"That's what it says," Katie replied, "Why all the secrecy and mystery behind her just leaving under normal circumstances?"
"Because otherwise we couldn't have gotten a challenge out of it," the show's host said, "Now, let's talk about the final set of challenges..."
Krista was flown home the next morning. She'd managed to sneak away before being escorted to the airport and had slipped her phone number and address under Celene's door. The flight home was uneventful and she slept most of the way, having been exhausted from her previous night in the forest. Krista so looked forward to being with Lisa as well as to seeing the other members of her pack. She wondered what they'd been up to in her absence.
After landing to change planes in New York, Krista called home to let her friends - no, her family now - that she was on her way. "We'll pick you up," Lisa told her, then added "I've missed you." On the last leg of her flight she wondered how things were going back on the television show and what Celene was up to. She has a good head on her shoulders, Krista thought, She'll respect the gift and treat it with honor.
On the ride home from the airport Krista filled in the pack on how things went on the show. "They figured out what I am," she said, "So I wasn't able to stop the show. When the show debuts everyone will know we exist."
"We'll jump off that bridge when we come to it," Emily said, "We have a month or two before it comes on I bet."
"We have a friend on the show now," Krista continued, "One of the competitors, a martial arts instruction, she saw me transform last night. I told her that in return for keeping our secret, I'd pass the gift on to her."
"Is that wise?" Lisa asked. "I mean, we try to keep an exclusive club, accidents and the unexpected aside."
"I think we can trust her. She's supposed to call after the show's over."
Home never looked so inviting to Krista. Emily and Michelle cleared out for the evening leaving Krista and Lisa the run of the house. They didn't need much of the house, however - just the bedroom. "Let's never be apart again," Krista said as they engaged in a night of passionate lovemaking.
It didn't take Celene too terribly long to call Krista. Only two weeks, in fact. "The show's all over," she told Krista over the phone.
"Who won?"
"Emma. You know, the biology student."
"What wereform did she get? Wolf, bat, cat?"
"None of the above. The whole thing ended suddenly, actually. Emma won the last challenge, so she was all set to have the others pass on the gift at a special ceremony the next night. Instead we woke up the next day and everyone - the host, the other girls, the production crew - they were just gone."
"Gone? You mean they just left?"
"I don't know what happened, but there was no sign of any of them. At first we thought it was another challenge, but after three days of not hearing from anyone we gave up and went our seperate ways."
"So they don't have an end to their show then, at least."
"Actually they don't have a show either," Celene said, "They left the tapes behind."
"They did? Did you-"
"Don't worry, I burned them. I thought it was for the best."
Krista breathed a sigh of relief. "Phew, what a relief. As long as there's no copies."
"I burned the master copies. I don't know what happened, but it's all over now. We all had to pay our own ways home even. That's why I'm calling now, too. I figured as long as I was traveling I'd come visit you for a few days. Is that OK?"
"Sure, that's fine. My pack can't wait to meet you."
"How do they feel about you gifting me with lycanthropy?"
"Oh, they're fine with it," Krista said, not revealing how the others had reservations about the whole thing. She knew that when they met Celene they'd be won over by her.
"Listen, one more thing. I have Emma with me."
"You do?"
Celene said...
Thu Oct 16 21:28:13 2003