Nine Lives Aren’t Enough
Chapter Two: Requiem of Moonlight…
Mike slowly woke up. He sniffed, hoping for the familiar scent of maple syrup to give him a burst of alertness, but then remembered that he had moved out. Mike sighed, but smiled, knowing that he was happy where he was. He got up, and walked downstairs to make himself breakfast, when he saw Josh sitting on his table. Mike gave him a puzzled look, until he remembered that he had invited him.
“Wasn’t Ryker going to come with you?” Mike got himself a bowl of cereal, and sat down, waiting for Josh to answer.
“No, he remembered what today and tomorrow is.” Josh continued to eat his eggs, which Mike just realized he had. He looked back to the sink to see the dirty pan in the sink, not even soaking. He frowned, but turned back, ignoring it.
“And what are they?” Mike didn’t think there were any holidays this week, and he was sure that Josh or Ryker didn’t have any family obligations, for they never do. In fact, Mike couldn’t think of one thing that Ryker would need to do.
“The full moon, and the night before.” Suddenly it dawned on him. Of course, Ryker was a werewolf. But he though the full moon was only some made up Hollywood myth. Is there actually a correlation between the two? Mike looked confused at Josh, obviously asking for an explanation. “Fine, Ryker goes a bit crazy during the full moon and he’s touchy beforehand. I’ve been trying to fix him, but it hasn’t worked yet. Although, if you want, you can try and help me tomorrow night.”
“What would that include?” Mike didn’t even know what he was like during the full moon, and so had no idea how to treat Ryker during it. Mike thought for a bit, and realized it was probably his magic. “Oh, you want me to help with my magic?”
“No, you will be more like bait.” Josh didn’t notice Mike turn pale, and back his chair a few inches. “You’re job will be to keep Ryker busy while I put an amulet around his neck, or to put it there for me if I can’t. You think you can do that?”
“I guess so, I’m pretty fast,” Mike sighed, “But that isn’t until tomorrow night, right?”
“Yeah, that’s right. Until then, it’s best to stay away from him.” Josh finished his eggs, and walks over to the sink and starts doing dishes. Mike sighs, and looks down at the table, thinking. He started spinning the cereal around, watching the shapes made by the pieces shift and change. He then looked up, having decided his mind.
“No, I think it’s best to cheer him up. After all, what does he have to be touchy about?” Mike thought for a second. “Unless, he is grumpy uncontrollably, like when he goes crazy?”
“Yeah, that’s right. It isn’t because he has a reason to be grumpy, he just is.” Josh finishes the dishes, and puts them away. “Although, if you insist, we could try.”
“Yeah, I think it’s best to get him out of his funk, even if he can’t control it. He IS a living breathing thin after all.” Mike finishes his cereal, and washes his bowl. “Well, ready to go?”
“Yeah, let’s head out.” Mike nods, and they walk across the street. Mike slowly opens the door, and they head upstairs.
“Ryker? You awake?” Mike listens for Ryker’s answer, but it doesn’t come. “R-ryker? Are you okay?” Still no answer. Mike slowly pushes the door open, to find Ryker on his bed, facing the wall, his back to the door. “Ryker, we want to cheer you up, can you get up please?”
“Leave me alone,” Ryker’s voice seems to have changed to a growl, as it came harsh and gruff, almost angry. “Josh, you know I can’t do that, take Mike away before he ticks me off.”
“I tried telling him, he didn’t listen.” Josh gives Mike a look that clearly says they should do what Ryker says, and Mike returns his look with one that clearly says he has no intention of doing that. “And I have a feeling telling him now wouldn’t work.”
“I just want to help you have a good time, even if tomorrow night is the full moon night.” Mike smiles, even though he knows Ryker can’t see it, just in case he turns over and looks at them. Ryker never did. “So, get up, so we can have fun?”
“Tomorrow night isn’t the full moon night… its tonight…” Ryker’s voice seems to be getting harsher as the conversation goes on, and Josh starts to back away, tugging on Mike to get him to come with him. Mike breaks free, and walks over to Ryker. He places his hand on Ryker’s arm, and gently tugs.
“So? Let’s just go and have fun. You’ll like it, I pro…” Mike is cut off by Ryker growling, and backhanding him. Mike just stands there, stunned for a few seconds. Ryker immediately turns back to the wall.
“I-I’m sorry, I tried to warn you to leave me alone. Josh can tell you how bad I can get.” Ryker sighs, and then goes still, as if sleeping. Mike reaches out again, but decides at the last minute that he doesn’t want to get it again.
“Okay, then I’ll just sit outside of your door until you come out to have fun.” Mike grabs the chair from Ryker’s desk, and drags it outside the door. He sits down in it backwards, so he can look into Ryker’s room. “Well?”
Ryker doesn’t answer, but Josh looks at him with a somewhat concerned, somewhat frustrated look on his face. Mike just sits and stares at the room, and Josh seems to give up and go downstairs.
Mike soon falls asleep, and doesn’t wake up for hours. He yawns, and notices it getting dark. The door to Ryker’s room is closed, and Josh is downstairs muttering over a necklace. Mike sighs, and walks downstairs to talk to him. Josh just ignores him for a bit, and Mike lets him. He watches as Josh slowly circles the rim with his finger, chanting a spell in a strange language. Finally, Josh stops chanting, and seems to finally notice Mike.
