I was never normal. I never will be. But what happened to me that night would change me forever. There was so much going on in my life. My parents were getting a divorce, I’d be going to college soon, and my dream girl broke up with me to be with the captain of the lacrosse team. Oh, and did I mention I’m a wolf.

I’m guessing you’re all very confused and have so many questions for me. Don’t worry because I got you covered. I guess I’ll start from the beginning when all of this started and how it started. My name is Eli, I’m seventeen and I’m from Franklin Lakes, New Jersey. Let me tell you something about me: I’m a loser, a straight up loser. I’ve always been a loser. Yep, I know, LAME. Yeah, I was that dude that always got picked last or the one that had to eat lunch in the bathroom because no one wanted to sit with me. However, all of that was about to change. This was my year. Senior year. Last year. I was trying out for lacrosse with my best friend, Mikey. We were going to dominate the school. Together. Only one problem with that; I didn’t know that slightest bit about lacrosse. Mikey and I practiced everyday while I just got worse. I was still going to try out nothing was going to stop Eli Phillips. Well, except maybe one thing…

August 1st: The day I got bit

The day started off normal. I woke up, got ready, and heading over to Mikey’s. We practiced for a bit and when it got dark I decided to head on home. Worst mistake of my life. That night made me someone different. Not something different- I wasn’t a seventeen year old boy anymore. Actually, I wasn’t human at all.
I decided to take the shortcut that night. So I walked straight through the Lake Estate Woods. It was never safe to go through there, even during the day. All sorts of crazy stuff happened in there and no one knew why. Now I know. Upon entering the woods, I felt like something was following me, so I walked a little faster. Clearly, that didn’t help. The next thing I knew I was running as fast as I could, trying to get out of there as soon as possible. Then all of a sudden something grabbed me by the leg and yanked me back.
I woke up the next morning with no clothes, a bunch of scratches, and what seemed to be a bite mark from some sort of animal lurking in the woods last night. I got up and felt no pain. Odd. My parents obviously weren’t home. They never were. I tried covering the wound, feeling no pain as I pressed on it. I took the bandage off and the bite mark was gone. What could have happened to it? Something was different, very different. Not only was I healing like some sort of immortal being, my body also felt different. I felt like a new person. As some would say, a new me. I felt the need to tell someone, but who? I couldn’t tell my parents. I couldn’t tell Mikey, he would freak out and have no idea what to do. One thing to do, and one thing only. Act like nothing happened last night. That’s what I always did anyway.
I put my clothes on, and instead of walking, I felt the need to run. I was shocked at how fast I was running. Something for sure had changed about me. Even though it was right in front of me I still couldn’t put my finger on it. I knocked on Mikey’s door, and even he knew something was off about me. I can tell by the look that was in his eyes. I felt this strange feeling inside of me. I felt stronger, and angrier. I knew what I felt. I felt the need to punch Mikey in the face.
“Dude, what the hell is wrong with you?” Mikey yelled as he shoved me into the door.
“I…I… I didn’t mean to.” I stuttered.
He shut the door and I was left dumbfounded wondering what I had done wrong.

August 5th: Day of tryouts

It’s been a couple days since I’ve talked to Mikey. He got all mad at me for punching him in the face, but that wasn’t my fault at all. It just happened. If he can’t accept the fact that I’m changing, then I don’t know what to tell him. He’s my best friend. Has been since first grade once he decided to be my partner when no one else would be. We were like peanut butter and jelly. He was the pencil to my paper. I don’t know what went wrong or why he was distancing himself from me. I had a weird feeling about him. What if he knew? I put my feelings off and got my gear for tryouts. I wasn’t nervous one bit. I had a good feeling about today.
I ran all the way to the high school sports field just so I could get a quick warm up and I was ready to start blocking any ball or person that came my way. There he was. There Mikey was, smirking the way he always did when he knew all the girls were watching him. There was a rage growing in me. Anything- feelings or a friendship I had towards him were suddenly gone. There was no way he was going to be on the team. I was going to make sure of it.
I got ready and stood in the goal. There he was. Up first, Connor McNally. The guy who made all of high school miserable for me.
“Hey, dweebus, ready for a fast ball?” His annoying voice screeched.
“Oh, you don’t even know.” I whispered.
He threw his stick in the air, caught it, pulled it back and twisted it, and swung right at me. I caught it. I had caught it with my stick. I was feeling good. The next four kids went, and after them was, guess who: Mikey. He looked at me with his fierce bright blue eyes. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me,. He twisted his stick, then pulled it back. He shot and he scored. I could I let that happen? It was his fault, he distracted me. I was pissed. I ran towards him, and we both fell to the ground, wrestling like a bunch of pigs.
“Yo! Eli! Get off my boy Mikey!” Someone said from the huge circle of sweaty lacrosse players surrounding us.
What happened next was unimaginable. You couldn’t see it through my helmet, and my gloves, but I was changing into something. Something that wasn’t human. I quickly got off of Mikey, and ran straight to the bathroom.
“Where you going, buddy? Scared you’re gonna lose?” I heard all the faint voices behind me as I was trying to get away as quickly as possible.