Short summary:
There抯 a full moon over Lawndale tonight, and the
seeds of change are sown (and it抯 not only about werewolves either)?In
this story, Daria learns to bite, Quinn to suck and swallow, and Mack抯 family
system is uncovered.
Daria (and
associated characters and locations) is copyright ?1997-2000 MTV Networks.
This story is copyright ?2002 by Bacner (olgak531@rogers.com) and has been written for personal enjoyment. No infringement of the above rights is intended.
Daria Morgendorffer awoke from a restless slumber and immediately prepared herself for the rust of the upcoming insanity. And naturally, it failed to come.
Blinking, feeling oddly unbalanced and confused, Daria made her way downstairs. Sure enough, her parents and her younger sister ?Quinn ?were gone already, gone to work and to school, the latter being missed by Daria herself because of her latest ailment ?an ear infection, that was making her ears internally ring, and her sanity ?seriously fray around the edges.
Only now ?it was gone without a trace, and what抯 more?/p>
Daria shook her head. It was ridiculous. Her hearing hadn抰 improved since last night. It was just her imagination. Or something.
Slowly, owlishly, Daria took a look around the kitchen. On the fridge ?besides the latest news of wild coyotes being sighted in the Lawndale park ?was a note from her mom Helen, saying that breakfast was on the table ?and indeed it was, a bowl full of dry cereal and a pot full of cooled-off (by now) milk.
揗ilk,?Daria muttered, feeling suddenly disgusted. 揅ereal and milk. I hate Mondays.?/p>
Daria took a pause in her train of thought and started to re-think her past week. It started with her getting her ears infected due to the swimming period of the gym semester at Lawndale High, and ended with a Morgendorffer family BBQ last weekend, with even Daria attending it (wearing compresses on her ears, courtesy of one Matthew Costiger-Lane, a remote cousin of Jane and Trent, living somewhere in Oregon). The BBQ was taking place in Lawndale park, nevermind the fact that it was supposedly full of wild coyotes and traps set for them by both park and city authorities and some private amateurs and professionals.
Daria closed her eyes, while chewing her cereal, and remembered the previous day. The BBQ was taking place late in afternoon ?because mom was constantly delayed by Eric抯 phone calls, dad was delayed by his inattention, and Quinn was?well, Quinn just didn't see the reason behind a family BBQ. Neither did Daria, of course, but for different reasons, one of them being her complete misery over her ailment (unlike her more common-place, incomplete misery over the vanity of all substance, living and otherwise). But as usual, the steam locomotive that was Helen Morgendorffer had overridden every obstacle and counter-argument, as it was usual in Morgendorffer household.
And so, the Morgendorffer BBQ was held. As usual, Helen was soon distracted by some scintillating conversation with some stranger via her cell-phone, Jake and Quinn began to work ?or rather, to fire-up, the grill, and Daria just sat there, looking as miserable as an owl in a sunlit sylvan clearing among a company of crows and jackdaws. And it was only natural, that the coyotes, who hadn抰 been seen 慽n person?for a while now and whose existence was actually began to be doubted, chose that moment to attack, looking like several furry, greyish-rowan-brown, bat-eared, land sharks. The similarity between these predators and the great piscine carnivores of the sea was further emphasized by the coyotes?glinting teeth and maniacal red eyes. In other words, they looked so scary, that Helen actually abandoned her cell phone and scaled the nearest aspen tree as if she was a professional squirrel, Jake and Quinn just took-off haring through the bushes as if they were chased by a stampeding herd of rabid wild boars, and Daria?followed them.
Only not for long. One of the coyotes managed to catch up to her, snapping his muzzle as if it was a pair of scissors or shrub-cutters. Needless to say, it had bitten Daria Morgendorffer quite nastily on the ass too. However, the realization of that fact caused Daria to jump diagonally upwards, and scale the nearest ash-tree as if she was a marten or a fisher.
The coyote, of course, wasn't so easily dissuaded. It began to circle around the tree, apparently preparing for another lunge, this one upwards. However, at that moment came a bellowing cry so full of pain and horror, followed by such an ear-piercing shriek of fear and terror (not to mention ear-ache), that the coyotes fled, with the tails between their legs.
Needless to say, that抎 been Jake and Quinn. Jake, while fleeing from the coyotes, got his foot caught in a trap, set by some eager-beaver park ranger or trapper wannabe, of course, and yelled not only from pain, but from surprise. And Quinn didn't get caught any part of her body in anything, but Jake抯 bellow was scary enough for her to 揺cho?him throughout the Lawndale park. Needless to say, the park抯 rangers were not amused, and so, to the BBQ抯 tally (consisting already of Helen抯 cell phone, chewed up so thoroughly, that it even couldn't be 揹ecently buried? the grill and the meat patties on it, charred and broiled to such extent that only Lawndale city dump would want them, and Daria抯 bite on her ass), was added a nasty bill from the park抯 management, consisting of the Morgendorffer man and youngest offspring scaring-off other visitors. However, Helen managed to take care of that.
Well, that抎 been Sunday, as far as Daria could remember; everything afterwards was a bit of a blur. And now ?she felt physically A-OK. For Daria, that was worrying and concerning.
Tick-tock, tick-tock?Daria抯 eyes widened in sudden realization ?two realizations, for that matter. A, she could hear the Morgendorffer wall-clock while during the duration of her sickness she hadn抰 been able to, and B, her sacrum and other portions of lower anatomy, beaten slightly around twenty-four hours ago, didn't hurt at all. Yet yesterday they really were?uncomfortable.
揝omething weird is going on around here,?Daria muttered. 揑 think I should go and hide in my room till it stops.?But at that moment a fresh external breeze came through the Morgendorffers?backyard door, carrying with it exciting new sounds?and smells!
Without thinking, Daria cast aside her cereal and went outside.
Outside greeted Daria with freshness and greenness. Everything seemed brand new and wonderful ?as if it was still May, not June. Daria looked around herself, while absent-mindedly scratching behind her right ear. 揟hat抯 weird,?she muttered. 揑 still feel like myself?only my self is now different. Maybe I should call aunt Amy.?Suddenly, a robin landed next to her. Without thinking, Daria lunged after it, yelling wildly something unintelligent. Needless to say, she would usually find such behaviour in either herself or anybody else highly discerning, but now she found this behaviour natural and exciting?and irritating. The robin, that is. It just wouldn抰 get caught, flying away so fast-
揗rraow!?a bundle of fluffy white fur suddenly lunged off the Morgendorffer trellis, catching the bird right in the middle of its?get-away, leaving Daria just blinking confusedly. 揟hanks!?/p>
Daria stared. The once-pesky robin was now hanging limply between the teeth of a fluffy white cat, obviously pedigree, now obviously dead ?and there was nobody else in sight. 揇id you just talk to me??she said, suddenly feeling the need to sit down ?on dirty ground or no dirty ground. The cat didn抰 say anything but just proceeded ?haughtily ?to walk away from the trellis to a niche between roots of a maple tree growing in the Morgendorffer yard, and there it proceeded to convert the robin into a meal of its?
Daria frowned. The cat ?somehow ?emitted familiarity of a closer kind than just what Daria could see. 揇on't I know you??she asked, deciding that she was probably already nuts and talking to cat couldn't hurt her further. 揧ou look familiar, or at least pedigree enough to not be just an alley cat.?/p>
揟hanks,?the cat looked away from its??hers? ?bloody meal and almost smiled in a Cheshire cat-slash-human style at the befuddled teen. 揑t was very nice of you to wear it down for me to catch it.?/p>
揑t? Don't birds have gender??/p>
揟hat, my dear, should concern only other birds ?of its?kind, most probable. We?have other matters to concern us.?/p>
揙h?okay. But seriously ?do I know you??/p>
揝ure you do ?I抦 the Griffins?cat.?/p>
揧ou're Fluffy?! What are you doing here? Won't Sandi ?your owner ?be worried about you??/p>
The cat almost rolled her eyes. 揝he doesn't know about this, does she? And besides ?she抯 a nice, but absent-minded owner: she constantly forgets to close and lock the windows in her room whenever she locks me in it.?/p>
揂nd you抮e being here because??/p>
揙h, just thinking that somebody in here might be needing a helpful paw?after the yesterday抯 events in the park.?/p>
揥hat, you抳e been there too??/p>
揘o, but the shouts that two of your family have made were heard quite clearly, thank you. Did you know your sister had almost managed to reach into the ultrasound range??/p>
揧es, well, she still has miles to go till she reaches Brittany Taylor抯 perfection,?Daria waved her hand. 揝o why you are here, and not somebody else??/p>
Fluffy shrugged. 揑 don't know. Maybe 慶ause I'm a kind-hearted critter, and 慶ause somebody got to do it ?might as well be me.?/p>
揇o what??/p>
揃e here. Give a helpful paw.?/p>
揥hy? For what reason??/p>
At that moment Fluffy smiled. Really smiled. Cheshire-cat-smiled. 揟he reason, Daria? Ah, the reason?The reason, Daria, will be apparent later ?much later. And believe me, my presence around here?will be appreciated ?much appreciated.?/p>
揝hould I be worried??/p>
揘ot really. It抯 inevitable, I suppose. Fate, I guess.?/p>
揜ight, fate, right. So Fluffy, won抰 Sandi be worried??/p>
Fluffy stretched and began to walk someplace else. 揕et us worry about Sandi in an appropriate time slot Daria, in an appropriate time?But for now ?see ya!?
