Starting Over

Chapter 7

"It's fake." It was all I could say. There was absolutely no way that what I just witness actually happened.

"No one I know is any good with graphics like this."

"It looks like a movie." The quality of the video was too good.

"We put HD cameras in there. I hate that blurry video where you can't see anything." She sighed. "Why does this seem so outlandish to you?"

"You're trying to tell me that I…transformed into some wolf, thing, and I'm just supposed to take you for your word."

"You can fast forward. We copied until you changed back."

I shook my head, "It's all fake. A Hollywood graphic."

"That's real. I can prove it." She looked up at a camera.

A man who wasn't so intimidating came into the room not 3 seconds later. "Change for her." Casey said to the man.

He sighed and nodded. "No wonder they sent me in." He grumbled as he took off his shirt.

"You're due for a change anyway."

"Yea yea." He complained as he walked further into the room, away from us. By the time I looked back at him, he was tossing his shorts to the side. I quickly looked away, a blush heating my face. He had been commando. Maybe they all just didn’t like underwear.

Casey smiled. "You need to watch. To make sure we're not trying to trick you with illusions."

I slowly looked over. Everything was normal, he started to sweat a bit, then his skin started crawling. What came next was absolutely horrifying. The sounds of his change alone would haunt my dreams for months. He groaned and whined as his bones popped and his muscles moved under his skin.

Watching it live was worse…way worse. He twisted like a contortionist. His bones shortened or elongated, depending on its new function. Fur sprouted out of his skin like fast motion grass. His skull elongated gruesomely. His teeth made sounds like he was crunching on gravel.

I felt sick. Casey had a trashcan waiting for me when I turned to face her.

"The first time's always a bit jarring, but you needed to see it." She said sympathetically. "That's what you go through when you pass out. You're not going unconscious; your wolf is taking over your body and forcing a change." She handed me a napkin. "This is why we stress the importance of gaining control over your wolf. You are still responsible for what you do as a wolf, even if you don't remember it."

"So I'm a monster?"

She shook her head. "No. You're not a monster. You're just…more susceptible to violent tendencies."

"Sounds like a monster to me." I managed to contain the sick feeling that threatened to overtake me.