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Audrey knew that living in a small town has its advantages, for one- all of its residents know each other, giving a strong sense of familiarity. A, ‘we’re all in this together’ type of vibe. Like a cheesy, sloppily made sitcom family. All of them stuck together. The town’s inhabitants rarely ever left, and new people never came in.
She had never even considered leaving as an option. Audrey was content. Not blissfully happy or passionate about her small town life, but at peace enough to want to stay. She had a home, friends, a job. Although it’s a career that most people would grimace upon hearing about.
Audrey was in her early 30s and worked as a wildlife rehabber. Which sounds cute at first until realizing this meant mostly scooping up mostly-dead animals on the side of the road because people in this town don’t give a shit about what they hit with their 2 ton trucks. Not an ounce of care behind the wheel.
It was 10 in the morning. Audrey was usually up by now, but a rough night’s sleep led to her clinging onto the bed for dear life when her phone began to ring. Groaning exaggeratedly, she picked it up and tapped the answer button with way too much force.
“What?” Audrey asked, groggily. The person on the other end sounded nervous.
“I- I hit a coyote or wolf or something.. I called the police and they told me I should call you.” Great. Not any animal, but dangerous animal. With the potential to kill her.
“I’ll be there in a few.” Audrey responded quickly, slamming the phone down on her nightstand with again, more force than intended and cracking the screen. Fuck this.
She rose ungracefully out of bed, spitting hair out of her face and trudging to her dresser to find an outfit. Digging through mostly leopard print and bedazzled clothing, she grabbed a hot pink hoodie and some jeans. Knowing there was a risk of her clothes being torn.
When she left the house a bitter cold slapped her in the face. Disgusting weather, truly. No snow, no ice. Just dead grass and bare trees. A month after Christmas and there was nothing to celebrate except being one of the only ones to not catch the always mysterious winter sickness.
Audrey made her way to the car and tracked the location sent to her by the caller. Finding herself right near the interstate. On the outskirts of town. When she stepped out she saw an injured wolf curled up on the side of the road and not a soul to be found.
“Must’ve been too scared to stay.” She scoffed, grabbing a large animal carrier out of her trunk and tiptoeing towards the injured animal.
“You alright buddy..?“ Audrey muttered, placing the carrier beside its body. The wolf shifted. She grabbed a catcher pole, coaxing the loop around the wolf’s neck and pulling it towards the crate. A growl, understandable.
“It’s okay.” She whispered. Tugging with more force. The dead grass shifted beneath her boots. The wolf growled once more and pulled back more forcefully, the sudden tug making Audrey lose her balance and fall over, dangerously close to the wolf.
Before she could even think, the wolf lunged and bit her arm, tearing through the fabric of her sweater. Sharp, bright pain seared in her arm like an eternal fire through her body, drawing blood and leaving a gash Audrey knew would need stitches. She screamed in pain and reeled back, taking the catcher’s pole and carrier and quickly leaving to go to the hospital before it gets worse. Leaving the wolf to its own devices, Audrey knew her safety came first.
After a quick visit to the hospital Audrey was sent to rest at home. She was already caught up with her rabies shots so at least that’s something she doesn’t have to worry about. She stared at the gash in front of the mirror, undressed and wet after a shower.
“Hurts like a bitch.” She said to nobody, rubbing the stitches. Her eyesight blurred for a split second before focusing on her face in the mirror again, her pupils looked narrower than usual, sharper. She scoffed at the idea of becoming a character in ‘Teen Wolf.’ It was the pain medicine making her loopy. She knew that.
After a few hours of watching tv on the bed and scratching the bite on her arm after the doctor told Audrey specifically not to, she felt herself craving some meat.
Audrey was anemic, she knew this. It was probably just low iron making her want a fatass steak. So she slipped on a jacket and left unceremoniously to that one burger place. Boys N’ Grills.
She stepped in through the door and immediately felt herself drool from the tantalizing smell of the meat. Her eyesight blurred again and she stumbled over her feet as she made her way to a booth and the familiar heavy-set man greeted her.
“Hey darlin.’ What can I get for ya’ today?” Audrey already had the menu memorized, so she didn’t skip a beat when she ordered the steak. Bob nodded with his signature a-little-too-friendly smile, before noticing her odd expression. “Ya’ alright there darlin’?”
“Yeah.. yeah. I’m fine. Just got bit by a wolf earlier on the job. Went to the hospital and got some medicine though, so its’all good. Hehhe.” Audrey waved him off with a tired chuckle. Bob left with a side-eye.
Audrey listened to the conversation happening around her. Someone talking about a weird tree in the forest, two of the towns policemen arguing over how potato should be pronounced. As much as Audrey tried, she couldn’t distract herself. The smell from inside of the restaurant made her mouth drip and at the same time she felt like she was going to be sick. Bob came back minutes later with a steak and she dug in with no further ado.
“Got a bit of a wolfish appetite today huh?” Bob chuckled, Audrey rolled her eyes. “My iron’s just low.” She insisted with her mouth full, facing down at her plate.
“Sure. Let me know if ya’ need anythin’ else Aud.” Audrey nodded, managing a smile as he walked away before stuffing her face again. The nausea came back full blast and hit her like a truck, sweat dripping down her face as she tore off her jacket. Audrey’s skin prickled with a new feeling. Something burning underneath. Her body spasmed, twitching like half-dead roadkill.
“What the fuck?” She said to nobody at all, but garnering some filthy glances from people with children. A pang of sharp, contorting pain hit Audrey’s spine, making her double over.
“Is she okay?” She heard someone mutter behind her. Another spasm, her whole body shook like a wet rat. Crack. Audrey could feel her bones snapping out of place inside of her.
“FUUUCK!” She shouted, collapsing to the floor, fangs grew inside of her mouth, so sharp she immediately tasted blood from them piercing the inside of her mouth. Skin being covered by masses of fur. Bob slammed his door open.
“Who the hell is makin’ that racke-“ He stopped in his tracks in horror, watching as Audrey’s body seized in the middle of his floor, growing more wolflike by the second.
Her hands grew larger, nails sharper. Audrey screamed as she felt her face extend into a muzzle. Her clothes ripped to make room for her growing, horrible body. All she could fear was immense pain and hot shame for how this was playing out.
“Everyone out!” Bob shouted, the people inside Boys N’ Grills listened without question, racing out of the door, some with full plates of food. Leaving the two of them alone.
“Ya’ need to go. They’re gonna hunt ya’ down. Ya’ know that.”
“T- This has never ha.. happened to me before.” Audrey gasped, picking herself up off of the floor and nearly stumbling over her new body. Tears ran down her face, her body still in shock from the pain she endured.
“Go. Now.” Bob spoke bitterly, like a little boy in a movie shooing his dog away. Audrey weakly ran, bursting out of the door and limping to the nearby forest for shelter until this whole ordeal was over.