A High School Werewolf

Chapter 4-The First School Dance

Amy, Taylor, and Sarah were lounging in the dorm casually chatting about their classes. While Amy attempted to finish her math homework, Sarah was fighting with an invisible opponent, as both of her friends are too scared to practice with her. Even Bryan had declined after gaining his fair share of bruises during class earlier. Taylor sat at Amy's desk messing with some doo-hicky gadget thing that the other two didn't understand.

Amy let out a scream of frustration, "AAAAAARRRRRRGGGGHHH!" She threw down her pencil and sighed, "I'm not doing this until Sunday night. I'm sick of it. Quick, think of something to distract me."

Obliging Taylor asked, "Are going to the dance with anyone tomorrow?"

Amy sighed, "Nope, no one asked me. You?"

"As you so kindly said a month ago, 'no guy asked a nerd like me out'"

Amy turned her attention to Sarah, who was currently impaling an imaginary enemy, and asked, "How about Sarah are you going with anyone."

Spinning to attack another imaginary enemy Sarah dismissively replied, "Nope. I'm not even going to the dance tomorrow."

The two other girls focused their attention and exclaimed, "Wait! What!"

After slicing an imaginary monster in half, Sarah lowered her swords panting slightly from the exertion and restate, "You heard me I'm not going to the dance, it's just not really my scene."

Taylor insisted, "You need to loosen up and get out of your comfort zone."

Amy joked, "And that's coming from Taylor, of all people."

Affronted, Taylor twisted in her chair to face her, "What is that supposed to mean? You're the girl who didn't want to leave the farm."

Now it was Amy's time to look affronted she retorted, "Hey!"

Sarah knew they could go on forever if she didn't stop them, so she loudly coughed, "Besides I thought it would be a good time to get training in, you know with real blades."

Amy groaned, "But that's all you ever do. You finish class, go for a run, do your homework, then train until bedtime. I hardly see you and I'm your roommate and best friend"

Taylor demanded, "Then what am I? Chopped liver?"

Amy offhandedly replies, "Yeah, duh. What did you think you were the main course of juicy steak cooked perfectly at a nice medium rare?"

The three broke into a fit of laughter that Sarah recovered from first by asking, "Is that your way of saying you want to go get dinner, Amy?"

Amy shrugged, "Maybe," but her stomach confirmed Sarah's suspicions by growling loudly.

Sarah turned to leave, "I'll meet you too at the cafeteria I have to go put my equipment back and change."

Amy sniffed audibly, "You should probably shower too."

Sarah rolled her eyes although the other two couldn't see, "If you insist."

The following evening, both Taylor and Amy were wearing formal dresses. Taylor's was a dark navy blue that clung tightly to her body until flowing to just a few inches above the ground. She was also wearing a necklace with a blue sapphire in it. Amy's dress was simpler. It was red and came just above her knee. She wore a simple brown belt with it. In contrast, Sarah was clad in full leather armor with two sheaths strapped on her back. They walked towards the gym, the location where the dance was being held, chatting idly. Sarah received a few judgmental glances from people who were also making their way to the gym.

Bryan caught up to the trio and looked confused at Sarah's attire, "You are aware this is a dance, right, not a battle."

Sarah laughed, "Yeah, I know I'm not going," she shushed Bryan before he could respond, "Yes I know terrible tragic horror, but I've made my decision I'm training instead."

Bryan surrendered, "Okay, okay. I'm smart enough not to incur your wrath, especially when I'm still your dueling partner." They all shared a laugh. None of them had actually ever seen Sarah angry while she was fighting, but they hoped never to be on the receiving end of her wrath. They parted way when they entered the building, Bryan, his sister, and Taylor went to the gym while Sarah headed towards the training room. Mr. Sharp raised a hand in greeting as Sarah retrieved the two swords she used, and a practice dummy made of wood. The resounding "thwack" of metal on wood carried throughout the room, followed by another until the room was filled with "Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!" as Sarah viciously attacked the poor wooden dummy.

As she sheathed the swords and returned the dummy to the armory, Mr. Sharp rose and stated, "You were pretty rough with the dummy Sarah, and those swords have taking quite a beating. Since I don't fancy spending my evening sharpening two swords, I'm giving you special permission to take them too your dorm so you can sharpen them."

Surprised Sarah quickly replied, "Thanks."

"Don't go getting too excited if I hear on word of you swinging those swords around instead of sharpening them I will have you running laps until your legs fall off."

"O-okay"

Sarah exited the room, Mr. Sharp following behind and locked the door. They parted ways. Mr. Sharp walked towards the parking lot while Sarah headed towards the gym. She was walking in front of the doors to the gym when she heard a large crash. She spun around searching for the source of the noise when she spotted Shadowspawn standing in the shards of glass from the door. Why are they here? They can't be here! Why must they my life be ruined again? By monsters no less. I just got myself pulled together and now they are here to destroy me again. She drew the swords from their sheaths and charged, anger burning in her eyes. The first monster died quickly with a sword to the chest, it vanished into shadow. Angered by the death of their comrade, the other creatures of darkness charged. Sarah chopped off one's head before spinning to kick another back while stabbing two through the hearts. Her movements were quick but deliberate. She only went for killing blows because any less and they would simply heal in seconds. The monsters were slow being little more than evil blobs with sharp sword arms. Very few landed blows and when they did her armor did its job; she could hear the screams of panic of the other students, but she refused to allow her concentration to break. Sarah settled into a fighting stance as a werewolf squared up to her. Drat! I can't believe there's an actual werewolf here. If I get bit, I'm so screwed. Damn! Is there really no one else around who can help. She didn't break eye contact with the werewolf but the screams of terror from behind her confirmed her worst suspicions, no one was coming to help. The werewolf charged, and Sarah dodged the swipe of claws only to have it bite down on her shoulder. Before pain completely warped her mind, Sarah plunged the blade deep into the werewolf's chest. The werewolf fell limp, but Sarah dropped to her knees, swords clattering on the ground, she screamed in agony as pain spread from the bite and her body began transforming. Her armor and clothes ripped and fell on the ground as human bones and muscle changes to that of a wolf. She yowled in pain as her mouth transformed into a muzzle and her feet and hands became paws. Her hair shortened and a thick coat of brown fur covered her new body. She could not think around the pain, but she recognized that the humans around her not as the source of her pain. So she ran away into the woods, wishing that she could outrun this blinding agony.