You decide to stay home...\n\n<<if $human gt $beast>>\n[[Continue...|homehuman]]\n<<else>>\n[[Continue...|homebeast]]\n<<endif>>

You arrive in your neighborhood, grateful. But as you start up the way to your apartment, you see something strange.\n\nA giant rabbit dressed in jeans and a t-shirt stands upright at the entrance to your apartment building, casually smoking a cigarette.\n\nYou stop and stare, your eyes fluttering as you try to process this image, when suddenly a deer with budding antlers skates by on a skateboard. You jump at the sight, and with a harried look back at the rabbit, you rush past it and into your building.\n\nInside you see more of the same thing. There are birds, cats, squirrels, and foxes walking and talking up and down the hall. They all wear clothes, and they all look at you strangely as you oggle them and mutter, "This can't be real. This can't be real!"\n\nOne raccoon stops you and asks, "Hey, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>> Grab a beer and party with us! We're celebrating Joseph passing his physics exam!"\n\n<<if $human lte 17>>\nYou push the raccoon away, snarling, "Get away from me, freak!!"\n\nThis is too weird. Can you stand to wait for the elevator, or will you take the stairs?\n\n[[Wait for the elevator.|elevator]]\n\n[[Take the stairs.|cont7]]\n<<else>>\nYou stare at them a moment, then swallow the lump in your throat and just manage to say, "Er...I...I think I'll pass..."\n\nThis is too weird. Can you stand to wait for the elevator, or will you take the stairs?\n\n[[Wait for the elevator.|elevator]]\n\n[[Take the stairs.|cont7]]\n<<endif>>\n\n

The webpage reads:\n\n"The most common weapon against lycanthropes is of course, silver. Famously used in stories are silver bullets, though pure silver bullets cannot fire from guns. Also used are silver swords, daggers, or arrowheads. The consensus seems to be that the item need not be pure silver to do damage, but the purer the item is, the more lethal it is.\n\nAlso used against werewolves is wolfsbane, more formally recognized as Aconitum. A poison can be derived from this flower that can weaken the beast. Arguably, if enough wolfsbane is ingested than the werewolf can die, but administering such amounts is unlikely unless the werewolf is willing or cleverly tricked."\n\nUnsettled by the information that could possibly kill you, you look to your search list for other options.\n\n<<display 'actions3'>>

With your blood slicked hands, you fumble for your flip phone in your pocket. You open it, navigate to the list of contacts, and stare.\n\nWho do you call?\n\n<<display 'actions2'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = 20>>\n<<set $human = 20>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou arrive at Felmore Forest with your film crew, equipment in hand. It's night, and a little frigid out. The oak trees murmur as the wind sweeps through their boughs, driving the leaves to hiss. You heft up your camera bag as you lead your team of five through the dark with just a maglite to illuminate your way.\n\n"Do we really have to do this out here?" Mary complains behind you.\n\n"The script says the scene takes place in the woods. You think we can do that in the middle of a metropolitan city?" You respond without turning your head.\n\n"But this is federal land," Gregory remarks next. "We could get arrested!"\n\nYou roll your eyes as you come to the clearing you had scouted out earlier. You recognize it thanks to the fluorescent orange ribbon you tied to a branch.\n\nYou try to reassure them as you kneel down and begin to unpack your camera equipment. "It'll be fine guys! This scene won't even take that long."\n\nYour childhood friend, Wesley, stops next to you. He's tall, gingerheaded with freckles and green eyes. He says...\n\n[["Listen, Jane..."|Jane]]\n\n[["Listen, John..."|John]]\n

A basic search of the word "werewolf" shows that the condition is academically known as "lycanthropy." As expected, lycanthropy is not recognized by the medical world, but under the umbrella term, you find many different related topics.\n\nWhat do you end up reading about...?\n\n<<display actions3>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"I thought you guys wanted to get out of here!" You snap.\n\nYou look where they are all looking: at a dense set of trees and bushes off to the left of your clearing. Rolling your eyes, you storm over there, grumbling, "I'll prove to you guys that you're all just being--!"\n\n<<display 'monsterattack'>>

<<if ($human gte 20) or ($tookwolfsbane = true)>>\nYou manage to sit through two more classes without incident before you have to leave school, citing your medical excuse from the hospital. This was harder than you thought. Maybe you really ought to listen to everyone and just take a break...?\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Go home.|home2]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $tookwolfsbane = true>>\n<<endsilently>>\nWith a look of trepidation, you take a pill of wolfsbane.\n\nAt first you feel nothing, and your discomfort with your classmates seems to escalate every time they so much as glance at you. But within a few minutes, you start to feel sick...and along with feeling sick, you also feel less aggressive. Soon, you can bare to speak out in your group and have others smile at you without wanting to behave like some cornered animal.\n\nThough queasy from the effects of the wolfsbane, you manage to finish the assignment and turn it in with the others at the end of the class.\n\n[[Continue...|Wolfsbane2]]\n

You go to school, wearing your sound dampening headphones as you walk through campus. Your first class is English. You were looking forward to a lecture and maybe some Q&A, but when your teacher suddenly says that you're splitting off into groups of four, you panic. The only reason you didn't feel amped on the way to school today was because your headphones blocked out a lot of the noise and chaos of traffic and the busy campus. But having to deal with other students one on one?\n\nYour palms grow sweaty as three classmates push desks toward you. They smile at you, their eyes fixed on you, and you feel your shoulders tense and rise up, a growl building in your throat.\n\nWhat do you do...?\n\n[[Put on your sound dampening headphones.|Headphones]]\n\n[[Close your eyes.|CloseEyes]]\n\n[[Take a pill of wolfsbane.|Wolfsbane1]]\n\n

But just when you start to drift off, you hear the door open. Confused, you sit up, expecting to see one of the nurses.\n\nInstead, you see a man.\n\nThe man stands at the foot of your bed, and he stares at you unblinkingly, his dark eyes holding yours fast. With an unkempt beard and overgrown brown hair, he is dressed in a wrinkled oxford shirt and khaki shorts.\n\nCrossing his arms, he murmurs, "Hello, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>>"\n\nYou sit up and...\n\n[[Tell him to get out!|Out]]\n\n[[Ask him who he is.|Ask]]\n\n

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<<display 'Preparation'>>\n<<if $meddlesome eq true>>\nThings are a blur. This strange city confuses you, and you're beast-like mind is confused and frightened...and that's dangerous. You have memories of a place that made you feel safe and certain.\n\nThe place you go to is a white building with flowers all around it. Your nose flares with the sweet scents. Leaping over the fence, you go around the back of the house where a screen door is all that is keeping the bugs out this night. You can smell the sweet aroma of cooked meat wafting from inside.\n\nYou're hungry. You have not found food since you left your civilized prison. Scratching at the screen, you find a knick in it that is just big enough for you to snag a tooth into. You rip a hole into the screen and squeeze through. You're now in the house. More specifically, your human side says, the pantry/laundry area.\n\nIt is dark in this room, and this is not where the food is, so you creep toward the light and see an older woman with pale blonde hair setting the table for what appears to be dinner.\n\nShe seems to sense your presence, because she looks your way and freezes. You come closer, your lips pulling back as you growl viciously.\n\nYour human side provides a name: Mom.\n\nThe Mom woman starts to scream, and the sound sets you off. Snarling, you leap at her, but you miss and skid into the hallway leading to the front door. Your paws slip on the smooth floor as you try to turn, and just when you think you have the woman at your mercy, something hard strikes you in the head.\n\nYou yelp and back away, seeing a tall man with red hair and freckles emerge from the living room wielding a bat.\n\nYour human side provides another name: Wesley.\n\nWesley shouts and swings at you again, and you turn and flee, back toward the back door you entered through. Your wolf self prefers easy prey, not anything that fights back.\n\nWithout any other idea of where to go, you hide out in an alley until morning comes.\n\nThe moment the moon sets, your body shifts back to human. You awake shivering, and thanks to the kindness of a hobo, you borrow some clothes and sneak back home. The memories of the night trickle back to you slowly the whole way, but as you take the key under your doormat and enter your apartment, you suddenly remember one horrible moment...\n\nThe moment you tried to kill your own mother.\n\nYou don't even shut the door closed. Like a zombie, you go to your bedside table, where you've kept the wolfsbane pills. You uncap it and swallow them all.\n\nYou sink onto your bed, feeling numb with disgust towards yourself.\n\nThe darkness seizes you, and you think of nothing else ever again...\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<else>>\nThings are a blur. This strange city confuses you, and you're beast-like mind is confused and frightened...and that's dangerous. You have memories of a place that made you feel safe and certain.\n\nThe place you go to is a white building with flowers all around it. Your nose flares with the sweet scents. Leaping over the fence, you go around the back of the house where a screen door is all that is keeping the bugs out this night. You can smell the sweet aroma of cooked meat wafting from inside.\n\nYou're hungry. You have not found food since you left your civilized prison. Scratching at the screen, you find a knick in it that is just big enough for you to snag a tooth into. You rip a hole into the screen and squeeze through. You're now in the house. More specifically, your human side says, the pantry/laundry area.\n\nIt is dark in this room, and this is not where the food is, so you creep toward the light and see an older woman with pale blonde hair setting the dining table for what appears to be dinner.\n\nShe seems to sense your presence, because she looks your way and freezes. You come closer, your lips pulling back as you growl viciously.\n\nYour human side provides a name: Mom.\n\nThe Mom woman starts to scream, and the sound sets you off. Snarling, you leap at her and knock her over. She hits her head on the edge of a counter hard and falls to the floor, deathly still. Blood pools onto the linoleum floor. The scent drives you wild, and you set into feasting on the fresh corpse.\n\nWhen you have satisfied your hunger, you leave the claustrophic house, only to find that there are many lights all around. Your ear swivels and catches some words from one person out of the many on the sidewalk--\n\n"--a blood curdling scream from next door and I just had to call the police--"\n\nShouts erupt as people spot you in the dark front yard. Flashlights point your way, and you shy away, ears flat on your head. Shots ring out and a bullet passes through your heart.\n\nYou fall to the ground, and your convulsing body shifts back into human form, your naked skin covered in blood.\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<endif>>\n

Something large and dark bursts from the bushes and knocks you over. The others scream, but in the confusion you cannot tell what is going on. Only that you feel pain all throughout your head and back, and that something large and furry is pinning you down.\n\nIn your confusion, you reach up and grab whatever it is on top of you by the head, trying to hold it at bay. In the weak moonlight, you think you can see red eyes glaring at you over a set of snapping fangs. Fetid breath suffocates you. You scream for the others to help you, but you can hear nothing except the terrifying snarls of the creature attacking you.\n\n[[Reach for the sharp rock next to you!|Rock]]\n\n[[Kick the wolf off of you!|Kick]]\n\n[[Keep screaming for help!|Scream]]\n\n

