Shifted #Wattys2016

XXII

Maxine

"What did you tell Julie?" I asked Felix. I was at the pool and he were there too, talking to one of the lifeguards. "You really shouldn't distract them," I said as we walked around the pool. I wanted to swim—and Felix wanted to teach me—but I didn't want to take off the bandages. My knees were to the point where I didn't have to wrap them with the extra bandage anymore. The only reason we had to in the first place was because Felix used a gauze pad. Plus the Band-Aids he had wouldn't stay on the knobs of my knees. Looked extreme, I know, but it worked.

"I told her the truth. You fell, we cleaned you up pretty well before you passed out. When you woke I finished cleaning you up and then brought you home."

"Really?"

"Really. That's what happened, nothing else."

"Pft." I crossed my arms. "You know, at some point, I'll need some proof."

"Proof?"

I nodded. "You can't expect me to fully believe something I thought was fiction until this week. That's like someone suddenly telling me that all Stephen King books actually happened. Like I need the thought of a killer clown killing kids or kids worshiping a corn field thing being real."

"Corn field thing?"

"Well," I stopped walking and faced Felix. "What the hell would you call the thing from Children of the Corn?"

"Okay, corn field thing is officially a scientific term."

I smiled.

I sat in the window seat. I had just woken up from a strange dream and I felt drawn to the window. I looked outside at the dark forest. A wolf emerged, its eyes almost glowing.

My phone buzzed and I stood up, picking up my cell from the dresser. A text from an unknown number.

You want proof?

I looked towards the window.

Come on.

I smiled and against all of my street smarts I pulled on a pair of shoes and grabbed a jacket in the dark.

Outside, as I walked towards the trees a figure walked to wards me. Human. Man.

I kept my hands in the pocket of the jacket.

"Proof? You still want it?" He smiled. "You're wearing my jacket?"

I looked down. "Am I?" I looked up at Felix. "I'll still take the proof if you're still offering it. And how did you get my number?"

Felix shrugged. "I have my ways." He smirked. "Want to see it? The proof?"

I smiled and slowly nodded my head.

"Okay." Felix took a deep breath. "Listen, I've never shown anyone else this, so please just remember, I'm still me. Ready?"

I nodded.

Felix smiled and turned around. "Okay, stay here." Felix jogged off a few yards. Then he ran and jumped. When he landed, he was on all fours, fur covering his whole body, his clothing gone.

A wolf stood a few feet in front of me, a smirk on his face.

"Felix?" I asked, although I already knew.

The wolf smiled.

I sighed and sat down on the grass. The wolf laid down beside me and I pet his head. He grinned and rolled onto his back.

"Felix," I looked back at the house. "I need to get back to bed. I don't want Julie to wake up without me there."

Felix stood and walked with me back to the house. I stood at the door, Felix standing in front of me, wolf and all.

"Do you want your jacket?"

He shook his head.

I smiled. "Goodnight."