Expect the Unexpected

Chapter Four

I hissed as a sharp pain hit my stomach and lower back. I shot up out of my blanket and looked around. It was still dark outside and everyone was sleeping from what I could tell but I didn’t know what time it was. I realized I was covered in sweat but cold at the same time.

I really hope I’m not getting sick. Please don’t let it be an illness.

I walked out of the office and over to the bathroom inside the larger part of the warehouse thinking that a potty break could help me feel better. Once I finished, I decided to go and get some fresh air outside to help cool me down a bit with the October breeze.

I walked out and felt the wind blow through my hair, helping to alleviate the sticky, wet feeling from the sweat on my head and neck. I was under the eave of the warehouse in the shadows but could see the moon was casting out light onto the rest of the maintenance yard, making it astonishingly bright tonight.

Was it a full moon? That wasn’t until the end of the month though I thought.

I decided to step out of the shadows and take a peek to admire the beauty of the moon and confirm my thoughts on what phase it was in. I had been in love with it since I was a girl and would stay outside at night just to stare at it at least twice a week, if not more.

As soon as I stepped into the moonlight, I felt an insurmountable pain from my back and my legs which threw me onto my hands and knees. I cried out but what came out of my mouth wasn’t my voice but a howl.

I felt a stinging pain in my hands and brought my right one to where I could see it better. My hand had been replaced with long, sharp claws and was growing larger by the second accompanied by reddish-brown fur.

I felt like every bone in my body was being broken. I could hear the vertebrae in my back snapping and twisting as if it was a pretzel. The more time that passed, the more the pain continued, leaving me utterly exhausted and wanting to beg the moon to take it all away.

I felt like I was about to pass out after what seemed like a painful eternity but was more like 5 minutes. I stood to try and make it back to the crew to cry for help from Bri but when I attempted to take my first step, my back legs gave out and I hit the concrete hard. At the same moment of me hitting concrete, I smelled that scent again that I smelt at the market. Peppermint with Lemon and a hint of something else that I couldn’t put my finger on. It hit my nostrils and almost soothed my pain slightly, like it entered my bloodstream such as a Tylenol would help to rid the symptoms at hand once it dissolved. After a few moments, it became stronger and I felt a warmth envelope around me, lifting me off the cold concrete lot followed by a low, soothing male voice.

“It’s gonna be okay. You’re gonna be okay. Just hold on for me.”

I shook my head yes and fell into the warmth, not ever wanting to move or let go.

I could hear others talking around me but couldn’t make out what they were saying. I heard the soothing voice that just spoke to me talking louder and more sternly to whoever was around followed by the closing of car doors and tires screeching.

The soothing voice kept repeating to hold on and to stay with him. I tried to keep my eyes open but only saw outlines and dark, fuzzy faces. I nestled into where the warmth was emanating from and about that time, the pain subsided to a manageable level. I could feel myself slipping into sleep, right before I passed out I heard a female voice whisper inside my head-

“Mate”.