Jessica’s heart pounded as she raced down the crowded hallway of Moon High. Lockers blurred past her, their metal doors gleaming under the harsh fluorescent lights. Something was wrong. The air felt thick with an unnatural silence that set her nerves on edge.
She skidded to a stop, her cheerleading skirt swishing around her thighs. Where was everyone? The hall should have been bustling with students, but it stretched out before her, empty and foreboding.
A low growl echoed behind her.
Jessica whirled around, her long blonde hair whipping across her face. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw Tiffany standing at the far end of the hall. But it wasn’t Tiffany, not really. Her squad captain’s face twisted into a feral snarl, her perfect white teeth elongated into razor-sharp fangs.
“Tiffany?” Jessica’s voice came out as a strangled whisper. “What’s going on?”
Tiffany’s only response was another growl, deeper this time. As Jessica watched in horror, her friend’s body changed. Bones cracked and shifted, clothes tearing as Tiffany’s form expanded. In a matter of seconds, where the cheerleader had stood was now a massive, fur-covered beast with gleaming yellow eyes.
Jessica stumbled backward, her mind reeling. This couldn’t be happening. It wasn’t possible.
A chorus of growls erupted around her. Jessica spun in a circle, her heart threatening to burst from her chest. More of her classmates were emerging from classrooms and side hallways, all of them undergoing the same terrifying transformation.
Amber, her eyes wild with bloodlust. Camella, black fur sprouting from her once-flawless skin. Mia, her cheerleader’s smile, warped into a monstrous leer.
“No,” Jessica whispered, backing away. “No, no, no.”
She turned and ran, her feet pounding against the linoleum floor. Behind her, she could hear the scrape of claws, the snap of powerful jaws. The beasts that had been her friends were giving chase.
Jessica burst through the double doors at the end of the hall, emerging into the inky blackness of the night. How was that possible? It had been midday just moments ago.
She had no time to ponder the impossibility. The growls were getting closer. Jessica plunged into the woods that bordered the school, branches whipping at her face as she ran blindly through the underbrush.
Her lungs burned, legs trembling with exhaustion, but she didn’t dare slow down. She could hear them crashing through the forest behind her, getting closer with each passing second.
Suddenly, the ground disappeared beneath her feet. Jessica tumbled down a steep embankment, rocks and twigs tearing at her skin. She came to a stop at the bottom, dazed and aching.
As she struggled to her feet, a twig snapped nearby. Jessica looked up, her blood turning to ice in her veins.
They had found her.
A circle of werewolves surrounded her, their massive forms silhouetted against the moonlit sky. Yellow eyes gleamed with predatory hunger as they closed in.
Jessica opened her mouth to scream—
And jerked awake, a strangled gasp escaping her lips.
For a long moment, she lay frozen in her bed, heart racing, skin slick with cold sweat. The shadows in her room appeared to shift and move, and Jessica forcefully reminded herself that it had only been a dream. There were no monsters lurking in the corners, no werewolves waiting to pounce.
She fumbled for her phone on the nightstand, squinting at the sudden brightness of the screen. 2:17 AM. Jessica groaned, flopping back onto her pillow. Great. Another restless night.
Jessica noticed a strange tingling feeling in her body as her pulse slowly returned to its regular rhythm. It was as if every nerve ending was on high alert, hyper-aware of even the slightest stimuli. The brush of her sheets against her skin felt almost painfully intense.
And the smells. God, the smells. Jessica wrinkled her nose, overwhelmed by a cacophony of scents she’d never noticed before. The faint mustiness of old books from her bookshelf. The lingering traces of her shampoo on her pillow. And underneath it all, a wild, earthy scent that made something deep inside her stir restlessly.
Jessica shook her head, trying to clear the cobwebs from her mind. She was just on edge from the nightmare, that’s all. A perfectly normal reaction to being chased by werewolf versions of her friends.
She huffed out a humorless laugh. Werewolves. Right. She’d been spending way too much time thinking about her old supernatural club days lately.
Determined to get at least a few more hours of sleep, Jessica rolled onto her side and pulled the covers up to her chin. She focused on taking deep, even breaths, willing her body to relax.
Slowly, the strange sensations faded. The tingling subsided, the overwhelming smells receding to a more manageable level. Jessica felt herself drifting off, her eyelids growing heavy.
Just before sleep claimed her, a fleeting thought crossed her mind. Hadn’t there been something about a wolf in the woods? Something that had actually happened, not just a dream?
But the thought slipped away as quickly as it had come, lost in the depths of encroaching slumber.
This time, Jessica’s sleep was deep and dreamless. When consciousness finally creeped back in, she felt more rested than she had in days. Sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, warming her face.
Jessica stretched languidly, enjoying the peaceful moment. Then her eyes snapped open, landing on her alarm clock.
“Shit!”
She bolted upright, panic flooding her system. The glowing red numbers on her clock face seemed to mock her. 8:47 AM. School started at 9:00.
