The Many Faces of Tully

It’s been a week and Jace wants me to try to morph against Nash. I only agree because I think I can do it. I want to learn how to morph instead of exploding. Jace came up with a plan to get my heart rate elevated, and he won’t tell me what it is.

I’m standing against the wall and Nash is almost at the other end of the room. Jace is examining us. Nash reaches into his back pocket and pulls out a pistol. My heart rate already kicks up a notch.

“You’re not serious, are you?” I look at Jace.

“It’s working, isn’t it?” he says to me.

“I won’t hurt you Tuls,” Nash assures me. He loads up the barrel with a few bullets from his pocket.

“Have you ever shot a gun before?” My voice is high with fear.

“Not this one.” He’s looking at the gun with a frown on his face. He lifts it up and points it at me.

“Whoa, hey, no, I don’t agree to this.” I try to walk away.

“Don’t move, Tully, or I will hit you.” Nash’s finger is hovering over the trigger.

“You’re going to hit me no matter what!” I shout, fear coursing through me.

“Jace will heal you if I do.” And he fires the gun. The bullet hits the wall next to me. My heart is sprinting.

“Nash!” I scream at him. “Don’t you do that again!”

“Hey, Tully, I want you to change into a white tiger, okay?” And he fires again. The bullet is so close to me that my hair is blown slightly from it.

I start gasping for air. Okay, white tiger, white tiger, white tiger. I think to myself. I feel myself starting to change. It felt exactly the same as changing into a panther, but I am bigger and have white fur.

“Whoa! Cool!” I hear someone say. My head snaps towards the sound. I see a boy and he’s putting a gun away. He’s my target. I crouch down and prepare to leap at him. I wiggle my body and attack. I sprint forward and spring at him. My claws are out and ready to gouge into him. I open my mouth to sink my teeth into him.

He falls to the floor as soon as I hit him. My claws just slide across his body, only ripping his shirt and tearing it to shreds. I try to bite his neck but I can’t. It’s like gnawing on a piece of metal or trying to scratch into stone. I get off him and start pacing in half circles around him.

He stands up and finishes ripping his shirt off of himself. “I didn’t know you were so feisty Tully. I mean gosh, if you wanted to rip my shirt off you could have done it nicer.” His tone confuses me. It makes me want to roll my eyes. I stop pacing for a second and look at him.

I sense someone coming towards me from my side. I hop and turn in midair to face the attacker. I snarl and pull back my arm to swipe at him, but I freeze. I know him. I would recognize him anywhere. He jumps back slightly and lifts up his hands, palms facing me.

“Whoa, Tully,” Jace says. I hide my teeth and let my paw fall as I sit down. I cock my head at him and he smiles at me. I smile too, or try to. It probably looks really weird on my tiger face.

“See? I knew if I played the damsel in distress it would help,” he laughs slightly. A noise rumbles through me as I try to laugh too. I stand up again and walk forwards. I nudge his chest with my head.

“Aw! You’re not that dangerous are you?” Nash interrupts us. I whip my head towards him. “Who’s a good kitty?” he says to me in a baby voice.

I lunge at him. He falls down again and I turn and sit down right on his chest. I hear Jace laughing.

“Oh my God, Tully! You’re crushing me! Get off!” He starts hitting me, but it doesn’t hurt. I turn my head to look at him and I shake my head.

Jace is still busting up. I get up quickly and reach forward. I hit him with my paw and he falls onto his butt. The noise rumbles through my chest again. I bound away a few steps. I get low to the floor and watch them.

Nash is up on his feet now, and Jace is getting up on his. “Let’s get her,” Nash says and charges me. I don’t move until the last second. As he’s passing me I hit him in the back so he stumbles and falls to the floor again. Jace is running towards me so I start running around the room so they can’t catch me.

Then my skin starts itching again, just like the other time. I stop running and start scratching myself. I rub up against the wall and roll onto the floor. My hair comes out gradually and I shrink back into normal size.

When I’m done they’re both staring at me. I smile at them.

“Is that what you wanted?” I ask them.

“That was so cool!” Nash says. He runs forward and hugs me. “Can you do it again?” I just laugh at him.

“That was pretty awesome.” Jace is smiling at me.

“Thanks for being the damsel in distress. It really did help.”

“And they say chivalry is dead,” he jokes back at me. I laugh again. I’m happy it went so well. I actually had control over it. I morphed on purpose and I was in control of myself. Things are looking up.