As fast as a ball of white fluffy greased lightning the Persian cat raced through the Morgendorffer back yard and disappeared.
While those truly supernatural events were taking place in the Morgendorffer house and backyard, in another part of Lawndale ?an office building ?Helen Morgendorffer was experiencing odd feelings of her own. Feelings of unrecognizable - and ungrounded ?worry and concern.
揝o how抯 our very own tree-climber doing today??came a cheery voice of own of Helen抯 co-workers, Rebecca Unjovic. Helen made a face. Rebecca抯 parents had immigrated here from Serbia or another Balkan country, but Rebecca herself was almost completely American ?all the way to living the American dream of working hard for one抯 money. And coupling this with her rather?exotic appearance, made Helen very worried about her being surpassed by Rebecca in a race after a partnership in the firm, made her very worried about that reason indeed.
揟hat抯 not funny, Rebecca,?she severely said. 揕ast day was no laughing matter at all! That?that brute?it had taken my cell phone in its?mouth and chewed it up and spat the parts of it out all over the clearing! And it had looked like a furry long-legged crocodile, and its?eyes very red and rabid! I really don't fancy meeting it again ?unless it was dead or in a cage.?/p>
Rebecca nodded, thoughtfully. Helen抯 yesterday抯 adventure was a source of good gossip throughout the firm by now; many people were very interested in knowing what had actually happened back then. And here was Helen, saying that openly.
Rebecca frowned, and remembered some other rumours from the previous day. 揇idn't somebody get bitten last day as well??she asked.
揘o. Daria only escaped with a ripped skirt; oh, and Jake caught his foot in a wolf-trap and is currently in a hospital; he抣l return home later.?/p>
揋ee, that抯 awful Helen,?Rebecca said with a grin that belied her words. 揑抦 so happy that you抎 been so lucky.?/p>
揧es, indeed, sough it makes me worried as to what would抳e happened if we weren't so lucky,?Helen said through gritted teeth. 揘ow if you excuse me, I've got work to do!?She stalked off.
At the same time at Lawndale High, Daria抯 younger sister, and Helen抯 youngest daughter, Quinn Morgendorffer, was thoroughly enjoying the attention that she was receiving from yesterday抯 events, mostly from boy students of her age. Other students ?mainly female, mostly cheerleader and her fellow Fashion Club members ?were eyeing her with envy and irritation. 揋lory hog,?one of them muttered, even (Sandi Griffin). But there were other people who were viewing and eyeing her with totally different facial expressions?The face of Andrea Hecuba, the school抯 weirdest student (including Daria and Jane) froze a very thoughtful and calculating look ?nothing else. On the face of Jane Lane抯 Daria抯 best, and almost only, friend, was nothing more but deep worry and concern. And the face of Lawndale High抯 football team抯 captain, Michael 揗ack Daddy?Jordan Mackenzie showed a mixture of Andrea抯 and Jane抯 emotions. But nobody was noticing them, all busy either with Quinn抯 搒pell-binding?narrative, or with their everyday life. And little did they know, that a new wind in Lawndale was blowing, that the life in Lawndale as they knew it, was changing?/p>
And where was Jake Morgendorffer, one may ask? Why, Jake Morgendorffer was currently in Lawndale抯 town hospital, getting treated for a serious foot injury, caused by severe tendon pinching by the wolf-trap of the previous day.
Actually, it wasn抰 so bad; in fact, Jake might抳e been released home much earlier on this morning (right about when Daria was realizing that something weird was happening to her), but his choleric temper did it again: the doctors thought that he was delirious by his yells about his father grinning at him from non-existence, and decided to detain him and run some tests on him for mental illness and delirium. Consequently, Jake Morgendorffer was out of the way for today as well, and thus on that Monday, Daria Morgendorffer had received an almost limitless freedom for manoeuvring, and manoeuvre, she did! Daria felt a sudden urge to go outside, and just walk ?and that抯 what she did. She went outside into the windy yet sunny day and began to aimlessly walk around town, feeling oddly restless for some reason?/p>
A phone rang. 揥ho is it??Helen Morgendorffer snapped irritably.
揌ello, Helen.?/p>
揕inda. What do you want??/p>
揌elen. As courteous and family-caring as always. Did you know that your oldest daughter is wandering around the town with the most peculiar expression on her face??/p>
揙h my ?she might be delirious!?/p>
揝he probably is ?what抯 your excuse? Leaving a sick child alone in the house, not knowing into what damn mischief she might get?yikes!?/p>
揕inda? Linda? Hello!?Helen slammed the receiver of her phone down. 揇amn that woman, she was just probably jerking my chain!?Still, some worry and concern did appear, so Helen did dial the Morgendorffer home number. An answering machine beeped in reply:
揧ou have currently tuned to the Morgendorffer household. Mom抯 at work, I'm sick and asleep, Quinn抯 at school, and dad is sick. Please leave your message after the ?BEEEP!?/p>
Helen rolled her eyes. That Linda! She抯 been just jerking her chain, so to speak. She thought about calling the other woman back, but at that moment a very important fax message came in, and Helen Morgendorffer forgot all about her.
揥ah! Dah! Gah!?Linda Griffin exclaimed, hanging of a tree branch. 揥here did they come from??慣hey?was a trio of brownish-grey ?from Linda抯 point of view anyway ?dog-like animals, namely coyotes. And they didn抰 seem happy ?not at least they抎 urinated all over Linda抯 automobile, while Linda herself sat on a nearest acacia tree and cursed them in impotent fury. Needless to say, that the car抯 paintwork was ruined completely, and when Linda Griffin finally got off the tree?
Daria Morgendorffer was gone.
Meanwhile, a couple of Daria抯 fellow students in Lawndale High: of Andrea Hecuba, and of Michael Jordan Mackenzie. And it was they who were now having a walk-in conversation of sorts.
揗ack,?Andrea began, sitting at the next desk with the football team抯 captain. 揥e need to talk.?/p>
揂bout what??Mack asked, suspecting that he knew the answer too well.
揂bout the coyotes. Their appearance there shows an厰
搮Uncharacteristic ?for them ?amount of cooperativeness??/p>
揂h! So you did notice??/p>
揑t was hard not to. Besides, they抳e avoided rather effectively the forces sent forth to capture them, although?the Lawndale park抯 rangers and Lawndale抯 police force?aren抰 any terrible obstacles, for fairness?sake.?/p>
揗ack!?Andrea said angrily. 揥hat does your?friend in the basement speak about them??/p>
揂, she抯 not my friend-?/p>
揃, you haven't asked her yet. I'll do it if you抮e so chicken.?/p>
揟o do that,?Mack said plainly, 搚ou抎 have to be invited to my house in the first place ?something that hadn抰 happened yet, to my knowledge.?/p>
Andrea抯 eyes glinted angrily from underneath her brows. 揗ichael Jordan Mackenzie! Now抯 not the time to balance the accounts-?/p>
揧ou're panicking, Andrea,?Mack said more coldly than any time before. 揚ersonally, even I am surprised that a pair-trio of coyotes could put into such a panic ?a bloated self-opinion much??/p>
Andrea抯 scowl was now black with anger. 揧ou're a fool, Michael Jordan Mackenzie, and that is that! You may have the means and you may have the skills, but I have knowledge and experience!..?/p>
揥hat we don抰 have,?Mack interrupted her curtly, 搃s the distance between us. I抦 remedying this right now: have a nice day, Andrea.?And he left with a finality in his step.
