Kelly was finally free. She was ecstatic that the beast's powerful body had allowed such leap of faith which had been flawlessly executed. But not all was well. She'd been shot multiple times with tranquilizers powerful enough to stop a bear, and her vision faltered as her surroundings seemed to move all on their own.

Please, stop. I--we need the rest.

She tried to force her mind and her new body to work together in harmony, but the two entities didn't seem to get along all that well. Her instinctive side wanted to get as far away from the hospital as possible before collapsing to the ground without choice, but part of her also wanted to stop and rest, to think about what had happened the last few hours and then try to figure out her next move.

As her pace slowed, Kelly figured it was only a matter of time before the chemicals in her system slowed her to a halt. Her legs grew weaker and it was becoming harder to continue moving forward, no matter how bad she wanted to leave Dr. Zvikas behind. Well, him and his staff. The feeling was similar to a dream, where no matter how bad you wanted to, your legs refused to move fast enough to get away.

The moment finally came when her body gave out, making Kelly collapse to the ground where she let out a soft whimper. The sun was starting to come out and with that, she could have sworn that the pain she felt before the transformation was slowly getting worse. But she couldn't find out then, not when her vision gave out completely and she fell into a total state of unconsciousness.

“An extraordinary creature indeed.”

Doctor Zvikas stood but a few inches away from the cage as he gazed upon the beast within it’s steel bars. The once human woman now transformed into a creature of fear and destruction, an abomination to most who seek only to destroy that which they don’t understand, and yet to others, like Zvikas, an evolutionary wonderment. The creature’s amber eyes glowed with an intensity and fervor that would be considered a warning to anyone who approached the cage. A warning that a swift and gruesome death was coming for them. However, Zvikas had lived enough life times that his fear of death, no matter what the cost, had all but vanished and was replaced with an unquenchable thirst for the truth of their existence. Ghosts, Wraiths, Demons, Werewolves, and even the creature most disliked by the Werewolves, the Vampire.

Zvikas was one such vampire, a rare species indeed, as most vanished into hiding or a final death over the countless centuries passed. Their bloodthirsty urges, pursuit of power, and general reckless abandon caused his kind to fall and crumble into the dust whence they came. The doctor, however, chose an unlife of service and creation over his time as an immortal, rather than discord and destruction, keeping himself more human-like as to better blend in with those he co-labored with on a day-to-day basis. His experiences with the supernatural were rather sparse, much of it undocumented, but the intrigue had never departed from him nonetheless, and with a new species of werewolves to study, he hoped to discover a secret hidden away since the beginning of time.

The beast slowly paced the cage, continuing to lock her gaze onto the doctor, perhaps seething over the possibilities of ripping his throat out, but seething regardless. A werewolf doesn’t do well in confined spaces, especially not a cage built to withstand the raw strength and power they can unleash. The bars themselves were slightly bowed outward, and patches of dark fur scattered on the ground, an indication that the wolf had attempted, but failed to escape. Zvikas lifted his clipboard and scribbled down a few notations for later, namely to be present during the creature’s physical regression to a human woman. How long was the process? What did the body go through in order to process all of the shifting and reforming of bone, muscle, and tissue? Was there a way to control the change?...

“You may not be able to fully understand what I am saying to you, Miss Novikov, but know that you’re safe here for as long as you cooperate. Miss Denver, on the other hand, I am unsure about as her escape has proved to be a rather unforeseen variable.”

The doctor lowered the clipboard and crossed his hands in front of him, stepping one pace closer to the cage.

“There are those who wish to harm our kind, you see, out there in the world. Hunters...who would stop at nothing to ensure that we never exist again.”

Zvikas paused for a moment, exhaling a deep forced breath and collecting his thoughts before continuing.

“You and Miss Denver are not the first werewolves I’ve encountered. There was another, many years ago, who escaped this very facility and was never seen again. He had become a friend of sorts during his stay, as we shared a common unnatural curse, but his intentions were beyond these walls. He spoke of uniting against the established resistances, of destroying the foundation of the human hunters and their followers. But it doesn’t have to be this way, as I’ve learned to live amongst the mortals for more years than I can remember, and if I’ve learned anything about them, it’s that they fear what they do not understand. The humans need to be made to understand and exists side-by-side with our kind, not destroyed to preserve it.”

Another pause came, slightly longer than the first, before concluding.

Soon, Miss Novikov, I will need you to seek him out, and you will then gain the freedom you are entitled to...”

------------------------------------------

The brisk chill of the morning air crept gently up and down Kelly’s skin, causing a tingling sensation that woke her from the undetermined amount of time she was asleep. The breeze passing through the tall dense forest, rustling of multi-colored leaves that blanketed the ground, water rushing through the nearby river, and the chirping of various species of birds all created a symphony of sounds which her senses picked up with precision. The familiar scent of bacon assaulted her nose as well, causing her mouth to salivate and stomach to churn as a hunger and thirsty previously unmatched grew within. Amongst her senses, however, her head swirled and ached from the side effects of the tranquilizer agent, likened to a hangover three times worse than any she had experienced.

As her eyesight and hearing focused, refined, and adjusted, two male voices, those of young boys, were heard close by. Skinny and reddish-brown hair, they looked to be brothers, the younger about twelve and the other at least a few years older. Both had on light outdoor clothing for cool weather, and holding fishing rods, tackle boxes, and bag slung across their back.

“I don’t know dude...maybe she’s dead?” The young kid’s voice took on a worried tone.

“No you idiot, I saw her moving just a minute ago” The other, slightly older voice stated matter of factly, taking another bite of his breakfast sandwich.

“Um...so why would a black naked woman be down here near the Taunton River at seven o’clock on a Saturday morning?”

The older kid reaches into his pocket and holds his phone up with the camera lens pointed toward Kelly’s location, with the sound of a camera shutter following.

“I don’t know, but this shit is going up on Facebook.”

“Kevin, no! We need to tell Dad so he can call the police.” The young boy said, his voice sounding even more worried as he sniffled a few times. “I don’t like this...”

“Fine you chickenshit, you go run and tell Dad and I’ll stay here...and, um keep watch.”

The smaller kid ran off down the decline in the direction of the river below, as the other stayed, staring at his phone and punching in something on the screen.

“Dammit.” He grumbled. “Frickin’ internet service out here sucks…”

@Xandrya

"Don't even think about it, kid."

Kelly slowly began to push herself up off of the ground, her arms and legs a bit shaky as the effects of the tranquilizer were still lingering within her system whether she liked it or not. The teenager's response to her sudden opposition of him publicizing her vulnerable situation was that of surprise. She could have sworn she sensed some fear as well, but that could have been due to the fact that she had a very grim expression on her face, almost as if he was suddenly responsible for everything bad that had happened in her life up to that point.

"Wha--I wasn't..."

"Shut up!" Kelly closed in on the kid at an unreasonable speed, making him drop his phone as he staggered back a few steps full of fear and dread, his adrenaline kicking into overdrive as unwanted visions of his possible death flooded his mind. There was something off about her, something creepy and unnatural. The teenager wished they hadn't crossed paths, but at least his little brother was safe for now until he could get help, or so he hoped...

"Run along now, and don't mention a word of this to anyone. If you even think about telling another soul, you'll regret it. Oh, and tell your little brother and the rest of your family that I was a drunk partygoer who made terrible choices last night and went home just now. Nothing more, nothing less."

