How Not To Be A Werewolf (Editing)

Not What I Expected

We appeared in a forest clearing, the green suddenly making sense. The sound of birds waking up in their nests, their various songs was incredibly clear. So clear that I could pretty much make out each individual song.

"We need to move into more cover," Victoria said, breaking the moment. "We're practically right on top of the scene of the attack."

Victoria led our way further into the trees, walking for a moment until she stopped just behind a large oak tree. She stayed silent and then gestured for me and Kian to join her. Luckily all three of us could just about hide behind the large oak, and the slightly smaller trees that had grown up almost right next to it, without being seen.

I took a spot that allowed me to look further into the forest, and saw the trees were lining another large clearing. A group of about ten people in vivid red military uniforms were standing guard over a large white plastic tent that had been set up by the treeline at the opposite end to our position. Every one of the soldiers had large white writing that read SPECTRE on the back of their uniforms, and all were armed with large semi-automatic rifles.

If we were caught by this lot we had no fucking chance of surviving.

I was stronger than usual now, and I had mad new powers, but I doubted they made me any less vulnerable. Kian and Victoria probably only had a slightly higher chance of survival than I did. Not that it would help any of us if we were caught.

"He'd better not be late."

I looked over, past Kian who was crouched down next to me, to see that Victoria kept looking anxiously at her watch. Time was running out.

At this point I was just hoping Jekyll would keep his word and provide us with the distraction we so desperately needed. If he didn't, well, that's not something I really wanted to contemplate.

I had to have faith. He had agreed to help, we had to give him time.

Then, as if by magic, an alarm bleared out and the SPECTRE agents gathered up their guns and headed out from the clearing. It seemed that Jekyll really had kept his word. If I saw him again in better circumstances I made a mental note to buy the guy a drink.

After a moment, just to make sure that all of the all of the Guards were gone, Victoria whispered, "Follow me," and led our way into the clearing. 

Kian went off to look inside the tent, while I stood and watched as Victoria placed the spell book on the grassy floor and walked around it. She kept pulling out candles of various sizes and colors from inside her cardigan pocket and made her way around placing them on the floor in a rough circle.  

"Well, that was disappointing," Kian said loudly as he finally joined us. "The body isn't even in there. I was kinda hoping to see who the victim was."

I was about to say something to him about how tasteless he was being, but Victoria beat me to it.

"Don't be so fucking crude, Kian!" She scolded, "We don't have a lot of time left and we all need to be inside the circle, unless you want to be left behind? You could wait here for SPECTRE to realize they've been duped, if you want?"

Her tone left absolutely no room for arguments, so both me and Kian then carefully stepped over the line of candles to join Victoria inside the circle. She had sat herself on the floor facing the open spell book. As soon as we both joined her on the floor the candles spontaneously burst into life with bright green flames.

"Guys, keep your eyes on the book at all times." Victoria said as she saw me glancing over at the candles.

"What happens if we don't?" I asked, dreading the answer.