Andrea didn抰 try to pursue him; the glare in her eyes could抳e probably stunned a small animal at sixty paces. 揊oolish you, Michael Jordan Mackenzie,?she slowly hissed. 揥hen the time will come, I will be victorious, and nobody else!?/p>
While this was going on, back in Lawndale proper, Daria Morgendorffer had re-started to feel weird, like somebody ?or something, some force ?was beginning to re-arrange her internal organs, including her skeleton. She glanced at the sky and at her watch: it was one in the afternoon.
Daria groaned and rubbed her knees: they felt rubbery and weak. Still groaning slightly, Daria made her way towards a nearest bench and plopped down on it.
揗ind if we join you, stranger??a voice suddenly sounded, and two more people suddenly sat on Daria抯 left and right. Daria looked at them, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Back at the school, just as the classes were about to resume, the PA system came online. 揥ould Michael Jordan Mackenzie come to the principal抯 office??Ms. Li抯 voice came all over the school. 揌e抯 got a phone call waiting for him.?/p>
Emotionlessly, Mack got up and left the English class. He抎 been half-expecting this phone call since this morning.
Daria crossed her eyes to her right, then to her left. 揜honda!?she exclaimed. 揟omash!.. Tomash, please remove your arm off my shoulders; and how did you all get out of the joint??/p>
Rhonda Hudson snorted. 揙ld Daria still. And here young Spenser had grown forlorn missing you.?/p>
揜eally??Daria said a tad too quickly for her. 揜ight. So, your parents got the bill too??/p>
揧eah. Between the bill, and Derek抯?activities, we got released from the clinic pretty quickly.?/p>
揜eally??Daria repeated her question, though with a different voice impression. 揂nd where is that mastermind.?/p>
揌e抯 nervous,?Rhonda said with her trademark smile.
揘ervous? Of me? Why??/p>
揃ecause of yesterday,?Tomash Spenser spoke from Daria抯 left, and showed to Daria his palms. They were hairy. Daria blinked, and took a double-check of his, Rhonda抯, and her own palms. Sure enough, they all had different degrees of hairiness on them.
Daria blinked again, re-run in her mind some of the last conversation she had with Derek Bader while getting treated alongside him and Rhonda for possible mental deviations, and ?
揇erek Bader!?Daria literally roared. 揧ou get your crazy face right here, before my eyes, right now!?/p>
Back in Lawndale High, Michael Jordan Mackenzie took up the phone receiver in Ms. Li抯 office. 揧es??he spoke into it.
揝on??came the voice on the other end. 揑 want you to come home immediately after school.?/p>
揑've, ah, I've got football practice after it.?/p>
揘o you don抰: it got cancelled.?/p>
揑t did??Mack asked, surprised.
揑t did,?both the person on the other end of the line and Ms. Li assured him.
揙h; that抯 cool then; I'll see you later; bye!?and Mack put the receiver down and left Ms. Li抯 office.
揌ey, Daria,?Derek Bader, the relatively short teen with piebald-dyed hair carefully sat on the other side of Rhonda. 揌ow抯 life??/p>
揂wful. Some goddamn coyote bit me on the ass just 24 hours ago,?Daria said flatly.
揌ey, it was the perfect target back then,?Tomash rumbled from the other side of her. Rhonda snickered.
Daria groaned. 揑 should抳e guessed. So how did you pull it off??/p>
揇aria, hello, you got us the sites!?Rhonda exclaimed in that 慒ashion Queen?tone of hers. 揜emember??/p>
Daria blinked. 揑'm punished for being too sceptical. Great. So now what??/p>
揂 bit of formality,?Derek instantly perked up. 揂re you in or out??/p>
Daria stared. 揕et me think a bit. I don抰 really have incentive to stay out, but I don抰 have anything to keep me in, either.?/p>
揥hat about Tomash??Rhonda mischievously said.
Daria reddened. 揂s our science teacher Ms. Barch tends to say-?/p>
揧ou抮e also able to do all those things that you抳e said in group therapy sessions,?Derek spoke.
Daria stiffened. 揑 said before that that was-?she paused, suddenly thinking and listening only herself, until she restarted a totally different sentence. 揕ook, we won抰 be able to keep this thing under wraps forever. Sooner or later, the truth will come out or we will have to leave-?her voice trailed off again, and when Daria re-started her sentences for the third time, there was an unusual steely strength in it now. 揂ll right, I抦 in.?/p>
揌ey bro,?Kevin Thompson piped-up while Mack rejoined with his seat. 揥hat抯 the call was all about??/p>
揇ad wants me immediately home after school,?Mack shrugged.
揙h? You two are going coyote hunting as well??/p>
揥hat? What do you mean, 慳s well? Who抯 going hunting them in the first place??/p>
揙h?me and my dad, for a start!?
揜ight. You and your dad. Great. Those coyotes don't stand a chance,?said Mack, thinking: 憂ot laughing themselves silly, that is. Or is it hyenas? Wait厭
揗ack? Are you still in there? Hello!?Kevin impatiently said. 揧ou and your dad want to join us??/p>
揘o thanks, we wouldn't want to crump your style,?Mack shook his head.
揥ell then, suit yourself.?/p>
揟hat I will, Kevin, that I will.?/p>
揝o what happens now??Daria asked, as she, and the other teens, went walking through the park.
揘ow, mainly, we stretch time,?Derek admitted. 揟ill moonrise, that is.?/p>
揗oonrise? Not midnight??Daria asked, surprised.
揧eah, it surprised us too,?Tomash agreed, again ?so softly-softly ?draping his arm over her shoulders. 揃elieve us, Dear Ria, lycanthropy is not what it抯 supposed to be ?in a good way.?/p>
Rhonda and Derek snickered; Daria sent them a glare that would抳e petrified a medusa. 揌ate to interrupt this mirth at my expense,?she said sourly, 揵ut where we抣l be staying? Not at my folks?place, I doubt that-?/p>
揝ay no more,?Derek said calmly. 揥e have a hide-out in this town already ?just follow me.?/p>
There was a knock on the door. 揥ho is it??Helen called-out sourly.
揑t抯 police officer Custer, ma抋m.?/p>
揙h dear,?Helen sighed and opened the door. 揥hat has Jake done wrong now??/p>
揘o, no, it抯 not about your husband ?this time,?the police officer hurriedly said. 揑t抯 about your eldest daughter抯 ex-friends.?/p>
揗y eldest daughter doesn抰 have enough friends for them to become exes in the first place,?Helen said sourly.
揑'm talking about the summer of ?7; your daughter have spent some time in Rosencrantz?mental clinic, had she not??/p>
揘ow listen buster ?I mean officer; that was just a misunderstanding; my daughter is not crazy-?/p>
揘o, no, it抯 not that; it抯 just that at the clinic she抯 met those other kids ?Rhonda Hudson, Tomash Spenser, and Derek Bader, and now they抮e missing.?/p>
揂nd what wonders of logic had you tied my Daria with them??/p>
揑n all due honesty, ma抋m ?desperation. None of those kids had any other real friends excluding each other ?and your daughter was one of them. Did you ever check her e-mail accounts??/p>
揙fficer Custer, this is not some Orvellian anti-utopic society; this is democracy of America, and we do not spy on our children e-mails厰
揗a抋m, please. Three teens are gone, and your daughter抯 not at school either.?/p>
揥ell of course she isn抰. She抯 got an ear infection and is staying at home!?/p>
揂lone??/p>
揙fficer, she抯 not that incapacitated that she couldn抰 last for several hours; her condition is serious, but not that serious.?/p>
Custer sighed. It was painfully obvious now that Mrs. Morgendorffer knew practically squat about her daughter抯 private life, non-existing or not. 揙kay, fine. You wouldn抰 mind if we contacted your husband to collaborate you on that, do you??/p>
揗y husband,?said Helen in a stony voice, 搑eally is incapacitated due to an accident: he has his foot caught in a wolf trap the day before today, and is currently in Lawndale hospital, not in a condition to collaborate anything coherently!?/p>
Officer Custer blinked. 揙ne last question, ma抋m. How did your husband get your foot caught in a wolf-trap??/p>
揝omebody set it to catch those damn coyotes!!?Helen almost snarled. Custer took it as his cue to leave, and leave Helen抯 office he did.
