Forbidden

Virginia, 1811

"Kieran?" his mother called from the house. "Come inside, I have dinner ready."

Kieran stopped his work in the barn and walked out towards the house. As he was walking his hands began to shake and sweat accumulated all over his body. The world started spinning and he collapsed with a horrible thud.

"Kieran!" his mother screamed his name. She ran over to him and knelt down beside him, propping his head up with her hands. His eyes were glazed and his face was unnaturally pale. She called to her husband, "John, come out here! Hurry!"

Her husband rushed out and carried Kieran to the house and set him on the bed. "What happened?" he asked, his voice full of worry.

"I don't know, he was fine one moment and then the next he was pale and sweaty and he just collapsed!"

A worried look spread across John's face. "You don't think he's got the Fever, do you?"

"Of course not!" she snapped. "How can you say such a horrible thing? He's just exhausted from all the work he's been doing, that's all."

John was not convinced. "He has all the symptoms of the initiation sequence."

"John, stop this nonsense talk right now! He does not have the Fever! He has symptoms of normal things as well, like the flu."

"If he's got what I think he's got, then he could be dangerous! We can't just ignore the possibility Mary-"

"Yes we can!" she said through gritted teeth. "We can and we will."

Mary stayed with her son, waiting on him hand and foot, jumping at the slightest sign of movement. But his condition didn't seem to get better throughout the night. Instead it got worse. Not only was he sweating off a great deal of body weight with an extremely dangerous temperature and puking every hour, but he didn't even have the strength to move his hand or adjust his position on the bed.

"He needs a doctor, Mary." John said, trying his best to reason with his wife.

"No! We are not sending for the doctor! You know what he'll do to him!"

"Well we can't just let him be tortured like this! At least the doctor would give him some medicine to make him feel better, maybe take the pain away."

Mary exhaled her frustration. "John, I said no." And with that, John stormed out of the room, leaving Mary alone to fret over her son. She refused to believe that he had the Fever.

Two days passed and people were starting to get suspicious of the absence of the family. The townspeople gathered a group of men together with precautionary weapons and knocked on the family's cabin door.

"Don't answer it!" Mary yelled, but John ignored her and opened the door for them.

Mary rushed to Kieran's room and closed the door. She heard him mumble something and she knelt down beside him. "What is it sweetheart?" she asked him.

The only reply she got was a groan.

Meanwhile John greeted the group of men. "Hello there neighbors, what can I do for you? But before you answer that, let us step outside and enjoy the nice weather."

Once they were outside, one of the villagers asked, "How's Mary and Kieran?"

"They're fine, why do you ask?" John knew the inevitable would soon happen and if he could buy some time, maybe he would think of an idea that would protect his family.

The Preacher stepped forward. "Well, John, it's just that we haven't seen their faces for some time now. And, well I'll just cut to the chase. Does one of them have the Fever?"

John didn't answer.

"Now you know how dangerous that Fever is, John. So if one of them has it, you best tell us right now."

John couldn't think of an answer. He didn't want them to take his son. He would do anything to keep his son safe, even kill the whole group of villagers standing before him. He looked up at the perfectly round moon and realized that he might not have to.

Suddenly Kieran started crying out in agonizing pain. The group of townspeople pushed past John and rushed into the house.

"Mary, step out of the way!" One of them shouted.

"Never! You'll never take my son!" she yelled, protectively blocking Kieran's bed from the villagers.

The Preacher slowly walked towards her. "Mary, just calm down. This could very well turn into a bloodbath that none of us want. Now you need to step away from your son right now."

She shook her head and refused to move.

All the while Kieran continued to scream and began jerking back and forth.

"Mary!" the Preacher yelled as loud as he could. "I will not ask again!"

But it was too late. Kieran had already transformed. And the last thing Mary saw was her beloved son turn into the most unthinkable horror; a werewolf!