Everybody Shifts (Scrapped)

V

When I wake up, the sun is high in the sky, and the clock next to my bed says that it's nearly noon. I get out of bed quickly and change out of the clothes I had been wearing the night before, into a clean dark red shirt and a pair of blue jeans. I get food, then jog outside, eating as I run. I round the house, smelling my garden before I see it. The smell of mint, basil, oregano and many other spices fills the air around it. I grab a few mint leaves, as well as a tomato from the vine, then turn to the shaded woods. I walk at a casual pace, almost silently stepping through the leaves left from the previous fall, and many before that.

I hear a voice-familiar, but barely-and turn to face the direction it's coming from. I look through the trees, barely able to make out the figure walking between them. "Why did I think he would be here? I doubt he would even remember me if he saw me this way."

I heard a sharp laugh, just quick enough to startle me. "Probably would only recognize the other me. I'm just glad he doesn't know we're one and the same." As I listen, the voice gets closer and closer, until I realize that the figure is walking directly towards me.

I look around quickly, soon finding a tree that can bear my weight and climbing up it. I sit with my back to the trunk, watching the figure's approach. After a minute or two, I realize why the feminine voice sounds so familiar. "It's her..." I murmur softly, a smile playing on my lips. "Star... Why's she here...? Nobody comes this way except for me or Sol. Even then, he just brings meat so that I'm not only living off my garden." Then I realize a possible reason. Maybe she's looking for me! I look over at her, as my smile changes to a grin. I climb back down the tree and walk towards her.

When I reach her, she looks surprised at first, as though she hadn't expected to find me here. Then her face returns to what I assume is normal. "How ya doin', stranger?" She asks, not showing if I had startled her in her voice. "Pretty good. What brings you to this remote area of Lodestar?" I inquire, leaning against a nearby tree. I lose my balance and fall to the ground, making Star laugh.

I smile awkwardly as I stand back up, successfully balancing against the tree this time. I stare at a piece of hair that had fallen into my line of vision for a moment or two, finally brushing it away before looking back at Star, whose eyes seem to have glazed over, as though her body is here, but her mind is not. "Well?" I ask, remaining patient, but just barely. She jumps, looking around for a second before replying. "Oh, right! I was looking for you... Our meeting last night got cut kind of short, and I never showed you my wild – uh, what I was going to show you..." her face reddens slightly, and she looks down at the ground, saying, more softly this time, "Don't be too surprised, okay?"

I nod, and she adds, "Might want to sit down. I don't want you losing your balance on the tree again." I sit down with my back against the tree, watching as she seems to take a deep breath and calm herself down. I tilt my head, wondering what she wants to show me.

She looks at me once more and smiles, before returning her attention to what she was doing. I begin to grow impatient, but then I notice a soft purple glow emanating from her. I look on as the glow loses its softness, growing so bright I can no longer see Star. I start to get onto my feet, but right when I straighten my back, I notice the light had disappeared, as had Star, and in their place was a magnificent wolf. It had thick, silver, fur that seemed to ripple, despite the lack of a breeze, as well as bright, piercing purple irises. "Those eyes," I murmur, trying to stay as calm as the owner of the eyes seems to be. "I've seen them before..." Then it hits me. "A shifter!" I whisper, eyes widening.