Chapter 1

Hi, my name is Paul and I am no ordinary seventeen year old guy. I am a shape shifter, I shape shift into a cheetah. I love being the fastest land animal. My family is the rarest because we are the big cats and we are being hunted as well as the real big cats of our world. When the animal is extinct no one can be born to turn into the animal.
Everyone thinks that I am emo because I have black hair and dress in dark cloths. I was born with black hair and I just happen to like to wear dark clothes. I have no friends because I don’t want anyone to get hurt. I would be reviled to all the humans and I would have to move. I am immortal and I can choose the age I look just by thinking of it. It has come to be useful and is a rare power that only my family can use; the big cats.
Well I kind of lied about having no friends. I have one and his name is Tyler, he is more of a basketball player type of guy. He has been my friend for a long time and we hang out a lot. He is a shape shifter, too. Tyler can shape shift into a domestic black cat. I know that that does not sound scary but he is very skilled in what he does. Domestic cats can be overlooked and not seen so he is very good at that. He is also good at getting into a house not looking suspicious. He has the power that all big cats have, small cats like that evolved from larger cats, like me.
I also have an enemy. His name is Aaron, he is a shape shifter. He can shape shift into a large brown bear. In his human form he has a football player build, which he does play. He is the quarterback and, of course, all the girls love him. I hate how they obsess over him. He has no muscles, it is all fat. He is the rudest thing on this earth and I am not kidding. He bullies me and it has gotten worse since we entered high school.
“Hay dude are you ready to go?” Tyler asks.
“Ya man. I just wish this year would end. I know that we have, like, five months left of this hellhole till the beginning of June. I hope no one even dares to ask me to prom,” I answer as I get out of bed. Tyler stayed the night at my place for the last night of Christmas break and we played video games all night. I was not thinking when I invited him over to stay on a Sunday night.
I go in to the bathroom and brush my hair a little. I look like shit. I open the bathroom door, head back to my room, and get dressed. Tyler leaves the room and he heads downstairs for breakfast. I put on jeans and a t-shirt. I also put on a hoodie and my black Converse high tops. I head downstairs for food and my stuff for school.
“Hay bed head, what do you want?” my mother asks.
“I brushed my hair. And, I would just like some cereal,” I reply.
“Sure, I will get that for you,” my mother replies. I sit down and she gets my breakfast for me. Tyler is already eating and I realize how hungry I am. My mother arrives with my food and I pour my cereal and add the milk. I grab my spoon and dig in.
“Are you ready yet?” Tyler asks a minute later.
“Ya and make sure that you grab your backpack,” I reply as I put the empty bowl in the sink. I grab my bag and wait for Tyler. He comes out of my room and throws his bag at me, I catch it. Tyler shape shifts into a cat and jumps down with a little thud. I say, “Show off.” He smiles at me and sticks out his tongue. I stick my tongue out too and he grabs it. He puts his face to me and lightly bites my tongue.
“I got you!” Tyler exclaims when he let go of my tongue. “You should look at your face,” he says laughing. Did I forget to mention the Tyler is gay? He is single right now and he is fine with that. He likes me as a friend and nothing more.
I say as I hit him, “What the heck man. Anyone would have that reaction. That was so not necessary.”
“Then why are you blushing?” Tyler asks.
“Let’s go or we will miss the bus and have to walk,” I say.
“Okay and I call the same seat as you,” he says.
“Fine just don’t almost kiss me, like you just did, at school,” I say. He nods his head and we head out. I am glad that my stop is my driveway. The bus arrives and I get on first.
“Hey, Polly, come sit with me,” Aaron says to me with a laugh. I sit down behind the driver and Tyler sits next to me. We would normally sit next to me because he lives only across the street from me. The bus ride takes ten minutes, including stops, and we are at school.

