markdown-monster-club/chapters/chapter_35.md

# Chapter 35 - Michelle’s Memory

“Go out the back sweetie!” He ordered. I looked up at my Daddy in fear and in disbelief. His eyes, those same green eyes that made me feel so safe…that beard that when I nuzzled my face against would tickle my cheeks and make me forget myself…his face that always filled me with joy…it was looking at me, contorted in terror and tears.
“But Daddy, I don’t wanna go!”
“We don’t have a choice, Michelle…you’ll die if you stay here!”
“Daddy please….please don’t make me go!” I cried, running to him and hugging his neck. He chocked and hugged me back tightly. The sound of pounding on the front door made him tighten his hold and cry harder than before.
“Oh baby, I’m so sorry…I’m so so sorry…”
“OPEN UP!” The voice shouted. “YOU CAN’T HIDE HER IN THERE, JACK!”
“Daddy, I don’t want to go! I’ll stay with you!”
“You can’t honey. I’m going to buy you some time, darling…” Daddy cried. “I won’t let them get you! I’m sorry darling…I wish you could understand…”

The truth was I wanted to understand…but I didn’t. Why had all this begun. Only about two months ago I’d been bitten by a big dog…and Daddy got all worried about me and took me to all kind of doctors and hospitals. I didn’t think anything of it…it was just Daddy being paranoid. He was always paranoid since Mommy left. But then…just a few weeks ago I’d gone outside to take out the garbage…and I saw the prettiest full moon. And then…I couldn’t remember anything else. It was all a blur…flashes of memories and scenes before my eyes that didn’t seem real. Screams and cries of terror. I woke up in a hospital bed covered in cuts and bruises. Daddy was there, and he was crying. I asked him what was wrong…and he said it was nothing…
But now here these people were, trying to break down our door about something. Did Daddy do something wrong? Did I do something? Was it because Daddy was in the army before? I didn’t understand…I didn’t understand anything. Ever since that hospital trip someone left angry letters on our door that Daddy tore up and burned…and one man even tried to hit me with some kind of bat, but Daddy stopped him…why did everyone hate Daddy and me?
“WE SAID OPEN UP, PETERS!”
“Daddy, I’m scared!” I cried, hugging him tighter.
“Shhh, baby it’ll be okay.” Daddy whispered, but I knew he was lying…I always knew when Daddy was lying. Like all the times he said Mommy would come home…or when he said the dog bite was no big deal. Daddy wasn’t a good liar.
“Daddy I don’t…I don’t wanna g-EEP!” I squealed when suddenly the door shuddered as the knocking grew louder and into pounding.
“WE’LL BREAK THIS DOOR DOWN, PETERS! GIVE US THE MONSTER!”
“DON’T HURT HER!” My Daddy roared. I cried louder and hugged Daddy hard. Why were they after me. I didn’t understand anything. I didn’t know what was wrong. Whatever it was…I was sorry!
“Daddy, I’m sorry! If I tell them I’m sorry, will they go away?”
“No dear…no they won’t. You just need to run. Get to the woods and go as far away as you can!” Daddy cried.
“But you need to come too!”
“I wish I could.” Daddy muttered over the sounds of the pounding. “Be strong for me darling…be strong, can you do that?”
“Daddy…Daddy don’t!” He shoved me towards the back door and stood up.
“RUN MICHELLE!” He screamed. “GET AWAY FROM HERE!” At that moment the door burst open like a bomb had exploded and a sea of angry neighbors came pouring in. I recognized them. One was the nice old Mr. Smith…he lived next door. He always waved at me when I’d walk by. But now he was holding a gun and snarling! And there was Dr. Richardson. He was a dentist in town…he’d fixed my chipped tooth. But now he was holding a rifle! I looked up at Daddy who was standing between me and them. He reached into the closet and grabbed his old shotgun.

