WEREWOLF

Kylie brushed dust off an old box.

“Oooooh what’s this?” Kylie asks
I took it from her. It was coated with dust and flaky under my fingers. I blew it. Kylie
giggled as a puff of dust hit her.
“Mum! Look what we found!” Kylie squealed.
“It’s a board game…” I say, quietly as I brush the rest of the dust off. Gold letters
glimmered under the dim light: Werewolf.
My mum hurried over and Jack and Jorden – the twins – abandoned their sword fight.
Dad appeared a moment later, with Kylie clinging to his arm.
“Is that so?” Mum asks.
I nodded.
My family and I were spending the afternoon cleaning up the attic. So far, we packed up
four boxes.
“Werewolf, huh?” Dad said, inspecting the cherry red box. A grey wolf with red eyes
bared its sharp teeth, I swear I saw its eyes flash, but it must be a trick in the light.
Jorden started filming. I rolled my eyes; my brother had been obsessed with film ever
since he got that camera for his 7th birthday.
“Jorden! What did I say about the camera? Put the damn thing aside.” My mum said,
releasing an exasperated sigh.
“Yes, ma’am,” Jorden said, offering a mock salute. He didn’t put it down.
I opened the box carefully and frowned when I saw a letter. I picked it up, the letter
seems to crumble. I unsealed it.
Dear Dorothy Harlow,
Here’s a gift for you. I hope you like it.
Yours sincerely,
Oscar Jamil
“Gran and Grandpa?” I whispered. I frowned. “What’s Gran and Pa doing here with this
board game?” I wondered aloud.
“These are very old things, Kaz. Some of the stuff, are your grandparents.” Mum said,
answering me.
“Can we play it?” Jorden asks.
Jack’s eyes light up. “Yeah, pretty please, mum, dad. We worked all day, surely, we can
take a break.” He smiled, sweetly.
“I wanna play werewolf!” Kylie said, jumping around.
Not going to lie, I was curious too.
Mum and dad exchanged looks. “Ah, fine.” Mum said, finally. “Come on, let’s go
downstair. I will fix up some food and drinks.”
“FOOD! FOOD! FOOD!” Jorden chanted, he and Jack ran downstairs. I smiled a watery
smile, my Gran and Pa passed recently so the wound is still raw. Dropping my gaze back
to the box, I frowned — the wolf’s eyes seemed to flash again, its head tilted. Did it
move?! Doubt rose in the pits of my stomach. Don’t be ridiculous, Kaz. I thought to
myself before following my family down the stairs.
~
“So, there are 5 roles: Villagers, who have no powers. A witch, who have the option each
night to use only 1 kill potion and 1 revive potion per game, or they can do nothing. The
Seer can pick a player and learn if they are good or evil. A fool who can only win the
game by getting hanged during the day and finally a Werewolf, the person that must be
voted out and can kill a person each night. I will be the Moderator; I will run the game.” I
said. “Got it, everyone?”
They nodded. Then I dealt the cards. One card was left for me; I didn’t pick it up.
Before I could start, the box flared with blinding light.
There was a scream I heard someone yell my name, but I had already lost
consciousness.
~
I heard the ringing of bells, maybe it was the choirs of angels in heaven? There was a
quiet stomp of footsteps coming towards me. Maybe God is coming to take me with
him?
“Kaz? Kaz! Wake up!” A slap, I gasped.
I opened my eyes. My mum’s tear-streaked face hovered above me.
“Am I dead?” I blurted.
My mum laughed. “No, Kaz. You are not dead.”
I sat up, dizzy. My family stood around me, worried. But we weren’t home. A bustling
market surrounded us—people wore robes instead of jeans. Stalls stood tall, selling a
variety of different things. Food, clothes, fabric, toys, furniture and strangely pets. Stall
owners shouted their sales and yelled discounts. A horse-drawn cart rattled past over
red dust.
“Where the hell are we?!” I cried, scanning the crowd.
I glance at my family. Jorden had a camera trained on me, how does he still have that
thing?!
“What happened? Is this a dream?” I pinch myself; it hurt.
“We don’t know.” Dad said, wrapping me into a hug. Kylie was clutching him, frightened.
“When you started the game, a flash of light—then we were here.” Jack said.
“You guys saw it too?!” I said, remembering the light.
My family nodded.
“The board game teleport us!” Jack cried.
