Coming In May

Excerpt:

Mesmerized, I stared out the living room window at the froth-tipped waves of Lake Superior. I’ve never heard the swells slap against the jagged rocks from inside the house before. But I hear them now.

The phone rang and broke my concentration. I clapped my hands over my ears. The sound, unusually shrill, hurt my eardrums. Fumbling with the clip at my waist, I flipped open my cell relieved to have the high-pitched tones cut off.

“Hello.” I glanced at the clean line of the walls, so close in color to the water, and tried to relax.

“Hey, Rora.”

Hi Cath.” My name is Aurora, but everyone calls me Rora.

“How was your date last night with James?” my bestfriend asked.

At the risk of sounding immodest, with our looks, getting dates is never a problem. Cathy is blonde and petite, while I’m tall and slender with lapis eyes and blue-black hair that I wear in a stylish short spike.

Cathy and I live in Bayforks, Wisconsin. Well close enough. My aunt and I live a couple of miles out on a craggy outcrop that overlooks the water. Cathy is a townie.

Bayforks is small but does a brisk tourist trade during peak seasons. Its claim to fame: the sea caves. Unfortunately, a natural gas inside gives off such a noxious odor, no one explores them. But they’re pretty to look at from the water.

“Well?” she asked impatiently. I paused. She continued to prattle. “He’s soooo cute. I’m jealous.”

“You had a date with Mike,” I reminded her as I reached out with my other hand and fingered the dove-gray drapes. Then I rubbed my cheek against them. Oh, that feels good. Velvet is such a sensuous material. It feels so decadent.

My voice box rumbled. A noise that sounded like a purr came out of my throat. My fingers tightened over the phone and I pressed my hand over my mouth. What the…?

“What did you say, Rora?” Cathy asked.

“Nothing.” I gulped and tried to get my bearings. “Tell me about your date with Mike.”

“Oh, Mike Schmike. Very predicable. Dull. Boring. Tell me about your date.”

“It was strange.” My gaze centered on the restless ebb and flow of the waves as they hit against the rocks.

“How so?”

I should have just let it go. My best friend is insatiably curious. And though we’ve shared everything since the first grade, I wasn’t ready to share this.

My date’s aftershave was so strong it made my eyes water and my throat burn. But weirdest of all I had the strangest compulsion to lick it off his neck. Eww.

I’ve felt peculiar since yesterday. For one thing, my senses are heightened. I can see further and more clearly, especially at night, at least if last night is anything to go by. My sense of smell is unbelievable, though not as good as my eyesight. And at the moment, I possess a grace that is completely alien to me. Not that I’m a klutz mind you, but if there’s a crack in the sidewalk my size eights will find it.

“How so?” Cathy repeated.

“I didn’t like his aftershave,” I said lamely.

“Hmm, you never mentioned that when we met him.”

“I didn’t notice it then. Listen, Cath, I need to go.” I really don’t want to talk about this. My body hurts. I feel odd, like my bones are about to break through my skin. I think I’m running a fever.

“So you aren’t interested?”

“No.” I wrinkled my nose just thinking about that aftershave.

“Mind if I have a go at him?”

“Not at all.” I gave her his number.

She hung up, no doubt eager to give him a call.

I didn’t tell Cathy everything.

When my date came on to me last night, I hissed at him, bared my teeth and extended my perfectly manicured nails like they were claws. How weird is that? I don’t think I’ll have to worry about him calling back.

A movement along the edge of the cliff caught my attention. A small rabbit nibbled at a tuft of clover growing between the rocks. I came to attention like a pointer. My nose began to quiver and my mouth water. I twitched my butt.

Without thought, I bolted out of the house after the rabbit. My blood raced and I breathed in short sharp pants. I could hear the creature’s heart pound and smell his warm vibrant flesh.

He took three frightened leaps and disappeared into the forest. I skidded to a stop, trembling so hard my teeth rattled. What’s wrong with me? I wanted to take a bite out of a poor defenseless little bunny. I pursed my lips and screwed up my face. Gross doesn’t begin to cover it.

This is way past PMSing. Tears welled up and spilled down my cheeks.