Animorphers

"I heard there was a fox running loose in your High School, today? Did you see it?" Aunt Jen says, passing a bowl of fruit salad around the dinner table.

"No, I wasn't around when it happened," I say. "But apparently someone identified it as a Cape Fox, who supposedly only live in Africa. So they're thinking someone had it as a pet and it escaped."

Layla looks down at her plate, picking at her food and being unusually quiet. Aunt Jen notices this too and asks, "Layla, were you there?"

Layla looks up like she's surprised someone's talking to her. "Uh... nope. Didn't see a thing." She gives a quick little smile and goes back to her plate.

Okay... Aunt Jen passes me the bowl of fruit and I spoon some onto my plate, then pass it to Mr. Woods. I take a bite and suddenly my sense of taste and smell are completely overwhelmed by the sweet, juicy taste of the fruit mixture. I completely forget about the other food on my plate, or even the other people in the room and I start shoveling the stuff into my mouth.

Aunt Jen looks over at me. "Cole, why are you-" Mr. Woods starts to pass the bowl to Layla just as I run out on my plate and I snatch it out of his hand before she can grab it. I spoon more and more onto my plate until Aunt Jen pulls the bowl out of my hand. "Save some for the rest of us, will you? Geeze..."

This is enough of an abruptness to shake me out of my obsession. I look up from my food and around at the others sitting at the table. "Sorry... I don't know what came over me. It's just really good, I guess." Everyone gives me a look of confusion, except for Layla, who stares at me with wide, worried eyes.

"Cole, can I talk to you in the other room?" she says suddenly, then pushes away from the table. I raise an eyebrow at her, then stand up from the table. I'm hit with a sudden wave of dizziness and I have to steady myself on the table for a moment until it subsides. Then I follow her up the stairs and into her bedroom.

Layla paces back and forth. "I promised Jinx I wouldn't say anything, but... I've gotta say something. Cole, when I went to Jinx's apartment and called 911, it wasn't because he was hallucinating."

"Okay..."

"Somehow, he had turned into a tiger, tried to attack me, then turned back."

"Hah! Sure... That's a good one." Layla? Funny? Since when?

"Cole, listen to me!" She grabs my shoulders and looks seriously into my eyes. I shift my eyes to the side, then back to her, suddenly uncomfortable. "The fox at school yesterday. I didn't see it because I was it. I turned into a fox."

"What are you on? Because you're talking crazy."

"I'm not on anything! Haven't you noticed all the weird stuff going on lately? The absentees from our science class and only our science class which only started after the field trip? Ryker randomly falling into a comma for no reason? Riley going to the hospital? Jinx and myself turning into animals? I'm telling you, something weird is going on."

"Stuff happens, Layla." Cold sweat starts to prickle at my forehead and for some reason, I feel a bit uneasy on my feet. "I think you're being paranoid," I say, shrugging her hands off of my shoulders. Everything that's been going on lately does seem to be a little outside of normal, but what she's talking about is so far out of the loop of reality that it doesn't seem possible.

"Then how do you explain your sudden obsession with fruit? What if that's a sign you're going to change, too?"

"Into what? A fruit monster?"

"Cole. I am this close to losing it. I feel like I'm going to lose my mind so could you think about someone other than yourself for once and just listen to me?"

Think about someone other than yourself for once.

"I only think about myself? That's what you think?" I ask.

"Cole, I didn't mean it like-"

"No, I get it. Just because I've been to Juvie it must mean I'm selfish, right?"

Layla sighs. "This doesn't have anything to do with Juvie. It has to do with you acting like an arrogant jerk most of the time. So I'm just asking that you put your usual attitude aside and listen."

"If you hate me so much, why don't you talk to Aunt Jen? Or your animal buddy Jinx? Or even that lanky kid who you so obviously have a crush on."

Layla scoffs at me, then shakes her head. "See! You're doing it again! You're being a jerk when you don't need to be. If you would just lighten up a bit, you might not be so annoying to be around."

I take a few steps back from her, stung by her words. "I don't need this! You're talking to me about being a jerk? Have you taken a look in the mirror lately?"

"Cole..."

"No! I didn't want to come here in the first place! I had friends back in Boston. I had a life back in Boston and then my mom 'decided' to ship me off because it would be best for me. But did she even ask what I wanted? No. And you know what she was really thinking when she told me she was doing it for me? She was thinking she finally wouldn't have to deal with me anymore."

"I understand what you're going through-" she starts, but I cut her off.

"No. No you don't. You couldn't possibly know what I'm going through." Another wave of dizziness hits me and I have to steady myself on her desk. After a moment, it passes and I look back up at her. "You don't know what it's like to have your dad leave when you're twelve and have your mom ship you half way across the country just so she doesn't have to deal with you anymore. The only people who ever gave a crap about me were my friends, and they're back in Boston, too. So don't talk to me about knowing what I'm going through, or how much of a jerk I am. I've had plenty of people tell me both."

"Cole, I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"Forget it." I wipe my sleeve against my sweaty forehead and head towards the door of Layla's room.

"Where are you going?"

I steady myself on the doorframe for a second, closing my eyes as I'm hit with another wave of unsteadiness. Then shove myself off of it and storm out of the room. "Out."

+ + +

"Hey, man! I thought you said you wouldn't be able to make it?"

I walk toward the group of guys I've hung out with a few times since I moved here. "Plans change." I fist bump the first guy and high five the second. They stand around a metal trashcan in the park where they've lit a small fire to battle the January nip in the air. Though I don't feel the need to stand near it. I'm already sweating like crazy.

"Dude, my brother totally came through and hooked us up with a couple of six packs," the third guy says, slapping a can into my hand.

"Great," I say, though there's little enthusiasm in my voice.

"What's up with you?"

"Nothing, I don't want to talk about it," I say as I click back the latch.

+ + +

By the time a crumple the third can, the world is starting to spin. But three is nothing compared to what I could handle in Boston.

"You okay, man?" one of the guys says, walking over to me, but all I can make out of him is a blurry figure whose movements are lapsing in time. He puts a hand on my shoulder and his hand feels like fire against my skin. I stand up from the log and stumble backwards, startled. "Dude?"

I'm hit with a wave of nausea and stumble into the woods surrounding the clearing. Afterwards, I steady myself on a tree with my hand, which is covered in thick, black hair. "What the hell?"

Just then a CRV pulls up to the clearing, honking a couple times as it approaches to get our attention. Through my blurry vision, I almost think I recognize the car. Then a girl jumps out of the drivers seat and walks into the clearing. "Layla?"

"Where's Cole?" she says in a demanding tone.

"Who wants to know?"

"His cousin who's willing to kick every single one of you to Canada if you don't tell me." The guy puts his hands up and nods, then points to me as I stumble to a tree closer to the clearing. "Cole, we have to go."

"I... I'm not going anywhere with you..."

Layla walks over and grabs my hand. Her eyes widen slightly when she sees it's covered in dark hair, but it only fazes her for a moment before she shoves that hand into my pocket and grabs my other one instead, pulling my arm over her shoulder. "Too bad. We have to go right now."

In my semi-conscious state, I don't fight her. She walks me to the car and helps me to lay down in the back seat just as a sharp pain shoots through my head. "Ah... Somethings wrong." I say, pressing my hands into my head.

Layla gets into the drivers seat, slams the door--which is far louder than it should be--and steps on the gas. "You think?"

The pain spreads down the back of my neck and into my chest, causing me to struggle for breath. "What are you doing here?" I gasp.

"The dizziness and cold sweats you had while you talked to me. I recognized why you were having them about five minutes after you left."

"Why? What's happening?"

Layla looks over her shoulder at me. "You're morphing."

Why am I always the one to get caught up in this stuff? Somehow I feel like I'm starting to become an expert on the subject. Whatever the subject is. But despite feeling this way, I still consciously have to try and keep myself calm. Whether I'm becoming an expert on this or not, this is not normal.

"Do you believe me now?" I call back to Cole. All he does is groan. I press my foot down on the gas pedal, accelerating the car even faster than before. "Hang in there." Looking in the rear-view mirror, I see Cole roll onto his side and he grits his teeth, squeezing his eyes shut.

"How much did you have to drink?" I ask. After a moment, I'm answered with a thud. A quick look into the back confirms that he rolled off the seat and onto the floor. I roll my eyes. Oh, well that's fantastic.

Just my luck, he's probably going to morph into a panther or something. Or a bear. Yeah, that would just be perfect. He insults me and storms out of the house, then I go out of my way to save his ass and he eats me. Or, or... oh god. What would happen if he morphed into an elephant? He'd break the car. How would I explain that to Mom? I couldn't exactly tell her an elephant did it. She'd think I lost my marbles.

Cole gasps for breath. I look in the rear-view mirror, but I still can't see him. "We're almost home," I say. But he doesn't respond. "Cole?" No answer.

I pull the car over to the shoulder of the road. "Cole?" I look over my shoulder and reach into the backseat only to come up with a sweat-soaked black tee. I drop it just as something jumps onto the back of my seat. I jolt back to see a capuchin monkey hanging on the headrest. I look at him, and he looks at me. He screeches in my ear.

I let out a shuttered breath. "Oh. A monkey. Well, that's fitting."

* * *

When I pull back into our driveway, I realize I couldn't just bring him into the house without an explanation. An explanation which I don't have. So instead, I grab my backpack, empty it out into the passenger seat and stuff the monkey inside. How many people can say they zipped their cousin into a backpack?

I head in the front door and make a bee-line for the stairs, but Mom is watching television in the living room and stops me. "Layla, what happened?"

"I found him and he's fine. He said he'd be back a little later and that you shouldn't wait up for him."

"Oh... Well, he knows there's a curfew, doesn't he?"

"Yeah, but since when has Cole listened to rules?" I say, trying to act casual.

"True..."

"I'm pretty tired, so I'm going to go to bed." I give her a small smile, then head up the stairs. As soon as I'm out of sight from her, I run up as fast as I can and dart into my room before anyone else can talk to me. I close the door and lock it, then set the backpack on my bed and unzip it. The monkey jumps out onto the bed and looks around. For a second, I think everything might be okay and I let out a breath. Maybe he'll calm down and morph back.

My hopes were too high.

One second he's standing calmly on my comforter and the next he's flying around the room, screeching and wrecking havoc on everything. He jumps on my iPod and music starts blaring through my speakers. I rush over to turn it off, but by the time I do, he's already jumped onto my bookshelf. I catch on a second too late and the whole thing tips over with a loud crash. I cringe, hoping no one heard.

When he jumps off of the bookshelf and onto my chair, I manage to grab him, but he slips out of my grasp and lands on my nightstand. He looks at me and screeches, then picks up a cup and throws it at me. "Hey! Watch it!" He sticks his tongue out at me, then throws my clock.

Someone knocks on my door. "Layla?" It's mom voice. A rush of panic floods through me, but I realize I can't not open the door for her.

I look at the monkey. "Don't make a sound." I walk over to the door and open it just wide enough for me to stick my head out. "What's up?"

"I heard a crash. What's going on in there?"

"Oh, that... I was just doing some rearranging."

"Rearranging? I thought you were going to bed," she says.

"I was! But then I decided to clean my room instead. It's pretty messy."

"Layla, it's always messy." A lamp falls over and crashes onto my nightstand. Quickly, I pretend to have a cough attack to cover up the noise. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine, Mom!" My heart starts beating faster. I'm horrible at lying to her.

She gives me a skeptical look, then after a moment she shrugs. "Alright... If you say so."

"Night, Mom."

"Goodnight, Layla."

I close the door quickly and whirl back around to look at my nightstand. Cole is gone. Then I hear something like paper ripping and I look over at my desk to see him tearing up my homework... and eating it. "Oh, you've got to be kidding me."

By the time I make it over to him, he's already onto the next thing: grabbing a ruler and swinging it around, hitting everything on my desk with it like a baseball bat. When I pull it out of his hands, it occurs to me that Cole had been drinking. It's not just a capuchin monkey I'm dealing with. It's a drunk capuchin monkey. Oh lord...

* * *

I jolt awake at a loud noise, my head bumping into the door I sit against. This must be the tenth time I've nodded off. Warm, early morning light streams through my window making half of my room glow with gold. I look at the time on my phone which reads: 6:02AM. After about an hour of the madness, I'd given up on trying to keep him out of trouble. But going to bed wasn't an option. What would happen if he got out while I was asleep? Or if he turned back and was in as bad of shape as Jinx was and I wasn't awake to deal with it? So... needless to say, it was a long night.

