Chapter II - Star Thief

Home... home again... After an exhausting day at school, after a day of walking with fear in my heart, after a stressful walk home from the bus station, once more, I'm home. I have to admit, I like to be home. My parents are waiting for me with a warm welcome everyday and here... here is the only place I feel safe. For a while now, a couple of months, our town, Tsukigata, has been gripped by fear, engulfed by the anxiousness to be safe and to hastily get home before the veil of night shrouded the town. The reason was clear and real: murders... And not just any murders, but heinous ones, full of blood, broken necks and mutilated bodies. And all on the account of some beast, allegedly... What beast?! Perhaps a human one, the worst beast that has ever lived and still exists on Earth. Fortunately, if I can say so, there are people who got away alive. At least so they claim. No one knows the real truth. I believe these survivors are just attention seekers. Some of them got it anyway. They're big stars now, especially on TV. Too bad they've all died in the end. Medics said something was burning them from the inside, until their hearts gave out.

Of course I'm not glad when these horrible things happen to others. That would be sadistic and... immoral. I just don't understand why our parents want to scare us with... this kind of childish stuff. As I'm aware that Santa Claus, The Boogeyman and other bedtime stories aren't real, my mind can't comprehend the existence of a beast in this modern times. Honestly, what the hell! There are more reasonable explanations out there. I think my parents are more childish than I am, as many parents in this town. Tonight, everything seemed fine, the town's wave of distress has dissipated to some level. I hope I'll have a quality sleep tonight. Dreams... How I love to dream! To discover and explore worlds where the impossible is possible. I like dreams about flying the most. That's when I feel most free. It's a pity that the nights full of enjoyable and intense dreams pass like dew in the morning. The alarm clock had done its job, as usual. Like it or not, it was definitely necessary to start a new day.

As I arrived at school around noon, everything was just as weird as everywhere. There was a lot of stress in the air, you could rarely exchange a word with anyone. Everyone was shying away, everyone was too careful since the late murders. I'd just moved up to ninth grade, my final year of junior high school. Whatever comes after, I feel confident about it, I feel fearless.

However, besides my family, I couldn't say I was going through the day by myself in this town. I had two old friends, two real friends. We had known each other for at least four years. Samu was into magic, he was the one that brought us joy with his tricks. He never missed an opportunity to show us a new trick, a tiny illusion he'd just learned. I've never turned him down because I like magic a lot. It brought this spontaneous smile on my lips and it gave me hope that magical, inexplicable things may happen in real life. And Zoey, a childish-sounding name at first, but far from what she is truly about. Her maturity, femininity and intelligence are welcomed to our trio... and she has that something that makes us see her differently, not necessarily as a girl, but as a human, as we all are. Zoey wasn't from around. She was far from home. She and her family moved here five years ago all the way from New Zealand. Zoey is a fast learner, she picked up the basics of our language in less than a year.

The hours passed by in a blur, it was almost dusk. This was going to be a beautiful evening, I thought to myself. A swarm of stars was already visible on the clear sky and the full Moon was so golden and... big. The three of us thought it would be a satisfying, daring experience to not take the bus tonight. A long walk home would have been an adventure in these times. We didn't want to live in fear, we needed to fight back with courage. We hoped it would be a chatty walk, free of the fear that shrouded our city.

"It's got a bit cold, don't you think?" Zoey said, shaking.

"Here, take my jacket!" Samu replied, without hesitation. "Don't move." Samu continued, as he reached his right hand through Zoey's pigtails, behind her ear. "Look, a coin! I guess I forgot it there."

"This trick again?" Zoey huffed. "Are you sure, Samu? I don't see you being overdressed tonight. I don't want you to catch a cold." Zoey replied, with worry in her voice.

I smiled. I was happy seeing people being nice, doing these small things for each other. Samu was always the one to offer his help first, without expecting something in return.

"I promise I am fine. After all, Mother Nature gifted me with a furry body." Samu replied, with a grin on his face.

"Classic Samu!" Zoey said, giving Samu a weird look. "Thank you, I'm already warming up." Zoey added, as she gave Samu a short kiss on his cheek.

"So... what are your plans for the future?" I asked, trying to make small talk. "This is our final year of junior high school."

"I feel quite optimistic! I have big plans." Zoey replied with confidence.

"I guess I am on the other end of the spectrum." Samu said, chuckling with doubt.

"What about you, Sono?" Zoey asked.

My actual name is Sonoi, but people keep calling me Sono for as long as I remember, for some reason.

"I... I don't think I'm ready to leave, to make big changes in my life. I'm not sure why, but I like it here, this town, this school, my friends. Only the two of you inspire me confidence."

"You need to give yourself more time. You need to get out of your comfort zone. You'll find the answers within. That's my philosophy." Zoey said in a wise tone.

"Something to think on over night. Thanks, Zoey!"

From behind, someone hasted towards us.

"Erika!" Zoey exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

"I-I missed the bus. May I walk with you?"

 "You shouldn't walk by yourself. The beast will get you!" Zoey said in a malefic way, with a huge grin on her face.

Zoey had a habit of making fun of people, no matter the subject or the person. Sometimes, she had no limits.

"What? The beast? Where?" Erika said, shaking and looking around in fear.

"Zoey's just messing with you. Sorry, Erika. Please, join us." I said, welcoming her to walk with us.

Erika, as shy as ever, nodded approvingly. Erika was an old classmate and a cousin of mine. She didn't have many friends and she often found herself in odd situations. Some people made fun of her quirkiness, some simply avoided her. As our chat carried on, our path forked in separate ways.

"Goodbye, Zoey. Goodbye, Samu. Goodbye, Erika. Stay safe, don't dawdle!"

As we said our goodbyes, I had to go on by myself. The road home was still long, I had to pick up the pace. I wasn't fearless. Darkness kept me on edge and heightened my senses. I walked carefully through the shroud of darkness engulfing the sidewalk and its surroundings. The sporadic streetlights didn't help much. I was only able to see outlines and shapes. Down below it was dark, but up above there was a sea of light. I was fascinated by the infinity of the celestial vault, the countless stars and the Man in the Moon. Once in a while, I would spend dozens of minutes contemplating the night sky before going to bed.

A shrill scream was heard from an alley not far from me. That was definitely a woman, she seemed to be in danger. I knew I wasn't very brave in moments like this. Around the corner, in the distance, a woman emerged. She was running scared, screaming desperately. My lack of courage froze me in place. Only my eyes had a trace of courage left. I tried to make something in this darkness, to recognize the silhouette of the the woman in distress. But everything was happening too fast through the vague darkness. Not three seconds later, someone else emerged, pursuing her from behind. He was tall and massive, but that's not what scared me. I managed to notice that he was covered in something, like many layers of fuzzy clothing. But again, my alarm went off, a new day commenced. It was morning, I was home, lying on my bed. I was so confused. Was it just a dream? All I remember was running... desperately running. Once in a while, I'd glance back to see if someone was following me. And then... nothing, the alarm woke me out of my daze. I jumped out of bed and rushed to the living room. The TV was on, mom was watching the news.

