Jacqueline’s eyes lock with the piercing amber of the wulver’s. Its fur is pitch black, and a ghostly blue glow emanates from the claws and its breath. The pointed teeth shine bright ivory against its dark maw. 

Snap!

A branch crunches behind her. She looks away for only a second, but that was all it needed.

It’s gone…

JACQUELINE: S-son of a—

Jacqueline fumbles to mount her bike.

She races back the way she came, tree branches SNAP and RIP all around her from an invisible force. 

A black whiplike appendage bursts from a tree's shadow. Jacqueline and the bike are thrown off the path down a grassy hill. Her backpack rips off in the tumble. 

Jacqueline scrambles to get back to her bike. 

The wulver materializes from the shadows at the top of the hill. Eyes glowing, it bounds on all fours down the hill.

The wulver cuts in front of her, snarling and hissing. It spins around, using its powerful serpentine tail to swat her away. 

Jacqueline lands in the dirt with a wheeze. She grips her side in pain and coughs before pulling herself up. 

Heart pounding. She looks around.

It’s gone again.

She jerks her head around, searching for it.

A moment passes, still nowhere to be seen. She eyes her bike and takes a cautious step toward it. The dirt and gravel crunch under her shoe. Holding her breath, she looks around, hesitant to make a move.

Nothing.

She takes another step.

Nothing.

JACQUELINE: (muttering) I know you’re still here… (deep breath) Screw it!

Jacqueline twists around, bursting into a panicked scramble away from her bike.

The wulver glares, forced to emerge from the shadows, and gives chase through the sunlit clearing.

It rushes forward, a feral look in its eye as it nips at her heels. Jacqueline spins around, tossing a handful of dirt in its face. 

It flinches and hisses, pawing at its eyes. Still blinded, it swings its tail forward, snagging Jacqueline’s ankle. She falls on her stomach. 

Eyes still watery, it looks up with a smile. A cloud blocks the sunlight. 

Before Jacqueline can get up, it envelops its body in shadow. 

Pouncing, it enters Jacqueline’s body between her shoulder blades in a thick, smoky energy. 

Jacqueline screams, desperately clutching her ribs, panting, squirming, and whining in agony. A sickening snapping grows louder and louder. She gasps for breath. Tears well in her eyes.

Heat radiates from her body. The surrounding grass grows brittle and black. 

A blast of maroon lightning strikes the sky.

EXT. WILLOWS PARK - NIGHT

Enough time has passed that a full moon now bathes the trees in its glow. JACQUELINE’S eyes open but struggle to focus. She raises her hand to rub them. 

Her hands are paws.

Now an over six-foot-tall wulver with black fur, striped tail, bony body, maroon claws, and bright glowing grey eyes.

Struck with adrenaline, she screams and skitters on the ground. 

She examines herself, wiggling her claws and feeling the fur on her arms.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): The wulver, it… 

A memory flashes. It enters her back.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Is… Is this what possession feels like? Some kind of t-trippy dream? A hallucination?

Her voice is deeper, raspier in this form. The trees RUSTLE around her. She is in the same place the wulver attacked her. A large circle of charred black grass where she lies. She looks around, ears twisting and flicking toward every sound.

Jacqueline tries to get up but fails. She looks at her new digitigrade legs miserably. Her ears fall flat.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Really convincing illusion… 

She pulls herself over to the creek a few feet away, then looks in the water at her reflection. She sees a wulver in the reflection and jumps back, looking behind herself. 

Nothing there. 

Cautiously, she leans in to look again. She flinches but continues to look at the reflection, only to realize it’s hers. The cut on her palm now marks her paw pad. And scars over her knuckles carry over into this form, as well as her ear and tongue piercings. She places a paw on her fox-like muzzle, feeling it out.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM) (V.O.): No doubt, it’s me… H-how is this even—

Looking back, she discovers her tail. Her eyes widen and she flicks it back and forth.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I-I’m moving it! Ok… um… wow! I, uh… What is even happening? (sighing) This isn’t real. This is NOT real… I gotta, uh…

Jacqueline sits up, attempting to stand. Taking her time balancing on her toes with visible difficulty and using a tree as support, she begins to fall. Her burning-hot claws sink deep into the trunk of the tree. She grits her teeth, a look of sickness.

Hunching over, she throws up at the foot of the tree. 

Empty, she pries her claws out of the tree trunk with her free arm. Then collapses onto her furry back, panting like a haggard dog. Her eyes twist shut in pain. She stretches out dramatically like a glorified snow angel. 

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): (hoarse and weak) Pain, nausea, dizziness… feels WAY too real… 

She slowly sits up.

The sound of twigs SNAPPING under heavy footsteps gets closer. Jacqueline’s ear and nose twitch.  

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM) (V.O.): Coffee and cigarettes?

A hefty adult man, wearing a UEA SCOUTER’s uniform and a helmet with a pale green visor, is standing only a few feet away.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): (a little too casual) Um, Officer? Can you help me? There was a—

He draws a fully charged pulse pistol, aiming it directly at her head. 

