Wolf-Shifter

The Shapeshifter: Surviving the Secrets

"Maddie."

A voice. Echoing through the darkness.

"Maddie!"

My eyes slowly edged open. Yet...where was I? Opening my eyes showed me no light.

Only milky blackness.

"Maddie!"

I felt panic rising in my chest, and I immediately scolded myself for being such a wimp. My brother wasn't a wimp. He was the bravest boy I ever had-ever will-know.

Ever had...

I blinked a few times, trying to see, straining my eyes to glimpse light. Refreshing light that would save me, maybe even...maybe even..change the past?

I began to run a few short, useless paces. Blindly I threw my hands out in front of me-

And came into contact with a material, soft yet scratchy, warm yet sharp.

I gasped and pulled back, my heart pounding. Amber eyes were opening, slowly, showing tiny pupils that seemed to bore straight through my skin. They let off an eerie glow, lighting up the darkness around me.

I was in a small cave. Rusted rocks lined the edges, and sharp pebbles wove around my feet.

But that was not the scariest part.

A wolf was standing right in front of me, grey and white, mouth open showing sharp teeth that glinted, claws unsheathed.

Suddenly, a voice broke it's way into my thoughts.

"Beware the past...beware the future...save the present..."

I woke up in a sweat. My father was peering anxiously at me, his blue eyes frowning. "Maddie? Are you OK?"

I nodded, unable to speak. What was with that dream? It triggered something in my brain, yet I could not remember what.

Yes I could.

My brother. My dear, wise brother. It reminded me of him.

He had disappeared a few years ago, when I was 9. Dad had later told me he had...gone somewhere, a camp, where he would be safe. Confused, I had asked, "But isn't he safe here?"

"No," my dad had replied. "This is the worst place for him to be."

Those words had haunted me the rest of my life.

And my Dad had lied. He wasn't safe there-Dad had promised I would see him soon enough, but I hadn't.

I hadn't seen him ever again...

"Your not still nervous about today, are you?"

"N-no," I said, even though I was.

Dad searched my face. "That's good, then. Do you want to come downstairs?"

"I'll be right down," I replied.

But first I had a look around my room. The many posters of horses and ponies, the vast ornaments of puppies, the kitten mattress.

Pretty soon, I would have a new bedroom.

I'd looked at the leaflets, and all in all, the place looked OK. I would be sharing a room with some girls called Lisa, Jennifer and Mia.

I hope they're nice.

I hope they won't think I'm weird.

I hope-

There I am. I'm being a wimp again. That's me, a stupid wimp, who was too scared to hand homework in late.

And now I was randomly turning into a raven.

I hadn't wanted it to happen, of course. Who would? At first, it had started with my brother. One night I had witnessed him turning into a wolf of all things. It was scary, yes-but it was also massively cool to my 9-year-old brain. I was sad when my brother left for Cola Club, but I knew he would be back soon.

Or at least, I thought I knew.

And now, four years onwards, and I had that same power-the same 'gift', the same 'curse'.

Turning into a raven is a curse.

If it happens to you, your unlucky.

My luck ran out on my 13th birthday.

When I woke up, I expected to be excited. I was a teenager at last! But instead, I felt a strange calm. I felt a desire to hop about, and a desire to fly.

I thought I was crazy, in need of a doctor. But when I had slowly hopped my way to the mirror, I found myself face to face with a black, fearless raven.

Me.

I changed back after half an hour of panicking and flapping my wings. Since then, I have changed nine times.

Nine times too many, I reckon.

And now I was going to meet "someone of my own kind". Someone of my own kind? What was I, an alien?

I decided it was finally time to go downstairs. I trailed down, in my polka dot dressing-gown.

My father was there to greet me. "Hey, there, kiddo." He flashed me a grin. "Excited?"

"Not really," I replied warily.

He waved my nervousness away with a hand. "I'm sure it'll be fine. This...who is it? Mrs. Sartre? She sounds nice, doesn't she?"

I just shrugged.

Before I could say another word, the doorbell let out a shrill whistle. Immediatley, before my father could even stand up from his seat, I raced for the sofa and leaped onto it, clutching a pillow and biting my lips.

What if they were nasty to me?

What if nobody else could turn into other animals?

What if they all ignored me?

What if-

"Hello, dear. My name is Mrs. Sartre."

I gasped and looked up. A woman with a heavy French accent was staring down at me. Two boys were at her side-one was tall with dark brown hair and wise eyes, but with the hint of a smile across his face, and the other was shorter with a flop of messy blonde hair and a smile stretched across his face.

This was it. This was it. Take deep breathes Maddie, deep breathes. These boys are just the same as you, they have weird magic powers and they are not going to laugh at you...

"What's your name?"

The woman spoke again. I looked up at her and whispered, "M-Maddie. Maddie Davies."

"That's a nice name." Glancing at my dad, who nodded, she sat down opposite me and signalled for the boys to sit next to her, with a stern "Keep Quiet Or It's Detention" look on her face.

Or something like that.

Mrs. Sartre pursed her thin lips and clasped her hands together. "Now, dear, I hear you can change into other animals?"

"Yes," I muttered.

"What animals?"

"O-only a raven."

"A raven? That's new."

I stared at her. New? That's new? Of course it was new! Not everyone could change into a raven! Of course, I wouldn't mind trading my life for a normal life.

Mrs. Sartre finally remembered the boys. "Oh, this is Dax and Gideon. Dax is a shapeshifter-" She glanced over at me. "Just like you. Gideon is a telekinetic, and he begged to come."

A telekawhat? I thought.

She pulled some case notes out of a folder. "Maggie...Maggie Davies. Ah yes! Maggie Davies. Daughter of Jack Davies, and brother of the deceased Matt Davies, am I correct?"

"Yes," I whispered, a lump in my throat. The room was spinning. I was remembering...

My brother was Matt Davies. He could turn into a wolf. He went to the Cola Club.

And he got killed by a speeding car.