicky wanted to stay with him, but knew if his father found out he cut school after being out on a school night, there’d be hell to pay. He could handle the punishment, but it would cost him his father’s trust, and that was one price he wasn’t willing to pay.

Once finished in the shower, Nicky toweled off and got dressed. Thick, blotches of hair clung to the towel. He picked them off and tossed them in the trash, not wanting to raise any awkward questions from Mrs. Morgan.

The bathroom door suddenly swung open. “They’re back to normal!”

Nicky looked at the wide smile on Jonah’s face as he pointed to his teeth. “Not your ears, though.”

“No problem. Like you said, I’ll wear a hat.”

The only hat Jonah had was a rainbow-colored, pompom-top beanie his aunt gave him last Christmas. It did its job, but looked ridiculous. Afraid of incurring Jonah’s wraith, Nicky fought back the need to laugh as best he could, but a nasal snort escaped.

“What?” he asked.

“You gotta take the pompom off, man.”

“And what do I say to Aunt Linda when she asks about it?”

Nicky shrugged his shoulders.

“Just . . . shut up, okay? It’s working, right?”

Nicky nodded.

“Don’t be like that. You know I didn’t mean don’t speak.”

“All right. Are we ready, then?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

They walked to school, taking the hike in the woods so as to be away from prying eyes. Though he didn’t want to see it, Nicky couldn’t help but think about the carcass they had left behind.
Would anyone else do what we did?
He said nothing about it to Jonah, and, surprisingly, Jonah didn’t bring it up either.

When they got to school they did their best to avoid everyone, but it appeared as though Jeremy and Michael were looking for them. The two stormed up to Nicky and Jonah, their lips pursed and brows wrinkled.

Great, just what we need
. He whispered to Jonah, “Be cool. The party’s tonight. We don’t need any attention brought to us.”

“What the hell’s your problem, man?” Jeremy asked, then shoved his hands into Jonah’s chest.

Jonah stumbled back a step, but remained upright. “I don’t want no trouble,” he said, shocking Nicky. He had fully expected him to immediately lay into Jeremy.

“Nice pompom, baby. Does the baby want his—”

Jonah’s balled-up fist silenced the teasing and Jeremy went down.

“You stupid—” Michael came in with a right hook and Nicky reached out and caught it. He squeezed tightly on the hand and Michael’s knees crumpled under him, tears welling in his eyes. “Letgoletgoletgo.”

Nicky released his hold, feeling guilty for hurting him. He hadn’t meant to, but his newfound strength surprised even him. Jeremy was still crying, curled in the fetal position and clutching his mouth.

“Anyone watching?” Jonah asked.

Nicky looked around. They were in an alleyway off the main courtyard. No one was around, and no one was coming to see what all the commotion was about. “It’s clear.”

Jonah unzipped his fly, stepped into position, and peed on Jeremy.

“What are you doing?” Nicky asked.

“Marking my territory,” he said, then turned to splash Michael.

“Cut it out,” Michael said, holding out his hand to protect his face from the yellow stream.

“That’s enough!” Nicky said.

“All right. I’m done anyway.” Jonah shook it off, then zipped up. “Feel free to tell on us. But something tells me you’ll want to save yourselves the embarrassment.”

As Jonah walked away, Nicky whispered: “I’m sorry,” then followed his friend to class.

“Sorry I lost my cool back there. You think they’ll tell?”

“I doubt it.”

“Good. I’d hate to be the one who ruined the party for you.”

Nicky smiled. “You’re a true friend.”

They took their seats in English class and waited. Several minutes passed and Leah walked in glaring at the two of them.

Wonder what they told her?
Nicky thought and fully expected her to storm toward them and renege on her invitation, but she took her seat at the head of the class and said nothing. Michael and Jeremy came in right behind Mr. Swanson.

“Mr. Morgan, you know how I feel about hats in my classroom.”

“I know, sir, but can you make an exception just this once? I’m cold.”

“If I make an exception for you, I’ll soon be doing it for everyone else. Besides, it is not cold in here. Now take it off.”

“Can’t do that, sir.”

Oh boy!
Nicky’s gaze bounced back and forth between them. He cursed himself for not checking to see if Jonah’s ears had returned to normal or not. He had meant to, but the scuffle with Jeremy and Michael distracted him.

With his hands on his hips, Mr. Swanson said, “Come again?”

“I have my reasons and I’m not taking it off for anyone.”

“Is that a fact?” Mr. Swanson said as he made a fast approach.

He’s going to pull it off! What are we going to do?What’s everyone going to say? Thinkthinkthink. Vulcan! Yeah. A Vulcan party or . . .

“You take that hat off now, mister.” Mr. Swanson grabbed the pompom and pulled. Jonah reached to grab it and keep it on his head but Nicky had already seen the tips of his ears and signaled to him.

Everything was all right.

