My name is Daren Nelt. I work the night shift in the gas station off the highway. During the day, I work as a substitute teacher. Making money is hard for me, since I’m not qualified to work most jobs.

Tonight was just like the rest. My boss leaves a sticky note behind the counter where he gives me tasks to do, such as stocking the shelves or cleaning the bathrooms. But the bathrooms were locked, he must’ve forgotten to open it.

I walk toward him from behind, reaching out to tap his shoulder, and immediately, he jumps back as if sensing my presence. My eyes widened. From here, I can see it all clearly. His hair was as white as milk, and his eyes were just as white as his hair. His skin was gray, as if devoid of blood. But that wasn’t what caught my attention the most. It was those large gray wolf ears and that long striped tail, those gray and white paws and those black horns. Whatever this kid was, he wasn’t human.

I step back out of instinct, every part of me screaming danger. “Um.. need anything?” I ask, voice wavering. The boy stares at me, silence stretching like taffy before it snaps. “Bathroom.” He says. His voice was heavily accented–Russian? Ukrainian? I scratch my neck again, a habit I never seemed to grow out of. “Oh, sorry bud, bathrooms are locked.”