“Get out of the way, Peters! You know what she is!”
“You stay the hell away from my daughter!” Daddy snarled. “One step closer and I’ll put every one of you in a grave!”
“DADDY PLEASE!” I screamed.
“I SAID RUN MICHELLE!” He bellowed. With a loud cry I ran out the back porch and into the night.
“DON’T LET HER GET AWAY!”
*POW*
I screamed and covered my ears at the gunshot.
“I SAID KEEP THE HELL AWAY FROM HER!” Was it Daddy that fired? Was Daddy hurt? I didn’t know…I didn’t want to turn around and find out. I wanted to run away. I wanted Daddy to come after me and hug me. I wanted him to tell me it was alright. Even if it was just a lie…I wanted him to say it. I burst out into the woods and ducked behind a tree and cried. I didn’t want to look up and see the house…I didn’t want to look up and see what was in front of me. I wanted to cry and I wanted to stay there until Daddy came to get me. And I didn’t even care to look up to see the full moon overhead.

A fierce pain burst through my body as the light of the moon cast upon my body. I screamed in agony as sudden changes overtook me. My body was on fire and I felt a snarling angry force trying to rip its way out of me. I gripped my body in pain and fought it…but I was losing. I was too weak.
“DADDY HELP MEEE!” I howled. I heard the sound of a wolf howling…I heard ripping and snarling…I felt my body shifting and reforming…and then….all went black. My conscious mind, was gone.

“Hey…hey young lady…are you alright?” I opened my eyes to see the sun. I blinked a few times, blinded by its brilliance and I sat up, clutching my aching head. I squeaked in shock as I realized I was naked and I instantly tried to cover myself. “Hey calm down now, don’t get too excited.”
“Where am I!? Who are you!? Where’s my Daddy?” I looked up and saw a police officer looking down at me and he had a very concerned look on his face.
“Hold on now, easy does it.” He said calmly. His partner hurried over.
“She’s awake? Thank goodness. Think she was part of that riot?” Riot? What riot?
“Shut it Nathans.” The younger officer snapped. He looked down and smiled. “What’s your name?”
“…Michelle. Michelle Peters.” I answered softly.
“I Michelle. I’m Officer Adams, but you can call me Jamie. Okay?” He smiled and I nodded, not sure if I should smile back. He took off his coat and put it around my shoulders. “How old are you Michelle?”
“…I’m 12.” I answered softly.
“Oh, you’re a big girl, aren’t you?” Jamie laughed. “Can you be a big girl and tell me where you live or where your parents are?” I sniffled and shook my head. “It’s okay, don’t push yourself.”
“I…Is my Daddy okay?”
“What’s your Daddy’s name?” Jamie asked.
“J-Jack Peters.” I answered. Jamie turned to his partner who began writing something down. He then pulled out a CB raido device and began talking into it.
“Can you tell me your address?” Jamie asked.
“114 Residence St.” I replied. Jamie paused and he exchanged glances with his partner. Their looks of concern did nothing to calm me. “You know where that is?”
“Yes, we do…Michelle did you see what happened last night?” Jamie asked. I shook my head.
“Daddy just told me to run away so I did.” I answered. Jamie put his hand on my shoulder and sighed.
“Michelle…last night there were a lot of people hurt outside of your house…they were attacked by a wild animal. Did you see any big animals like a bear or a wolf last night?”
“Was Daddy hurt!?”
“We haven’t seen your father.” Officer Nathan spoke up encouragingly. “His body wasn’t found on the scene so it’s likely he’s alive.”
“Nathan, shut it! The girl’s been through enough!” Jamie snapped back.
“Daddy…is alive?!’ I gasped. I jumped to my feet. “I need to find him!”
“Calm down, Michelle. You can’t find him all on your own.” Jamie said calmly, trying to take my hand.
“But I have to find him! I have to-”
“Hey, Adams…c’mere a sec.” Jamie released my hand and walked over to Nathans and the two began talking in hushed whispers. I closed my eyes, hoping I could hear their conversation.