"The killing continues! The beast resurfaced after two weeks of peace and quiet. Just as the people hoped this town was safe again, last night, around 7:30 PM, the dead body of a woman was found. She had been decapitated, like the previous victims, but also mutilated beyond recognition. It seems that the beast is leaving a deeper imprint on its victims. Human or savage, its killings are once again bringing fear to families, especially children. We'll return with more information as soon as we have it." the host reported.

I couldn't believe it, last night really happened. For the first time in my life I witnessed the act of the beast. Yes, the beast, I believe now. I believe in what I see. I turned to my mother, she was troubled by the news.

"Mom? What time did I get home yesterday?"

"He speaks!" mom exclaimed.

"W-what?" I replied confused.

"You got home around 7:40. You simply entered the house, didn't speak a word to us, didn't bother to have dinner and went straight to your room. What was that about?" mom said worried.

"I don't..."

"Did something happen at school? Or is this your teenage rebellion phase? Is something wrong? You can talk to me."

"You know me, school stuff. I was worn out." I grinned, avoiding mom's gaze.

"I am glad you're safe." mom said, while caressing my hair.

At the moment, I didn't want to discuss last night's events with my parents. In the worst case scenario, I was a witness to a crime. I didn't want reporters or police swarming around my house, asking questions I didn't really have answers for. I just wanted peace of mind. At school, the hallway was rumbling with student voices. Everyone was talking about what happened last night, some worried, some horrified.

"Hi, Sono!" Samu said.

I barely heard him. I took three steps back.

"Sorry..." I whispered. "Hi, Samu! Hey, Zoey."

"I am glad you got home safe. We all did." Zoey added.

"I am glad too see you're safe too." I replied, gazing at Zoey.

Zoey looked a little pale. She looked more scared than I was, but she was hiding it behind positive words. I guess Zoey and Samu didn't really want to talk about last night. Neither did I.

"I guess everyone heard the news." I said with hesitation.

"My parents told me about it." Samu replied confused.

"Are you alright in there, Sono?" Zoey asked.

"I don't know, I'm not sure. I guess I didn't sleep very well."

"I don't think anybody did." Samu remarked.

"It's obvious why." I said.

"Look around us." Zoey added.

"Class is about to start." I replied, abruptly ending our chat.

I think this had been the longest day of school in my life. Some classes felt like time stood still. The end of class bell was the first kind of alarm I was glad to hear. The bus arrived. I got on in a rush and I could barely wait to get off. I, Zoey and Samu got off at the same station, as usual. Home was a few minutes away. Samu and Zoey walked vigilantly with brisk steps, sticking close to me. I hoped they didn't sense my insecurity. That is until our paths parted again. Zoey grabbed me by the shoulders and stared deeply into my eyes.

"Be careful! Stay safe on your way home." she said, with worry in her eyes.

"I'll see you tomorrow! Both of you! I promise!"

We parted ways, rushing to our homes. I looked at the sky. It was just as starry as the night before. How bizarre! I didn't know much about astronomy, but two nights in a row with a full Moon? I must have been hallucinating. I rubbed my eyes to clear my vision, but the full Moon was still there, up in the sky, barely visible behind a thick cloud. To take my mind off negative thoughts, I started counting the houses I was passing by, so I knew how much further home was.

"1, 2, 3... What the...?"

In front of a house, behind a hedge, something was moving. My meddlesome nature led my feet towards the hedge, even if my heart wanted to lead my body straight home. I guess my curiosity prevailed. Or maybe I was just a big idiot... I got closer one step at a time. As my third step touched the ground, the hedge stopped shaking. Could it have been the wind? No... A wind shaking that hedge so hard would have blown me over too. I rose on my tiptoes, trying to see over the hedge. Fright washed over me. A man was lying dormant on the ground, covered with dry leaves. There was something oddly familiar about him. Was he alive or dead? I couldn't tell if he was breathing or not, his chest movements were hard to see in the dark. I reached out and touched his forehead. He was warm. Was he homeless or just an unconscious drunk old man?

It was totally quiet outside, no driving cars, no people in sight, no strays wandering about. As I was still deciding whether to call an ambulance or leave this man be, with the corner of my right eye, I glimpsed a moving shadow in the distance. The sound of rustling leaves startled me. I looked over the hedge, the old man was gone. From my right, from the end of the hedge, about ten meters away, I heard a growl. As I turned my gaze, I saw it. It was big, covered by a thick fur and its incisors were grinning at me. I didn't get a chance to react in any way. It lunged at me with his head, knocking me on the ground. As it was about to sink his fangs into my body, someone grabbed it by the waist, from behind, and tossed him off me meters away, crashing it into a parked car on the other side of the road.

Before me stood this figure, this dark silhouette with glowing yellow eyes, shoulder-length hair and some kind of cloth mask on their mouth. In the blink of an eye, it jumped on the other side of the road, chasing the creature that attacked me. Without giving it a second thought, I got up on my feet and run without looking back. As I was fleeing, I looked up at the sky. What? Was it already morning? I could still see stars, I could see the Moon now, but they were very blurry. The sky was bright as day and fading with the Moon, I couldn't tell the difference between them. But again, the alarm bell rang. My memory was a little fuzzy, but I was certain this time around. That wasn't a dream. It was too intense, emotionally and physically, to not be true. I felt a slight pain in the lower back and my head was killing me. Mom was downstairs again, watching the news. Dad was at work, as usual. When she saw me, she looked at me worried and disappointed.

"You must be hungry." mom said, on a serious, but caring tone, as she pushed a plate full of food towards me.

"I... last night?" I gasped, barely speaking.

"Let's not talk on an empty stomach."

I smirked, as I sat next to her to watch the news.

"The beast is killing again. Last night, around the same time, 7:30 PM, an elder man was found dead in the yard of a local. He had deep wounds around his neck, scratches on his face and his clothes were torn. Again, he couldn't be identified. People say this could be a mugging gone terrible, but that's unlikely as the deceased was found with a large amount of money in a bag he was carrying. We'll be back with more information."

There was no mugger to blame here, that thing was not human at all. Whatever the origin of this beast, its actions were outside human nature, outside logic and reason. But what intrigued me the most right now is the dark silhouette that saved my life. There was someone out there, someone that could fight the beast? It looks like it didn't succeed, the beast was still claiming victims. At school, Samu, Zoey and I gathered under a tree in the yard. We needed to talk, I needed to open up to them, they were my best friends.

