Someone Like Me

Old Friend

Calvin woke to his phone ringing.   He quickly shifted back into his human form and threw on shorts.  He picked up the phone it was Charlie, "Hey, man," he said as he answered.

"Hey,"  Chalie smiled, "Oh my I love the beach have I ever told you that!"

"Only every day," Calvin rolled his eyes, "How is your life going?"

"It is going great!  I still say you should have come with me for a semester!"

"Charlie, you know I am not a beach guy I am a trees and forest guy,"  Calvin shook his head, "Why didn't you stay?"

"Because I got offered an internship that I could not pass up,"  He frowned, "So how is your new roomie.  He hasn't made you forget about me, has he?"

"Never," Calvin giggled, "He is... good."

"Whats wrong?" he brought his phone closer to his face, "You better tell me the truth right now."

"It's nothing, Charlie," Calvin looked out his window, "I just haven't had much time in the woods as I would like."

"Oh, you poor thing," Charlie laughed, "I remember you sneaking out almost every day.  You know I knew every time you left."

"You never told me that!" Calvin glared at his phone, "I was so scared that you might follow me one day."

"I thought you were leaving to a boyfriend's dorm," Charlie shook his head, "The thought that you where a fox never crossed my mind." 

They both laughed.  About a year and a half into their friendship Charlie found out Calvin's secrete. 

Calvin had forgotten to lock the door one night before he fell asleep as a fox and he came in trying to scare him awake as a joke.  He was the one that got frightened out of his mind to find a fox hocks raised and hissing.  Charlie was about to run out of the dorm until Calvin jumped off the bed changing into a human mid-air.  

"Charlie, calm down please," Calvin said stepping closer to paralyzed Charlie, "It is okay."

"Okay?" Charlie blinked down at him, "You were just a fox a second ago what the hell?" 

"Well," Calvin looked back at his bed then back up at him, "Yeah I can't really explain it.  It is just something I can do."

"Something you can just do?" he raised his eyebrows, "You say it like it is a normal thing like walking.  That is not normal dude!"

"I know, I know," he rubbed the back of his neck, "I don't know how to explain how or why I can do it."

Charlie shook his head and slowly walked out of Calvin's room.  He followed him and watched as he slumped onto the couch. He sat there in silence. 

"Please say something," Calvin finally asked after five minutes of complete silence.

"I have so many questions," he hugged his knees, "Have you been able to do this the whole time we have known each other? Can you do it anytime you want?  Is a fox the only animal you can turn into?  Can you talk to other animals?"

Calvin sat on the ground leaning against the wall across from the couch, "Yes, I have been able to do this since I was eleven.  Yes anytime I want but I can have urges to shift to the point where I feel ill but if I sleep as a fox I don't have many of those urges.  I can normally calm down just by turning into my half form.  Fox and half fox half human are the only things I can change into.  No, I can not communicate with other animals, trust me that was the first thing I tried."