“The neighbors were raving about a werewolf in their neighborhood the past few weeks…that’s apparently what sparked the riot.”
“C’mon man, don’t make up stories.”
“It’s not made up. They claim that Jack Peters was harboring a werewolf, and that’s why the rioted on their house.”
“What’s next, you gonna tell me you think this girl is the werewolf? Look at her!”
“We found her 10 miles from her home, naked as a baby, and with no memories of last night. I’m not saying I believe in this crap but…but we can’t rule anything out here.”
“You’re crazy, you know that?”
A werewolf? A werewolf!? Was that what it was all about? They had called me a monster back at the house…Daddy had been protecting me and telling me to run away…was it because I was…a werewolf? I’d seen “The Wolfman” with Daddy before…it was a really scary movie about a man who turned into a wolf creature when the full moon was out…and it was then I began to put the pieces together. The hospital…the lapses in memories…the angry mob…even the dog bite.
“I’m…a….a werewolf…” I cried, dropping to my knees.
“Hey Michelle, you okay over there?” Jamie asked, walking back towards me. I couldn’t stay! I ran. I sprinted away from him as fast as I could. “WAIT MICHELLE!” I drowned him out and sprinted deeper and deeper into the woods, wanting to get away from everything. I ran from Jamie. I ran from my home…I was running from the truth. I was the one who hurt all those people…I was the reason for the riot. I was the reason Daddy was gone…I was a monster! I was a werewolf! It was as if I could feel the monster inside of me laughing at my terror.
“Daddy where are you!?” I cried. I knew I had to find him. I needed to find him and tell him how sorry I was and that I understood now. I understood everything now. But why had he protected me? If he knew…if he believed what I was…why did he save me!? And where was he now?
“Daddy, I’m sorry!” I screamed, sprinting deeper into the forest. “DADDY!”

For 4 years I stayed in those woods…I hid away in caves and in abandoned garages and hunting cabins constantly searching and keeping myself distant from humanity, until the day might come when I could go and search for my Dad. I was scared for a long time…but the wolf instincts within me helped keep me alive. I learned how to hunt…how to survive…and how to adapt. I would sneak into houses and steal food occasionally…and sometimes I’d swipe from hiking or hunting parties that came through the woods…but then I’d get as far away as I could so they wouldn’t find me, and I wouldn’t hurt them.
But then…one day something changed. I had slipped unconscious after turning into a werewolf and I found myself awake in a house of all places! It was a cabin…a large cabin and I was in a large room and in a bed. The air smelled thick with wood and pine.
“What am I doing here?” I demanded.
“Good to see you’re awake.” I looked to see a tall pale man sitting by the door. He had a beard and very comforting eyes…a lot like Dads.
“Dad?!”
“I’m afraid not dear.” He sighed. “My name is Solomon. Welcome to my home. I found you unconscious outside of my home.”
“Solomon?” I muttered. “Well…thanks for helping me and all….but I need to get going.”
“Where to?”
“I don’t know.” I answered honestly. “But I can’t stay here.”
“Is that so?” Solomon asked. “Well where is your home then?”
“I don’t have one.” I growled darkly. “But maybe…I’ll find one.”
“Maybe you already have.” Solomon offered. “It would be lovely to have some company…and I think you might come to enjoy this little cabin of mine.”
“Look,” I snapped, “I can’t stay here because I’m a monster!” I spat. “I would end up killing you if I stayed here! I’m a werewolf!” Though I shouted all this, I had a feeling he wouldn’t believe me. But he just kept on smiling at me. “You don’t believe me do you?”
“No I believe you.” He chuckled. “It’s no more crazy than what I am.” He stood up and showed his body to me…and I could see clean through it! I gasped and jumped away in fright. “To be frank, you couldn’t kill me if you wanted to…I’m already dead.”
“Y-you’re a…a…”
“I’m an outcast…like yourself.” Solomon finished. “That’s why I think you should stay a while at least. I think the good Lord brought you here for a reason.”
“You…do?” I asked curiously.
“Come…let’s talk over a bowl of soup.” He chuckled. “I’ll bet that’ll put some color back in your cheeks.” He stood up and walked out of the room, leaving me dumbfounded…but incredibly hopeful! I grinned with joy at the prospect of finally being at peace…of not having to live off the land anymore. I was going to eat with someone instead of hide away in solitude! For the briefest of moments, I felt joy! I felt true JOY! I was excited!
“A home…” I whispered. “I’d like that…I’d like that very much.”