If you have clicked on this story, it either means you are way too curious, or you are one of us. Then again, I have too much curiosity too. Know that once you scroll down, there is no going back. You can't just walk away and forget about it, because the memories and dreams will haunt you. So be ready for the journey ahead. Because it is going to be a tough one. Anyone that isn't ready, go ahead and click out of this page.The rest of you, take a deep breath and scroll down.
When I woke up, I was in my bedroom, on my bed. “Wow, that was a crazy dream,” I said, then I saw Crystal. “It wasn't a dream, was it?” I asked, and my dad nodded. I found that I could barely move, much less sit up, but I powered through anyway. The scientist, who wouldn't tell us her name, was in the corner of the room. She was taking notes on a clipboard, like a typical movie scientist. She looked up at me, adjusting her black-rimmed glasses. “We've found that a shocking experience causes people with your condition to faint as you did.” She said. I wasn't confused about that, but I stared at my parents. “How could you not tell me?” I asked, my voice cracking. “We wanted you to feel like a part of the family,” My mom said. I could get where they were coming from, but I still felt betrayed. I sat up, despite the pain, and ran out of the room. I just couldn't. “Sky!” Someone yelled. I didn't pay attention to who. I hiked up the stairs and quickly opened the backyard door. I ran out into the fresh air of the evening and jumped the fence. I ran into the forest that our house backed up to. I jumped over logs and rocks, forgetting the pain that hit my bare feet every time I hit something sharp. I was blinking back tears. I wanted to just go, run, fly, or something. Just getaway. Suddenly, a large feeling in my chest popped, but I didn't notice it. All I knew is that I was suddenly going faster, and feeling stronger. I was only looking forward, not at myself. Then, I suddenly took to the air. I felt my shoulder muscles work hard, pushing myself in the sky. I paid no attention to the fact that I was flying or that it wasn't supposed to be possible for humans to do that. Then, I suddenly caught sight of my arm. No, my paw. I stopped short. I looked at myself. I had lavender purple fur all over my body, and a tail attached to my back. Then I finally realized that I was flying. I landed on the ground and looked in a puddle. The creature that I saw in the puddle wasn't me. It was a wolf with wings.
I fell on my back. “This isn't happening, this isn't happening…” I said, trying to convince myself that it was just a dream. A very scary dream. I pinched myself, dunked my head in the stream, and did everything else that I could to try and wake up. But I knew that it wasn't a dream. I could somehow tell that it was real. My whole body shook, including the wings. “Great. How am I supposed to be a human now?” I asked but was surprised at the language I spoke. It was different, very different. I was sure that no one else would understand it, not to mention the fact that there was no way they would get near a winged wolf! I was freaking out. How was I supposed to be human again? How was this possible? How is anyone going to know that it's me, and not just a wild winged wolf? What if someone finds me and takes me into a lab to be studied and dissected? I'm already studied enough. Just then, it hit me that I didn't feel tired anymore. I felt like I'd been released like I'd been let go. It was like popping a bubble, except a bubble that had been inside me. I took a deep breath and flapped my wings. I hovered above the ground for a moment, but then fell to the ground again. “Oof,” I said, and a couple of feathers fell on the ground. I flapped them harder, and this time, I stayed in the air. After a while, it got easier and easier to fly. I was sure to stay in the forest, so no one in my neighborhood would see me, but boy was flying fun! I zoomed around, doing loop-de-loops and other tricks. After a while, my wings started to get sore. I recognized it and landed on a tree. I howled at the sun, a real wolf's howl. I swear it made every dog in the neighborhood bark. It had felt like I was finally me, finally what I was meant to be. Then I heard footsteps.
I saw Crystal enter the forest, and I leaned into the tree so she wouldn't see me. “Sky! Sky, where are you?” then, lowering her voice, she said, “I know something changed. I don't know what, but I know something did.” Then, Crystal transformed. Her body went from human to wolf in a second, and long, black wings grew on her back. Crystal's fur was light blue with a white underbelly. She looked around and smelled the air with her nose. “Sky, I know you're here. I could smell your fear from the house,” she said, the language I now called Wolf. I slowly leaped off the tree and faced Crystal. “What happened to me?” I asked her. She obviously was used to transforming into a winged wolf. Crystal tipped her head to one side. “Well, let's see. Did you get a new haircut, or… You're a freaking winged wolf! Duh!” I rolled my eyes, and she laughed. “You know what I mean,” I said. “You know how you were exhausted and tired all the time?” Crystal said, and I nodded. “Well, that was because you hadn't transformed yet. If you don't transform into something within a period of time that your body sets for you, then you will first be really tired, then you won't be able to move, and then you'll fall sick and die. It's rather depressing.” My brain was just trying to put all the puzzle pieces together, to fit them into logic, but I couldn't. “So… What am I?” I asked, and Crystal smiled. “Isn't it obvious? You're a shape-shifter.”