I squint into the room, peering around to figure out where he is. I hear something terrifying: silence. "Cole?"

I rub my eyes and sit up straighter. I hear a groan. A human groan. "Oh, thank goodness." A hand appears from the other side of my bed, and a moment later he pulls himself up enough for his head to become visible.

"Layla? What happened?"

I stand up a put a hand out. "Don't move. I'll be right back." I fling my door open and run into Cole's room. I grab a shirt and pair of pants off the ground then return to my room, closing the door behind me. I throw the clothes on the bed. "Clothes first. Stories later." Nobody wants to see that.

Slow and groggy, he pulls on the pants out of view, then throws his shirt over his head. "Okay," he says as he scoots back to sit with his back against the nightstand. I come around to see him with his arms wrapped around his body, shivering. I throw him a blanket, then sit down in front of him. "What's happening to us?" he says quietly. I've never seen Cole like this. The annoyed, arrogant attitude he normally has is gone and has been replaced with a tired, beat-down version of himself.

"I don't know," I reply. "But we're going to figure it out. Jinx and me, now you. Somehow I've got a feeling this isn't just some weird thing going around. I don't believe in coincidences and I also have a feeling that others from our science class are going through something like this too." Cole doesn't respond. He just wraps the blanket tighter around him and stares down at the floor. "Do you remember anything from last night?" I ask.

He shakes his head. "Not really. The last thing I remember clearly is being in the back of Aunt Jen's car. Then nothing but weird flashes that don't make any sense."

We're silent for a while. What do you say to someone who you vowed to hate but ended up saving? What do you talk about when that someone just morphed into an animal and back?

"Do you know why I went to Juvie?" he finally says, though his words are quiet.

"Umm... Shoplifting I think?"

He nods slowly. "It was a five-hundred dollar watch. I've never told anyone why I did it." He pauses for a moment, then takes a deep breath. "I was going to meet my friends at the mall. There was this woman with her small daughter standing on the corner. They were homeless. I watched as person after person passed by them without so much as giving them a friendly nod. All I had on me was a twenty. In fact, that's all I had left after I bought my guitar that morning. But I gave it to them anyway. I figured they needed it more than I did. Anyway, when I got inside I walked by a jewelry store that was advertising a new line of watches. Hundreds of dollars for something that tells you what time it is. While I waited for my friends, I remember watching person after person walk past the woman, completely ignore her, then come inside and spend hundreds of dollars on a stupid watch. And, I don't know... It made me mad. I don't think anyone should have to give to people who were dealt a worse hand than them or anything... but what struck me was that nobody cared enough to bother. Everyone is so wrapped up in their own lives that they don't care about anyone else. Just like my dad, when he didn't think twice about me or my sister when he took off without so much as a goodbye."

"Cole, I'm sorry I said all that stuff last night. I was out of line," I say.

He just shakes his head at me and keeps talking. "I was dealt such a crappy hand and no one ever seemed to give a crap about me. So when I saw someone else who was dealt and even crappier one without anyone even acknowledging their existence, it kind of ticked me off and I couldn't take it anymore. So I walked into the jewelry store and slipped one of those watches into my pocket. I was going to give it to the woman. Maybe she could pawn it for some decent cash. But I was being impulsive and didn't think it through. I didn't even make it past the store entrance before security caught on."

"I had no idea..." I say earnestly.

Cole looks up at me, his eyes sad. "I'm sorry, Layla. I overreacted last night. I was being a jerk and you didn't deserve that. And... I guess I should also thank you for finding me."

I nod. Honestly, I'm impressed that he decided to be a big enough person to apologize. Maybe I misjudged him a little.

I give him a smile and lean forward to give him a hug. It took a lot of guts for him to tell me the truth. I know he's been through a lot, and I'm glad I was the person he decided to tell. "Thank you, Cole."

"So let me get this straight...on the one day that I went home early, I missed a gazelle and a lion running around the school?"

"It's the truth." Gwen said with a grin. "I know its hard to believe, but that's what I saw. And what dozens of other people saw too."

I shook my head in wonder. "And then they disappeared ? That doesn't make any sense!"

"Tell me about it." Gwen replied, shaking her head.

Then she checked her watch and said, "Oh sorry, gotta go. Mr.Nelson wanted to meet me early today." and she ran off.

I shrugged and continued watching Stint with Fiction play their song. I was standing by the stage, waiting for Emma. I knew I needed to talk to her about the events of the day before.

I was having a hard time believing it, but I had turned into an eagle. In the morning, I had tried doing it again, and it had worked! I had went out for a morning flight, which was surprisingly pleasant. But I still felt incredibly guilty. I had no proof, and no conceivable thought of how it had happened, but I was now fully sure. I had hurt Emma. She had been the barn owl.

I remembered how I had dove down, tearing into her back with my talons...it had felt normal at the time, repeating the old cycle of predator and prey, but for a human, it was a crime. Then I saw her, standing silently by the entrance, and walked up to her.

I tapped her on the shoulder, and she turned around before saying, "Hey, Dan. What is it?"

I swallowed before saying, "We need to talk." She nodded, seeming to understand, and we stepped out into the hall and went a short distance up it. Then I took a deep breath, and said what I knew sounded certifiably insane.

"You turned into an owl, didn't you?"

Her eyes widened as she replied, "N...no. Wh-what owl?"

My fist instinct was to declare it a joke but then I noticed that she was turning pale and stuttering, sure signs that she was lying.

"A barn owl." I said. "I know. You can admit it." she was turning even paler now. She said stuttered out, "H-how?"

I took a deep breath and hoped she wouldn't hate me as I said, "Because I was the eagle who attacked you."

Her eyes became wide as saucers as she backed away and exclaimed, "You hurt me! Why?!!"

"i wasn't in control of myself!" I replied, hoping that she would understand. "The eagle's instincts controlled me! You have to believe me, I would never do anything like that!"

She looked at me for a two nerve wracking seconds before nodding and saying, "I believe you. You'd never do something like this if you had control of yourself."

I sighed with relief before saying, "Thank you. Now, I don't think we're alone. Don't you think its weird, all of us biology students of Mr.Neil getting sick? Not to mention the lion, cape fox, and gazelle appearing in our school..." I said it slowly, working it out as I went along. Watching Emma's expression, I knew she had come to the same conclusion.

"Other people are morphing." she said with finality.

"Yes," I replied, now sure, "And it's only a matter of time before the rest do too."

A few minutes later, I had reached the door to my first class of the day :World History Just as I was about to step in, I heard voices from behind the door. Curious, especially with the recent events, I put my ear to it to listen.

"-keep a watch on them. And if anything happens, report it to me." I heard Mr.Nelson saying.

Another, much younger voice replied, "Yes, sa-" at that point, he froze as I had leaned too heavily on the door, causing to creak. So that they didn't catch on to the fact that I had been eavesdropping, I walked in quickly.

"Good Morning, Daniel." said Mr.Nelson.

"Good morning, Mr.Nelson." I replied politely. Then I saw who was standing next to him.

He was a thin, blonde haired guy with blue eyes. He stood perhaps half an inch taller than my own 5'10".

"this is Darrin." said Mr.Nelson, gesturing towards him. "He's new, only started school here today. I was just telling to look after our new gerbils." and pointed to a cage on a desk in the corner. So that's what he meant by keep track of them. I thought, calming down.

" I am going to make you his partner until he has caught up with the rest of the class and got his bearings in the school." he continued.

"Cool. Okay." I replied, not sure why I had been picked. I didn't usually do this kind of thing.

I took my usual seat at the back, and Darrin sat right next to me, before taking out a book and starting to read.

"Hey, you like Red Rising too?" I asked, noticing the book right away.

"Yup." he replied with a grin. "I'm reading it for the ninth time now."

"Wow, you beat me!" I exclaimed with a laugh. "I've only read it seven times." He laughed at that. Well, this partnership thing might not be so bad.

Later on, in the cafeteria, I was sitting at a table discussing zoology with Charlotte and Layla hen I noticed Gwen acting strange. As she was walking past our table, she froze. Then she lifted her nose to the air, sniffed, and followed her nose to our table, before sitting down at our table, right next to Layla, to the surprise of everyone.

"Hey, Dan." she said, staring at my munch. "What sandwich is that?"

"Roast beef.Why?" I replied, curiously.

"I see you haven't begun eating it yet. Do you mind if I have some?"

My eyes widened in disbelief at those words. "Aren't you a vegetarian?" I asked, incredulous.

"Mhm." she replied, staring at my sandwich.

"Okay." I sighed. "Have some." and I passed her my sandwich. Within three bites, she finished the whole thing. I stared her in shock as she licked the crumbs from her hands.

Then she seemed to realize what she had done and said, "Sorry, Dan." blushing.

I sighed and replied, "Its okay. I'll just eat my apple in the halls in case you start to crave that too." At that, Gwen blushed even more.

I walked a little distance up the halls, and was about to crunch into my apple when I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around to see Cole, Layla's cousin.

He looked at my apple hungrily and said, "Do you mind giving me that apple? I'm starving."

"Sorry. This is all the lunch I have." i replied.

"Please," said Cole. "I really need it." and he reached his arm out towards me. I then realized to my horror that black fur was growing at an alarming rate on his hand.

"Um...Cole?' I said, but he didn't respond as his entire body transformed, shrinking until it reached its final form. Which was laughably a capuchin monkey. It crawled free of Cole's clothes and leaped at me, shrieking.

I threw the apple down the hall, and Cole flew after it. Then I went to call Layla, hoping that she would be able to help with monkey Cole.

I walked up to the table casually and said to Layla, "Cole's acting like a monkey. I think you had better come with me.

Layla's face paled as she said, "You mean..."

"Yup" I replied, my face grave. She leaped up and followed me, both of us leaving a bewildered Charlotte behind.

While we searched the hall, I explained to Layla what had happened. We searched for a while, but to no avail. Then we heard some wild shrieks, that we knew must have come from Cole, and followed them until we came to the Principal's office. The door was partially open, and as as we got there, I heard something inside fall to the ground with a crash.

"Oh no." I muttered.

The florescent lights of the laboratory seemed to glow even brighter than usual in comparison to the darkness that engulfed the world on the outside. With no streetlights for miles, the only light to cast a blue glow down onto the hard dirt and reflect off of the cold steel structure of the laboratory was the moon.

It was quiet, most of the scientists having gone home hours ago... But the two scientists who remained preferred it that way. The project they needed to discuss was sensitive, to say the least. And if anyone overheard their conversation, it could be the end of everything.

They sat in a small discrete office, the only access to it through the most secure part of the laboratory. The part where inventions were being developed that most people could not even begin to imagine. Inventions that could change the world.

"Thank you for seeing me on such short notice," one of the men said, leaning his elbows on the desk with the nameplate that read: Dr. Liam Bishop.

"It's no trouble." The man sitting across from him rubbed his tired eyes, then sat up straighter, readjusting the tie around his neck. "I've been wanting to meet with you too, Liam."

"I have some concerns about Project Miles Eximius. Kids calling out sick from school is one thing, but three teens going to the hospital all in one week? And one is in a coma? That's a little harder to write off as coincidence, Neil."

"With all due respect, Liam, it would foolish to think something like this wouldn't happen. First of all, we didn't even know for sure they would survive the initial treatment. And if they were strong enough, which they all were, then that was the easy part for them. These kids had non-human DNA injected into them. Their bodies are trying to adjust and accept that their genes are literally and physically changing to do what we need them to do. It's only logical that a subject or twos bodies would reject the treatment. I did check in on Subject 9 and he's doing better," Mr. Neil said.

"Subject 9?" Dr. Liam raised an eyebrow in question as he thumbed through each of the teens files on his desk.

"Jinx Gray, sir. He should be back on his feet soon. I assure you, there is nothing to worry about."

Dr. Liam leaned back in his chair, resting his feet on the desk. "Nothing to worry about? I'm only getting started. The way the subjects are handling the treatment is only a small concern of mine. You are my main concern."

Mr. Neil tilted his head at him, his brow drawing into a hard line. "Oh?"

"A fox from Africa running wild through a high-school. Dozens of students coming face to face with a lion and a gazelle in a locker room that miraculously disappeared. A capuchin monkey destroying the principal's office? What's next?" Dr. Liam said with a glare.

"Well..." Mr. Neil began, but then Dr. Liam shot forward in his chair and slammed his hand down on the desk.

"That CANNOT happen! I put you in charge of those kids so you could control them. So do your job and control the situation."

Mr. Neil tried hard to remain calm. He was smarter than Dr. Liam. Much smarter. There wouldn't even be test subjects to watch if it wasn't for him. Yet he still had to take orders from the man, and that really got under his skin.