He didn抰 have any reason to stay there anyway: as far as sources of information went, Helen Morgendorffer was as dry as an irrigation ditch in Central Asia in a drought period.
At that moment, his communicator turned on. 揥hat??he spoke irritably into it.
揅uster, this is Finch. Any breakthrough??/p>
揊orget it. Judging from the lack of concrete information, and an abundance of inflated indignation, Mrs. Morgendorffer knows nothing more than the parents of the other missing teens.?/p>
揑f it wasn抰 for those clinic records we wouldn't even have that,?Finch agreed on the other end. 揂nd what her husband??/p>
揅heck the Lawndale hospital, will you? Apparently, he抯 yet another trap case. Damn those coyotes! Where do the park抯 rangers look for them, anyways??/p>
揂t the bottom of their bottles, most likely,?Finch was sympathetic. 揑've known members of forestry force that could miss a Mercedes-Benz going past them with thundering noise and never notice it. So don抰 speak anything to me about coyotes.?He paused. 揝peaking of coyotes, can you wait a sec? I think I've received a statement of some sort about them, wait a sec厰
Custer waited impatiently while Finch on the other end searched for the tricky piece of paper. 揂h, here we go. 13:45 ?that抯 15 minutes ago, Jack ?from Linda Griffin. Apparently, the coyotes chased her up to a tree and chewed up her cell phone and pissed all over her car.?/p>
揥hat was she doing in the park with her car? Going on a picnic??/p>
揘o, Jack, this happened in Lawndale, believe it or not.?/p>
揟hat抯 upsetting, Allan, I sympathize with the guys who抣l get the night shift, but what does it got to do with this case??/p>
揥ell, Jack, listen to this: 憛and so, while I was observing Daria Morgendorffer wandering aimlessly through the streets in a clear state of delirium, those coyotes charged me and ruined my property.?Get the picture??/p>
Custer did. 揥here is Linda Griffin now? She and I need to talk.?/p>
The school bell rang, signifying the end of the school for the day. Unusually, Andrea Hecuba was walking past Mack now. 揌urry home, Mack Daddy dear??she said mockingly. 揧e gods, sometimes I think that you抮e becoming a lesser man as time passes!?/p>
揟hat抯 only natural,?Mack said evenly. 揧ou're becoming so butch, that even Mr. DeMartino is a lesser man compared to you. Cheers.?And he walked away.
揕et me get this straight,?Daria said flatly. 揟he police are after you, but don't know where to search??/p>
揂fter us, dear Daria, after us,?Derek corrected calmly. 揂nd no, they can抰 make neither heads nor tails to start our search.?/p>
揂nd even if they did, they抎 certainly not think of lycanthropy,?Daria agreed. 揝o what we抣l be doing after tonight??/p>
揂hem!?Fluffy appeared from under some bushes just as suddenly and unexpectedly as she did on that morning. 揅urb your horseflies a little, boys and girls!?/p>
The other teens stared at her, shocked as much as Daria was in the morning.
揥hat, you didn抰 know animals could talk??Daria said, surprised again.
The other shook their heads. 揑 suspected so, but was never proven so blatantly straightforwardly,?Derek admitted.
Fluffy rolled her eyes. 揟hat抯 because you were humans, now you抮e werewolves.?/p>
揃ut we抮e not werewolves; we抮e more like were-coyotes!?Rhonda protested.
Fluffy waved her left paw dismissingly. 揑t抯 not the point; the point is that you抮e not humans anymore, and I can talk with you directly.?/p>
揝o what do you want from us??Derek suspiciously said.
揂 bit of help, really,?Fluffy shrugged. 揟he animals of this town could use the help of a quartet of werewolves.?/p>
揥hy??/p>
揑t抯 long story ?I'll tell it to you after the sunset ?Yeowch!?
Nobody had time to react to Tomash抯 strike. The bigger teen had caught the Persian cat (and not a small-sized either) in a grasp and was looking at it very evilly. 揑f you had set any members of law enforcement onto our trail,?he began-
揘o, no!?Fluffy frantically yelped, 揑'm now whistle-blower, I抦 a cat with a dignity!?/p>
揂ll right,?Tomash said, releasing Fluffy abruptly onto the forest floor. 揊or now, I'll believe you. But if you抮e proven wrong ?you抣l regret the day you were born.?/p>
揧ou know something??Daria turned to Rhonda, while Tomash and Derek were drilling Fluffy with gazes that could be only described as 憉ncomfortable? ?i>I can抰 believe that I抦 about to become a member of a werewolf pack whom I knew as human patients of a shrink ward and who are currently arguing with a pussy cat. Does our lives turned weird or what??/p>
Rhonda just shrugged. 揚ersonally, I like it.?/p>
揑 thought you would, Miss Fashion Queen.?/p>
揇aria, hey! That抯 not funny!?/p>
Meanwhile, all over Lawndale, doors were clapping and slamming, as the students were returning home. And some of them were surprised, like Quinn Morgendorffer, who returned to a completely empty house, without any traces of her sister whatsoever, and Sandi Griffin, who saw her mother giving a written statement to a policeman. But most homecomings were pretty ordinary for the teenagers, although, in some cases, that 憄retty ordinary?could be very bizarre. Such was the case, in particular, of Mack: as soon as he had entered the Mackenzie house, he carefully ?and meticulously ?locked the door, ensured that all the windows were carefully covered with curtains, and only then opened the locked door to his basement.
揌ey Drakine, come on out!?he yelled.
揗om? Who was that police guy? What did he want from you??Sandi carefully asked.
揂 statement ?on those damn coyotes!?Linda snapped, warned by officer Custer not to speak needlessly about Daria抯 delirious wanderings in Lawndale ?just in case. 揥hy are you here so early anyways??/p>
揂ll after-school activities got cancelled,?Sandi then sighed?and suddenly stiffened. 揝ay mom, where抯 Fluffy??/p>
Back at Mackenzies?house?/p>
揥ell??/p>
揥ell what??/p>
揂ren't you going to ask me why抳e I called you immediately from school??/p>
揑 think I'm going to go on a limb and suggest that it抯 those coyotes.?/p>
揟hey're not coyotes, M.J., they抮e werewolves!?/p>
揝o what??Mack asked, noticing a flash of something suspiciously like fear in Drakine抯 eyes. 揥hy抎 you tie your tail in a knot, anyways? First Andrea wants to bury our animosity because of them and now you.?/p>
揂ndrea? How did you react??/p>
揂s usual. I don抰 know much about werewolves, other than their whole full moon thingy, but I know Andrea as well as a peeled egg, and think that she抯 really, really crazy.?/p>
揂w, you抮e just saying that to make me feel better!?Drakine jeered.
揘o, I'm saying that because I remember Aleko too well,?Mack said with a grimace. 揝o why did you call me home immediately after school??/p>
揃ecause of the werewolves, duh!?/p>
揇rakine, come on. It may be a full moon at night, but right it抯 still daytime!?/p>
Drakine抯 face took on a sarcastic expression. 揂nd here we let everything drop for a generous ovation to Mr. Whedon and the Mutant Enemy for their tantalizing flashes of the supernatural world via such pearls of the silver screen as 慉ngel?and 態(tài)uffy? The whole vampire-with-a-soul thing ?it抯 idiotic to say the least!; no gypsies would抳e been able to make such a curse in the first place!!?/p>
揓ust what,?Mack said tiredly, 揾as this got to do with our werewolves??
揂ha!?/p>
揑 meant ?coyotes, okay? It抯 just that you, and Andrea, and Quinn Morgendorffer and her gossip ?you抳e all talked my head off that I could probably call circles squares if I really try.?/p>
揃ack to werewolves,?Drakine replied, looking at Mack from underneath her eyebrow ridges. 揟hey need full moon period ?the three-four days in the middle of a month starting yesterday ?only to make more werewolves, or to become werewolves themselves. Otherwise, they can switch from man to wolf anyhow they want, nothing more, nothing less.?/p>
揅harming,?Mack said. 揃ut I still don't get, what抯 the buzz??/p>
揗ack.?Drakine rose to three-quarters of her full height, which was?considerable. 揧ou don抰 get it indeed: Lawndale is a small town. The last anybody like me, or Andrea would want, is anymore individuals with any abilities, you savvy??/p>
揝o what do we do? Stay in home all night??/p>
揘o, of course not,?Drakine shook her head, lowering herself back down. 揥e need to think off a plan for tonight, for tonight is the night when things change!?/p>
揝o??Finch asked Custer. 揇id our luck change??/p>
揟hat depends. Linda Griffin抯 statement alone isn't worth much, since she was less sure of her seeing the eldest Morgendorffer girl than she sounded. But I did check the Morgendorffer residence, and there was no one present there, so that Daria girl may抳e gone outside instead of staying home. However,?he paused, 揑 also talked to the Morgendorffers family doctor, and he did show me that that girl was sick with an ear infestation, so it is possible that she is delirious rather than scheming.?/p>
揟hat抯 nice, but that doesn抰 stop us from starting a town-wide search for her, now does it??/p>
揝ure Finch, you抮e the one with the brains, but?what good will it do if we do 慶apture?her? Not only this抣l bring on her mother抯 wrath upon us, it抯 most probable that she doesn't know anything what抳e befallen her ex-comrades ?if something did befall them, that is.?/p>
Finch shrugged. 揧ou抳e got to have hope Jack, you抳e got to have hope.?/p>
揝o Drakine, what are you thinking??Mack slowly asked.