The kid just stared at Kelly, almost as if he was waiting for additional directions.

"GO!"

She didn't have to do anything else but watch him struggle to run away from her, the fact that he struggled with all the gear he was carrying making the moment that much more enjoyable for Kelly. She smiled a little bit as she watched him disappear, then picked up the phone he had forgotten about. Kelly knew she too had to leave the area in order to avoid being spotted by any member of that family, them or anyone coming after her from the hospital. As she walked off in a random direction, Kelly opened up the map in the kid's phone to tried to pinpoint her location.

It took a few minutes with the terrible service the phone was getting, but Kelly eventually managed to see her exact spot. she'd have to go North East for a few miles before she reached a road, but it was a start. Her plan was simple: find the road, get a vehicle to stop for her, explain her nakedness was the result of a prank gone wrong after she got lost, and convince the driver to get her some clothes. The plan was somewhat of a far reach, but being in the middle of nowhere without clothing or food would leave her dead. Not only that, but she needed to get answers to her biggest problem...that of her sudden transformation into some sort of beast. There was no other way to describe it, none that Kelly knew of at least. But if she was sure of something, it was the fact that the hospital was responsible for messing with the biological boundaries of life, and she would work her ass off to make sure that those damned staff members, to include Dr. Zvikas, would pay for their terrible and cruel actions against her and the rest of humanity.

Kelly continued her lonely walk as she focused more on where she was heading. She had just thrown the phone away because she knew that if she kept it, it would only be a matter of time before they found her.

@Rawk

Hunger.

It had become an ever-present driving force as instinct and survival distorted the world around her, placing the werewolf species several rungs up on the evolutionary ladder, and as far as she was concerned, at the very top of the food chain. Although, as much as Kelly’s humanity tried to resist the call, the stronger it became, and the more she lusted after flesh and blood. As if by muscle memory, her hand quickly reached for a scurrying rabbit, the tip of her finger just brushing up against it’s brown fur as it escaped under a cluster of large rocks. Her legs bent into a slight crouched, likened to an attack position, ready to pounce the next victim that crossed her path. Kelly’s senses opened up to higher degrees, as she could almost feel movement of the various creatures roaming around in the vicinity. Their hearts beating at varying intervals, perhaps some from fear, others anger, but curiosity still weigh heavily on many forest animals, not quite understanding what it was that this woman carried within in. She looked similiar to any human that they had come across before, but something vicious crept beneath her skin, a predatory aura emitted from her body, as though they knew she could devour them all in one fell swoop.

And there it was, the one lone grey fox emerging from behind a tree, snarling under its breath at the threat several feet in front.

Kelly gave the creature a hard stare, licking her lips through a wide grin formed across her face, before slowly walking toward it. She found herself letting out low guttural growls, taunting the creature in a language that only it could possibly comprehend, and positioning her body for an immediate retaliation. The fox began backing away slowly as Kelly approached, until the creature could no longer maintain its stance and took off in the opposite direction, and so she followed. Her legs sprang into action with supernatural speed and agility, leaping onto all fours and momentarily gaining the advantage she needed to keep up with the equally quick animal. Adrenaline & blood pumped furiously through her veins as she shifted back to her legs, sprinting with all the strength and fervor that could be mustered up in her weary state, primarily focused on the prey mere inches from her grasp.

What the hell…?

It was about the only thought -more like half of one- that Kelly’s mind could express as beastial instincts took hold of both her conscience and body, pushing her further into the hunt. She quickly turned a sharp corner as the fox's attempts at evasion prove futile, and the woman gained the advantage she deserved, snatching the animal by the hind quarters and tackling it to the ground before it had to time to react.

The wolf within let out a howl of victory, bursting through the woman's vocals. Loud and straining. Her human fingers tore at the fur and skin, desperately wanting the awarded meat underneath. Blood covered her hands and wrists as she lifted the fresh kill to her awaiting lips, sinking teeth deep into flesh and bone and tearing away large pieces which she swallowed whole.

The wolf had overcome the human. Survival over reasoning was its way.

As if awaking from a dream, Kelly's eyes widened at the spectacle before her; massive gore lay scattered on the blanket of dry leaves and grass, an unidentifiable carcass torn apart, and its crimson color spread and dripping on her naked body like war paint. Faraway voices alerted to the noises snapped her from the ensuing reverie, and she instinctively leapt to her feet, her heart beat at a frantic pace. Instinct once again kicked in, urging her to flee, anywhere that she could go to evade further complications. Her bearings were lost, but it mattered little when her very life was in potential turmoil, and so she moved with lightning speed in the opposite direction, hoping that the road she searched for was close by.

The realization of her lack of clothing and whereabouts, coupled with a fear and misunderstanding of who she had become, hit hard, and left a sour knot in her stomach. But she couldn’t allow her current situation to distract from her goal of finding a way out of the very mess she was in. She didn’t want to become a victim. Not again.

Up ahead she could see it, the stretch of road through the forests edge, and a tinge of accomplishment crept up into her face forming a smile. Caution came quickly, however, as she carefully peeked out through the trees, left and then right, spotting a car -roughly fifty feet away- on the side of the road, with a lone male figure dressed in business clothing apparently changing out the rear tire. A black long-coat lay draped over the trunk next to the man. Kelly crept along the treeline, doing her best to keep within the shadows, something she would not have understood in her human mind, but the predator was still very active and cautious, yet curious all the same. She needed a plan, but nothing came to mind at that moment, not until she could clear the previous events from her head long enough to think straight.

Her eyes and ears picked up the presence of the German Shepard who was in the back of the car, it’s low growl became an all out loud and roaring bark, as it frantically pawed at the slightly opened side windows, it’s sights clearly locked onto the woman near the trees.

“Lucy! Quiet down! I’ll be finished here in a few minutes...for fuck’s sake!”

The man shook his head as he proceeded to jack up the rear of the car enough to remove the flat tire. Lucy, however, continued to bark incessantly, and the creature within Kelly could sense it’s fear and anger all at once.

“Dammit Lucy, what’s the mat-”

The man stopped as he looked over in the general direction of where his dog had been staring, and even he thought he saw something moving.

@Xandrya

“You missed it doc.” The girl cracked a wicked smile just for Zvikas, as she looked up at him from the cell floor. “You disgusting piece of shit.”

Czigani had reverted to her tall, lean, human form several minutes prior to the Doctor’s return to the basement holding area of the hospital. Lying on her back, fully naked and bruised, beads of sweat rolled down her face, as did tears of pain from the transformation. It hurt, especially for the first time, as though she were a virgin being violently penetrated by an uncompassionate lover and left to reel in her own agony. She shifted her eyes to the ceiling, tracing the tiny cracks in the paint if only to divert her mind away from the horror of what occurred, the visions of the wolf’s rage, and the killer instincts that grew within her each passing moment she had been in that beastial form. There was no control, no independent thoughts, only a creature of destruction who wanted out. Who wanted to be free at any cost. It was, at least, one of the only sentiments shared between her and the werewolf within.

“Your body will heal from the internal damage soon, Miss Novikov, of this I am quite certain. And as you progress, it will become much easier for your mind to reconcile.”

Doctor Zvikas placed a small cooler he’d been holding onto the floor and opened the lid, pulling a large piece of raw, red meat wrapped in plastic, which he slowly unfurled.