Chapter 2

All day I just want to just sleep and leave. Now I am on the bus home and can’t wait to get my homework done. The bus driver stops at my house so Tyler and I get off. I head for the door and get my key out. I put it in and turn it to open the door, shut, and lock it. My house is very quiet so I go over to the fridge. My mom left a note on it saying,
Dear Paul,
I am going on a business trip for a few days and I wanted you to know. I was told on such a short notice. Your father is also coming. There is five hundred dollars for emergency purposes only. Please don’t do anything reckless while we are gone. I hope that you are well and see you soon.
Love,
Mom
(P.S. Tyler’s mom can help you if you need anything just let her know.)
I just look at the note. I go and sit at the counter to do my homework. I finish quickly so that I can rest. I open my door and there is some hot nude girl on my bed with this cool rock necklace on. I ask, “Who the hell are you?”
“I am Dawn and I am your cousin, so to speak,” she replies.
“What are you talking about?” I ask.
Dawn replies, “I am the one of the two Chosen Ones that is talked about in history. The Chosen Ones are supposed to have a child that will destroy all the evil shape shifters, with help from its parents. You are the other Chosen One Paul.” She gets up and I notice another necklace in her hand. “Just put this on and you will understand,” she says. She holds it up and I grab it. I place it over my head and it feels like a title wave of knowledge hits me. I see all these images of a lot of different animals and words, it stops. I am staring at Dawn and I understand. I really look at her and I notice that she has black hair like me but hers is longer, much longer.
“I have one question for you. Where are your clothes?” I ask.
“I don’t own any. I just flew over a thousand miles to get here and I did not think that clothes would be necessary for this,” she answers.
“Well then I guess that I will have to get some for you. What size are you?”
“I do not know.”
“Whatever, I guess that you can wear some of my old cloths.”
“Sure but why?”
“When you are seventeen you go to school and you are seventeen, right?”
“Yes I am.”
“Please just stay here, I will be right back.” I go to the laundry room to get to the attic. I pull down the steps and head up. I reach the top and I look for the pole with the light switch on it. I find it and switch it on. I look around and I find a tub that says Paul’s Old Clothes. I pull it out and I walk to the ladder. I turn off the light and I slowly make my way down the steps. I am down so I close the latter and head for my room.
I enter and I see a panther cub sleeping on my bed. I go in and place the tub down quietly on the floor. I go over to the cub and I shake it a little to wake it. The cub shifts into Dawn. She yawns and stretches.
She looks over at the tub and says, “Oh, you got that quicker than I thought you would.”
“Look through it and see if anything will fit,” I say as the door bell rings. “I’ll be right back.” I head down and open the door and I see Tyler standing there.
“Hay can I come in?” he asks. Before I can answer he shifts and runs in. I see him starting to go upstairs. I quickly shut and lock the door. I start to go upstairs but I am too late. “Who is she?” he asks. Dawn is already dressed in an old pair of jeans, a black shirt, and an old hoodie.
I reply, “This is Dawn, my cousin.”
“Pleasure to meet you, my name is Tyler,” Tyler says.
“I am glad I did shape shifter Tyler,” she replies with a smile. I notice that I can see a black cat next to him but I feel like it is some new thing that I can now do to tell humans from shape shifters.
“How do you know that?”
“I just do.”
“So, what are you?”
“I am not sure what to call myself but the first animal I shifted into was a cheetah.”
“Paul is a cheetah too.”
“Ya, I already know that and he is like me.”
“How is he like you?”
“He can tell what you are just by looking at you and can shift into many things, like me. We look at each other and can only see a golden rim around the other, not an animal.” I look and what she said is true.
“So you can see that I am gay right?”
“No I can’t.”
“Oh, well then I guess that that is not much of a secret anymore.”
“I just want you to know that Paul and I are not even related or never have been.”
“That makes since, you look too cute to be related to him.”
“Hay!” I exclaim.
“Sorry man but its true,” he replies.
“I am tired and I would like to sleep now,” Dawn says. She shifts into a bear cub, curls into a ball on the floor, and she starts to sleep.
“Dude, we should get Dawn enrolled so that she can go to school tomorrow,” I whisper to Tyler.
“Ya and lets hurry,” he replies.
“No man could you do this for me because the teachers would know that it was me and they would not guess that it was you.”
“Okay, you owe me one though.”
“I got it.” I watch him leave. I turn and look at Dawn. I walk over to her and kiss her furry head. I think that she and I will get along well.

