Panic. It shot through my heart like a bullet doused in anxiety. Tonight, there would be a full moon. In fact, it would be starting any minute now, and I hadn’t found a babysitter for my daughter. My parents were out of town celebrating their anniversary, and all my friends had some sort of excuse as to why they couldn't babysit Rosie. If only they knew... but, they couldn't. They would never speak to me again, and then I'd have no one. I wracked my brain and contact list for anyone who might be available, or anyone else I could trust to take care of my daughter. I could call her father, but like I said, I wanted someone that I could trust. There was no one else I could call. Suddenly, I realized how lonely I already was.

However, there was no time to wallow in my sadness, for fear was knocking on my door, reminding me of the tremendous problem I was face to face with. I couldn't just run into the woods and leave Rosie home alone. Lord knows she would follow me, especially if I left her on her own, and didn't tell her where I was going. Sometimes that kid was too much for me. I knew I shouldn't have gotten pregnant in the first place, but I couldn't help it. I was tricked. Tricked by a man who told me he would be a safe place for me, a man who told me he would love me forever. I became angry. Angry at the fact that he lied, angry at him for leaving as soon as he found out that I was pregnant, angry that Rosie has to grow up without her father around and enraged at myself for still desperately loving him.

Then, suddenly, it happened, and all too quickly. In the midst of my rage I neglected to realize that the full moon had completely risen, Rosie still didn't have a babysitter, and it was too late. The horrid cramps began in my biceps, as they always did. I scratched at my arm, as if that would stop the mountainous waves of pain. In fact, it only made it worse, as my razor blade nails had already sprouted, and tore open a gash in my flesh. That might've hurt worse, if my arms had not just started to wrench, and twist in ways no arms should ever be twisted. My ankles began to pop like popcorn, and I lost control of my balance. I fell to my hands and knees, trembling with the pain that wracked my body. I prayed Rosie wouldn't find now to be the perfect time to walk into my room. I tried to keep my head down, but the overwhelming urge to look up had won. My head snapped toward the window, and the gleam of the full moon met my eyes with an icy stare. As hard as I tried to keep my mouth shut, a blood curdling howl was forced out of me. The transformation was complete.

And then I heard it. The faintest, purest sound violently pierced my ears.

"Mommy?" Rosie squeaked.

It would've broken my heart. It would've been my worst nightmare come true. But, I was no longer myself. Had I been, I would've embraced Rosie with comforting arms, and assured her that everything was going to be alright. But I was the vicious, raise the hair on the back of your neck creature that I turned into every full moon, and Rosie was looking like a snack.