"Samu, Zoey! I need to tell you something."

"What is it, Sono? You look worried." Zoey replied.

"Something happened to me last night. I saw something."

"What did you see?" Samu said.

"I think I've been attacked... by the beast." I whispered.

Samu and Zoey looked at me dumbfounded.

"Are you serious?" Zoey said. "Are you sure it was the beast? Are you hurt? How did you survive?"

"I'm damn lucky. Someone saved me in the nick of time."

"Who was it?" Samu asked.

"I have no clue. When I saw the opportunity, I just ran as fast as I could. Guys, there is someone out there fighting back!"

"Are you okay? Did you see a medic?" Zoey intervened.

"No need to. I feel fine, nothing broken inside. But I can't remember how I got home last night and the night before."

"Memory loss? That doesn't sound fine to me, Sono. Samu and I are really worried."

"Seriously, I'm fine." I said, trying to steer away the conversation. "I'm just scared and confused."

"You should've seen Zoey last night. She was so scared. She rushed home like lightning. I don't know what got into her."

"How are your parents? How do they feel about this? Are they afraid, you getting home so late?" I asked.

"My parents almost forced me to never leave the house. They are really scared." Samu replied.

"My parents are safe and sound. They left for New Zealand for a couple of weeks. I couldn't leave with them because of school." Zoey said with sadness in her voice.

"Are you okay, Zoey? Do you live alone now?" Samu asked worried, as he put his hand on her shoulder.

But Zoey never replied. She turned around and left. It was clear, she was scared and worried. Scared for her, for being alone, scared for me and Samu. Inside the classroom, I was watching the slow movements and listening to the indifferent voice of the math teacher as he handed out the results of last week's test. Mine, Samu's and Zoey's grades brought a smile on our faces. But not everyone was as happy. In front of me sat my cousin, Erika. She bowed her head in disappointment, she wasn't happy with the grade she got. I knew Erika excelled in many subjects, including math, but, since the town has been gripped by terror, her grades have started to slip. And this teacher clearly had something personal against her. I say that because, almost every day, Erika is being scolded by him on absurd topics. I swear I saw him in the hallway yesterday, hitting Erika for being ten seconds late for his class. On top of that, Erika's parents are very demanding when it comes to her education. In her hushed voice, I heard a whisper:

"If only the beast would kill you..."

Then she turned her gaze to the teacher. I was dumbfounded, Erika had this serious look on her face. Zoey and Samu heard her too, gazing dreadfully at Erika. I understood her disdain, but what Erika said was wrong on so many levels. You can't wish a man's dead because of a bad grade. In a way, I found it amusing. As if this could ever happen. After handing out all the tests, the teacher went to his desk, then asked Erika to come to his office during the breaktime. I got curious. Zoey and Samu were just as curious as I was. As Erika entered the teacher's office, we went outside and peeked through the window shutters. We couldn't believe our eyes. The teacher locked the door, pulled out a thin metal rod and forced Erika to take her trousers and top off. Then he hit her multiple times all over her body, while touching her and pushing her around. This teacher was a monster in hiding!

"This has to stop!" I exclaimed in anger.

"We need to do something!" Samu said, full of sorrow.

"Fuck this!" Zoey added, as she pounded the window once.

The teacher stopped, he noticed someone outside. We had to flee, we didn't want to get caught. We went back inside the school, blending into the crowd, to not raise suspicion. As we entered the hallway, Erika had left the teacher's office with tears in her eyes. Zoey's angry pound may have saved her for today, but what about the next day? We needed to come up with a plan before our next math class. Erika really needed help and she was too scared to ask for it. Classes were finally over. As I got off the bus, I found myself alone. At school, Samu was greeted by his parents. They drove together to visit his grandmother on the other side of the town. And Zoey eluded me, she missed the last class. She left earlier without saying anything.

As I walked alone, I kept staring up at the starry night vault above me. The sky was clear again, as beautiful as the days before. The Moon was beautiful too, half covered in light, half covered in darkness. That's when it occurred to me... I needed to try again, I wanted to test if I could really see in the dark. I looked at the stars and waited. But... nothing happened. I didn't know how to trigger my night vision, if such a thing was remotely possible. I closed my eyes to concentrate. I started focusing on the rustling leaves, on each breeze that touched my forehead and ruffled my hair, I tried to feel the light of the stars up in the sky and both sides of the Moon, the bright and the dark. As I opened my eyes, I could see... everything! I wasn't just seeing undefined, lightless outlines. I could see color, I could see stars with more clarity than yesterday, I could count them. I thought I went insane, I thought morning was already here. But I checked my phone, it clearly showed 7:22 PM.

It felt so good! I felt free and filled with wonder. I didn't understand why or what was happening to me. My mind couldn't even bother looking for explanations right now. I was stoked, I had to learn how to control this as soon as possible. I looked at the Moon again, thousands of thoughts running through my mind. What was happening to me? How can I see in the dark? A headache flared up... A strong pain overwhelmed me, brought me to my knees and knocked me down. In agony, I buried my face in my hands. Then I felt my body shaking as a familiar voice was calling my name.

"Sono! Wake up! Wake up!"

The sound of my alarm was driving me crazy. I opened my eyes, blinking repeatedly until my vision cleared. Mom was standing over me, gazing at me with anger and disbelief. It happened again, I couldn't remember anything after that headache.

"Mom, the news!" I said, as I rushed to the TV.

Today it was the same, the main news was about the beast.

"Another casualty in Tsukigata. A man was found dead in his own car around 8:00 PM last night with the similar injuries as the previous victims. This time around, the victim had been identified as Yasuzo Shimizu, a math teacher at the Tsukigata Junior High School. The police investigation leads, obviously, to the beast."

Images from my memory flashed before my eyes: a car, then a sudden break. My thoughts immediately jumped to my cousin, Erika. I needed to talk to her as soon as possible. At school, everyone was speechless, overwhelmed by the fear of the morning news. It was dead quiet in the hallway, in the classrooms, in the schoolyard. From the outside, the school looked like deserted. It was the first time someone from our school had been killed by the beast. Samu and Zoey were pretty quiet too. The three of us were deeply troubled about this, especially because of what we witnessed yesterday. During the math class, Mr. Shimizu's place was covered by a substitute teacher. Erika looked a little stressed, like her desk didn't fit her anymore. She was definitely anxious around everyone. After classes, outside the school premises, by a bench, I waited for Erika and stopped her in her path.

"Erika, we need to talk."

"About what, cousin?"

"You know very well, dear cousin. I'm on your side."

