Issue Three

“Werewolves?” Just hearing the word
roll off his tongue sounded ridiculous.
“I can understand why you don’t believe
us. No one does during his or her first
change. When you change into a
human, you forget what it’s like to be
normal.”
Kevin looked to escape. The windows
were barred. The door was
locked. There were too many of them.
“Kevin, you can’t leave. It’s too
dangerous out there.”
“Do I look like a werewolf to you?!”
Caitlyn ran in front of him, trying to
comfort him. “Kevin, look at me. You
know who I am. Maybe not in this form,
but you know me. I’m part of your
pack. We all are.”
Is that where he had recognized her
eyes?
The man with the two distinct eyes
spoke again, “I’m your cousin. I taught
you how to kill a calf.” The elder who
gummed his food, wiped his mouth. “I’m
your great-grandfather. I watched you
when you was a youngling.” All around
the table, they each had quips on how
they were related and their importance
in his life. A woman, “You suckled at my
breast” to a young man, “We chased
cats and sang under the moon.”
“No…I’m human…” was all Kevin could
reply.
Caitlyn explained, “Only for the night.”
“But the stories…”
She continued: “The stories are all
wrong. People don’t turn into
werewolves during a full
moon. Werewolves turn into people
during a full moon. Just for one
night. That’s why we have a safe
house. Over the years, we’ve even
acquired IDs, false birth records, things
we need to survive in the outside world
for the night.”
“And me?”
“It’s why you don’t remember anything
before tonight. You’re thirteen. An adult
now. This was your first time making
the change.”
Kevin looked at the birthday
banners. “This was a…birthday party?”
Caitlyn nodded. “It was supposed to
be.”
INITIATION