“I was going to give this to you as the wolf, considering fresh, uncooked, and bloody was preferable over grilled and seasoned when you are a creature such as you were.” He smirked, tossing the plastic wrap aside and stepping closer to the cage before placing it onto the floor of the cell several inches from where the girl lay. “But I figured at this point it didn’t matter.”

She inhaled the scent of the flesh & blood, and her stomach rumbled with a hunger she’d never felt before. The initial transformation, the brute power, strength, and constitution of sustaining the wolf, and the final return to a human form took a major toll on the body and mind. The experience had been worse due to the fact that she hadn’t eaten decent solid food in days, but instead subjected to drug injections, and liquid meals as some form of submissive treatment plan. Either way, the hunger was there, and it mattered little to her at that moment where the food came from as her hand reached for the cold slab and pulled it toward her eagerly awaiting lips.

“Yes, enjoy what you’ve earned, Miss Novikov.”

Zvikas watched the girl tear into the bloody flesh with vicious fervor, her moans of pure satisfaction filling the room as the blood dripped from the meat and onto the floor, staining her hands and face while she chewed and snarled like the beast living inside her.

“And rest assured, there will be so much more as we unlock the secrets buried within you. A creature of beauty you are indeed.”

Kelly gasped in surprise when she realized she had been spotted, and she immediately took cover behind some large tree. As she tried to control her breathing, a slight breeze carried over the faint scents of the man and his dog. It was then that some part of her wondered what they would taste like, but she had just indulged in a hearty meal, and her human body was small, lithe, and unable to fit any more food.

As the four-legged canine continued to bark, Kelly couldn't help but grow more annoyed by the second. Part of her was itching to step out from behind the tree and shred the dog to pieces, but she was fighting herself to avoid doing just that. If she let the beast take control again, then the situation would go from slightly awkward--as it was now--to a downright murderous, catastrophic mess, and Kelly would much rather avoid that. But, alas, she didn't always get what she wanted.

"Excuse me, is everything okay over there?"

"Goddammit," she whispered under her breath in response to the man's question. When she peeked her head out from behind the tree, she noticed that the stranger had gone back to working on the bad tire. He must have grown impatient and annoyed more than anything, but who could blame him. His dog just wouldn't shut up.

"I'm fine," Kelly finally replied, suddenly walking out from the tree to be in full view of the man if he were to turn around. The dog stopped barking, probably intimidated by Kelly's appearance and the fact that she gave it a deathly stare. She could have sworn she heard it whimper, but she wasn't sure. Being that the man was fully distracted with his car problem, she dashed across the road ready to put an end to this.

The next few moments happened in a blur. Kelly attacked the man from behind, grabbing him by the back of the neck in order to smash his face on the side of his precious, silver car. This by no means killed him, but it gave her an advantage, not that she needed one. She then pushed him onto his back, using one foot to pin him down by the neck as he struggled to breathe, his face covered in blood already making such task harder than it should be. With her free hands, Kelly opened the back door and grabbed the barking dog by the collar.

"Lu--don't hurt...please."

She pressed down harder against the man's neck, and his struggles decreased as the man got closer and closer to death. That shut him up, but he refused to watch as Kelly began to tear the dog to pieces, literally. The yelps from the dog were so loud that Kelly felt a little bit bad for it, but the beast within her didn't care. In fact, it enjoyed the canine's last few seconds alive as it watched the life being sucked out of its eyes.

Both lives seemed to go at once. The man's body ceased any further movement and it was physically impossible for the dog to make any more sounds. After a quick clean-up of the site, Kelly got in the car and drove off, although she wasn't sure too sure where she was heading just yet.

@Rawk

Echoes of the past, variations of sounds, smells, and taste all collide, begging for attention. Kelly took the wheel, leaving the chaos and gore behind her, continuing in the direction she’d decided on back in the forest. The sign “Thompson Street” appeared up ahead, indicating what road she was currently travelling on, but real question was, where they hell was she? It seemed like the stretch of road went on forever, allowing her mind and body to settle, as though she were slowing coming down from a high. Music, the volume turned down rather low, could be heard through the speakers, something likened to a classic rock song, but slower, taking her mind back suddenly to the hospital.

An overwhelming series of emotions and thoughts soon flooded her mind..

The security guard near the fence beyond the courtyard, his throat ripped out, and bloodied body lying still on the wet grass. Another soon followed, same as the first, as the blood covered her body, and the taste on her tongue was pure bliss. She fled, the adrenaline carrying her more than any fear of man, as she bolted through the dark forest. But what slowed her down? Ah yes, the tranquilizers she’d been hit by numerous times before exiting the perimeter of the hospital. The wolf pushed hard and fast, as quickly as it’s strength could carry her, whipping past all forms of forest creatures, thick branches, and across small streams of water, before finally slowing and collapsing.

Flash forward to daylight in the forest. The two boys, the creature within could have easily torn them apart, never wincing once or hesitating at the thought, but Kelly had partial control at that moment. Enough to warn the older kid, and spare his life. But no...it was the hunger that took over shortly following, a hunger that had her on four legs, running barefoot and naked through the cool forest, until she caught her prey. The flesh and blood once again on her lips, running warm and free down her chin and onto her bare chest. She was covered. The wolf had to run again, and this time…oh god, this time!...an innocent man and his canine companion. Torn to pieces in the blink of an eye, with no regard for either life….

Kelly quickly snapped out of her emotional roller coaster long enough to swerve the vehicle before it crashed into another oncoming truck blaring it’s horn. In that moment, as the truck passed, time seemed to slow down for Kelly and she could see the older man driving, his fearful yet disgusted expression as he stared at her. And just as quickly, she found herself off on the shoulder of the road heading toward a rocky berm, but nothing could be done at that point as the car came to a quick stop when it hit the mound of stone and dirt, throwing her forward against the deployed airbag.

The realization of not only her physical & naked state, but of past events hit her all at once, as she felt the pain, not only of her dark deeds, but her wounds. Her insides hurt, and without warning, she vomited onto the passenger’s seat, a mass of blood and digested meat strewn everywhere, and the scent repulsed her even more. Whatever was happening to her, it was as though the wolf had abandoned its host, its fearlessness gone, replaced by emotions.

Terrible human emotions that left her paralyzed with indecision at that moment.

@Xandrya

Kelly's body was trembling, and her mind a mess of various thoughts and emotions that could drive a regular human being to total madness. But she wasn't a regular human being, not anymore. Being well aware of that fact, though, Kelly thought it was best to focus on herself at the moment, and nothing else. The past was already behind her, and the future could wait, or at the very least it could hold off until she figured out what to do with herself first.

Being that she was weak beyond words, and the smell in the car was as foul as all hell, Kelly pushed open the door and dragged herself out. It was quite the sight to say the least: a blood-covered naked woman crawling out of a car that had just crashed on the side of the road. But that's exactly what the driver of the truck saw after he had pulled over on the side of the road to look through his rearview mirror. Deciding that he'd be a terrible person if he didn't at least offered to help the woman, he turned off the vehicle, unbuckled his seatbelt, and got out of the truck to rush over to where the woman lay barely holding on to consciousness.