"I'm sorry, I don't know what you're talking about." Erika replied, trying to deflect.

"I know, Erika. I know how Mr. Shimizu had been treating you. I am truly sorry for what you went through."

Erika turned around facing away. I think I struck a nerve, she didn't want to talk anymore. On her right hand, one big bruise was visible.

"Erika..."

"I know what I said. I know it would be irrational for what happened to be my fault. Whether it is or not, I feel like I did it." Erika said, then she left with tears in her eyes.

I couldn't suspect her of anything. Erika wouldn't harm anyone, no matter how badly others treated her. Saying one thing and actually doing it is a totally different matter. When I got to the bus stop, I was dumbfounded. A few meters away, an old friend sat alone in the cold, shivering, an old friend I haven't seen in years. As I got closer, her eyes embiggened the moment she noticed me.

"Hello, Maria." I dared to say.

"Sono!" she exclaimed, gazing at me for seconds.

"I didn't know you're back." I said, as I reached out, offering her my jacket.

"I-I got back a few days ago." she stammered, as I covered her with my jacket. "Thank you."

"Are you back in school too?"

"Yes. We're back for good, my family and I. Same house, same school."

"Same friends." I whispered to myself.

"Can you repeat that, please? I didn't catch it."

More students gather at the station, their chatter was too loud. I couldn't hear Maria very well anymore. A tall guy stopped in front of us, startling me.

"Maria, can we talk?" he asked.

Maria nodded in approval. I stepped away, I felt like an intruder. Who is this guy? Zoey, Samu and I could vaguely hear their discussion from a distance.

"You've been avoiding me all day. Why won't you talk to me, Maria?"

"You know very well why, Teddo! You made me a promise the last time you visited me in Nikko. Why didn't you keep your word?"

"Give me one more chance!"

"I gave you too many already!"

Ted forcibly grabbed Maria by her arms. He squeezed her hard and wouldn't let go.

"Why are you so distant? Why do you reject me?"

"Teddo!" Maria cried.

Teddo paused and looked around him, many were staring. He surely didn't like it. I was just about to intervene, but Teddo released Maria arms and stepped back.

"What?!" Teddo yelled at us.

"You're such a beast!" Maria exclaimed.

Everyone stepped back, as they awed in shock. Teddo looked at us menacingly.

"Mind your own business!" he shouted, as he reached into his jacket's right pocket and pulled out a black mask made of cloth to cover his mouth.

A memory of the dark silhouette that saved me flashed before my eyes, raising suspicion in my mind. Who is this Teddo? The bus arrived soon after, putting a stop to this charade. As we embarked, everybody avoided Teddo, nobody wanted to sit next to him. I wouldn't either, his presence disgusted me. Maria was in a similar situation, nobody wanted to be near her. I sat behind Samu and Zoey, the sit next to me was empty. As she got closer to me, she was looking for a positive answer in my gaze. She definitely found it. From the front seat of the bus, Teddo looked behind, piercing me with a menacing gaze. As Maria sat down, she placed her backpack on her legs and slowly leaned back. Then she look me in the eyes. Her deep gaze conveyed gratitude. She didn't say a word. Neither did I, we didn't need to. I simply enjoyed the tranquility of being next to her. I looked at her again, she was tired and... tense. Her eyes were red and moist and her black hair was resting clumsily on her shoulders. I think she was on the brink of falling asleep with tears in her eyes.

Maria... Memories from my childhood flooded my mind. Maria and I were very close, we were best friends. Every weekend or so, we used to walk by the cliffs and look into the void, into the abyss, admiring the shapes of the rocks at the bottom and the clouds in the sky, trying to find some kind of order in them. As kids, we shared everything like food, books, toys, often the same bed. She was like a sister to me, she was a part of the family. All came apart at the end of fourth grade, when she had to leave this town. Her parents moved far away, to Nikko. I barely got to say goodbye. I felt lonely for a while, I felt abandoned. My best friend was gone. Then, in fifth grade, I met Zoey and Samu and things got easier. Their friendship partially filled a hole in my heart. Now, she's back, maybe my heart will be full again.

In the bus, Teddo rose from his sit, went to Erika, grabbed her by her right arm and whispered something about school to her. Was he forcing Erika to do his school work? Everybody felt repulsed by his presence. At the drop-off station, Teddo was huddling and pushing people around. When Erika got off, Teddo grabbed her by the neck and slammed her against a fence as a warning. Then he walked to me and reached his right hand. As his hand touched my shoulder, Zoey grabbed it and she shove Teddo away. Samu got closer too, giving Teddo a mean look. They both started walking towards Teddo, making him walk away from me. Erika, my dear friends. That crossed a line... Maria came to me, as she was taking my jacket off her.

"Here." she said, handing me my jacket.

"You can return it to me tomorrow. I don't want you to get cold tonight." I replied.

"Thank you, Sono." she said, as she gave me a short hug.

"Goodbye, Maria." I said, as she left.

I didn't want to be alone on the dark streets, Samu and Zoey were by my side tonight. As we hurried home, Samu and Zoey gave me curious looks. I guess I've never told them about Maria before. To my defense, I didn't think she'd ever return. As our paths split, I said my goodbyes. My parents had been waiting for me. We had dinner together, then I went straight to my room. I lay on the bed, I was too tired. I checked the time, it was 7:55 PM. It was a very long day, I felt myself drifting asleep quickly. As my eyes closed, I wondered... What is Maria doing now? The night passed in the blink of an eye. The alarm woke me up, as usual, at 7:30. As I opened my eyes, at the edge of the bed my mother stood. She was holding my sneakers and she looked very angry.

"Sono! Do you care to explain yourself? Why are your sneakers all muddy and teared to shreds?"

"I... I've... I don't know, I..." I stammered.

I completely froze, I didn't know how to respond, I had no clue what happened to my sneakers. Luckily, from the living room, the loud volume of the TV announced the news was about to start, giving me time to hopefully remember. We headed to the living room, as we both wanted to know if anything else had happened in town over night.

"A new victim of the beast was found last night, on a dark alley near Subetsu River. The police identified the body as Teddo Hagimoto, a 16 year-old young boy. At the scene of the crime, next to Teddo's body, this jacket was found. Who is the owner of this jacket? We'll let you know as soon as we find out."

In the right corner of the screen, a photo of the jacket popped. Mom and I were dumbfounded. She turned to me, as she pressed the mute button on the remote control.

"Sono, that jacket looks exactly like yours. Where is your jacket?" mom asked astounded.

"I don't have it anymore." I replied, having no reason to hide it. "I lent it to a friend."

"Don't tell me this Teddo was the friend."

"Definitely not." I assured mom.