揑'm juggling the facts we抳e learned in my head,?Drakine grouchily said, 揳nd I抦 leaning more and more towards the thought that you have a better idea than I am, you抮e just unaware of that yet.?/p>
揙h really? Make me aware then.?/p>
揧es, master,?Drakine bobbed her head in a mock genie-like way. 揟ell me more about this?Daria Morgendorffer person. Is she a socialite??/p>
揘o, she抯 not a socialite, though Andrea makes her seem like one. She抯 just?not very communicative and is Jodie抯 complete opposite, full of principles and such.?/p>
揝o she抯 a public speaker, she speaks out for what she believes??/p>
揙nly is she抯 pressed. Very hard pressed. Caught between the proverbial rock and hard place, even. Otherwise, she?pretty much not gives a sh*t, really.?/p>
揂h! I see! How interesting! But does she have any friends outside her immediate family??/p>
揝he doesn't really have friends in her immediate family; wait a sec, what are you saying??/p>
揟his morning抯 newspaper article says that she got bitten.?/p>
揜eally? I think it was leaning towards barely scratched.?/p>
揥erewolves don't do 慴arely scratches? And believe me, their victims do not vanish unexplainably the next morning.?/p>
揙h really? So you抮e saying that Daria抯 a werewolf??/p>
揝he will be, as soon as the sun sets and the full moon rises,?Drakine nodded thoughtfully. 揂nd as soon as that happens, we will go.?/p>
揋o where??Mack slowly said.
揧ou tell me. Does this Daria have any place to go if she抯 in search for a safe haven??
揑'm guessing the Lanes?house.?/p>
揟hen that抯 where we抣l go,?Drakine said, swinging her arm in an arc. Mack followed her swing with his eyes and saw the sun ?a huge, sultry, feverish ball the colour of molten yolk laced with wine-coloured veins, slowly sink towards the horizon.
揟hat抯 an omen, right??he muttered sadly.
揧up. You what that means??/p>
揥e're going to beat Andrea, won抰 we??/p>
揑t抯 a possibility, yes. But Andrea抯 as cowardly as she抯 greedy, she probably won抰 risk going outside after dark, alone at least. No, what抯 this really means, is that there will be a new werewolf howling on Lawndale抯 town streets tonight!?/p>
A phone rang. 揥ho is it??Quinn Morgendorffer spoke into the receiver.
揔u-Winn, have you seen Fluffy??Sandi抯 voice came from the other end.
揘o Sandi, I haven't. Besides, I've got bigger problems. Daria抯 missing, and if my parents learn about it ?eeek! I've got to go, bye!?/p>
Quinn slammed the phone抯 receiver down and prepared her most angelic smile just as the peals of Helen抯 angry, thunderous voice came from upstairs. 換uinn Louise Morgendorffer, where is your sister??/p>
Quinn抯 answer came as a scared squeak. 揑 don't know mother, she was gone before I came back home!?
揘ow listen, young lady,?Helen started to say, but Quinn was saved by the ringing of her phone. Again.
揥ho is it??she nervously asked. Then her face fell abruptly. 揙h, it抯 you. The art chick. Jean something.?/p>
揑t抯 Jane,?sounded on the other end of the line. 揌ow抯 Daria??/p>
揗om!?/p>
匰everal minutes later, on the other end of the line, Jane Lane put down the phone receiver dejectedly. 揥ell Trent, I'm feeling scared. Daria抯 sister says that she can抰 come to the phone right now, and she抯 sounding pressured, nervous, scared ?all very alarming signs. And I can't come over there too ?more bad news. Trent- Trent? Oh, forget it!?Jane waved her hands in disgust. 揟his is a crucial moment in our lives, Trent, and you have fallen asleep!?/p>
揝o Daria,?Derek spoke up suddenly. 揑 need to ask you something.?/p>
揥hat??Daria carefully asked. Back in their days at the mental clinic, Derek had proven to be the most cunning of them all ?including Daria, who was hardly an imbecile. However, he also had these flights of fancy, which could bring him to most incredible results, as Daria抯 palms, getting steadily hairier, could attest.
揑t's about our future hide-outs,?Derek continued.
揥hat about them? This abandoned chapel is very hide-out-y,?Daria said quickly.
揧es, true, but I was thinking about a spare.?/p>
揙h really? And how does this connect to me??/p>
揇aria Thelma Morgendorffer,?Derek said, spitting out a blade of grass that he was chewing on previously. 揅an you tell me more about a certain Jane Lane??/p>
In Lawndale抯 police department a phone rang.
揕awndale police department, how may we help you??/p>
揌elen Morgendorffer is calling. My daughter is missing.?/p>
The officer on duty ?Allan Finch ?didn't blink. 揧ou don't say! Any idea for how long??/p>
揘o! She抯 been alone since early morning, when I left for work and her sister for school!?/p>
揂nd your husband??/p>
揌e抯 in Lawndale hospital himself!?/p>
揑 see. Well ma抋m, I'll sent your 慺riend? officer Jack Custer over to your place and he抣l take the written statements from you and your other daughter, okay? Oh, and stay out of your eldest daughter抯 room too ?it might be important.?/p>
揂ll right!?Helen Morgendorffer put the phone receiver down.
Officer Finch looked at officer Custer. 揂s my granddad used to say, the ice floe is starting to move, gentlemen of the jury. Well Jack, this ice floe is certainly starting to move, so what are you doing sitting here? Move it!?/p>
揟his is ridiculous, Drakine, ridiculous,?Michael Jordan Mackenzie said, unconsciously walking around the room wringing his hands. 揑'm not going in your company to stalk the Lanes?house all night!?/p>
揑抦 sorry,?Drakine smiled, flashing her fangs from behind her thick lips, 揵ut since when you抮e the man of this house? There抯 only one way you may change my mind-?/p>
Mack stopped pacing and looked Drakine straight in the eye. 揂ll right, you抳e won. But I've got just one more question to ask you, ye fiend: if your calculations are correct, then what will we do if werewolf Daria does come to the Lanes?house and will bring company with her??/p>
揟hen, Mikey dear,?Drakine said, stretching her entire body to the very tail tip, 搘e establish a meaningful relationship with werewolf Daria and her new tribe.?/p>
Mack just stared, then sighed and shook his head. 揥hy isn抰 it my graduation time yet??he said miserably.
And outside, the sky was darkening, as the sun was sinking, and the full moon was rising, rising like a huge eye, like a huge, lidless eye, coloured cold silvery-yellow. No cloud was hanging in the sky and obscuring the moon抯 form, no tiny star was dimming ?even a tiny bit ?its?cold, yet powerful, light ?so close the moon seemingly was to Earth.
Of course, it was ridiculous, many people in Lawndale said, but they all hurried inside their houses and apartment buildings, and when inside they thoroughly locked their doors, and while outside they thoroughly buttoned their jackets and coats and pulled the hats down to their very ears ?for there was a wind in the air, and it was seemingly briskly cold for the middle of June. And the people were scared ?very scared ?in Lawndale, for moonlight was playing tricks on them, and changing shadows?/p>
In the Griffins?residence Sandi Griffin sat quietly in her room, weeping silently for the loss of her bellowed kitty Fluffy, unaware of a pair of green eyes that were watching her?/p>
In the Morgendorffers?residence Helen Morgendorffer was 慹ntertaining?officer Custer with details of Daria抯 life in particular and Morgendorffer life in general ?shortly after sending Quinn out of the house on a date. However, Quinn抯 date抯 car was having some technical problems, and so it was stalling?/p>
In the residence of Andrea Hecuba fire was burning ?too red and too hot to be electric. Andrea herself was sitting in the middle of her domain, periodically mixing some sort of a brew in her cauldron. 揇amn it!?she would also periodically curse. 揟oo much static interference! I would抳e been better off with a TV!?/p>
In the Lanes?residence electric lights were turned-of almost everywhere, because only two Lanes were really present, Trent and Jane, and Trent could抳e been easily taken out of the account because he was asleep. Jane, on the other hand, was wide-awake from worry and fear for her 慴rainiac?friend.
