Primal

Chapter 1

Who's the big bad wolf?

I eased my way through the crowded hallway, trying not to step on or bang into anyone. There were five grades in high school now and a total of thirteen grades past kindergarten. I was supposed to have graduated at the end of the last school year. But here I was, still in high school, instead of a dorm room at Wyoming University. Rumors were still running rampant about how we would be spending the extra year.

First bell rang as I ducked through the main doors.

I made my way slowly to my locker which was in the main hallway just past the office. Some students stared as I approached and hurried to get out of my way, afraid that I’d stomp them if they didn’t move fast enough. Their thoughts told me that they’d had run-ins with large MORFS survivors previously with less than pleasant results for them.

From my locker it wasn’t hard to get to my home room class, even with having to duck the suspended lights in the hallway. I bent way over to get through the six foot plus tall doorway and still my ears brushed against the upper doorframe. I moved to the back of the room and settled at the large table provided. There was no way I could sit in the small combination desk chairs the normal students used.

The wash of pungent aromas got thicker as more pupils arrived. A pair of girls, sisters by their looks, reeked from some cheap little girl perfume and more than one boy hadn’t showered before coming to school. I sneezed loudly as one tiny girl wearing an overpoweringly strong scent walked past, drawing a nasty look from her. Closing my eyes, I cataloged the smells, their owners and then pushed them out of my mind.

A woman walked into the room as the late bell rang. She closed the door and made her way to the ancient wooden desk sitting next to the windows. My schedule said her name was Sister Jenkins. The woman wore a scarf over her hair and some ancient floor length dress that might have been in fashion sometime during the great westward expansion two centuries ago. She stood ramrod straight at the front of the class and waited for the noisemakers to settle.

The Sister started her monologue by welcoming us to the school and explaining that homeroom period for the day would be extended to allow for ‘necessary things’. Whatever those were.

That was about the time I tuned her out, not hard to do with the way she droned on. I pulled out my tablet and entered the, hopefully, final changes to the draft class schedule I’d received during the summer and tuned back in as she was calling students up to the front of the room to pick up textbooks that we’d be using in classes. It boggled my mind that school systems were still using hardbound paper printed textbooks since virtual books, magazine and newspapers had been the norm since before I had been born.

She called my name out, and I just waved my tablet at her. “I have my books Ma’am.”

“Young…. Miss, stop being difficult and come get your books,” she snapped.

“I have them already, on my tablet. It’s part of my ILP.”

“If you’re on an ILP, you shouldn’t be in this class. ILP students are in the special education wing on the other side of the school.” The annoyance in her voice was plain.

“Yes Ma’am, but I’m assigned to regular classes with modifications. One of the mods is that I use electronic books on my tablet,” I told her, trying to keep the exasperation out of my voice.

“Stop arguing with me!” the woman snapped, slamming a large book on the desk. “ILP students belong in the special education section of the school! Go to the office and wait until you can be escorted to your proper classroom.”

I had something else to say, but it was no use arguing with the woman. In her mind, she was right, I was wrong and that was that. I barely suppressed the growl of annoyance that threatened to break free as it was. I ignored her glare, packed my carryall and left. The walk to the office was much easier than the walk to class. I still had to duck the lights.

After knocking on the office door, I went in. Either the staff was blind or chose to ignore me standing at the counter until I cleared my throat. One of the women pointed at the bench where I could sit until someone calls for you. Ugh.

The bell rang for the change of classes and still I waited. The late bell for second period rang. Another ten minutes passed before the office door opened and the Dean stepped in from the hallway. “Miss Miller, correct?” he asked.

“Milner, sir,” I corrected him. “Mrs. Jenkins sent me here. She thinks I belong in special ed.”

“I see. Sherry, please call Sister Jenkins to my office.” Dean Rivers walked to his office and closed the door.

The clock on the wall across from me ticked off ten minutes before Sister Jenkins arrived. One of the staff pointed down to the Dean’s office. The woman went in and closed the door, but it didn’t latch and drifted open. I was sitting away from the door, but I could hear the conversation easily, like I was right there with them both. My big ears easily caught the voices coming from the office.

“…Milner was correct, she is on an individual learning plan. Not all students on ILP’s are special needs children. You’ve worked enough years at this school to know this already. Why did you send Miss Milner to the office?”

“That, that— thing was being disruptive. It was rude, and I will not allow that sort of behavior in my class.”

“Sister Jenkins, I am well aware of your personal viewpoint with regards to the survivors of MORFS. It is a medical issue, not the judgment of some divine power. Miss Milner is in your class for homeroom only, which lasts twenty minutes. If you are not able to put aside your personal bigotry and treat her with the respect that everyone in this school is entitled, we can make arrangements with the county for your permanent replacement.”