The shocking truth hit me again. Teddo... is dead! A flood of memories flashed before my eyes. I remembered running through a trench, then climbing a fence made of barbed wire. That would explain the state of my sneakers. I also remembered looking down at four big furry paws. Whose paws? The news ended. Mom stood next to me, shrouded in confusion. Her face grew sad. Through the strands of hair trying to hide her eyes, I noticed her tears dripping, one by one.

"Mom?" I said, trying get her attention.

From the midst of her tears, she replied:

"Sono, I think it's better if you skipped school today. Too many nights you got home late, acting all weird towards us, being all secretive and presumably not remembering stuff. Your father and I think you need help and we'll get it for you as soon as possible. Let's just hope that jacket isn't yours."

I couldn't really argue with her. I was aware something wasn't right about me. If that jacket is mine, it was only a matter of time for the police to figure that out. Many students saw me handing my jacket to Maria last night. One of them will rat me out sooner or later.

"What kind of help do you have in mind?" I asked mom.

"We'll go to a medic first for a routine checkup."

"A medic? But I'm not sick."

"You don't know that, okay?!" mom shouted with hesitation. "Maybe he'll be able to find something. I'll call dad to take a day off. He'll be home soon."

Going to school today wasn't really an issue. I caught a glimpse on the news, all schools in town were closed indefinitely. It was inevitable, the beast was now attacking teachers and students. Dad came home and the three of us drove to the hospital. In the medic's office, after a thorough examination of my eyes, ears, heart rate, breathing, reflexes and a quick blood test, the medic shared his diagnosis.

"Your son exhibits signs of sleep deprivation. His eyes show everything, your son is most likely sleepwalking. Let's say this is the good news. The bad news is that there is no actual viable treatment for this. You can try pills or all sorts of calming teas, but that won't guarantee his conscious side of the brain will be able to turn off properly during sleep."

"Is there anything else you could do to give us more insight?" dad asked.

"I can proceed with a brain scan."

My parents nodded in approval. A nurse entered the office and took me into another room, to this machine. An hour later, the medic returned with astonishment on his face.

"I... I've never seen anything like this before." he said, looking at my brain scan. "Sono's brain is... different. These areas responsible for vision and sleep regulation are lit and overactive."

"Is his brain wired wrong? I don't get it." mom said.

"Not wrong, just different. I have to be honest. This stuff is over my pay grade. The inner works of the brain are not my field."

"Can't you recommend us another solution?" dad asked.

"All I can do is recommend you visit a psychologist. This is definitely a matter of the mind, not the brain." the medic said, handing dad a business card. "Call this number, please."

Mom nodded with sadness in her eyes. Dad took her hand, then thanked the medic for his help. As the three of us left the hospital, I saw dad throwing the business card into a bin. He looked at mom, then he looked at me.

 "We tried the medical way, it didn't really help. It's time to try the spiritual way." dad said, with hope in his voice.

As he said that, uncertainty appeared in my mind. The spiritual way? Did my parents think this was a matter of the supernatural? Did they think I was... the beast? Was there something otherworldly happening with me? As I expected, my parents chose what they considered to be the most effective solution: religion. Father Saito was always in the gods' place. When he saw us walking through the shrine's door, he knew right away that we had come to see him and that we had a problem. He had that priestly intuition, he knew when something was troubling someone. He made a peaceful hand sign, telling us to follow him. He led us into a small room, but big in significance. The room was full of mirrors, swords, jewels and sculptures of the gods.

"How can I be of help?" he asked my parents.

"My son, he is... troubled." mom replied with hesitation. "We need your help, Father Saito."

"I will be with you in a minute." Father Saito said, seeing the worry on mom's face. "I need to gather a few things."

When he returned, he was holding the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki books, also an old mirror with a golden candle stuck to it and full of dripping wax. He lit the candle, anointed the mirror with a few sprinkles of holy water and myrrh and brought it close to me. I felt like he just wanted to randomly try stuff on me.

"Please, Sono, look in the mirror." he said, guiding me with his calming voice.

I looked puzzled at the mirror and the burning candle. I never understood shrines and their rituals.

"How will this help me?"

"Please trust me, Sono. No harm will come to you. It's for your own good." Father Saito added.

My parents looked at me with a heavy gaze. So I did it, for their sake. I drew closer to the mirror, while also gazing at the dancing candle flame. I gazed its movements... getting closer and closer. Father Saito began to voice a series of holy words from the books. Ten seconds later, the candle's light intensified and expanded, blinding me shortly. A splitting headache began to tear through my head, it was a crucial pain. Through the pain, I gazed into the mirror and I saw my eyes turned yellow for a split second. My parents stepped away as the priest moved the mirror away from my eyes. Gradually, the headache stopped. I was frightened, I felt weak and I began to tremble.

"Ana, Jon, your son's reaction tells me everything. He is troubled by the presence of the holy. There's no doubt about it. Sono is no longer by oneself, something dwells within him. I suggest a Temizu, a cleansing ritual. If that doesn't help, you should consider the worst scenario... a Tsuina." Father Saito said, with hesitation in his voice.

Tsuina, an exorcism ritual? Isn't this thing going too far? I'm not possessed. It seems to me Father Saito quickly jumps to outrageous conclusions. My mother looked at me in pain.

"What did you do?" she sobbed, gazing at me. "What is wrong with my son?" she asked Father Saito.

"I don't know..." I replied, equally distressed and confused.

"Think on it hardly." Father Saito said to my parents. "If your son doesn't get better, you might have to make the hardest decision."

"Thank you for your help and time, Father Saito!" dad said. "We will get to the bottom of this. We will return as soon as we made a decision."

As we headed home in a hurry, our house was surrounded by a crowd of reporters and two police cars. When dad got out of the car, an officer met him.

"Hello, sir. Are you Mr. Jon Sasaki?"

"That is me. What happened, officer?"

"We've received an anonymous tip that this jacket belongs to your son." the officer said, pointing to another officer holding my jacket in a plastic bag. "Your son needs to come with us to the station."

"What? Is that really necessary, officer?"

"Sir, we don't have time for this right now. Please be cooperative. It's for your son's good. If he's innocent, then he has nothing to hide. If he's guilty..."

"He's just a 15 year-old kid." dad interrupted the officer.

"That changes nothing, Mr. Sasaki. I've seen younger people doing awful things in my time. For he is a minor, you can join him at the station, of course."

