Casey's Wolf

    She sat there in shock at what had just happened. One minute, the group of three boys was beating on her. Then after they had knocked her to the ground, they ran away. It seemed like an animal was released from within her.                 She had opened her mouth slightly to let out a groan, but instead a guttural growl escaped her lips. Two of the boys froze at the sound. The bigger boy didn’t seemed fazed until she looked up. Whatever look that was on her face when she looked up sent all three boys running away with complete looks of terror on their faces.                 Casey sat up and took a couple of deep breaths. As she looked around, she noticed that her sight was outlined with a red tint. The more she calmed, the lighter the red got until it finally faded.                 She got to her feet carefully, still badly shaken up by what just happened. Suddenly, a firm hand grabbed her under the arm, helping to steady her.                 She spun around to see Shane, the new kid from her homeroom class. He put his finger to his lips to keep quiet and motioned for her to follow him. He then began to head in the direction of the parking lot.                 He led her to his car in the back of the parking lot. He opened the passenger door for her. She hesitated slightly before finally just stepping into the car. After making sure that she was in, he gently shut her door before heading to the driver side. As he was about to get in, a voice stopped him.                 “Shane! What are you doing? You know father’s rules about giving people rides.”                 Casey thought it strange, the emphasis that Shane’s brother, Lane, had put on the word people. Before she could hear Shane’s response, he shut the door to the car. After a few seconds, Lane looked at her through the windshield as if studying her closely.                 Was Shane telling him about what happened with the boys a few minutes ago? Would he think that she was a freak? Was she a freak? Is that why those boys ran away? Casey thought to herself as she hugged her knees to her chest. Why was Shane helping her? Was he helping her? Why had he rushed her to his car? What had really happened with the boys?                 Nothing was making sense. Just then Shane pulled his door open and got in.                 “I promise to help you. Has this ever happened before?” Shane asked, as he put his seatbelt on. “Buckle up please.”                 As she put hers on she answered, “Those boys make it a point to make fun of me everyday. Whenever they get the chance really.”                 “That’s not what I am talking about and you know it, Casey,”  Shane said softly, careful to not sound too sarcastic.                 “No, that has never happened before. That was a first. What happened exactly?” asked Casey, shyly. “I don’t really remember much. I mean it’s kind of hazy.”                 “What exactly do you remember?”                 “I remember Ryan pushing me to the ground and then the next thing that I remember after that was them running away with looks of terror on their faces. Shane, what did I do?” Casey asked, fear thick in her voice. She sounded like she was on the verge of tears.                 “Nothing bad, Casey. I am sure that it was just protecting you. Are you sure this has never happened before? No lapses in your memory? Waking up in places that you didn’t go to sleep? Or maybe moments of unexplainable rage? Don’t answer me right away. I want you to think really hard about it. I am going to take you to talk with my father. He can help you figure this out better than I can.”                 “Your father? How can he help me? And you’re sure what was protecting me? What is going on?” Casey asked as Shane pulled out of the school parking lot. What was he talking about? What had happened just now had never happened before or had it? But there was that incident that happened on my birthday this past year. When my mother and father had brought out her birthday cake with the candles lit and the candles flared up enough to burn my mother’s face pretty bad. But there was no way that was linked to this, was there? Casey thought.                 “It very well might be,” Shane said, cautiously, gauging her reaction.                 “Excuse me? What might be?” asked Casey.                 “The incident with the candles on your birthday cake,” Shane said glancing at her out of the corner of his eyes. “And you are not a freak.”                 “How… how did you know about the candles? And I never said I was a freak,” Casey said, failing to hide the shock in her voice.                 “You’re not the only who is different, Casey. That’s how I knew that you needed to get away and find somebody to talk to about what happened. I thought the best person for you to talk to would be my father. He helped me when mine appeared,” Shane said.                 “When what appeared? Shane, stop talking around it like I am five years old. I am seventeen, just like you. Just freaking tell me already,” Casey almost shrieked in frustration.                 “I would prefer to wait till we are at my father’s office,” Shane said, hesitantly.                 “Tell me, Shane. What appeared that your father had to help you?” Casey pressed.                 “My wolf,” Shane said as he pulled into the parking lot of a lawyer’s office.                 “Your what?” Casey asked with a high-pitched voice, caught completely off guard by his answer.                 “My Wolf.”