Chapter 3

I wake and look down at the end of my bed because I feel a slight dent in the mattress. I see Dawn there and I smile. I look over at the clock and see that I have to get a shower now or go to school dirty. I quietly get up and head for the restroom. I take a shower and when I finish I dry my hair off.
I head for my room to dress for the day. I let go of my towel and I look around for my jacket.
“Morning Paul,” Dawn says behind me. I turn and remember that I am nude. She gets up and hugs me. I feel so uncomfortable. “Can you give me a bath?”
“Why?” I ask.
“Why not give me a bath? Please.”
“Only if you shift then I will give you a bath.”
“Okay.” She starts to leave and I quickly grab a robe. I follow her and when I get to the bathroom she has already shifted, a Rottweiler puppy. I turn on the hot water and put in the stopper. She hops in and I sit on the side. I grab the shampoo and squeeze some on my hand. I reach over to get Dawn and I put the shampoo on her. I rub it in and she just stands there. I get a cup and fill it with water. I pour the water out on her. Dawn shifts back and she grabs the ties on my robe and undoes them. She pulls me up and takes off the robe. “If you want me to stop then just say it.” She kisses me and I kiss back. We make out for five minutes when I remember we have to go to school.
“Wait, we have to go to school in about one hour,” I say as she lets us breathe.
“Okay then let’s go,” she replies. We head back to my room and get dressed. She puts on the same cloths she put on yesterday. I put on dark jeans and a black top under my favorite jacket. I realize that she has no shoes.
“What size shoe are you?” I ask.
“I am not sure but we can find out,” Dawn replies. I go into my closet and take out all my old shoes. She goes over and looks at all of them I guess looking for a size that will fit her. I look in my closet again for socks that she can wear. “I am a size six in men’s.” I look over and she has a pair of Converse in her hands. I turn back around and I find a pair of socks that I think will fit her. I toss them to her and she catches them.
“I’ll be downstairs if you need me,” I say.
“I’ll be down soon,” Dawn says. I head down and I set everything up so that we can have breakfast. I get out two bowls, two spoons, milk, and cereal. I hear something upstairs and see Dawn has finished changing. She walks down the stairs and sits at the counter. I sit next to her and pour her some cereal and add some milk. I do the same to myself and I begin eating.
I finish eating so I put my dishes in the sink to clean later. I go back to my room and get my backpack. I also get one for Dawn to use. I get them and head back down. I place all the school supplies Dawn will need in her bag and bring the backpacks to the front door. I go back to Dawn. “Hay, are you ready for your first day of twelfth grade?” I ask.
“I guess so,” she replies.
“It will be fine.”
“I don’t know. I feel sick.”
“You are just nervous.” I walk over to her and hug her.
“Thanks, I feel better now. Wait, do we have the same classes together or am I going to be lost all day?”
“I am not sure but I hope we at least have lunch together.” I check the time and notice that we should be heading out for the bus. “It’s time to head out for the bus.” We head for the door and grab our bags. I open the door and Tyler is already out there. “Hay, Tyler!” I shout.
“Hay Paul and Dawn nice to see you,” Tyler says.
“Hi,” Dawn says. We walk out to the stop and wait. The bus comes in two minutes and all of us head on.
“Who are you?” Aaron asks Dawn as she sits down in the seat next to me but on the other side of the isle.
“My name is Dawn and I am Paul’s cousin,” she replies without hesitation.
“Well, are you dating anybody?”
“No I am not dating anybody right now.”
“Do you want to?”
“No not really.”
“You will soon. And why would you want to hang out with your loser cousin and his stupid friend?”
“You are not one to judge.”
“Meet me after school and we can get to know each other more.”
“Not in a million years am I am going to do that.”
“We’ll see about that.” We get to school and we all walk off. Dawn and I head to the principal’s office to get her class schedule. We get her schedule and she has all the same classes as me and Tyler. Ya, Tyler and I have the same classes.
“And your locker is number five two zero and here is your lock,” the principal says. We leave and head to her locker. She is on the other side of the lockers from mine. Dawn places all her stuff in her locker when the person who has the locker next to her came over, Aaron. I forgot he had a locker on the other side of mine.
“I see you have the locker next to me,” he says. Dawn only rolls her eyes and continues to fill her locker. Aaron grabs the back of my shirt and lifts me off the ground.
“I’ll see you after school if you let him down nicely,” Dawn says. Aaron slowly puts me down.
“We can walk to my place after school,” Aaron says with a smile that scares me, his parents are probably not going to be home tonight. Tonight I will try out my new powers.

