She looked so friendly and honest and worried for me. But I had a terrible secret I couldn’t share. If Kim knew about me, the monster inside me, she’d run screaming in terror.
Already, with the shadows closing in and the smell of the swamp growing stronger, I could feel the power of the moon pulling at me. Would I be strong enough to resist?
I remembered the power of the wereing. When the beast had hold of me, would I be strong enough not to harm my new friends?
“What’s with you, wolf-boy?” Rick challenged me, jumping as a tree branch knocked against his window. “All this gloom and doom stuff is giving me a pain. You afraid of the rabbits, maybe? Afraid of the squirrels? Or are you just squirrelly?”
I didn’t answer. The smell of the swamp was filling the bus now. It was the boggy smell of mold and things that lived a long time ago in places where the sun never penetrated.
No, it wasn’t birds and rabbits that scared me. It was red eyes that glowed in the night. And two of those eyes were mine.
Chapter 33
Branches whipped by the windows of the bus and I just watched, paralyzed. I couldn’t come up with a plan to defeat the werewolves and there was no way I could convince any of these jumping, yelling, happy kids of the danger they were heading into.
But finally the joking and laughter died down. Maybe it was the jolting of the bus, which creaked and groaned every time it hit a rut or rolled over a stone. Or maybe it was the darkness of woods so thick they shut out the sun. Or maybe it was the strange and ancient swamp smell, so alien from the air of the town. Whatever it was, everybody seemed pretty subdued.
Even Rick stopped bumping against me every time we bounced over a rut in the dirt track.
Finally the bus slowed and slowed and shuddered to a stop. Sunlight! All the kids leaped up from their seats to see where we were. But there wasn’t much to see.
We were in a small clearing, surrounded on every side by trees and thick brush. Kids looked at each other and shrugged and sat down again. “Why are we here?” someone asked. But no one had an answer.
The bus door opened. Mr. Clawson climbed inside, looking pleased with himself.
“All right, students,” he said. “This field trip is about learning to appreciate your environment. Mr. Grunter and myself will point out many species of plants and animals along the trail. The trail itself winds through woods and swamp. Some places are boggy and dangerous, so stick to the trail and follow me at all times.”
He glared. “Got that?”
Everyone swallowed nervously and nodded. “Yes, Mr. Clawson.”
“There’s a wonderful variety of wild creatures living right here just a few miles from Fox Hollow,” Mr. Clawson went on with a secret smile. “And once the daylight fades, the swamp really comes alive!”
The principal’s eyes gleamed. His stare fell on me. A red glow flashed. “You’ll be amazed at what comes out of the swamp at night. Just amazed, isn’t that right, Gruff?”
His eyes blazed on me as he grinned, showing me a glimpse of his sharp teeth. I jumped up from my seat. I couldn’t help myself.
“Don’t get off bus!” I cried, looking wildly at all the kids around me. I grabbed Paul’s arm. “Don’t go! If you want to live, stay here!”
Chapter 34
Mr. Grunter’s strong hands grabbed hold of me. He held me up in front of Mr. Clawson as easily as he’d grasp a sack of potatoes.
Mr. Clawson clucked his tongue and shook his head sympathetically. “Poor boy,” he said. “Clearly unbalanced. Perhaps it was too soon to bring him back to the woods. But we can’t let one boy ruin the whole field trip, can we?”
How could it be that no one else saw the twitching claw at the end of the finger he pointed at me?
“This is really too bad,” said Mr. Grunter with a sigh, shaking his head at me. “What should I do with him?” he asked.
“Lock him in my car,” said the principal, his eyes flashing red again. “He’ll be safe there. Safe enough.”
Mr. Grunter nodded and led me off the bus. I looked back. Kim and Paul were glum and sad. But I could see they were just worried that I was crazy. They still didn’t believe a word I’d said about the werewolves!
Still holding my shoulder carefully, as if he thought I might bolt or turn around and hit him or something, Mr. Grunter brought me to the black car. He opened the back door and nudged me inside.