“You can’t do that!” the woman shrieked. “I have a contract!”

“Indeed, you do Sister. A contract that can be revoked for, willful violations of school rules, policies, school board procedures or violations of state or federal laws. Now, I am sure that you are aware of the non-discrimination policy the school board has adopted and this school has implemented. I am also sure that you are aware of the federal and state laws barring discrimination against the victims of MORFS since you attended the seminar I taught over the summer break. I remember your attendance quite clearly."

“Unlike my predecessors, I will not screen your students to ensure that no MORFS survivors are in your classes. You teach the students that are assigned to you.” The Dean paused a moment then continued. “Sister Jenkins, you have a choice to make. Either you set aside your personal prejudices and treat every student with the respect that they deserve, including MORFS survivors, or you can leave, immediately.”

The woman came out of the office and gathered her things from the staff cubbyholes. She stopped in front of me, looking down with a cold, hard stare.

“You should be put down, like the rabid animal you are,” the woman said bitterly.

I glared back, feeling the wolf push forward. A warning growl escaped as I stood up and over the woman, drawing the attention of the office workers. The now ex-teacher turned away and rushed through the door, fear plain on her face.

Dean Rivers came out of his office. “Mrs. Taylor, please call the county and make arrangements for a substitute for Sister Jenkins’ classes and let them know that we will need a permanent replacement. Also, please see that Miss Milner gets a hall pass to her next class.”

“Thank you, sir.” I said picking my carryall up from the uncomfortably hard bench.

“Don’t thank me, Miss Milner. Intolerance is something that I will not allow to fester in this school, nor is bullying. I am aware of your history, even though it happened before I was hired. I do not want any trouble here.” The Dean gave me a hard look as well.

“I don’t want any trouble either, sir,” I told him calmly. “I won’t start anything. But if someone gets in my face, I will finish it.”

The rest of the morning went like every other first day of school, confusion and chaos. When lunch came, I bypassed the cafeteria and went outside to sit in the sunshine. The courtyard just off the lunchroom breezeway was mostly grass with a dry fountain in the center. A number of other students had the same idea, enjoy the late summer sunshine outside.

I had barely settled and had a protein shake in my hand, when a pair of obvious feline hybrids stopped and asked if they could join me.

“Sure,” I replied as the girl sprawled to one side and the boy on the opposite.

“I’m Rose, Rose Carmichael,” the girl said, unable to completely hide the haughtiness in her voice. “The lunkhead next to you,” she continued, “is my brother, Timmy.”

“Tim,” the boy corrected in a shy voice.

“Whatever,” the girl said dismissively.

The girl started talking away about something I only half heard, my attention focused on a group of thug life wannabes. Three hung back while the fourth, probably the leader, approached closer. Tim’s nervousness rocketed sky high at the boy’s approach, I could smell the sour stink of his fear.

“Friends of yours?” I asked Rose, lifting my chin toward the group. Before she could answer, the one standing closest opened his mouth.

“Look at this, feeding time at the zoo,” the boy sneered. “Who’s the new bitch Rosie? Another one of your freaks?” He turned his gaze on me. “Where’s your leash, bitch? No collar either, guess we need to call the dog catcher!”

The boy and his friends started laughing, sounding like the pack of hyenas I’d seen at the zoo. A puff of breeze brought me the groups scent. I breathed it deep and recognized one of them.

“Mikey!” the boy turned his attention on me. “When did you get out of kinder-jail? What was it last time? Shoplifting little girl panties at the mall?” I stared casually at the group unable to stop the smirk I knew was lifting the corners of my mouth. Their laughter trailed off when they realized what I had said.

“Listen, bitch—

“Still trying to be a bully, eh?” I sneered back cutting him off, “You have to stop wearing your little sister’s thongs if you’re going to play with the grownups. Gotta wear your superhero undies!” I taunted.

“You BITCH!” he practically screamed as he started towards me. “You gonna pay for that!”

I sprang to all fours facing him, a growl rising in my throat, my eyesight washing out to shades of grey. Mike slid to a halt.

“Come right on ahead Mikey,” my voice a lupine snarl, “but remember what happened the last time you went four on one against me.” I looked past him to the trio that had closed the gap and now stood right behind their fearless loser. “Two had to be scooped into body bags and the third was in the jail’s hospital for a year.” I focused on Mike again.

“What happened to the last one?” one of the thugs asked.

I made eye contact with the one that spoke.