After spending two hours down at the station, I was sent home. It seemed that my jacket being at the crime scene wasn't evidence enough to make me a suspect. It seems that I wasn't the only one being interrogated today. As we left the police station, I glimpsed at Maria and her father entering the same interrogation room. Maria looked to be in a state of shock. She kept looking down and she was glued to her father. As we got home, my parents forbade me to ever leave the house without them. They also took my phone and any piece of technology one could use for communication. They wanted to know I was safe in my room, not outside on the streets. It was almost 2 PM. I was sitting in my room, lying on the bed and staring at the ceiling. I was wandering through my thoughts, asking myself questions, trying to find answers within. Could this bee the reason I was able to see in the dark? Was there a beast dwelling inside me? A knock on my door startled me.

"Sono?" mom whispered, as she entered the room holding a plate in her right hand.

She sat down next to me and gazed me in the eyes with so much warmth. I could see the love in her eyes, but also the denial that her son was a monster, a killer.

"I brought you a sandwich and a cup of jasmine tea, your favorite." she said, as she placed the plate on the nightstand. "Tomorrow we'll see Father Saito again, your father and I decided."

She got up and left, leaving me wondering. So, they were really going through with this. Were they really going to perform an exorcism ritual?! I hoped they wouldn't go so far. Outside my room I heard quiet steps. Someone inserted a key in the door's lock, turning it quietly, locking me inside. I wouldn't have imagined my parents will take such measures. Then it occurred to me... I opened the window, I hid under the bed and waited. Not ten minutes passed by and the door opened again. My mother came inside, she walked around for a few seconds, then left. From the living room, I heard my parents worried voices.

"Jon, Sono's gone and he didn't drink the tea."

They tried to put me to sleep! What was next, tying me to the bed and nailing the window shut? That's when I decided to run. I jumped out the window, making sure nobody noticed me. I needed to get away from this house, from my parents. I had to find answers my own way and there was someone who could help with that. First, I went to Zoey's house, I needed her help. After throwing a few pebbles at her bedroom window, Zoey made herself visible.

"Sono? What are you doing here?" she said surprised.

"Please, Zoey. I need your help." I insisted. "I need to find answers. I need to speak to Maria. Will you talk to her? Will you find a way to get her out of the house?"

"You shouldn't be here." she whispered, with a hint of anger in her voice. "It's dangerous!"

A few students were passing by on the other side of the road. When they saw me, they looked scared. They showed rejection and fear. I felt like... Teddo.

"I am in a race against time. If Maria can help, I need her to tell me what happened that night."

"I see now. Your jacket has been all over the news. I'm calling Samu. If he's there too, we'll be more convincing."

"Thank you! You're brilliant! I've got to run! My parents must be looking for me. I need to keep moving. Remember, I wasn't here today."

"I really enjoyed talking to myself by the window." Zoey added, rolling her eyes.

I had to get to Maria's house without being seen. I was good at sneaking around. I got there right before they arrived, I hid behind some bushes and watched Zoey and Samu in action. They were really good at lying. They even convinced me that they wanted to invite Maria to a local pub, to have some fun and to take a load off her soul. I was surprised. I didn't hope Maria to accept their invitation so easily. I guess she wanted my friends to be her friends too. I also didn't expect her parents to agree with this. The three of them crossed the street, heading to an empty park. As soon as they were outside of human gaze, I rushed towards them and crossed their path. As she saw me, Maria suddenly stopped and took a few steps back.

"Sono?! What is Sono doing here?" Maria asked confused. "You've never told me he was joining us!"

Maria was pretty terrified of being in my presence. She didn't want to be around me at all.

"Zoey, Samu, you've been of huge help. I owe you big time!" I said, letting my friends know they can leave now.

"Where are you going? Don't leave me alone with Sono!"

Samu and Zoey scattered in the distance, allowing me the chance to talk to Maria alone. I looked at her shyful, I didn't know where to start. She looked back in my eyes, then she slowly lowered her gaze. I felt she was fighting between the urge to run away from me and the desire to stay by my side. Seconds passed by and she was still here. This meant a lot to me, she knew she has no reason to be scared of an old friend.

"How are you, Sono?" Maria asked, breaking the silence.

"I've had better days." I sighed.

"I know you saw me at the police station. Is this what you want to talk about?"

"You're right. What happened that night, Maria? Why did the police brought you in for questioning?"

"They found out about my connection to Teddo. They needed me to give them all the details about last night. I told them how Teddo stripped your jacket off me and run away with it, trying to set it on fire. I told them I didn't follow him, that I went straight home. But what I told them barely scratched the surface. I lied."

"What really happened, Maria?"

"I don't think you're ready to hear it." Maria hesitated. "I don't think you'll believe me anyway."

"I don't really have a choice here, do I?"

"You were there too, Sono! Don't you remember?"

"I was there? I don't remember anything!" I said confused.

"Why won't you remember?"

"That's why I am here, Maria. Strange stuff had happened to me over the last days. You're the only one that can help me now, the one who can shed some truth. Please, tell me what happened last night. I don't know how much time I have."

"Very well." Maria gulped. "As I was heading home, Teddo caught up with me. He wanted to walk me home, so we can talk, but I turned him down. I picked up the pace but Teddo was relentless. He kept trying to grab my hand and slow me down. Instead, he grabbed the sleeve of your jacket, pulling it off of me. As I struggled to get it back, he said he will burn the jacket if I didn't stop and talk to him. A loud metallic sound startled us. Teddo, pretending to look brave, went to check it out, further down the alley. It felt like he wasn't going to return, but he came running back in a matter of seconds."

"Why? What did he see?"

"Teddo reached for me, but something came from behind, pulling him back in the dark alley. I saw something impossible! I know it was dark, but I truly saw it: the head and claws of a wolf-like creature. Do you think I'm crazy?"

 "I would've, if you'd asked me a few days ago. But I can't deny what you've seen, I've seen stuff too."

"As Teddo was pulled further down the alley, I froze. Loud noises began. I could hear someone being slammed into the walls of a building several times, then a loud thud on the roof of a nearby building. I couldn't stand there frozen anymore, I had to help Teddo. As I ran down the alley, next to a dumpster, covered in blood, lay Teddo. And... there you were too, standing by his feet, watching calmly over him. As you noticed my presence, you ran away, fleeing like the wind, vanishing into the darkness."

"I have no such memories. Nothing you said sounds real to me. I really want to believe you, but that... would make me a killer. Detesting Teddo is one thing, but killing him?"

"I know Ted wasn't exactly the most likeable person, but he didn't deserve to die for that. You may not be the killer, but you were there." Maria said, as she burst into tears.

I wanted to hold her, to soothe her pain, to wipe away her tears. But I needed to keep the distance for now.

"Maria, it'll be dark soon. You've been extremely helpful. I don't want to keep you any longer. Please, go home, be safe."

"Before I go, I have one more thing. You're not the only one I've seen that night. As I was running away, in the distance, on a rooftop, I saw a shadow. A dark silhouette was looking down at me. Its eyes glowed yellow, like two bright stars."

