As the hours tick by, our search for a solution seems to hit a dead end. We are both exhausted from scouring through endless pages of ancient texts and obscure online forums. Frustration creeps into my mind, and I feel we are going nowhere.
But then, a spark of inspiration ignites within me. What if we looked at this from a different angle?
Instead of searching for more spells, I type in "werewolves" and hit enter, delving deep into the mystical world of these shapeshifting creatures.
I wave Janie over. She pulls up a chair, and together we read the plethora of information that floods the laptop screen, each piece of information more fascinating than the last. We discover that werewolves have the ability to transform from human to wolf at will and have unique abilities of rapid healing, superhuman strength, and lightning-fast speed. I frown as I read wearing silver will burn skin in human and werewolf forms. Injuries sustained with silver weapons are excruciatingly painful, and the wound will heal even slower than the human rate. Any other form of injury will heal rapidly right before your eyes.
But there's more to it than just physical abilities. We learn that werewolves also like to hunt and are prone to other heightened animalistic urges, including hunger and sexual arousal, which can be challenging to control.
‘Maybe that’s why you couldn’t keep your hands off Brad last night?’ Janie chuckles.
‘Janie!’ I squeal with embarrassment. ‘You can’t say that, but then again, it does explain why I feel more attracted to him than usual,’ I reply.
We keep reading and stare at each other, intrigued at the notion of soul mates. It says the moon goddess has a hand in matching werewolves with their perfect soulmate, also known as a mate.
‘Oh, can you imagine, Rose? It would be like love at first sight,’ she sighs dreamily at the thought.
‘I know it sounds amazing, like a fairy tale, but I was born human, so I wouldn’t have a mate,’ I shrug.
We continue reading and discover werewolves like howling at the moon because they are naturally drawn to its glow, a manifestation of the moon goddess's power.
‘Werewolves are so interesting, but how will any of this help?’ Janie asks.
‘Okay, so with all this new knowledge, it says here that werewolves have the ability to transform from human to wolf at will, so maybe I just have to finish morphing into a wolf, and then I can morph back into a human?’
Janie's eyes light up, 'That could work! We just have to figure out how to trigger the transformation, and then maybe you can control it.'
I chew on my lower lip, deep in thought. 'Well, it says here that werewolves are drawn to the moon. Maybe if I focus on the moon's energy, it will help me shift.'
Janie nods thoughtfully, 'That could work. And we have a full moon tonight, so it's the perfect time to try.'
A shiver of excitement runs through me as I consider the possibility of finally breaking the curse. Could this be the night I finally become human again?
Janie stands beside me on her terrace. The night sky is beautiful, with dark hues and dancing stars. I gaze at the moon and focus on my breathing. The wind rustles through the trees, and I feel a sense of calm wash over me. I focus on the feeling of my body and try to tap into the power of the moon.
As I gaze upon the glowing moon above, I feel a strange sensation coursing through my entire being, and then I realise I'm slowly changing.
The tingling sensation intensifies and transforms into a sharp pain, causing me to gasp.
'It hurts,' I manage to say through gritted teeth as the agony spreads throughout my body. I try to hold back the pain and keep a brave face, masking the discomfort as best as I can. However, I can feel the bones in my hands snapping and my feet changing, becoming more and more wolf-like with each passing moment.
Janie observes in astonishment as my fingers fuse and morph into paws while dark violet fur sprouts from my skin. Still, the agony becomes unbearable, and I cry from the pain, unable to take it any longer. Then as quickly as the transformation started, my paws abruptly shift back into hands.
‘What happened?’ Janie asks, examining my hands closely. ‘It was working, and now it's not.’
‘I’m not sure. I know I couldn’t handle the pain any longer,’ I reply, rubbing my arms in discomfort and staring at the moon. ‘It felt like all the bones in my body were about to snap, and it was excruciating,’ I tell her with a sorrowful stare.
Janie taps her fingers on the railing, thinking, ’You don’t suppose it’s because I added the mercurial mist by accident to the potion? It is why you only grew ears and a tail after all,’ Janie says.
‘It must be. There’s no other explanation, I can think of. I don’t even want to be a werewolf. I don’t even want these ears or this tail,’ I reply, holding back the tears.
Janie stares back with a pitiful glance, ‘Let’s watch a movie to take your mind off this, and we can try something else tomorrow?’ she suggests.
‘All right, I am feeling pretty exhausted,’ I reply.
I struggle to concentrate on the movie and instead try to think of ways to remove the curse of being a werewolf. I can feel the weight pressing down on me, and I can't shake it off. I keep replaying the failed transformation in my mind.
Janie is completely absorbed in her conversation with Xander as they text back and forth, barely noticing the movie playing in the background. Her phone repetitively beeps, and she giggles at each message.
After what feels like an eternity, the movie finally ends. Janie stretches her arms and yawns, looking at me with a sympathetic expression. ‘Don't worry, Rose. We'll figure this out together,’ she says reassuringly.
I smile weakly at her, and we head to bed, ready to face tomorrow and hopefully find a way to break this curse.