Lycanthropy and Me: The First Semester(mlm)

Day 54, Wednesday. Waxing Gibbous Part 2

Colton found the experience of driving down highway roads peaceful. At least, in this state. After living in the city and experiencing the constant cacophony of car horns, shouts, and revving engines, the nearly empty roads and open blue skies here were a pleasant change.

As he took the next exit and turned uphill his sense of calm was jostled. There was something about the emptiness of the campsite around them. True, the reason he had chosen this area was the multiple vacancies, but the air was devoid of humans and felt more abandoned than simply unoccupied.

Hunter didn't stir as they pulled up outside the cabin. Well, Micro-cabin as it was referred to on the listing. Lips slightly parted and eyelids fluttering, Hunter was probably as peaceful as he could be.

He remembered the first time he saw Hunter.

It was six years ago.

Using his younger son's current foray into puberty, Ciaran Hayes pushed funding into the local physical therapy center. For the local Lycanthrope community, this had the added benefit of professionals that could work with their ongoing conditions.

After things were well underway, Ciaran took his sons over to the newly established wing, arriving long after half their community had shown up.

In the thinning crowd, Colton's eyes fell upon a woman talking to one of the new hires. She was a black woman, pretty with dark red lipstick and voluminous curls slightly tucked into an oversized scarf.

She looked at him with a small smile before resting her hands on the shoulders of a shriveled old man...Or was it a child? In the wheelchair beneath her. The small figure had sunken yellow eyes, and an expression of pure misery as if just being alive caused them pain.

Ciaran stepped forward to join the conversation, discussing future events. Colton's mother took one look at the shrunken being and made a face Colton knew she only reserved for the homeless vagrants outside the station and the church ladies she tried to avoid after church. He couldn't really call it a smile, it was too rehearsed, and it made her eyes go wide, like the strange porcelain dolls she collected.

"Mrs. Reeds! I'm so glad you could make it." She paused, looking at the person below. "And little Hunter! How are you doing today?"

Now close, Colton could see little Hunter was a kid. He took a step back. Something about him reminded him of those unfortunate little babies in Africa his mother always cooed at on tv. The same children she brought up whenever he didn't want to finish his meals.

Just think about all those unfortunate little babies in Africa, Colt. I bet they'd kill for some Brussel sprouts!

When Hunter didn't reply, Mrs. Reeds gave his shoulders a squeeze and adjusted the oversized knit hat that covered most of his head.

"You'll have to forgive him. He's very tired. We've been over at the hospital all day."

Hunter shut his eyes, as if to remove himself from the world.

While the adults changed topics again, Colton let his mind wander, but he did not forget those tired, miserable yellow eyes.

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It was another year before he saw Hunter Reeds. With the publicity stunt behind them, Ciaran had acquired a personal physical therapist for his sons, so they could work through their issues at home. The only time Colton saw the other Lycanthrope kids was during school.