Wolf Skin

<<silently>>\n<<set $laptop = 1>>\n<<set $inv = $inv + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYour school may have computers to use, but you prefer yours over those generic models. Besides, this will let you surf the web at lunch in a place other than the library.\n\n<<if $inv eq 3>>\n<<display 'Time to go.'>>\n<<else>>\nWhat else will you take?\n<<display "actions1">>\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<set $headphones = 0>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou put on your headphones and try to focus on your paper in front of you, but within moments your teacher comes along and snatches the headphones off your head. \n\nShe glares at you and says scornfully, "If you want me to treat you like a high schooler, I will! You can get these from me tomorrow. In the meantime, I'd advise you not to disrespect my class again!"\n\n"You can't just take those!" you bark out, trying to snatch the headphones back.\n\nThe teacher keeps them out of your reach. "I can, as per the student agreement you first signed upon entering this school. Now focus on your classwork!"\n\nShe storms away and glare after her, panting slightly. Your classmates stare at you, and their stares intensify your anger, causing you to turn your singeing gaze on them. They busy themselves with their work, effectively blocking you out for the rest of the class. As a result, you have nothing to turn in, and earn a zero for the day.\n\n[[Continue...|cont8]]\n

The time passes quickly for you, engrossed as you are in your work. Everyone is silent as they do their individual jobs. All you can think of is the sweet film footage you'll be capturing tonight. You really think it'll make your movie stand out. Soon you and your team--your actors, Wesley and Jamal, Mary your sound girl, and Gregory your special effects slash lighting guy--are now ready to begin filming.\n\nThe scene is simple. Wesley, playing the hero Seth Gift, is chased down by Jamal, playing a wrathful plant golem hellbent on killing him. Mary is on standby with the boom mic while Gregory improves your camera light with some ambient lighting off to the side.\n\nFeeling empowered in your role as director, you bark out, "Action!"\n\nBut just as you do so, you hear a loud crash nearby. Like something large just burst through the underbrush. No one moves, and all eyes are on you. You say to your film crew...\n\n[["Guys I said, ACTION!"|Action]]\n\n[["Did you guys hear that?"|Hear]]\n\n[["...There's something right behind me, isn't there?"|Behind me_Adrian]]\n\n\n

You leave for home, feeling queasy. The sun is closer to the horizon now. You have less than an hour to make your decision about what you're going to do.\n\nOn the one hand, you could listen to Benjamin and go to the forest, as he so earnestly wishes you to. OR you could just stay home and try to figure it out yourself. After all, didn't Anthony Hopkins figure it out in that werewolf movie?\n\nYour mind spins as you park outside your apartment building...\n\n[[Continue...|Home]]

You keep screaming for help, but it is in vain.\n\n<<display 'monsterend'>>

<<actions \n"Cure for lycanthropy." "Weapons against lycanthropes."\n"Psychology of a lycanthrope." "Go to sleep.">>

<<actions \n"Call your mom." "Call Wesley."\n"Call your doctor.">>

<<if $binder eq 0>>[[Take your binder.|Take your binder.]]<<else>>X<<endif>>\n<<if $script eq 0>>[[Take your latest film script.|Take your latest film script.]]<<else>>X<<endif>>\n<<if $laptop eq 0>>[[Take your laptop.|Take your laptop.]]<<else>>X<<endif>>\n<<if $usb eq 0>>[[Take your USB drive.]]<<else>>X<<endif>>\n<<if $textbook eq 0>>[[Take your textbook.]]<<else>>X<<endif>>\n<<if $inv lt 3>>[[Time to go.]]<<endif>>

Your mother lives in another part of the city of Felmore, in a nice suburban-ish neighborhood in a small white house surrounded by flowers. Before you even get out of your car, you hear your mother call your name, but you don't see her. \n\nConfused, you stop on the sidewalk and call, "Mom?"\n\n"Over here, sweetie!"\n\nYou look over to see your mother knelt down near the fence, her head bobbing over a rose bush. She beams at you as she sets down her shovel and stands.\n\nYou smile at her bemusedly. "It's a bit late for gardening, isn't it?"\n\nShe gives you a rueful grin as you approach for a hug. "Well I suppose stubborness runs in the family."\n\nAfter you embrace, she gestures for you to follow her into the house. "Come on! I'll put on some tea," she says.\n\nInside your mother's home, you find yourself in a sea of bright colors and exotic trinkets. After your father's death, your mother had taken to travelling and collecting cultural items such as fertility totems, fabric murals, and jade statues. You suppose it was her way of coping with becoming a widow. Looking at her, however, one wouldn't expect that your mother held such an adventurous spirit, given how much she frets over you.\n\nYou take a seat at her dining table as your mother buzzes around the kitchen, preparing the tea.\n\n"So," she says with a glance at you. "What's the occasion? You almost never visit."\n\nYou slap a hand over your heart. "Zing! And so begins the guilt-tripping!"\n\nDone with her tasks, your mother comes and swats you lightly on the shoulder. "Oh stop! I'm not trying to nag you, I'm just stating a fact! The last time you came to the house was a year ago!"\n\nYou wince and rub the back of your neck. "Was it really that long ago?"\n\nShe gives you a dry look. "Yes, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>>"\n\n[[Apologize.|Apologize]]\n\n[[Get defensive.|Defensive]]\n\n[[Act nonchalant.|Nonchalant_Adrian]]\n

Night passes and the day arrives. \n\nTonight will be the full moon. You feel so sick with anxiety that you can hardly get out of bed. Outside in your normally quiet hallway, you can hear people laughing and goofing around. Some sort of party. You wish those people would go away. Of all the days for the geeks on your floor to want to have a social life!\n\nThe night before, after Benjamin's visit, you didn't sleep very well, so you nap intermittenly throughout the day. You never stay asleep for long, your subconscious supplying you with bountiful imagery of wolves and blood and dead loved ones.\n\nAs the afternoon winds into early evening, the sun begins to slant into your window, and you seize with fear. You don't know if you can do this. You want to run away, to not think about this mess for just a little while. \n\nYou have two hours before sunset. \n\nYou think it's time you visited your mom.\n\n[[Continue...|cont11]]\n

You squeeze your eyes in pain. Your father had been an accountant for much of his life. It was supposed to be the safest, most dullest profession in the world. The risk factor in his life was practically non-existent. Then one day, some burglars broke into your home and caught your father by surprise. They shot him dead and fled the scene. Thankfully, your mother wasn't home at the time. The homicide case is still open, and it causes you and your mother no small amount of pain.\n\nThis isn't what you were looking for when you came here. You were looking for something comforting, not something painful and stressful.\n\nYou knuckle your eyes, jaw clenching...\n\n[[You explode with anger.|Angry]]\n\n[[You find a way to calm your feelings.|Calm]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou close your eyes to block out the smiles of your classmates, but as they begin to discuss the assignment, your strange behavior soon becomes hard to ignore.\n\n"Hey, are you okay?" The boy next to you pats you on the shoulder.\n\nYou violently swipe his arm away, jumping to your feet with a shout and knocking over your chair. You glare at him, wild eyed and with teeth bared as he stares up at you in bewilderment and fear. Your breathing is heavy and uneven. You take a step back and look around. Everyone is staring at you, and their attention feels threatening.\n\nWithout a word, you snatch up your belongings and flee the class.\n\n<<if $beast gte 20>>\n[[Continue...|cont8]]\n<<else>>\n[[Continue...|Wolfsbane2]]\n<<endif>>\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>You scratch the back of your head, looking at the floorboard, the strangely designed carpets, anything but the woman sitting across from you.\n\n"I... Well, school has been getting pretty difficult, especially given recent events..."\n\n"Oh <<if $boy>><<print $John>>...<<else>><<print $Jane>>...<<endif>>" Your mother reaches her hand across the table and places it gently above your own.\n\nYou're startled to find that your hand had been clenching your left shoulder. You cannot repress the shudder that travels through you, a sickly feeling traveling through your stomach as you remember again those hellish red eyes upon you, teeth sinking into your skin, and--\n\n"I'm sorry honey but after losing your dad and then nearly losing you too..." Your mother's voice snaps you back to reality and you look to see her eyes are wet though she's smiling warmly, encouragingly at you.\n\n"Mom..."\n\nThe sharp whistly of the squealling tea kettle breaks the moment and with another reaffirming but gentle squeeze on your shoulder, your mother gets up and turns off the stove.\n\nShe stands at the counter, head bowed.\n\n"I can't deny it," she says quietly. "I do miss your dad...God help me..."\n\n[[Continue...|cont12]]

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou shrug as you finish installing your camera's zoom lens. "All the better for our film project. Now just review your lines with Jamal while Mary, Gregory, and I finish setting up our film area! The faster we get this done, the sooner we can leave!"\n\nWith clenched fists and pinched lips, Wesley rips off his backpack and storms away. When he pulls out his script and begins reading it, you turn your attention back to your camera.\n\n<<display 'FilmProject'>>

<<set $friend = $friend + 2>>\n<<set $badcar = true>>\nIn your rage, you see nothing but red, and everything around you makes you feel threatened and angry. Without your sound dampening headphones, the world assaults you from all around, making coherent thought impossible.\n\nAnd that's when you see the man crossing the street.\n\nWithout a thought, you press the pedal to the floor and speed toward him, your teeth bared and your eyes manic.\n\nLuckily, he looks up just in time and jumps out of the way, shouting.\n\nYour tires squeal as you twist the steering wheel to avoid colliding with another car. Angry honks follow in your wake as you manage to speed away. The near collisions sober you enough that you realize what you had nearly done, and with a furtive look around you, you speed back home before the cops can find you.\n\n[[Continue...|home2]]\n

Your grip is clammy from fear, and the beast slips from your feeble control. It plunges its jaws into your left shoulder, tearing at it, shaking it like a dog. The pain turns you into a mindless, screaming beast of prey, all ability for complex thought drowning in your flowing blood. You try to push the beast off you, but your strength is gone, pooling onto the grassy ground.\n\n[[Continue...|Cont1]]

History.prototype.realdisplay = History.prototype.display;\nHistory.prototype.display=function(D,B,A){\n var regions = tale.lookup("tags", "StoryRegion");\n if(regions){\n var title;\n for(var i in regions){\n title = regions[i].title.split(" ").join("");\n if(!$("story"+title)){\n var region = document.createElement('div');\n region.id = "story"+title;\n region.className = "storyRegion";\n document.getElementsByTagName('body')[0].appendChild(region);\n }\n if($("story"+title)){\n setPageElement("story"+title,regions[i].title,"");\n }\n }\n }\n state.realdisplay(D,B,A);\n}