“You can get this back after class.” Mr. Swanson returned to his desk, tossed the hat into his top drawer, and began the day’s lesson.

The rest of the school day came and went. The hallways were filled with talk of the Halloween party, the food, the music, the costumes. Leah’s parents were well off and the party was to be catered and there was even talk about a cash prize for the best costume. Most of the students complained they still had one more day to get through, and even though that day would be a Saturday, they wanted to fast forward to the party tomorrow night.

Jonah thought it would be a good idea for him to sleep over again, and Nicky agreed. He wasn’t sure his father would go for him staying out two nights in a row, but it turned out he was okay with it. Given the close call of the morning, they locked themselves in Jonah’s room, afraid of any sudden changes to their bodies. Mrs. Morgan came and went as she pleased and they didn’t need her walking in on them in the living room with a clawed hand, muzzle, or a wagging tail.

The night was uneventful until Jonah’s sudden painful moan awoke Nicky.

“What’s wrong?”

“My skin,” Jonah replied, feverishly scratching his arm. “It itches!”

Jonah’s bed was lit with moonlight from the half-moon perched high in the sky outside the window. Nicky’s gaze gravitated toward the moon and upon seeing it, his heart slammed in his chest.

“You still with me?” Jonah asked.

He couldn’t respond. His attention was locked on the half-moon. He felt the urge to rip his skin off and run wild in the neighboring woods. To hunt. To be free. To live.

“Nicky?” Jonah scooted his body to the far side of his bed and stared wide-eyed at him.

The world faded away, replaced by searing pain as if his flesh was on fire. His muscles rippled under his skin. Hair sprouted and consumed him. Bones cracked, popped, and reformed. His pajamas ripped as his body enlarged, tattered rags still clinging to him in parts. He looked to his hands; the hair growth had stopped at the wrist, and his exposed skin was now dark brown. His finger nails blackened, thick and long. As the transformation from man to wolf completed, a hunger like no other permeated his belly. He growled, low and menacing, as he stepped toward Jonah’s bed. Jonah tucked his legs into his chest, afraid. Nicky sniffed the air and recognized Jonah as a member of his pack, then leaped out the open window and ran into the night.

* * * *

“Nicky! Nicky!”

His eyes opened to see Jonah running toward him. He was face down on the ground, surrounded by mud and crumpled leaves, his hands looking normal again. Jonah dropped to his knees and slid the rest of the way to him.

“You all right, man?”

“What happened?”

“Dude! You’re a werewolf!”

“Yeah,” he said as he sat up. His clothes were ripped, but still covering his unmentionables.

“It was beautiful, man. What a sight to see.”

“Did you change?”

“No. But I was able to track you by scent, so it’s only a matter of time, my friend. And I could run a lot faster, but not as fast as you on all fours.”

“Were you scared?”

“Me?” Jonah hesitated. “Yeah . . . I was scared. But only for a minute, ’cause you came right up to me, and you recognized me. You believe it? You actually recognized me and left me alone. We can do this.”

“Do what?”

“Be werewolves, man. Obviously we’re not savage beasts like they are in the movies. They have it all wrong. It didn’t take a full moon either. We can go to the party and win that money.”

Nicky shook his head. Though he didn’t remember much of last night, he believed he didn’t hurt Jonah, but he couldn’t be sure he didn’t hurt anyone or anything else. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“No, it’s not a good idea, it’s a brilliant one. I can’t wait to rub it in those guys’ faces when we win.”

“You go. I’m not putting anyone in danger like that.”

“C’mon, where’s your sense of adventure?”

“The same place as your morals.”

Jonah narrowed his eyes. “You can’t be serious. Even if we lost control and tore everyone limb from limb, who cares? They’re nothing but a bunch of posers and wannabes. They’re all worthless and will never amount to anything. But you and me . . . we can be gods among men.”

Nicky couldn’t believe what he was hearing. He knew Jonah to be a hothead, but this bloodlust was beyond him. He was indeed changing, but more on the inside than on the outside—like himself.

I can’t let him hurt anyone. I should rip his head from his shoulders, hold it up high, and let the blood spill all over my face and run down my throat. Wait . . . what the . . .
Nicky shook the image away.

“What’s the matter? You look pale all of a sudden,” Jonah said, leaning in close.

Maybe he’s not the only one changing on the inside
, Nicky thought as he looked Jonah in the eye. There was concern on his friend’s face, so he decided there was still hope. Jonah would need his support and understanding, and together perhaps they could overcome the bloodlust within each of them. “I’m all right,” he finally answered.

“You scared me for a second there.”

“Gods aren’t supposed to be scared of anything,” he said.

“I suppose you’re right. Little over-the-top, huh?”

Nicky cracked a smile. “I’d say.”

“If you don’t want to go to the party, maybe you’re right—”

“We can go.”

