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23

.23

I feel my brain explode. I DIED. WHY AM I STILL NOT DEAD!? I remember a box now, emerging from it. A coffin is what it seemed like. I scream blue murder and swim for the surface, tail a powerful paddle. I see a boat, and swim for it. The moon is glowing above me again, how is it night already? I shoot out and grab the nets along the side. I begin scaling the boat, my body changing as I emerge. I come up onto the deck of the commercial vessel, and everyone screams. I feel the fur again, blowing in the wind. I scramble against slimmy, saturated vessel's deck. I manage into a bathroom and lock the door with my iron teeth. I feel the cool brass between my teeth and slide the well oiled bolt across. I turn from the door, and face the sink. I coil my muscles and leap. I land in the sink, and fit perfectly in the cast iron basin. I am a small wolf, so it seems. I am about the size of a dog. I snarl into the reflection and my flesh shimmies to the melody of the creaking boat. Seratted canines weaponize my jaws, the entire tooth serated like a knife. It retains the wolf shape, but its' covered with millions of spikes and edges. I refuse to run my tongue over them for a while as I admire them, but soon I cannot possible resist. I realize that the spikes retract and extract as my tongue passes over them. I'm so glad that eating won't be a problem. Camouflage, on the other hand, might be. I have white, sand, and midnight blue patches. Camoflouge will certainly a challenge. The black runs in parrallel in two stripes, one on my back and the other down my chest. They meet at my tail tip and my mussle. The sand colour is equipped over my legs and in a thin stripe to connect the legs. The line runs up my neck, and to my mussle. The white fills all gaps, meaning my head, chest, and tail are mostly white. It's slate, I suppose. I swish my fluffy tail, and leap out of the grungy sink. The water will wash me, seeing as I can breathe down there. I open the bathroom, which is right off of the main deck. I charge between homely crew members and glance back to see the pirate flag. Oops, oh well. I get to the edge, jump, but get snagged. My necklace is taut around my neck. I whip around as the Captain pulls me onto the boat.

He sneers, "Got ourselves a new mascot, eh boys?" The men howl. I wonder... did my voice transfer over, or do I howl?

I growl, "I'd love it if you stopped strangling me. Then maybe we can talk." The Captian turns white as a sheet, like the crew.

He gapes, "Merdle warned me of this." He gets to my level and I narrow my eyes. I sit down, tail curled politely around my sandy feet.

I remark, sly and witty, "Do not get too excited. My death wasn't exactly a secret. Nobody, not even I, understand how this happened."

The Captain inquires, "Can you be a human again?" I already know the answer.

I reply, "No, sir. It's fish-human or wolf." His eyes ignite. I can see the wheels turning under the captains' hat. His blonde hair is clean cut, his eyes charcoal. He casts a life raft, a ropes tying it to the railing.

He rasps, "Prove yourself." I back up, and take off running. My life flashes before my eyes as I fall. I remember my dearest love, how she loved another. I close my eyes and assume a dive position. I feel the cold air and howl before the inky depths consume me. I leave my eyes open, the change so fast it's seamless. I pull my head up, emerging from the water. The captain is awestruck, perched in the lifeboat. I flick my tail and splash him. He laughs, "What is your name, boy?"

I reply, gills uncomfortable in the air, "Alpas Ludic." He helps me in and the change is flawless again.

He marvels, breathy, "Captian Barack. Welcome aboard." I smile a toothy grin. He suddenly asks, "How did you reach the deck?" I grin and think of a reply.

I smirk, "The change was slower." It's true, it was!

He laughs, "Alpas, you'll fit in just fine here! Welcome to the Freakshow." I nod my head and smile. I fit. I then remember what Darkness said. I disregard it, mind warping. Little did I know, that would lead to a very, very BAD choice. It changed my life...