Hairwolf

One Month Later.

At the dirt road entrance to a Maine State Park, a chain blocks access with a sign that reads, Park Temporarily Closed.

Deep inside the park, sitting over Stef’s favorite ditch, is her Tahoe. Close by, Mark, Mom-Elise, Foster, Brizzbee, Ralf and his wife, pick up from a late picnic. They load coolers, camp stoves, water bottles and other items into the bed of Brizzbee’s dually pickup truck.

It’s dusk and the full moon is starting to break the horizon. From under the Tahoe, in the ditch, Lillian asks, “How am I going to know?”

“You’ll know,” Stef says. “They’ll be some pain, followed by more pain and then some pain.”

“Ouch,” Lil Elise says.

“I’m sorry,” Lillian says. “Was that your foot?”

“It was. Now it’s a stump.”

“Stop complaining. You got another one.”

“But I had two.”

Brizzbee, listening to them, regards Ralf. “At least they’re in a good mood.”

Mark and Mom-Elise are excited over the group crossover.

“You’re really going off of that cliff, ah?” Mark asks Mom-Elise.

“I am.”

“I’m holding you to that, mom,” Stef says from under the truck.

“Cliff?” Lillian yells out. “You said we weren’t going back to that cliff.”

“You don’t have to go in,” Stef replies. “But we are.”

“I didn’t bring a bathing suit,” Lillian says.

“You didn’t bring anything. You’re wearing Brizzbee’s clothes and you look like shit.”

“Excuse me, but wearing large is the new thing.”

“Ouch. Aunt Lillian.”

“Now what?”

“You’re sitting on my hand,” Lil Elise says.

“We’re going to need a bigger ditch,” Lillian says. “What the hell are we doing sitting in a ditch anyway? How come they’re not in here?”

“They have more experience than I do and you don’t have any. I don’t want you to embarrass me.”

“Oh. So that’s it. You’re ashamed of me.”

“Not yet but I’m getting there.”

“Aunt Stefanie, can we switch sides? Aunt Lillian’s killing me.”

“What’d I do now?”

“You keep crushing my toes cause you won’t sit still.”

“Are you going to be like this the whole night? Complain, complain, complain. Give me them toes. I’ll bet they’re ticklish.”

Little Elise screams in laughter, trying to get away from Lillian’s tickling.

Something stirs close by alerting Mark and Elise to its presence.

“There’s someone over there, Mark.” Mom-Elise says. Mark and Ralf walk up with Mom-Elise behind them. Sitting behind a tree, knees up to his chest, is Jay, their son. Better known as Ominous.

“Jay?” Mark says.

“I just wanted to make sure Elise was safe.”

“And what about you?” Mom-Elise asks.

He doesn’t have an answer for that. The guilt and shame of his condition consume his emotions.

“I did that to her – and Stefanie,” he says.

“And we did that to you. It wasn’t our intention but it happened.”

“It was inevitable, Jay,” Mark says. “We all made mistakes.”

“And we’re going to continue to make mistakes – but as a family.”

Laughter and giggling from Little Elise and Lillian give him comfort.

“What a delightful little girl she is,” Mom-Elise says. “So playful.”

“I’m so afraid I’m going to hurt her,” Jay, says.

“You haven’t hurt her yet,” Mark says. “What’s it been, ten years?”

“I told ya, man,” Ralf says. “We’re in this together.”

“Jay . . .?” Stefanie says, approaching with Elise.

He looks up, beyond Mark and finds Stefanie and Elise.

“Daddy? You came back. Are you okay?” Elise jumps on him and hugs him. “I missed you so much. And you missed so much. You don’t have to leave, Daddy. You don’t.”

Foster, Brizzbee, Ralf and his wife watch the gathering by the tree as Lillian finds a resting place under the truck. Brizzbee approaches her.

“Looks like we have a visitor.”

“Ominous,” she says.

“Not yet,” he says, smiling. “Are you ready for this?”

“I don’t know, Brizz.”

“You’re scared, aren’t you?”

“A little. I just don’t know what to expect.”

“I’ll be here tomorrow. Unless you want me to stay.”

“No,” she says, adamantly. “We talked about that.”

Brizzbee takes a knee and then another knee. He’s trying to lay down in front of her which isn’t easy for a man of his size. She’s watching him curiously until his intention is revealed with a kiss.

Stef pulls Jay up to his feet and wraps her arms around him.

“Come with me,” Stef says. “You have to come with me. With us.”

“Please, daddy.”

“I get so reckless, honey. You know that. It’s too dangerous.”

“It won’t be if we all cross together,” Stef says. “Jay, you owe me this.”

He’s out-voted and concedes.

Mother Elise kisses him on the forehead. Little Elise guides him towards the truck. She takes his hand and crawls under, joining Lillian.

“Aunt Lillian, this is my daddy, Jay.”

“Hi,” Lillian says. “Sorry about the beating last month.”

“That was you? Ditto,” Jay says, smiling. “Who got you?”

“Does it matter? I’m all in, now.”

Stef holds on to Foster, standing with Brizzbee, Ralf and his wife.

“I ain’t getting under that truck,” Ralf says.

“Oh, no you’re not,” his wife agrees. Then, to the others, “Claustrophobic.”

“Time for you three to go,” Stef says. “Breakfast tomorrow. Mom, dad, see you on the other side.”

Stef races back to the ditch and dives under the truck, taking her position next to Lillian. “Move over. You’re in my spot.”

“Your spot? You have a spot? It’s dirt. How can you have a spot in dirt?”

“Move over, Lillian. That’s my spot and I want it. Let me have it.”

“Oh, I’m gonna let you have it, alright. As God is my witness. Here. Take your dirt.”

“Thank you,” Stef says. “Are you scared?”

“A little.”

“Take her hand, Elise. I got this one.”

“We got you, Aunt Lillian. Take my hand, daddy.”

Mom-Elise and Mark address Foster and the others, “This is going to be one heck of a night. See you in the morning.”

Foster, Brizzbee and Ralf’s wife enter the truck. The moon has only seconds to go before it’s in full view. Foster starts the engine and pulls away. Brizzbee, from the rear seat, leans over the front seat.

“So, what’s it like living with a werewolf?”

“Oh, my God. Um. Rules. You need rules. Rules are a must. No changing inside. No bringing home pets. And be the boss. They need guidance. Very obedient once you’ve established who the alfa is. And watch what you say. They’re very sensitive. I mean, emotionally speaking.”

“A lot like pets?” Brizz asks.

“Yeah. Pets. Be sure it’s what you want, because they’re in it for life. You can’t just get tired of them, you know. They really don’t have anywhere to go. We’re all they have.”

As the moon dominates the horizon, silence grows to chaos from under the truck and then back to silence. A dark silhouette emerges from under the truck. It’s the Creature-Lillian. She’s all fur and

just as stunning as a werewolf but instead of a dark band running across her eyes, her band runs

vertical. She looks at her hands, claws and fur-covered legs. She then stares at the moon and

releases a howl of joy.

The End