Before the Mackenzies?residence, some activity could be noticed, simply because Mack was locking their house, eyeing thoughtfully Drakine. The latter was shivering almost imperceptibly to the human eye, but Mack had shared roof over his head with her for a couple of years now, and so was much more trained in signs ocular than an ordinary man. 揌ere,?he curtly said, giving a small female coat to Drakine. 揑t抯 a bit cold outside to be going in your style,?he said, eyeing Drakine抯 outfit which was immodest to say the least.
揟hanks,?Drakine replied with almost perceptible gratitude. 揟here抯 magic in the air tonight. Now let抯 hurry to the Lanes?house, it抯 the next keystone in the whole chain!..?/p>
And in a desolate chapel on the edge of Lawndale cemetery Daria Morgendorffer was sitting on the ground in company of three of her older friends and small white Persian cat. She was sitting on the ground and she was looking at the moon, that great big source of that blindingly cold, silver light. The moon was emitting light like a projector, and steadily and not too slowly, permeating Daria抯 body to the very last cell. Suddenly Daria felt like she was falling into pieces getting reconnected together in completely different way. She only had one short shriek before the silvery-white light of oblivion washed through her completely.
揇amn it Quinn! The motor抯 dead!?Skylar Feldman kicked his car in anger. 揙f all the bloody times it had to be now!?/p>
揇on't worry Skylar,?said Quinn calmly. She knew that her mom wanted her to have this date only to keep her out of the police抯 rowing eye ?an extra witness was completely unnecessary. And Quinn was quite intelligent to completely agree with her mom ?this time. And so, all went smoothly until now, when Skylar抯 vehicle had decided to die. 揌ere Skylar, use my cell phone,?she said with a tiredness in her voice, a testimonial that her knowledge of the world was much greater than her tender years.
揟hanks Quinn!?Skylar gratefully said. 揑t抣l be a sec, don't worry.?He scurried off into the shadows of trees, abundantly growing on the side of the road.
Emotionlessly, Quinn watched him going.
Daria Morgendorffer slowly got up on her feet. Then she blinked and took a good look at them. Then she slowly rotated clockwise, and took as good a look at herself as she could. 揜honda,?she spoke in a changed voice to the other female present. 揑 don抰 suppose that you抳e got a mirror stashed in here somewhere??/p>
揇on't apply salt to my wounds,?Rhonda shook her head. 揃lame the guys. I told them that taking a mirror would be a good idea.?/p>
揝adly, the cons outweighed the pros,?Derek muttered sardonically. 揘ow come on, let抯 go and visit Miss Jane Lane.?/p>
揌ey!?Fluffy raised her voice from her corner. 揧ou can抰! You抳e promised to take care of Sandi.?/p>
揝o what抯 the rush, short stuff??Tomash Bader smiled nastily, in his new shape it was even scarier than when he actually looked human.
Fluffy nervously sat back a pace. 揕ook, you don't understand, this isn't my idea; Sandi Griffin has to be taken care of tonight, otherwise the consequences will be-?/p>
揈nough!?Derek snapped. 揘ow listen up cat. You want the job to be done ?then bring Sandi Griffin to the Lanes?residence do you hear? I said the final word on this matter, understand??/p>
Fluffy nodded, realizing that any further argument will be foolish and futile, if not downright dangerous. 揂ll right,?she agreed and vanished in the park抯 darkness.
A quartet of much larger quadrupeds followed her actions, snarling and squealing between each other.
Michael Jordan Mackenzie felt like a married man, and with a wife that was a completely damned wretch, as well. 揇ra-kine!?he called-out in a sing-song voice. 揃etter curtail your actions now, or I'll be angry!?/p>
揝orry dear!?and Drakine emerged from the shadows, looking rather more perked-up than usual. Mack could swear that he still saw droplets of some dark liquid falling off of her upper fangs, and could very well guess, as to what it probably was.
揇rakine,?he said in a voice so icy, that the latter almost retreated.
揑'm sorry,?she said almost guiltily. 揑t抯 the night抯 fault. It is so full of dark magic that I just had to have a snack.?/p>
Mack closed his eyes. When he had counted all the sheep that Little Bo-Peep had lost and needed to re-discover, he felt calm enough not to try to choke Drakine to death. 揌ow big,?he said rather evenly.
Drakine looked embarrassed. 揓ust one,?she said. 揌e has his own car.?/p>
揟hen I guess it is time for it to go 態(tài)oom??Mack said with a quiet despair mixed with determination.
Drakine nodded. She had her own plans for the girl, and so she didn抰 tell Mack about her.
While this was going on, Jane Lane was sitting in her room, feeling melancholy, despair, and angst, as well as worry, fear, and concern for her friend.
Suddenly, a sound similar to an explosion sounded in the distance. Jane stiffed. 揥hat抯 that??she wondered outloud.
At that moment her brother Trent looked into her room. 揤isitors, Janey,?he said and went back to sleep.
The next moment four pretty large coyotes entered Jane抯 room. Jane stiffened and grew pale.
And the coyotes continued to act strangely. They exchanged apparently meaningful glances, because two of them slipped out of the room, while the other two began to watch Jane. 揌i??Jane decided to break the ice. The coyote on her left nodded.
揌ey Jane,?she said. 揑t抯 me, Daria. I would like you to meet Rhonda.?/p>
Jane抯 voice box froze completely.
The explosion of Skylar抯 car resonated far through the rather quiet Lawndale. In the Morgendorffers?house police officer Jack Custer stiffened and hurried outside, followed by both curious and worried Helen.
The explosion was also heard by Sandi Griffin, who was however too busy chasing to her cat to pay to that sound any attention. In fact, the girl was so busy, so intent on chasing and capturing her cat that she didn't notice either several shadows with the glowing green eyes chasing her, or just where exactly was she going ?to a rather flea-pit like house, where something ?or some things almost imperceptibly growled in the shadows?/p>
It was a coincidence ?nothing more, but Sandi抯 best friend, worst enemy, and arch-rival in the Fashion Club ?Quinn Morgendorffer ?didn't pay any attention to the explosion either. Her nearly translucent corpse was lying in a ditch behind the road抯 curb, and was acceleratingly mutating under the magical moonlight?/p>
And Mack and Drakine didn't pay any attention to the explosion either. Great deeds lay ahead of them, only they didn't know it yet, for tonight, this very night, has actually been their coming-out signal?/p>
It was some time but at last Jane managed to recover her senses. 揇aria? Is that you? Why are you like this? And who is Rhonda??/p>
Daria took a dramatic pause. 揥ell, it抯 like this. A year before I came to Lawndale I had to go a mental clinic.?/p>
揘o! You??Jane sarcastically said.
揌ush! The clinic?wasn抰 such a bad place actually,?Daria said flatly. 揑t was for mal-adjusted children than downright crazy ones?an idea worthy of our Mr. O扤eill. And there I met Rhonda, Tomash, and Derek-?/p>
揝peaking of them, what抮e they doing?not here??Jane asked.
揋ood idea,?Daria apparently frowned. 揕et us wait for them first.?/p>
Back outside, Mack and Drakine ?two silhouettes, one completely human, one not quite ?were moving through the night. Suddenly, Drakine stiffened. 揟here抯 somebody up ahead,?she said.
揂nd without any regards for conspiracy,?Mack said dryly. Neither him nor Drakine, of course, bore any bright or gaudy coloured clothing on their bodies. Of course, Drakine often hinted that she could be going even naked, but Mack had rebelled against that: though there was nothing truly tying him and his 憈enant?together (besides bare necessity of their mutual survival), he did not want Drakine parading naked around their shared dwelling space, and made his desires known loud and clear.