Jessica scrambled out of bed, nearly face-planting as her foot caught in her tangled sheets. She hopped around her room, pulling on the first clothes she could grab–a pair of jeans that may or may not have been clean and a faded t-shirt she was pretty sure belonged to her dad.
No time for a shower. Jessica ran a brush through her tangled hair, wincing as it caught in knots. She’d have to make do with a messy ponytail.
Makeup was another casualty of her tardiness. Jessica splashed some water on her face and brushed her teeth in record time, grimacing at her reflection in the bathroom mirror. She looked like death warmed over, with dark circles under her eyes and skin pale enough to rival Salina’s goth aesthetic.
“Whatever,” Jessica muttered, grabbing her backpack from where she’d dumped it by her bedroom door. “Not like anyone’s going to notice, anyway.”
She thundered down the stairs, taking them two at a time. The house was quiet–her dad must have already left for work. Small mercies, at least. She didn’t have time for another lecture about responsibility and punctuality.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Jessica snagged an apple from the bowl on the kitchen counter, shoving it into her bag as she headed for the front door. She’d have to skip her usual morning routine of scrolling through social media while nursing a cup of coffee. The caffeine withdrawal was going to hit her hard later, but that was a problem for future Jessica.
She burst out of the house, not bothering to lock the door behind her. The morning air was crisp, carrying the scent of freshly cut grass and something wilder, more primal. Jessica’s nostrils flared, that strange restlessness from earlier stirring once again in her chest.
She shook it off, breaking into a run. No time to ponder weird animal instincts or whatever the hell was going on with her senses lately. She had exactly ten minutes to make it to first period, and Moon High was a good fifteen-minute walk away.
As Jessica sprinted down the sidewalk, her backpack bouncing uncomfortably against her spine, she couldn’t shake the feeling that something fundamental had shifted. That her world had tilted on its axis, and nothing would ever be quite the same again.
But those were thoughts for another time. Right now, all that mattered was making it to class before the last bell rang. Jessica pushed herself harder, her feet pounding against the pavement as she raced towards Moon High and whatever the day might bring.
*****
Jessica skidded into her first-period class just as the last bell rang, her chest heaving from the sprint across town. She slumped into her seat, grateful to have made it in time, but the relief was short-lived. As her breathing slowed, a cacophony of scents and sounds assaulted her senses.
The musty odor of old textbooks mingled with the chemical tang of whiteboard markers. Underneath it all, a dizzying array of individual scents–flowery perfumes, stale sweat, the lingering traces of someone’s breakfast. Jessica wrinkled her nose, fighting the urge to gag.
And the sounds. God, the sounds. She could hear everything–the scratch of pencils on paper, the rustle of clothing as students shifted in their seats, even the steady thump of heartbeats all around her. It was overwhelming, like someone had cranked the volume of the world to eleven.
“Ms. Tumblerlee, so nice of you to join us,” Mr. Hernandez’s voice cut through the sensory overload. “I trust you’re prepared for today’s pop quiz?”
Jessica’s head snapped up, her eyes widening in panic. “Pop quiz? But I—”
“Relax, I’m kidding,” Mr. Hernandez said with a wry smile. “But perhaps next time, try to arrive with enough time to at least open your textbook?”
A few scattered chuckles rippled through the classroom. Jessica felt her cheeks flush with embarrassment. “Sorry, Mr. Hernandez. It won’t happen again.”
As the teacher launched into his lecture, Jessica tried to focus. But concentrating was nearly impossible with the constant barrage of stimuli. She could hear conversations from classrooms down the hall as clearly as if they were happening right next to her. The ticking of the clock on the wall seemed to reverberate through her skull like a hammer strike.
By the time the bell rang, signaling the end of class, Jessica’s head was pounding. She gathered her things quickly, eager to escape the confines of the classroom.
In the hallway, she nearly collided with Tiffany, who was holding court by the lockers with the rest of the cheerleading squad.
“Whoa girl, where’s the fire?” Tiffany asked, arching a perfectly manicured eyebrow. “You look like hell, by the way. Late night?”
Jessica forced a smile, trying to ignore the way Tiffany’s perfume made her eyes water. “Something like that. Didn’t sleep well.”
Amber leaned in, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “Ooh, hot date? Spill the deets!”
“What? No, nothing like that,” Jessica said, shaking her head. “Just... weird dreams.”
“Ugh, boring,” Tiffany declared. “Come on, we’ve got history. Try not to fall asleep in class, okay? It’s not a good look.”
As they walked to their next class, Jessica tried to act normal. But everything felt off-kilter. She felt her skin prickle with a sharp sense of alertness, as she started watching her classmates’ actions with an almost predatory intensity.
When they reached the history classroom, Jessica’s stomach let out an embarrassingly loud growl. It dawned on her that she hadn’t had a meal since... She couldn’t recall the exact time. The apple she’d grabbed this morning was still untouched in her backpack.