Jonah balled his left hand into a fist and tucked his elbow into his chest. “Yes! You won’t regret it.”

“We’ll see.”

As they ran through the woods, heading back to Jonah’s house, they tested their newfound agility and dexterity. It was a game to them. They leaped and somersaulted over tree branches, pounced off tree trunks and twirled in midair. Nicky felt like Spider-Man.

All of his senses were alive. The wind carried so many smells: the sweat of a deer, car exhausts, and fresh baked bread from the bakery on Market Street. He could hear squirrels chattering as they ran to higher perches in the trees as they ran past, and Jonah’s heart thundering in his chest as it pumped adrenaline through him.

This is amazing
, he thought as he remained right on Jonah’s tail.

They spent so much time testing their bodies they lost track of the hour. When they finally got to Jonah’s house they had less than an hour to get showered, dressed, and out the door or otherwise be fashionably late.

With Jonah’s mom out and about, they had to walk. When Leah’s house came into sight, the sun was just setting and it was darker than usual; the moon was hidden away, tucked behind the heavy cloud cover. The house was decorated with fake, white and black spider webs; orange and black streamers; skeletons propped against the porch railings; and tiny ghosts dangling from tree branches. Fog drifted from the doorway and crept down the front steps. They heard the music pumping inside. Their strut adjusted to the beat.

Jeremy stepped outside the front door dressed as a surgeon with blood smeared on his chest. “Too embarrassed to use the same costume four years in a row, so you decided why bother, right?”

“Don’t you worry your pretty little head,” Jonah said. “We brought our costumes and if you play your cards right, you’ll get to see ’em.”

Nicky’s fingernails dug into the palms of his hands, drawing blood. He breathed in deeply through his nose, held it, then released.
Bastard was probably looking out the window waiting for us.

“Never mind him,” Leah said, stepping past him.

Nicky’s jaw went lax as he found his gaze locked on the provocatively unbuttoned candy striper outfit.
Must be betting on her cleavage to win the best costume prize
.

“C’mon in,” she said, stepping to the side and pushing Jeremy away. “Food’s on the left, drinks are in the cooler on the floor. Or, if you’re brave, there’s some blood-bath punch on the table.”

“Thank you, Leah,” Jonah said with a smile, “you’re a great hostess.”

“You’re welcome.”

Nicky looked to Jonah to see if he caught the smile fighting its way onto her face and by the smug look he got, he knew he had. Jonah bumped his shoulder into Jeremy as he passed him but Nicky stood there, face-to-face with him, staring him in the eye. The thought of him plunging his hand into Jeremy’s abdomen and pulling out his small intestine and choking him with it put a twisted smile on his face.

Easy
, he told himself.
The thoughts are growing more and more violent.

“What are you smiling about?” Jeremy asked.

“Oh . . . this and that,” he answered and walked past him.

The lights in the room were dimmed with a strobe light flickering against the walls. Jonah was at the food table. Nicky joined him.

He inspected the food. There was a variety of the usual party foods with a pumpkin-shaped cake, but there was also some specialty dishes. Each dish had a place card marking the Halloween appropriate name and its contents. In reading them he was reminded of an article in the paper that had given the recipes. There were blood sausages; monster eyeballs (deviled eggs with green food dye, topped with a black olive); blood-splattered brains (goat cheese covered with tomato pesto); bone marrow with coagulated blood (cream cheese dripping with cranberry sauce); bloody fingers (shrimp in cocktail sauce); and a chocolate fondue with strawberries to make bloody itty-bitty hearts. “Wow! What a spread.”

“Right? The punch tastes like ginger ale and cranberry juice,” Jonah said.

“Too cool.”

“Aren’t you glad you came now?”

“It’s still early,” Nicky said. “And in case you hadn’t noticed, Jeremy’s burning a hole in the back of our heads.”

“Let ’im stare.”

“You think the moon will come out enough for us to . . . you know?”

“We’ll have to play it by ear. We’ll keep checking, then show that pompous goof true terror.”

“Don’t push your luck.”

“What are you girls talking about?” Michael and Jeremy stepped right up to them.

A low, guttural and echoey growl came deep from Nicky’s diaphragm; the beast within begged for release. Michael trembled. Jeremy looked around to see if anyone else heard it. Even Jonah was surprised by the sound.

Jonah patted him on the back and said, “Let it out.”

Nicky turned to him. “You feeling it, too?”

Jonah nodded, a toothy grin stretched across his face.

“What are you talkin’ about?” Michael poked Nicky in the chest with his index finger, angering the beast further.

I don’t want to be a monster,
he thought.

“What’s the matter? Cat got your tongue?” Michael slapped him across the face with an open palm that embarrassed Nicky more than it hurt.

“You gonna let him do that?” Jonah asked.

“No,” he said through gritted teeth.

As Nicky gave in to the beast’s urges, he thought,
Time to decorate these walls proper
.