"Miss, are you in any terrible pain?" he asked, crouching next to her to cover her up with his jacket. Because she wasn't able to form a coherent sentence, the old man fetched for his phone tucked away in one of his jean pockets and proceeded to dial 911.

"Yes, I'm on Road 41, about a mile or mile and a half south of the gas station by Wellington. I just witnessed an accident, a woman swerved off the road and crashed. It's just her but she's covered in blood."

A brief silence, then the man spoke again.

"Yes, of course. My name's Peter. Oh, alright, I'll do that then. Thank you ma'am."

He hung up the phone and looked down at Kelly again, her eyes still closed but at least she was still breathing.

"They'll be coming for you very soon miss, just hold on."

@Rawk

The powerful engine roared down the virtually empty road and, with the exception of one or two cars that passed heading the opposite direction, was eventless. Czi adjusted the rearview mirror, ensuring no one was following, and looked down at the fuel gauge, cursing her luck at the quarter tank she had remaining.

“Fuck, I'm going to have to find a gas station soon.”

She never really escaped from the hospital, at least not like she imagined, but rather was released by Zvikas himself. The terms? Aside from cleaning her life up, she was tasked to locate the wayward young woman, Kelly Denver, and bring her back for further examination. The thought didn't jive with Czigani in the slightest, as she had no real issues with the new girl and certainly didn’t agree with the Hospital’s “treatment plan”. If anything, Kelly should be the one pissed off at Czi considering she was betrayed and essentially left to own devices.

Czi accepted the proposed agreement, although she also didn't necessarily want to follow it as per their discussion. Things happen, right? She was given an old box of clothes to sort through, and after finding a suitable ensemble -white tank top, jeans, boots, and a leather jacket- she was discharged immediately. There was, of course, the matter of transportation, which she took care of by helping herself to the doctor’s 69’ Chevelle that was still in the garage. If for anything, it was her final “fuck you” to the hospital that brought her nothing but pain and misery. She knew there was something wrong with her, especially ever since that last day at the restaurant in Boston which clearly changed the course of her life. The cop didn’t deserve to die, but the anger that erupted inside Czigani wasn’t for herself, it was for her people. People who she feared she would never see again considering the curse that lived within. She needed Kelly now, the only other of her kind she had been aware of.

But Zvikas did mention another he once knew years ago, one who escaped from the hospital and was never heard from again. Was he alive? Did he still reside in Massachusetts? Would he seek out more like himself? Czigani was just relieved enough to be rid of the hospital, and hopefully for good this time, as she had no intentions of going back nor to help Zvikas. But secretly, the doctor knew that one such as she couldn't be trusted, and made his own insurance policy...

---------------------------------------

The paramedics arrived to the scene of the accident within record time, and immediately strapped Kelly to the gurney, carefully loading the bloodied, weakened, and semi-conscious nude woman into the ambulance. The old man who initially stopped to help her offered to ride along with them on their way to the hospital, but was refused by the two paramedics, so he decided to follow them in his truck as a courtesy to the young woman.

The paramedic attending to Kelly checked her vitals, as well as her eyes, which were currently bloodshot. He'd tried a few times to illicit a response from her, but all she could manage was incoherent babbling. Her senses were erratic and focusing on any one thing was almost impossible in her currently condition. It's as though her body was in a state of flux; strength and mental awareness severely lacking.

“Geez, what happened to you, lady?” The paramedic mumbled with a quizzical expression, continuing to monitor the machines readouts, covering her up as best he could with the now blood stained blanket.

“We're en route, Kevin” The driver yelled through the narrow opening between the cab and back off the truck. “ETA fifteen minutes, and Doctor Zvikas will meet us at the emergency entrance.”

“Man that guy creeps me out.” The other stated, shaking his head. “That place is a shit hole too, so it's no surprise they have escapees at least every month.”

“Yeah, and we get stuck hauling their sorry asses back.” The driver chuckled. “The guy clearly can't keep the crazies locked up forever.”

---------------------------------------

Up ahead the ambulance -with its emergency lights flashing- quickly came into view and passed by going the other direction as Czi was rounding a bend in the road, along with a pickup truck not too far behind it.. She knew the ambulance was heading toward the direction of Bridgewater State Hospital, but that wasn't unusual considering patients sometimes had to be transported via emergency vehicles depending on their condition. The thought didn’t dawn on her, however, until a minute or two following, when she saw a car on the side of the road. Unfortunately the scene was being blocked off by the local police accident and forensic units, so any close examination wasn't going to be possible, but she had an alternative. She slowed the car to a crawl and cruised by with the windows rolled down, hoping that her acute senses would clue her in. She narrowed her eyes, focusing car’s interior, and seeing the bloody handprints along the seat cushions, steering wheel, and windows. But it was her sense of smell that picked up traces of familiarity in the air, and the scent of blood that was a mixture of several types, but still seemed vivid.

“Ma’am, you need to move along!” The patrol cop stood along the side of the road, directing Czi to keep going.

Just as Czigani was about to ask the officer about the accident, a call came in on the cop’s radio that all but confirmed Kelly was being transported back to the state hospital. But it was enough for her to go on, that and the fact the woman was here based on her scent lingering.

“Shit!, I gotta catch up with the ambulance before they make it to the hospital!”

The girl cranked the wheel hard in one direction, turning the car around, and peeled out down the street heading back toward the direction of the hospital.

“I swear, I’m going to end up paying big trying to save her ass…” She mumbled to herself, shifting into higher gear in hopes of making it in time.

@Xandrya

Anxiety welled up and her heart pounded in rapid succession, as she gripped the steering wheel tightly. Why was this even a concern to her? Czigani thought about it as she raced against the clock, and yet the more she lingered on the point, the less a satisfactory answer surfaced. It felt more like she was doing this to protect her own ass, or maybe to get back at Zvikas for whatever numerous reasons she had. Either way, the girl was hard-pressed to find Kelly before the Doctor, or any of his deranged lackeys, could steal her away again. That was no life for anyone, not even freaks such as they were.

“Gotcha, mother fuckers!”

She exclaimed, as the ambulance came into view, although she wondered if the pickup truck was part of the entourage or merely stuck behind the emergency vehicle. It mattered very little at this point, since whatever Czi had to do, needed to be done immediately.

“Okay, just stop thinking and act for fuck’s sake…”

That said, she shifted into the next gear, and punched the accelerator, coming up fast behind the pick up and quickly changing into the oncoming lane to bypass the ambulance. She turned her head to look at the driver, who was flagging her to slow down, but that wasn't happening. Czi accelerated enough until she made it in front of the ambulance, then -taking a deep breath and holding it- slammed on her brakes causing the wheels to screech and smoke. The ambulance, with little time to react, hit the brakes and swerved uncontrollably, crossing onto the shoulder and plowing through several small bushes along the tree line until it was stopped dead by a large oak. Smoke and steam spewed from the front end, and the driver dead, impaled through the chest by a thick branch that managed to penetrate the windshield. In the back of the vehicle, the paramedic, while buckled in, had been injured from falling equipment and supplies. The gurney, locked into place, shifted enough to break the fasteners and send it hitting the wall, the frame taking most of the force and damage, keeping Kelly relatively uninjured.

Leaving the engine running, Czi jumped out of the car and sprinted with supernatural speed toward the wreckage, paying little attention to the lone pickup truck driver stopped along the shoulder who witnessed the chaos unfold…

“Shit” She tried to pay little heed to the driver's corpse, writhing as it bled out from the massive wound, but the guilt hit her hard nevertheless. She didn't intend on any casualties, and yet she knew her frantic efforts were reckless enough to make it inevitable.