You live in an apartment building in downtown Felmore. Many other students of Hollswell University live here. The atmosphere is a strange combination of energetic and laid back, with tenants coming in and out at all hours, throwing parties, and mingling with each other. You've participated in some of the shenanigans, but for the most part you keep to yourself. The top floor being the quietest floor makes this easier.\n\nYour modest apartment is just mildly chaotic, the kind of disorganization brought on by an artistic mind. Your window faces the West, and from here you can see Hollswell University, your school. You can also see the Pacific Ocean from here. You've seen many sunsets from this window, and you can't help but think of Benjamin's warnings...\n\n[[Continue...|Cont6]]\n

Your mother picks you up from the hospital and takes you home. On the way there, you start to discuss your plans for the next few days...namely that your mother doesn't like them.\n\n"You should rest!" she exclaims, wringing her steering wheel and making her veins pop through her liver-spotted hands.\n\n[[Promise to take it easy.|Mom1]]\n\n[[Tell her you're fine.|Mom2]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $inv = 0>>\n<<set $binder = 0>>\n<<set $laptop = 0>>\n<<set $usb = 0>>\n<<set $textbook = 0>>\n<<set $script = 0>>\n<<endsilently>>\nIt's just past noon, and you fully intend on carrying out your plan of throwing yourself into schoolwork. Being that you were never an early riser, the core of your classes take place in the afternoon. You have one hour to get the things you need and leave.\n\nWhat will you take?\n\n<<display 'actions1'>>

There is a howl, loud and eerie. It echoes through the forest in a way that your addled mind cannot discern its direction.\n\nThe beast atop you ceases its attack abruptly, its furry head perking up as it looks off into the distance. With a glance at you, it snorts, then leaps away, leaving you to finish bleeding out on the forest floor. Too weak to roll over, you just manage to crane your head to see the creature vanish into the dark of the trees.\n\nAs you pass out, you hear Wesley crying out your name from afar.\n\nThe sweet quiet of darkness swallows you whole.\n\n[[Continue...|Cont2]]

The next morning, you awake to one final check up by your doctor.\n\nHe blinks at your medical sheet, then looks back up at you. "Medically, I don't know how to explain it, but your vitals seem fine. Your shoulder," he gestures at your left shoulder. "Has completely healed. As I'm sure you noticed, there aren't even scars!"\n\nThe doctor scratches his head, before shrugging and pulling out a pen. "We have no logical reason to hold you. But if you experience any problems--"\n\n"I'll come right back. Sure," you finish.\n\nAfter he leaves, you eagerly dress. It's time to get on with your life.\n\n[[Continue...|Cont4]]

...Three weeks later, you awake from a coma in a hospital bed. After the nurses remove the various devices that had been keeping you alive, doctors inform you that you were the victim of a coyote attack, and that you have made a near full recovery, much to their amazement. They would like to keep you one more night just for observation before releasing you.\n\nYour mother visits that night. After your father died, she remained unmarried and lives in another part of town. She cries as she hugs you and begs you to promise never to go into the woods at night again. \n\nWesley is also there. <<if $boy>>He bumps fists with you and tells you you're a lucky man to have survived what you did. "Tough as hell, too!" he jokes.\n\n"They tell me you were the one who came back for me after the coyote ran off," you say with a look of deep respect and gratitude. "Thanks, bro."\n\n"Couldn't let my home boy down, could I?" Wesley says with a shrug.<<else>>He hugs you and gives a brief peck on the cheek, saying you're a lucky girl to have survived what you did. "Tough as hell, too!" he jokes.\n\n"They tell me you were the one who came back for me after the coyote ran off," you say with a look of deep respect and gratitude. "Thanks, Wes."\n\n"Couldn't let my home girl down, could I?" Wesley says with a wink.<<endif>>\n\nYou chat a little more with your mom and Wesley, mostly about school and family. Then visiting hours are over and they must leave. You say your goodbyes, and you assure them that you'll be fine. In fact, you think inwardly, you intend to get back into school as soon as possible. You cannot stand the thought of staying home with the memory of that horrible night, and nothing works better for you than good old fashioned work.\n\nThe hospital quiets as visitors leave, and you turn out the light.\n\n[[Time for some sleep...|Benjamin]]

<<silently>>\n<<set $girl = "yes">>\n<<set $Jane = "Jane">>\n<<endsilently>>\n"Listen Jane... I know this project means a lot to you. But no more stuff like this, okay? We can do a killer horror movie in a safer, more legal way!" Wesley exclaims.\n\n<<display 'FirstConvoCont'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $usb = 1>>\n<<set $inv = $inv + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nNaturally. Your USB drive is important because it doesn't just have YOUR files, it also has the files given to you by your instructor and classmatese for important projects.\n\n<<if $inv eq 3>>\n<<display 'Time to go.'>>\n<<else>>\nWhat else will you take?\n<<display "actions1">>\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $boy = "yes">>\n<<set $John = "John">>\n<<endsilently>>\n"Listen John... I know this project means a lot to you. But no more stuff like this, okay? We can do a killer horror movie in a safer, more legal way!" Wesley exclaims.\n\n<<display 'FirstConvoCont'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"Okay..." you say warily. "So what's so important you had to break into a stranger's hospital room to say?"\n\nBenjamin chuckles gruffly and scratches his beard. "Well when you put it that way, it does sound bad doesn't it? But believe me kid, this had to be done." \n\nHe takes a breath and lowers his gaze. When he looks up again, there's pity in his eyes. "You are about to go through a very trying time. Your mind, even your body, will seem to rebel against you. The decisions you make from here on out, even for little things, will be of the utmost importance. <<if $boy>><<print $John>>,<<else>><<print $Jane>>,<<endif>> I know this will seem crazy to hear...but you're a werewolf."\n\n[[Reject Benjamin's claim.|Reject]]\n\n[[Ask him what he means.|Ask2]]\n

<<set $friend = 0>>\nThat's it. You wish you had more time but you don't. With the time you DO have left, you take a quick shower, change into fresh clothes, grab an apple, and run out the door with car keys in hand.\n\nWhen you arrive on the campus, you feel a sense of foreboding come over you. The whole drive over you felt antsy. For some reason the traffic really got under your skin. You thought you'd feel better when you finally got to school, but as you exit your car, your body immediately tenses up. Sweat breaks out over your skin. Laughter nearby makes you jump.\n\nUnsettled, you look down to adjust your backpack straps. <<if $boy>>What you see makes you let out a strangled yell.<<else>>What you see makes you let out a shrill scream.<<endif>>\n\nYour hands are covered in slick crimson blood, and it drips to the asphalt in fat drops.\n\nAs if to try and get away from the sight, you stumble backwards and hit the car parked next to yours. The car alarm goes off, and the loud squeals and bleeps practically make you jump out of your skin.\n\nThe owner of the car, who was sitting not far off on a picnic bench, raises his keys and turns the alarm off, giving you a funny look as he does so. You stare back at him wildly, then look around the rest of the parking lot. People are staring at you.\n\nWhat will you do...? \n\n[[Sit in your car and breathe.|car]]\n\n[[Call someone on your cell.|Cell1]]\n\n[[Go to class.|ClassAg]]\n\n

You arrive at class, still shaken, but feeling less on the edge.\n\nIt's your History of Motion Picture Arts class, and you're a little late, but when you talk to the teacher and show him your hospital release papers, he excuses you. (Even if he is a little bemused at your decison to come back to school so soon.) He explains that today is the day for the open book test on early film history, and he hands you the test sheet.\n\n<<display 'class1'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"No offense, but you seem like a crappy alpha leader," you say with a sneer.\n\nBenjamin goes very still. He looks at you slowly, and while his face betrays no emotion, you get a sense that you are staring down a raging bull.\n\n"And why..." he starts slowly. "Would you say that?"\n\nYou roll your shoulders back and swallow hard. Everything in your body is saying to curl up, to look away, to show deference as wolves do. But you refuse. You're HUMAN damn it, and you've never censored yourself from the truth before.\n\n"Because," you bite out. "You let a rogue werewolf break away from your pack and hurt someone! Wolves don't run alone, but the one that attacked me? He was totally by himself! You didn't control your people and then when you had to deal with the new kid on the block, you did it without tact!"\n\nBenjamin's stony face twitches just slightly, and you can feel your stomach somersault inside. You start to shift your body toward the door, in case he attacks you.\n\nBut to your surprise, Benjamin lets out a long harsh breath and hangs his head.\n\n"It's true," he murmurs. "That wolf that attacked you that night...it shouldn't have happened. And I DISCIPLINED him, you can count on that. But I can't deny that your becoming a werewolf wasn't my failing..."\n\nHe starts for the door, and your fists ball up as he nears, your head unconsciously ducking to avoid direct eye contact.\n\nBenjamin pauses next to you, and leans in. When he speaks, there's a growl in his voice. "...But truth or not, you will NEVER challenge my authority like that again, or I will kill you. You get away with it now because you're still a pup. Consider it your last gift as a normal human being."\n<<display 'benleaves'>>

Once in the safety of your apartment, you take a moment to close your eyes and gather your breath.\n\nYou think back to Benjamin in the hospital, and you wonder if this was what he was trying to warn you of.\n\n"But am I really a werewolf?" you wonder with anguish. "Shouldn't I have a craving for rare meat and sniffing hydrants?"\n\nYou rub your face with both hands. First things first. You need to relax. Then you can try and figure this out.\n\nAfter a nice hot shower and a moment with your favorite Robert Frost book, you feel centered again. In fact, when you look out the window, you don't see animals. You see people.\n\n"That's it. I've got to see what this is about..." You mutter, pulling your laptop to you.\n\n[[Research Lycanthropy.|Research]]\n\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"I think it came from over here..." You point and cautiously begin to head left, towards a dense clump of trees and bushes.\n\n<<display 'monsterattack'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou fold your arms and shrug. "Well I've been busy! School is hard work, and I'm trying to build my reputation in the art community!" You fling a hand at her. "Besides, it isn't as if I don't come running out to meet you for lunch whenever you ask!"\n\nYour mother takes a seat next to you, her eyes wide. "Running out...to meet me?" Then her face hardens. "Running out to meet me!? That's how you look at it? An inconvenience??"\n\nYou scowl at her. "Honestly? Yeah! Dad died years ago! I thought you'd see by now that I can't fill that void for you!"\n\n"How dare you! I never tried to use you as a replacement for your father! NO ONE could replace Tim!"\n\n"Then why are you always hovering over my life?"\n\n"Because the only thing you let me DO is hover from afar!" Your mother snaps.\n\nThe tea kettle squeals, and with a disgusted click of her tongue, your mother gets up and turns off the stove.\n\nShe stands at the counter, head bowed.\n\n"I can't deny it," she says quietly. "I do miss your dad...God help me..."\n\n[[Continue...|cont12]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou get your headphones from your car and sit on the porch for a while, your eyes closed. You first focus on controlling your uneven breathing. Then once that is in order, you try to focus on the cool evening air on your heated skin, the sweet smell of your mother's garden filling your nose.\n\nIt takes some time, but you calm down.\n\nYou take off your headphones and stand to see your mother sitting in the wicker chair next to the door. She looks at you and smiles.\n\n"I saw you meditating and decided not to bother you," she says. "I'm sorry, honey. I wasn't trying to upset you."\n\nYou stand and go to her, giving her a hug. "Mom, it's not your fault. I've just been having a hard time since I woke up from that coma."\n\n"I know. I just wish I didn't make things worse."\n\n"You don't. I'll be okay."\n\nYour mother kisses your cheek. "I love you, sweetheart."\n\nYou give her an extra squeeze. "I love you too, mom."\n\n[[Time to leave.|Leave]]\n

