The Wolf and the Hound

I was more of a cat person, but I found the stray dog comforting. It also helped that he could talk to me. 

“So how was last night?” he asked me. 

“Rough. I have a pounding headache. I couldn’t find the alpha anywhere.” I dragged my feet, not sure where I was going. I had plans to camp but after the attack, I lost interest in the outdoors. 

I looked down at the brown and white dog. His paws happily jogged alongside my long strides. He was panting with his tongue out to the side. He had a brown spot over his left eye and a brown right ear. He seemed too clean to be a stray. His name was Reggie. At least that was what the last little boy called him. Reggie didn’t like to talk about it. 

“It’ll get better,” Reggie said. “The first three nights are the worst, but you have one more night to go before it’s complete. Unless, you find the alpha.” 

“I plan on it.” 

“You know, if you go back, you won’t be able to understand me anymore.” I sighed. It was my bright idea to go camping alone. My bright idea to help the wounded animal I heard late at night. It was a deer, slashed to pieces but barely alive. Must have been a fox or wolf that could have done this. I decided it was best not to let the poor thing suffer and took out my knife. That’s when I heard the growling from the bushes behind me. I turned to see a large wolf standing on its hind legs. It let out a devilish howl and lunged at me. Frantically, I slashed my knife around, but didn’t make contact. I felt its teeth sink into my arm and I yelped from the bite. Its claws dragged down my cheek. I tried to fight back. After dropping my knife, I resorted to my hands and balled them into fists. I punched the creature repeatedly and yelled in frustration. The beast could have easily finished me off, but after biting me and dragging me for a while, his enjoyment lost him and he left me with the half eaten deer. 

“You remember the first night?” Reggie asked. 

I nodded, “The hospital.” I had crawled my way back to my campsite, immediately got into my Subaru and drove to the hospital. The nurse at the front desk gasped at my appearance and flagged down help as she rushed to my aid.

“What happened, sir?” she asked me. I let out a sigh of relief, knowing I was finally safe and going to get help. 

“An animal attacked me,” I said.

“What kind of animal?” Another nurse had gotten a wheelchair and helped me into it. They rolled me down through the double doors and down the hallway. 

“It was like a bear, or wolf. It stood on two legs.” 

   “He’s probably in shock,” I heard a nurse say, “Let’s get him into room 13.” 

The next few hours were a complete blur. I was in and out of conscience in my hospital bed. 

I remember the night very well. It started with horrible body cramps. I called for the nurse and she ran off for help. It felt like my entire body was going to sleep. My skin prickled and the hairs stood on end. I watched in horror as hair sprouted from my arms. I frantically pulled the blankets away from me and saw long hair covering my legs. I was never a hairy man. I couldn’t grow a beard if I tried. I ran to the mirror in the bathroom and yelled in surprise. My entire face was covered in dark brown hair and contorted right before my eyes. My chin and nose grew longer and my teeth sharpened into long fangs. I doubled over in pain. My stomach roared and ripped into twists. I let out a shout of pain, but it turned into a howl. I looked back in the mirror and saw yellow eyes staring back at me. 

“Mr. Simon?” I heard someone call my name. “I have some pain meds for you.” I panicked and kicked the bathroom door open. I heard the scream of the nurse and jumped out the window. I fell three stories and landed on my feet. I ripped off the hospital gown and ran into the woods. 

I shuddered at the memory. I remembered everything and I was terrified not knowing what was happening. Nothing made sense until I met Reggie that following morning digging in the trash. He explained everything to me. 

“Hey, could you open that lid for me?” the dog asked. He looked at me and went back to the trash can. 

“What?” I jumped. The dog did too.

“You can understand me, can you?” the dog asked with a gleeful surprise. 

“You’re a talking dog,” I said in shock.

“And you’re a half-naked man,” he replied. “Name’s Reggie.” I felt awkward in my boxers and ripped undershirt. I had one sock on and the tube for the IV still in my arm. 

“I woke up like this. I was attacked and then I went to the hospital. I…I changed. And…and I don’t know what’s happening to me.”

“Sounds like you may be a werewolf,” Reggie said simply. 

“A werewolf?” I repeated. “Those are real?”

The dog nodded, “As real as you and me.” I couldn’t help but laugh at his statement. “You’ll know for sure by tonight.” 