“You’re standing behind him. Little Mikey ran away and hid while his brother got shredded.” I stared into Mike’s eyes. “Can you still hear his screams for help Mikey, while you simpered like the coward you are? I can,” I licked my lips, “I remember how good David’s blood tasted.”

The three standing behind Mike turned their looks on him. You could see the boy’s street cred fading like the morning fog. The trio stepped back slightly, distancing themselves.

“Kevin?” Mike asked, his eyes going wide.

I spat on the ground.

“I’m insulted. After all that time in court, I saw you sitting in the back row with the Purists, you can’t even remember my new name.” I broke eye contact with him and looked at the whole group. “Leave us alone and you won’t get hurt. Push it and…” I let the statement hang in the air and another snarl punctuated it. The wolf charged forward inside my head, trying to take complete control. It recognized its enemy and wanted nothing less than Mike’s throat in our teeth.

Mike’s pulse got faster and he glanced over my shoulder as someone or something came our way. The group backed away, then turned and retreated toward the school.

They wanted to play chase, good! I took a step after them.

NO!

I stood still with all four legs trembling as I fought the compulsion to hunt down prey.

I forced myself to turn and bolted out of the quad. My nose told me of mowed grass and woods and I ran for that smell. I crossed the running track and stopped at the edge of the athletic field near the wood line. Slowly I stalked the edge of the woods working for control, pushing the wolf down. I was in control! Katie! Not the beast! Not the wolf! Human!

I collapsed on my side, breathing hard. My ears swiveled to picking up the sounds of Rose and her brother walking carefully up to me. My tail lashed the ground as the last of the haze receded.

“Katie? You okay?” Rose asked carrying what was left of my protein drink and my carryall.

“Yeah, I’m okay now.” I smiled at the pair as they dropped down on the grass in front of me. I sat up and took my drink from Rose.

“Hun?” Tim said, sprawling on the ground.

“What my clueless brother is asking is what just happened?” Rose asked.

I winced at her remark about Tim being clueless. He wasn't clueless, just terribly shy about his change. He might be a lion morph, but he was a lion scared of his own shadow.

I smiled weakly and sucked on my drink. “A couple of months before the end of last school year, I got MORFS. It took nine days for it to finish. I was a boy when it hit, when I woke up, I had a permanent fur coat, and these," I waved my hand at my breasts. "When I got back, David, that’s Mike’s older brother, started bullying me. He bullied me before I got MORFS too, but after, it was even worse."

“My second week back David, Mike and two friends tried to beat me to death and my wolf came out. The school called the police, who called animal control who had to dart me, so they could get to David.”

“The MORFs center didn’t know what I was at first. The doctor had to go look it up. He called me a Primal, a wolf primal.”

The pair gave me blank stares.

“Yeah, I’d never heard of it either, before then.” I finished my protein drink and slipped the empty bottle into my carryall. “They explained that it was animal regression, instead of human progression.” Again I got the flat line stares. “Okay, think of it this way. The two of you are feline hybrids, humans with cat features. I go the other way, I’m a wolf, with human features. It’s not hard for my animal side to push its way forward when I get stressed or scared.”

Tim blinked, “Whoa …”

“Yeah, you have no idea—"

The school bell cut off the conversation and we gathered our things up and headed back to the building.

The rest of the day went by like the typical first day of any school year. I waded gingerly through the sea of students in the hallway between classes, making sure that I didn’t step on anyone. When the final bell rang it was easy to get to my locker. Everyone that had a parent waiting or rode bikes had to go past it to get outside. I let the flow of students carry me down the main hallway towards the large main doors.

Dean Rivers was standing near the front doors and waved me over. “I won’t hold you up but a moment, Miss Milner. I understand that you left the grounds during lunch today.”

“It was only to the athletic field.” I told him.

“Would you care to tell me why?” he asked.

“I was upset and I didn’t want anyone getting hurt.”

“Should I be concerned about your being upset, Miss Milner?” the Dean asked just loud enough to be heard over the rushing mass of departing students.

“No, sir.”

“Very well. In the future, please confine your lunchtime wanderings to the allowed areas.”

I nodded and joined the flood towards the main doors, and into the afternoon sunshine. There I looked for Dad’s car. His car wasn't in the parking lot, so I sat with Tim and Rose on the grass.

“Hi, Rose, Tim.”

“What happened between you and Sister J?” Rose asked. “Everyone’s talking about how you got her fired.” Rose said quietly.

“How did you hear about that?” I asked.

“Simple, the biggest gossip in the school is a telepath.” Rose said with a smile.