When you open the door (you don't have a peephole) you're surprised to see Benjamin standing on the other side.\n\nHe looks you up and down before asking gruffly, "Can I come in?"\n\nSwallowing, you step aside and the man slips past you, his eyes immediately scanning your small apartment.\n\nWhen you shut the door, he turns to you <<if $beast gte 20>>and glares.\n\n"What the hell kind of game are you playing right now? You know that this is your life at stake?" He growls.\n\nYou stare at him, "I..."\n\nBenjamin thrusts a finger at you, and you back away, teeth baring and a growl erupting from your throat in surprise. "I've been watching you, and I don't like what I see! I told you the decisions you make will impact your life! What I don't think you realize is that your currently GAMBLING THAT AWAY!"<<else>>and smiles.\n\n"You've been doing good, kid. The week before your first full moon is the hardest, and it was especially hard on you since you just woke up from a coma."\n\n"I've been trying to keep it together. It doesn't really feel like I'm doing all that well," you grumble.\n\n"Believe me. You have."<<endif>>\n\nBenjamin takes a breath and looks out toward your Western window, where you both can see the sun setting into the ocean.\n\nHe points at it. "There. Now in a day's time, all you have to do is come to the Felmore Forest like I told you, and we'll take care of you."\n\nYou narrow your eyes. "We?"\n\nBenjamin looks at you mildly. "The pack."\n\n"O-Oh..."\n\nHe laughs at your unenthusiasm. "Kid, listen to me. Pack is good. It's better than any alternatives you can find. Most of those lead to death."\n\n[[Ask Benjamin if he likes being a werewolf.|Like]]\n\n[[Tell Benjamin he looks like a crappy pack leader.|Crappy]]\n

<<if ($beast gte 26) and ($headphones eq 0)>>\nYou can't even cross campus without feeling like ripping someone's head off. You know for a fact that you can't make it through the day, you're so PISSED OFF, so you go back to your car and start the drive home...\n<<else>>\nYou can't even cross campus without feeling like ripping someone's head off. You know for a fact that you can't make it through the day, so you go back to your car and drive home, feeling like a part of yourself is dying...\n<<endif>>\n\n<<if ($beast gte 26) and ($headphones eq 0)>>\n[[Push the pedal to the floor and steer toward a man crossing the street.|Psycho]]<<endif>>\n[[Go home.|home2]]\n

Panting, you dare to stretch out a hand and reach for the rock nearby...\n\n<<display 'monsterend'>>\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"I'm sorry, mom," you sigh, running a hand through your hair. "I could've come over more, but I chose not to for poor reasons. I really don't have a good excuse."\n\nShe waves you off as she takes a seat near you. "Honey, I told you, I'm not trying to nag you. I've done okay on my own. I've been a widow for over six years, I should think I can take care of myself now!"\n\nYou reach over and put a hand on her shoulder. "I love you, mom. I know you worry about me all the time, but I worry about you too!"\n\n"<<if $boy>><<print $John>>,<<else>><<print $Jane>>,<<endif>> I'm fine. In fact, I was planning another trip soon!"\n\n"Where to?" you ask, as the teakettle starts to squeal.\n\nYour mother gets up and turns off the stove. "Panama. You know the isthmus that connects the two continents? I hear it's wonderful there..." she trails off and you gaze at her, waiting for her to say what she has on her mind.\n\n"I can't deny it," your mother says quietly. "I do miss your dad...God help me..."\n\n[[Continue...|cont12]]\n

You're back in your apartment. You pace around trying to think about your options.\n\n<<if $friend gte 5>>\nThat's when you hear a knock at the door.\n[[Answer the door.|MeddlesomeFriend]]\n<<else>>\n[[Time to decide.|FinalDecisions]]\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n<<if $boy>>\nAs you you sit up, you snap sharply, "Hey, uh, guy? I don't know who the hell you are, but you need to get out of here!"\n\nYou ball your fists and glare as hard as you can. Truth be told, the man scares the crap out of you. Guys always tried to pick a fight with you in high school for being "artsy," so you learned to never let them see you sweat, but you're not sure if you can keep your facade going if this stranger keeps up his unsettling stare.\n<<else>>\nAs you sit up, you snap sharply, "Sir, I don't know who you are, but you are NOT supposed to be in here! You need to leave or I will scream!"\n\nUnconsciously, you raise your knees and pull the sheets close to you as you glare at the man as hard as you can. You've had to deal with creepy men before, but never has a strange man intruded your personal space so greatly. All of a sudden that thin gown of yours feels more like a transparent sheet of plastic as the man's unsettling stare bores into you.\n<<endif>>\n\nThe man lets out a gruff chuckle and shakes his head. "You won't do anything. And even if you did, the personnel on this floor are gone."\n\n"But how?" You ask, feeling a chill run through you.\n\n"That's not important," he replies. He unfolds his arms and approaches your bedside. You tense up, but find you cannot speak. There is something about this man's presence that seizes you deep inside... "What IS important <<if $boy>><<print $John>>,<<else>><<print $Jane>>,<<endif>> is that you listen to what I'm about to tell you. Then I promise, I'll be gone...for now."\n\nIn response you...\n\n[[Push him away!|Push]]\n\n[[Listen to him.|Listen]]

You sit at lunch in the cafeteria, trying to mind your own business, when Mary, the sound girl in your film project, sits across from you at your table.\n\n"<<if $boy>><<print $John>>!<<else>><<print $Jane>>!<<endif>> When did you get out of the hospital?" she asks.\n\nYou shrug and push your mashed potatoes around your plate. "Just today..."\n\nMary blinks rapidly. "T-TODAY? What are you doing here?"\n\nYou look at her with suffering. "Please don't. Everyone's said that to me today!"\n\nShe holds up her hands. "Okay! I'll lay off..." She bites her lip and leans forward onto the table. "Well since you're here, I was wondering if you have your USB drive? I lost my sound files from our last take, and I just remembered I gave you a copy on that drive and I need it by next class!"\n\n<<if $usb eq 1>>\n<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou perk up. "Oh! Sure!"\n\nYou take your USB out of your backpack and hand it to Mary.\n\n"Thank you!" she says with a giggle. "You're a life saver!"\n\n"So you guys didn't scrap the project? Y'know...on account of..." you trail off, unable to finish.\n\nMary pales a little but shakes her head emphatically. "Oh no! No, no, no! No way, we would never abandon all that hard work you did!"\n\nYou smile wanly. "Thanks."\n<<else>>\n<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou slump in your seat. "Damn! I thought about bringing it with me, but I ended up not taking it today...is it really important?"\n\nMary looks at you, crestfallen. "Oh nooo! Yeah, you were my last hope. I needed those files or else our film project was going to get a D!"\n\nYou sputter. "A D!?"\n\n"Yeah!"\n\nYour hands clench and you can feel the blood rushing into your face and neck. "And how did you lose the files to begin with!? You didn't think to back it up some other way??"\n\nMary shrinks at your aggressive tone. "I...well...it was an accident!"\n\n"The only accident was in trusting you with something so important! Now our project is going to bomb because of you!"\n\nMary's eyes fill with tears. "I-I'm sorry!"\n\nWithout another word, your classmate clumsily rises from the cafeteria table and hurries away. You glare after her the whole time.\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Time for the next class...|class2]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n\nYou can't hold it in. You slam a fist onto the table and burst from your chair, making your mother squeal in alarm.\n\n"Stop talking about him!" You shout. "I can't stand it right now!"\n\nYou storm out onto the porch and pace back and forth. You need to calm down. You should've brought your wolfsbane pills but you forgot. You have your sound dampening headphones, but your mother is sure to come and try to talk to you, and you can't just block her out. You seem to recall her owning special genuine silverware for special occasions...maybe the pain will help ground you? \n\nOf course, you could just leave.\n\nWhat will you do?\n\n[[Get the silver.|Silver]]\n\n[[Get your headphones.|Headphones2]]\n\n[[Leave.|Leave]]\n

<html>\n<center><b>Hello, and welcome to...</b></center>\n<br>\n<br>\n<center><img src="wolfskin.jpg"></center>\n<center><b><u><h1>WOLF SKIN</h1></u></b></center>\n<center><i><h2>a cerebral thriller</h2></i></center>\n<center>created by <a href="https://twitter.com/cajeck">Amanda French</a></center>\n</html>\n\n[[Click here to begin...|wolfstart]]\n\n[[Credits & Acknowledgments|Credits]]\n\n

You decide to go to the forest...\n\n<<if $human gt $beast>>\n[[Continue...|foresthuman]]\n<<else>>\n[[Continue...|forestbeast]]\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"A werewolf?" You laugh. "You've got to be kidding! And how do you know this?"\n\nBenjamin fixes you with a hard frown, and the caustic humor dies in your throat.\n\n"How?" Benjamin growls, and the sound has a strong effect on you--so strong that you freeze up in primal fear. "Because I'm a werewolf too. I'm the leader of the local pack, as a matter of fact. And I suggest you cut it out with that attitude, or you're looking at a very hard week!"\n\n<<display 'BenLeaves'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $textbook = 1>>\n<<set $inv = $inv + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nThis is one of the more obvious choices. You can't follow along in the class if you don't have your textbook, right? And wasn't there supposed to be an open book test coming up...?\n\n<<if $inv eq 3>>\n<<display 'Time to go.'>>\n<<else>>\nWhat else will you take?\n<<display "actions1">>\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou arrive at your History of Motion Picture Arts class jumpy and on edge. Somewhere along the way from the parking lot to the classroom, the vision of blood on your hands ended, but the nightmarish sight was such a blow to you that your heart still has yet to fully settle in your chest.\n\nYou hardly speak to the teacher, instead just thrusting a copy of your hospital release papers at them. They take it, taken aback by your demeanor, and ask why you aren't at home resting instead.\n\n"Look, I just want to be here, okay!?" you snap.\n\nThe classroom falls silent as everyone stares at you. The teacher clears their throat and hands you a test sheet, explaining that there is an open book test today on early cinema. Embarassed, you mumble an apology, take your paper, and go to your seat.\n\n<<display 'class1'>>