Dr. Liam was technically the head scientist on the project. He discovered the Japanese research, headed the raid that allowed them to retrieve it and was the one who brought the government into the project for funding... But Mr. Neil was second in charge. He was the one brought in to enhance the technology and find the test subjects.

But he joined the project for one reason, and one reason only. He wanted power... and for a chance to get in one of those chairs himself. He hoped he could bite his tongue long enough for the opportunity.

"I am about to put faze two of the plan into effect," Mr. Neil told him. "They started morphing sooner than I anticipated, but I can assure you... I'm on top of it. I will be keeping a... much closer eye on them from now on as well as introducing them to the idea of being a part of something much bigger than themselves."

"You're planning to tell them about our plans to turn them into an army of super soldiers? Don't you think it's too soon? They're only our first round of subjects." Dr. Liam said, skeptical of his tactics.

Mr. Neil's head reeled at the thought of their ultimate plan going into effect. Soon they would have an army of super soldiers under their control that would help them take over the world, country by country. Young, impressionable youth they could mold and brainwash into soldiers that would follow them without question. This generation was the future, after all, a future they had all planned out.

That would be the ultimate rise of power. The USA would rule everything. And who would dare try to fight back against an army that could turn into vicious wolves and venomous snakes and ferocious cheetahs that could run at seventy-five miles-an-hour at will? An army with spies everywhere disguised as the neighborhood squirrel or the seacoasts seagulls? Air Force eagles. Navy Seal seals. It would be the ultimate dictatorship, and Mr. Neil would be behind it all. And it all started with a unsuspecting group of kids in high school. He knew the kids he chose were smart, he just hoped they weren't so smart that they would catch onto the truth.

"Baby steps, Liam. It's all in the presentation. You concentrate on your part of the plan, and I'll concentrate on mine."

"Well, you best be going," Dr. Liam told him, standing up from his desk and straighten out his white coat. "Being a high school school science teacher might only be a cover, but the kids will get suspicious if you start acting out of character. And if you don't get some sleep and are tired tomorrow, or you arrive late to class, the kids might suspect you have something to do with their new found... abilities."

Mr. Neil stood and shook his hand. "Of course. Thank you." Just as he wrapped his fingers around the handle of the door, Mr. Neil turn back to his colleague. "I expect that if I get the kids under control and everything continues to go according to plan, that you'll make a point of getting me on the list of the next round of subjects to be added to the army. Those kids need a leader, after all." Though the words rolled off his tongue in a casual fashion, the need he had for an answer had been eating at him for days. Yes, the ultimate goal was power. But the reason he got involved in the first place was the promise that was made to him. That he too would get to become an Animorpher. But ever since he signed on, there had been no mention of it. Had it been a bluff to get him on board? Or was he simply being impatient? Because if Dr. Liam was planning to double-cross him, then Dr. Liam must have underestimated what Mr. Niel was capable of. No one double-crossed him. Not without seriously regretting it.

Dr. Liam hesitated on that question a moment, picking at the buttons on his white coat. "We'll see how things go."

Mr. Neil narrowed his eyes at him. That didn't sound promising. But all he did was nod his head in understanding, and leave the room without another word. He would find out soon enough. But right now, he had enough to focus on. Eleven things to focus on, to be exact.

"Mewww."

"Shut up!" I whispered at my bag.

My mom looked up from her book. "What?"

I shifted my bag nervously, searching for something to say. The only thing I came up with was. "What?"

"Were you asking me something."

"Nope. No. I gotta go. Don't wanna be late."

"But your leaving an hour earl--"

I shot out the door and slammed it behind me.
Smooth.

I began jogging down the sidewalk towards the studio. Holding my bag in my arms to keep it steady. I'd picked up the furball two days ago and I'd already had several close calls.

"Mrrew."

"Hey." I addressed the bag again. "I know I haven't named you yet, but I know what my mom'll call you if she finds you in the house. This Animal. As is 'Riley, take This Animal out, or I'll have the dog eat it.' Is that really what you want?"

The bag was silent.
I stopped at the door of the studio, leaning heavily on the frame as a sudden wave of dizziness swept through me. I shook my head and took a few deep breaths before tottering somewhat unsteadily into the class. Only one other girl was there. A tall, thin girl with her blonde hair pulled into a tight bun, showcasing her lean face.
Annie Prince.

"Hey, Riley!" She greeted, prancing over. She smiled down at my bag and whispered "Did you bring the kitty?"

I nodded vaguely, still feeling somewhat light headed, and unzipped the bag a little. Annie peered in, then stuck a finger in and tickled the kitten inside under the chin. She withdrew her hand quickly as the teacher entered the studio and I zipped the bag back up, moving off to the changing room. Another bout if dizziness overcame me, this time accompanied with nausea. I stumbled a little, and braced myself against the wall. My body began to tremble.

"Riley?" Annie said, her brow creasing in concern.

"I'm...okay." I mumbled faintly, staggering unsteadily into a changing room. I set my bag down and sat heavily down on the bench, holding my head between my knees until the dizziness passed. I stood, and began changing into my leotard. The cat clambered out as I drew the garment out, and curled up facing the opposite wall. What a gentleman. I dressed quickly, rubbing the goosebumps on my arms as I felt the tight fabric of the leotard cling to me. I began turning the handle...and pitched sideways as burning pain lanced through my body. I muffled a cry as I tripped and fell on my back, cracking my head on the bench. I held my head in my hands as began to tremble again, Twitching and writhing as if I were having a seizure. I looked down at my bare feet, which began to elongate and expand into huge, spotted paws. Another searing pain lanced through my head, roaring in my ears. I gripped my head tighter, and felt something stab into my scalp. I yelped an brought my hands away. through my blurred vision, I saw that my hands had morphed into the same huge spotted clawed paws.

What's happening to me?

I groaned, but it game out as more of a throaty growl. All the color seeped out of the world and my vision grew fuzzy. I levered myself up onto all fours, groaning again as the pain raced through my spine. I crawled over to the mirror, and lifted my eyes to get a look at myself. My blue eyes were large and green with slitted cat pupils. Small tufts of fur were growing on my cheeks and arms, and I could just see a short, stumpy tail flicking behind me.

"Oh mother of pearl!" I gasped to myself.

Large pointed ears burst from the top of my head. My face elongated into a thin snout and grew more fur. My body bulged as I grew and contorted into a different form. My legs gave out, and for a moment my vision faded away altogether.

Help...

....

The lynx opened its eyes, lifting its regal head off its enormous front paws. Its ears flicked as it tried to get its bearings. the room was tiny, empty, and, as far as the lynx could see, inescapable. It growled irately, pacing back and forth and glaring at the door. It sniffed the air, searching for any helpful scent. It did pick something up, though not anything it had expected. The scent of another cat. It turned, and spotted the tiny calico on the other side of the room.

Prey.

The lynx dropped into a crouch, drawing itself forward on silent paws, its eyes fixed intently on the tiny morsel. The calico stiffened as it caught her scent, and slowly turned. The lynx insinctively tensed, not even letting the tip of her bobbed-tail twitch. The kitten bolted.

Chase...Chase. ChaseChaseChaseChase!

The lynx sprang after her target, pursuing it around the tiny room. The tiny creature yowled as the beast caught up to him, and the lynx roared, trapping the kitten under one enormous paw. it bared its fangs, looking the tiny feline in the eye. Without another moment of hesitation, the lynx lunged.
....

With its teeth inches away from the kitten's neck, the lynx jerked to a stop. Pain speared through its head and it stumbled back, shaking its head and growling. All the strength seemed to flood out of it and it collapsed to the ground, shuddering as its fur seemed to fade away, being replaced with pale skin. its ears, limbs, and face shrank. Its tail receded back into its spine. In moments a girl lay unconscious on the floor. A small, thin girl with mousy brown hair in a skintight leotard.

What is this place? Where are all the trees?

I jump onto the tallest object in the room. It reminds me of a tree. With a really wide trunk and no leaves. But the second I jump to the top, I know it's not a tree. It's not sturdy enough. It tips over, hitting the desk and cracking the wood.

I spot something green in the corner. That reminds me of a tree, too. But it's very short and has no trunk. Maybe the leaves are covering the trunk. I jump onto it, but the second I do, I find out that's not a tree either. It tips over and something breaks, spilling dirt all over the floor.

"Cole! Stop!"

I turn towards the sound. Two humans stand in the doorway, watching me with wide eyes. They look familiar. Especially the girl. But why?

"Layla, we have to do something! Principal Jacoby is coming this way," the boy says.

What's a Jacoby?

The humans hurry into the office and I screech at them to not come any closer. What do these humans think they're trying to pull?

"She's getting closer!"

The girl ignores my warning and grabs me, then shoves me into a backpack. I remember now that this girl has done this before.

The boy looks back at her. "What's your plan, Layla?"

Layla. That name name sounds familiar, too. But why?

I start to climb back out of the bag, but the girl shoves me back down inside. "Stay in there, Cole. And don't make a sound."

Snap! My brain shifts. Cole is my name. And this girl is my cousin. We're in the principal's office and I'm a... I look down at myself. ...monkey. This is not good.

I look up and nod at Layla. She tilts her head at me. "Cole?" I nod at her again, letting her know that it's me. She lets out a breath as I sink back down inside the bag as I hear footsteps approaching.

"What is going on in here?" Principal Jacoby says, flabbergasted as she storms into the room.

"Principal Jacoby, thank goodness your here," Dan says. "We heard noises coming from your office and we came in here to check it out. Whoever it was jumped out the window just as we got here."

"These windows?" she says, walking further into the room. Dan nods. "That's pretty impressive considering these windows don't open." Principal Jacoby knocks on one of the windows with her knuckle. "They don't even have a latch."

I feel my mind starting to slip, and I have to struggle to keep control.

"I only saw them for a split second. They must have been on been on the outside to begin with," Dan says with a shrug.

"So the person you heard in here just, disappeared then?" My foot slips and I slide further down inside Layla's backpack. "Ms. Woods. Is there something in your backpack you'd like to show me?" Dammit...

The principal marches over and grabs the backpack, unzipping it the rest of the way. She lets out a squeak when she sees me and takes a step back. "I've had to deal with a lot of weird stuff as principal, but this... This brings it to a whole new level.

Principal Jacoby opens the door to her closet and pulls out a small dog kennel. She grabs me. Layla and Dan try to protest, but she ignores them and throws me inside, closing the metal door behind me. She sets the cage on her desk. "You two wait outside while I call animal control."

Layla bends down to my level and whispers, "We'll figure out how to get the principal out of her office. When we do, try to morph back and get the hell out of here, okay?" I give her a nod.

Principal Jacoby throws her arm out and points toward the door. "Out!" They leave the room and the principal closes the door behind them. Despite the fact that I've escaped the clutches of authority half a dozen times in my life, this is something entirely different.

The principal makes her call, and just as she hangs up, the fire alarm goes off, spraying the entire room with water. I let a little monkey grin spread over my face. Nicely done...

"What in the..." Principal Jacoby stands up from her desk and flings the door open, then storms out into the hall.

This is my chance. I try to reach my little monkey hands through the bars to undo the latch, but they're just a little too big and I can't fit them through. My only choice is to morph back. I close my eyes and concentrate, willing myself to become human again.

It doesn't work.

I try again and again until finally, the fourth times the charm. The plastic cage stretches until it breaks, causing it to fall off the desk with me still inside. Within seconds, the thick black fur on my arms is gone, my tail has merged back into my tailbone and I'm human again.

A pair of black cargo pants flies through the open door and slides on the ground, ending up a foot in front of me. I put them on as quickly as I can and head out the door. Layla and Dan are waiting for me just outside. "Thanks," I say.

"You owe me big time," Layla says. "Again."

We hurry down the empty hallway as the alarm continues to wail, splashing through the puddles that are starting to collect from the sprinklers that shoot water all over the halls. Man, are we going to get it.

+ + +

7:30am in the flipping morning, Layla and I head down the stairs to grab breakfast before school. We got a half day yesterday because of the "unfortunate accident with the sprinkler system" flooding the school. I hoped because today is Friday that they'd just give us the day off, but I guess they were able to get it cleaned up well enough it keep school going. Yay... But I guess, considering we have science class on Fridays, that it will give me an opportunity to confront Mr. Neil about everything that's going on. Somehow, I have a feeling he knows more about what's going on than he's letting on.