Chapter 4

The whole ride home I just want to jump out of the bus and run to Dawn. The bus reaches my stop and I storm off to get inside. I get out the key and open the door. I wait one minute for the bus to be very far when I shift. I head out to my backyard and I try to shift into a bird. I close my eyes and think I want to be a crow. I feel strange so I open my eyes and notice I am a crow. I can’t think about cool this is, I have to save Dawn. I flap my wings and head toward Aaron’s house. I get there and Aaron and Dawn arrive at his house. I caw and Dawn looks up. I go down to one of the trees where another crow is and I scare it and it flies away. I shift into a squirrel and climb down the tree. I go to the bushes; I shift into a bug, and fly onto Dawn’s jacket.
“And here we are,” Aaron says as he opens the door. Dawn walks in and Aaron locks the front door. He turns and takes Dawn’s backpack. I fly over to the wall and shift into a spider. Aaron picks Dawn up and covers her mouth. I crawl on the wall so I am beside them. He goes into his room and before he shuts the door I get in the room. He drops her down on his bed and he pins her down. He begins to kiss her and he takes off his jacket and shirt. He takes off her jacket and tries to take off her shirt when I shift back to myself. He hears me and turns around. “Who’s there?”
“Your worst enemy,” I reply.
“Paul, what the hell are you doing here?”
“I’m here to save my cousin.”
“Good luck with that.” Right at that moment he shifts into a bear. I shake my head to Dawn and I shift into a bear too. He goes for me first but I counter it by going under him. I go up and I get a good cut on his face. He cries out in pain and shifts back, I do too. “Are you trying to kill me? This cut could kill me.” Dawn walks over to him and places her hands over his wound. It glows and I close my eyes. I open them because the light is gone and Aaron is healed completely, not even a scar. “What did you do to me?”
“I healed you because I can and you can’t. I did not want anyone dead so I had to help you even though you are my enemy in a way,” Dawn replies. I guess that I can do that too. Dawn faints in Aaron’s lap.
“I’ll be going now,” I say as I pick her up. I head out of the door and run home. I still have my key so I open the front door. I put her on the couch to lock the door as cat Tyler comes in. “Dude, could you lock that for me?” He shifts back and locks the door.
“What happened here?” he asks. I tell him and he seems to believe me. I take Dawn and carry her to my bed and place her in it. I go back down and Tyler and I get our homework done because we do that all the time. We finish in half an hour and Tyler goes home. I notice that there is a message on the home phone so I listen. My mom’s voice is all I hear in the message, “Paul, are you there. Your father and I are in big trouble. There are these shape shifters who say that you are part of some prophecy and they do not want you to fulfill it. Please do be extra careful when you are out. Don’t be afraid to shift if you get into that kind of trouble. We love you and hope you are okay. Hopefully we will see you soon. Love mom and dad. That was it, my parents are gone and I can’t do anything about it. I just want to be normal for once in my life. A bird lands on my shoulder and it is Dawn.
“I am so sorry,” she says as she shifts into her human form and she hugs me. I begin to cry and I hug back. “It will be okay now. We can make the prophecy true if you would like.”
“No, now is not the time for that. I would like to learn everything that you know about your powers,” I say.
“Can we sleep in your parent’s room tonight?”