“New girl!...Kelly!”

She yelled through the shattered driver's side window, quickly running to the back, where the rear door was found securely locked. She beat on the metal door, pulling the handle several times until it broke, and out of frustration, punching the small windows just above her head until they shattered. She reached an arm through the hole, disengaging the lock from the inside, and swinging both doors open.

“W-what just happened? Who the heck are you?” The paramedic exclaimed in a nervous voice, cowering in the corner with a scalpel held out in front of him.

“I’m nobody. All I need is the girl and I’m gone.”

“My partner, he’s...dead!” The man blurted out in disbelief.

Czigani shoved some of the fallen equipment out of the way and pulled the gurney through the rear doors in one swift stroke.

“I’m sorry about the driver, that...that wasn’t my fault.”

The girl quickly unstrapped the woman from the damaged gurney, lifted her in her arms with ease, and carried her toward the car as quickly as possible.

Czi’s ears caught the sound of a gun being loaded and cocked, followed by an unfamiliar voice. “Hey! I need you to put down the young lady, and step away with your hands where I can see them.”

She stopped just a few feet from her car and looked over to see the driver of the pickup truck pointing a rifle directly at her.

“Look, old man, I’d love to explain this whole situation to you, but I just don’t have the time. So can you-”

“I won’t ask you again!” He interjected, visibly shaking the rifle while trying to keep it steady. “And the police were notified!”

Czigani let drew out a long sigh, and slowly laid Kelly on the grass. “Shit man, you really shouldn’t have done that…”

With inhuman reflexes and speed, Czigani lunged toward the old man, who instinctively fired off a shot that went wide, missing the girl completely. She was on top of him within seconds, grabbed the gun, and knocked him across the face with the wooden stock.

“Stay. The fuck. DOWN!” She shouted, before tossing the gun and sprinting back to the car to load Kelly in the back seat.

As the girl pushed the passenger seat back in place, and climbed over toward the driver’s side, another gunshot went off from the distance, hitting Czi in the thigh, causing her to fall forward against the steering wheel.

“Shit!” She yelled, doing her best to ignore the pain as she slid into the seat, shifted gears, and peeled off down the road.

“Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!” Tears rolled down her eyes from the pain of the bullet lodged in her bone and fragments of denim fibers caught in the wound from her jeans. She held a hand over the entry wound, hoping to stop some of the blood loss as she turned off of the main drag and onto a dirt road that seemed to go on for miles.

“Dammit Kelly...I swear I fucking hate your guts right now for putting me through this shit.”

Kelly’s body lay across the back seats, wrapped in the bloodstained linens, but otherwise unharmed, at least physically. Her mind however had been a web of random thoughts and blurred images, of incoherent sounds, and foggy voices lasting only a short while until all went dark...



Drops of water. A sound consistent in their intervals that seemed to echo and reverberate as in a dream, but it wasn’t. Her ears tuned into the soothing splash it made against the water. Water? Her body felt warm and secure, as the aches of muscle and bruises slowly healed themselves, and pain falling to the wayside. Kelly opened her eyes and realized it was no dream or trick of the mind, but she was in fact submerged in a tub of warm water that which, all things considered, felt soothing on her skin. Her right arm, however was secured tightly to a rope that was then tied onto a thick metal pipe along the stucco wall.

“Welcome back to the land of the living.”

Czigani was sitting on a wooden stool a few feet from the old clawfoot tub, wearing only a white tank top, and redressing the wound on her leg with a roll of gauze.

“Don’t suppose you know how to pull a bullet out of someone-” She winced trying to reposition herself on the stool. “Because this mother fucker hurts like all hell.”

@Xandrya

"So I wasn't dreaming, huh? You really did save me from being transported back to that god-awful hospital. I mean, I wasn't all there in the ambulance, but I was somewhat conscious."

Kelly looked around, frowning at the fact that she was currently restrained to the wall. She gave the rope a slight tug, wondering why Czigani had gone through the trouble of saving her if she was going to keep her as her personal prisoner.

"Well, I'm no expert, but if the bullet isn't lodged too far into your leg then I may be able to pull it out. I'm not gonna lie, it's going to hurt like hell, but once I manage to get it out, we can wrap you up real nice and get you to a hospital. A real hospital, that is." She paused for a moment, thinking about what she'd just said. If either one them went public, then they may be in trouble. Kelly wasn't exactly sure of the extent of Dr. Zvikas' influence around the area, so they needed to proceed with caution. To anyone on the outside, the hospital was just another psychiatric institution housing the criminally insane, but they didn't know about the crimes perpetrated against the patients that occurred on a daily basis. "If we go down that route, then we have to be careful. Although I know very powerful people that can get us out of this mess in a heartbeat. But, if you want my help, then the least you can do is set me free. I'm gonna need a pair of tweezers in order to do my job as well. So, what's it gonna be?"

@Rawk

The girl shot Kelly a sour expression at her suggestion.

“How hard did you hit your head back there?” She scoffed. “Going to any fucking hospital with our...condition, would be suicide. As soon as they ran tests and shit…” Czi shook her head. “...can you imagine the blowback and endless questions directed at us?”

The girl scooted herself closer to the tub, wincing from the pain surging through her leg from the lodged bullet, and spewing a series profanities out loud.

“Dammit, I thought my leg would heal past this shit, but it se-” Czi leaned on the edge of the tub gritting her teeth as another wave of stinging pain came and went. “...seems to be getting worse.”

The girl reached into her back pocket and pulled out a butterfly knife, flipping it open effortlessly with one hand and holding it up to the dim light of the candles. “This is all we have to work with as I didn't have the time to go shopping for a first aid kit.”

Czi managed to crack a smile at her awful humor, before reaching over to the rope tied around Kelly's wrist and sliced at the thick fibers, putting both women face-to-face.

“Look.” She finally said after a moment of silence. “I'm sorry for being a bitch back at the hospital. I-I just wanted…needed out of there and was going to do whatever it took. I honestly didn't know at the time that you were the same -whatever the hell- creature I am.”

For a brief moment, her efforts to cut through the last remnants of rope slowed as she stared into Kelly's eyes and leaned in to kiss her lips.

“Holy shit…” She suddenly snapped her head back. “I'm so sor-”

Before she could finish, her body recoiled and face grimaced as pain shot up her leg causing her to let out a yelp, drop the knife in the bath, and double over in agony.

The back seat of the Chevelle pushed open, and the kid known as Jimmy crawled out from the trunk drenched in sweat and still dressed in his hospital scrubs. He cursed under his breath as he slowly slipped his thin body all the way out and opened the passenger's side door to exit the car. He stared at the house for a moment before directing his attention to a low glow of light coming from one of the smaller windows.

He pulled a tranquilizer pistol that was stuffed in his pocket, checking the cartridges before slowly creeping up to the front door and letting himself in. The house was dark, and the wooden floor creaked, as each footstep drew him closer to the light at the end of the hallway...

@Xandrya

"Whoa--what?" Kelly was at a loss for words at the moment, her confused stare a dead giveaway. She'd kissed a few girls in the past, but nothing this intense. She wasn't sure whether Czigani had kissed her out of pure attraction or if the girl just needed to get laid.

