I ran, and I didn’t have to look behind me to realize the whole crowd was after me.
Somehow, I made it to the street and into a gas station. “Can I use your phone?”
The man behind the counter seemed startled and handed me a cordless phone. I called my mom and there was no answer. I left a message that started with, “I’m not dead.” I gave her my location which I read off the window. As soon as I handed the phone back, I heard the brief sound of a siren. The police arrived. Come to find out the cashier had pushed a panic button when he saw me running to the station. The lone officer asked me twenty questions.
Crying again, all I could think to say was that I wanted to get home. I didn’t dare tell him about the lions, tigers and bikers or that I thought I was in any danger. First of all, I’d sound crazy. Maybe I was. Second of all, I didn’t know much about their biker lifestyle, but I didn’t want any trouble. With further probing, I talked about Locus, the helicopter crash and how I lied to my mom about being on spring break with my friends and now she probably thought I was dead. Officer Nalley was beside himself, having read about the crash earlier. He gave his condolences and said he wouldn’t take me downtown. He couldn’t drive me home himself, across the county line to my mom’s house in Austin tonight. Instead he offered to pay an Uber to take me home.
When the red Acura arrived, I felt a relief. The Uber driver was particularly respectful and didn’t bother me with small talk on the drive. I was certain the police officer had spooked him. The quiet car ride gave me time to think. Either I was truly going insane or Wrex turned into a fucking lion. My mind tried to wrap around what I’d seen and failed. People didn’t turn into animals, period. Maybe I had been in that helicopter and this was some sort of alternative universe, my own personal hell of sorts.
When the car stopped to let me out, the ordinary manicured lawn and modest two-story house never seemed so inviting. All the lights were off, all but for the porch light. It was midnight. My mom would be sleeping, but I knew in the back of the frog statue on the porch were rocks to keep it put and our extra key. Even in the low light, I found it with no problem. However, when I reached the door, it was unlocked. Noting the oddity, I forged ahead, closing the door behind me.
I smelled it first, the sick coppery smell of fresh blood. Flipping the switch, I saw bright red streaks like a body had been drug across our kitchen floor. The streaks pointed to the door that led to the garage.
“Mom,” I whispered, feeling dread in my gut.
I tiptoed to the door and turned the knob, opening it into darkness. My hand found the switch that would turn on the lights to the garage. Nevertheless, I paused and took a deep breath. The room smelled like death even though I’d never smelled death that way before. Amazingly, I could see through the dark, her form lying in a heap in front of her minivan. Already, I could feel her absence. Turning on the light didn’t change anything. My mom had been killed, bitten on the neck precisely like I’d been, her blood spilled out around her. I turned my head, no longer able to look at her twisted, lifeless body. I reached up to touch my neck, knowing it could’ve been me.
It should’ve been me.
Jonah…I thought of how earlier I told him I was home.
Wrex… he’d been gone all day. But it couldn’t be him, could it? I did just see him transform from a lion into a man.
Nevertheless, it was a mountain lion who attacked me, bit me, and the lion who’d saved me from him. I’d wished I’d listened to Wrex and didn’t tell anyone where I was. I’d led Jonah to my mother. Not knowing where to turn, I wanted nothing more than to be rescued now. As if summoned by my longing, Wrex was behind me. Able to feel his presence, I didn’t need to turn around to know. But, I did. I rolled into his chest and collapsed. The weight of all that had happened in 48 hours had taken its toll. Wrex carried me to his Harley. I wrapped my arms around his back as he drove me back to San Antonio.
At the room in the clubhouse, I’d just gotten out of the bathroom where I’d washed my tear-stricken face and cleaned the vomit taste from my mouth. Wrex poured us shots of whiskey. This morning seemed like a world away. Now, I emptied the shots, not caring how bad the liquid stung my throat. My mom was dead, murdered because of me. My best friend and roommate was dead. Everyone thought I was dead. Inhaling deep to calm myself, I could smell the night and sense that I was safe for now. Safe with this strange man who I shared the memory of Locus with. We talked a while about all her quirks and charms. We laughed and we cried.
Wrex tried to explain what I’d witnessed in the warehouse. Validating my recollection, he admitted he changed into a lion. He called himself a shifter and kept saying, since I’d been bitten, I’d change soon too, since I hadn’t died right away.
“Change?” He meant transform into a cat, I figured. “Like
