MELINA
It was late. Too late for there to be a knock on my door. And yet, a knock is what woke me from my strange dreams. Rubbing my eyes, I slipped out of bed and opened the door.
"Josue?" I must have looked very confused.
"I'm sorry to wake you, but it is important. Come with me."
"Um...okay...." Good thing I'd fallen asleep in my clothes....
Josue started down the hall, moving quickly and quietly. I followed as fast as my sleepy brain would allow. He opened the double doors that led to the hall where the mental patients were and I froze.
"Josue...."
"Do you trust me, Melina?"
"Yes, but..."
"Then come with me." He held out a hand, and I took it, still hesitant. Why was he bringing me here? He kept walking until he came to a door.
"This is it. You must be silent."
I nodded, almost afraid to ask what I would find inside.
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KEEFER
As the door opened, my head came up. It was the dark-haired dude. Slowly I got to my feet. There was another scent...a familiar one....Mel? It was! She looked scared. Terrified. She looked at the guy.
"Come in, Melina. He won't hurt you."
"Who..." She looked around until her eyes found me and she froze. "What...why do they have animals here, Josue?"
"He isn't an animal. Melina, this is Keefer."
She looked confused. "But he's a wolf...."
What's wrong, Mel? You've seen my wolf form before.... Then it hit me. She didn't know me. Didn't remember. What had Anders done?! I couldn't stop the growl that came out. Melina took a step back, then stopped.
"You're hurt....you're scared, aren't you, buddy?" She came toward me slowly and kneeled beside me. "Would did they do to you..."
I wagged my tail a little. Why can't you remember me....
"Keefer...I like that name....it sounds.....safe. And...familiar...." Something in her voice made me look at her. Was she remembering?
Come on, Mel, you can do it....
Suddenly the door was thrown open. "WHAT IS THIS?!" Anders stood in the doorway, eyes blazing. "Get her the h*** out of here, Josue! NOW!"
Josue took Melina's hand and dragged her out, looking almost as scared as she did. I tried to move toward the open door, only to have my front legs kicked out from under me. I felt a crack and went down hard.
"You never cease to cause trouble, boy. And you always ruin my plans. Always!" He kicked my side hard enough to throw me a little ways. "I was going to protect you. Not let you suffer as much as the others. That's why I let you stay in this form." He grabbed me by the neck and jammed a needle into my skin. "But no more, Keefer. You're theirs now."
When the syringe was empty, he dropped me in a heap and left me there. Fire shot through my veins again, only worse then the first time. And I screamed.
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MELINA
Josue was moving fast, but not toward my room.
"Josue..."
He shot me a look to silence me and kept walking, taking me through doors I didn't remember seeing before. Suddenly we were outside, but not where Josue usually took me.
"Melina, you must listen to me. Everything your uncle has told you is a lie, and I have lied to you as well, but this time, I tell you the truth. Your uncle is a monster. He has locked your memories away so you cannot get to them, but you must. Try to remember, Melina. And do not let them catch you. You must run. Trust your wolf."
"My wolf? I don't understand...."
"Keefer has two forms. The one you saw, and his human form. So do you."
I felt confused. What he was saying made no sense.....or didn't it? I was remembering things....flashes....a wolf. Two wolves. One was the one I had seen. The other.....I felt strange. Felt like something was changing....was I on all fours? A tail? Ears? What....
"Run, Melina. Run and do not stop until you are far away from here."
"Melina! D*** you, Josue, you'll pay for this!"
"RUN! He cannot catch you!"
And I ran.