Before she could ask for clarification, Kelly shot out of the bathtub in response to Czigani's sudden outburst of pain, wetting the girl and the floor around her. "The knife it is," she whispered, reaching for the blade before she tried to get the girl into a comfortable position to better examine her wound. If she was in pain now, then in a moment she would be cursing Kelly out all the way through the 9th level of hell. "This may hurt a little, but I'll try my best to inflict as little pain as possible."

Being well aware of that fact that she couldn't keep such promise, Kelly took a closer look at the wound before bringing the knife up to its opening. She was debating how to best get the damn bullet out of Czigani's leg when she sensed another presence nearby. It was a familiar scent, and that only meant trouble was lurking right outside of the bathroom door.

"Dammit... Don't move, I'll be right back." Kelly got up, walking over Czigani to reach for the towel hanging from the rack. She wrapped it around herself before grabbing the knife and heading towards the door, putting her ear up to it to attempt to make out the approximate location of the intruder. She stood still in dead silence, waiting for a few moments before pushing her back against the wall, her left hand a tight grip around the knife. If whoever was on the other side of the door planned on surprising them, then they were going to be extremely disappointed.

@Rawk

Jimmy heard the muffled voices on the other side of the door as he drew closer, and then all fell quiet until the only sound he could hear was from his own racing heartbeat. He didn't want to be there for sure, but his choices were rather limited as well. Zvikas trusted Jimmy enough to take care of things quickly and quietly, and why wouldn't he? Jimmy's past isn't quite as uneventful as one would expect from such an unassuming young man, but his track record spoke volumes. He knew how to remove threats.

The kid bent down and pressed the side of his head against the hardwood floor, squinting to see through the narrow space under the door. He noticed Czigani -or at least her face and part of her body- reeling on the wet floor, her expression showing pain. The woman's bloodshot eyes suddenly locked onto him, and she gritted her teeth, hissing toward his direction. She'd tried to say something but the words came out as grunts while the surging pain from her leg ran it's course. Jimmy quickly pushed himself up and leaned back, bumping the wall hard enough to cause a picture frame to slide off its hook and crash to the floor, scattering shards of glass, one of which pierced his forearm.

“Shit!” He blurted out, followed by his hand coming up to cover his mouth. He pulled the small piece of glass out and held his arm for a moment, mentally cursing his unfortunate situation.

At this point, adrenaline had replaced any hesitation, and the kid knew he either had to get this over with now, or risk running scared and returning to the hospital empty-handed. Jimmy stood to his feet, readied the tranquilizer handgun, and slowly turned the doorknob until it released, then with a swift kick to the center, swung the door open and pointed the gun at the prone woman in pain.

“Now I got ya bitch!” He shouted with a nasally voice, his eyes wide and glaring.

@Xandrya

Kelly was startled when the door swung open, but not as much as the man was when she jumped him, her hand targeting his in order to push the gun away. She struggled with him for a moment in a physical battle which would determine who would end up having control of the weapon, but that's when she remembered she had the knife as well, a pivotal advantage to their tug-o-war. Kelly kneed the man on the side of his leg before bringing the blade of the knife to his neck, her free hand still clutching the barrel of the gun.

"Drop the gun or this knife will be buried in your neck."

As she was done threatening him, she realized he was one of the employees from the hospital. This fueled her rage even more.

"NOW!"

“Fuck!, okay, stop screaming!...” Jimmy yelled back, his leg in pain, and down on one knee at the mercy of the dark-skinned woman. He let go of the gun’s handle, allowing it to drop away from his grasp. “Y-You know you can’t run for long.” He blurted out in rushed words, darting his eyes back and forth between her and the girl on the floor who was pushing herself up to a sitting position against the side of the tub. “...he’ll find you both and probably kill you just like he was going to do to that other freak who-”

The kid quickly tightened his lips and closed his eyes. “I shouldn’t have said that…”

"Too late. That other freak who what?" She dug the blade a little bit deeper into his neck. Not enough to draw blood, but enough for him to get the message. Kelly motioned for Czigani to pick up the weapon on the floor. They couldn't let him live, not since he knew where they were. It was a miracle that Zvikas hadn't sent Jimmy down with back-up, but she wasn't complaining.

“T-the only other w-werewolf!” He blurted out. “S-some guy who escaped the hospital a few years back!”

“That's nothing new Jimmy.” Czi spoke up, gritting her teeth in pain as she reached for the tranquilizer. “Zvikas told me about him while I was caged up. Said he was out of his mind and bent on killing the ‘resistance groups’, whatever that is.”

Jimmy laughed, glancing at Czigani’s leg and the large bruised and infected area around the wound. “That looks bad. B-but I can help you if you let me. I can fix you up.”
He turned his attention to the woman holding the knife to his throat, a large grin forming across his face. “Of course your girlfriend here needs to back down first...”

"Fine," Kelly said, pulling the knife away from the man's throat before she gave him a hard shove that sent him off balance, "but fuck this up for either one of us and I'll force-feed you your genitals until you choke to death."

She took a step back to readjust the towel wrapped around her, then looked at Czigani with a worrisome expression.

"Let him help only if you trust him enough, okay?"

“Pfft, I never trusted his sorry ass even when he was at the hospital.” Czi scoffed, kicking Jimmy in the knee while he was trying to scramble back up from being shoved. “But the bastard’s right, he knows his shit, even though he is one. Although I’d pay to see her over there rip off your cock and shove it down your throat...”

Jimmy glanced over at the girl sitting on the floor and flashed her a sarcastic grin before sliding over to look at her leg.

“Oh wait, you probably don’t have one do you Jimmy?...”

“Shut up!” Jimmy yelled, accidently pushing on the girl’s wound causing her to scream in pain that echoed off the tiled bathroom walls, and her fist coming around to crack him across the jaw, knocking him on his back.

“You fuckin’ dumb shit!” She growled through her teeth, tears running down her face from the sharp pain surging through her body and her fist slamming onto the floor a few times in rage. Czi found herself hyperventilating as she lost control of her breathing.

"Jesus fucking christ, watch what the fuck your greasy body's touching!" Kelly rushed to Czigani's side, dropping the knife beside her as she went down on her knees to attempt to console the girl without causing any further injuries. She looked at the wound for about a second, then concentrated on Czigani once more.

"Hey it's okay, I'm here." Kelly grabbed one of the girl's hands in order to comfort her, giving it a gentle squeeze before rubbing up and down on her arm. "Just try to take slow, gentle breaths. Focus on that, not on the pain."

Kelly looked around the room again, but as expected, she didn't find anything that could be of help.

"Hey numbnuts, do you have anything we can use to help her out?"

Jimmy got up on his feet and held the side of his face where a bruise was quickly developing. “W-well, you can give her a small dose of the tranquilizer serum from the cartridge.” He pointed to the small gun laying on the floor near Czi. “And...inject it near the wound. T-that may dull the pain for awhile until the bullet c-can be taken out.”

Czigani, per Kelly’s advice, did her best to take long, slow breaths, closing her eyes for a moment until her body began to calm enough for the pain to be bearable. She opened her eyes and turned to her friend, cracking a half smile and nodding her head in thanks, before turning back to the skinny kid standing a few feet away.

