As yet another bookstore travels down the highway of not…two things immediately come to mind, ‘yay!’ and ‘not again…’ I begin to ponder on the thought - “Cheap books and other goodies to help ease the pain of my boredom”, but then the feeling of sadness slowly creeps in. There is some sort of connection made when you physically flip through the pages of a book, novella, or comic that makes the whole experience that much more exhilarating. Giving your favorite stories dog ears as you await the next day just so you can open the pages to the same adventure from the day before is something you cannot get from any electronic device. Running your fingers down the page as you keep your place or using your favorite old or new bookmark creased neatly between the pages you wish you didn’t have to abandon. That’s a great feeling. Not being able to resist one more peek at the story’s next events, leading you right back to the alternate reality the story and your mind have created.
It’s always a terrible feeling when a bookstore has to go out of business, but there was a gleam of light shining that day as I leafed through the leftover delicacies they still had to offer. One of the stories I found called Werewolves by Paul Jessup caught my eye. I naturally cling to any media that involves mysterious or mythical creatures, except Twilight, sorry…I know that must bum someone out…somewhere? But- I thought I would give this short tale a try. After reading the back cover, interest swallowed my fear of just another typical read.
This tale is a narrative account of the transformation a sister and brother go through as their normal teenage lives turn from focus on their high school angsty situations now to their voracious appetites and large destructive paws. The entire encounter is through the eyes of the sister, Alice, who is not aware of the changes that are already overpowering her full anatomy. The story leads one to believe that this is in fact a genuine anecdote by explaining the events that led up to the finding of this journal. Throughout the retelling, you see the physical and mental changes the characters experience as their normal lives fade away. The circumstances that arise can originate feelings of curiosity, sympathy, or even sadness throughout the happenings of this great tale.This story may be short but well worth the read, giving the reader more of a realistic depiction of what could happen if werewolves did exist…or do they?
