A Night to Forget

The putrid stench of death surrounded her yet Lilly dared not move. Howls pierced the blackness of the night and seemed to stretch up to reach the moon. Growling and snarling confirmed that wolves were still enjoying their feast. She hoped they didn't decide to add her to the menu.

The evening had started out with such promise. It was going to be the night she willingly gave herself over to Jonathan. Now 18, Lilly had waited a long time to experience real love. When it came, it was from an unexpected place. She had always been attracted to intelligence more than brawn. However, Jonathan was a clever combination of both.

They had met by accident on a roller coaster at Busch Gardens. His was the only car with a remaining seat when she attempted to board the coaster. Rather than get back in line or miss the ride altogether, Lilly took the spot next to him. She had not anticipated grabbing onto his arm when the first drop left her breathless and screaming in fear. He had taken her hand and held it in his own like a precious gift he had just been given. At that moment, Lilly knew her heart was forever lost.

Their romance, a literal whirlwind, had lasted almost two years before her paramour began pushing for something more physical in nature. He never demanded, though. He just suggested that it was time to take their relationship to the next level. Lilly had only recently decided that he was right.

She dressed carefully for their date, brushing her long black hair until it shone. She applied little makeup because Jonathan preferred a natural look. For that matter, so did she. They agreed on many things like movies, books and music. Their only differences lie in areas like religion and family. Lilly was a Christian. Jonathan believed in God but didn't attend church regularly. Lilly wanted a big family. Jonathan only wanted one or two children. She had always thought they'd have time to work things out. Now that would never take place.

A snarl near her head nearly made Lilly jump in fright, but she steeled herself to remain motionless. The sound of cracking bones and ripping flesh rung in her ears. She wanted to cry, to scream, to fight back or doing something more than wait to be dinner for some rabid animal.

"Enough! We have to go now." A strong male voice rang out. Lilly was aware of the animal next to her as it began to transform. She could hear it, feel it and smell it. She could not decide; however, whether it brought her comfort or even greater fear.

The next howl that pierced the air was half human, half wolf. Lilly prayed the companions would soon depart. She lay still for nearly half an hour, making sure there was no indication of movement nearby. Finally, certain she was finally alone, she pushed her way out from beneath a mish mash of human bodies. As she stood up, she knew she could not look at them. They were her friends. She didn't want to remember them that way.

So, without a glance in their direction, Lilly walked silently from the campground. She headed for her car, hoping that it was still where she left it. Luck was with her. The white Honda flashed in the moonlight.

Looking around carefully, she made certain no one was watching as she got in and started her car. She did not turn on the lights for fear they might be seen by the creatures that she had just narrowly escaped. Not until she reached the highway, did Lilly dare to flip them on. Then she gunned the engine as hard as she could and fled into the night.

Her mind swirled with thoughts and images. She still wasn't certain how it had all gone so wrong. It was supposed to be a night of celebration; her birthday and the day she consummated her love for Jonathan.

Jonathan. The thought of his name made her swerve the car nearly causing it to careen off the road. Handsome Jonathan with the body of an athlete and the mind of a genius; the face of a Hollywood star and the personality of an angel. Her Jonathan.

Tears began to stream down Lilly's face; so much so that she had to pull the car over and let them run their course. She wasn't sure how long she sat there crying but she knew it wouldn't be the last time. It would happen over and over again during the weeks and months to come.

She had no idea what to do about the situation. She considered going to the police with it, but knew they would assume she was high on drugs or alcohol. Who was going to believe that her friends had been attacked and killed by a pack of werewolves? She still didn't believe it herself. It was far too surreal.

The party had been a blast. They had roasted hot dogs, toasted marshmallows and drank beer. Her best friend, Kaitlyn, had brought out a birthday cake with 18 candles. She had managed to cut and distribute it evenly among her friends. Everything had been perfect, but not for long.

It was shortly after the moon rose overhead that strange occurrences began to take place. Sounds of crackling limbs alerted the group to the fact that they were not alone. A few of the boys, including Jonathan, had volunteered to check out the noise. The next sounds the remaining group heard were the screams of their friends as wolves attacked.

Too petrified to move, the girls clung to the two boys who had remained in the camp. They picked up large sticks in hopes of fending off their attackers. That proved useless as the wolves jumped and knocked them to the ground, tearing them to pieces within seconds.

Michael, Kaitlyn's boyfriend, had landed on top of Lilly when he fell. Kaitlyn followed suit. Then others were added to the heap. That's how Lilly had been overlooked. Her tiny, five foot frame was hidden under the pile of bodies that covered her. It had been her salvation.

Pulling her car back on to the road, Lilly headed home. She would tell her parents what happened. They would believe her and they would know what to do. She had to believe that or she was certain she would go mad.

Still, in the back corner of her brain, she felt that she was overlooking something. She had hit the ground hard when she fell. The blow to the back of her head had knocked her unconscious for several minutes. When she came to, she was afraid to open her eyes; afraid of what she would see. But there was something she needed to remember. Of that she was certain.

She methodically reviewed the events of the evening. She recalled the sites and sounds with clarity. She could even see what each of her friends had been wearing in her mind's eye. So what was it she had forgotten? The question nearly drove her crazy.

The last thing she could remember was feeding Jonathan a piece of her cake. His light blue eyes shimmered in the firelight. They almost appeared translucent, mesmerizing her in a way they had never done before.

Eyes. It had to do with eyes. Lilly was certain of it. Something about the wolf who attacked Michael seemed familiar. Yes, she remembered. It was the eyes. They were Jonathan's eyes. The reality of it hit her full force and, once again, Lilly forced her car off the road.

Jonathan was a werewolf. That meant that Jonathan had helped kill her friends; maybe even orchestrated the event. She must have known that somewhere in the deepest recesses of her mind. After all, she hadn't even tried to look for his body before making her escape. That was because she subconsciously knew it wouldn't be there.

Laying her head against the steering wheel, Lilly sobbed uncontrollably. Then, as if she could not stop it, she reached her hand and placed against her belly. How she knew it, she did not know, but Lilly was certain that her few minutes of passion with her lover had born fruit. What she did not know; however, was what it was she grew within her womb.