“Get your ass back over here Jimmy and pull this goddamn thing out of my leg before I kill you.” She stated bluntly, before grabbing the tranquilizer pistol in an attempt to unload the metallic dart from the chamber. Once it was out, she glanced at the tip. “Here goes nothin’...” She said with a smirk and turned the dart facing down in her fist, before plunging it into her leg.

“Wait!” Jimmy blurted too late. “Just a small dose I said...more than that will knock you out for hours!”

“Don't be such a puss-” Czigani's eyes grew wide followed by heavy breathing and an uncontrollable muscle spasm that had her rocking back and forth. She dropped the dart causing it to roll toward Jimmy and her hand tightened around Kelly's, trying to form words in between the adrenal surge.

“Wha...th’ fuck...is this…?” She violently panted, squeezing the woman's to an uncomfortable pressure.

Jimmy's expression changed to bewilderment, as he noticed the girl’s eye color changing to a bright orange-yellow hue. He quickly reached down and examined the dart, sniffing at the bead of liquid running down from the tip.

“Holy shit…” He mumbled to himself, before repeating it louder. “T-this isn’t a t-tranquilizer...it..it’s Epinephrine!” He stared at Czigani in horror, realizing what was coming next.

“We gotta get out of here, lady!” He said, looking over at Kelly. “Zvikas loaded this t-thing with adrenaline...because he knew it would trigger the c-change!”

"Shit! That type of change? She glanced down at Czigani who looked terrifying to anyone not having the slightest clue what was going on, but it also made Kelly very scared of her, especially now that she could be on the receiving end along with Jimmy. Without wasting time, she forced her way out of the girl's tight grip to put some distance between them. "I don't want to leave her but we don't have a choice!"

Czigani went to reach for her friend, whose hand slipped out of her grasp, and shot her a confused and pained look. “Please…” She growled through clenched teeth, even as her facial features began to shift and the bones in her body cracked as the transformation was underway.

Kelly grabbed Jimmy by the wrist before she pulled him out into the hall. It was dark out there, and her heart started to race even more as the thought of being ripped to shreds by some sort of beast made her panic. Being that she was terrified, it took a couple of tries navigating around the house before they both made it outside. She noticed the car parked in front of the house, then slowed her pace as she went around to the passenger side.

"Please tell me you have the damn keys..."

A horrific howl echoed from the house, as the sounds of thrashing and breaking glass were heard along with snarling that sent shivers up the kid’s spine. Jimmy frantically looked around for something that could be used as a weapon, and spotted an old shovel sticking in the ground nearby.

“And no, why the hell would I have the keys? Your friend in there was the one who drove here!”

Jimmy positioned himself behind Kelly, holding up the shovel in a defensive posture, and backing away further from the house. “I’m p-pretty sure she won’t stay in that form for long though b-because the adrenaline forced the change. So it may last as long as it’s in her system…”

The kid gasped as he saw the werewolf running past a darkened window in the house, growling and knocking things over in it’s warpath. “C-can’t you turn into one those things?”

"No, of course it's not voluntary! Do you think that maniac would give us such freedom? We have to get out of here now, so I hope you can run."

Kelly looked behind her, noticing the road, an empty field running parallel to it, and a forested acreage just behind it. She nudged Jimmy and pointed towards the field.

"Look. I think that's our best bet."

When he took his eyes off of the house, Kelly grabbed the shovel. She didn't necessarily pull it away from him, but instead, she swung it diagonally so that the head of the shovel hit him right across the face. Jimmy dropped to the ground, but Kelly didn't bother to check whether he was conscious or not. Instead, she took off towards the field, hoping that Czigani would be distracted by Jimmy long enough for her to get away.

Another howl echoed across the vast landscape, impossible to outrun, and instinct told Kelly that the beast wouldn’t be far behind. She knew now, first hand, just how devastatingly controlling it could become, that even against all human protest, the werewolf won out in the end, and even daylight wouldn't stop it. Had the hunter, now become the hunted?

The creature, unfamiliar with its surroundings, burst through the front living room of the house, landing several meters from the porch and within reach of Jimmy's unconscious body. It let out a low guttural growl, sniffing around the scrawny human, and yet seeming uninterested in taking any further action, almost as though the thrill of the hunt was spoiled by unchallenged prey. The wolf's ears perked up and it sniffed the air, pointing its nose in the direction of where the real hunt began.

With quick and refined reflexes, it bolted in that direction, kicking up a dust cloud of dirt and dried grass as it crossed the flat acreage and headed toward the forest in search of the source. “Friend”. It was buried somewhere deep down within Czigani’s humanity, and yet instinct overwhelmed reasoning in the battle of control, as she picked up speed, gaining much more ground than her now human counterpart.

@Xandrya

Kelly ran as fast as she could, the towel that was covering her now laid somewhere near the side of the road, maybe about 100 feet from Jimmy. But she didn't care about decency at the moment, not when she was being chased by her [possibly] lesbian friend/fellow inmate turned werewolf with whom she had had an intimate moment with by sharing a rather brief kiss. Suddenly, Kelly's previous fears seemed like child's play to her. She had had a few close calls with death before, mostly traffic-related, but nothing like this. Kelly's adrenaline pushed her to run faster and farther away than she had ever ran before. But she also attributed it to the new her. The transformation had affected her mentally and physically--both in and out of her new body, and she was glad she had that little advantage. If only she could outrun the werewolf as well.

Kelly knew that Czigani was closing in on her, but she didn't dare to look back. One missed step and it could all be over too soon. Unfortunately, her speed was no match for the werewolf's, and all it took was one effortless swipe to launch the relatively short girl threw the air before she landed on the grassy field with a loud thud, that which literally left her breathless for a moment before she was able to get her bearings straight once more.

"Czigani, don't!" But she might as well have been talking to a wall as she felt a claw wrap around her thigh to aggressively turn her on her back. Kelly instinctively kicked at the werewolf with her free leg, then punched her nose. The werewolf yelped in pain and surprise, but it was quickly replaced by a low growl that made Kelly's skin crawl. She took the chance to push her forearm against Czigani's hairy upper chest area as she rolled on her side as quickly as she could, mounting the werewolf to hold her down with both arms.

"Snap out of it dammit! It's me!"

Kelly hoped shouting some desperate words at the werewolf would bring Czigani to her senses. If not, then she was as good as dead.

The piercing howl of victory shot forth from the werewolf’s muzzle, as the beast pinned the woman down with a large clawed paw, putting pressure on her throat while it pushed against the force of Kelly’s defensive arm. Several growls and snarls erupted through the power struggle as the wolf’s razor sharp teeth had come within inches of the woman’s face, potentially tearing apart the weaker opponent underneath. Czigani, however, could hear the faint pleads of her friend through the chaos and distortion of the beasts dominating nature, it fed off the fear that was instilled in it’s prey and even took a perverse pleasure in toying with such a feeble being. The creature cared little for humanity, as it was beyond such things, and as the wolf pushed its control further away from the girl living inside, a rage fueled it’s passion to destroy that which opposed it. Kelly sensed the killing blow coming, but could do little to stop the force of a freight train…

Just then a horrid yelp followed by a violent snarl erupted from the werewolf and it’ turned it’s attention to what was several yards behind.