“Jack…” My dad said, with an exasperated sigh. “We talked about this. There is no way
we got transported here.”
“I beg to differ.” Jorden says, glancing up to the sky. Everyone followed his gaze.
Golden words thundered overhead:
Welcome to Werewolf.
“What the hell?!” Mum said.
“Good day, I am the Moderator. Here’s the instructions: One of you is a Werewolf. Kill
the Werewolf and the rest of you will return home. Another is the fool, if the fool dies,
the rest of you can return. If neither of them dies, you all will perish. Your roles are the
ones you got.” The words read.
“No.” I said, realisation drawn. One of us is going to have to die. “No one is going to die. I
want out!”
But the sky darkened, thunder rolling. Townsfolk scattered. Mum pulled us close. Her
face was pale. “We need shelter.”
We slipped into an empty house as night fell and a bunch of people began walking
around the street, banging a gong.
“Curfew! Curfew! Curfew!” They yelled. “You don’t want to be eaten by the werewolf.”
Mum made us go to bed as Dad and her pooled over the dining table, scheming to save
us all. In bed, I couldn’t sleep. One thought clawed at me: One of us is the Werewolf. But
who?
~
Rain pelted unmercifully against the windowsill, waking me. I sat up, heart racing. This
wasn’t home—then I remembered: the board game. A growl rose from below. Jack and
Jorden were asleep, but Kylie’s bed was empty.
“Huh?” I frowned.
A growl from downstairs made my blood run cold. That couldn’t be the werewolf, could
it?
Mastering my bravery, I stepped outside. This house was two stories. A rickety wooden
staircase led down to the dining room. The growl was louder now. The lights were on,
flickering ominously. I looked down, a miniature werewolf was tearing the dining room to
shreds!
My eyes widen with horror when I realise who it was. “Kylie?” I said, shaking with fear.
As if hearing me, the red eyes of my sister traced up to me. Her eyes narrowed to slits
and she roared. Before I could react, my sister was charging up the stairs. I screamed.
“Kaz, oh my gosh.” Arms wrap me. I caught sight of my mum, hugging me close. Her
eyes were wide with fear. Dad stood behind her, his face mirroring ours.
Kylie charged up to us. Her fur was bristled, and she bared her sharp teeth.
We fled into the bedroom, shoving my bed against the door. At this point, Jack and
Jorden had woken up from the noise.
“Mum? Dad?” Jack asks, nervously.
“Get off your bed!” Dad yelled. Jack and Jorden did as they were told. We pushed the
two beds to the door.
On the other side, a crash rang. Kylie was throwing herself at the door.
“No, not Kylie,” Mum sobbed, pressing her hand to the wood. “Kylie, dear? Can you hear
me?”
Dad hugged her, comfortingly. “Hey, hey, hey. It’s ok.”
“What roles did you guys get?” I ask, shakily.
“I…I don’t know.” My dad replied.
“You don’t know?!” I cried.
“I didn’t check it.” Dad said, sheepishly.
“Neither.” Mum said, sobbing.
“Sorry, Kaz but I didn’t either.” Jack said.
I face palmed and realised my other brother was the only one who didn’t reply. I looked
up, watching him. His face had gone a deathly pale and worry flittered across his face.
“Jorden?”
“I-I’m t-the…fool.” He said, quietly. Fear stabbed my heart.
“WHAT?! NO!” Mum broke down, clutching him.
I realised then that there was silence. A crash downstairs.
“She’s gone.” I said, finally, sinking to my knees.
“And she ran outside.” Jack said, quietly. He peered out the window.
Mum gasped. “My daughter—out there alone?!”
Dad’s voice was a whisper. “Not alone. She’s hunting.”
~

“Execution day!” A townsman yelled.

The square was packed. Voices clashed in anger, grief, and suspicion. Smoke from
torches curled into the grey sky. My stomach knotted as I held onto Kylie’s trembling
hand, trying to hide her behind me.
She’d returned at dawn, collapsing on the floor, shifting painfully back into herself.
Blood stained her mouth. Mum had rushed to her side, sobbing.
“Mum?” Kylie said, turning her big blue eyes at her. “I think I’m bleeding.”
That’s not your blood. I thought, mortified.
But we never told Kylie the truth—she was the werewolf.
And now we stood before the execution board. A man with an eye patch was sharpening
a large, gleaming knife.
If anyone found out, she’d be executed instantly.
