Kanin

I spent most the night talking to Bobby. We would occasionally like a song that was playing so much that we just had to dance. I couldn’t remember the last time I’ve had this much fun. Usually my father’s rules were always on replay inside my head. Tonight, I didn’t think about them at all.

It was midnight now. I was sitting on the couch with a plastic cup in my fingers; the same one from the beginning of the party. I hadn’t touched the stuff that was inside. Bobby told me that the cup gave off the allusion that I was having fun, even if I wasn’t. I think I’d have fun with him with or without the drink.

“So, you moved here in kindergarten right?” Bobby asked me, his eyes a little glazed over. Unlike me, he had been drinking. I think he was on his fourth or fifth by now.

The conversation instantly turned sour. The reason I moved to this small town was because of my mother’s death. I have never told anyone.

“Where’d you live before that?” He brought the cup to his lips once again.

I paused for a moment, looking everywhere but at him. “This town in the northern part of the state.”

“Oh really?” He seemed interested and I knew he wasn’t going to let it go.

I nodded.

“How come?”

I didn’t know what to tell him. Was I supposed to tell him the truth? Or should I lie about it? “My mother-” I paused. I never thought it would be this hard to say it. “She died and I guess my father needed a new place after that.”

“Oh wow, I’m sorry, Kanin. I didn’t realize.” He put his cup down to look me over.

“It’s fine. It’s not something I tell most people.”

“Can I ask how it happened?”

Oh boy. “She was killed when I was five and I was there.”

He looked at me in shock. His mouth gapped opened and then closed again, unsure what to say. There wasn’t much he could say. Not a lot of people have gone through what I had to.

“Kanin-” he looked me over, his eyes suddenly very focused on me. “Wow. I’m so sorry. I don’t even know what to say.”

“You really don’t have to say anything. It was a long time ago.” I gave him a small smile, trying to be convincing. “can we not talk about it?” I begged.

He nodded, “of course.”

At that precise moment, Delilah came bounding outside. She looked overly happy, even for her. “Hey, Kay, I don’t mean to interrupt, but you ready to go?”

I’ve never been so happy to see her.

I was at my feet in seconds, “yeah.” I turned back to Bobby. “I had a good time, thanks.”

He nodded, probably still reeling from me telling him my life’s darkest secret. “No problem.”

I left him sitting by himself. Delilah hooked her arm in mine and begged me for details. There wasn’t much to say, but I told her everything we talked about.

When we got to her car, I went to grab the keys from her hands. “Don’t worry, I haven’t been drinking.”

“Really?” I asked surprised.

“I’m not irresponsible, I knew I was driving you home, so of course I didn’t drink.” Delilah said.

“I’m proud of you.” I told her as I slipped into the passenger seat. She turned over the engine and her favorite band spilled over the speakers.

When we pulled into my driveway, I starred up at my house for a moment before stepping out. Delilah called goodbye to me before she powered out of the driveway.

I stood on my front steps for a moment. I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was wrong. I shook my head; I was just feeling bad about breaking my father’s rules. I hurriedly unlocked the door and then keyed in the disarm code to the alarm.

I didn’t bother to turn on the lights before I stepped into the kitchen. I grabbed a water out of the refrigerator and popped the cap off.

Suddenly, the kitchen window exploded. The glass peppered into my hair and cut my skin on my forehead. Blood trickled down my face. Water from my bottle was puddling around my feet where I dropped it.

I reached up and wiped the blood away, wincing at the pain. I stepped over the broken glass and looked out the window. I couldn’t find a reason why it would just break like that.

"Kanin Abbott.”

I spun around quickly. I came face to face with a man with a hood pulled close around his face. He was tall and built like a fighter. He didn’t move from his spot, but he watched me carefully.

“Who are you?” I stepped back, gripping the edge of the island. I was shaking, completely terrified.

“You don’t need to know.” He said simply, taking a step towards me. I cowered away from him. “Is Thomas Abbott your father?”

I didn’t say anything. How did he know? I gripped the island tighter, my knuckles pale white.

“Answer me!” He yelled, crossing the room quickly. His hand reached out and tightened around my throat. I gasped. I clawed at him, but he was impossibly strong. I looked at him, tears spilling down my cheeks. For a moment I thought his eyes flashed red. “Is your father Thomas Abbott?”