When I make it to the bottom of the stairs, I see the usual Spiderman and Superman cartoons Danny watches every morning has been replaced with a Breaking News Cast. A helicopter shoots footage of a burning building, the flames reaching thirty feet in the air. "What's going on?" I ask.

"Hey, guys," Aunt Jen says from the couch. "What was that lab called that your two went to for your field trip?"

"M.E.L.? Miles Eximius Laboratory?" Layla says. "Why?"

Layla and I look at each other, then walk closer to the TV as a newscaster comes on the screen.

"Firefighters are still working to put out the fire that started at the Miles Eximius Laboratory at approximately 6:15AM this morning. It is believed that an accident occurred inside the laboratory, starting the fire and that no foul play was involved. So far, twelve of the scientists inside the lab have been confirmed dead, including the scientist who was heading the experiment that got out of control, Dr. Liam Bishop. Fifteen scientists were employed at M.E.L. and the three who remain have all been confirmed missing. Dr. Marcius Blum..." A picture appears of a middle-aged man with blonde hair and a mustache. "Dr. Brooke Hazleton..." A young asian woman's picture appears next to the first. "And Dr. Neil Terek." The third picture shows a familiar face with a black beard and glasses.

Wait! What?

Layla and I turn to look at each other. Mr. Neil was a scientist at the lab? And he's missing? What the hell?

"Dr. Terek looks familiar... Hey, isn't he your science teacher?" Aunt Jen asks, turning back to look at us.

"Yeah, mom. I gotta go," Layla says, shock lingering in her voice. She reaches down for her backpack and misses the handle a couple of times because she doesn't take her eyes off the tv.

"Go? School doesn't start for a half an hour," she protests.

"We've got a...thing. A project we need to finish," I say, swinging my own backpack over my shoulder.

"Oh, okay. Well, have a good day, guys," Aunt Jen calls out after us as Layla slams the door.

Layla looks at me very seriously. "We need to find out what's going on. Today."

+ + +

I sit in Mr. Neil's classroom, staring at the clock and tapping my heel anxiously against the ground, waiting for class to start.

The others file in, taking their seats as usual. Though just about everyone looks uneasy, exchanging glances with each other. I wonder if we all know what's going on with ourselves, but don't know if anyone is experiencing it, too. So everyone is just keeping to themselves. How do you just go up to someone and ask if they've turned into an animal? If they haven't, they'd think you're a lunatic.

Right when the clock clicks over to the hour, the vice principal sticks their head in. "Mr. Neil couldn't make it today and we didn't have time to get a replacement for him. So, you kids are free to take the hour off." He leaves, and more uneasy glances are cast around the room. I stand up from my desk, walk over and pull the shades down over the door, then lock it. "I think we all know some weird stuff has been going down lately. We're all here and don't have anywhere to be. I say we stay and... talk about the elephant in the room."

More glances are exchanged, though this time it's more like they're trying to figure out who the elephant is.

Someone taps on the window outside. I look up to see that it's Riley. Right on time.

"What is Riley doing here?" Emma asks.

"I asked her to come," I say as I walk over and unlatch the window for her. She climbs through.

"Cole, what's this about?" Riley says, sitting down at her desk.

"There's something you guys need to see for yourselves."

Layla gets up from her desk and walks over to the TV. She turns it on and flips it to the news station, which is still showing the aerial view of the lab on fire. "The lab caught on fire this morning. Killed twelve scientists."

"And get this," I say. "Three scientists escaped and were reported as missing. One of them was Dr. Neil Terek, also known as Mr. Neil."

"Wait," Michael says. "Mr. Neil worked at M.E.L.?"

I give him a nod. "There's no way I can say this without sounding clinically insane, so I'm just going to say it." I take a deep breath. "Who in this room, in the past week, has turned into an animal?" I raise my hand up in the air. Some widen their eyes while others cast more uneasy glances around the room, then one by one, hands start going up. Within seconds, everyone has raised their hands except for Gwen. "Woah..."

Everyone looks around at each other, shocked, trying to take it all in. Except Gwen, who looks deeply confused and concerned for the sanity of her classmates. "Everyone but Gwen? Really?" I say. I hadn't expected everyone.

Gwen looks at me. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I think it was the chairs at M.E.L.," Dan says. "I think I woke up during the test, but I thought it was just a dream until stuff started happening. They were talking about that the test had to run smoothly because we were the future."

"What are we supposed to do now?" Emma asks.

Gwen abruptly shoots up from her desk. "Someone better tell me what's going on right now!"

Emma looks up at her. "You haven't been having any symptoms, Gwen?"

Gwen throws her arms out to the side. "What symptoms!"

Suddenly, a kitten jumps out of Riley's bag. Everyone looks at it, then back at Riley.

"Riley, you brought a kitten with you?" Michael says, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, I couldn't leave him home!" she says, scooping him up in her arms. "My mom would through him out if she knew I had him."

The kitten jumps out of her arms and scurries up to the front of the class room. He sits right in the middle, looking at everyone, almost like he's addressing the class. Then he starts to grow and change and before our eyes. The fur thins, the paws lengthen and within moments the little calico kitten has become human. No, not human. Has become Neon.

Everyone stares at him. Gwen stares in horror, frozen and unblinking. Neon stands in front of the class wearing a shiny black wet-suit thing... "Whew... What a way to start the day," he says. He brushes his hair out of his face. "You guys miss me?"

The room is silent for a moment until Riley stands up and yells, "You were Neon the whole time?!"

Dan looks over at her. "Talk about letting the cat out of the bag."

"A leader like me doesn't show his hand until the last moment." Neon turns to look up at me. "What'd I miss?" He notices the TV playing the newsfeed behind me and takes a step closer to it.

"The lab caught fire," I say.

Neon shakes his head. "But that's not the lab. That's not the lab at all. See look, this building is partially made of wood. M.E.L. is entirely made up of glass and steel. M.E.L. wouldn't even be capable of burning like this."

I take a step closer. "He's right."

Neon looks up at me and shakes his head. "Duh..."

"So if that's not M.E.L.... then what are they trying to hide?" Dan asks.

"We need to find out what's really going on. We need to know the truth of what they did to us," Charlotte says.

"Well," Emma begins, "it's not like we can just march in the front doors of M.E.L. and demand answers. At least, not anymore."

Emma's words intrigue me and I turn to look at her. "Why not? That footage isn't M.E.L.. They're obviously trying to cover something up. If we want answers, that's where they'll be. Who's up for another field trip?"

It was Jinx's first day back to school after the accident, and everything felt wrong.
He didn't feel sick anymore, but there was this sort of uneasiness rooted deep within him, like something had gone terribly wrong, and he had no idea how to fix it. When he heard how many of his field trip classmates were missing by now, how there had been a lion in the school, how the principal had been attacked by a monkey... how can you just ignore that?

"You turned into a tiger. And back."

Jinx grimaced and tried to refocus on his English teacher's lecture about Emily Dickinson, but his thoughts were rushing through his head like a wildfire. He glanced at his classmates suspiciously, feeling on the verge of a mental breakdown. What was wrong with him? Why did he feel like everyone was watching him, like everyone knew what had happened during his accident, and he didn't? He gripped his head in anxiety. Layla seemed to think she knew what had happened, and she wasn't one to pull cruel jokes on people, but a tiger? That doesn't just happen. What if the machines at the MEL hadn't made him turn into an animal, but rather, go crazy?

Jinx grimaced and pulled at his hair. The stress of not knowing was enough to drive him insane, anyway. How could he not remember anything from that night, other than that terrible, terrible dream? It matched Layla's claim far too closely to be a coincidence.

That was it. He needed to find out for himself, before he went completely mad.

He fumbled his way through the last few minutes of class, feeling as if his heart would beat out of his chest. When the bell finally rang, Jinx swept through the doors and out of the school, swiftly deciding that his last period, Mr. Neil's class, was bad luck anyway. After all, it was his field trip that had triggered all this shit.

He hadn't skipped in forever, but this was a dire situation. He'd just tell Dad that he had felt sick again, and needed to come home. Which, after all the stress, was starting to become true as his head began to throb with a headache.

The air was cool outside, and the grass on the school lawn was wet from a recent shower. The sky was stormy, and Jinx glanced up in dismay, hoping that it wouldn't rain on him. A dark cluster of trees rose in the distance, just off of school property. The woods.

He needed to know. Was he crazy? Was Layla crazy? Or had he actually transformed into a... into a cat?

Jinx started off over the field, cringing as his socks dampened uncomfortably through his shoes. This was ridiculous. What kid goes into a forest to see if he can transform into a tiger?

When he reached the shadowed area of trees, he felt a chill go up his back, like someone was watching him. He turned around and scanned the area, but there was no one in sight. Uneasy, he trekked a bit farther into the damp woods, tucking himself between two large pine trees.

Jinx stared at his shoes for a moment, heart racing. What now? Did he just focus and magic would happen? Should he change his clothes or something? Maybe so... he didn't want to ruin his pants if anything did happen...

Glancing around once more, Jinx quickly stripped down to his boxers and his t-shirt, hanging his pants and hoodie on a nearby branch. The ridiculousness of the entire situation pushed down on him, and he winced.

What the hell am I doing? he thought, staring at the goosebumps rising on his arms. I must be insane to think that any of this is real.

But even so, there was still the strong suspicion in his soul that said Layla was right. His dream fit. He needed to know what was happening to him.

Jinx closed his eyes and focused, furrowing his brow. He imagined the large Siberian tiger from his dream, the rippling muscles, the yellow eyes, the flashing fangs. He pictured his legs lengthening, his neck contorting, a tail bursting from his tailbone. Becoming the tiger.

There was a disgusting crunch sound, and Jinx lurched forward, falling on his hands and knees. There was a tickling sensation on the sides of his head as his ears moved upwards, and a small burst of pain as his knees changed direction. The front of his face elongated into a muzzle, and his tailbone shot out to make a thrashing tail. His heart rate rocketed, and his breathing was too fast.

It's real. Oh, god, it's happening.

But before he could panic, the world snapped into focus.

His bad eye... it was working.

The transformation completed quickly, but at first, Jinx was in a daze. He was seeing out of both eyes. He could see.

I'm a tiger.

He staggered backwards, snapping back into reality. The trees loomed over him in shocking clarity, the sounds of the wind whispering through the leaves was magnified by the tenfold, and he could smell at least five small mammals in the brush around him. It was terrifying, overwhelming. There was more to see and hear than he could ever imagine.

It was true.

Panic washed over him, and he pressed to the needle-strewn ground, giant paws pressed to the dirt. A giant tiger in a forest behind the school, and it was cowering like a child.

Change me back changemeback CHANGE ME BACK

His legs crunched back to normal, his ears went back into place, and his muzzle shrunk back into a human face. His tail swept back up into his spine.

Jinx rested on all fours, his whole body shaking, his forehead dripping with sweat despite the chill. His t-shirt lay in shreds on the ground, and his shoes had been ripped in two. He cursed violently under his breath as he stood up, swiping a hand over his face. Thank goodness that he'd taken off his outer layers before transforming...

It's true. Layla really saw me change into a tiger. I can change into a freakin' TIGER.

His chest heaved as he pulled his jacket over his head, mind whirring with a million questions.

What do I do? Am I supposed to do anything? Why am I able to do this?

As he pulled on his pants and gathered the tattered remains of his other clothing, his mind finally settled on one definite solution.

I need to talk to Layla and the others.

If they were experiencing the same problems as him, maybe they'd know how to help him, what they were supposed to do, who they could tell about it. One thing was for sure: Dad could not know.

Jinx started jogging back through the woods and towards the school. He needed to get to his truck, get home, think about it. He could call Layla as soon as school let out.

With a plunge of disappointment in his chest, he also realized that his bad eye had gone blind once more.

The stormy skies roiled over his head and a breeze froze his toes, now bare from his shoes being destroyed. Jinx felt the chill up his back again, the feeling like someone was watching him. He glanced around once more, but this time, his good eye caught on a dark figure lurking by the back wall of the school, facing him. Jinx slowed slightly, his nerves fried. His heart jolted when the figure pushed away from the wall and started towards Jinx at a determined pace. There was something in their hands.

The hair on the back of his neck prickled. Something was wrong about them, something sinister. He started walking faster, trying to plan out a route to get back into the school or to his truck before the figure reached him. The person picked up speed and started crossing the grass, getting closer to Jinx by the second.

Run.

Jinx followed his instincts and bolted for the school doors. With people around, the stalker couldn't hurt him. He shot a glance over his neck to see the figure running after him, closing in--

"Oof!"

Jinx collided sharply with another person, and they both tumbled to the ground in a tangle of limbs. His blood rushing with adrenaline, Jinx rolled over and sprung back up, scanning the field for his pursuer.

