the house off to the left.
“What are we waiting for?” Adam walked over to the house and entered through a hole in the wall.
“Careful,” Joel said, “you’re getting too close.”
“You’re worrying too much. I know what—”
The world disappeared in a wall of fire. Heat like he had never known enveloped him; sweat formed and evaporated. Screams blasted him from every direction. His hands shot upward to cover his ears, but nothing could block the deafening sounds. He dropped to his knees; a trickle of blood ran from his nose. Something grabbed him from behind. He screamed, but was unable to defend himself, afraid that if he removed his hands his head would explode. He was pulled backward out of the pit.
“I tried to tell you. If you’re serious about becoming a guardian you’re going to have to keep your arrogance in check.”
His heart pounded so hard and loud it thumped in his ears. “I’m-I’m sorry. I promise I’ll do b-better.”
“With your senses all out of whack you need to be more careful. Your body will be going through spikes as it learns to control them.”
“I thought I was a goner. It felt as though my brain was pushing on the inside of my skull.”
“Now that you’ve seen Hell, I think it’s time you got going.”
“Yeah, I agree. Though I’m sure the pit is my final destination, I know I deserve it, and I’m ready to give myself to protect the innocent.”
“Glad to hear it. Now let’s go get your van out of that ditch.”
They walked back to the road and their combined strength was enough to push the van back onto the pavement. After a full inspection, Adam surmised the damage wasn’t too bad. The radiator was intact and the tires remained fully inflated. He could drive with a broken windshield and a dented fender.
“Thank you for everything, Joel. Again, I’m sorry.”
“Just make it right.”
“I will. Goodbye.”
Adam started the van and drove away. Joel remained at the edge of the road waving and watching. Slowly he drifted from sight. Considering he had been awake all night and hadn’t had a single cup of coffee, Adam felt invigorated anyway. His reflexes were sharp as adrenaline pumped through his system.
I feel so alive.
He drove through the day and into the night, making even fewer stops than usual. His lack of an appetite disturbed him, but he blamed the changes his body was undergoing. Without eating there was no need to relieve himself so he kept trudging.
Oh! A sharp, stabbing pain hit him in the chest. His right hand instinctively left the steering wheel and pressed against the source. He looked down at his hand and saw the skin bubbling. What the—
He pulled the van over and ran into the wooded area. Nothing but darkness. He had seen this phenomenon enough to know the change was upon him and he’d be damned if he was going to risk losing his home during it. He ran as deep as he could before the pain crippled him. He feared a passerby or two would witness the change if he remained too close to the interstate. He went to work taking off his clothes. With few possessions in this world he couldn’t afford them ripping to shreds.
On his knees, his body ignited in pain. Muscles bulged and rippled, skin stretched, bones twisted in impossible directions. Claws made from the sharpest bone lengthened as they sliced through flesh. His teeth fell from their roots as they gave way to powerful canines; he spit them out into his hairy hands.
The pain subsided and the transformation was complete.
With the eyes of the wolf he looked to the sky to see the new moon and howled a song of gratitude to the Lord above. He was given the means for redemption, to right the wrongs he had committed and if he was cunning enough, he’d have lifetimes to achieve it.
The woods were alive with life. He heard the distant breathing of a doe, the heartbeat of a squirrel nestled in the hollowed out trunk twenty yards away. Could smell the markings of a local wolf pack, the