skins wrapped themselves tightly over the two humans. The fur spread
over their bodies, slid over their heads, covered their legs, their arms, their
hands.
“Ohhhhh…” I shook so hard, I let go of the camera case and hugged myself.
Hugged myself tight, trying to hold myself in, trying to keep myself together.
The two figures howled again, raising their furry arms over their heads.
Silvery claws slid out from their paws.
The two creatures raked the claws at each other playfully, pretending to
attack. Growling and grunting, they lowered themselves to all fours.
No longer humans.
Animals… wolf creatures…
Hannah is right, I realized. She told the truth. The Marlings are werewolves. They turned into wolves under the moonlight.
Gasping for breath, I snatched up the camera case. I fumbled once again with
the zipper. Finally managed to pull it open.
And they turned. They both turned toward me.
Two wolves !
Their dark eyes stared out from beneath fur-covered foreheads. Their furry
snouts snapped open to reveal rows of curled animal teeth.
Werewolves. The Marlings were werewolves. Human and wolf at the same time!
The werewolves nuzzled each other, growling softly. I raised the camera. I
pulled myself up to my knees.
I’ve got to snap a picture. Do it now, Alex! I ordered myself.
But my hands shook so badly, I wasn’t sure I could hold the camera steady
enough.
Do it! Do it!
I raised the viewfinder to my eye. I stood up a little higher to see over the
top of the bush.
“Ohhh.” As I raised myself, a sharp twig scraped the side of my face.
And I dropped the camera!
It landed on the grass with a THUD.
The two wolf creatures turned.
And saw me!
23
I sank to the ground. Pressed myself flat on my stomach.
My chest heaved. I breathed through my mouth, struggling to keep perfectly
still, perfectly silent.
Did they see me? Did they?
I raised my head enough to peer out at them beneath the bottom branch of the
bush.
They had their fur-covered snouts raised. They sniffed the air.
Did they smell me? Did they know I was hiding down here?
Were they about to leap into the bush and rip me apart with those long,
silvery claws?
I held my breath, squinting across the grass at them.
They sniffed some more, grunting softly.
Then they turned away. Dropped to all fours. And loped off, heading to the
woods.
I waited until I could no longer hear the soft thud of their paws or their low growls and grunts. Then I slid forward on my
stomach, reached out, and grabbed my camera.
My camera!
I hadn’t snapped any photos. Not a single shot.
I climbed shakily to my feet and rubbed the wet dew from the lens. Then I
raised my eyes to the woods.
I have to follow them, I decided.
I have to take some photos. This is the chance of a lifetime!
If I can take the first-ever shots of actual werewolves, I’ll be famous! I
pictured myself in newspapers and on magazine covers. I imagined my photos of
the Marlings on display in fancy photo galleries.
And I thought of how proud of me Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta would be.
That thought sent a chill down my back. Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta—they
were working in the woods right now. Busy photographing animals of the night.
Did they know that two werewolves were on the loose? Did they know that two
werewolves were prowling the woods, searching for victims?
They’re not safe out there, I realized.
Of course, following the werewolves into the woods was crazy—and dangerous.
But now I had two reasons to chase after them.
I had to snap some pictures— and warn my aunt and uncle.
My eyes on the woods, I jammed the camera into the case and slung it over my
shoulder. Then I began trotting across the backyard toward the trees, following
the fresh paw prints in the frosty grass.
I ducked into the trees and followed the curving path. Moonlight trickled
through the treetop leaves, making eerie, shifting patterns on the ground.
I didn’t have to go far to
over their bodies, slid over their heads, covered their legs, their arms, their
hands.
“Ohhhhh…” I shook so hard, I let go of the camera case and hugged myself.
Hugged myself tight, trying to hold myself in, trying to keep myself together.
The two figures howled again, raising their furry arms over their heads.
Silvery claws slid out from their paws.
The two creatures raked the claws at each other playfully, pretending to
attack. Growling and grunting, they lowered themselves to all fours.
No longer humans.
Animals… wolf creatures…
Hannah is right, I realized. She told the truth. The Marlings are werewolves. They turned into wolves under the moonlight.
Gasping for breath, I snatched up the camera case. I fumbled once again with
the zipper. Finally managed to pull it open.
And they turned. They both turned toward me.
Two wolves !
Their dark eyes stared out from beneath fur-covered foreheads. Their furry
snouts snapped open to reveal rows of curled animal teeth.
Werewolves. The Marlings were werewolves. Human and wolf at the same time!
The werewolves nuzzled each other, growling softly. I raised the camera. I
pulled myself up to my knees.
I’ve got to snap a picture. Do it now, Alex! I ordered myself.
But my hands shook so badly, I wasn’t sure I could hold the camera steady
enough.
Do it! Do it!
I raised the viewfinder to my eye. I stood up a little higher to see over the
top of the bush.
“Ohhh.” As I raised myself, a sharp twig scraped the side of my face.
And I dropped the camera!
It landed on the grass with a THUD.
The two wolf creatures turned.
And saw me!
23
I sank to the ground. Pressed myself flat on my stomach.
My chest heaved. I breathed through my mouth, struggling to keep perfectly
still, perfectly silent.
Did they see me? Did they?
I raised my head enough to peer out at them beneath the bottom branch of the
bush.
They had their fur-covered snouts raised. They sniffed the air.
Did they smell me? Did they know I was hiding down here?
Were they about to leap into the bush and rip me apart with those long,
silvery claws?
I held my breath, squinting across the grass at them.
They sniffed some more, grunting softly.
Then they turned away. Dropped to all fours. And loped off, heading to the
woods.
I waited until I could no longer hear the soft thud of their paws or their low growls and grunts. Then I slid forward on my
stomach, reached out, and grabbed my camera.
My camera!
I hadn’t snapped any photos. Not a single shot.
I climbed shakily to my feet and rubbed the wet dew from the lens. Then I
raised my eyes to the woods.
I have to follow them, I decided.
I have to take some photos. This is the chance of a lifetime!
If I can take the first-ever shots of actual werewolves, I’ll be famous! I
pictured myself in newspapers and on magazine covers. I imagined my photos of
the Marlings on display in fancy photo galleries.
And I thought of how proud of me Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta would be.
That thought sent a chill down my back. Uncle Colin and Aunt Marta—they
were working in the woods right now. Busy photographing animals of the night.
Did they know that two werewolves were on the loose? Did they know that two
werewolves were prowling the woods, searching for victims?
They’re not safe out there, I realized.
Of course, following the werewolves into the woods was crazy—and dangerous.
But now I had two reasons to chase after them.
I had to snap some pictures— and warn my aunt and uncle.
My eyes on the woods, I jammed the camera into the case and slung it over my
shoulder. Then I began trotting across the backyard toward the trees, following
the fresh paw prints in the frosty grass.
I ducked into the trees and followed the curving path. Moonlight trickled
through the treetop leaves, making eerie, shifting patterns on the ground.
I didn’t have to go far to
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