“Sorry about this, Gruff,” said the gym teacher. “But it’s not often Mr. Clawson takes the kids out of school. They’d all be pretty upset if we had to cancel the field trip on account of you. But you’ll be fine here. Maybe you can take a nap until we get back. It won’t be more than a few hours. ‘Bye, Gruff.”
Mr. Grunter locked the car carefully and pocketed the keys. All the kids had already filed off the bus and formed two lines at the head of the trail.
With Mr. Clawson leading, they began to head down the trail and into the swamp.
My chest tightened. I began to feel like I couldn’t breathe. I banged on the window with my fists and yelled for them to stop. But the car was so heavily built, no one could hear me.
A few kids looked back before they disappeared into the woods. Kim and Paul waved in my direction, looking sad. I pressed my face against the car window, begging them not to go.
But I knew they couldn’t hear me. The windows of the car were so darkly tinted, they couldn’t even see me.
A moment later all the kids were gone, as if the swamp had swallowed them up.
I stared after them in disbelief. The monsters were going to get them and I was locked up in a metal box. Frantically I began pulling at the door handle next to me but it wouldn’t budge.
I had to get out of here.
The clearing was deathly quiet. And the sun was going down.
Chapter 35
There were no lock buttons on the tops of the doors. It was as if the car had been specially made to hold prisoners like me.
I had to break a window. Lying down on the backseat, I drew my legs in. I shielded my head with my hands to protect it from shattering glass. Then I kicked out, slamming my feet into the window as hard as I could.
Pain shot up my legs from the impact. But my feet bounced off the window harmlessly. I stared in disbelief. What kind of window could be that strong?
I kicked again, even harder. And again and again until my legs were numb with pain and I was out of breath. The window wasn’t even cracked. I tried the rear window and the windshield but they were made of the same tough material.
Panic rose into my throat. I couldn’t be trapped here. I couldn’t! I leaned forward and buried my head in my hands. But no great ideas came to me. In frustration I began to pound my fist on the flat area between the two front seats.
SNICK!
I was making so much noise I almost missed it.
SNICK, SNICK, SNICK!
Little buttons had popped up on each of the doors. The lock buttons! I must have accidentally banged the control that worked all of them. Mr. Clawson probably figured the wolf-boy was too dumb to find the switch. And he was almost right.
I slid over and tried the door handle. The door swung open. Fresh air poured over me. I leaped out of the car as if I thought it might lock itself up on me again.
There was no time to lose. The sun was below the tops of the trees. The light was fading fast.
I took off down the trail, following the kids, straining my ears for some sound of them.
But the swamp was quiet. Too quiet. Where were the birds and squirrels?
A creepy feeling slithered down my spine. Something didn’t feel right. But I knew I was on the trail of my friends. I could see their footprints. I could smell their human smell.
Smell them? I stopped, the hair prickling on the back of my neck.
And suddenly a snarling beast exploded out of the underbrush! A blur of fur and claws, it leaped straight for my face!
Chapter 36
I ducked, throwing up my hands and
letting out a shout. The creature screamed and shot over my head.
I whirled and saw its ringed tail disappearing fast into the bushes. It was only a raccoon. But it had been terrified of me. Of me!
I looked up, dreading what I would see. The sunlight was completely faded now and the shadowed twilight was deepening into night. I saw a faint yellow glow over the tops of the trees on the far horizon.
My breath caught in my throat. That glow was where the moon was rising. I was running out of time. When the moon’s rays touched me I would change into a werewolf.
Already I could feel my senses sharpening. I heard a mole digging furiously to escape deeper into its burrow. High in an oak, a baby bird cheeped in distress.
Blood pulsed harder in my veins. I had to get to my friends before I became a monster. They’d never believe me then.
There was no more time to lose.
I took off up the trail, feet pounding as hard as they would go. I knew if I didn’t get there in time Mr. Clawson would change into Ripper and—but I couldn’t think about that.
