Hairwolf

“I smell wet fur. . .”

Stef is back in the truck, back as a ten-year old girl and back with Ominous.

Ominous, the dark, menacing creature clawing at the window of the truck, trying to get in. He’s so close she can smell him. That’s what it is! The foul smell from the previous session was wet fur. He was most likely in the fields when the sprinklers went off. She cowers deeper into the shadows

but she can still see his pupils focusing in on her.

He’s fearsome, yet mindless without conscious or caution. He’s also curious. Very, very curious. Her only protection is the thin glass barrier and it’s opened about an inch. She has to do something before his claws find the opening. Then it will be shards of glass and him reaching in for her. There has to be a way out of this.

His claws land on the opened window edge and he freezes. She lunges at him again, trying to scare him away but this time he isn’t affected. Instead, he mimics her as if it’s a game. After a

moment of that, he returns to the opening of the window.

He works his claws inside and slowly pulls on the glass. He’s testing it. Stef edges to the driver’s side just as the glass starts to break. There’s nothing she can do now. He’s only moments away from entering the cab. Then what?

The window breaks into several large chards. He studies the glass, running his hands over

it. He cuts himself. Blood drips from his hands onto the glass. He won’t make that mistake again.

He grabs the glass and yanks it out of the door frame. He reaches into the truck, trying to grab her. She’s coiled up tight against the driver’s door, pulling on the handle but it’s stuck. She bounces forcefully off of the door but it won’t open.

He reaches across the seat for her. She kicks him away. He tries for her ankles, ripping the seat to shreds with his long paws. Suddenly a distraction. Something alerts him from the field. He can smell it. He leans into the door, seeking cover, waiting. Whatever it is, it’s approaching fast. He can hear the trampling of grass getting louder and louder.

Stef has had it. She’s fed up with being afraid of this thing. She jumps across the seat at him, yelling, “get away from me. Get away!”

Ominous is stunned by this. He doesn’t know how to react. The confusion is disorientating for him. Too many distractions. It’s stressing him out, keeping him from his play. Stef again, explodes across the seat at him.

“Get away from me. Get away.”

Suddenly, the driver’s door is pulled open and Stef is yanked from the truck and thrown several yards into the field. She scrambles to her feet only to find another werewolf at the truck. But this one is smaller. Much smaller. More like a mini-wolf. And he’s facing off with Ominous. Ominous viciously climbs through the window, pulling himself across the seat, shredding it to pieces. He places his paws on the door frame to pull himself through, when, slam. It closes on his hands, trapping him in the truck. He howls in pain.

Winning the battle, Mini-wolf turns to Stef. She’s ready for him too. She’s not going down easily. But she notices something about this werewolf. He’s familiar in some way. He cautions towards her. She coils back. He reaches out gently to her, revealing her Egyptian ankh in his hand.

“Ralf,” she murmurs, taking the necklace. She holds it to her chest, looking at his ripped, yet familiar clothing. “Is that you?”

He growls, submissively, unable to speak.

“Get me out of here. Now!”

He’s unsure what she wants. He may not understand her in this state. She points to the forest and takes his hand. She turns to run but he doesn’t move and her legs swing out from under her and down she goes. He’s looking at her strangely. She stands back up and faces him, “this time, come with me.”

Ominous is freaking out in the truck and will probably free his hand soon. Stef turns and runs on her own hoping Mini Wolf-Ralf will follow. He does. He scoops her up on the run and flees into the forest with her.

Mini Wolf lays Stef against a tree deep in the forest. He hears something and stands ready. Stef reaches up and touches his fur, then studies his pointy ears and dark leathery nose.

“What happened to you?” she asks.

He kneels down in front of her trying to understand her words but can’t. He starts smelling her hands, arms and arm pits.

“What are you doing? No. No smelling me up.”

He obeys and just looks at her. And she looks back at him. “Thank you for . . .”

Just then, Ominous blasts through the forest, tackling him. The fight is on. Mini-wolf, although smaller than Ominous, holds his own against him. It’s a brutal fight. Clothes and fur are ripped

and fly through the air as claws tear into one another.

Ominous gets a grip on Mini-wolf and throws him towards Stef. He bounces off of the tree and falls limply to the ground next to her. Stef pulls him over, protecting him. Ominous is curious over this. What does she want with him? And why? But then he catches a scent of her. It’s irresistible. He can’t ignore it and draws close. He’s calmed down. Not as aggressive.

He’s won the battle and the prize but the scent is causing him pause.

Ominous reaches out with his sharp, black claws and slides her sleeve up. Stef remains still. She’s too exhausted to fight. Too worried about what’s happened to Ralf? All she can do is stare at Ominous. He moves to her pant leg and slides it above the calf. Nothing. Whatever he’s looking for isn’t there. Next, he starts for her shirt, pulling it up to inspect her stomach. Stef flinches, but remains steadfast. He’s looking for something, but what?