“Sure, I guess that we could do that but why?”
“I want to sleep with you and that is kind of hard when you are on a twin sized mattress.”
“That makes since, alright then the two of us will sleep in my parent’s room tonight.”
“Good, I just want to have someone I actually care about with me when I sleep rather than a guy like Aaron.” I smile and kiss the top of her head.
“I hope that you are going to stay with me forever. I can’t imagine my life without you in it.” We walk upstairs.
“And I can’t imagine my life without you in it even though we have only known each other for about twenty-four hours.” We reach my parents room and I take off my jacket, top, and pants. Dawn strips all the way but I would expect that from her. I get into bed and she gets in on the other side. She scotches over to me and holds me.
I turn so we are face to face, “Goodnight Dawn. See you in the morning.” She kisses me sweetly and I kiss back. We smile at each other and we fall sleep.
We wake and I get a shower as Dawn gets a bird bath, she shape shifts into a small bird and I turn on the sink to have a light flow of water. I finish and she is done too. We head back to my room and get dressed. I finish and head down for breakfast. I get out some cereal and milk. I also get bowls and spoons. Dawn comes down and sits at the counter.
“Why the hell are we having that again?” Dawn asks.
“Do you want something different then?” I ask in reply.
“Please,” she replies. I turn and get out some eggs from the fridge. I get out a pan and I turn on the stove. I crack the eggs and put them in. I go over to the pantry and get some plates then to the silverware drawer and get two forks. I place them down on the table and head back to the stove to check on the eggs that are about done.
“Could you bring over the plates so I can put some of this on them,” I say as I hold up a spoon full of eggs. She comes over with the plates almost as soon as I said for her to come. She places the plates on the counter and grabs the spoon out of my hand. She takes about twenty spoons full when I say, “Hay, save some egg for me. I have to eat too.” Dawn put down the spoon and heads to the table. I pick up the other plate and put on o spoon full and a half on my plate. I place my plate on the table and head back to the stove. I pick up the pan and spoon, head to the sink, and place them in. I look at the clock and see that we only have twenty minutes until we have to head out for the bus. I sit at the table and finish in a minute. Dawn is only half way done when I finish. I head to the front door and unlock it. I hear a glass plate being put in the sink and Dawn comes over to me. I pick up her bag in one hand and mine in the other.
She pushes me until we reach a wall and starts to kiss me, hard and passionately. I kiss back with the same passion. She starts tugging at my hair and I put my hands on her lower back to pull her in closer to me. She unzips my jacket and I tug it off. I throw it on the floor as she takes off her shirt. I do the same to mine. She comes and starts to kiss me again. I kiss back and I start to pull down her pants.
“The bus is turning on the street, we better hurry,” Dawn says. I wonder how she heard that over the beating of our hearts. She quickly pulls on her shirt and goes to the closet to get her jacket. I pull on my shirt and put on my jacket. I pick up our bags and wait for her to come out. She suddenly comes sprinting and is at the end of the drive way in less than ten seconds. I lock the door and head down to Dawn and Tyler.
I feel this wave of nausea fall over me. All I remember last seeing was Dawn running to try to catch me and hear a horrendous crack. Darkness sweeps over my vision.