“What do you mean?” I said. It was early in the morning. The sun was barely waking up. I wasn’t sure where I was, but I needed to get home before I was seen.

“The lid, please,” the dog asked again. I nodded and took the lid off the trash can and even tilted it on its side for easy access. Reggie beamed at me and took to the garbage. “It takes three days to transition into a werewolf.”

“Is that why I can talk to you?” Reggie nodded and helped himself to a to-go container full of spoiled food. “What if I don’t want to be a werewolf? How do I stop it?”

Reggie said with a full mouth, “You can’t.” He took another bite and swallowed. “Unless you kill the werewolf that bit you. And drink its blood.” I blinked in despair. “Of course,” Reggie said with a smack of his jowls, “You’ll have to find it first.” 

That night, I tried hunting down my attacker. With the rising of the sun, I realized my attempt was over for the night. I needed rest and food to recharge. Reggie walked me home. 

“Do you want to come in?” I said. Reggie hesitated and looked past me inside the apartment. He took a few steps back and whimpered. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Reggie shook his head and looked at me with sad eyes. 

“It’s nothing,” he said, “Just memories. You remind me of Sam.”

“Sam? Is that the little boy you had?” 

The dog shook his head and looked back at me again, this time his eyes narrowed. “The boy’s dad. He was nice, but you could never tell what he was feeling. He’s the one that got rid of me.” 

I was slightly offended and I fought to let my face remain emotionless. I encouraged him, “We’re bonded now, you and I. I can’t imagine getting rid of you. Come inside, at least for the night. We’ll come back to it in the morning.” It was in the forecast to rain that evening. It was a small apartment but I had enough room for a medium-sized dog. 

“Plus,” I added, “I need to know more about this werewolf thing. You’re the expert.”

After a few seconds, he nodded and pranced inside. He immediately hopped on the couch and rolled around in glee. “Not on the couch!” I yelled and then sighed. He was the happiest I’ve seen him, so I ignored him and went to the bathroom. 

I splashed two handfuls of water on my face and braced myself on the counter. I looked in the mirror with a stranger's eyes. I looked completely different. Rugid. Hard. I had a scratchy beard paired with a long mustache and bushy eyebrows. To my shock, my hair had grown six inches and tickled my ears. I was hairy and I didn’t like it, but this is who I am now. I forced myself to take it in. I sighed with frustration and went back to the living room. Reggie was asleep on the couch, feet in the air and a cushion under his head. I smiled to myself and at that moment felt nothing but peace. I fell asleep on the lounge chair. 

Today was the last day. 

I was running. Paws slapped against the rocky ground and puffs of my breath disappearing in the crisp fall air. I could smell him. It was a musty, wet stench; foul and burned my nostrils. I pressed forward, eager to catch him. Halfway through the woods, his smell became overwhelming. I saw prints in the moist dirt and claw marks on the barks of trees. Branches from bushes ripped out and scattered over the ground. Then, a piercing howl sent me to a dead stop. I saw him. In a clearing on top of a hill. He had a fresh kill and was devouring it before my eyes. I only hesitated for a moment. After gathering my courage, I ran after him. He bared his teeth at my arrival and stood on its back legs. Blood dripped from his chin and there was a scar that damaged his right eye. The alpha.  

It towered over me. I growled back at him. We fought. Claws and teeth slashing at each other. Tufts of fur ripped out. Snarls and growls echoed into the night. I bit into his shoulder and he let out a shriek. He threw me and I crashed onto a boulder. He rushed at me and stepped on my throat. 

“I should have killed you when I had the chance,” he said in a raspy breath. “Now, I won’t hold back.” My vision began to fade. I could feel the stolen air leave my lungs. I thought of my mediocre life before the attack. How I lost my job and thought disappearing into the woods would relieve the depression. I thought of Reggie. 

I grabbed his ankle with both hands and twisted until I heard a snap. The alpha released a sickening scream and fell off of me. I took the advantage and jumped on top of him with an open mouth. I bit him repeatedly and put him in a choke hold. I squeezed tightly and felt his claws on my arms. I re-positioned myself and dug my feet into his back. It felt like an hour had passed and by that time we were both defeated.     

I fell down next to the alpha wolf. He was gasping for breath, but still alive. Barely. I felt weak. I felt the spin of the Earth as I stared at the moon.