Mini Wolf suddenly strikes out at Ominous, grabbing his claws, preventing them from touching or scratching Stef. They struggle.

Stef tucks her knees away from the flailing claws, but it’s too late. There’s a slash. Mini Wolf looks at Stef’s stomach. Her shirt is ripped open and she’s bleeding. It’s not a fatal wound, but it is a permanent one. One that will change her life forever. She notices pieces of her shirt in Ralf’s claws.

She scrambles to her feet and runs off, leaving Ralf and Ominous to their fighting.

Later, Lillian sits across from Stef, looking at her with complete uncertainty about the session. Stef takes a sip of the brandy, slowly digesting every aspect of what she remembers. Lillian

reaches for Stef’s shirt and flips it up, revealing a scar across her stomach. After a second, she

retreats back into her chair …

“I’m going with you this weekend. I’ll need to see this with my own eyes.”

“What? No,” Stef says. “That would not be a good idea.”

“Why not?” Lillian asks.

“She doesn’t play well with others,” Stef says, taking a swig from her brandy.

“She … as in you?”

Stef nods. Lillian is staring at her, wondering if she’s really this far gone.

“I’ll take my chances.”

Stef knows Lillian will find a way to go. It’s only a matter of time. And that time has just arrived. Lillian leans forward. “I’m going with you this weekend. And if you want me to work with you on this, you’re going to let me.”

Stef takes another swig of her brandy, considering Lillian. “Have it your way.”

“Ever kill anybody?”

“Me? No!”

“Has she?”

“You can ask her when you see her.”

Stef knows the risks involved in having Lillian join her but she also knows there’s nothing she can do to stop her. Lillian will find a way.

Lillian didn’t expect to win this easily. Stef seems unmoved by it all. This is a little worrisome for Lillian. It’s not so much that she believes Stef could be a werewolf. It’s more that Stef actually believes it herself. So much so that she’s concocted this entire story into her

childhood to protect herself from whatever it was that really happened. And that’s more

frightening. This is her friend. And she’s exhibiting signs of trauma acted out by this werewolf

scenario.

“So this is what you do every full moon,” Lillian asks? “Go to the same place? Isn’t that a little dangerous?”

“Not for me?”

Lillian has had it with her attitude. “Listen to me. I know you feel I’m forcing myself on you with your little getaway this weekend but you got to understand where I’m coming from. You’re my sister. My best friend. I have to know what I’m dealing with if I’m going to be of any use to you. So drop the attitude and I mean, now.”

Stef looks up at her. She’s right. Lillian is her best friend and she is all Stef has.

“I’m sorry, Lil. I get very defensive of her. All the years I’ve been turning I’ve been alone. Now you’re coming. I don’t know how she’s going to react. You’re going to flip when you see her though. I mean, it’s me, but it’s a different me. You could go swimming with us. There’s a really high cliff overlooking a lake …and she loves to swim. She dives straight off of the cliff into the water...”

“You like the fact that you’re a werewolf!?”

“Yes. Of course. What’s not to like? I get to play in a way I can’t when I’m me.”

“Stefanie, you’re not a werewolf. I don’t know what you think happens when you go to Maine, but I’m going to guarantee that you’re not turning into a werewolf. And to be honest, I

almost wish you were, because at least then I’d know you weren’t . . .”

“. . . Crazy?”

“I’m so afraid that you’re that messed up you actually believe it. And that’s not healthy. It’s not healthy. Do you hear me? And I’m really mad that you won’t let me get you some real help.”

Stef knows there’s nothing she can do to convince Lillian. Not at this time.

“I’ll make you a deal,” Stef says, shifting her posture. “Come with me, see for yourself. If you’re not convinced, I’ll agree to whatever you say. I promise. You know something? This may actually be the best thing that’s ever happened to me. I’ve wanted to tell you for so long but I never knew how. You’re the only one that knows. I think. You can’t tell anyone.”

“What do you mean, you think?” Lillian asks.

“I had another flashback. I was ten, watching my foster father leave me and my mom. She had bruises up and down her arm. She was covered in bandages. It had to be me.”

Lillian withdraws slightly. This is vital information she’s been waiting for. It makes sense now. Stef has been protecting her foster father. But why? It’s clear he abused not only Stef but his wife too. Bruises and bandages on her arms? Stef didn’t do that. Her step-father did. And now Lillian has to figure out why Stef is protecting him.

Stef is waiting for something from Lillian but it’s not coming.

“How do you want me to help you, Stef?”

“Ask me in two days.”