A deep anger bloomed inside me, and I couldn’t hold back my roar. The sound reverberated through the narrow alley, and the man stopped in his tracks.
I was already running. By the time my fist collided with his shoulder, he was half turned, eyes ablaze with fear. The impact sent him sprawling. Doris’s purse lay on the ground.
I stood there, panting. Only now did I notice the stinging pain on my arm from scraping it earlier. I licked my lips, running them over my canine fangs and tasting blood. I must have punctured my own lip at some point.
The man let out a whimpering groan. He struggled to his feet. I narrowed my eyes but held back now, sensing he’d had enough.
A sharp tangy scent hit my nose. Blood. No, not my own – it was too thick, too metallic. There was too much of it.
As the man stood, lopsided, I saw the gash in his shoulder with the blood pouring out of it. It knocked the air from my lungs. I staggered backwards. There was no way my hand could have done that.
Slowly, dreadfully, I lowered my gaze. My hand hung at my side.
Except it wasn’t a hand anymore.
Thick brown fur had erupted halfway down my forearm. Five black claws stood where my fingers were supposed to be.
No…
The man touched his shoulder with his good hand. It was coated with blood. His eyes stretched out wide in horror. Mine had done the same. Slowly he turned towards me. My heart raced.
“You did this,” he muttered. His voice was calm, steady. It must have been the adrenaline.
I couldn’t speak. I couldn't even tear my gaze away from the open wound in his shoulder.
“You’re not human.”
The words struck me like a spear through the chest. I shook my head.
“You’re one of those bear freaks,” he continued, backing away. His face twisted into a snarl. “I’ll get you for this.”
He ran off. I didn’t bother to stop him.
I scanned the alley. Doris was gone, too.
My heart sank.
A discomfort in my arm alerted me to the transformation in my arm, which was going back to normal. When the fur gave way to bare skin again, I clenched and opened my fist. I felt sick.
I picked up Doris’s purse and bag, then returned to my home with my tail between my legs.
2
Victor
My fingers clenchedaround my coffee and I ground my heel against the concrete. Nick was lighting up his second cig today. He took a deep drag and turned his face away from me, exhaling into the wind.
“You should quit,” I muttered. I said it every time.
“I know,” he replied. He also said the same thing every time. He sighed. “Last one today, I swear.”
“Better be.” A warm but stiff breeze blew. Overhead the sky was grey. A storm would definitely break before tonight, if not by later in the afternoon. “It’s gonna rain.”
“Yup.” Nick took another drag. The scent of the smoke made my nose wrinkle.
“I don’t know how you do that,” I barked suddenly. “We put out fires every damn day so people don’t die of smoke inhalation and here you are sucking it into your lungs.”
Nick shot me a glance like he wanted to defend himself, but instead he just sighed. “I know. You’re right.” He put it out on the concrete. “I’ll quit someday soon.”
