Chapter 6

The walk to the hostel was faster than was normal. I shelved it as my eagerness to see the normal world once more. It seemed like it has been weeks since I lost consciousness. And, that was a bit alarming.

At the hostel, I only met a handful of people and they were all wearing dark glasses. It seemed as if the whole school had turned up for that campfire, and not just the freshers.

I lowered my head down as I moved. I don’t know why, but I didn’t want them to see my face. I honestly believed that I’ve changed. It was the craziest feeling because I was still wearing the same clothes, but it was as real as breathing for me. 

The door to our room was closed, and I had to knock because I had no idea where my spare key was. There was no sound from the room, and I wondered if Chloe was actually in there at all. A couple of girls slid past, also wearing the absurd glasses. They looked at me like I didn’t quite fit into the whole things. Well, I didn’t. But, it bothered me that I didn’t.

It wasn’t like I wanted to fit in, it’s more like I wasn’t hoping to be completely different from them. It was scary, and what if I had ch…

“I believe you were planning on standing there forever and not knocking on our door for the second time,” Chloe said suddenly.

I looked at her, a bit stunned at her presence. She was wearing a comfy shirt that stopped below her butt, and there were no hint of pants. This was one of the strangest things about squatting.

“Well, I…”

“Come in,” she encouraged as she stepped aside. “I love the fact you take me seriously. I was literally just joking sound with you. Did your sense of humour vanish with you last night?” She teased.

I stepped into the room, with a half-smile on my face, and then., I closed the door behind me quietly. I was going to have to et used to Chloe. She was a bubble of energy.

“Well, I think I got it back in pants,” I couldn’t help, but tease.

Chloe laughed heartily. “I know I look strange. It does set out your lesbian fantasies, right?” She teased as she flopped down on her bed.

I shook my head at her. “Nope, it doesn’t. We’re good.” 

I shook out of my jacket, and then walked over to my bed, while looking around. Everything was the same way we left them, and that warmed me up. 

“I find it annoying that you won’t offer some sort of explanation on how you vanished out of the party,” Chloe pointed out.

I angled my head to look at her better. She was looking at me intently, and for half a second, I wondered if she knew that I had been beaten or my body was behaving strangely. Ugh! I was literally being paranoid. She was just being a perky roommate.

“You’d have to pay me to divulge it. So, prepare to get more annoyed than it’s strictly required.” I teased softly.

She laughed at me, and then before I knew it, she threw me a bag of chip. I flopped down on the bed, as I opened the pack. I didn’t realise how hungry I was until that moment.

“I literally just bribed you now, Maya. So, you need to tell me what’s up, she said without preamble.

I popped one of the rounded chips into my mouth, and loved how spicy it was. It made me so happy, and hungrier almost at once.

“Hmm... I like how I tease you to do what I want. Tell me where do you think I’d gone to?” I asked calmly.

Chloe got up from her bed, and did a happy dance, kneeling right in front of me. “I think you were pretty badass last night, and you vanished with an extremely hot guy, having nothing short of the night of your dreams.”

I giggled at how silly she was. “Really? Is that one of the handbooks of freshers?” I teased.

She grinned right at me. “No, it’s the handbook of this fresher,” she pointed towards herself.

“So, you did the same then?” I asked quietly.

She straightened her leg, and then fell on the floor with her butt hitting it hard. She whined as she rubbed the spot, while I laughed at her misery.

“That’s totally mean, Maya,” she whined.

I grinned at her. “Totally! And, so is your assumption that I was with some man all night,” I whined.

She laughed at me. “It’s not the same thing. And, don’t look at me that way girl. I know these things.”

“You’re psychic?” I asked, amused.

She sat cross-legged, and placed her hands palm-up on her thighs, with her eyes closed. “I’m manifesting my inner psychic powers,” she said in a rush.

I shook my head at her. “God, you’re so fun. Well, you can think you may be hitting hard at the truth,” I said softly.

She rose her hand into the air like she had won at life, by getting something correct about me. While, I pretty much felt bad for lying. But, how could I tell her that I had spent the night at the werewolf den. It was a secret, and it would remain as such. Moreover, she would think I was crazy. She might have lived here all her life, but I know that some things are better left oneself.

“Tell me all about him,” she whined. I made a motion to signal closed lips. “Oh, I’m sorry. I’m pushing my limits.”

“It’s ok, Chloe,” I said as I got up. 

“When you get dressed in fresh clothes, because you really stink girl. We can have some girl’s day out. You know, we need to shop, and watch those nighty horror movie,” she said in a rush.

I grabbed my towel. “It’s a date then,” I agreed.

As I walked out, I thought to myself I had never seen such a life-force in my whole life. Chloe was an energy God, and she was beyond amazing at it.

≠

I got back from the bathroom after spending 15 minutes down there, and then settled on blue mini gown. Chloe was also dressed in a black jumpsuit, and ready to hit the door. I couldn’t wait to bond with my roommate, and prospective friend.

Together, we walked out, laughing, playing, and just being silly. I shoved back the part of me which was upset about the Wolf night. I had to focus on Chloe, and not my emotions.

“Holy smokes, look at that,” Chloe whined.

I followed her gaze to the steamy popcorn crackers that bobbled with intensity close to the fashion store. It was amazing, but it wasn’t worth all the hype that Chloe was giving.

“Ehh, it’s just a popcorn, I believe,” I said dryly.

She turned her gaze at me, as she looked at me like I had grown seven horns. “Those things aren’t just popcorns, they are the sweetest things you would eat in your whole life. Trust me,” she whined.

I laughed at her. She was just like a child right now, and that kept me grounded. Her hands touched mine, and she dragged me over to the popcorn stand. Electricity zapped through me, but I looked at Chloe, and she didn’t seem to notice. Maybe, I was a bit paranoid.

After getting our popcorns, and laughing at out silly jokes. We toured Spadeville. At the back of my mind, I did the calculations for all my expenses, I didn’t want to finish the whole money before we even went halfway. That would be a disaster.

We went back home at 5 in the evening, and halfway through the rerun of Stranger Thing season 4, Chloe received a call on her phone, and left the house. I sat down on the plush, letting the CD run on. 

“You wouldn’t there come to my room. You know how shy you are with the girls,” someone said.

I stared at the TV, and strangely the dialogue wasn’t coming from there. I moved towards the door, and noted that a girl was on the phone. I could hear her loud and clear.

What was that smell? It smelt like daffodils and Lavender. I had gotten a whiff of it earlier, but now, it seemed to burn in my throat.What was going on? I could also scent things away from this room, like the lasagne, spaghetti and varieties of snacks the whole hostel was eating.

Oh, my God!

I ran to the bathroom, and then, to my horror, my eyes were a startling gold, with it’s irises shaped like that of a… wolf. 

“Fuck!”

My hands shot forward as I tried to touch it. Only, for my hand to stop halfway through. I ran back to the bathroom, and rechecked the locks. It was locked. Chloe won’t be back anytime soon, hopefully. I moved over to the small fridge, and poured water in the glass. 

No!

I broke the glass with my bare hands. I stared at my hand, hoping to feel pain and some blood gushing out. But, there was nothing. 

“Oh, my God!” 

Mike’s mother had been wrong. I was turning into a werewolf, and I… “No, relax!” I admonished myself. No-one would find about this. I need to know I’m not going crazy first.