He yelled once more. I nodded unwillingly. I hadn’t wanted to tell the truth, but the lack of oxygen to my brain was making me crazed.

He suddenly dropped me. My knees buckled and I dropped to the floor. I coughed and tried to bring air back into my aching lungs.

“Blood for blood.” The man said. When I looked up at him, his hands were like claws. Where his finger nails once were, there were claws instead. It was impossible.

He stepped towards me. I suddenly knew what was happening. He was going to kill me. I didn’t know what he meant by “blood for blood”, but I knew it wasn’t good and I was probably dead.

Suddenly, a shadow came up behind him. I couldn’t tell who it was, but he took a swing with a knife in his fingers. The blade touched my attackers skin, drawing blood. My attacker yelped with surprise, spinning around to face the new shadow.

I saw them fighting and suddenly I knew who the new shadow was: my father. I could tell by his fighting style. I saw it almost every morning. All of a sudden, my attacker howled. A howl almost identical to the one in my dream. In a split second, he was no longer a man. Right before my eyes his body impossibly shifted. Before me stood the biggest wolf that I’ve ever seen. His fur was a dark brown and his eyes were red. I could see his blood in his fur from where my father had cut him minutes ago.

This couldn’t be happening.

The wolf slammed into my father, sending him sprawling to the ground. The wolf didn’t stay to finish the job. With a howl he burst through the front door and disappeared.

I wanted to scream, I opened my mouth to do just that, but nothing came out. I felt like I couldn’t breathe. My vision grew blurry. Tears still spilled down my cheeks.

My father stepped towards me quickly, “Kanin, are you okay?” He knelt down beside me, reaching out towards me.

I pushed him away, “what just happened?” My voice barely a whisper. I couldn’t get my eyes to understand what they just saw.

This couldn’t be real.

“Kanin, just take a deep breath, alright?” My father urged. I tried to do as he said but I couldn’t. “Look at me” I did. “Just take a deep breath and I’ll try to explain.”

“Dad, he just-” I couldn’t get the words out. I wasn’t even sure what just happened. “I have to be dreaming.”

“You’re not, Kanin.” My father shook his head. “This isn’t a dream. You’re awake.”

“No. This isn’t real!” I stood to my feet abruptly, and my father was knocked backwards. I paced the kitchen, running my hands through my hair. I shook the remaining pieces of glass from my hair. “This isn’t happening.” I stopped, suddenly very tired. “What just happened?”

Dad stood to his feet, keeping his distance from me. He looked concerned. “I don’t even know where to start. I didn’t think I’d have to tell you this soon, or even at all.” He sucked in a deep breath. “The stories are true, Kanin.”

“What stories?” I asked, but I was starting to put two and two together.

“Werewolves.” He said slowly and very quietly.

I couldn’t speak. If I hadn’t just witnessed it for myself, I would have never believed it. Even now, it was hard to believe. “You knew about them!” I yelled at my father. I was so angry, but I was more scared than anything.

“I kill them.” He said quickly.

I suddenly focused on him, blade in hand. Everything made sense now. Him training me every morning. His business trips out of town for a few days.

The rules.

I had to sit down. I barely made it to the dining room table before my knees buckled. I laid my forehead on the table and let tears spill out. This couldn’t be happening. Yet it was. It was happening and I couldn’t do anything to change that. “Werewolves.”

My father was standing close by, watching me having a mental breakdown. He kept his arms crossed over his chest and his face expressionless. He didn’t speak or even attempt to console me. Right now, I didn’t mind him not speaking to me. He had a whole other life that he hadn’t included me in. And not to mention my mother.

“What about mom?” I said quietly, my gaze fallen on my father. “Did she know?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment. He stepped into the room and took a seat beside me. He let out a sigh and held his face in his hands. “I wanted her to be here to tell you.”

“So she knew as well.” I laughed dryly. I couldn’t believe it. My parents had lied to me for so long. My mother died and took the secret to her grave.

I stood to my feet abruptly. I needed out of here. I didn’t say a word to my father as I grabbed my keys and headed outside. My father didn’t say anything as I escaped into my car.

It was early morning now; the sun was just peeking over the horizon. I sped out of the driveway. When I came to the first empty parking lot, I stopped my car. I cried, letting my head rest against the steering wheel.

I couldn’t believe this was happening.

I just couldn’t.