“Damn, girl,” Mia laughed. “Skipping breakfast was a bad call.”
Jessica mumbled an agreement, but as she slid into her seat, she realized it wasn’t just ordinary hunger gnawing at her insides. She was craving something specific. Something... raw.
The thought of a juicy steak, barely seared and dripping with blood, made her mouth water. Jessica swallowed hard, trying to banish the image from her mind. What the hell was wrong with her? She’d been a vegetarian for the past two years.
In history class, Jessica fought against hunger and a growing sense of restlessness. Her leg bounced incessantly under her desk, and she couldn’t seem to get comfortable in her chair. Every shuffle and whisper from her classmates grated on her nerves.
When the teacher called on her to answer a question about the Civil War, Jessica surprised herself by rattling off dates and facts she was certain she’d never learned. It felt as if Jessica had downloaded the information directly into her brain overnight.
The morning dragged on interminably. By the time lunch rolled around, Jessica was a bundle of frayed nerves and conflicting impulses. She followed her friends to the cafeteria on autopilot, the cacophony of voices and clattering trays threatening to overwhelm her.
“You gonna eat that?” Camella asked, eyeing Jessica’s untouched salad.
Jessica looked down at her tray, realizing she’d been staring blankly into space. The limp lettuce leaves and anemic tomato slices held no appeal. What she really wanted was...
Her gaze drifted to the burger on Amber’s plate. It wasn’t exactly rare, but Jessica could smell the beef, could practically taste the blood...
“Earth to Jessica!” Tiffany’s sharp voice snapped her out of her daze. “Seriously, what is with you today? You’re acting super weird.”
Jessica blinked, forcing herself to look away from Amber’s lunch. “Sorry, I’m just... not feeling great. Maybe I’m coming down with something.”
“Well, don’t give it to the rest of us,” Tiffany said, wrinkling her nose. “We’ve got a big game coming up. Can’t afford to have anyone out sick.”
Jessica nodded absently, her mind already drifting again. She needed to get out of here, needed to clear her head. Without really thinking about it, she stood up abruptly.
“I’m gonna go to the nurse,” she muttered. “See you guys later.”
She hurried out of the cafeteria, ignoring her friends’ concerned looks. Instead of going to the nurse’s office, Jessica ended up walking to the gym. P.E. was next period anyway. Maybe if she ran a few laps, burned off some of this restless energy, she’d feel more like herself.
The gym was empty when Jessica arrived. She changed quickly into her P.E. uniform, relishing the quiet after the sensory onslaught of the cafeteria. As she stepped out onto the track, she took a deep breath, letting the crisp air fill her lungs.
And then she ran.
The moment her feet hit the track, something clicked into place. All the confusion and discomfort of the day melted away as Jessica found her rhythm. She ran faster than she ever had before, her legs pumping effortlessly, eating up the distance.
Wind whipped through her hair as she flew around the track. One lap, two, three... Jessica lost count, lost herself in the pure, animal joy of movement. She felt powerful, unstoppable.
It wasn’t until she heard a startled gasp that Jessica realized she wasn’t alone anymore. She skidded to a stop, turning to see Coach Harris staring at her with wide eyes.
“Tumblerlee?” he said, his voice a mix of disbelief and awe. “How long have you been out here?”
Jessica glanced at the clock on the gym wall, her own eyes widening in shock. She’d been running for nearly twenty minutes straight, at a pace that would make Olympic sprinters jealous.
“I... I don’t know,” she stammered. “I was just warming up for class.”
Coach Harris shook his head, a grin spreading across his face. “Warming up? Kid, you just shattered every track record this school has ever had. Where the hell have you been hiding that speed?”
Jessica opened her mouth to respond, but no words came out. How could she explain something she didn’t understand herself?
As her classmates filed into the gym, Jessica felt a wave of panic wash over her. What was happening to her? The heightened senses, the strange cravings, and now this impossible burst of speed and stamina...
She glimpsed her reflection in the gym’s mirrored wall. Her eyes seemed to glow with an inner light, and for a moment–just a moment–she could have sworn they flashed a brilliant, inhuman yellow.
Jessica blinked, and her reflection returned to normal. But the unsettling feeling remained. Something was changing inside her, something beyond her control. She had no clue on how to put an end to it–or if she even had the desire to.
As Coach Harris gathered the class to start their warm-up exercises, Jessica hung back, her mind racing. She needed answers, needed to understand what was happening to her body. But who could she turn to? Who would believe her?
The memory of that night in the woods, of sharp teeth and glowing eyes, flickered at the edges of her consciousness. Jessica pushed it away, not ready to face the implications of that half-remembered encounter.
For now, all she could do was try to keep it together, to pretend everything was normal. But as she joined her classmates on the gym floor, Jessica couldn’t shake the feeling that her life had irrevocably changed. That the Jessica Parker who had woken up this morning was already gone, replaced by something... other.
The question was, what would take her place?