Maria gave me a little hope. That dark silhouette sounded awfully familiar, like the one that saved me a few days ago. Still, even if I wasn't the beast, that didn't change anything. That wouldn't bring people back from the dead. Maria took a step closer and put her hand on my shoulder.

"I hope you will find your answers, Sono." Maria said, as she gave me a short hug. "Goodbye!"

"Thank you, Maria. Goodbye."

As she faded in the distance, she turned her gaze towards me one more time. A ray of sunlight shone on her face, glimmering in her eyes, like they were made of shiny gold. An unsettling feeling washed over me. After hearing everything Maria said, dark thoughts shrouded my mind. If I was what she described, a werewolf or some kind of wolf beast, I knew what had to be done. From behind me, I heard the sound of rustling leaves. As I turned around, not further, behind a tree I saw a shadow.

"Who are you? What do you want from me?"

As I took the first step, the shadow fled, making itself scarce in a flash. There was no doubt, that was the same dark silhouette, the same shadow Maria and I saw. Has this shadow been here all this time, listening to my conversation with Maria? I had to go, time was running out. Night drew closer and closer. I started running until I reached the edge of the town. Alone, by the cliffs, I gazed at the merciless abyss stretching out beneath me. Compelling thoughts ran through my head, I felt a strange impulse to find out what lay at the bottom of the abyss. To jump, not to jump... A familiar voice startled me.

"Sono!"

I turned around quickly.

"Father Saito! What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing."

"This is my place to go when I need to be alone, when I need to think."

"Ha! Mine too! But is this your only reason for being here now?" Father Saito insisted.

Father Saito was very insightful. My body and facial expression gave me away.

"I heard the news, both from TV and your parents. Listen to me! You are not some beast!"

"You literally said earlier today that something is dwelling inside me." I replied, somewhat angry.

"I know what I said. But that doesn't mean you're some kind of monster."

"How did you know I was here?"

"I didn't. Now and then, I come here to ponder. After a day like this, I really needed a break."

"I've just found out that the beast might be a werewolf."

"You don't hear something like that every day." Father Saito said surprised and agitated.

"I thought werewolves were just stories, that they only come out during the full Moon. I guess these aren't stories after all, not even the full Moon part. Father Saito, are you willing to help me, no matter what?"

"Yes...?" he replied intrigued.

"I need to hide tonight. Please, put me in chains, lock me away or something. I need to find out what dwells inside me."

Father Saito looked at me reluctantly, but firmly. He knew I was right, he understood that this was necessary. As we arrived to Father Saito's house, he showed me to his guest room. He brought some chains and ropes, then he tied me to this sturdy metal bed as best he could. It was better this way, safer for me and the others. Father Saito decided to let my parents know about this, so he gave them a call. They were scared that I ran away, they were going to call the police pretty soon. But he didn't tell them the whole truth. He convinced them I was there for the cleansing ritual, a ritual that needed just two of us and it will take all night. Now, all we had to do was wait, the sun was setting by the minute. Finally, the Moon rose high in the sky. Father Saito stood right by my side, checking on me. Hours passed by. Nothing was happening to me. Father Saito kept sipping coffee from his mug, while keeping an eye on me. He was trying to stay awake. As I gazed at him once more, I remember my eyelids closing and... nothing.

*

A strange clanging sound woke me up. I was sitting in the armchair, holding my cup of coffee in my hand. How could I let myself fall asleep and leave Sono unattended? I'm such an idiot! The bed was empty, but the ropes and chains were still intact. How could this be? Sono escaped somehow, but at least he didn't kill me. I had to track him down and warn the locals. This was really happening. I was scared to death to go outside, but I had to, Sono was out there somewhere. I opened the front door slowly, making my way outside while looking around. As I closed the door, I heard a loud thud behind me, like something fell right from the sky. As I turned around, a huge creature stood before me. Over two meters tall, glowing red eyes, thick black fur, long claws and sharp teeth, this werewolf drew closer as he rose to his hind feet.

"Sono! Heed my voice! I know there is something left of you inside. Stop, it's me, Father Saito!"

The werewolf was slowly getting closer. I pulled out a vial of holy water from inside my coat. At the sight of it, with his long saliva-filled incisors, the werewolf lunged at me. Without hesitation, I splashed my holy water over him, as I held out the talisman I always kept close to my heart, stopping the werewolf in his tracks. As the werewolf whimpered in pain, backing off, from behind, someone grabbed him by the waist and threw him meters away. It was... Sono. Sono? Then... who's the werewolf? Sono lunged at the werewolf, their battle wasn't over. As they slammed each other to the ground, throwing fists, their fight moved further and further, towards the cliffs. My front gate burst open and a girl emerged in my yard. Through the darkness, her figure looked familiar.

"Maria, is that you? What are you doing here? It's been years since the last time I saw you."

"Where is Sono? His parents told me he was here. There's something I have to tell him."

"You picked the wrong time."

"Sono is not the beast. I know for sure now, because I've seen it. As I was heading here, I saw a four-legged shadow, a creature, dashing on the roofs, also heading here. Sono was here, with you, all this time, he couldn't be in two places at once."

"I know, I've already came to that conclusion. Come, then. Sono needs our help."

We rushed to the cliffs, hoping that Sono was still alive. As we got there, the battle was still going on. With a swift punch, Sono hit his adversary in its forehead, slamming it into the ground. But the werewolf wasn't so easy to defeat. With no time to react, a hard kick to the head knocked Sono on the ground.

*

I could feel my eyes opening again, like waking up from a deep sleep. My vision was blurry, but it was clearing. I could see the stars, the Moon, then... a big wolf heading towards me. Was I still dreaming? If I were the werewolf, how could I see myself? I touched my forehead, it was wet, it was my blood... warm and red. This was no dream. I could hear Father Saito's voice, trying to guide me.

"Sono, stay back!" he shouted, as he threw a huge vial of holy water that splashed all over the area, soaking the werewolf.

The werewolf began to burn, smoke coming from its fur. Overwhelmed by pain, it made itself scarce.

"I... I'm not the werewolf? Then what am I?"

"You are anything but, Sono. A normal human being wouldn't stand a chance against a werewolf. Your strength is otherworldly."

"Can that explain why I can see in the dark too?"

"What? You have night vision? You must be kidding me."

"Why would I joke in a moment like this?"

"Holy Amaterasu Ōmikami, Sono! Listen to me! Your strength, your night vision, I've never thought I would meet someone like you in my lifetime. It all makes sense now!"

"What makes sense, Father Saito?" I said confused.