Anyways, what disturbed Mack as much as it did Drakine, was that that the person that was walking before them, was acting like he or she was without a care in the world ?a behaviour completely unfitting at such a night. 揟he whole thing reeks Mack,?Drakine whispered quietly. 揟his whole thing reeks like a lamb at a slaughter house.?/p>
揑'm thinking that your metaphor is only half-off,?Mack thoughtfully whispered, finally recognizing the house, which suddenly loomed like a grey gargantua from the night. 揑'm thinking that this-?/p>
揊luffy! You come back here!?/p>
揝andi Griffin??Mack exclaimed almost too loudly than it was necessary. Drakine, whose senses were better and head ?clearer, quickly pulled him off the road.
揌ush!?she said quietly. 揑 think that this stage is set and we抣l be unwilling extras.?/p>
Mack抯 glare at her could抳e killed a viper at ten paces, but Drakine didn't flinch. 揑t抯 for our own good,?she hissed, and Mack could only submit ?but only for this time. Later, there would be Hell to pay.
While all this drama was occurring back stage, the main act was about to unfold. Sandi Griffin ?for it was she ?by now cared little about everything else but her Fluffy, her beloved kitty, practically the only creature in this world that she cared about, and which had been missing almost all day (little did she know that 慳n entire day?would be much more appropriate). But now it seemed that Sandi抯 sorrows were finally at the end, Fluffy was back, and as soon as she抣l be in Sandi抯 arms, all will be okay?/p>
Suddenly, Fluffy emitted a loud yawl and vanished in some gateway. Sandi rushed after her ?and two great shadows, greyer on the background of a greyer grey, rushed at her, scalding her with their festering breath.
Sandi had only time to scream once and briefly, before two werewolves ?for the shadows were Tomash and Derek ?bowled her down to the ground.
In another portion of Lawndale, the nocturnal darkness and silence were actually torn apart by flashing lights and howlings of police vehicles, as well as by the flickering flames of a fire of a different kind, now finally brought under control. 揥hat has happened here, Allan??police office Jack Custer had asked his friend.
揂n accident. Some drunken idiot must抳e lost control and smashed into the house抯 propane tank. Needless to say, the car was smashed into an accordion before into blew up into the sky. We抳e got our work cut out for us. Now it抯 the firemen business, not ours or the morticians. There isn't anything left to bury, just some smouldering firebrand and singed bones厰
At that moment in time, a cell phone began to ring. Under everybody抯 perplexed and irritated glances, the embarrassed Helen Morgendorffer identified the ringer as hers. 揥ho is it??she said angrily. 揙h, it抯 you Quinn? Oh, your date is over? That抯 good. Well, have a good night.?/p>
Back at the Lanes?house, or rather, the space before it, Sandi Griffin managed to wriggle out of young werewolves clutches and turned to flee, deciding that discretion was a better part of valour. Suddenly, a heavy bough flew out of the shadows of the bushes growing at the yard抯 side, knocking Sandi out. And the next moment, a throng of cats, surging out of every corner of the yard, raced over to Sandi抯 body and carried her off before the surprised and puzzled 慳udience?
A rather small yet fluffy pussy cat briefly separated from the vanished throng and turned to the werewolves. 揟hanks,?it said, 搚ou抣l be repaid somehow ?but later.?Then the cat vanished in the darkness, following its?relatives.
揥hat has been that??asked perplexed Jane after a short cry came from the Lanes?front yard. The solution appeared quickly enough, after the other two coyotes returned, managing to look actually surprised. 揋irls,?spoke one of them, ignoring (or accepting?) the definitely not-quadruped Jane. 揑 daresay we抳e walked smack into a crime. That damn pussy cat just had her mistress kidnapped by a whole throng of her fellow cats.?/p>
揥hat are you talking about??Jane spoke.
揝andi抯 cat Fluffy contacted us and asked us to help kidnap Sandi,?Daria reluctantly exclaimed.
Jane blinked. 揋reat. You're a werewolf ?and not the only one either; Sandi just has been kidnapped ?via a contract by her own cat; so what抯 next??/p>
揑've got a lamia living with me ?in the basement, that is,?spoke Michael Jordan Mackenzie, stepping into the room, followed by Drakine.
There was a pause. 揌ow the Hell did you two get in??Jane exhaled in a single breath.
揟he door was open,?shrugged Mack, 揳nd besides, those four got in.?/p>
揌ey, easy Mack ?one of them抯 Daria,?Jane quickly said.
揝o??/p>
揥ell, I know her.?/p>
揧ou know me too.?/p>
揧es, but she抯 a girl-?Jane began, but Drakine interrupted her:
揂nd I抦 not??she asked with a smile that could only be described as bloodthirsty and bone-chilling.
The qualities of this smile didn抰 remain unappreciated: the werewolves jumped up, snarling, Tomash in the lead.
揈asy there, ye fiery Finnish lads,?intercepted them Rhonda. 揕isten?you Big Mack, why抎 you and your mutant girlfriend come here??/p>
揂, she抯 not my girlfriend, B, she was always like that ?not a mutant or a human, and C?we抳e come to talk to the werewolves.?/p>
揝peak,?Derek instantly said with a voice of a real leader.
揥hoa-whoa-whoa!?Jane spoke up quickly. 揥ait a sec. Before you all will start you conference, I want to ask you: why here? What does this look like ?a communistic doss-house??/p>
揂ctually?yeah,?Tomash nodded. 揤ery much the quintessential doss-house.?/p>
Jane抯 voice stopped working for a second time. 揂,?at last she spoke in a stern tone of voice, 搕his was a rhetorical question, and B, I would ask you to refrain from cursing in my house. Do that, and?it抣l be a start, for a start.?/p>
揘oted,?Daria nodded and turned back to Mack and Drakine. 揂nd seriously guys ?why are you here??/p>
揟o meet you,?Drakine shrugged her shoulders. 揟o meet you?and to deal with you.?/p>
揇eal about what??/p>
揇eal about Andrea,?Mack explained.
揙h yeah,?Jane spoke-up. 揝he抯 a witch.?/p>
揂 real witch,?Mack explained. 揥ith a whole bloated lot of self-worth and personal paranoia.?/p>
揝o she抯 trouble??Derek specified.
揧es. She抯 the reason me and Drakine?got stuck with each other.?/p>
揙h really? How??Rhonda inquired curiously.
揥ell, it was two years ago. Me and my dad were living together, and dad?well, he had his moments, and then he didn't. Mom divorcing us and all left him with a rather soured attitude, and he soured the relations between me and him pretty quickly, too.
Then one night?no, rather, one day, Andrea Hecuba approached me, and asked me if I could safekeep for her a scattering silvery candlesticks. I agreed and took them home.
Later - much later, after the sunset for that matter, dad comes home, searching for money for a fresh nip. Needless to say, he doesn't find any. Needless to say, he抯 not amused. And so, when he finds the candlesticks, he decided to pawn them. Naturally, I rebel and begin to pull the candlesticks out of his hands. He pulled one way, I pulled another, and then the candlestick just slides in two in a burst of smoke.?/p>
揂nd then I appeared on the scene,?Drakine picked-up the narrative, 揹izzy and disoriented from sudden freedom. And then I see a very unpleasant-looking man, hear a voice behind me 慻et him? feel mighty hungry after a millennia of imprisonment, and attack. The rest is pretty much easy to realize, no??/p>
揋et him??Daria said after a small pause.
揑 think he thought that I was some sort of a genie,?Drakine explained. 揑 suppose that I do look oriental enough for him to have thought so back then. But enough about me ?what about you four??/p>
揂 couple of years ago,?Daria replied, 搈y parents found Quinn抯 entry of how she抎 died if she didn't go to this boy band concert and thought that that journal was mine. So naturally I have to go to this mental clinic for the summer. And there I met ?Tomash,?she indicated with the shrug the most probably the biggest werewolf. 揂nd he liked me, even though I didn抰 like him back, but he抯 got military blood in him, so he lay a siege-?/p>
揅an we please get to the point,?Rhonda said impatiently.
揙h yeah. Rhonda and Derek came later, when we began to socialize with other groups ?by mainly gluing paper boxes. Needless to say, neither me and Tomash, nor Rhonda and Derek, were any interested in that, so, we decided to bust out of there. Well, Derek did and talked the rest of us into doing so.?/p>
揝o what prevailed the latest Great Escape to happen??Jane asked with genuine curiosity.
