True Nature

Ambrosia woke up from a loud sound blaring throughout the house resembling a buzzer. Immediately she covered her ears with her hands, digging her head under the pillow trying to block it out. In another moment, it was over and she took a deep breath. She shook her head to clear it of the noise, wondering what it was that had caused such a racket. Pulling on her robe, she made her way downstairs to see that her mother had just finished pulling muffins out of the oven. Surely, the buzzer she heard all the way up in her room was not from the oven?

“You’re up early.” Her father greeted, putting the paper down.

“You didn’t hear that?” She asked, looking between them.

“Hear what? The oven? Ambrosia … you okay?” He stood up, walking over to her. “How are you feeling?”

“No … it couldn’t have been … it was so loud …”

“Ambrosia?” Her mother asked, rounding the island. She accidentally hit Lucian’s coffee mug sending it over the edge of the island but Ambrosia reacted before either of them could and caught it without spilling a drop. Both of her parents looked at each other, then at her as she set it carefully back on the island and stepped away from it. “Honey?”

“I – I need to take a shower.” She ignored their looks and raced back up the stairs to her bathroom, shutting and locking the door to rest up against it and take in deep breaths.

She walked slowly over to the mirror, shedding her robe and putting it up on the hook by her shower. The bandage looked a little bloody but it didn’t hurt at all anymore. She was almost afraid to peel it back and see what was beneath it. Ever curious, she couldn’t stop herself from raising a hand to it and slowly removing it. A part of her was not surprised when there was no wound beneath it anymore save for a scar, but a bigger part of her was only afraid of what that could mean. She dropped the bandage in the sink and backed away from the mirror, her eyes trained on her perfectly fine shoulder.

A knock on the door made her jump, almost stumbling but she found she was much quicker than usual and caught herself easily. “Ambrosia? Are you all right? Let me in.” It was her mother, but she didn’t want her to see that her wound, that had been bleeding so badly last night, was no longer there.

“I’m fine. I just … I forgot I was going to meet up with Kira today so I have to get ready.”

“Okay …” She could hear her mother’s breath on the other side of the door, her heart was beating faster than normal as she waited another minute before walking away.

As quickly as she could, Ambrosia showered and got ready, running out of the house before either of her parents could question it. She didn’t even bother with her car but swiftly ran towards the preserve, faster than she had ever run before. She didn’t even feel tired by the time she reached the spot where she was attacked, not even understanding how she knew where to go as easily as she did but it was so clear that this had been the spot. A slight breeze in the air wafted the scent up to her – her own blood – and she quickly knelt down to brush through some of the leaves and found only a few drops of blood spilled on the ground though the smell was as pungent as if it was every bit of blood inside of her.

“What’s happening to me?” She said, leaning back on her heels.

After a good bit of pondering over her current condition in the middle of the woods, she made her way back towards her house. She was amazed at how far she had run since it hadn’t felt as far as it did at the time but in reality was probably close to four miles and she hadn’t even gotten winded. Throughout all their research and travels, she knew what it could possibly mean but she didn’t want to jump to any conclusions lest they actually be real. No need in terrifying herself before having all of the facts. She was hoping that maybe her parents wouldn’t be there when she got home but those dreams were shot when she saw both of their cars in the driveway.

How could she explain this?

She took a deep breath and grabbed the doorknob to yank it open but not only did it open, it flew off its hinges and blew past her as she let it go and it smashed to pieces when it hit the ground. Both of her parents rushed to the commotion as her hand flew to her mouth, eyes wide at what she had just done. When she looked to their shocked faces, she blushed. “I-I didn’t mean to.” She explained.

“Honey, we don’t care about the door.” Her father said, taking a cautious step towards her. “What’s going on with you?”

“I … I don’t know.”

“Come here. Esme, we should … call someone about that door.” He shot his wife a small smile, wrapping an arm around his daughter and pulling her into the kitchen. “And, dear, let’s not touch anything otherwise your mother will off us both.” He whispered conspiringly while Esme picked up the house phone.

“Dad … do you know what’s going on with me?” She asked, sitting at the kitchen island as he went to the glass enclosed pantry full of herbs and potions her mother had constructed.

“No, but I have a few suspicions. You said it was a wolf that bit you?”

“Wolves don’t live in California. Unless you are seriously considering what I saw wasn’t just a wolf … but that is impossible because I saw that it was animal and we have never crossed paths with one. Ever.”

“Just let me try something.” He found what he was looking for and walked back over to her with a little glass bottle full of a strange looking purple flower. He opened the cork and pulled out one flower, holding it out to her. “Go on … take it.”

“What is this?”

“Take it first, then I’ll tell you.” He looked up just as her mother walked in, off the phone, and watching them intently. It seemed she knew exactly what it was her father was going to do – and was holding her breath for the outcome of it.

Looking between her parents she sighed – what was holding a stupid flower going to do anyway? – then moved to take it from her father. The second one petal touched her finger, she felt as though a jar of acid had been poured over her entire hand and she reeled her hand back while a loud scream slipped out of her mouth. Both of her parents jumped, her father immediately encasing it back into the bottle and corking it, sliding it across the island to her mother before grabbing her hand and looking at it. “What the hell?!” She knew her parents were all about research but that hurt worse than being hospitalized for anaphylactic shock.

“Ambrosia, that was wolfsbane.”

“What?”

“Wolfsbane. Sweetheart, something definitely happened to you in those woods.”

“But I’m not a wolf! It should only hurt wolves! It’s called wolfsbane! Not bitten-by-a-wolfsbane!”

“Maybe you’re in transition.” Her mother said. “This wouldn’t have hurt you otherwise. You’re exhibiting strength … speed? Smell? Your hearing this morning …”

“No. No – I am not transitioning into anything! I’m just … allergic or something!”

“We all know that’s not what’s happening.” Her father said. “Lycanthropy manifests itself with those symptoms. Let me see your pupils.” He leaned forward, putting his fingers on her chin. “Mydriasis.”

“Stops using big words.”

“Your pupils are dilated.” He looked over at her mother and shrugged. “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

“And what’s that?”

“Wait for a full moon.”