“Regina Turner?” I asked, and then continued when Rose and Tim both nodded. I had known her from before my change. She was a gossip and a snoop. No one’s head was safe when she was around. Luckily her ability was very short range and I could easily keep her out of my head. “Not surprising, her family is in broadcasting in a big way down in Atlanta. Why is Mrs. Jenkins called ‘Sister’?”

“Oh, that’s simple. She's a member of some anti-MORFS splinter church just outside of town. They dress up in ancient style clothes, given up on technology and spout their genetic purity cra… err, crud.” Rose put one paw over her heart and the back of the other on her forehead in an overly dramatic way. “Technology has become the bane of Mankind. We will turn our faces away from this great plague and pray for the salvation of Man.”

I chuckled as Rose heaved a large dramatic sigh and fell to her side laughing. I turned to Tim and asked, “How do you like the school?”

“It’s okay,” he said quietly. He lifted his head to look at me rather than the grass, but his gaze stopped at my chest before continuing. We made eye contact for only a brief moment before he looked away, embarrassed. If he hadn’t been covered in fur, he would have been turning pink.

Don’t worry Tim, I don’t bite. I ‘pathed and suppressed a giggle when his embarrassment shot up again. I wanted to add, but I do nibble, but held off. I didn’t want to give his sister any more ammunition to use against him.

Dad’s car pulled up to the curb in front of the steps and cut off our conversation. I waved at them and got in the transport.

The drive home was uneventful and longer than it used to be, which was okay with me, since our new place was so freaking much nicer. It had a huge lot backing up to a power line right of way, and woods! The fact that no one was around suited me fine, too.

The nervousness hit as we turned on onto the final leg of our trip. I could see the house. The side door was opened almost as soon as the wheels stopped turning and I was out, heading for the house. In the front door, clothes, carryall, gloves and slippers went flying, as did I, right out the back door and into the yard. In nothing but fur I leapt to the picnic table and used it to clear the top of the eight foot privacy fence that ran along the back of our property. It was a flat out run to the utilities right of way behind the house and straight across to the woods beyond.

The wolf was out, not in anger, but in freedom! We could smell the world, the woods, life itself as we rushed headlong into the stand of mixed pine and hardwoods. The smell of a rabbit stopped us in our tracks. We followed the scent until the animal burst out from undercover and we were off, twisting, turning, doubling back on ourselves. The rabbit made a turn that we couldn’t and it got away. It was okay, we weren’t hungry. A new scent led us to another animal that we could chase, but let it go after having a bit of fun.

Eventually the wolf retreated of its own accord. It’d had its fun, and it was easy for me to change places. I let myself through the gate in the fence that I had leaped over with ease earlier.

Opening the kitchen door, I could hear Mom at the stove. “That smells good, Mom.” It was meat sauce for spaghetti.

“Wipe your feet, dear. Dinner will be ready in an hour or so. You’ll just have enough time to shower and dry.” Mom wrinkled her nose as I got close.

I took a whiff of myself and sneezed. Yeah, I’d rolled in something stinky. I picked up my discarded clothes Mom had gathered together and bounced up the stairs.

When we had our new house built, Dad went all out on my bathroom. It was huge! The shower alone was big enough to handle two morphs my size or about four mundane humans. The hot water felt good as it soaked into my fur and sluiced down, washing away the mud and debris that had stuck to me. Shampoo, rinse, shampoo again, rinse and then off with the water. I stood there for a bit letting the water drain, then pushed the button on the control panel. Four powerful blowers kicked in and created a mini cyclone of hot air to dry my fur. Five minutes later, I stepped out, washed and fluff dried.

I could hear Mom and Dad having the same tired argument about me ever since I morphed. There wasn’t any anger in it, just concern, for each other, and for me.

“You indulge her too much, Randy,” Mom was saying, “letting her race off, naked, over hell’s half acre. It isn’t proper. It teaches her she doesn’t need to practice her self-control that it’s okay to act like an animal.”

“Honey,” Dad began, “you want her to repress her basic nature. She needs the outlet to be what she is. If she bottles it up, the wolf will come out at the wrong time and in the wrong way. None of us wants that to happen.”

I walked down the last few steps directly into the kitchen. Mom spotted me and stopped me in my tracks. “Oh, no you don’t, young lady! You may be in a fur coat, but you are not going to sit at the table naked.” She pointed her finger back up the stairs.

“March yourself up to your room and put some clothes on.” I grinned and went back up the hardwood steps. Pushing that button always got Mom off her “acts like an animal” rant.

I came back dressed in a pair of minimal shorts, and a tight neon yellow tee shirt with a magenta biohazard symbol on the front. The lettering around it said, “It’s a MORFS thing, you wouldn’t understand.”

Mom smiled, and we passed our plates for dinner, which was wonderful, like always.