They were gone.

"Hey, watch where you're going!" a voice came from the ground. Jinx looked down, suddenly realizing that the girl he had collided with was still lying on the ground in a heap.

"I'm so sorry," he mumbled, his heart still racing. He offered his hand, but she stood up without his help. When she brushed her brown hair out of her eyes and flashed a brace-laced frown, Jinx jolted in recognition.

"Riley?"

"Jinx?" she responded in surprise. "Why were you running?" She looked around his shoulders in concern, then back at his face in question. Her eyes traveled down to his feet. "And where are your shoes?"

Jinx glanced behind him once more, his face darkening as he realized what could have happened. That person must have seen him morph, and had wanted to harm Jinx.

He was fairly sure that that had been a weapon in their hands.

He turned back to Riley, realizing that she had been on the field trip, and was exactly one of the people he had hoped to find. He leaned in close and lowered his voice.

"We need to talk."

Nighttime came all too quickly. Each time my eyes darted towards the window a shiver of fear would sizzle through my body. I had done enough window-climbing in the past week to last a lifetime.

At least I had a car ride with Michael to look forward to. At first I kinda wished Gwen hadn’t asked to come along in his car too, but that’s being selfish. I like Gwen. It’s not her fault she doesn’t know about Michael and I.

Michael and I. A smile twitched at my lips. Was I really allowed to think that way, putting Michael’s name so confidently alongside my own? Did the words Charlotte and I ever swirl around his head, too? I briefly looked back upon that scene in the locker room, praying that his promise to be my lion hadn’t been just a fleeting whisper of condolence.

Right when the clock struck midnight, I swallowed back the lump in my throat and pushed open the screen. I let out a little cry when the screen crashed into a bush below, splitting the peaceful serenity of the silent night like a sudden clap of lightning. I went far enough to scramble back under the covers of my bed, half expecting my dad to burst into the room and ask what that sound was. Thankfully, he didn’t, and so after three minutes I had to muster up the courage to climb on my dresser again and clamber through the open window.

Michael was on time. His Jeep was parked a few houses down, as previously planned. “Hey, Gazelle,” he said when I opened the door and climbed in.

“Hey, Lion.” My stomach felt queasy but I felt better in the car with Michael.

A few blocks down, Gwen was waiting for us at a bus stop. I scooted over to the middle seat so Gwen could settle in, and once Michael finally pulled onto the freeway on our way to the lab, the three of us were squished together in the front seats, talking and laughing together as if the sun was shining and the bombarded lab didn’t exist. I’ve never seen Gwen so talkative or in such a good mood. I was surprised, but grateful. Sandwiched between Michael and Gwen, my knees stopped shaking and I didn’t feel so apprehensive about what we were about to do. I already felt guilty enough for sneaking out of the house, but Gwen and Michael helped me forget most of it for time being.

Gwen finally steered us on a more serious subject. “So, guys. Um, you’re an antelope, Charlotte, and you’re a lion?”

“A gazelle,” Michael corrected. “What’d you say it was? A Thomas gazelle?”

“Thomson’s,” I said. “Based off of the markings you saw, at least.”

Gwen rubbed her temples. “What does it feel like, changing into another animal and all?”

Michael shrugged. “Being a lion makes you feel like you’re the most powerful being in the world. Nothing can stop you. Your vision’s sharper and you can smell and hear just about anything. Charlotte and I are hardly experts, of course, having only morphed once.”

My heart jumped. Charlotte and I.

“What about being a gazelle, Charlotte?” Gwen asked.

I looked over at Michael. He looked pretty hot driving a Jeep. “Pretty much the opposite of a lion, it seems like. I felt small, scared, awfully skittish...” I laughed. “Just like when I’m human.”

I couldn’t help but notice that Michael scooted closer to me when I said that. His shoulder was warm, the sleeve of his cotton t-shirt soft.

We finally turned onto the isolated street where the lab was located. The road was gravelly and dusty, and it lacked streetlamps and buildings. From what I could see from the Jeep’s headlights, only scraggly pine trees flanked our passage.

“Woah!” Michael slammed on the brakes and the Jeep skidded to a stop. “Gosh, I almost ran over a kitten.”

“Neon, you mean?” I asked.

“Yeah, I guess. He needs to be wearing neon if he creeps across the road at night like that.”

Neon the kitten scampered down the road and disappeared into the darkness. Mike cautiously edged the Jeep forward until we found the other cars and the rest of our classmates waiting for us.

“Hey guys!” Layla said as we all got out. “We decided to park here instead of too close to the actual lab.”

When we looked back, Neon was Neon again, dressed in the skin-tight black suit that he was so proud of.

Riley crossed her arms and Neon flashed her a smile. “See, perks of having a suit. Don’t you all wish you’d stolen some for yourselves?”

I heard a groan and turned to see Layla’s cousin, Cole. “Fortunately...” he said, shuffling through his backpack. “I stole enough for everyone. I guess now would be a good time to hand them out.”

I couldn’t see very well but at that moment I’m sure Layla was rolling her eyes. “You think?”

We each took turns going into one of the three cars and changing into the suits. It felt awfully strange to wear at first, like I was too exposed. I’d never worn something that skin-tight my entire life. I tied my hair up and climbed out of the back of the Jeep, probably looking like a miniature blonde ninja. Kill Bill the gazelle.

Gwen even put on a suit for the heck of it. She was already out of place enough, being the only one of us who hadn’t morphed into an animal, and sticking in her normal clothes would have surely ostracized her more than was necessary.

After that we all gathered in a circle at the edge of the road, some of us anxiously digging into the pine-needle-strewn earth with our toes, some biting our fingernails, and some creasing their brows in worry. I, for one, occupied all of the above actions, and my heart was drumming along at a sickening pace.

Layla took a deep breath. I loved that she had grown to take the leadership role among us. “Remember guys,” she said. “We’ve come here to figure out what’s going on. Why all of us - well, most of us - can morph into animals. We deserve to find out the truth.”

Only a few minutes later we had set off down the road, hugging the edge of the scraggly pine tree forest in single file. Then, all too quickly, we had reached the remains of the lab, and at the same time thousands of butterflies were released into my stomach.

I keeled over and balanced myself against a hunk of concrete. “Wait!” I cried out weakly. The group stopped for me and I felt foolish. I was sick of being the scaredy-cat. The rest of them were so brave and there I was, whining and stopping the whole procession because I felt queasy. I made up my mind quickly enough. “You guys go on ahead. I’ll just look around here.”

“Me too,” Gwen offered. “I’ll stay. The rest of you will probably turn into animals and I’d be out of place anyway.”

I sighed in grateful relief. “Thanks, Gwen.”

“Are you guys sure?” Dan asked. “It might be safest to stick together.”

I nodded, even though he was probably right. It was just that secretly exploring the radioactive heart of M.E.L.’s remains seemed to exceed my scaredy-cat capacity, however hard I tried to push it aside.

So with that, we were alone. I almost immediately regretted letting Michael go on without me, but I swallowed the lump in my throat and sat down on the concrete slab.

“Gosh, isn’t he cute?” Gwen whispered to me.

“What?”

“I’m sorry. Now’s probably not the time to talk about this.” She motioned to me. “C’mon, let’s look over here.”

I stumbled after her, wishing the moon could be a bit brighter. “Who’re you talking about, though?”

She turned around to look at me, a dreamy smile on her face. “Mike. Major crush.”

I froze, my body suddenly becoming rigid. My eyes must have been as big as saucers, but to hide from Gwen’s gaze I quickly ducked my head and studied a perfectly ordinary piece of charred metal.

Gwen continued to amble forward. “Gwen Anthony. Doesn’t that have a lovely tone to it?”

“Uh... yeah.” But Charlotte Anthony sounds a heck of a lot better.

"You must be new here, eh?" Michael asked. A girl with braided brown hair waves him off, speeding up. She doesn't have the time for lousy people like himself. He shrugged it off, stopped following the girl, and walked in the opposite direction. In the distance, the school bell rang softly. Today was the new school day. The summer sun was overhead, breaking through the clear and cloudless blue sky. Michael quietly made it into the school yard, seeing all the new lower classmen and smiled. He remembered when he was that young. Innocent and weak.

Michael hobbled up the school steps, and into the hallway. KIds of all different ages were walking around, trying to find their classes and lockers. He easily made it through the clogged mess of the hallways, the sound of the sneakers and talking faded as everyone made their way into their first classes.

Michael was lucky to have homeroom first hour, giving him free time to clear his stressed mind. He walked down the hallway, staring at the same windows and the same school announcements, fitted on a yellow paper. He continued walking until stopping in front of the school's library. It was small but big for his school. He remembered coming down here during lunch and just reading. Why did he stop? He wasn't sure. Maybe it was the continuous homework that the teachers gave him or perhaps it was his friends would try to bully him behind his back.
Michael put a hand on the cool wood railing and walked down the steps into the library. No one was in there, creating an awkward hung feeling in the air. The smell of books, old and forgotten. His eyes caught onto the school's encyclopedia, faded leather and worn yellow pages. Before, Michael would come down and just read it. Drowning in facts and information about anything and everything. No wonder people made fun of him.

Michael shifted on his feet, standing comfortably while reading. He hadn't noticed a girl, with blonde hair tucked neatly into a bun and glasses enter the library. Neither did she notice Michael.

The girl walked towards the book return, gently sliding them into the return bin. She smiled, wandering off to find some more books to read. Heading towards Michael's direction, the girl went into the book section next to him, not noticing the boy grinning.

Factoids. So many factoids. Michael thought, flipping through the leather bonded book. It was a little weird for a boy his age to be so induced with information. He had often asked himself what he was going to use of the information for, probably a presentation or if likely, his friends were talking about it. Both of those chances were unlikely, he reminded himself.

There was a book. On the high shelf. A pink cover with white lettering. The girl wanted it. She wasn't short but not tall enough to reach the certain book. She could've easily gotten a stepstool and gotten the book - but it wasn't that simple. There wasn't stepstools in sight and you can't use chairs when in the library for getting books. You either asked the librarian or the librarian's assistant to help you, which neither of them were in the room.

It was then the girl heard Michael, peeking through the gaps and seeing the ginger haired boy. She was perplexed. Why was a boy like him in the library? she thought, moving around the book case. The girl noticed the encyclopedia. What a weird person...

Michael didn't notice the girl walking towards him. He was in his own little world of rabbits and earthquakes.

"Ahem," the girl coughed. She was trying to get his attention. But it was pointless. She hardly knew the guy's name. Groaning, the girl quietly walked towards the boy and tapped him on the shoulder. Michael shook his head and turned around abruptly. He didn't expect the girl to be standing there.

"Why are you reading that?" the girl inquired, pointing towards the encyclopedia.

"Is there a law on not reading it?"

"It is used for educational purposes. Not to read on your free time." Michael raised his hands in defeat, stepping to side of the girl.

"I was reading it for educational purposes."

"Oh really?" the girl asked, crossing her arms. She began to regret speaking to a person like Michael, who she thought was so full of himself. "What subjects?"

"Huh?"

"What subjects are you reading for?" Michael coughed awkwardly.

"Urm.. E-English.. and Soc-cial Studies." Why am I panicking in front of a girl? The bell rang, telling everyone in the school that second hour was starting. Michael had Spanish which was across from the library.

"I have to go." he muttered, turning on his heel. The girl was confused, moving her mouth but nothing came out. She became angry with herself, walking towards her second class with her fist by her side. Ruined a perfectly good chance to be friends with someone.



Michael was staring out the classroom window, his chin in his palm. The strong summer breeze was blowing the leaves of the trees in the school yard. There were students laughing, slapping each other on the back. He longed to have something like that. All of his friends either moved or left him for some other people. It was normal, to say the least. However, he felt that this year was going to be something big or perhaps he would get more friends. He only hoped this feeling was true.
In retrospect, Michael wasn't exactly a "positive" person. He enjoyed the simple things in life, sure, but it was all the same. At least that was his philosophy. Staring out that window, he saw a different person's life and wondered what they did.

"Mr. Anthony." The teacher called out. He didn't respond, drifting into a dreamland.

"Mr. Anthony."

"..."

The teacher walked over to his desk, slamming a hand down. "Michael!" It startled him, causing the boy to shake his head and gap at the teacher. "Are you even paying attention?"

"Not the slightest," Michael bluntly said. Anger roamed behind the teacher's eyes, as he straightened up.

"Fine. Then after school, we'll discuss the lesson again."

