Wicked Game

Chapter 3

I convinced my siblings that I was fine and that they didn't need to say anything to Louie. I told them I'd figure it out and they made me promise to tell them when I did. I just didn't know where to begin.

That same night, I draw myself a hot bath. The water pressure in this bathroom was weak, so I had time before the tub would be ready. I lay out my pajamas and shuffled through the bathroom closet for a clean towel. I pick out on of the larger fluffier ones and set it on the floor next to the tub. A layer of steam begins to hover in the air, and I glance in the mirror before it can fog it up.

I didn't look like a monster. I think back to when Duke said I did. I was really annoyed, and frustrated. My brothers know that I can't stand when my headphones get ripped out of my ears, and they know to leave me alone when I do have them in. That's just something that I do when I'm in a mood.

It brought me back to when I was angry at my little brother. I purse my lips, still annoyed by the fact that Duke doesn't know how to listen and pisses everybody off. Not that I hated him of course, he was just the irritating brother. At least Fallon was a milder version of him.

The more I thought about every inconvenience this week, the more frustrated I got. I squeeze my eyes shut, hanging my head over the sink. When I open my eyes again, I gasp.

My fingernails were hideous, and I knew they hadn't looked like that a few seconds ago. They came to fine, sharp points, and almost looked as if I had the human version of dog nails.

"What the hell..." I observe them, and look at myself in the mirror.

Steam already blurred the mirror, but I could clearly see a set of glowing eyes. Yellow. Just like Duke had said. I wipe the steam away from the mirror, and held my breath.

My face was contorted, making me look like an angry beast. I stare back at myself, gaping.

"Oh my god," I said quietly to myself. It began disappearing though once I felt shocked instead of furious.

I stare back at my normal face now. I place a hand on my forehead, "Oh what the hell happened to me!"

A sudden knock came at the door.

"Kasey, you okay in there?" Louie asks through the bathroom door.

"Yeah, will you send Gemma in here though please?" I call out to him.

"Can do."

I hear his footsteps going all the way down the stairs. All the way... I shouldn't be able to hear that from hear.

"Gemma, Kasey needs you in the bathroom," Louie says from down in the kitchen, and I hear it clearly. I cover my mouth with my hand, listening closer to what I could hear.

Fallon and Duke's room was silent except for a breeze blowing in from an open window. Obviously, they snuck out. In Gemma's room, the forgotten stereo played music on a low volume. Gemma's feet begin up the stairs.

My little sister doesn't knock when she quietly enters the bathroom, shutting the door close behind her. I was only in a sports bra and shorts, but I ignore it. Usually it would bother me for anybody to even see this much of me, but right now I didn't care. I had much bigger problems now.

"I saw it!" I say in a whisper yell to my sister.

"What?" She gives me a puzzled look.

"My face! I saw my ugly monster face! Gemma I don't know what's happening to me," I freak out, waving my hands everywhere. "My nails were like claws! Big ugly claws!"

"Oh my god, so this is real," she begins to freak out herself, fanning her face. I suddenly remember the running water. I quickly shut it off as it's about to reach the brim of the tub. I mutter to myself and reach in the hot water to let a little bit go down the drain.

"Gemma, I don't know what's happening to me," I whisper, and insert the plug once the water was wear I wanted it to be. "I'm literally turning into a monster. A beast."

"Okay, okay- so do you know how it happened?" She asks me. "Like how it started?"

"No I have no clue, it happened right after my accident. I woke up and I just felt different. A stronger kind of different," I explain to her.

"Okay, I'm going to go get on Google. You, take your bath and come to my room when you're done," she pointed a finger at me, nodding her head.

I take a deep breathe, "Okay."

I strip down, and stumble, catching myself on the wall. Lowering myself into the scalding water, I think about how this was supposed to relax me, but now tons of questions swarmed my head. I was too distracted to relax.

The thoughts drove me to drain the bath tub sooner than I'd planned. I have to get some idea of what's happening. At least something little so I'll have somewhere to start tomorrow.

I pull on some joggers and a baggy t-shirt before tossing my shoulder length black hair in the towel. It was easy to keep simple since it wasn't as thick as Gemma's hair. I usually just threw a beanie on and called it good.

I walk to my sister's room across the hall from mine while brushing the knots out of my hair at the same time. I slip into her room, closing the door behind me.

Gemma's room was everything opposite of mine. The teal walls were bright, and made all of her decorations stand out. Pictures of all of us together in white picture frames scattered one wall, connected by twine, little nets, and things like sea shells and star fishes. That was the part of her room I really liked.

Her bedroom window overlooked the front yard and driveway with a clear view. Gemma always knew when and who was here.

She was sitting on her bed, the light from the lap top glaring on her face. She looked like me, only her hair was a mop, lighter and longer than mine.

Gemma doesn't mind me as I sink down onto the fluffy white comforter. I hear the clicking on the key board stop, and she smacks it shut with a huff.

"I didn't find anything nearly related to your case," she expresses with distaste and goes on, "but I googled your symptoms all individually and well... all it's pointing to... all those traits have something to do with lycanthropy."

Werewolves.

"What? Shit like that doesn't exist. How- it can't be. It just can't," I say firmly, and shake my head.

"How do you know?"

I don't answer her. I knew she knew what the three of them saw, and she knew something was wrong. I shake my head, "That's crazy."

"Well, it is what it is. It has to be, Kasey," Gemma says sullenly, but confidently.

I keep my mouth shut, knowing she was right. Shit like this didn't happen, which is starting to make me believe that it's real. The thought drove me mad to the point where I didn't even want to think about a full moon.