Bloodfang

A Week Later

Ricky

It had been almost a week since Ricky saw... what he saw. A week of jumping at shadows. A week of utter confusion. A very long week of trying to pretend like everything was normal. The later part he did for his uncle's sake and luckily for Ricky he seemed to be doing a good job. Uncle Steve didn't seem to suspect there was anything major wrong. So Ricky continued to act normal, or as "normal" as he was capable of. Despite his good intentions, Ricky knew he had not always been successful. Sitting outside on the pool lounge chair, his sketch pad fallen forgotten to his lap, Ricky's mind drifted back over the last few days.

Always a day-dreamer, Ricky noticed he had been spacing out more than usual, his mind constantly replaying that night. The blood and fangs and wings!

His uncle had caught him a couple of times staring at nothing. Once when Ricky was outside cleaning the swimming pool, his Uncle Steve had had to call his name three times before Ricky had finally heard him. Ricky had been so caught up in his memory, staring blindly into the pool's depths that his uncle's voice had simply not penetrated his thoughts. His uncle had asked him what was wrong but Ricky had shrugged it off with a laugh. Uncle Steve had not looked very convinced but he had let it go. Since then Ricky had done his best to stay in the here and now, especially when his uncle was around. If he wasn't careful, his uncle would start asking questions Ricky simply couldn't answer.

He couldn't answer the questions because he had no idea what had happened out there in the woods. Explaining how a "normal" wolf suddenly hulked-out seemed an impossible task. Throw in some wings and it was down-right bizarre. The entire episode seemed fantastically surreal to Ricky.

The horrific encounter was also burrowing into his dreams at night, turning his dreams into nightmares. One particular night Ricky woke from one of those bad dreams, screaming bloody murder. His cries had woken his Uncle Steve who upon hearing had come barreling into Ricky's bedroom, carrying his rifle, obviously ready to defend the boy. The surprising sight of his uncle standing over him with the gun had calmed Ricky faster than any soothing words could have. He had immediately reassured his uncle that he was fine and had apologized, red-faced for the fright he must have given him.

When his uncle had sat down on the edge of his bed and asked him what his nightmare was about, Ricky had fibbed and said he did not remember. He had turned over onto his side so as not to have to make direct eye contact with his uncle. He would not have been able to keep up the pretense if he had had to look the man directly in his eyes and lie. Every new day he spent in Colorado his affection and respect for his uncle had grown by leaps and bounds. He had not wanted to spoil the relationship any more than he already had with further lies. So he had practiced avoidance instead.

Thankfully, after only a slight hesitation his uncle had accepted his answer and not pushed Ricky further. The sigh his uncle had emitted as he stood back up however, hinted that maybe he had not been so fooled after all. Ricky had been glad either way. For at least that night, he would not have to talk about it and for that night, that had been all Ricky had wanted.

Grabbing the sketch pad up off his lap, Ricky stood to his not so impressive height and wandered lazily over towards the wooded area that lay along the back length of the swimming pool. He knew he was looking again. Had been for days. He was searching for red eyes.

Every time he closed his eyes, he saw them. He imagined the glowing red orbs outside his bedroom window. He imagined them in the darkened corner of the living room as he sat watching a movie with his uncle in the evenings. He imagined them in the basement while he did laundry. Today though was a little different. Today he searched for the glowing golden ones of his wolf. What he wouldn't give to see those eyes again. Despite everything that had happened, Ricky was not a bit scared of those eyes or the wolf that they belonged to.

So extremely different were the two Ricky questioned how it was possible for them to be one and the same. His wolf was... well he was a wolf. The other one however, that was a different story. The other one was more monster than wolf. He was scary and gross and terrifying!

Ricky turned away from the woods and walked back to the lounge chair to sit back down. He started absently sketching his wolf as he tried for the thousandth time to reconcile what he knew to be a fact and what he thought he knew. It had been dark that night. Even when the wolf had been his "normal" wolf-self, Ricky had not seen him all that clearly. So how could he be sure that the morphed-wolf had actually been that? Could it not have been the darkness and shadows and his overactive imagination playing tricks on his mind, creating wings and fangs where none were?

Ricky covered his mouth as a loud yawn escaped. Courtesy of the nightmares and the roller coaster ride of emotions he had experienced over the last week, Ricky was exhausted. He worried he would crack soon and tell his uncle everything. The fear of being sent home though was stronger though, giving Ricky strength to keep his story hush-hush for now at least. Ricky yawned again. He dropped his pencil and laid his head back against the chair and closed his eyes.

To say it had been a rough week for Ricky would be an understatement and not only because of the wolf...wolfs.

Today he had received a call from his mother. She had sounded very happy to talk to him. She had sounded as happy to hear from him as he was happy to hear from her. They talked about his plane ride and his uncle, and what he had been doing, though Ricky was careful how he answered that question!

Not once while they had talked had his mother brought up Tyler. She had told him a bit about her work and how much she was missing him. She had talked a lot about missing him. Ricky had gotten teary-eyed while she talked. Homesickness had pounced and he had had to fight the urge to ask to come home.

It was not like Ricky was really ready to go home though, because he was not. He had a lot of things to figure out here in Colorado before he could leave. Not too, mention Uncle Steve. Ricky was enjoying his time with his uncle and he was not ready for it to end. He just hoped he would get a good night sleep soon so he could enjoy it more, he thought as he drifted off to sleep out in the warm sun.

He was oblivious to the golden eyes watching him or the red flame that ignited briefly in their depths.