“Thanks for meeting me,” McKenna jogged in place at the beginning of the wooded trail. She waited for her friend Sarah to tighten her laces. “I feel much better running with someone at this time of night.”
“No worries, besides it was just what I needed to get my lazy ass off the couch. I hope it doesn’t get too dark to finish the trail,” Sarah stood and stretched for a minute. She admired McKenna’s dark hair and tight body, wishing she could eat like she did and still look so damn good.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine. Let’s get going,” McKenna started them off. Sarah followed behind at a steady pace.
“It must be raining” McKenna commented, “I’m getting pretty wet, even with the dense tree coverage.”
“I guess so,” Sarah replied, “honestly, I hardly noticed.” She was focused on her own thoughts, she had something to ask McKenna and wasn’t sure how. Her feet pounded against the gravel pathway in a very satisfactory way, between the two of them they created an almost melodious beat against the ground.
When they rounded the halfway point it was darker than Sarah expected, the moon was just rising through the trees.
“It’s a full moon tonight,” McKenna glanced upward. She slowed beside a bench placed along the trail buried in the trees; a perfect little nook for observing nature or quiet reflection.
“Can we stop for a minute? I think there’s a rock in my shoe.” McKenna walked over to the bench and sat down. She took her shoe off and shook it out, repeating the same actions for the other one.
“Since when do you let a little rock stop you?” Sarah smiled, sitting down as well.
“I guess I just wanted to stop, so I could ask you something.” McKenna replied.
“Oh?” Sarah laughed, “So ask already.”
“Would it be okay… I mean I really want to – shit –” McKenna stumbled on her words.
Sarah looked on expectantly.
McKenna leaned in and planted a quick kiss on Sarah’s lips. “I just wanted to ask you out, you know, on a date.”
“Oh!” Sarah laughed again, “Is that all?” She returned the favour and kissed McKenna again. This time the kiss was much longer and sweeter. When they finally broke apart, Sarah smiled, “I’ve been wondering the same thing.”
Relief washed over her, it was the best outcome ever. Softness sank into softness; wrapped in embrace, they explored contrasts between tight muscle and tender skin.
“It really is getting dark, we should get going,” Glancing up at the sky, McKenna stood and began to walk away. But Sarah took her hand and pulled her back.
“You know how long I’ve waited for you to kiss me? We have the whole forest to ourselves, no one around for miles. Let’s take advantage of it.” Sarah suggested.
How could she say no?
There was incredible heat between them; they pushed past boundaries, lost in each other. Through the trees, the full moon rose overhead and lit their little alcove beautifully.
McKenna pulled back abruptly, and began to claw feverishly at her own skin. She stood up, “I’m sorry I’m not feeling so well.”
“Are you okay?” Sarah asked.
McKenna began to tremble, her skin was red and hot to the touch. With a low groan, she bent over, holding her stomach.
“What’s wrong?” Sarah cried out, when McKenna began to convulse and dropped to the ground in front of the bench.
An unearthly groan came in reply.
“I’m calling 9-1-1.” Sarah took out her phone and dialled, but dropped the phone when McKenna began to scream, her voice twisting in agony.
“Make it stop!” McKenna cried. “Please make the pain stop!”
“9-1-1 what’s your emergency?” The operator spoke as Sarah stood, terrified by the sight of McKenna’s back arching and her skin sliding off her body to reveal another form.
A snout, claws, dark haunches and finally a full body of hair emerged. McKenna shook off the remainder her human skin and stood before Sarah as a wolf.
Sarah screamed.
The wolf looked up at the moon and howled, then turned toward Sarah, tilting its head to the side as though trying to solve a puzzle. Golden eyes sought hers.
“McKenna?” she stammered.
The wolf barred its teeth and snarled.
Keeping her eyes on the wolf, Sarah began to step away, stumbling over her feet and falling backward. She landed with a hard thump and sprawled across the ground.
The wolf stared at her. She sat frozen, long moments stretched between them, golden eyes holding her own.
The wolf raised its head and howled; the silvery wail floated through the night sky.
Goosebumps broke out on her flesh. It’s going to kill me, Sarah thought and closed her eyes tightly, bracing herself for the inevitable.
It seemed like an eternity passed before she opened them, catching a glimpse of the fringed tail of the wolf disappearing into the forest. Darkness fading into shadows and beyond.
*
Brookelynn Berry is a dead sexy writer (not that kind of dead sexy writer, I mean, she’s not dead, but she is sexy 😉 and her work can be found floating around the world. Check Brookelynn out on her blog or around Twisted Sister, and be careful, she bites
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