Driving an impressive thirty eight hours straight from Fontana California, Jesse Todd finally made it to Fort Lauderdale. Both hands stiffened on the steering wheel, his knuckles practically tore through his clammy hands. He could careless. Nearly two days ago he entered the intensive care wing of Kaiser Permante to pick up Skip, his brother, best friend and business partner whose leukemia had gone into remission. Jesse arrived early and unannounced to surprise his brother only to witness Skip in a passionate lip lock with Laura, Jesse’s fiancé.
Situations such as this were entirely new to Jesse. It had already been a difficult year and a half since Skip told him about his sickness, but Jesse remained positive constantly showing support for his brother, being the shoulder he could most rely on. Too many emotions flooded through Jesse as well as questions “how long has this been going on?” “I thought Laura hated Skip?” “where did Skip get all of that energy, Laura’s a big girl and he was really going at it”. Instead of yelling or punching, Jesse stared at his twin, nostrils flaring, and eyes forward, he took out a rolled joint from the breast pocket of his denim jacket.
JESSE
We were going to smoke this and then get McDonald’s breakfast. But that’s not happening, you understand!?
Skip could only nod while his eyes were planted downward.
JESSE
Have a good life.
Jesse bolted past the receptionist desk to the parking lot into his beat up rust colored VW Bus and headed east. He had no idea where he was going; the tank was full because the plan was to take Skip to Disneyland after breakfast, now he had no idea. He thought that when he made it Las Vegas he might stop, but he was too emotionally unconscious to notice when he passed it. He would get gas when he needed, stopping for nothing else otherwise.
While passing through Austin Texas “its March, that’s Spring Break for most people, I could go for a Spring Break”. Deciding to drop out of college last fall while knowing what he knew from MTV and various shows, Spring Break was an American tradition where everyone engages in wild behavior for a week and then go back to attempting normal. On his next gas trip Jesse bought a Thomas guide, quickly leafing through it until he came to a map of America, frantically searching for the Spring Break mecca that was Fort Lauderdale, his eyes lit up on his discovery that he had been going in its direction the whole time.
Honking his horn in triumph as he crossed the state line of Florida seemed to summon a storm that only got worse the further he got in. Jesse took the first exit after passing the “Welcome to Fort Lauderdale” highway sign. The rain was pouring heavy, both headlights died out making it nearly impossible to see when a creature jetted out in front of him causing Jesse to swerve and get stuck in a pot hole.
He furiously pressed the gas petal but it was to no avail. Jesse zipped up his hoodie, put the car in neutral then exited to push the bus free, he made it to the back of the car but just as he put both hands out the creature leapt out at his right side. Jesse could feel the creature biting into his neck while its claws dug into his rib cage, the pain and shock were too much, and the world went black.
His eyes opened slowly, finding himself in a white tuxedo on a white couch, in a white room. Jesse’s first thought was “Wow, dying’s is exactly like I thought, that’s kinda disappointing” followed by “I shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth, I could’ve gone to the other place”. He felt the part of his neck where he was bitten, it was perfectly healed, as were his ribs. Looking around the room he found a red button marked “assistance” after buzzing it the door opened, non-aged versions of his pre-school teacher Mrs. Hill and his fifth grade P.E. Teacher Mr. North entered the room.
JESSE
Mrs. H, Mr. N good to see ya, so you must’ve died too huh? That’s a bummer.
MRS. HILL
Shush darlin’ you’re not dead and neither are we.
MR. NORTH
Its actually far more complicated than that.
MRS. HILL
Sit up straight now.
MR. NORTH
First things first, the creature that attacked you was a lycanthrope, commonly known as a werewolf.
Jesse took the information in slowly nodding.
MRS. HILL
But the good news is that you were discovered and cleaned up.
MR. NORTH
Thirty five years ago. The lycan population grew to a boiling point a worldwide global branch was created, tasked with the protection of the lycanthrope.
MRS. HILL
They decided to round up every wolf and launch them into space.
MR. NORTH
Using the Apollo space missions as a smoke screen, you still with us kiddo?
JESSE
Am I ever!?