Given your experiences at school, you decide to lay low at your apartment and finally rest, as per your friends and families pleas. You talk to your mother on the phone, and one conversation stands out to you.\n\nIt's approaching the weekend when your mom remarks over the phone, "You feel different, honey."\n\n"Really?" you reply. "How so?"\n\n"I'm not sure... But it's like there's something in your eyes. I can't explain it. It makes me worry for you."\n\n"Mom, for the millionth time..."\n\n"I'll always worry for you <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>> I love you."\n\n<<if $friend gte 4>>\nYou also hear from Wesley, who visits you at your apartment.\n\n"You've been acting strange. I hardly hear from you!" he says with crossed arms and a scowl.\n\n"That isn't true, I called you earlier this week!" you argue. "I've just been busy. It's not personal."\n\n"Look I'm just trying to look out for you. Okay? No going crazy on me!" He demands as he leaves.\n\nYou laugh and wave goodbye. "Yeah! Sure."\n<<endif>>\n\nThen, the night before the full moon, you get a visitor...\n\n[[Continue...|cont9]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n\nYou stand staring at the elevator doors, watching desperately as the floor numbers are lit sequentially coming from the top floor. Just your luck that you're catching the elevator after someone else.\n\nThe raccoon tries again. "Aw, c'mon <<if $boy>><<print $John>>!<<else>><<print $Jane>>!<<endif>> Don't be like that! Come party with us!"\n\nYou turn and shout at them, spit flying from your mouth, "I SAID NO YOU FUCKING MUTANT! GO CHOKE AND DIE!"\n\nThough the music keeps playing, the partiers in the hallway quiet as they fix you with bewildered looks. The raccoon looks especially taken aback.\n\nSweating profusely, you hear the elevator ding behind you, and hurry in.\n\n[[Continue...|cont7]]

You close your laptop and turn out the light. You'll have some time in the morning to get the things that you need so that your next day won't be so stressful. You're still determined to go to school, even if you really are a werewolf. After all, how else would you stay connected to who you are as a person if you don't do the things that define you?\n\n[[Get some rest.|NextDay]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $stab = true>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 2>>\n<<endsilently>>\nWith several quick breaths to steel yourself, you raise the knife and stab yourself in the thigh. You scream, just as another voice joins yours. The pain is powerful and debilitating, and for a moment you cannot properly move, just stumble and fall onto the kitchen table. You feel hands on you, and someone babbles hysterically. In your trauma, you cannot seem to grasp that this person is your mother, and she is trying to guide you into a chair.\n\nWith a strangled yell, you push her away, and she crashes into the refridgerator. You rip the silver knife out of your leg, and groan as you hold your thigh. It feels as though fire is in your flesh, but you watch, amazed, as the wound begins to close. Werewolves have rapid healing.\n\nYour self-control comes trickling back to you, allowing you to think more coherently. You look over at your mother, who stares at you in abject terror. Your heart wrenches. This wasn't what you had intended...\n\n[[You need to leave. Now.|Leave]]\n

Benjamin raises a finger. He speaks very slowly and clearly. "In a week's time, the full moon will arrive. You WILL change, whether you like it or not. Lives will be at risk if you don't heed what I'm about to tell you. If you don't want to hurt others or yourself, you had better come to the Felmore Forest exactly at sundown on the night of the full moon."\n\nYou can't think of anything to say. Benjamin starts to open the door, but looks back at you one last time.\n\n<<if $beast gte $human>>\n"Kid, I look at you and I can tell you've got to change. It'll be hard. I'm not saying it won't be. But you'll have to curb that aggression if you want to survive."\n\n"Are you threatening me?" You ask with bared teeth.\n\nHe gives a stiff shake of his head. "No. I'm trying to save your life."\n<<else>>\n"Kid, you're on the right track. If you keep doing what you're doing, I'm sure you'll come out okay. You'll want to keep in touch with your humanity if you want to survive."\n\n"This isn't a threat or something is it?" you ask, frowning.\n\nHe gives a stiff shake of his head. "No. I'm trying to save your life."\n<<endif>>\n\nYou look down at your lap, your mind spinning.\n\nBenjamin turns and leaves. "Goodbye, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>> Remember what I said."\n\n[[Continue...|Cont3]]

If you're going to stay, you're going to make sure you can't get out. Looking around your apartment, you find a length of rope from filming and a shower curtain rod from your bathroom. After some quick thinking, you decide to use the rod to jam the door shut by lodging it into the adjacent wall. You even push the dresser in front of the door for good measure. Next you lock all the windows and close all the curtains. You close the doors to your bedroom and the bathroom--you don't want to give yourself room to wreck your whole house, after all.\n\nFinally, you gag yourself with a clean sock. Then you take the rope and tie yourself up on the couch with it. You aren't into bondage or anything, so you have no idea if you did it right, but movement is difficult at any rate, so you figure this is as good as it gets. The sock is for keeping from making too much noise. You've seen enough werewolf movies to guess that you'll probably not be quiet during your transformation.\n\nYou watch as the light that eeks past your curtains wanes and wanes, then finally dies.\n\nThe effect is almost immediate.\n\nPain strikes down your spine like lightning, and you seize up. With your muscles locked, breathing all but stops for a moment as you feel the pain spread throughout your chest, then down your limbs. Your bones snap and shift. Your skin burns and rips.\n\nThe moment you can take a breath, you scream in agony.\n\nAs you thrash against your bonds, the knots come loose. Your body contorts as it changes from human to beast. The change seems to take forever.\n\nWhen you rise from the tangled mess of the bed, the useless rope falling away from you, you are no longer bipedal. You don't have opposable thumbs, naked skin, or round ears. You are a wolf, albeit, a larger one than the natural beasts of the wild.\n\nYou give your lupine head a shake and glare around at your surroundings. Your wet nostrils flare.\n\nThis place smells wrong. It's civilized. Unnatural. You snarl and look to the windows. A deeper part of you, the human part, whispers that they are locked, but you snort at this. Trotting to one side of the apartment, you turn and charge at the nearest window.\n\nYour large body smashes through it with little trouble, the shards cutting at your body as you sail through the air.\n\nYou crash onto the ground below, just as a car veers out of the way to avoid hitting you. People scream. Your legs, which were damaged from the fall, take a moment to heal, but they do so rapidly. Within moments you stand and howl into the air, then with flat ears you take off, into the night...

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou shove Benjamin away with a snarl.\n\n"Who the hell do you think you are!? You can't just come in here and expect me to listen to your crazy stories!"\n\nIn a flash, you find yourself pinned back onto the bed, the man's hand at your throat.\n\n"Now you listen to me PUP," he says with a genuine animal growl. "This is not where I wanted to be tonight. In fact, I debated whether or not I should've let my men kill you just to save me the trouble! But the fact of the matter is, I'm trying to do the right thing, even if your ungrateful ass can't appreciate it! So shut your mouth and let me speak!"\n\nInexplicably, you seize up with fear, your guts vanishing in the angry glare of the man over you. You just manage to resist the urge to whine like a kicked dog.\n\nThe man holds you for a second longer before letting you go. You stay there on the bed, staring up at him in a sort of primal fear.\n\nWith a 'hmph' the man straightens out his shirt collar and bites out, "My name is Benjamin. I'm here to warn you that you're about to go through a very trying week. You'll have visions. Violent mood swings. Your senses more powerful. This is because you are a WEREWOLF, and I know this because I'm one too."\n\nBenjamin stomps toward the door, but stops to look back at you. "You don't have to believe me now. The coming days will be proof enough. But there's something else you should know..."\n\n<<display 'BenLeaves'>>

<<display 'Preparation'>>\n<<if $meddlesome eq true>>\nThings are a blur. This strange city confuses you, and you're beast-like mind is confused and frightened...and that's dangerous. You have memories of a place that made you feel safe and certain.\n\nThe place you go to is on a hill. It is large and wide, with spread out trees and lots of large cold buildings. Your ears perk as you hear young people talking nearby.\n\n"Hey are you heading to class? Let me walk with you."\n\n"Oh man, I forgot my notes!"\n\nYour human side provides a word: School.\n\nYour lips curl back as you avoid the chatty people and you skulk around the edges of the campus to a quieter area where you encounter a tall man with red hair and freckles. He is with other people but they wave goodbye to him.\n\n"Bye Wesley!"\n\nYour ears perk. That name means something to you, but your animal mind cannot comprehend what.\n\nWesley lights a cigarette as you creep out of the shadows, and when he turns his head he spots you.\n\nBoth of you freeze.\n\nThe cigarette falls from Wesley's lips as he takes a step back. Then another. With a yell, he turns and runs.\n\nYou snarl and give chase, your instinct driving you. It doesn't take long for you to tackle the man from behind. He tries feebly to fend you off, but with your massive weight on top of his back, he cannot do much.\n\nYou bend down, and with your jaws, you tear out his throat.\n\nAs you feast on the twitching corpse of the man you only knew as "Wesley" you hear urgent voices approaching. There are shouts. Your head snaps up, your muzzle dripping from fresh blood to see lights flashing your way.\n\nYour human mind conjures up one last word: Security, before shots ring out, and a bullet finds its way through your heart.\n\nYou fall over dead, your convulsing body shifting back to human, the blood still staining your skin...\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<else>>\nThings are a blur. This strange city confuses you, and you're beast-like mind is confused and frightened...and that's dangerous. You have memories of a place that made you feel safe and certain.\n\nThe place you go to is on a hill. It is large and wide, with spread out trees and lots of large cold buildings. Your ears perk as you hear young people talking nearby.\n\n"Hey are you heading to class? Let me walk with you."\n\n"Oh man, I forgot my notes!"\n\nYour human side provides a word: School.\n\nYour lips curl back as you avoid the chatty people and you skulk around the edges of the campus to a quieter area where you encounter an older bald man with glasses. People are with him but they wave goodbye.\n\n"Goodbye Mr. Jim!"\n\nYour ears perk. That name means something to you, but your animal mind cannot comprehend what. Your human side provides another word: Teacher.\n\nHe takes out a cell phone and starts to fiddle with it. When he presses it to his ear, he turns his head and spots you.\n\nBoth of you freeze.\n\nThe phone slips from the man's hand as he takes a step back. Then another. With a yell, he turns and runs.\n\nYou snarl and give chase, your instinct driving you. It doesn't take long for you to tackle the man from behind. He tries feebly to fend you off, but with your massive weight on top of his back, he cannot do much.\n\nYou bend down, and with your jaws, you tear out his throat.\n\nAs you feast on the twitching corpse of the man you only knew as "Mr. Jim" you hear urgent voices approaching. There are shouts. Your head snaps up, your muzzle dripping from fresh blood to see lights flashing your way.\n\nYour human mind conjures up one last word: Security, before shots ring out, and a bullet finds its way through your heart.\n\nYou fall over dead, your convulsing body shifting back to human, the blood still staining your skin...\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<endif>>\n

