Shaggy Black Dog

The pain radiated around my body, working its way through every recess and ligament. It didn’t stop at my hands, moments later every bone in my body felt as if it were breaking and repairing itself, and then repeating the process again. I could feel each and every joint moving in and out of its socket, rearranging the very fabric of my skeleton.

Falling to the floor with the sheer agony of repeat breakages, there was nothing for me to do to try and ease the pain. My body convulsed as an ear piercing scream ripped through me, too loud even for my own ears.

I barely even noticed the sound of the bathroom door opening once more, or the sounds of the lock being opened from the outside, or even the shuffling of feet outside my stall. Nor did I register the kindly face of a woman hanging over me as she pulled me out of the cubicle and over to the basin.

She splashed water onto my face which did little to cool. In fact, it did nothing at all. As soon as the water touched my skin, it had already evaporated.

Time seemed to stand still, turning ever second into excruciating pain, just waiting for it to be over, beginning for some relief. I didn’t have time to think, or even come to terms with what was happening. I was blinded.

Eventually the pain subsides. A relief to be sure, but it also felt wrong. I no longer felt like myself.

I opened my eyes to find myself on all fours, looking into the eyes of a very worried looking girl, not much older than I was. She too was dressed in nothing but a flimsy piece of cloth. I open my mouth to thank her for her help, but instead of words, only came a long drawn out growl.

Shifting back, surprising myself, I look down at my hands. And there, in place of my own fingers were two furry black paws.

Shaking my head in disbelief, I turn to look into the mirror only to find an oversized shaggy dog staring back at me. Two bright amber orbs staring out at me.

I try to scream and move away from the beast, only to realise that the animal stood in front of me seemed as frighted of me as I was it.

It mirrored my every move. Flinching when I flinch. Turning as I do. I knew it was not possible, yet how could I deny the truth that was before my very eyes? The dog was me. Yet I was a human, not an animal? How could it be that I had turned into a mutt in the bathroom of a nightclub?

“It’s OK,” the girl called out to me, her hands held out before her in a reassuring way, “there is no need to be afraid. I know what you are.”

I look at her, my head cocked to one side and my ears pricked up in curiosity. How was it possible for a complete stranger to know what I was, yet I had no idea what was even going on.

“I’m a werewolf too.” She continued. I look at her in utter confusion. She wasn’t serious right? I mean werewolves… had I fallen into some teenage fantasy drama? Werewolves were next to vampires… they weren’t real!

I try to laugh, only to find a growl coming out of my mouth in its place. Telling myself that I had drunk far too much, and that I was going to wake in the morning with one hell of a hangover.

Deciding that at this point, my hallucination was really getting out of hand, I try to stand, only to find that I was completely unsteady on my hands and knees, let alone trying to stand to my full height.

“I guess this is your first time, huh?” The girl carried on rabbiting along as if all of this was completely normal. “How is that even possible? Alpha Mason doesn’t allow pups into Howler’s until they are at least sixteen.”

“Look! I have no idea who you are or what you are talking about. Go take your crazy somewhere else.” I try to say, keeping my words as clear as I possibly could so that there was no way they could get lost in translation. It obviously worked; the girl actually had the decency to look slightly worried for a minute.

Just as she opened her mouth to speak again, the bathroom door opened behind me. Taking it as my que to leave, I lunged for the door. There was no grace with how I went. Attempting to walk on my feet once more, only to find myself flat on my face.

How much had I had to drink?

“Hay wait!” The girl called from behind me. But it was too late. I had managed to break free of her. I walked back out into the packed nightclub, desperately searching for my friend so that I could go home and sleep off my drunkenness.

I barely took two steps when the first scream came from somewhere to the left of me. I look over in surprise towards the direction of where the noise had come from, only to be faced with several paling faces all look on at me in horror.

“It’s a bear!” One of the on lookers screamed, before the whole club shifted into panic mode.

The majority of the club seemed to decide it was time to flee. I look about, wondering what the girl had seen to make her think that there was a bear in the club.

Quickly realising that the point of interest was in fact me, when a man easily twice my side lunged for me, holding me down against the floor.

Squirming beneath him, I attempted to break free.

“Get off of me, your arsehole!” I shout at him. The room had erupted into screams and wails of clubbers trying to escape through any exit available.

“What the hell do you think you are doing, shifting in the middle of a nightclub full of humans?” The man whisper yells above me.

By this point I am completely confused as to what the hell was going on. Tired, and just wanting to get home to my own bed. What was this guy’s problem? Looking over to the reflective surface of the floor to ceiling glass wall that occupied one side of the dance floor, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The same shaggy black dog from the bathroom was reflected back at me.

After a few moments of trying to piece together what had happened, I realised that I was the dog. It wasn’t just my alcohol fuelled mind, nor was it a trick of the eye, it was actually me.

Using every inch of force that I could muster, I push the man off of me, and bolt for the nearest door I could see. The sea of men and women before me parted, each trying to get as far away from me as possible, that I managed to leave without issue.

I pounced forward, and as quickly as I could. And run. My furry paws hitting the ground with long strides as I flee from the club. Never once looking back as the sound of frighted people could still be heard from behind me.

I didn’t slow when the sound of police sirens could be heard making their way to the site. Nor did I slow when the sound of padded feet could be heard racing to catch up to me. I just ran. Too scared to face what was happening. All in the hopes that I would soon wake up from the nightmare that I found myself in.