Fever
710 Words
Over the next few weeks I become friends with a few people. Katie on the Marching band, Zach from English class, Dililah from my morning Science class, and Alice from my P.E. class. I started sitting with them all at lunch. I finally felt a sense of normalcy. We chatted about who was doing what, which classes were doing what, which teachers were jerks and whatever else we could think of to talk about. Katie was always so confident, unlike me. She was a bit shorter than me. I am 5'8 and I think she was around 5'6, her hair was dark brown and cut into a pixie cut, and her blue eyes sparkled. I had green eyes and had always wanted blue.
"So Fawn, you're coming to Zach's get together right? On Thursday?" She asks
"My aunt said I could if she met everyone going. She's just super protective is all..." I sigh
Alice smiled, her brown eyes softening her already round featured face with her dark brown straight bangs framing her face. She cut her bangs like mine, but no matter how much she insists I pull them off better I'm not convinced,
"I met your Aunt Lillian and she is sweet," Alice added
Dillilah and Zach talk about whatever get together plans they are making off to the side of us, they are siblings so it's not rare to see them close. Zach is the older child, but it's hard to tell. They nearly look like twins because of their genetics.
"Well Zach and Dillilah are coming over to meet my Aunt," I tell them.
After school I meet them out front and my aunt picks us all up in her station wagon. My aunt has a look to her I've seen before, suspicion. She starts asking my friends questions and makes small talk. We go out for Dairy Queen and then they head home.
"Fawn, did you know those two kids are half fox?" Lillian asks
"I had no idea," I wish my fox was stronger, I would have smelled their scents.
"I want you to keep an eye on them if you can. Keep them at a safe distance, your safety is most important, but I want to know if they know of you or not, they probably don't catch your sent since you haven't shifted in years," Lillian says
I nod to agree with her. I haven't met fox's since I was a young toddler and I don't remember them. I'm excited and I wish I could ask them so many questions.
If they've mated, how they hunt, what they look like, do they keep to their family, or have they joined a pack? Things I've never known or experienced.
It's Thursday and Zach's small gathering is tonight. He told me it would just be him, his sister, and our friend Alice. Lillian drops me off. I'm here to spend the night. I go inside and there's a guy or two I don't know. They hide in the corner of Zach's basement and keep to themselves. Dillilah being the more ditzy, sluty one, she keeps going over to them trying to spark up a conversation.
All I know is I'm trying to focus and my head is spinning. It's also becoming hard to breathe and I'm not quite sure why...
"I am going to head outside.. I need some air," I mumble into Zach's ear since he's sitting on the couch next to me. He nods to acknowledge me. I head upstairs and out the sliding door. I'm itching and my clothes are hot. I don't understand why my body is doing this to me. Now at the worst of times!
"Stop it.. please, not now.." I slow my breathing hoping it will help me, but it doesn't. Behind Zach's house is a huge lake and trees. He doesn't have neighbors for at least 5 miles in any direction so I go out his side fence gate and run for the lake.
My hands feel cool in the water and it helps slightly. Not enough. My clothes start coming off one by one, the long sleeve shirt, the tank top, the Jeans. Until I'm stripped to my underwear. I'm still burning. This is deeper than just a fever. I can't help it. I'm shifting.
- Writer