"Was that suppose to be a threat?" Something was pumping through Michael's veins. Adrenaline? Fear? The teacher groaned.

"Don't speak to me in that tone, mister."

"Whatcha going to do about it?" The bell rang. The eyes were staring on the overwhelming suspense that hung in the air.



"You shouldn't spoken to the teacher like that, Michael." A friend with raven black hair and blue eyes muttered. Michael grumbled. It wasn't like him to do so. He was loved by most of the teachers and respected as cheerful and calm.

"It's whatever." Michael sighed, putting his hands in his pockets. It was the end of the school day already, the sun was drifting into the horizon creating a fire across the blue sky. The teacher let Michael off with a warning. Of course, Michael wouldn't have mind to stayed after school.

Something was tingling in the back of Michael's mind. What was it? He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"Do you mind if I go back to school, Jackson?" Michael asked the boy.

"Why do you want to go back to that hell?"

Michael shrugged. "I might've left something there. You go one without me." He waved the boy off before running back to the school.



The girl was in the library, eating a cookie and reading. The sun was shining in her hair, causing it to glow. After school, she would read. Every day. Leave with a book and return it the next day. Normal cycle. The boy was running down the hall, he had something to say. What was it?

Michael stopped by the water fountain, panting. The library was to the side of him. Silence. He stood up and looked into the library. The girl.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, the girl looked up. She scowled.

"Why are you here?"

"Asked you first," Michael smirked.

The girl narrowed her eyes. "Asked you second." She wasn't going to like this guy. He was interrupting her reading a second time. Or at least, the girl thought it was a second time.

Michael walked down the steps, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"We haven't met properly so I decided to come back and do so."

"Couldn't you have waited until tomorrow?" the girl asked, turning a page in her book.

"Er.. yes."

"Your name is Michael Anthony. You are in the football team. You have horrible grades, and the teachers love you, which is completely ironic."

"Huh?" How-"

"You don't have many friends for except Jackson and you are trying to get my name."

"Well, yeah." The girl chuckled.

"Thought so." She stood up, walked towards Michael, and put out a hand. "Charlotte Penn. Nice to meet you."





Michael stayed after school. His Math teacher wanted him to tutor the young students into understanding such a difficult subject. He hardly understood it. Just numbers and "find x when you add y to b". He groaned. The student wasn't exactly helping, shaking and stuttering under their breath. Gwen was here, as well. Her perkiness was annoying and cheerful voice brought forth a headache. She had that feeling of uncoming warmth and enjoyment. Michael, however, didn't see this. He rather teach sad, weak students with shallow eyes rather than stay home and watch football.

"For this, try adding 2.5. That way when you get the answer, it'll equal a." Gwen suggested, sitting next to a troubled blonde haired boy. He was busy putting the easer in his hair, staring hard at the paper. Michael was busy helping a boy with raven black hair, sighing heavily as he finished.

"Is that all you needed help with today, Harrison?" The boy nodded quickly, grabbing his stuff equally in speed. He muttered his thanks, walking away from Michael as he sighed. Gwen said good-bye to her last student, leaning back into her seat and yawning,

"My, my what a long day. Don't you agree, Michael?" she asked, gazing at the thinking boy. Over the course of three months, Gwen had come to liking of the ginger haired boy. It was a silly liking- the kind you expect to see in a teen romance movie. She would draw his name, doodling a heart around it, and then stare at it like it was some famous painting.
He only nodded, packing up his things. "There wasn't any many kids here, though. The numbers keep decreasing." Michael grabbed his backpack by the black strap, slowly putting his arms through it. "Maybe, even, the tutor program will be closed."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "I highly doubt that." Michael shrugged, slipping on the other strap.

"See you tomorrow, Gwen." Something was tugging at her heart. Her mind was a battlefield, continuously battling. The girl just sat there, nodding. As Michael was out the first set of doors leading into the cafeteria, Gwen lept up and grabbed her stuff. It is now or never.



Charlotte just finished her afterschool activity - book club. She smiled, holding onto the new books the librarian promised her. They were new. The colors were bright and the pages were wonderful. She walked past the library and saw Gwen. The preppy person. Somewhere deep down, Charlotte hated her. Could it be from jealously, she wasn't sure. Shaking these thoughts, the girl walked towards Gwen.

"Hey Gw-"

"Come back tomorrow if you need help with homework," the black haired girl quickly stated. Before Charlotte could put in another word, Gwen was off towards the doors.

Weird..



MIchael was walking into the school parking lot, grabbing his keys.

"Michael!" a voice called out. He stopped. Turning around, he saw Gwen running. What an awful runner...

"What's up, Gwen?" The breathless girl stopped in front of Michael, putting her hands on her knees and looked down.

"Y-you forgot-t something," she said, trying to catch her breath.

"I di-" before he could finish, Michael felt lips upon his own. Wide eyed, he stared down at Gwen. It was sudden. Mixture of emotions muffled and uncovered. Before he could even react back, Gwen pulled back and smiled.

"That's what you forgot."



Books fell to the floor. A girl. She didn't know how to feel. Anger? Jealously? Charlotte didn't even bother picking up her books, as she ran down the hallway. Such a foolish motion. Completely childish. Overdramatic Her thoughts jumbled. Running into the bathroom, Charlotte looked into the mirror.

Why?



Friday - Some time after Michael drops Charlotte and Gwen off, he goes off into his own searching.

The moon was high in the sky, brighter than most of the awkward stars. It didn't compare to pure light that radited off the white sphere. Michael used the moon as a flashlight, eyeing the broken peices of what was left of the lab. Papers were ripped and crumbled, acting like snow as the wind would blow them through the blow up site. The rest of the crew, made up people who Michael never thought twice about talking to, were out in their own part of the lab. They were looking for clues, reasons, as to why they were changing into animals. The crew promised to go out during times when people were forbidden, protected by the guns and tall men with black suits. The guards didn't seem to check the fence, however, providing an easy access into the bombed lab.
It had happened fast, and a week after the students took a field trip there. Of course, they hadn't expected it to blew up. Some speculated that Mr. Neil, their teacher, was behind it. He seemed to be the perfect suspect for it. Quiet. Mysterious seemed to lurk behind that man's eye. His presence was even more creepy, admitting an sketchy feel whenever he would walk into the room. The students didn't seem to realize this, only after the lab was bombed, since they were used to seeing him.

A half an hour later, Michael's back was hurting. Throbbing against the constant bending over, flipping a paper over, before throwing it aside. Yawning, he looked at his watch: one in the morning. Jesus. Luckily enough, there wasn't school or football practice for tomorrow. He popped his arms, stretching them out before shaking his body. He glanced around the wreckage: long, cement slabs were leaning horiztonal against a white, stone wall. Surrouding the area were orange pieces of glass and thin, silver wires. There was an opening behind the third cement slab, leading into a small room. Perhaps some info will be in there.
Skillfully climbing over the cement slabs, balancing himself, he peeked into the lab. There was a big box with different colorful buttons. Red, blue, and green wires came out the front and moved along the floor like a snake. Besides the big box, was a desk.
Michael stepped into the room, a sudden rush of fear welcomed him. He felt as if somebody was watching him, but shook off the feeling. Glass and paper crunched under Michael's feet as he moved around the room. Microphones, chairs, and tables were turned over. On the dashboard, pictures of children and loved ones were seen burnt and ruined. Unrecognizable.

Sighing, Michael ran a hand through his hair. Guess not. As he was leaving, a pale yellow folder caught Michael's eye. It was labeled in black sharpie: In Case Of Danger . It was like a wire over a cliff, hanging in the balance of things. Either a do or die situation. Or perhaps, Michael was just overthinking. His brain wasn't sure what exactly he should do: a cause-effect statement. A hazardous, blinking light. Flooding in a poorly done village.

Or, he could just do it.

Michael reached out and took the file from the desk. It seemed new, as if it wasn't present during the time of the bombing. Looking around, he felt the same fear when he first entered. Cowardness. A cat being cornered by a dog. Within a few minutes, the feeling passed as Michael flipped open the file. Pictures. Words. Little snippets of newspaper articles. A roll of flim.

Just what I was looking for. He smirked, closing the file.



In the shadows, someone lurked. Watching Michael. They bent behind the cement slabs, peeking. They waited, hoping for the boy to walk out. A few moments later, the ginger haired boy ran out, gleefully onto the file. The person smiled, running quietly through the bombed building.



"I found something that'll lead us into the right direction," Michael stated. Surrounding him were Charlotte, Gwen, Neon, Layla, and Daniel. He hardly knew three out of the six of them. He didn't even realize they went to their school until on the day of the field trip. Heck, he didn't even know most of the people on the field trip. He'd forgotten most of the field trip, consisting of singing and silence.

"What is 'something' exactly?" Gwen asked, stepping closer to Michael. He shrugged.

"Just some files, a flim, and paper."

"Are you sure it'll be correct?" asked Daniel, putting out a hand. He wanted to see it, confirm if what was inside true enough to believe. Michael handed it to the boy. Putting his hands in his pockets, he spoke.

"I found it in some lab. Competely trashed and wreak. It seemed as if nothing was alive. I was going to leave, hang my head but then this file caught my eye. You see, it wasn't damaged like the other things. Can I see that? Thanks," Michael said, grabbing the file from Daniel's hands. The boy frowned deeply. Michael opened it up, gazing his eyes over the papers before closing it once again.

"It seems to be the right information."

"Great. Can we leave now? I'm freezing my butt over here." Gwen asked, putting her hands on her arms and started to shiver. Michael sighed.

"I suppose so." Everyone else mumbled in agreement, heading towards their cars when they heard a pop. Like the sound a toy gun would make. Charlotte jumped as Michael turned around. He couldn't see in the dark, only the fading stars. The moon had disappeared behind some incoming clouds.

"Who goes there?" Laughter split throughout the area, chilling everyone's backbone. As the moon came out, a figure emerged. They wore a black hoodie with faded, ripped blue jeans. Sweeping black hair covered their eyes. The person looked up at Michael, gripping onto a party popper.

"Don't you remember me?"

How does everyday feel lately?

Like Drowning.

At first you don’t know what's going on, and you just have to let yourself get submerged in it. At first you try to put on a brave face, and find a way to make it out, but then when you finally realize the reality of it everything goes into panic mode. Adrenaline rises, and your eyes go wide. You can’t breathe, or scream. Darkness and silence surround you, and then...there’s nothing. You close your eyes, and you forget what just happened the day before. Because now you can finally do what you wanted to do that whole time while you were struggling to fight...Sleep and let go.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After everything that has happened recently, I’ve completely been thrown off. It feels like everything I do is one step behind. Everything I do is wrong.

I hear the high pitched ding of my phone, and I look up to see the notification. A text from mom. She’s wondering when I’ll be home. I can tell she’s worried, because she didn't use any cheesy emojis. I look up at the clock across the room.

11:30 pm

“Shit.” I’ve been stuck at the school for over 8 hours, and I’ve barely written two words. The same tune plays through my head over and over, but I just can’t find the words. I rub my eyes, sigh.

I more time...1….2….3

I place my hands gently on the keys, and start the slow tune again. I try a few lyrics I had written previously, but they come out like mush. My flow is gone. I slam my hands down on the keys in frustration.

“Dammit!”

“Now, what did that poor piano do to you?” I look up abruptly to see Gwen standing in the doorway. She was wearing pajamas, and her hair was pulled up.

“What are you doing here?” I ask curiously.

“Your mom was worried. She called, and asked me to call you because she thought you would actually answer if it was me. But when you didn’t I knew I had to come find you.” She says crossing her arms.

“I’m sorry, but I’m busy.” I turn back to the piano.”

“Em. It’s 11:30. You need to go home. If you needed me to I could even ask my mom if you could spend the night.” I turn back again to face her.

“How’d you even get into the school anyways?”

“The same way you do when you come here after hours. Mrs. Leachman's window. People don’t know that the locks are broken, but she told you...so that you could practice, because you don’t have a piano at home.”

“I never told you that.”

“Actually you sort of did. I was standing outside the music room when she was telling you about it before lunch one day. I was waiting for you when I heard her stop you.” She looks down.

“Of course.” I roll my eyes, and turn back towards the piano once more.

“Why is this piece so much more important than the others that it needs to be worked on at midnight? Riley already mentioned how ready they were for the battle of the bands. They don’t seem to need any more hits.”

“This one isn’t for Riley...It’s for me. After everything that's happened recently...I just wanted something normal. I used to be able to know exactly what I wanted to say, but now...I don’t feel like I have anything to say anymore.”