HEFTY SCOUTER: Don’t talk to me, you dog.

Jacqueline’s eyes widen. She raises both paws slowly. He sees her as a wulver as well. Realization dawns.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM) (V.O.): Not an illusion… 

The scouter says something unintelligible into the radio on his collar. Jacqueline freezes.

The scouter takes a step forward. Jacqueline’s eyes dart around for an escape.

CRACK!

He steps on a loud twig, startling himself enough for his aim to lose focus. Jacqueline springs up in her awkward body, running haphazardly and unbalanced. 

Shots of pale green spectral energy ZIP past her, blowing off bark from the surrounding trees. The bulky scouter has trouble keeping up with her. 

About halfway across the rickety bridge over the creek, one of the scouter’s shots blast apart a wooden plank under Jacqueline’s foot. Her tail whips around and chokes her legs together. 

SNAP!

She falls through the wooden handrail of the bridge, plunging into the frigid creek water. The scouter stops at the bridge, looking into the current.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Shoot… 

— — Submerged, Jacqueline struggles to swim, getting pulled by the current. 

Pulled deeper, frantically squirming underwater.

Her claws disintegrate abruptly, and her fur burns away, reverting her to human form. She surfaces and pulls herself out of the current, gasping for breath. 

She stands at the shallow end of the creek, where it meets the path. Looking herself over, she confirms that she is indeed human again.

JACQUELINE: I-I changed back?! What the…?

The scouter spots Jacqueline from the bridge and calls out.

HEFTY SCOUTER: —Hey!

He hovers his flashlight over Jacqueline. She stands stiffly in the creek. The officer wanders closer. 

HEFTY SCOUTER: Come to me SLOWLY with your hands up! 

Jacqueline looks suspiciously at the scouter before doing as instructed. Hesitantly, she approaches him. Pulling out a small pen-like device, the scouter approaches Jacqueline.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Watch this closely.

She stares at the device. It flashes brightly, and she flinches. The scouter breathes in relief.

HEFTY SCOUTER: No signs of possession.

Jacqueline perks up at the statement. The scouter throws his UEA uniform jacket over her drenched clothes. She stiffens, still suspicious of the man.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Hey, I recognize you! Yeah, you’re one of Dr. Shull’s kids, huh?

Jacqueline nods her head.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Why the heck are you out here standin’ in the creek in the middle of the night?!

No response, blank stare. 

He sighs.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Was that your bike down the path?

She nods her head.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Alright, sweetie, let’s get you home. It is far from safe out here!

The scouter places a hand on Jacqueline’s back and guides her through the darkness.

INT. SHULL HOUSE: LIVING ROOM

The house is modern in style, living room is spacious, almost sterile, coffee table riddled with papers, files, folders, and various other documents all labeled “PROPERTY OF THE UEA.” 

DR. SHULL, 45, skinny and tall, brown and grey hair with a medium-length beard, pale white skin, wearing a dress shirt and black pants.

In front of the wall-mounted TV, he sits on an L-shaped couch with a phone in hand and a worried expression.

DR. SHULL: Um, Jody, dear, have you heard anything from your sister yet? She’s still not responding to me.

JODY, 12, scrawny, long black hair, Asian descent, has braces and a prosthetic leg—right side just below the knee. Wearing a skirt and a T-shirt with a bunny on it.

With a bowl of chips in her hand, Jody enters the living room. She sits on the couch and pops a chip in her mouth.

JODY: Nope. She’s probably off with her friends.

DOORBELL RINGS.

Dr. Shull springs from the couch to answer the door, but pauses to cross his fingers.

DR. SHULL: PLEASE don’t be cops!

Dr. Shull sighs and then opens the door. JACQUELINE stands damp on the porch with the UEA SCOUTER behind her. Helmet now removed, revealing his blond hair and mustache.

DR. SHULL: Jacqueline? What happened to you? A-are you alright? Come, get inside where it’s warm…

He opens the door farther to let Jacqueline in. Jacqueline gives the officer his coat back and goes inside silently.

HEFTY SCOUTER: Found her waist-high in the creek of Willows Park after I spotted a wulver. Seems quite shaken. She hasn’t spoke a word to me. 

The scouter puts a hand on his hip. 

HEFTY SCOUTER: Could be in shock. I’d keep an eye on her.

DR. SHULL: Alright, thank you so much, Officer Mudwin. I owe you.

OFFICER MUDWIN (HEFTY SCOUTER): (smiling) My pleasure, Doctor.

DR. SHULL: Good night, Officer.

Officer Mudwin leaves. Dr. Shull closes the door and enters the living room to see Jacqueline about to step upstairs.

DR. SHULL: Ah-ah! I need to speak with you.

Jacqueline’s shoulders drop, and she turns around.

JODY: Ooh! Someone’s in trouble!

Dr. Shull sits down on the couch.