"People like you have the ability to sense when evil is manifesting. At first, they act in their sleep, unaware of what's happening. This gift is hard to control. The fact that Maria thought you were the beast was just a misunderstanding. You weren't there to kill people, you were there to save them. You need to learn to control this gift. In your sleep, this power takes over, but you need to learn to control it as you're awake."

"This gift is useless now, Father, I don't know how to turn it on. How do you know all of this?"

"My grandfather used to tell me about his best friend, a man he met in Tokyo. This man could see in the dark, just like you. He spent his whole life fighting those who had evil intentions against humanity. I thought they were just fairy tales, that my grandfather was just trying to make the story more fantastic to get my attention. You're gifted, Sono! You're a Hoshi Nusutto, you're a Star Thief! You had been chosen for a greater purpose. Use the light, use the power of the stars!"

"I am a... Star Thief?!" I said dumbfounded and confused. "Maria?", I exclaimed, as I noticed here in the distance. "What is she doing here?"

But I didn't get an answer. In the distance, the werewolf was hurtling towards me. I couldn't put Maria and Father Saito in danger anymore, so I hastened in the opposite direction, luring the werewolf away from them, further and further. As the werewolf caught up with me, a thick voice called my name:

"Sono!" the werewolf growled, as it stopped behind me.

"You can talk?!" I replied, as I also stopped running. "How do you know my name?"

"We need to talk. This fight is pointless!"

"Who are you? Are you even human?"

"My identity is not important. I am human during the day. At night, the wolf inside me takes over."

"What do you want? From me, from this town? Why did these people do to deserve being killed in cold blood?"

"I can't take the credit for all these murders. My victims were a student, a teacher and my father."

"You killed your own father?"

"My father killed my mother, I had to revenge her. Like me, my father was a werewolf. We come from a long bloodline, since ancient times. My father killed for pleasure, to appease his blood lust. When my mother finally figured out what my father was, she killed her. He did it out of fear, my mother was going to reveal his secret. That was the night I wolfed out for the first time. My father was old, too old. He was no match for me."

"A werewolf with feelings... That's your justification? What about the math teacher? What about Teddo?"

"Some people are not what they seem. That teacher had done unforgivable things and he hadn't shown signs of changing. As for moron Teddo, it was all about my hot temper. When the wolf takes over, I can't control my anger. You almost stopped me from killing him, you chased me and I had to fight you to get away."

"You think you're some kind of vigilante. People don't have to die to get justice!"

"Don't make me angrier!" the werewolf growled. "You know very well what a shitty human being that teacher was! I'll kill anyone I feel they deserve it. Why do you think I am here? I saved you once before, I had to save you again."

"You saved me?"

"That night, you weren't attacked by a mere dog. That was my father. If I hadn't intervened, you wouldn't be here right now."

"Are you expecting my gratitude? What are you saving me from now?" I asked confused.

"This priest had you chained by his bed!"

"Father Saito was doing that to help me!"

"Yes, you're different, you're special. Then, I will save you by having you join me under the pull of the Moon."

"I will never join you!"

"I regret saving you!"

I looked into the werewolf's eyes. I needed to put a stop to this beast's clutch over my town. In my gaze, there was a declaration of a life and death confrontation. As I hurtled towards the werewolf, it lunged at me with its heavy paws. We both fell to the ground, then rolled over. The werewolf started running, as I was holding onto it with all my might. Father Saito and Maria were finally catching up to us, but the werewolf was moving too fast. As we drew closer to the abyss, the werewolf stopped in its path. As I let go, I rolled on the ground and my body stopped near the edge of the cliff. I barely got back on my feet, my whole body was aching.

The werewolf was preparing for one last attack, ready to push me over the cliff. With its huge head, it pounded me in the chest. With my last ounce of strength, I grabbed onto its head with both hands, trying to push it back. But the werewolf was too strong, it kept pushing me closer and closer to the edge. All that kept me from falling was a single step. The werewolf suddenly released its head, then stood up on its hind legs. With its big paws, the werewolf lunged at me, trying to push me over. But... I felt nothing. When I looked down into the abyss, the werewolf was falling. After a short whimper, the werewolf hit the rocks and met its end.

I looked at my arms... They were transparent and shiny, I was made of... light. The werewolf went right through me. Father Saito and Maria arrived. As they gazed at me, I could see their eyes twinkling with wonder at my glowing body. But it didn't last long. In a matter of seconds, the glow went out and my body returned to normal. Father Saito and Maria drew closer. They kept touching my body, checking if I was whole, if I was... me.

"What happened to the werewolf?" Father Saito asked.

"We may never know who it was, but it had to be a student. I guess we'll find out sooner or later, someone won't show at school anymore. The werewolf is dead, down in the abyss."

Maria hugged me. She looked worried, she wanted to know I was okay. She slowly rubbed her warm face against my shoulder, as she gazed into my eyes.

"Maria, your face... it's bleeding!"

 Maria rubbed her right cheek, then looked at her hand.

"This isn't my blood. Sono, your shoulder!"

"What?!" I exclaimed, as I looked at it.

It was true. I touched it, it hurt like hell.

"The werewolf bit me! Damn it! Father Saito, what's going to happen to me now?"

"Holy Sun Goddess!" Father Saito exclaimed dumbfounded. "A man bitten... is a man cursed. A new werewolf is born!"

Maria looked at me in denial and astonishment. I felt the same way. If the werewolf wasn't lying to me, this curse will bring nothing but pain and anger. I couldn't live like this, I didn't want to give in to the anger when the wolf came out. Maria hugged me again. She didn't care what I could become. I didn't want to let her go, I felt again like a child around her. But I had to think of my friends, my family, of this town. I took two steps back and gazed at their worried looks. They saw me as a friend, but I saw myself as a danger. I decided, this town didn't need another werewolf, this has to end with me. Without hesitation, I ran towards the cliff and jumped into the abyss.

"Sono, no!!!" Maria cried.

I could feel my body floating in free-fall, I felt the cold wind fluttering my clothes and hair. I felt free. From above, I could hear the desperate screams of Maria and Father Saito. Their screams grew quieter and quieter as they grew smaller and smaller. Below, I saw the rough rocks getting bigger and bigger, I saw the crushed body of the werewolf gradually returning to its human form.

As I fell, I looked at my hands. They became transparent again, I turned back into light. My body became light as a feather. Right before I'd hit the rocks, my body stopped in mid air. I looked up at the sky, the stars were calling me. Before I rose to the celestial vault, to join the stars, I took one last glance. Up above, I was leaving a friend I had known forever, the most special person in my life, Maria. But down below, among the rocks, I gazed with sadness. I was leaving another good old friend, a friend that saved my life once, the smartest girl I've ever known... Zoey.