揙ur parents. They got the bills from the clinic and went berserk. We were all frisked out of there so quickly, that we barely had time to exchange e-mail addresses and stuff,?Derek explained. 揂s usual, the parental units proved that if caught between proving their concern for their offspring and receiving financial losses, the units will go for cash, every single time.?/p>
揑ssues much??Jane raised an eyebrow.
Derek nodded. 揕ots.?/p>
揝o when did lycanthropy come into this??/p>
揂 few months ago Daria gave me this spiffy little Internet address, 慣he Not Known About The Well Known??Derek explained. 揂nd I've stumbled upon the 慒orces of Evil?section and got myself a whole lot about werewolves and such ?including a recipe for the original werewolf. So I decide to try it ?and guess what? It works! So I bail home and go to Rhonda抯. From there ?to Tomash抯, and from him ?to Daria抯.?/p>
揂nd now what are you going to do??/p>
揝tay here??Derek suggested. 揟his looks like a nice town to take control over.?/p>
揑ssues much, hah??Jane repeated her question.
揚recisely,?Derek nodded once again, 損recisely.?/p>
揑f I may raise an objection,?Drakine spoke-up, 搘hatever plans for dominance will have to be rescheduled due to Andrea抯 presence.?/p>
揥hat抯 so special about one small witch??Tomash looked surprised.
揂ndrea抯?got more experience in the supernatural than any of us,?Drakine sighed. 揝he, for example, could control me completely ?same抯 for you.?/p>
揟omash!?Rhonda pitched-in. 揧ou're asking what a witch can do in a town where ordinary cats hire werewolves? Why did Derek and you agree to do it, anyways??/p>
揊or information,?Derek said, smiling. 揧o, Drakine ?can you tell us about?portals??/p>
Back at the Morgendorffer house, Quinn Morgendorffer mutely examined herself. She looked somehow?too pale, and there was a burning sensation at the bottom of her throat, but otherwise she felt fine, not even sick enough to skip school. 揟hat抯 the last time I抦 going a date as a favour to mom,?she muttered, and decided to go to bed, not noticing the moon shining down from Heavens, as if looking at her?/p>
There was a pause. 揇rakine,?Mack said finally. 揓udging from your flickering eyes, the wolf抯 question hit you right in the apple, so answer the question.?/p>
揋uess it is true that the spouses become much more closer to each other, than ordinary folks do,?Daria muttered to Rhonda.
If the lamia did hear that, she made no response; instead she sighed and uttered. 揙kay. Let抯 take Joss Whedon抯 show for a practice example. The semi-legendary (by now) Boca del Inferno is really a portal ?a gate through dimensions ?that leads into one of infernal dimensions.?/p>
揟here are several??/p>
揧es,?Drakine nodded, 揳nd deserve a topic of their own, too. However, a portal doesn't have to lead to Hell; it can as easily lead to Heaven or to just another world ?think alternative universe ?or can just exit in this world too ?but halfway around it!?/p>
揟hat抯 very nice,?Jane finally spoke, 揵ut what does it have to do with the cats?alleged kidnapping of Sandi Griffin??/p>
揑t抯 easy,?Derek shrugged. 揂ccording to little Fluffy, there抯 a portal in Lawndale too?only it is sealed.?/p>
揃ig deal,?Drakine rolled her eyes. 揟here are sealed portals in a lot of places ?moors, sandbars, steppes, thickets?and such backwater towns as this here Lawndale are often serve as an excellent front of concealment.?/p>
揃ut where does it lead??Derek persisted.
揗ost likely ?to some wild kingdom, where magic, not science, rules, and where other beings ?not necessarily humanoid ?are in charge. Just think of it as a wild kingdom!?/p>
There was a pause, as the quartet of werewolves exchanged meaningful glances between each other.
揕ook, I don抰 know what you抮e thinking, but厰 Drakine continued, 搃t probably won抰 work. I mean, it抣l require specific tools to open it.?/p>
揥e抣l worry about that later,?Derek said calmly. 揊irstly, we抣l try to find it ?do you hear me,.. Jane??/p>
揥here do I come in??Jane protested.
揂s an associate member.?/p>
揥hat?!?/p>
揥hat a night, what a night,?Helen Morgendorffer sighed to officer Custer. 揝orry about the call, officer.?/p>
揚lease, call me Jack,?the latter replied. 揂fter all, when a kid confirms his or her parents that he or she is okay ?it抯 good.?/p>
揑 hope so, because otherwise this cell phone would become the bane of life,?Helen sighed. 揂nd it抯 a new one, too ?the last one was destroyed by those damn coyotes just yesterday!.. What are you planning on doing about them, anyways??/p>
揘ot our jurisdiction yet, ma抋m,?Jack Custer shrugged. 揂nd speaking of yesterday, how抯 your husband??/p>
揑'll call the hospital and find out?first thing tomorrow,?Helen sighed. 揘ow if you excuse me, officer?good night.?/p>
揋ood night,?Jack Custer nodded and left, muttering quietly to himself: 揘ow that抯 some woman!?/p>
揘ow listen here,?Jane Lane exploded. 揧ou're the school抯 football captain. You four are werewolves. And you?are some sort of a snake-woman critter, that抯 for sure.?/p>
揟he proper term is lamia,?Drakine muttered.
揥hat-ever; it抯 not important right now. What抯 important right now is that I'm not going to be pulled-in into any shady enterprise! No way, no how, not while my heart抯 beating.?/p>
揟hat can change,?Drakine suddenly drawled-out.
揥hat?!?/p>
揧ou see Jane,?the lamia said, reaching-out for the latter, 搖s lamias are really like vampires ?we too can create thralls and?assistants, and the technique is pretty much the same. Ditto the results.?/p>
揙h no you won抰!?Daria instantly jumped out to her feet. 揓ane抯 my friend, I抦 not about to lose her to some half-assembled tramp!?/p>
揘ow see here, fur ball!?Drakine snarled, her teeth protruding out of her mouth-
揇rakine, you can it,?Mack spoke suddenly. 揑抦 not exactly willing to see you ripped apart by a quartet of werewolves, thank you very much. I need you, remember? To impersonate my dad, that is.?/p>
揙h right,?Drakine sighed. 揝orry ?and Jane, you抮e off the hook.?/p>
揟hat抯 okay,?Derek nodded calmly. 揧ou're not the only one with 慣he Bite? remember??/p>
Jane抯 eyes widened in fear. 揇aria, help,?she muttered quietly.
揓ane, just co-operate with our demands; all will be okay,?Daria 揳ssured?her friend.
Jane just looked at the assemblage in her room and sighed. 揙kay. You win. But only because I抦 clearly outvoted.?The sigh turned into a yawn. ?i>And I'm too tired to continue to arguing ?are you going or sleeping over??/p>
揥e're staying,?Derek said calmly. 揋ot a spare room??/p>
揌oney,?Jane smiled with a condescending smile. 揇o I got a spare room or what??/p>
揥ell, we抣l be going,?Mack said. 揅ome on, Drakine.?/p>
揂w, Mack, can't we sleep over? It抣l be cool!?the lamia suddenly pleaded like a little girl.
揇rakine-?/p>
?i>Please? I'll be good for a whole month afterwards!?/p>
Mack just helpfully sighed. 揓ane-?/p>
揋ot you a spare too,?Jane nodded. She then groaned and sighed. 揗y life ?it just got turned into a TV special.?/p>
揇on't worry,?Drakine shrugged. 揅hanges that start on a lycanthrope full moon are always drastic and irreversible.?/p>
揥as this supposed to console me??/p>
揘o.?/p>
And in another part of Lawndale, a throng of cats, let by Fluffy the Persian, and carrying Sandi Griffin reached their destination ?a dark, gloomy, house. 揌ere she is, boss,?Fluffy mewled.
揈xcellent!?Andrea Hecuba walked downstairs. 揟he werewolves didn't give you any trouble??/p>
揘one whatsoever,?Fluffy then mewed. 揑 daresay that the sacrifice is ready, and the ceremony抯 ready to begin??/p>
揧es,?Andrea Hecuba nodded, and her eyes glittered darkly. 揂nd by dark gods, I swear, that by tomorrow抯 morn, the town of Lawndale will be totally different from inside and out!?/p>
揟hen let抯 hurry!?Fluffy in return mewled. 揥hile the full moon is high!?/p>
揥hile the full moon is high!?Andrea echoed. 揟o the sacred tree ?now!?/p>
To be continued in: At the dawn of?/b>