“Have a nice nap?” Josh snickers slightly, and then finishes a plate of food he had sitting out.
“Yes, actually. So, are we going to try and fix Ryker tonight?” Mike gets himself some food to eat, and finds the only thing he really wants to eat is ramen. He starts making it.
“Yup. You remember what you have to do, right?” Josh starts washing the dishes from his meal.
“Distract Ryker so you can put the amulet on him, or do it for you if you fail to.” Mike finishes making the ramen, and starts eating it. He notices that it tastes funny, and then realizes he has morning mouth. He swallows, grimaces, and then gets a glass of water.
“Good. Now remember, if you fail to do it after I do, we have to get the hell out of there.” Mike frowns at this, not from the language, but from what he said. He starts thinking, which makes Josh look at him, as if waiting impatiently for an answer, and then finally finishes his ramen, puts the bowl in the sink, and looks right at Josh.
“Let me guess, we can only do it while he is in werewolf form.” Josh looks at him for a second, and then looks away, as if reconsidering bringing Mike along. He looks at him again, with a half apologetic, half afraid look.
“Not only that, he has to be angry. We have to tick him off, cause him to go werewolf, and then put the amulet on him. And then, pray to god it works.” Josh looks away again, as if trying to avoid eye contact. Mike looks down at the table again, wondering if he really wants to do this. His mind flashes to the night before.
~ “Any friend of Josh’s is a friend of mine.” “Be careful what you say, you might regret it.” ~ Mike sits there for a moment, than looks at Josh. “You really want this, don’t you?”
Josh looks at him again, this time with a little bit of a surprised look. “I have to tell you something. You know my ear? This giant bite mark? It was from Ryker. He lost control in werewolf form, and, well this happened. Ryker has kicked himself ever since it happened, and I hate it. Yes, yes I want this.”
Mike looks at the bite mark, and makes up his mind. “Then let’s go. We don’t want to miss the full moon.” Josh stares at him for a second, and finally nods. He grabs the amulet, and the two of them walk upstairs. Josh slowly opens the door, and a weird, wolf like monster is standing in the middle of the room. It turns to them, and Mike can see Ryker’s familiar face.
“Sorry about this Ryker.” Josh pulls out a package of ramen, and throws it at him, causing it to shatter all over his face. Ryker growls loudly, and charges at them. Mike slides under his legs, and tugs on his tail, bringing Ryker’s attention to him. Ryker, snarling, turns to him, and Josh jumps, trying to slip the amulet onto the struggling Ryker. Ryker grabs Josh by the collar of his shirt, and slams him into the wall.
Mike watches as the amulet goes flying through the air. He slides again, catching it, and whistles, causing Ryker to turn back to him. Ryker barks harshly twice, and then charges. Just before Ryker gets him, Mike jumps, sailing over him, and slipping the amulet on him. Ryker turns around, and grabs Mike, then tosses him into the wall across from the wall Josh is using to stand back up. Ryker walks over to Mike, and lifts his wicked claws.
Mike didn’t know how it happened. One second, Mike was staring at the wicked claws about to rip into him, and the next, he was looking in from outside the room, Josh taking his place. Before he could fully realize what is going on, Josh flashes him a weak smile, and the door slams shut, the only other sound a wet sounding rip, as if claws were tearing flesh from bone.
“JOSH! JOSH!” Mike furiously pounds on the door, trying to get it to open, but it seems to be sealed magically shut. More ripping and tearing sounds can be heard, and Mike tries using his own claws to tear into the door, to find them always stopping just before he hits the door. “JOSH! NO! OPEN THIS DOOR!”
Again and again Mike slams against the door, until every muscle in his body aches, and his hands bleed. He falls down to the ground in shock, and stays there, on his hands and knees, for what seems like an eternity. The sounds stop, but are soon replaces by a soft shuffling, as if Ryker was searching the room for more prey. A large sniff is heard on the other side of the door, followed by a low growl, then furious scraping, as if he was trying to claw his way out of the room.
Mike falls back, and quickly runs out of the house. He runs across the street, goes into his own house, locks the door, and then sits at the table. As his adrenaline falls, the aches, pains, and bruises cause him to lay his head on the table, tears streaming from his eyes. He didn’t know how long he laid there, but soon, he found himself waking up, the sun peeking over the horizon. He sat up, and starting crying again. He never thought that the day after he moved in, the reason he moved would die.
It hit him. Josh was dead. Ryker, the noises, it all points to it. His tears increase in flow and volume, and soon the table develops a puddle. Mike gets up, but doesn’t walk anywhere. For ages, he just stands there, not moving, hardly even breathing. For what seems like hours, he just lets the harsh reality sink in. He has long since stopped crying, the tears just seeming to refuse to flow.
It seemed like another eternity before someone finally places a hand on his shoulder. He just stands there, not even wanting to see who it was. The person tightens their grip, but still he doesn’t look.
“This any way to treat your best friend?” No, it couldn’t be. No, it’s just impossible. He slowly turns, not wanting to believe it. No, it just couldn’t be. But there he was, smiling as if nothing had happened. Mike couldn’t believe it. How? How could this be true? Questions spread through his mind like wildfire, and soon, he just ignores them and tightly hugs Josh.
