Link didn’t dare to speak a word. It was four AM, and he’d awoken suddenly to the sound of someone walking around downstairs.
Christy and the kids were away. He’d have to handle this on his own.
Silently, he rolled out of bed, taking a moment to stretch his back. He reached for his phone to call 911 and froze. The voice sounded familiar.
For some strange reason, it sounded like Rhett was in the house.
Link descended the stairs, eyebrows knit together. All the lights were off.
The voice went abruptly silent. Link felt along the wall and flipped the light switch.
To his credit, he did not scream.
Rhett was covered in blood and dirt. He cowered away from the light, bumping into the wall.
“What… Rhett what happened?” Link scrambled down the stairs.
“D-don’t touch me,” Rhett stammered. “I just… I’m sorry. I didn’t know where else to go.”
“What happened?” Link demanded. “Who did this to you?” Rhett’s face was bruised too, and it looked as if he’d been digging in the dirt with his bare hands.
“I’m sorry!” Rhett dropped his head from his friend’s sharp gaze. He rambled on. “Nobody did this to me, it sort of…happened. Maybe it has something to do with that woman who told our fortunes at the fair last week. I-it’s the full moon’s fault.”
“But what happened?” Link was furious now. “We gotta get you cleaned up, man.”
“Let me explain!” Rhett snapped. He wiped the back of his hand over his face. “I think… I think I’m a werewolf.”
