The End of Stress
#5 of Transformation Stories
is terrible with titles
A request for someone on FA. I took a "World Half-Full" approach this time. Compared to my last stories, I can't help but feel I wasn't as creative as I normally am. (heh)
"Another rejection..." Lori sighed after she read the email. The result of her latest interview had come to her through an email, and it had been the same as many of her other recent emails. All she had was a high school diploma and no college experience. She wanted to pursue a steady career in writing, but without the funds, she wouldn't be going anywhere. It didn't help that at the moment, there was a commercial playing that encouraged people to return to college.
"How am I supposed to do that without a job, rocks-for-brains?" she yelled at the tv. Frustrated by the ad that seemed to taunt her, she stormed out of her studio and went to the boxing gym. Lori's anger soon simmered down as she unleashed her emotions on the punching bag before her, belting it with furious yet practiced punches and kicks. Everyone who wasn't already busy with their own routines was astonished to see someone strong enough to actually create tears in the only punching bag the place had.
"Um, excuse me, miss. That's for everyone to hit." Lori stopped her assault and turned to face a young man who stood at around her height. His hands were in his pockets as he smiled at her.
"Look, I'm really not in a good mood. Just leave me be."
"I can see that, but..."
"I get it, I get it." She sighed in disappointment as she stepped away from the bag. "Whoa, I really did some damage there. I was just mad." To her surprise, the boy's smile faded. "You're right. I shouldn't be bothering anyone with my issues." Lori packed her things and left the gym and a bewildered set of onlookers.
Lori wanted to continue to hit the punching bag, but had no interest in getting in a fight with anyone, physical or otherwise. Her outrage at the demand shown by the commercial still remained, however, and she chose the next best thing: meditation in the park. No one was in the park due to the overcast skies, which suited her just fine.
"Glad to see the bench by the fountain is still here," she mused. Lori took a seat and relaxed. Her anger slowly turned into sadness as she gazed at the coins in the water in melancholy. "It just sucks that I can't seem to find a decent job that doesn't require me to sacrifice my dignity. I can't even gain any experience for other small jobs, and I can't afford to take up an unpaid internship." She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn't notice the boy from earlier until he sat on the same bench.
"Hello there."
"Hey..." she saluted half-heartedly. "I'm worried about my future, so excuse me if I don't respond at times."
"Hmm... you're surprisingly humble for one with such a physique. I actually thought you would end up getting a curse." he said. There was an odd hint of playfulness in his voice, but she dismissed it without a second thought.
"Curse, huh?" Lori recalled the rumors of some notably arrogant people suddenly disappearing, but wasn't too concerned with them. "I'm already cursed. I lost my job a while ago and my phones are broken, so I'm cut off from some of my family members. I'm forced to wait for the eventual rejection letter from every job I applied to, and I have next to no control over my life, which is slowly getting worse."
"..."
"Damn it, I ranted again. I'm sorry, young man. You just came to say hi, and here I am, treating you like a diary. That isn't fair."
"...Oh, my. You beat yourself up way too much. What you did to that punching bag is nothing compared to the beating you're giving yourself over the powers that be."
"They're controlling my future. I can't help it. At this point I'm starting to think it's all pointless..." The boy crossed his arms, thinking to himself.
"Well, maybe it is. What would you say if you no longer had to worry about these concerns of yours?"
"Well... I'd say sign me up. I've had it with this life."
"Is that so? Well then..." The boy reached into his pocket and pulled out what looked to be a statue of a wolf. "Take this and meet me back here at midnight if you truly believe that." With that, he stood up and left the park.
"What does he mean by that?"
Lori stared at the statue on the table in front of her. The moonlight shined down on it, giving it an eerie white glow.
"It looks like I'm going through with this," she lamented. "It's a shame, really, but no one really wants me around. It's for the best." She looked at the clock and gasped in shock as she realized it was almost midnight. In her haste to get out, she accidentally grabbed the sharp ears of the statue and pricked her hand. She quickly discarded it and ran out of her studio.
"I hate running late!" Adrenaline coursed through her as she dashed down the street, knocking down at least two people in her mad dash to a new life. As she ran, she began to glow as new feelings coursed through her. She fell onto all fours but quickly recovered as her ears sharpened to a point.
"I hope he won't be too angry with me," Lori said worriedly. Her arms and legs slowly began to resemble those of a wolf. Her hands and feet became black-furred paws while a tail grew from her lower back. A muzzle shot forward as her teeth sharpened, and she soon found the clothes she wore to be cumbersome.
"Why am I wearing these clothes? They're pesky!" She paused to shake them off and rip them apart, her black fur quickly growing to cover up her exposed body. Satisfied, she resumed her sprint, and when she reached the fountain, she collapsed in a heap.
"Did you have fun running all the way over here?" Lori looked up to see the boy from earlier, though she strangely wasn't surprised to see there were several gray wolves near him. "This is your new pack of friends." He chuckled at his own joke as he pulled out a statue that looked a lot like Lori used to. Only the eyes remained an amber color. "Now then, Lori," he said seriously, "are you sure you want to throw it all away? Human life isn't all bad. There are lots of people out there who strive to make humanity's better qualities shine in spite of its worst ones."
"Those people don't have to worry about money trouble," she countered. "I want to do nice things, but I simply don't have the will to continue anymore."
"I disagree, however I see that your mind's made up. Very well." His smile returned as he held up the statue again. "Are you aware of what's happened to you?" It was then that she got a good look at herself and realized she had indeed become a wolf.
"What's going on...?"
"Last chance. Are you sure?"
"...Y-yes... I'm ready... I think." One of the wolves padded over to her and nuzzled her. In an instant, all her worries about her new life were dashed. "Yeah, let's do it."
"Your choice." The boy couldn't help but laugh as her eyes became an amber color. She then dashed into the nearby forest, the other wolves following her closely.