Howling

Prologue

"I need you to tell me what happened that night."

I raised my head slowly, brushing the hair out of my eyes. The dimly lit room cast shadows on my counselors face that made her look so much older. Wiser even. Maybe that was on purpose.

"What day," I asked tiredly.

"You know the one. Don't shut it in," she replied patiently.

The analogue clock ticked the seconds away endlessly. It was so hypnotic I was surprised I wasn't asleep.
Anything to focus on to keep from speaking.

"Shut what in," I asked innocently, sitting up a little straighter, "I'm fine. Really. Honestly not sure why I'm here."

I smiled convincingly, in vain.

"Jen," she pressed, "Please. For your own sake. I can see it's eating you up inside."

"That obvious," I challenged, quivering a little in my own chair.

"Yes," she replied, "It is. Your family is very worried about you."

"Listen-that accident-it was nothing," I lied, feeling panic rise into my throat, attempting to choke me.

"Nothing? You said you saw things."

"That's-"

"It happened while you were driving didn't it? That's why you blame yourself-"

I shuddered, the scene playing through my head like some terrible movie.
"Enough," I cried, tears coming to my eyes.

She sat back in her chair, quietly taking down notes on her pad of paper. I sniffled as the ticking of the clock filled the room again.

"Don't make me go there," I told her sadly, "Please I can't right now."

She stared at me for a few moments before setting her pad and pen on the small coffee table, "Okay. Okay that's enough for today."

"Thank you," I said, getting up quickly. I wanted to get out of that damn smothering office.

Moonlit gravel crunched under my feet as I looked for my car, digging through my sweatshirt pockets for my keys.
I had just slid into the driver's seat and turned the key when my head began to fill with pain.
White took over my vision as I clasped my head in my hands, groaning in pain.

"Stop," I begged, "Not n-now-"

The pain spread all through my body, causing me to shake violently.
I threw my head back, screaming violently as I felt everything within me change.