There, standing with an empty tranquilizer gun still pointed at it’s intended target, and an expression of horror as the beast locked gazes with him, was Jimmy. His mouth struggling to find the words to describe his unfortunate predicament, and yet before the kid had a chance to utter a sound, the creature turned and pounced, knocking him to the ground with great and unimaginable force. The rage within the beast lashed out with it’s powerfully sharp teeth, latching onto the boy's head, and with an effortless tug to one direction, ripped the bloodied and lifeless head from body, tossing it to the wayside.

The wolf circled the decapitated body, the kids blood dripping from it’s mouth, and as the effects of the tranquilizing agent took hold, it began slowing pace, attempting to shake off the dazed and numbing feeling that was running it’s course. The creature’s attention snapped back to Kelly, and it sluggishly made it’s way toward her, but this time, it’s intent was less violent as a low and constant whimper replaced its previous snarls and growls. It’s fighting stance left behind as it staggered trying to stand, only to slump down onto the forest floor, slowly reaching its clawed arm out toward Kelly’s direction, and for the first time, she could see the creature’s large shape reverting into a human’s body. The dark hair that had covered, retracted, and Czigani’s bare skin began to surface. Each limb shifted itself back into place as bones, muscle, and cartilage reformed with low cracking sounds. The beast’s head and muzzle, disappearing as Czigani’s bloodied and muddy human features took shape once again, and her voice once again was heard as a guttural sound…

“P-please...help m-me…Kel...” Czigani's voice altered through her words, clearing up as the change back to human occurred. "I...sorry..." She whispered through the pain. "b-back to...farmhouse..."

@Xandrya

Kelly was shaking, beads of sweat stuck to her face as she had watched Jimmy's beheading a few feet away from her. But her reaction wasn't necessarily due to Czigani's violent outburst; she herself knew that once the beast took over, it was nearly impossible to control it, but rather, it was Jimmy's look of helplessness as he was killed that got to her. Kelly stared at his headless corpse until Czigani's weak words brought her back to reality, and she reacted almost instantly to her friend's pleas.

"Fuck...okay, let's get out of here," she whispered, getting up off the ground as she wiped the perspiration off her forehead. She didn't have to stand by Czigani for long to figure out how to take her back to the house. For anybody else, the task would have been a rather hard one given the fact that any moment now the young woman would be dead weight as the tranquilizer agent took full effect, yet that wasn't the case for Kelly. She picked up Czigani and proceeded to slide underneath her torso to lift her up in a fireman's carry, an effortless move already made easy Kelly's increased physical strength. With no time to waste, she looked back at the dead man for a second then hurried back to the house as she wondered what would go through people's head if they came across this bizarre scene.

A few minutes later, both women were safe inside the farmhouse. The sun had just finished setting and Kelly had laid Czigani down on a bed in one of the empty bedrooms. The next thing she did was clothe herself. Kelly had had enough of being in the nude, and her prayers were answered when she found an outfit that fit more or less her size. She put on plain beige shorts, a black t-shirt, and a brown sweater. After she was decent, Kelly went back to check on Czigani. The poor girl was still out like a light, no sign of even the slightest hint of life aside from the rhythmic breathing indicated by the rising and falling of her bare chest underneath the thin blanket.

"Sleep tight."

Kelly left the room, closing the door behind her as quietly as possible in order to not disturb Czigani, regardless of the fact that she was under a strong sedative. Finding herself with nothing to do at that moment, Kelly went to the kitchen to search for something to drink.

@Rawk

“They’ll come for me one day, Czigani, as they’ve come for many of our kin throughout history.”

The girl, much younger at the time, stared into her grandfather’s deep-set hazel eyes with much concern in her own expression, as he recounted stories of old -myths perhaps- but stories nevertheless of things that didn’t quite make sense to her early adolescent mind. She loved when he’d come to visit -much to her own parents reluctance to accept him and his unusual folk lore- but she felt a closeness with him that she didn't have with her father and mother and that tight knit kinship allow an otherwise sceptical mind to open up. However, even as the girl got older, she'd forgotten much of those stories; ancient tales that spoke more of her own future.

Her eyes suddenly sprung open, as a brief glimpse of the vicious wolf form flashed in her head, petrifying any further movement in her otherwise sore body for a few moments. “Okay, Czi...it was just a dream” She finally muttered, finding herself laid out on the cold, hardwood floor next to a bed that appeared to be in disarray with fragments of shredded fabric scattered about. The girl sat up with the partially torn sheet covering her bruised and blood-stained naked body, causing a gasp to escape her lips as she examined the mess. Her hand ran along a few of the older cuts and scratches that scarred over, and even the bullet hole on her thigh was gone, leaving only a slight blemish. Her guess? Being in werewolf form facilitated healing of her flesh, although she wondered if the bullet itself was still lodged inside. She tried to push herself up from the floor, and while she had the strength, a searing pain still resided in her leg.

“Fuck!” She exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes as she stood to her feet, throwing the sheet aside and limping over to a tall mirror hanging on the wall across the room.

“You're a disgusting mess…” She mumbled to herself while examining the apparent bruising and markings left by the change, her dry skin showing signs of stretching and contorting in certain areas, and a sour -yet empty- feeling was left in her stomach that made her want to throw up. Even her own stench repulsed her as she realized she hadn’t bathed in what could have been days or even weeks. Czi drew closer to the mirror and, for the first time since her transformation, saw a face she didn't recognize anymore, albeit it was still her face, but it seemed to take on an altogether different feel that was unsettling and this thing inside her was wanting to take everything away.

“I guess you were right, purodad…” She whispered, referencing the Romani word for “Grandfather”, before stepping away from the mirror and rummaging through one of the dresser drawers, pulling out a soft flannel long-sleeved shirt and holding it up to her nose while taking a deep breath. She could sense the hints of aftershave still embedded in the fabric, reminder her of her own father. Her eye was drawn to an old photograph partially covered by a book laying atop the dresser, and when revealed, it showed a young smiling couple sitting on a porch swing holding hands. Czi picked it up and stared at it blankly for a few moments before snorting and carelessly letting it fall to the floor. She knew simplicity like that would never be found again.

Not now. Not ever.

The woman stepped out into the darkened hallway -the wooden floorboards creaking along every footfall- and stopped, closing her eyes and listening intently. She needed to focus on the here and now, not a past that has already happened and can't be altered. Her senses wandered through the winding corridor, in and out of each adjoining room, picking up nuances throughout each until it landed on a single irregular heartbeat and raspy breathing. Instinct directed her movements toward Kelly's location, and without use of sight by choice, Czi eventually found her curled up in one of the far bedrooms, most likely asleep or at least lying with her eyes shut. The woman stood for a moment in the doorway before opening her eyes.

“We need to talk.” She finally said in normal vocal range. “Soon…”

Czigani turned back out into the hallway and walked into the adjacent bathroom they were in earlier that day, tossing the flannel shirt aside, and stepping into the now chilled water in the old clawfoot tub. A gasp escaped her lips as the cold was instantly felt through her body, but at the same time, dulled the remaining pains she felt as she settled. Grabbing a washcloth that hung loosely on a small brass hook along the wall, she ran the dried soap bar along the rough texture and began scrubbing at her arms, chest, and face, eventually working her way along the rest of her body. She wanted to feel nothing, wanted the stings of loss and hopelessness to disappear into the icy liquid that surrounded her…

But it wasn't just about her anymore.

@Xandrya