WOLF OF PENUMBRA “SilverEyes” S1 Ep2 Created by LittleDevil-888 on Deviantart.com

Last Updated: 01/07/2023 (Final Edit)

First Created: 07/02/2019

WORD COUNT: 6,242

CONTENT ADVISORY FOR THIS EPISODE Physical Violence, Fantasy Violence, Mild Language, Sexual Themes & Situations

EXT. NEIGHBORHOOD - MORNING

A smooth red lizard-like creature with horns and six long wings—an IMP—flies over the neighborhood, swooping down and swallowing a tiny gliding bluebird whole. 

It flies off past the Shull house.

INT. SHULL HOUSE: JACQUELINE’S ROOM 

Light floods the room through three tall windows. In what was once an attic, wooden supports cover the walls, along with posters depicting horror and macabre themes. Many appear handmade. Black curtains shield the bed and closet, fashioned from elevated storage spaces. A simple mattress and blankets lie atop the storage platform, about a foot off the ground. Three walls surround it.

JACQUELINE sits up in bed—hair tie out, black tank top, purple sweatpants—glaring at the intrusive light peeking through the gap in the curtains. Her stomach growls. 

Opening the curtains, she gets up and picks up her phone.

On the small couch at the center of her room, Jacqueline grabs jerky strips from the coffee table, rips them open, and snacks while checking her phone.

When she swipes the home screen away, she blinks. Her hand. The cut.

JACQUELINE: It healed…

Cracking a light smile, Jacqueline returns to her phone. She opens a group chat between Dustin, Harley, and herself. 

She stares at it.

With a heavy sigh, she lays her head back, almost whining.

JACQUELINE: What am I gonna do?

Despite her reluctance, Jacqueline types: “I need help. Meet at our usual spot when you wake up. Please hurry, it’s important,” and sends the text. 

JACQUELINE: I’m committed now.

She reaches for another strip of jerky. The bag is empty. Throwing the bag away, she steps onto a platform and opens the closet curtains.

— — After dressing and tying her hair, Jacqueline reaches beneath the platform her bed rests atop. She packs her backpack. A sketchbook, water, snacks, wallet, and finally… a folding knife. Flicking out the blade, she examines it—a grey-blue blade with a bright sheen.

JACQUELINE: Where were you yesterday when I needed you? 

Stuffing it in the backpack, she slings the bag over her shoulders. 

She climbs out of a window and onto the roof, stepping from the roof to a thick tree branch with ease. No need to use her hands, she strolls over the worn branch, dropping branch after branch until she lands on the grass by their house.

— — DR. SHULL knocks on Jacqueline’s door. It swings open. Cautiously, he steps in.

DR. SHULL: Jacqueline? Sweetie, you up? I’m making breakfast pretty…

He looks out the window. On her bike, Jacqueline rides down the street.

DR. SHULL: …soon.

EXT. STREET - LATER

HARLEY stifles a yawn as he rides his bike down the road and turns off to a natural path. DUSTIN is farther up. 

Harley calls out and speeds up. Dustin slows. They ride alongside each other.

HARLEY: Hey, any idea what’s up?

DUSTIN: No. I got the same text you d-did. Talk about vague.

HARLEY: Yeah, guess we’ll find out.

They approach a warehouse.

— — A dense canopy of growing plants covers the warehouse, which is heavily graffitied, rusted, and worn down.

DUSTIN: (pointing) There’s her b-bike. 

In front of a thick rusty door covered in moss, Jacqueline's bike is locked to the metal handrail of the stairs. The two boys dismount and lock their bikes next to hers.

— — A variety of grasses and mosses cover the interior of the warehouse. The metal surfaces are all twisted and rusted. An intact front end of a semitruck lies mangled, infected with nature at the center of the warehouse.

Harley and Dustin enter through the open rolling steel door.

HARLEY: Jacqueline?

JACQUELINE (O.S.): Up here!

JACQUELINE stands near the office atop the scaffolding around the warehouse’s inner perimeter. 

Harley and Dustin climb up the rickety metal stairs and enter the office after Jacqueline.

— — There isn't much dirt or foliage in the office. Throughout the room, beanbags, pillows, and blankets cover the floor. On the rusted old desk lies a box of mechanical pieces, tools, and cans of spray paint. 