<<if $meddlesome eq true>>\nYou drive to the forest, and park somewhere discreet. Ignoring signs that says the forest is closed at night, you head down the path, trying to see any signs of where it is you need to head. For a second, you wonder if someone is following you, but when you turn and backtrack, you see signs of no one. Then your nose tweaks with an animalistic smell, and you follow this off the trail and into the woods.\n\nEventually you come across a group of people in the woods. They all stop and stare at you, and you shrink feeling nervous. The group is comprised of old and young people. Everyone is dressed casually and most aren't wearing shoes, making you feel overdressed. Benjamin steps forward and spreads his arms.\n\n"You made it!" He says beaming.\n\nHe gestures for you to come closer, and nervously you do so.\n\n"Everyone," Benjamin says to the group. "This is the pup I was telling you about."\n\nEveryone murmurs hellos, and while some smile, you notice no one bares their teeth. In wolf, you recognize this is their attempt at appearing non-threatening. You make a conscious effort to avoid direct eye contact and to make yourself look as small as possible. The wolf inside you wants to be submissive to avoid trouble. You're just fine with that!\n\nThe group, or your 'pack' rather, heads deeper into the woods until they come to a clearing. There everyone begins to strip. You tug at your clothes shyly, but you can see the logic in this. You can't transform into a wolf and still have on your normal human clothes.\n\nFinally, the change comes, and it starts as a lightning strike of pain down your spine. You scream, collapsing to your knees as the pain spreads through your chest, then down your limbs.\n\nTo your surprise, a blonde haired woman kneels next to you and puts an arm over your shoulders. She gives you a closed mouth smile.\n\n"It gets easier..." She murmurs.\n\n"Did it hurt for you the first you changed?" You stammer out.\n\nShe nods and holds you as your body spasms and fur erupts over your skin.\n\nThe change seems to take forever, but when it is complete, you are no longer human. You are a wolf, albeit, larger than the natural wolves more commonly known. Your new pack circles you, and you shrink to the ground, tail tucked, as they sniff and nip at you.\n\nThen one wolf, who smells like the woman who had held you, trots up to you and licks your face. You whine, and she nips at your flanks. "It's time to run!" she is telling you.\n\nThe hunt begins and the pack works as a unit, running free through the woods. You feel amazing, howling and yipping with the rest of your packmates. Then the pack leader, "Benjamin" your human side says, takes off after prey that was hiding nearby. Everyone eagerly gives chase, including you.\n\nYour new wolf body is spritely and powerful. In your growing confidence, you easily outrun your packmates. You do not dare to pass the alpha leader, but you're close enough now that you can see what the prey is.\n\nIt's a tall human, with red hair.\n\nYour human side reacts in horror as it supplies a single name: Wesley.\n\nBut your wolf side is in the fervor of the hunt now, and when the alpha leader tackles the prey down and the pack descends on them with rabid hunger, so do you, and happily so...\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<else>>\nYou drive to the forest, and park somewhere discreet. Ignoring signs that says the forest is closed at night, you head down the path, trying to see any signs of where it is you need to head. For a second, you wonder if someone is following you, but when you turn and backtrack, you see signs of no one. Then your nose tweaks with an animalistic smell, and you follow this off the trail and into the woods.\n\nEventually you come across a group of people in the woods. They all stop and stare at you, and you shrink feeling nervous. The group is comprised of old and young people. Everyone is dressed casually and most aren't wearing shoes, making you feel overdressed. Benjamin steps forward and spreads his arms.\n\n"You made it!" He says beaming.\n\nHe gestures for you to come closer, and nervously you do so.\n\n"Everyone," Benjamin says to the group. "This is the pup I was telling you about."\n\nEveryone murmurs hellos, and while some smile, you notice no one bares their teeth. In wolf, you recognize this is their attempt at appearing non-threatening. You make a conscious effort to avoid direct eye contact and to make yourself look as small as possible. The wolf inside you wants to be submissive to avoid trouble. You're just fine with that!\n\nThe group, or your 'pack' rather, heads deeper into the woods until they come to a clearing. There everyone begins to strip. You tug at your clothes shyly, but you can see the logic in this. You can't transform into a wolf and still have on your normal human clothes.\n\nFinally, the change comes, and it starts as a lightning strike of pain down your spine. You scream, collapsing to your knees as the pain spreads through your chest, then down your limbs.\n\nTo your surprise, a blonde haired woman kneels next to you and puts an arm over your shoulders. She gives you a closed mouth smile.\n\n"It gets easier..." She murmurs.\n\n"Did it hurt for you the first you changed?" You stammer out.\n\nShe nods and holds you as your body spasms and fur erupts over your skin.\n\nThe change seems to take forever, but when it is complete, you are no longer human. You are a wolf, albeit, larger than the natural wolves more commonly known. Your new pack circles you, and you shrink to the ground, tail tucked, as they sniff and nip at you.\n\nThen one wolf, who smells like the woman who had held you, trots up to you and licks your face. You whine, and she nips at your flanks. "It's time to run!" she is telling you.\n\nThe hunt begins and the pack works as a unit, running free through the woods. You feel amazing, howling and yipping with the rest of your packmates. Then the pack leader, "Benjamin" your human side says, takes off after prey that was hiding nearby. Everyone eagerly gives chase, including you.\n\nYour new wolf body is spritely and powerful. In your growing confidence, you easily outrun your packmates. You do not dare to pass the alpha leader, but you're close enough now that you can see what the prey is.\n\nIt's a large deer.\n\nYour alpha leader manages to close in the gap and tackle the creature. You join in with your pack as they descend on the wounded animal, tearing it asunder. The meat tastes wonderful...\n\nIf every full moon is like this, maybe being a werewolf won't be so bad?\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<endif>>\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nWith your blood slicked hands, you fumble for your car keys and unlock your car. Slipping in, you turn on the air conditioning and put your seat back. You fold your hands over your chest and squeeze your eyes shut, trying to get control of your breathing.\n\nYou chant to yourself, "This can't be real. This doesn't make sense!"\n\nMinutes go by. Eventually, your breathing calms, and when you open your eyes and look at your hands, they are no longer covered in blood.\n\nNumbly, you exit the car and go to class.\n\n[[Continue...|ClassPos]]

<<if $meddlesome eq true>>\nYou drive to the forest, and park somewhere discreet. Ignoring signs that says the forest is closed at night, you head down the path, trying to see any signs of where it is you need to head. For a second, you wonder if someone is following you, but when you turn and backtrack, you see signs of no one. Then your nose tweaks with an animalistic smell, and you follow this off the trail and into the woods.\n\nEventually you come across a group of people in the woods. They all stop and stare at you, and you shrink feeling nervous. The group is comprised of old and young people. Everyone is dressed casually and most aren't wearing shoes, making you feel overdressed. Benjamin steps forward and spreads his arms.\n\n"You made it!" He says beaming.\n\nHe gestures for you to come closer, and nervously you do so.\n\n"Everyone," Benjamin says to the group. "This is the pup I was telling you about."\n\nNo one says anything. No one smiles. The only response comes from one man who crosses his arms high over his chest. You clench your jaw but refrain from baring your teeth.\n\nThe group, or your 'pack' rather, heads deeper into the woods until they come to a clearing. There everyone begins to strip. You tug at your clothes shyly, but you can see the logic in this. You can't transform into a wolf and still have on your normal human clothes.\n\nFinally, the change comes. Pain strikes down your spine like lightning, and you seize up. With your muscles locked, breathing all but stops for a moment as you feel the pain spread throughout your chest, then down your limbs. Your bones snap and shift. Your skin burns and rips.\n\nThe moment you can take a breath, you scream in agony.\n\nThe change seems to take forever, but when it is complete, you are no longer human. You are a wolf, albeit, larger than the natural wolves more commonly known. Your new pack circles you, and you shrink to the ground, tail tucked, as they sniff and nip at you. Some growl and snarl. You are a stranger, and they don't trust you, that is plain to see.\n\nOne wolf approaches you, and he bares his teeth. You square off with him and make a split decision. You can either take this lying down, or fight back. \n\nYou're going to fight back.\n\nWith a growl, you leap at the other wolf. It's time to show that you aren't a wolf to push around.\n\nAs you crash and tumble with your opponent, a warning howl stops the fight short. In the confusion, you turn your head and see a man standing amid the trees, a phone in his hand.\n\nYour human side supplies a name: Wesley.\n\nHe blanches at the attention of your pack and takes off running. Your alpha leader snarls and gives chase, and the pack follows...but there is disharmony. You snap at the wolf you were quarreling with, and he snaps back, making you collide into a nearby wolf. This causes you to stumble, and the pack is brought into disarray.\n\nWesley gets away.\n\nIn the following days, you do not see your friend again, but you DO see a new news headline that reads: HOAX OR REAL? WEREWOLVES IN FELMORE FOREST. EXCLUSIVE CELL PHONE FOOTAGE...\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<else>>\nYou drive to the forest, and park somewhere discreet. Ignoring signs that says the forest is closed at night, you head down the path, trying to see any signs of where it is you need to head. For a second, you wonder if someone is following you, but when you turn and backtrack, you see signs of no one. Then your nose tweaks with an animalistic smell, and you follow this off the trail and into the woods.\n\nEventually you come across a group of people in the woods. They all stop and stare at you, and you shrink feeling nervous. The group is comprised of old and young people. Everyone is dressed casually and most aren't wearing shoes, making you feel overdressed. Benjamin steps forward and spreads his arms.\n\n"You made it!" He says beaming.\n\nHe gestures for you to come closer, and nervously you do so.\n\n"Everyone," Benjamin says to the group. "This is the pup I was telling you about."\n\nNo one says anything. No one smiles. The only response comes from one man who crosses his arms high over his chest. You clench your jaw but refrain from baring your teeth.\n\nThe group, or your 'pack' rather, heads deeper into the woods until they come to a clearing. There everyone begins to strip. You tug at your clothes shyly, but you can see the logic in this. You can't transform into a wolf and still have on your normal human clothes.\n\nFinally, the change comes. Pain strikes down your spine like lightning, and you seize up. With your muscles locked, breathing all but stops for a moment as you feel the pain spread throughout your chest, then down your limbs. Your bones snap and shift. Your skin burns and rips.\n\nThe moment you can take a breath, you scream in agony.\n\nThe change seems to take forever, but when it is complete, you are no longer human. You are a wolf, albeit, larger than the natural wolves more commonly known. Your new pack circles you, and you shrink to the ground, tail tucked, as they sniff and nip at you. Some growl and snarl. You are a stranger, and they don't trust you, that is plain to see.\n\nOne wolf approaches you, and he bares his teeth. You square off with him and make a split decision. You can either take this lying down, or fight back. \n\nYou're going to fight back.\n\nWith a growl, you leap at the other wolf. It's time to show that you aren't a wolf to push around.\n\nYou rip and tear at whatever parts you can get your jaws on. The other wolf rolls you onto the ground, but you kick him off, and as he stumbles, you manage to get your jaws onto his throat, and you rip this out with zeal.\n\nThe wolf lays dying on the ground. You stand over him, victorious as the others skirt away from you. You raise your head and howl in victory.\n\n++++THE END++++\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou dial your mom's number. <<if $boy>>You feel a bit embarassed, being a full grown man calling his mother like this, but she's also the only known family you've got.<<else>>As a grown woman, you always wanted to feel independent and strong, and you feel a bit ashamed that you're calling your mother like this, but she's the only family you've got.<<endif>> \n\nThe phone rings briefly before your mom answers.\n\n"Hello? <<if $boy>><<print $John>>?<<else>><<print $Jane>>?<<endif>> Are you okay??" she asks urgently.\n\nYou knuckle your eyes and take a deep breath. Just hearing your mother's voice helps you gain control of yourself. You can't let on that you're hallucinating. It'd only make your mother hysterical.\n\n"Hi, mom," you manage to say. "I was just calling to say hi."\n\nShe doesn't buy it, and her suspicion bleeds through her voice. "Honey, where are you?"\n\n"I came to school, mom. Just like I said."\n\n"You ought to rest! You're pushing yourself too hard!"\n\nYou smile at your mother's predictable concern. It comforts you so much, that when you look at your hands, you no longer see blood.\n\n"Hey mom?" You say. "I've got to go. I'll see you later, okay?"\n\nShe sighs heavily. "Your stubborn, just like your father was." She grumbles.\n\nYour smile widens. "Love you, mom."\n\n"Love you, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>><<endif>>."\n\nYou hang up and leave the parking lot.\n\n[[Go to class.|ClassPos]]\n

