Big and Bad Danger

Her footsteps moved quicker and quicker, as did her heart rate. She could her someone calling for her.

"Carla..."

An ominous tone that brought chills to young Carla Hood, who was donning a red hoodie to hide from sight as much as possible, but despite this, someone was coming for her...someone who had known her.

"You can't hide from me, Carla..."

The voice became louder with each moment, drawing closer and closer, until finally, Carla faces her pursuer, and screams in horror.

That has been Carla's nightmare for the past week, and it's ended with Carla waking up in a cold sweat--distressed, frustrated, and desperate for her ordeal to end.

Carla had spent the last week living with her maternal grandmother, Ellen Marsh, as she was sent there by her parents after they learned the truth: she had been stalked by one of her teachers at her school. While Carla did enjoy living with Ellen, the only thing that hampered that joy was the recurring nightmare she was having, which forced her to relive the many weeks of harassment that she suffered prior to informing her parents about everything.

The following day, the eighth day in hiding, saw Carla dressed up, as she needed to buy groceries for the house. As she donned her hoodie and shades, she saw the worry in her grandmother's eyes as she was on her way out.

"I'll be fine, Grandma," said Carla.

"I didn't say anything," replied Ellen.

"I know that look," said Carla. "That worried look. I appreciate it and you so much, but I promise to be careful." Carla gave her grandmother a hug and went on her way, and afterwards, Ellen turned on the TV and saw a shocking news report about a college professor, Ryan Dawson, found in his home with his throat slashed. It was at that moment that Ellen heard a knock at the door, and after looking through the peephole and seeing a woman, Ellen opened her front door.

"Mrs. Marsh?" the woman said, "Detective Aria Vance, homicide."

"Homicide?" Ellen asked as Vance entered her house.

"I assume you've heard the news?" asked Vance. "Ryan Dawson, college professor whose throat was suddenly slashed?"

"I just saw that on the news!" exclaimed Ellen. "But what brings you here?"

"As it turned out," said Vance, "Dawson had been harassing a few of his students, and one of them was Carla Hood. She's your granddaughter, right?"

"Yes," Ellen warily answered.

"Could I speak with her, please?" asked Vance.

"She's not here," replied Ellen. "We don't live together."

"I don't think you understand, Mrs. Marsh," Vance said in a menacing tone, "I know Carla's here. I can practically...smell her. It's a felony to lie to the police, you know. So I'll say it again: I really need to talk to your granddaughter." Ellen noticed Vance's sinister smirk after making her demand, but there was another attribute that Ellen couldn't help but point out.

"Your eyes..."

Carla returned home with a two sacks of groceries, but when she entered, those sacks were the last thing on her mind.

"Grandma!"

Carla rushed to Ellen's aid, after seeing her grandmother tied up, as well as her mouth covered with duct tape. She removed the tape from Ellen's mouth, but just as she was about to untie her, Vance suddenly appeared and spotted Carla, who suddenly shuddered in response.

"Professor Dawson?!"

"What?!" asked Ellen. "I thought your name was Vance!"

"Vance is my maiden name," Aria replied, "and Carla, I told you to call me Aria."

"So, what? Are you trying to avenge your husband or something?!" shouted Ellen. "He was harassing and stalking my granddaughter!"

"No, he wasn't, Grandma," said Carla. "She was. She's in love with me."

"You look so beautiful, Carla," said Aria. "I can't stay mad at you for ignoring my texts to you."

"You mean your psychotic ramblings about us being together forever?!" shouted Carla.

"I was in an unhappy marriage for years," said Aria. "I couldn't stand the sight of my husband. I wanted something different. And then, you walked into my math class. You were so cute in that red hoodie. You still are." Aria walked closer to Carla and attempted to stroke her face, only for Carla to back away in fear.

"Why are you doing this?" asked Aria. "Don't you know what I've done for you?! What I've become for you?!" As Ellen had done beforehand, Carla noticed Aria's eyes, and they were a strange shade of yellow.

"Your eyes...," began Carla.

"You're the second one to notice," Aria said coyly. "Well, actually, you're the third. Ryan was the first to notice, right before I tore his throat out. Would you mind opening the curtains?" Carla acquiesced, and that's when she saw it: a full moon in the night sky.

"Oh my God..."

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Aria said with sadistic glee before revealing her long claws. "I see you looking at these, perfectly great for tearing people to shreds...just like I did to my pathetic husband!" The madwoman suddenly backhanded Carla with her claws, and gave a wicked, fang-filled laugh after doing so, with Carla looking up and seeing Aria's fangs, while Ellen's worry increased.

"You should have an idea what I'm going to do with these," said Aria. "All I have to do is dine on Granny, and you and I will finally be together." As Carla rushed to untie Ellen, Aria's transformation progressed, complete with thick hair covering her body after she tore off her clothes, as well as a full extended muzzle. The pair's attempt to escape was thwarted by Aria, who grabbed Carla by her hair and tossed her across the living room.

"Run!" Carla shouted at Ellen, doing so in response to seeing Ellen attempt to tend to her granddaughter, whose throat was clutched by Aria.

"You little bitch!" snarled Aria. "Why are you making this difficult?! You and I are going to be together for the rest of our lives! We'll form our own pack and create more like us! Just imagine what we could do!" At that moment, Ellen lunged at Aria, only for the werewolf to easily fight her off and give an evil glare afterwards. Aria growled as she slowly crept towards Ellen, but just as she made her move to pounce, she was suddenly struck down by a banging noise. Aria suddenly looked down and saw that she had been shot, with Carla holding the gun and walking towards her fallen former professor-turned-werewolf stalker.

"Carla...," Aria said after reverting to her human form, "I love you." Those were her last words, as Aria succumbed to the gunshot. As for Carla, she knew that only one thing could kill a werewolf, and she turned to Ellen with a quizzical expression on her face.

"I've seen a lot of things in my lifetime, dear girl," said Ellen. "Including werewolves."

Carla hugged her grandmother, who assured Carla that she won't become a werewolf herself due to killing Aria. Ellen's knowledge of werewolves revealed that Aria had to have become one at least one month prior, with Ryan's murder taking place the night before she made her attempt towards Ellen. For Carla, the months-long nightmare was finally over; the woman who had been obsessively stalking and harassing her for months was no more, and for the first time in what seemed like forever, she could sleep well.

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