DR. SHULL: Shh, Jody, be nice. Your sister needs space. Why don’t you give us some privacy, hmm? 

JODY: Blech! Fine…

She gets up, glares childishly at Jacqueline, and takes her chips with her upstairs. Jacqueline joins her father on the couch. Dr. Shull turns to the stairs.

DR. SHULL: And no eavesdropping!

JODY: Aw, come on!

The sound of footsteps goes farther up the stairs, and then a door closes.

DR. SHULL: As for you—

He adjusts his glasses and turns his attention to Jacqueline. She covers her mouth, yawning.

JACQUELINE: What?

He cocks his head.

DR. SHULL: “What?” Jacqueline, an officer said he found you in the creek. Believe it or not, I’m a little concerned. A-are you alright?

She flashes a look of surprise and rubs her arm nervously.

JACQUELINE: Oh, ok… Uh, yeah, I think so… There… was a wulver, and… (shrugging) I hid.

DR. SHULL: Are you sure? You aren’t hurt anywhere, are you? Hit your head on anything?

Jacqueline’s eyes widen. She snaps forward. 

JACQUELINE: PLEASE! Don’t take me to a hospital! Seriously, I’m fine, maybe a little bruised, but that’s all I swear!

DR. SHULL: Alright, alright, calm down. I just want to make sure you’re safe… (teasing) Besides, we don’t have to go to a hospital. I can probably help you myself. I am a biologist, after all.

JACQUELINE

Yeah, an Umbral biologist! 

DR. SHULL: (smiling with a shrug) Close enough.

JACQUELINE: Dad! 

DR. SHULL: Ok, I understand.

Jacqueline leans back, relieved.

JACQUELINE: Thank you.

DR. SHULL: Anyway, you look miserable. Why don’t you take a hot shower, then head to bed? 

JACQUELINE: Yes, please.

Jacqueline gets up.

DR. SHULL: I am always an open door for you, Jacqueline... Really. Wulvers are scary creatures. It is ok to feel scared.

She stiffens, eyes flickering to the ground for a brief moment.

JACQUELINE: I know. Night, Dad.

Jacqueline goes up the stairs. 

INT. SHULL HOUSE: 2ND FLOOR

JACQUELINE walks down the hallway and opens the door to Jody’s room. She peeks inside to see her sister’s messy room, JODY’s sleeping form curled up in her bed, prosthetic leg lying up against the side of the bed frame. 

Jacqueline steps back and closes the door gently.

INT. SHULL HOUSE: 2ND FLOOR BATHROOM

Hair tie out, JACQUELINE cleans the cut on her palm in the sink. She reaches for a bandage in the mirror cabinet.

A sickening look crosses her face. She clutches her stomach, falls to the ground, and throws up into the toilet. 

As she gasps for breath, Jacqueline wipes her mouth with the back of her hand. The toilet bowl is filled with thick black blobs of goop, laced with strange sticklike structures similar to what was floating in the creek. She pulls away, hand over mouth in disgust.

JACQUELINE: (gagging) Sick! Smells like rotten meat and burnt hair! 

She flicks the toilet handle to flush. 

Trying to wash her mouth out, Jacqueline pulls herself up to the bathroom sink. She glances at her palm. 

The cut is smaller, no longer damp with blood, now closed and scabbed over, looking a couple days old.

JACQUELINE: Woah… 

She winces in pain. Opening her mouth, she pulls back her lips with her finger. 

In addition to her canines, the teeth just beside them are sharper and more pronounced. 

Stunned, Jacqueline stares into the mirror in thought, searching with her eyes. Sighing heavily, she brushes her hair back. She puts the toilet lid down and sits on top, holding her head.

JACQUELINE: (mumbling to herself) If I tell Dad, I’m going to the hospital…

An idea comes to Jacqueline and she raises her arm, flexing her hand.

JACQUELINE: Come on, come on… I did it in the creek… I felt it. I know I did.

Nothing happens. 

Jacqueline takes a deep, shuddering breath, then tries again, this time focusing and closing her eyes. 

Her face tightens in pain before she opens her eyes to see her arm turn into a smoky wulver’s paw, her human flesh burning and peeling away. She waves her arm back and forth as if it’s on fire.

JACQUELINE: Ah, that burns!

The smoky black fur dissipates as Jacqueline flings her arm around, and the claws dissolve as they did in the creek. She blinks in astonishment.

JACQUELINE: Th-that worked?

Jacqueline stares at her fingers, triggering the transformation again. It creeps up her arm like before. 

Jacqueline grits her teeth in pain as the transformation rapidly escapes her control, shifting her entirely. She tumbles awkwardly onto the floor, tail bunched up against the wall in the suddenly claustrophobic space.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): OW! No, no, not HERE, go back!

Another triggered transformation. She lies uncomfortably on the bathroom floor, human form restored. 

Rolling over onto her back.

JACQUELINE: (panting) …Monster, huh?

— END —