<<set $wolfsbane = 1>>\n<<set $headphones = 1>>\n\nYou researched a lot of things last night, and though you got some conflicting information, you feel like you want to give some ideas a try. \n\nSo after a run to the local health food and organic medicine shops, you manage to find some wolfsbane in pill form. You're wary of taking a pill, after all it could KILL you, but if the dosage is right it could just take the edge off your big bad wolf attitude you've been experiencing.\n\nNext you also managed to purchase sound dampening headphones to use just in case you need to shut out the world and escape the hustle and bustle of the city. After the car alarm nearly made you piss your pants, you figure there WILL be a situation in which these will be useful!\n\nWith your new arsenal acquired you gather your things for class and leave.\n\n[[Time for school...|Class3]]\n

You grin up at him.\n\n<<if $boy>>\n"Geez dude. What is it with you? A full moon and some wind is enough to give YOU the creeps? What happened to the guy I went cliff jumping with last summer?" You tease.\n<<else>>\n"C'mon, Wesley, lighten up! You used to tease me for being such a girly girl when we were kids, all because I got skittish in the dark. But you let this forest get to you?" You tease.\n<<endif>>\n\nHe gives you a pained look. "Haven't you heard the stories about the animal carcasses the rangers find? They say the Felmore Forest has the meanest pack of coyotes ever seen along the coast!"\n\n[[Shrug off Wesley's fears.|WesIg]]\n\n[[Acknowledge his concern.|WesAck]]\n\n

<<set $meddlesome = true>>\nYou answer the door and are surprised to see Wesley. You position yourself in the open door crack, not letting him in. He looks at you sternly.\n\n<<if $boy>>\n"Wes?" You rub your neck. "Uh...hey bro. This isn't a good time."\n\n"Yeah? Well I think this is a perfect time," he responds shortly. "Something's up with you man, and it isn't right."\n\n"Dude, come on, not now..."\n\n"John, I've been hearing stories from people about you flipping out!"\n\nYou scowl. "Like what?"\n<<else>>\n"Wesley?" You bite your lip and shift your weight to one foot. "Um. Hi. Look this really isn't a good time."\n\n"Yeah? Well I think this is a perfect time," he responds shortly. "Something's going on with you Jane, and it isn't right."\n\n"Wes, please, just--"\n\n"Jane, I've been hearing stories from people about you flipping out!"\n\nYou scowl. "Like what?"\n<<endif>>\n\n<<if $badcar eq true>>\nWesley snorts and puts his hands on his hips. "Like...oh...I dunno... Nearly running a guy over!?"\n\nYou blanche. "I--I don't know what you're talking about!"\n\nWesley narrows his eyes. "Oh really? Well Jamal, y'know the guy who acted in your movie? He saw you do it! I didn't want to believe him, but when I went on the local news websites, I saw an article about a near hit and run. It describes YOUR car as the vehicle involved!"\n\nYou swallow hard, unable to say anything.\n<<endif>>\n\n<<if $stab eq true>>\n"Did I mention? I just got a HYSTERICAL call from your mom," he bites out. "Who tells me that you stabbed yourself in the leg with one of her silverware, then pushed her into the fridge!!"\n\nYou wince and squeeze your eyes shut. "Wesley, it's not how it looks..."\n\n"I have no idea how this fucking looks, because this sounds beyond crazy to me! It doesn't make sense! Why are you acting like this??" Wesley shouts.<<endif>> "People have told me you snarled at them, yelled at them, and got physical with them when they were just trying to help!"\n\nYou shake your head. "Listen. I know this looks bad. But I need you to leave it alone, okay? As my best friend, I'm ASKING you to trust me!"\n\nWesley glares at you. "You've changed, and I don't know if I like the new you..." \n\nWithout another word, he stomps away.\n\nYou gaze after him sadly before shutting the door. As much as you want to explain things to your friend, you have bigger things to worry about.\n\n[[Time to decide.|FinalDecisions]]\n

The time is now. You have just enough time to drive to the forest like Benjamin told you. Or you could ignore his directions...\n\nWhat will you do?\n\n[[Go to the Felmore Forest.|Forest]]\n\n[[Stay home.|Home3]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou take a moment to gather yourself, breathing in deep. Then you clear your throat and recite quietly, "Nature's first green is gold, her hardest hue to hold. Her early leaf's a flower; But only so an hour. Then leaf subsides to leaf. So Eden sank to grief, so dawn goes down to day. Nothing gold can stay."\n\nYour mother smiles at you, a tear slipping down her cheek. "Robert Frost?"\n\nYou nod mutely.\n\nWith a sniffle, she comes over and hugs you.\n\n[[Time to leave.|Leave]]\n

You manage to curl your legs up under the beast, but when you try to kick it away, you discover the monster's weight and firm footing makes kicking him off you just about impossible.\n\n<<display 'monsterend'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"... There's something right behind me, isn't there?" You slowly start to turn your head, a bead of sweat trailing down past your eye, but it's too late.\n\n<<display 'monsterattack'>>

The webpage reads:\n\n"The legend of the werewolf varies wildly depending on the sourch. In some myths, killing the werewolf who turned you before your first change can cure you of the afflction. In other myths, drinking a potion made from wolfsbane is said to cure a werewolf, but this is contrary to the myth that wolfsbane is potentially deadly to a werewolf.\n\nIn most myths, lycanthropy CANNOT be cured."\n\nDisheartened, you close the webpage and pull up your search list.\n\n<<display 'actions3'>>

<html>\n<b>Wolf Skin coded and written by Amanda French</b>\n<br>\n<br>\n<b>Photo Credits:</b>\n<br>\n<br>\nIntro art, "Loup" Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/37667416@N04/4726409697/">El Bibliomata</a> via <a href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>\n<br>\n<br>\nBackground art, "Super Moon" Photo Credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/46153825@N00/5298237402/">BigTallGuy</a> via <a href="http://compfight.com">Compfight</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>\n<br>\n<br>\n<b>Special thanks to:</b>\n<br>\n<br>\nHawkx27 - for your continued support\n<br>\n<br>\nDr. Tobiee and HEAD_RUSH at Prestige-Gaming.org - for their awesome proofreading\n<br>\n<br>\nThe Barred Owls - whose feedback and game suggestions helped Wolf Skin exceed my expectations!\n<br>\n<br>\n<i>And of course, thanks to all of you for playing!</i>\n<br>\n<br>\n<b>--Amanda French</b>\n<br>\n<br>\n\n<u>Please click 'restart' in the sidebar</u>.</html>\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"Who are you? How do you know my name?" you ask, your eyes narrowing warily.\n\nThe man smiles at you gently, but the edge in his eyes remains, even as he moves closer to your bedside.\n\nHe holds out his hand and says, "My name is Benjamin, and I have some important news you need to hear."\n\n"But hospital visits are over for the night," you say numbly as you shake his hand. Something about this man commands your attention, and you sense something tremendous about him, you just don't know what.\n\n"Don't worry about that," he says with a wave of his hand. "What you ought to worry about is the coming week."\n\n"Why's that?" You ask with a sense of dread.\n\nBenjamin sighs and strokes his scraggily beard. He looks at you with what you think might be pity in his eyes.\n\n"Because," he says. "You are about to go through a very trying time. Your mind, even your body, will seem to rebel against you. The decisions you make from here on out, even for little things, will be of the utmost importance. <<if $boy>><<print $John>>,<<else>><<print $Jane>>,<<endif>> I know this will seem crazy to hear...but you're a werewolf."\n\n[[Reject Benjamin's claim.|Reject]]\n\n[[Ask what he really means.|Ask2]]\n

