Shifted #Wattys2016

LXI

Maxine

A few days after the room switch, Bloom and Emmett went out to buy baby stuff. Cribs and changing tables and a few toys and a few outfits. Bloom was in a bright and cheery mood one hundred percent of the time. Being pregnant made her genuinely happy.

I'm leaving Kansas to go back home in a few weeks and I'm not ready.

But I can't think about that too much, or else I won't enjoy my time here.

Everything is going well.

Until...

"I thought we talked to him." Felix said, coming into the living room with the mail in his hands. He tossed the newspaper on the coffee table.

Caven picked it up and started to read the headline. "Second Girl Killed in Small Town Kansas. He killed another." Caven scanned the text. "Says that the killing was nearly identical to the first, and that police have reason to believe that it's the same animal. Wow, they think it's an animal still. The town is outraged."

"This isn't good." I said.

Felix laughed a little. "You are amazing for stating the obvious."

"Uh, guys..." Caven said, and began to read the direct text. "John Applegate, father of the first victim, Kristy Applegate, is outraged. "We should hunt the animal that is doing this and put it down." Applegate tells us that he plans to get a hunting party together and end the violence once and for all."

"That's not good. What if they shoot a civilian?" I said.

"What if one of us are out there, wolfed out?" Felix said. That scared me more than what I said. The pack is in danger now, because of Greyson.

"What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," Felix said, putting his head in his hands. "I don't know."

I sat in bed at night, the lamp on, looking at my scars. I had the scars from scratches and scrapes from when Felix first told me about him, and when I freaked out and ran and tripped and fell and hurt myself. Then, there's the two lines—three in some spots—on my right arm where he dug his teeth in and pulled my skin off.

I looked at the white scar on my knee where a bike accident took out a chunk of skin. Or the bump on my lip where I fell off the back of Mom's old truck. All the little dots from summers and summers of mosquitoes. A thin line from where I cut myself on a five-gallon paint can. The handful of cuts from shaving.

I've been through so much, and have changed so much through the years.

I've never been so... happy.

Mom said that coming here would—maybe—be good for me. Mom said that seeing her mother would be good for me. She said that the fresh air and the time away from the dingy city would be good. For. Me.

She said that spending time away from everyone would be better for everyone. Mom said that getting away from me would be best for everyone. She said that I had no choice in the matter, that I would leave and I would not come back until summer was over. She said that I should go to hell. She said I should just leave and never come back. She said that she doesn't love me.

Although Felix hasn't said it, I know he loves me.

Emmett took charge and said that the pack is not to shift. Stay human until further notice. Emmett wants to go and talk to Greyson about it but Bloom doesn't want him to. She doesn't want Emmett to be put in any danger, Emmett or Felix or Caven. And I highly doubt she'll let me go and talk.

"Someone's got to talk to him." Felix said.

"It's not going to do anything. He's not going to listen to us." Emmett said. "There's no point in talking to him if he won't listen. Something needs to be done, and soon."

"Civilians were always off limits. Still are."

"Civilians became on limits when you started dating one." Caven said. "I assume that's what he's thinking."

"This is my fault then?" I said, looking up at the group. Bloom's eyes softened.

"No don't think that. It's no one's fault but Greyson's."

"I've got to get home." I said, standing up. "I'll see you all later."

I took a long walk in the woods, allowing my mind to wander.

I found a wolf, golden eyes staring right at me.

"I don't know who you are. But you're not Greyson, and not Felix. Not Bloom or Emmett or Caven. If you're Ronnie: hello. If not: goodbye." I turned around and walked off. The wolf followed me most the way home, but once I got to the edge of the woods it stopped and turned and went home.

I wondered who I walked with.

I also wondered if that just happened to be aplain wolf.