Party Animal

April Willows was just like any other fourteen-year-old girl. But deep down, she hid a secret. A deep, dark secret. A secret is known only to her. Until today.

“Hi, April,” Madeline shouted out, as of April, in her typical black dress, walked past her house. “Will you be coming to my full moon howler tonight?” April flinched at the words ‘full moon howler’. It was a chilly October evening, which some call Halloween, some call All Hallows Eve, and some call All Souls Day. Madeline, or simply Maddie, had a record for throwing the wildest parties. They had ‘feet loaf’, the ‘hall of screams’, and this year’s special, ‘the werewolf waltz’. April herself was a bit of a party animal, but she didn’t like any werewolf events. Nevertheless, she followed the protocol.

 She let a fake smile take over her face. She turned to Maddie, and said, “I would love to!” “Yay,” Maddie squealed. “Remember, the best werewolf costume wins!” “Oh I don’t need a costume,” April growled. For her deep secret was this: four years ago, on the night of Halloween, she was bitten by a werewolf, and on the night of Halloween, she would transform into a gnashing, snarling beast, with bloodstained fangs and red eyes. The only way to end this curse was for a mortal to know your secret, and see you in the devilish form. If you could restrain yourself enough and not bite them, under the light of the full moon, you shall be set free.

The laughter brought April to her senses again. She had been at Maddie’s house for an hour, but Maddie herself was nowhere to be seen. April was hesitating. It had been three hours since sundown, and she was still human. When would she transform? Had the curse been lifted? And now here everyone was, laughing at her, with a juice stain on her all-white zombie bride outfit. Just then her fear had been answered. The anger instigated her, and the bullying hurt her ego. She could feel the dress ripping, and her teeth growing longer and longer. She was no longer April Willows, she was a creature of fangs and blood, a creature of myth, a creature nobody believed in, until today. She began growling at the guests, snapping at the person who had the guts to pour red juice on her dress.

Suddenly, she felt restraints being snapped on her. Someone had called animal control. Infuriated, she broke the restraints on her legs and bit the person holding them. She now had a comrade. The duo began to attack the guests until Maddie saw what was happening. Her parents were monster hunters. Ron and Kim Alvarez. Surely they would know something on the subject of werewolves. April was her best friend. She had to save her. She quickly rounded up the guests and locked them up in the library, and she began her research.

 Meanwhile, April and the animal control man, Zed, were eating every piece of meat in sight. Just then, Maddie popped in, with a few supplies. She had a bowl of dog treats, some meat, and two dog leashes and harnesses. She had assumed April would be calm because her research said werewolves had a dog-like nature. Be calm with them, or show them you are worth their trust, and they will trust you. April was her best friend, and Maddie didn’t realize that her brain would be wiped completely. As she neared them, Zed smelt her out, and began to bark, and chase her, with April hot on his heels.

Maddie threw a few steaks at them. They stopped and began to scarf them down. Her strategy had worked! Now all she had to do was get one of them to trust her. The other would follow, out of loyalty. She put a treat in her hand and went close to them. April went up to her and ate the treat out of her hand. The red dot in her eye began to glow as she looked at Maddie suspiciously. Then, she licked her. Maddie smiled. She had gained their trust. They followed her outside. A cloud was covering the moon. “Please, please, come out soon; I NEED to save April and Zed.” As if on cue to her prayers, the clouds cleared, and the light fell on them. April emitted a flash of light, and changed back to normal, her dress clean. The curse had been lifted. Zed was too confused to understand. “If this is a prank, I’m not amused,” he said, before heading to the truck and speeding away. “Maddie, you saved my life,” April squealed. “Come on, what are best friends for,” Maddie brushed her aside, and they both went back into the party, with perhaps the best Halloween tale ever told.