That send chills down my spine.
As if her thoughts aligned with mine, Mum pulled Kylie close, her knuckles white on my
sister’s arm.
The chief elder raised his voice over the crowd.
“Yesterday, our blacksmith, Bryon Hanks was murdered by the werewolf. Bryon Hanks
was a remarkable young man, and it is truly devastating that we lost him.”
Somebody was sobbing in the front -- a beautiful blonde lady with a black dress, a
shawl around her face. She pushed forward to the podium. My husband…” she
whispered. Anger lit her eyes. “We must find the beast and end it.”
My arm instinctively wrapped itself around Kylie’s shoulder.
The Chief Elder nodded solemnly. “Let us vote.”
Hands shot up, accusations flew like arrows.
“It’s Sloppy Joe.” A man shouted, pointing to a dishevelled man who was muttering to
himself in the shadows. “He has been acting super weird lately and have been
suspicious. Who else agrees with me?!”
There were murmurs of agreements.
“Anybody else?”
“Them.” Someone jabbed a finger at us. My breath caught. “They’re new here.”
The crowd turned. My father stepped forward, voice trembling but steady.
“We are innocent. Strangers, yes — but not monsters.”
Mum quickly added, “We only moved here after losing our home.”
“Convenient,” a man sneered. “New family arrives; murders begin.”
My throat went dry; every accusing gaze was like a storm about to break.
Chief Elder cleared his throat, raising his hand. “Let’s give them time to prove
themselves.”
People sneered at us, but no one dared argue with the Chief. In the end, Sloppy Joe got
voted out. Mum dragged us children away as the axe came down. I was unfortunate
enough to catch a glimpse of it. My gut twisted and I felt bile rising to the back of my
throat.
What kind of twisted world is this?
~
Night came upon us again, this time, we had to secure Kylie on a chair and tie ropes
tightly round her.
“Mum? Dad? Why do you have to do this to me?” She asks, rubbing her eyes sleepily.
Mum looked like she was near tears. “Sorry sweetie.”
“Did I do something wrong?” Kylie asks, suddenly wide awake.
“What?! No, no you didn’t.” Dad said, alarmed.
But then her eyes flickered red. Her body writhed. Fur ripped through skin; claws split
her nails. Her scream became a growl that rattled the windows. She kicked against the
chair, teeth snapping. Her eyes flashing angrily and…all…all I could do was stare at her,
open mouth with fear.
~
For nights, we tied her to a chair, hoping no one would notice. The pattern repeated, us
listening to her roars, praying dawn would bring her back. Although the executions seem
to stop too, because no one died the night before. We planned every night while Kylie
roared in the next room. Still, our planning sessions produced nothing.
I wondered if we’d be trapped forever.
On the fourth night, something different happened. We had gone to bed after a long
planning session. Rain was pouring down outside. The pitter-patter of the raindrops is
infuriating me. I couldn’t sleep because I could hear Kylie growling and snapping her
teeth downstairs. My stomach knotted with guilt at the thought of Kylie bound
downstairs. Suddenly, I heard the front door lock slide. I shot up. The door creaked, and
I was convinced that someone was breaking in.
“Mum! Dad! Someone is coming into our house!” I whispered shout, running to my
parents’ bed.
“Kaz?” Mum said, sleepily.
“Shhh.” I spoke. “Listen.”
They did as they were told. Once they registered it, Dad took the wooden stick leaning
against the bedroom door and pulled out the knife from under the pillow.
“Stay here.” Dad said to us.
“Uh no.” I say, following him.
“She’s right. I’m coming whether you like it or not.” Mum said, firmly.
Dad sighed, rolling his eyes. “Stay behind me.”
Together, the three of us crept downstairs.
I grabbed a bunch of stones and a candlestick.
Mum took a plank of wood.
Downstairs a hooded man was cutting Kylie’s ropes. Was he trying to release her?!
Dad lunged; and swung his stick at the man’s head. The man yelped before ducking to
dodge the blow.
My sister growled at us.
My dad managed to lock his arm around the man. “Who the hell are you?!”
The man smiled. His face was a ghostly pale, and he had cobalt blue eyes. “I’m the
Moderator.”
I sucked in a sharp intake of breath.
The man turned to me, and his smile widened. Then he elbowed my dad in the stomach,
and slashed Kylie’s ropes. She leapt free, roaring.
Chaos erupted.