Chapter 5

I wake but I cannot open my eyes so I leave them shut afraid that I had died. I feel a soft squeezing on my right hand. I hear her, Dawn.
“I knew they would come. I should have told him we could have been far away from here. This was just a warning. They will get more aggressive now. Why am I so damn stupid? I should have been the one hurt, not him. He does not have anything that they want. They can easily erase his memory, but I have known for too long and the only option would be to kill me,” Dawn says. I am wondering what she is talking about. I want to get up but I know I am too weak. I feel her let go of my and hear her leave. I hear someone come back. No it is two people.
“I’ll get the bandages,” says Tyler, I think. Why is he here?
“Good I think, if he wakes, this will be the last time I have to do this,” Dawn says. I hear a groan come from Dawn. I wonder what that was about. I feel this sharp pain on my arm like it was being cut in half. I think Dawn puts her arm over my cut. I feel my warm blood fall from the cut.
A minute has past and Dawn says, “Done, now he should heal fast but just bandage it.” I sense a hand come near my arm so I grab it. I hear the crushing of bones.
“Shit! Paul it’s me Tyler! Let go, that really hurts. Fuck man my bone is dust practically,” Tyler says and I release my grip. I sit up and open my eyes. I see Tyler hold his limp arm as Dawn kisses me.
“Tyler, I am so sorry,” I say.
“It will heal in no time but that hurt man,” replies Tyler.
“Dawn, what the fuck happened in the first place?” I ask.
Dawn replies, “The Sacion, the ones who don’t want the prophecy to come true, are far more powerful than anyone you could even think of. They only want us dead. This was their way of saying ‘We found you two.’ I thought that I could get us away before they could find us. I never wanted you to be hurt so I told them that they can kill me two years after I meet you and you would live. But, if we have the child then we both live. They will try to watch our every move so that I don’t live. I think that they don’t want to wait two years. I want us to leave tomorrow to another place where a friend of mine is waiting for our arrival. I just needed a day to get stuff packed. We need to leave in the morning. I just hope that we are the only ones who can go.” Dawn turns to Tyler and kisses him on cheek and continues, “Tyler please stay out of trouble and stay safe. I don’t want anything to happen to you while we are gone.”
“Alright, I’ll try to stay under the radar,” Tyler says with a smile. Tyler moves to the other side of my bed. He leans down and kisses me on the lips. He says, “I just wanted a good-bye kiss from you Paul.”
“That’s alright, I guess, that you did that,” I reply. He smiles and kisses me again. I push him away lightly.
“Come on; don’t say you didn’t want to kiss me again. I am just a good kisser,” Tyler says with a smile. I flip him off and try to stand. Dawn comes over as I almost fall. I take it slower this time and I slowly walk to the door when I realize that I am in my room.
“Well are we going to pack or what? Wait, Dawn you need some girl cloths. We can go out now if my car is still in the garage. I have some money,” I say to Dawn.
“Sure, I guess that would be better than your stuff,” she replies. I say good-bye to Tyler and head for the garage. I get into the car and turn on the ignition. Dawn gets in on the passenger’s side. I press the garage door button and go. I turn to the left but quickly shut the garage door. I continue down the street and turn right. I go straight for a mile then head left to the mall. I find a good spot near the entrance. I get the keys out, get the money from Dawn, and get out of the car. I walk over to her and wrap my arm around her. We walk through the parking lot to the mall. We walk in and I notice someone, Aaron.
“Aaron, what the hell are you doing here?” I ask. I stand in front of Dawn.
“Can’t I be at the mall with my friends?” Aaron replies. I notice a scar on his face and a lip piercing.
“Are you trying to look like a punk or something? It’s kind of disgusting.”
“What the hell do you mean? At least I have friends and don’t put my arm around my cousin like I’m dating them.”
“You little…”
“Enough,” Dawn interrupts me. I look at her. She shakes her head and grabs my wrist. She walks and I am pulled. Before I can say anything Aaron sticks his hand out and grabs Dawns breast. She stares at him as he smiles. “Remove your fucking hand.”
“Come on, your no fun,” Aaron says.
“If you don’t remove your fucking hand, I’ll do it for you.” At that moment she grabs his hand and crushes it.
“Ah, what the hell bitch?” he says as he holds his crushed hand.
“You didn’t remove your hand and I did it for you.”
“Did you have to go and break my hand?”
“You wouldn’t have listened to me so I hurt you.”
“Now it’s your turn for the hurt bitch.” Aaron grabs Dawn by the throat and lifts her. She doesn’t scream or anything which kind of bothers me. Suddenly, Dawn’s skin changes and she shifts into a boa constrictor. She slithers down Aaron’s arm and coils around his neck. Aaron gasps for air but Dawn tightens her grip. The guys around them grab at Dawn and try to get her off Aaron. One guy shifts his hand into a bear claw and swipes at Dawn. He cuts deeply into her and she shifts back into a human. She falls to the ground bleeding.
“Dawn!” I shout.
“Told you bitch,” Aaron says when he is back to breathing normally.
“You’re so dead,” I say to Aaron.
“Go ahead and try.”
“Outside, just not here.”
“Ok.” Aaron and his group walk outside and I pick Dawn up. She opens her eyes and smiles. I notice that all the blood from the floor is gone and she’s not bleeding.
“I’m ok, see?” Dawn says as she lifts her shirt a little. I don’t see anything, just her soft skin. I smile and I put her down. We walk outside, ready to fight.

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 19.05.2011

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