“Em-”

“And there’s something else...Mrs. Leachman recommended me in the showcase letter to Juliard. We’re supposed to compose something, and then perform it at the showcase at the end of this semester, but everytime I try to think of something my hands start shaking and sweating. I can’t preform for regular people, let alone people who could determine what happens in my future. And besides I dont think Juliard exactly wants a barn owl in their student population.”

“You can’t let your fears stop you Emma. I know you constantly say that music isn’t what you want, but I know it is. Yeah you will have to get over your shyness, and yeah you will have to come up with something amazing to impress them. Yeah we will have to figure this whole everyone’s changing into animals mess, and yeah you might fail. But if anyone can do it, it's you. You’re my best friend Em, and you can do it. But you need to sleep, and take care of yourself.” I sigh, and slowly stand.

“Okay let's go.” I say grabbing my bag. She smiles, and I cross my arms.

“We’ll figure all this stuff out. I promise.” I walk over to her, and she puts her arm over my shoulder.

I sure hope so.

Neon was running, this time to avoid being run over. The Jeep’s headlights cast a long shadow, and he pounced on it continuously, scampering up the road.

The night sky swirled with indigo hues above them, making the spiny pine trees beside the road all the more intimidating. Dusky beetles flitted lazily between the emerald fortresses, buzzing away as the students rolled by. It was a perfect night to ransack some ruins.

As Michael’s car crept into the clearing, Neon arched his back, hissing softly. Slowly, his tiny claws retracted, fur shrinking back into his body. His tail shot back into his spine, and his paws warped into pale fingers, clutching at the dirt.

Neon sucked in a breath as he stood up, tasting the night air. As he walked over to the others, he caught Riley’s piercing stare. What’s she looking at - wait, did I forget-? Frantically, he glanced down. The slick black suit still clung to his body; he’d remembered to wear it after all.

He sighed invisibly. Riley seemed to pout, crossing her arms.

Tucking his captivation into his pocket, Neon waltzed around her. “See, perks of having a suit,” he said airily. He struck a pose, accentuating the outfit’s contours. “Now, don’t you all wish you’d all stolen some for yourselves?

Cole seemed to say something, but the kitten of darkness was on a roll. “Of course, that doesn’t mean I couldn’t give you one.” He lifted Riley’s chin with a finger, leaning close. The effect was somewhat diminished by the fact that she was still looking down at him.

Riley turned pink and averted her eyes, mumbling furiously. Neon grinned. His infiltration mission had gone off flawlessly. He’d hoped to stay undercover a bit longer, maybe sneak a peek into her diary; but alas, the stage had presented itself, begging for his presence. Now, Riley West would finally fall in love with-

Something struck him hard in the back of the head, knocking him forward. Neon yelped as his face hit the dirt, and the wallowing taste of mud filled his mouth.

“Oops,” Cole said calmly, tossing and catching a suit package in his hand. “Sorry, Neon. That was for Riley.” An empyreal aura, darker than the night, emanated from his body, causing Layla to back away.

Riley bent over, scooping the package from Neon’s back. “Need a hand, kitty?” she said, extending her hand smugly.

“I’m fine,” Neon spat, wiping the dirt from his lips and sitting up. “And...don’t call me kitty,” he mumbled.

Daniel shook his head and sighed. Riley smirked, the confidence returning in her eyes.

“Okay,” said Layla, addressing the group as a whole. “Let’s get changed, and head out. Who knows what we’ll find at M.E.L.”

Neon bounced to his feet, flipping his hair matter-of-factly. “I do, of course.”

The rest of the class rolled their eyes and began to get changed.

-----------------------

The moon was in that odd shape again - not the elegant full, or the mystical crescent, but a gibbous. Just a misshapen lump of silver in the sky, the stars scattered around it like needles. Still, Neon was glad for the light to see by.

Gwen and Charlotte had stayed near the entrance, while Michael had ventured off to who-knows-where. That left the rest of them picking through the rubble, Layla directing them across the area. The other students had fanned out, searching and poking inside the steel skeleton of science.

Neon, meanwhile, had his fingers hooked around a large slab of concrete, trying desperately to lift it from the ground. The metal reinforcements jutted from the stone, scratching his arms as he struggled.

“Here.” He looked to see Riley squatting beside him, arms straining as well. The kitten of darkness made no reply, simply lifting more so as not to make her do all the work.

Eventually, the slab gave, scraping aside like some ancient tombstone. Neon leaned on his knees, peering into the revealed crevice. “Nothing,” he breathed, falling back onto his bottom.

Riley sat down beside him, sighing heavily. Neon glanced at her quickly before scooting a bit farther, tapping his fingers in the earth.

The brown-haired girl chuckled. “What’re you doing? Running away?”

Neon blushed, immediately moving back beside her. She breathed out slowly, letting the wisps drift into the clear night air.

“So,” Neon began, grinning cheekily, “belly rub?”

“Ugh.” Riley rested her chin on her hand, staring across the blast site. “Worst. Pet. Ever.”

“Coming from the owner who tried to eat me?”

Riley’s entire body tensed at once. Neon bit his tongue brutally, looking down. What was that for? It wasn’t her fault.

His nemesis quickly disregarded it, turning to eye him in amusement. “So, I guess you’ve been busy: curling up in a gym bag, nuzzling hands, licking yourself all the livelong day-”

“Hey! That was one time!”

Riley leaned back, guffawing, “So you actually did it?”

The boy stopped, stuttering. “Um...no.” He rubbed his neck, hiding his blush in the shadows. His throat was still sore from his first, and last, hairball.

Her azure eyes shone in the gibbous-light, her smile like the moon's final shard. “How goes the conquering, my Romeo?”

Neon clasped his hands behind his head, lying back with a smile. “Quite well. I’ve just gotten finished conquering the sect of hooligans that bothered us so often. Once you return to school, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.”

“Really?” Riley looked mildly surprised. “Thanks.”

“D-don’t thank me, stupid,” Neon said, drawing himself upright stiffly. “I only did it because I wanted to. My enjoyment alone was worth it.”

Something flickered in her eyes, a shade of guilt and pity. “Worth getting expelled for?”

Neon’s spirit collapsed in his chest. His smile faded away, head drooping. “I wasn’t aware you’d heard,” he said solemnly.

Her blue eyes grew all the more sympathetic. “Emma told me.”

They sat there in silence, words burning at the tips of their tongues, unwilling to be released. Pale moonlight shone on their shoulders, two students sitting in the carcass of a laboratory.

"Look,-"

“I’m sorry.” The phrase escaped his lips before he could silence himself. Neon clamped his hands over his mouth, fervently cursing his luck.

Riley blinked. “What?”

“I was...selfish.” Neon hissed the words. “I didn’t realize what kind of effects my actions would have. I may have made things worse for you in the process, a disgraceful tactic. It’s unbecoming of an overlord.” He sighed out wearily, scratching his hair.

“Also, while I was with you, I should’ve at least warned you about these powers.” Neon shook his head gently. “I figured this out first, but I let you face it alone. Back then - you looked so scared, so weak…”

“H-hey.” The shock still hadn’t fully worn off. Riley stared at him worriedly. “What’s gotten into you?”

Neon hid his eyes, grinning fakely. “Nothing. Nothing at all.” He swallowed hard, turning away. “I just don’t like seeing my rivals like that. You’re my nemesis, so nobody gets to hurt you but me.”

He stared across the landscape, the broken glass glimmering in the moonlight like a second set of stars. The gibbous gave plentiful light, but that didn’t mean people had to care about it. There was nothing poetic in being more than pitiable, and less than respectable. Mediocrity was just that.

He could feel Riley reaching out to him, resting her hand on his shoulder. He couldn't tell if it was the calico talking, but...she was so warm...

“Forget we ever had this conversation,” he muttered abruptly, shifting away.

“But Neon-”

“Forget it.”

The kitten of darkness stood up coldly, dusting off his scratches. One of them had begun to bleed. He gazed up at the misshapen moon, the light reflecting in his eyes. His smile reappeared as he turned back to the brown-haired girl.

“Just remember, Riley West-” He struck a pose dramatically. “You and I are enemies. And next time, I’ll defeat you for sure.”

With that, he strode off, leaping over the ruptured earth. The smile died with each step he took from her. Just as I thought. I'm still so selfish.

I eye the guy suspiciously as he approaches, the hairs on the back of my neck instinctively rising. Who the hell is this?

He takes a few steps closer, keeping his eyes on Michael. The expressions on both of their faces tell me they know each other. "Michael, you know this guy?"

The others come up behind us. "We didn't find anything over there," Riley starts to say, but stops when she notices our visitor. "Who is-"

Michael walking up to the guy. "Jackson? What are you doing here?"

The guy pulls his hood down, exposing icy blue eyes that glint in the moonlight like the pieces of broken glass all over the ground around us. "I was about to ask you the same thing, Mikey."

"Seriously, you shouldn't be here," Michael says. "Did you... follow me?"

"Yeah, I did." He shoves his hands into the pockets of his blue jeans. "Now are you gonna tell me what's going on, or what?"

Everyone is quiet for a moment. Michael avoids his eyes. Then I break the silence when I step forward and say, "How did you get in here?"

Jackson sighs with agitation and turns to me. "What?"

"There's a barbed-wire fence all the way around the bomb site. How did you get in here?"

"How did you get in here?" Jackson shoots back.

I nod my head to the west. "There's a gate, but it's locked. I picked the lock when we came in, but I also locked it behind us."

"That's the same way I got in, but it wasn't locked. The gate was standing wide open," Jackson says. He shakes his head. "Why does it matter?" He turns back to Michael. "So, you gonna tell me what you've been up to, or what?"

I know I locked it behind us. And that file is untouched. If this guy isn't responsible for either then...

A bullet whizzes by my ear and hits a slab of concrete behind me, a crater exploding into the stone. Someone screams.

"Get down!" I yell, scrambling to the other side of the concrete slab. Dan and Emma take cover with me, a bullet grazing the side of the slab just seconds after they get in the clear, sending pieces of rubble exploding into my face.

I look around for the others and see that Layla, Gwen, and Neon have taken cover behind a similar slab opposite ours, while Jinx, Michael, Charlotte and Jackson duck behind a giant mountain of rubble. "Where's Riley?" I say under my breath, my heart pounding in my chest. "Dammit! Where's Riley?!"

Shots continue to fire, hitting the other side of the concrete slab and causing it to tremble. I peek around the slab and see Riley cowering behind a metal door, which is tipped over and leaning up against other rubble. She tucks her head down as much as she can, the door barely being tall enough to give her complete cover. She presses her hands against her ears and takes deep breaths, trying to keep it together. I duck back behind the slab just as another bullet whizzes by.

"Did you see her?" Emma asks desperately. I give her a quick nod, then throw myself onto the ground and army crawl towards Riley as quickly as I can. Shards of glass rip through my clothes and the black jumpsuit underneath. I throw myself against the door the second I make it there.

"You hurt?" I ask.

Riley shakes her head. "Who's shooting at us? The police?"

"I don't think it's the police, but I have no idea. What I do know is that we can't stay here. I think they're using one-shot sniper rifles. Which means they have to reload each time they fire. We'll wait until they fire again, then make a run for the slab. Got it?"

She gives me a quick nod. A moment later, a bullet whizzes over our heads and explodes into the concrete. "Go! Go!" I push her forward and we scramble to the safety of the concrete once again.

Emma throws her arms around Riley. "Don't scare me like that!"

"What now?" Layla calls from the other slab.

"Why am I in charge?" I yell back.

"Because this was your stupid idea to begin with!"

Dammit.

Just then, a bullet hits the concrete on our side, sending gray dust raining down over our heads. They've got us surrounded. "We have to get back to the cars," Jinx yells.

"What if they shoot us?" Gwen says.

"They're already trying to shoot us! We stay here and we die."

Ah... shit.

Another bullet hits, missing Emma by inches, pretty much making the decision for us. Jinx, Gwen, and Jackson get up and make a run for the fence. Dan grabs Emma's hand and yanks her to her feet, then shoves her forward. "Run!" he yells.

Neon shrinks back into his kitten form and takes off running, his tiny tail bristling. Layla watches him and sighs, realizing his method makes the most sense for the small, fast animals. "Crap," she says, then yanks her shirt off to expose her jumpsuit. She shrinks into a fox and scurries after Neon.

I take off running behind Riley. Michael takes Charlotte's hand and pulls her along behind him. I hear an explosion from behind us, and turn to see a giant hole blown through the fence. Men in black tactical uniforms start spilling in with tranquilizer guns. What the hell is happening?