Someone screamed.
Oh, wait - that was me.
Mum kicked the man; I swung the candlestick, but he knee-d me and I flew back.
“I wouldn’t be here, but you guys have been stopping the game from happening. I’m
getting bored.”
“You are so narcissistic,” I said, glaring. “This is hardly a game. Send us home, or I will
end you!”
The man cackled. “You ending me?”
He came over and kicked me, and I went flying back.
I glance around. My eyes landed on Jorden. He had fallen down onto the dining table
and my sister…my sister was advancing towards him.
Another is the fool, if the fool dies, the rest of you can return.
Without thinking, I leapt forward.
My brother or my sister.
It was an impossible choice.
Tears streamed down my face as I said, “I’m so sorry, Kylie.” I swung the candlestick at
her. She sprawled on to the floor. I watched her as she looked up at me. I couldn’t
continue beating her. My candlestick rolled from my hands as my palms turned clammy.
Her eyes flashed.
The door burst open. Villagers stormed in with torches and spears.
“The werewolf is here!” Someone yelled.
“Come on!” Another shouted.
Without warning, my sister leapt at me. We tumbled. Claws tore into me, hot blood
dripping.
“Stop it!” I yelled; with one final push I shoved her away from me.
She bared her sharp teeth, rising up to her full height. Wide eyed, I realised I was backed
up against the wall.
Oh, come on. I looked around desperately for an exit.
Kylie roared, slobber flying everywhere. Her fur bristled and her red eyes flash.
This is the end. I thought as she jumps at me. I closed my eyes. I don’t want my sister’s
sneer to be the last thing I see.
1…2…3…
4? 5?
Huh?
What’s going on?
I opened my eyes.
My jaw dropped.
Someone had put a spear into my sister’s neck!
“NO!” I screamed as she fell limp.
Kylie let out a howl of pain. This alerted my mum.
“Oh my gosh, Kylie?!” Mum cried, shaking.
Tears streamed down my face as I rush to her side. She was beginning to transform back
and now curled up in a fetal position wasn’t a beast. It was my sister. I began to cry.
Behind her, a glowing doorway shimmered — the way home, bought with her blood.
My mum was screaming and crying now and then suddenly wind blasted around her.
She began to rise. I sat up straight, shock. Mum’s hair rose and swept around her, her
eyes glowing white. Her plain clothes shimmered into a pearl gown that flowed like
water.
She looked like a goddess.
“Oh shoot. It’s the witch.” Someone yelled.
“Shoot.” Another said. Anxious mutters begin to rise around us.
Suddenly Mum lifted two hands and then, one hand blasted beautiful white light at my
sister and the other…the other blasted something black and gloomy at the Moderator.
The witch can save one person and kill one person per game.
I watch in awe as white light bathed over my sister.
The moderator collapse to the floor, choking out blood.
“Isn’t my wife beautiful?” A voice whispered behind me. Dad. “Who knew she was the
witch?”
I smiled despite the circumstances.
I reached for my sister, she roused awake. She sat up, slowly, blinking at me.
“Kaz?” She asks.
I couldn’t respond, all I could do was draw her in for a hug and sob into her shoulder.
“That…that’s…not s-suppose t-to happen.” The Moderator wheezed. He was watching
the doorway that haven’t disappeared. He groaned than slump over, going still.
“Kylie!” My mum’s voice yelled. She crushed us both in a tight hug. More hands joined
us. Jack and Jorden. Finally, Dad encircled his arms round us, protectively.
“The witch saved the werewolf?” Someone asks.
“Doesn’t matter,” another snarled. “They must die.”
“NO!” All six roared as one.
Dad glared at the townspeople. “Lay one finger—”
Mum put a finger to Dad’s lip. “Let us leave. Once we go, your town will be safe.”
The townspeople glance at each other.
“I mean they will be gone.” Someone said.
“But the deaths under the werewolf’s hand. Our people need justice!” Another argued.
“She never killed anyone! We kept her chained up at night.” I said. I didn’t mention that
she killed one person because the townspeople won’t understand that that wasn’t her!
Although my heart ache for the wife of the man, I couldn’t let my sister pay for a price
that she didn’t mean to make.
The crowd hesitated, torn between fear and vengeance.
That was enough. My family and I exchanged a look before the six of us mentally agreed
on one thing.
We stood up and ran towards the doorway, towards home and…our freedom.