Suddenly I heard someone cry out up ahead. It was a whimper of pure fear. Somehow I put on more speed, ran even faster. My heart banged in my chest. The cry came again.
And then a voice. “Don’t be scared of the dark, little one.” It was Mr. Clawson’s voice. “The night is your friend,” he said soothingly. “And I’m here. I’m heeere.” Mr. Clawson’s last word stretched into a growl. It sounded as if he could hardly keep himself from changing into Ripper right that second.
But I was almost there. I’d save them. They were just around the next bend. I could hear them all now.
“Where are we?” I heard Kim ask, her voice sounding shaky. “We’re not lost, are we, Mr. Clawson?”
The principal laughed. It sounded throaty and thick, not quite human. “Lost? Of course not.”
I rounded the bend and there they were! I opened my mouth to shout and slipped on a patch of dead leaves. I went down on one knee.
As I scrambled up, a shaft of moonlight broke through the trees and struck me right between the eyes.
Chapter 37
Bright light blinded me. My head seemed to glow from within. I shook my head to clear it and moonlight poured into me like an electrical charge.
I fell to the ground as if I’d been struck by lightning. Power surged through me. My skin rippled as new muscles ran under the surface like rope. My fingers clenched and claws sprouted, long and beautifully curved.
Fangs erupted from my gums. My teeth grew long and pointed. My nose lengthened into a snout and a world of marvelous smells opened up to me.
RIIIIP!
My clothes fell away as muscles tightened and swelled my strong body. My skin toughened into fine hide and fur sprouted to cover it. I tasted the night with my tongue. My eyes sharpened and glowed until I could see an ant scurry off the path and a moth flutter through the trees.
I was strong, magnificent and free. No one could touch me.
But then I heard one of the kids whimper again. “I want to go home,” she wailed.
And I remembered who I really was and why I was there. I had to warn everyone what was about to happen. I had to get them out of the woods. Confidence flowed through me. I was strong, I could save them.
Opening my jaws to shout a warning, I was suddenly struck dumb. As a werewolf I had all kinds of powers. But one thing I couldn’t do was speak in the human tongue. I couldn’t shout a warning or tell my friends how to save themselves.
Mr. Clawson had won after all. I stamped my foot into the ground and raged in misery and frustration. I gnashed my teeth and howled in fury.
“AAAAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Instantly fifty heads snapped in my direction. I felt the silvery glow of the moonlight shimmering on my powerful new body. Someone screamed. And then everyone was screaming in fear. The piercing noises hurt my ears.
I clapped my hands over my ears and slunk out of sight into the woods.
“What was that?” shouted Big Rick.
No one answered him.
And then I had an idea. I knew how I could save the kids. I’d scare them right out of these woods.
Chapter 38
I slipped through the woods, my feet flying over the ground. I felt my body glowing in the moonlight. My skin tingled deliciously as if silver light ran in my veins instead of ordinary blood.
But I was so hungry. Hunger gnawed at my stomach. A pheasant, too terrified to stay hidden, burst from the bushes, flapping wildly. I could snatch it from the air with one swipe of my claws. My fangs dripped as I pictured how sweet the bird would taste.
But no. I remembered what Ripper had told me during the last full moon, when I became a monster for the first time. “After your first kill, little one, you will be one of us.” I shuddered. No matter how hungry I was, I didn’t dare kill anything, not even a mouse or a pheasant.
I would never be one of the werewolves. Never.
I swallowed my hunger and raced on, circling around behind my school friends. If I was going to scare them, I wanted them running back toward the bus, not deeper into the swamp where the werewolves were waiting.
Reaching the trail, I headed toward them, baring my fangs in the moonlight. I could hear the kids’ voices, frightened and confused.
“Hey, where’s Mr. Clawson?” cried Paul. “He was here a minute ago.”
My heart skipped and thudded in my chest. If Mr. Clawson had slipped away then it might already be too late. The werewolves would attack at any second!
I leaped into a bright patch of moonlight and howled, beating my breast with hairy fists.