MR. NORTH
The Werewolves thrived on the moon, creating a full society of forty eight provin- Are you sure you understand this?
JESSE
Yeah, werewolves, moon colonies I can dig it.
MRS. HILL
You’re being awfully calm about all of this.
JESSE
That’s because I think this is some sort of Jacob’s Ladder scenario and you two are like, death dream people.
MR. NORTH
You’re kind of right, we aren’t really here.
MRS. HILL
We’re part of a program.
JESSE
So it’s Jacob’s Ladder, Matrix scenario.
MR. NORTH
Everything we told you is true; you’re just in an induced coma hooked up to a virtual reality machine aboard a shuttle to the Moon.
MRS. HILL
Your Brain was scanned for the best way to deliver this news and we were the two figures your subconscious deemed to be the less threatening.
JESSE
Good job, I still don’t believe any of this.
MRS. HILL
I’m so sorry but we’ve run out of time, we’re furthest out from the Earth’s orbit now so we have to conclude this part of orientation.
JESSE
Wha-
He was yanked out of the white room finding himself now dressed in a yellow jumpsuit in the middle row of what seemed to be airline seats, a double seat belt crossed his chest. Jesse looked around there were six rows of three, but he counted eight passengers including himself, VR goggles lifted off the woman to his left and retracted to the ceiling. She turned to Jesse, smiling.
FEMALE PASSENGER
How was that for an in flight movie?
JESSE
No kidding!
She extended her hand.
CANDICE
Candice.
JESSE
Jesse.
She had kind green eyes and short red hair. He couldn’t explain it but when they touched hands Jesse felt an immediate connection.
JESSE
Have we met before?
CANDICE
I-
“AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!” The screams of terror came from the row of seats in front of Jesse and Candice to the right, it was an overweight man in a bright red track suit, drooling and shaking violently.
JESSE
SOMEBODY GET THIS GUY HELP!
Jesse tried to unbuckle his seatbelt but he was stuck, Candice put a hand on his shoulder.
CANDICE
Its okay, he’s just transforming. You’re being a pre-Madonna Mel.
JESSE
WHAT!?
CANDICE
First timer huh?
MALE PASSENGER
MY FACE IS ON FIRE AHHHHHHHH!!!!
The bones in the Man’s face stretched forward contorting into a snout. Jesse shut his eyes looking away while gripping his hand rests.
JESSE
Not cool, not cool, not cool, not cool….
Candice reached out to Jesse grabbing his hand.
CANDICE
Look at me.
Jesse opened his eyes focusing on Candice.
CANDICE
We just left Earth’s orbit, the closer we get to the moon the more that pesky lycanthropy is going to let out.
Around him Jesse could hear more screams from the other passengers, he went to move.
CANDICE
Stay focused on me! There are four different types of species of werewolves.
JESSE
Oh shit!
CANDICE
The guy up there and everyone in his section they’re called Baker’s. It’s a violent transformation but when its over its over, they’ll go back to their pretzels and 7-Up I promise.
Jesse looked noticing that everyone was wearing a different colored track suit. He and Candice were in yellow while the Bakers were red; a couple in powder blue to the left of Candice started writhing as their eyes glowed.
CANDICE
Those are Winston’s, not as bad a change as a Baker but its still rough.
JESSE
What about us?
CANDICE
Look at your hands but don’t freak out, promise?
Jesse put up his hands, they were now huge with thick brown fur all over except his palms, Jesse realized that fur was everywhere, he felt his face it was “bigger?” he thought, his nose was now wet and leathery like a dogs, his ears pointed with the ability to move forwards and backwards. He flipped open the mirror on back of the seat in front of him to see his full visage, he smiled rows of pointed teeth were affixed to his new smile.
JESSE
Geez Louise.
CANDICE
Awe you’re cute.
He turned to Candice expecting to see the same version as himself, instead she just grew long pointed ears, had furrier side burns, the only extra body hair she had was the red patches on the back of her hands.
JESSE
That’s not fair.
CANDICE
Well…
She adjusted in her seat setting free her long busy red tail.
JESSE
Touché.
CANDICE
Welcome to the Moon Jesse.
The Drewniverse 44 