By <html><a href="https://twitter.com/cajeck">Amanda French</a></html>

Next up is Fundamentals of Physical Science. You get into class on time and take your seat. This class is lecture based, and the last half hour is a sort of Q&A review.\n\n<<if $binder eq 1>>\n<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nGood thing you brought your binder. You listen to the lecture and take notes. When the Q&A portion comes, you also have your notes from a month ago, so you're able to answer a question your teacher poses you about Newton's Law.\n\nYou leave the class feeling good about yourself.\n<<else>>\n<<silently>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast + 1>>\n<<set $human = $human - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n...If only you brought your binder! Feeling embarassed, you ask a classmate if you can borrow a sheet of paper to take notes. But when the Q&A portion of the class comes, you don't have your notes from a month ago, so when your teacher poses you a question about Newton's Law, you can't answer!\n\nYou leave the class feeling frustrated and angry at yourself.\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Time to go home...|Home1]]\n

You slip back into the house, your breathing still uneven, and immediately head for the cupboard in the kitchin/dining area. Your mother is gone, and you think you hear her puttering off in the back. You need to act quickly.\n\nOpening up the cupboard drawers, you find the silverware you were looking for. You pick up a knife.\n\nImmediately, you skin begins to sizzle and you let out a hiss as the silver burns your skin. It's not enough, though...\n\n[[Stab yourself in the leg.|Stab]]\n\n[[Give up and leave.|Leave]]\n

<<if $textbook eq 1>>\nYou take out your textbook, glad that you thought to bring it, and begin your test. It turns out you really needed it, despite the fact that most of this material was covered before your coma. At the end of the class, you turn in your assignment with a smile.\n<<else>>\n<<set $friend = $friend + 1>>\nYou forgot to bring your textbook. You stare at your test, aware that most of this material was covered before your coma, but you just can't seem to remember the right answers. You sit and struggle with the questions, watching frustrated as one by one, your classmates turn in their tests. Finally the end of class arrives, and your test still isn't finished. \n\nYour fists ball up. How could you be so stupid and forget something as basic as your textbook? Your teacher looks at your incomplete test and looks at you with pity. The look incenses you, and before he can say anything, you storm away. You wanted to get on with your life. You can't do that if people are looking at you as if you're brain damaged!\n<<endif>>\n\n[[Time for lunch.|Lunchtime1]]\n

You call your doctor. He said to call if there was any issue, right? \n\nThe phone rings and rings. Finally a nurse picks up, and you start to tell her what's going on with you, but she interrupts, saying she has to put you on hold. Flabbergasted, you sit on hold for another five minutes before the nurse picks up the line again. She informs you that the doctor is currently in surgery and cannot come to the phone right now, but would you like to leave a message?\n\nYou mean to tell her to go jump off a bridge, but instead you snarl unintelligbly and hang up.\n\nWell that was a waste of time. And now you're late for class!\n\n[[Go to class.|ClassAg]]

<<silently>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\n"Benjamin, do you like being a werewolf?" you ask nervously.\n\nHe looks at you in surprise, then looks down at his shoes. "Like isn't the word I'd use..." he says carefully. He looks up again and smiles wanly. "I've been a werewolf for over 30 years now. I've learned to deal with what I am, and I've found a kind of happiness. Are there things I like about being a werewolf? Sure. But would I rather be a regular human? Damn straight I would."\n\nYou nod slowly. You don't entirely get what a person could like about being a werewolf, but if a man like Benjamin could find a way to exist with his condition, then maybe there was a chance for you too...?\n\nBenjamin looks over at your kitchen counter, where there lies your Robert Frost book. He smiles and goes to it, picking it up with his dry, calloused hands.\n\n"Robert Frost..." he murmurs. He looks at you, and your amazed to see a kind of tenderness in his gaze. "My wife...when she was still alive...she loved Frost's poems."\n\nBenjamin sets the book down and closes his eyes, one hand on the cover. "I go to her grave once a year and read her some of his work."\n\nHe looks back at you, and there's a light mist of tears in his eyes. "I don't know if there's a heaven, kid. If there is one, I know my Margaret is up there. But will I ever join her? I doubt it. When I became a werewolf, I didn't want to believe. It was my hard-headedness that got her killed."\n\nYou nod slowly. You don't entirely know what Benjamin means by that. You want to ask him to clarify, to ask if HE was the one who killed her, or if his actions only led to her death (or maybe to him it was both?) But you refrain. You sense you're lucky just to have heard this much.\n\nBenjamin gives you a soft smile and starts for the door.\n<<display 'benleaves'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou raise both eyebrows. "What makes you say that?"\n\nBenjamin gestures at himself with a somber expression. "Because I'm a werewolf too. The leader of the local pack, as a matter of fact."\n\n"So you're the alpha wolf?"\n\n"Yes..."\n\n"This is...hard to believe," you smile nervously.\n\nBenjamin nods wearily. "I know. I appreciate your patience and calm. You'll need that for the week to come. But you won't have to take my words for it. Soon you'll be having visions. Mood swings."\n\n<<if $girl>>\n"So like PMS?" you say ironically.\n\nBenjamin, to your surprise, blushes. "Err...sort've."<<endif>>\n\n"I won't...hurt anybody, right?"\n\nThe man shrugs one shoulder. "Well, that depends on you. On how well you can control your new urges. Your senses and your mind will be changing, and it'll only get more intense towards the full moon."\n\nYou swallow hard.\n\n<<display 'BenLeaves'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou pause in pulling out your camera's tripod stand to look up at your friend and classmate.\n\n"Wesley, I understand that you don't like this. I'm sorry. I should've talked this over more with you guys. But if we want our project not to bomb, we've got to do this! I promise it'll be quick, okay?"\n\nWesley sighs and nods. "All right. I just hope this is all worth it!"\n\nHe shrugs off his backpack and digs out his script. Giving you a brief nod, he steps away to go over his lines.\n\n<<display 'FilmProject'>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $human = $human + 1>>\n<<set $beast = $beast - 1>>\n<<set $calledwesley = true>>\n<<endsilently>>\nYou dial Wesley's number. <<if $boy>>You've always had trouble trusting other guys, but you know that Wesley respects your pride and knows when to keep from making dumb jokes.<<else>>You've always been careful calling Wesley, even though your both good friends, because of the fact that you're a girl and he's a guy. The question of you two as a couple was answered definitively years ago with a strong NO, but still, you don't want to tempt fate. You know he wouldn't take advantage of you, though.<<endif>>\n\nWesley answers quickly.\n\n"He-rro?" He sounds like he's chewing something.\n\n"Wesley?" you say with a wrinkled nose.\n\n"Yeah? <<if $boy>><<print $John>>,<<else>><<print $Jane>>,<<endif>> dat youf?"\n\nDespite yourself you smile shakily. "Yes. It's me."\n\nThere's a pause as Wesley swallows whatever it was he was eating. "Ah! Hey. What's up? Something wrong? You sound a bit off."\n\nYou knuckle your eyes and take a deep breath. Just hearing your best friend's voice helps you gain control of yourself. You decide not to tell him what you just hallucinated.\n\n"Nah, I'm okay... I'm at school right now."\n\n"Whaaaat? Really!? What for?? You should rest!"\n\n"Now you sound like my mom!"\n\nWesley's voice becomes very grave. "I'm not joking! You just got released from the hospital for being in a COMA! You have no business being at school!"\n\nYou shake your head, even though he can't see it. "I have to work. It's the only way I'll get past this." You take a second to look at the clock on your phone. As you do so, you realize the 'blood' is gone from your hands. "Hey, I gotta go. I'm late to class." You add as an after thought. "Thanks for answering."\n\n"You're so weird, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>.<<else>><<print $Jane>>.<<endif>> Promise you'll take it easy, huh?"\n\n"I will. Later, Wes."\n\nYou hang up and leave the parking lot.\n\n[[Go to class.|ClassPos]]\n

You give her a suffering look. "Mom, I'm fine! The doctor says I don't even have scars!"\n\nYour mother reaches over, her blonde-gray hair spilling over her shoulder, and she taps you hard on your temple, making you jerk away with a wince.\n\n"The scars are here, <<if $boy>><<print $John>>!<<else>><<print $Jane>>!<<endif>>" she snaps. "You just woke up from a COMA! You don't think that won't have an effect on your psyche??"\n\n"It was only three weeks..." you mutter sullenly.\n\nYour mother shakes her head as she focuses back on the road. "At this rate you'll be the death of me."\n\nYou arrive home, and after reassuring your mother one more time, she drives off.\n\n[[Continue...|Cont5]]\n

You look at her sympathetically. "Mom, I promise that the moment I feel out of it, I'll go home. But you know I can't feel normal unless I'm doing the things I love!"\n\nYour mother sighs and shakes her head. "<<if $boy>><<print $John>>...<<else>><<print $Jane>>...<<endif>> I worry about you! When you were in that coma, I just couldn't bare the thought of losing you like...like..." she trails off, unable to finish.\n\nYou reach over and squeeze her shoulder. "I know, Mom."\n\nYou arrive home, and after reassuring your mother one more time, she drives off.\n\n[[Continue...|Cont5]]\n

<<silently>>\n<<set $script = 1>>\n<<set $inv = $inv + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nThis was the latest script you finished before the attack in the forest. You're pretty sure that your horror film was either completed or scrapped in your absence, so maybe you'll need a new script?\n\n<<if $inv eq 3>>\n<<display 'Time to go.'>>\n<<else>>\nWhat else will you take?\n<<display "actions1">>\n<<endif>>

<<silently>>\n<<set $binder = 1>>\n<<set $inv = $inv + 1>>\n<<endsilently>>\nOf course you'll take your binder. It has your notes, your agenda, and all of your handouts!\n\n<<if $inv eq 3>>\n<<display 'Time to go.'>>\n<<else>>\nWhat else will you take?\n<<display "actions1">>\n<<endif>>

The webpage reads:\n\n"Lycanthropes, especially in the days leading up to their first full moon, are prone to hallucinations, severe mood swings, and overwhelmingly powerful senses. These are said to be caused by the new wolf persona taking hold within the afflicted's mind. That said, the human nature of a lycanthrope never completely vanishes. A lycanthrope who is self-aware would be capable of maintaining their sanity and control by not engaging in aggressive behavior. However, there is no accounting for outside stimuli intruding on the afflicted, and as such, the lycanthrope should take every precaution to reduce the possibility for stress and conflict."\n\nYou rub your chin as you consider this article and what you went through today.\n\n<<display 'actions3'>>

The alpha werewolf pauses at the door and looks back at you.\n\n"Remember," he says. "You need to be at the Felmore Forest around sundown tomorrow. We'll be just past the public entrance. Your nose will lead you right to us."\n\nNot waiting for you to say anything in response, the man turns and leaves.\n\nYou stand and stare at the door, unable to bring yourself to move.\n\n[[Continue...|cont10]]\n