Their faces aren't covered. They all have black hair and narrow eyes. Asians? It's hard to tell just from the moonlight. "Go, go, go," I urge Riley as she scrambles up a mountain of rubble.

I hear someone scream. I whip my head around to see one of the men grabbing Charlotte's arm, yanking her away from Michael. He yells at the man, then two others grab his arms from behind and hold him back. His eyes flash golden, and the men lose their grip on him as his body transforms into a lion. He whips his head toward the men who had been holding him as they pull out their tranquilizer guns. Roaring, he swats a giant paw at them and knocks the guns out of their hands in one blow. He turns to Charlotte's capture and tackles him with his giant lion body, slamming him into a wall of concrete.

Charlotte stares in shock at the scene in front of her. "Charlotte," I yell. She whips her head in my direction, startled. "Run!"

She shakes her head and takes off again. I turn my attention back to Riley, who jumps down off the pile of rubble and sprints for the gate. I'm right behind her when she slows down and stumbles into a wall. She keeps going, but staggers, losing speed by the second. Then she trips over a bar and catches herself on her hands. I slide to a halt and drop to a knee next to her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, I just..." Her arm gives out and she topples over. That's when I notice the tranq dart sticking out of her thigh.

I yank it out, I throw my arms under her knees and behind her back, then hug her against my chest and keep going.

Finally, we make it to the gate and I see the others scrambling into the three cars we brought. Original riding arrangements go out the window. Jinx jumps in the drivers seat of the jeep, followed by Neon and Dan. Layla scrambles into the drivers seat of her mom's SUV with Emma and Jackson. Gwen and Charlotte hurry into the front of Jinx's old pickup truck. The other two cars have already started to drive away, so I hurry over and throw open the back door. I quickly but carefully lay Riley down in the back seat and sit down next to her, letting her head rest on my lap.

"What are we waiting for?" I gasp, pulling hard for air.

"Michael," Charlotte says. "I haven't seen him since-" she's cut off when Lion Michael comes out of the darkness and jumps onto the hood of the truck, then onto the roof, denting it. A moment later, he jumps down into the bed in human form and repeatedly taps his hand on the window.

"Go!" he yells, muffled through the glass.

Charlotte stares at the steering wheel, which she's sitting closet to. "I don't have my license!"

Gwen groans and scrambles over Charlotte into the drivers seat. "Hang on, guys!" She turns the key in the ignition and slams her foot down on the gas, throwing us forward. Six men stand at the edge of the gate, hoisting guns. Sparks fly off the back of the truck as they fire and Michael flattens himself down in the bed. Finally, we turn onto another street, leaving our attackers behind. I let out a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding in and slump down against the back seat.

Gwen looks over her shoulder at us. "Everyone okay?"

I nod, then look down at Riley who's breathing steadily. Charlotte examines a graze on her upper arm. "I think I'll be okay," she says, her voice shaking.

"Good." Gwen sighs and turns her eyes back to the road. "Lets not do that again. Yeah?"

Jinx and Dan were silent. For once, Neon was too.

Jinx's fingers felt cold and numb wrapped around the Jeep's steering wheel, as if he were trying to drive the car with a frozen disc of frostbitten metal. He'd try to rub his hands against his jeans, one and then another, to warm himself, but that could hardly melt his nerves. His feet were jittery. His bad eye tingled at the back of its socket. And all the while, one sentence echoed in his mind and reverberated across every inch of his body. I almost died.

When they finally reached a paved road that cast a few meager spots of amber light on the road with its line of rusty streetlamps, Jinx's eyes darted to the rearview mirror. He saw his friendly old pick up huffing along behind him, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

He drove for ten more minutes, he and his subdued passengers only uttering a few words, before surrendering to his nerves and pulling over. The other cars followed suit, and one by one each student climbed out of their respective cars and gathered together. Riley was unconscious, having been unfortunate enough to have been darted in the scuffle at the lab site. Of course, it could've been much worse.

"We'll need to get home soon," Layla said. "But I don't think any of us are ready to return to our normal lives right now and pretend that everything's okay."

Dan looked up. "I think we need to tell someone about this. Our parents or something. We'll just have to morph in front of them and they'll call the police and we'll get help."

"Right," Layla said. "But whoever these people are, I think they're going to be making sure that doesn't happen. They're watching us. They might even have followed us here."

Jinx agreed. Whoever their enemy actually was, they certainly were capable of stalking them and toting weapons along at the same time. He recalled the figure of the guy who had seen him morph earlier that day.

Layla continued speaking. "We'll have to meet again this weekend, somewhere safe and quiet and spacious, where we can talk about everything and look over the files we found. Mr. Neil's classroom is hardly safe anymore."

"There's the forest behind the school," Gwen offered.

"No!" Jinx cried. He cleared his throat. "Not that forest."

"Why not?" Neon asked, his arms crossed.

Jinx sighed and briefly recounted what had happened, all the way up to the point where he ran into Riley, disheveled and shoeless.

"They're stalking us at school," Layla said. "Great."

"My family has a cabin," Michael said. "It's an hour and a half away. Kind of far, but it might be perfect for getting together safely."

"The further the better," Cole said. "How can we make sure these jerks don't follow us, though? They know our cars, for sure."

They were silent for a few moments, the wheels turning in each of their brains.

Charlotte was the first to speak up. "We can all change into animals except Gwen and Ashton. Can we use that to our advantage?"

"I fit in a backpack," Neon said. "Cole fits in a cage. We could probably all condense ourselves into one car, one that's different from any of these, and drive on over to Mike's cabin."

"Right," Layla said. "I could morph, the birds could morph, and maybe even Riley or Charlotte could morph, if it means that we take up less space. We're just going to need a big car."

"I'll find a way to use my parents' car," Michael said. "It's pretty big. All of you, meet at my house at 10:00 AM tomorrow - er, today - and tell your parents you're going to the library to work on a bio project or something, and you're sleeping over at your friend's house. Walk if you can, and if you have to drive try to carpool and leave your car a few houses down from mine."

"Well," Layla said. "This might work. We should all wear our suits and a layer of clothing over them. I assume the cabin only has a few beds?"

"Right. Bring a sleeping bag and some blankets if possible, but nothing that takes up too much space. We can stop by a store on the way there to buy some food and extra supplies."

"I've been craving cat food," Neon said. "Is that normal?"

"Ever since the lab, bananas have tasted better than ice cream," Cole said. "I think it is."

Layla checked her watch. "Alright, we should get home now before our parents find that we've been gone. Try to get some sleep before ten comes."

Satisfied and exhausted, they bid one another goodbye. Jinx climbed into his old pick-up, grateful for its friendly warmth and familiar smell. He drove as quickly as his car would allow. He was eager for those five hours of sleep, as restless and meager as they were sure to be.

I whistled as I cycled along towards Mike's house. My mind was in a whirl though. I couldn't believe what was happening! I mean, all of us being able to transform into animals, Ryker nearly dying, being shot at! The only good thing that had come of it was that I could turn into a huge, powerful eagle (a fact that I was rather pleased about).

However, the danger was far too much. Well, at least I'll get a couple days to calm myself down now. I thought as I came up near Mike's house.

It appeared that I was the last one there. Everyone else was debating how they were all going to fit in one car.

"Oh hey Dan." said Layla as I walked my bike up to the group.

"We're having problems." said Charlotte. "You see, we've figured out that you can fly to the lodge, and Emma, being an owl, will seem like a pet when we bring her around. Cole will morph and is going to be hidden in my backpack, which is a big one and Neon fit in a cage with Riley, as that will make Riley look like more of a big cat, since she'll appear to have a kitten. However, with all the bags, only five people will fit in the car, and that's even while carrying bags on their laps! And the rest of us will be too noticeable if we morph. Got any ideas?"

I thought for a moment then fixed my eyes on Layla. "How big is a palm fox?"

THIS IS TERRIFYING! Layla screeched in my mind as I flew, carrying her in my talons. At the beginning of the flight, we had learnt that that we could communicate in our minds. I wasn't sure if all of us could do the same thing, or if it was restricted to just me and Layla. All I was sure of was that it was bloody annoying.

Please stop shouting. I implored her. And stop wiggling! It's hard enough to resist my instincts to rip out your throat and eat you without the risk of dropping you as well.

Sorry. she replied. But this really scary and my fox's instincts aren't really helping. They're really acting up and OH MY GOD IS THAT A HELICOPTER? HOW HIGH ARE WE? OH NO WE'RE GOING TO CRASH! I WANT TO GO HOME!

Calm down. I replied as I swerved to fly past the helicopter.I'm not so bad a flyer that I'd crash into something as big as a helicopter. As I passed it, I got a glimpse of the person piloting it, and the sight of his face shocked me.

Did you see the guy driving the helicopter? I asked.

No. replied Layla. I was too busy watching the propellers. Who was it?

Well...He kind of looked like Darrin.

Darrin? The new kid? replied Layla. Are you sure?

Well, it looked like him. I replied, wondering. It probably wasn't, though. Still, given what's happening, it's a weird coincidence.

Yeah. agreed Layla. But it can't have been him. I mean, he's what, 16? He couldn't have been piloting a helicopter.

I guess so. I replied, though I felt a little unsure. Well, here we are. I said, pushing those thoughts to the back of my mind as I noticed that the car (which we had been tracking from the air) had stopped at the lodge.

I flew down and dropped Layla softly on the ground before landing myself and demorphing.

As I got up, I said, "Remind me never to do that again. My head is still hurting from your shouts."

Layla gave a rueful smile and replied, "Sorry. Foxes aren't meant to fly. And since you're an eagle, all that time the fox's instincts were telling me to get away as fast as I could before you ate me."

"It's alright." I replied, stretching. "Well, we should go and catch up with the others."

Layla nodded and I shook the stiffness out of my limbs (which always seemed to be there when I demorphed) as we walked towards the parked car, where some people appeared to be arguing.

The kenned was big enough for me to tuck under the seat and just big enough for me to lie down in comfortably in my lynx form. I rested my head moodily on my paws, trying to force down the mother cat instincts poking at the back of my mind as Neon sat awkwardly near my big paws.

'This sucks. I mean, this just REALLY SUCKS! what the heck do those labmonkeys thing their trying to pull? What, were they going to let a couple of kids in here to just mess around? In WHAT UNIVERSE would ANY of this be a good idea. "Hey, kids! We'd like to thank you for showing an interest in our special and highly exclusive Science program! Where we secretly experiment on you and completely eradicate any chance of you having a normal life! But don't you worry, we give our word that you'll be out of harm's way and in no danger of losing your life at any second! Except for the Ninety-nine percent of the time when your NOT. We at the lab assure you this is all a necessary life skill to obtain, because normal people who DON'T have ANIMAL GENES SPLICED INTO THEIR DNA all have to keep looking over their shoulder to make sure no one's stalking them or pointing a RIFLE at them! We thank you all for being COMPLETE IDIOTS and blindly walking straight into our death trap!" WELCOME TO HIGH SCHOOL![i]
Neon was giving me a wired look. A cross between trying not laugh and just feeling uncomfortable. The car had become eerily silent. A few long seconds later, Cole's voice echoed from somewhere in space.

[i]Wow. That was actually kind of impressive.

With a sort of sick jolt I realized his voice wasn't coming from space, it was in my head.

Wh--waita minute. He can hear me? He heard all that?

Judging by the looks on the other guy's faces, I'm pretty sure we all did.

Sorry...guys. I guess I'm just feeling a little funned out right now. And also a little freaked out by the fact that you can hear my thoughts.

The car stopped in front of a big two story wood house nestled comfortably between the trees at the end of a long, lonely dirt path. Perfect place to hide. The ones who hadn't
morphed jumped out, and Emma De-morphed and dragged our kennel out from under the seat and undid the door. Neon and I De-morphed and the three of us clambered from out of the car. I tugged at the tight fabric of my suit.

"Hey, Emmy. Do you still have my pack?"

Emma nodded.

"It's in the trunk."

After I'd collected my bag, we all walked into the cabin. I rushed into the bathroom the minute we got through the door and slipped my clothed on over my suit. Loose, faded jeans, and a black t-shirt with a design so faded I couldn't even tell what it was anymore. I Took pa pair of sock and black converse sneaker out of the bag and put those on too. Feeling slightly better, I bounced out of the bathroom and emerged right in the middle of an argument. I leaned over to Emma.

"What's going on?"

"They're fighting about the attack last night."

"Well, not getting caught up in that mess again. Besides, I've had writers block for the longest time, and there's no better cure than a change of scenery. Wanna help me out?"