Chapter 39
Kids scattered, screaming, in every direction.
Oh, no! This was not what I wanted. If the kids didn’t stick to the trail they would get lost in the woods, fall into bogs of quicksand, be caught by werewolves.
“Stop!” shouted Paul. “Everybody! This way. Back to the bus!”
“Right,” yelled Kim, grabbing the arm of a boy who was running the wrong way. “This way!”
The boy set off back to the bus and most of the kids turned and followed him. A girl, screaming in terror, stumbled off the path, and Kim pulled her back, shoving her in the right direction. “Come on, everybody,” she cried. “Stay on the trail. Stick together!”
She and Paul went after the kids who had fled into the swamp and herded them back to the trail.
“I think that’s everybody,” said Kim, panting with exhaustion and covered with mud.
“I think so, too,” said Paul, scratched and equally dirty. “Let’s get out of here.”
I crouched in the underbrush, letting them get a little ways ahead of me before I followed, so the sight of me wouldn’t frighten them half to death. But I needed to follow, to make sure the werewolves didn’t ambush them along the way. I was just starting after the group when I heard the cry.
“Help! Heeelp!”
It was a boy’s voice. One of the kids was still in the woods and he sounded weak. I looked after my friends, racing as fast as they could back to the bus. If I left them now, the werewolves might attack. But I couldn’t abandon anyone who was crying for help.
Gnashing my fangs in worry and frustration, I bounded into the woods, toward the sound of the cries, away from my friends.
“Heeeelllp.” The hoarse cry was fainter.
I leapfrogged a small tree and sailed over a stand of pricker bushes, landing beside a thick mud bog. Even with my werewolf sight, I didn’t see the boy right away. He was almost over his head in the sucking mud. Then I saw a pale white hand grabbing at the air. His upturned face gasped for breath. He was at the far side of the bog, only a few feet from dry land.
I cleared the bog in a single jump and landed softly beside the struggling boy just as the mud closed over his head. Grabbing hold of a sapling on the bank I stretched myself out over the pool of mud. I reached for the boy’s hand but his mud-slick fingers slipped from my grasp.
I held
my breath and stretched further, but the boy had sunk beyond my reach. A bubble of mud burst on the surface. I stared in horror. I had to get him out.
I slid down the bank a little further. The sapling whipped out of my hand and I fell face forward in the mud. But I didn’t sink. Quickly I thrust my hand beneath the surface of the oozing mud. I felt the boy’s wrist and grabbed it, holding on tight.
Careful not to shred his skin with my claws, I hauled his head above the surface so he could breath. The boy coughed and sputtered, shooting mud in every direction. As the moon fell on his face, I was startled to see it was Big Rick!
As he breathed in huge rasping gasps, he began to struggle again. I felt the sucking mud creep up my sides. This worthless bully was going to get us both killed! Anger and fear spun like a whirlpool in my stomach. I hissed warningly at Rick.
He went instantly rigid. As he tried to turn his head to see who was saving him, I let go of his wrist and yanked him by the hair. He tried to scream and a gob of mud stuck in his throat. As he choked I wriggled backward through the mud, dragging us both inch by inch.
But his heaving body was pulling me down. Mud lapped at my snout and crept over my back. I tasted the stinking mud on my tongue. Fear prickled along my spine.
But my werewolf leg muscles were strong. I gritted my sharp teeth, dug my toe claws into the bank and pulled. With a mighty effort I heaved Rick up out of the mud and tossed him toward the bank. Gripping the dry earth with my toe claws, I worked my way out, hauling Rick up onto the bank.
He lay, eyes tight shut, chest heaving, unable to move. But I was aware of every precious second that passed. While I was stuck here with this bully, my friends were in deadly danger.
Where were the werewolves? Of all the animals in the swamp, they were the only ones that could hide from my sharp senses. I couldn’t catch the secret scent of a werewolf and when they wanted to disappear into the shadows I couldn’t see them until their horrible eyes flashed red.
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