Jacqueline closes the door behind the boys. She moves toward the massive window that overlooks the warehouse and closes the blinds. Harley sits down on a beanbag, and Dustin sits on the blanket, crossing his legs.

HARLEY: You doing ok, Jacks? You seem a little… nervous.

She turns toward Harley and slides down the wall, running a hand through her bangs.

JACQUELINE: I-I think so? I’m… not sure.

Jacqueline sighs and lets her hand flop to the ground. She brings one leg up and rests her arm on her knee. Dustin leans back and rolls his eyes.

DUSTIN: That doesn’t answer anything.

HARLEY: You look tired as hell, girl. Did you get any sleep?

Jacqueline chuckles weakly and pushes her head against the concrete wall.

JACQUELINE: Not really… I, uh… Wow, how do I even…? (clears throat) Um, on the way home yesterday, I saw something… 

DUSTIN: (bored) Like what? D-did some old man flash you or something? 

Harley glares and elbows Dustin in the ribs.

DUSTIN: Ow, what?

She takes a deep breath.

JACQUELINE: A wulver attacked me.

Both Harley and Dustin look at her, eyes wide.

DUSTIN: W-what?

HARLEY: Are you ok?

She pulls both legs up, hugging them.

JACQUELINE: I’m fine, I think. I—

DUSTIN: —You do know only one—

JACQUELINE: —Only one in every five wulver encounters survive! Yes, I know Dustin, but this one was… different. That wulver… I-I can’t explain it.

Harley scoots the beanbag closer. He lays a gentle hand on her shoulder.

HARLEY: It’s ok, take your time. I’m just glad you’re alive… You always hear about this stuff happening, but you never expect it to… happen.

JACQUELINE: Yeah…

DUSTIN: Where were you?

JACQUELINE: (shrugging) Willows Park, just on my way home.

DUSTIN: What was a wulver d-doing that far into the city?

Jacqueline moves to a butterfly position, hands on knees.

JACQUELINE: Gee, I don’t know, maybe it got lost and wanted some directions!

Dustin cracks a slight smile. Jacqueline rolls her eyes.

DUSTIN: How are you not dead?

Harley snaps to Dustin.

HARLEY: Dude!

JACQUELINE: No, he’s right. 

She runs a hand through her bangs.

JACQUELINE: It had the perfect opportunity to turn me into dust right then and there, but it didn’t. Instead… (deep breath) Instead, it… It did something to me.

She gets up.

HARLEY: Did something—like what? You said it didn’t hurt you.

She steps in front of the door. Sighing, she turns back to Harley.

JACQUELINE: Do you guys trust me? 

HARLEY: Wholeheartedly.

DUSTIN: Yes?

JACQUELINE: I’ll show you, but you need to swear never to tell anyone, ok? Both of you. Never!

DUSTIN: You’re serious?

Her gaze is unwavering. Dustin turns hesitantly to Harley, who gives a quick nod. Dustin drops his shoulders. Harley smiles at Jacqueline.

HARLEY: We won’t tell a soul, promise.

DUSTIN: Yeah, promise.

She gives a quick nod and points.

JACQUELINE: Go to the back wall. 

DUSTIN: Why?

JACQUELINE: I just need extra space. And I also don’t want you running out the door after I do this.

Dustin blinks.

DUSTIN: Yeah, um… Can I change my mind?

HARLEY: (smiling) Come on.

Harley gets up and moves beside the desk toward the back wall. Dustin follows reluctantly.

Jacqueline stretches anxiously.

JACQUELINE: Guys, you need to trust me on this. It’s going to be scary, I know, but you are NOT going to get hurt. I swear.

HARLEY: All you’re doing is making me more curious.

DUSTIN: Just do what you’re going to d-do!

Jacqueline nods and focuses on her breathing. Her fingertips discolor to a purple-grey. She flinches in pain as the transformation kicks up. Jacqueline’s body erupts in maroon-and-black flame, human body ripping and shredding apart violently. 

Dustin squeezes his eyes shut. He presses hard against the back wall. 

The flame and embers dissipate to reveal Jacqueline’s over six-foot-tall wulver form. 

Wide-eyed, Harley staggers back against the desk.

Jacqueline’s arms spread out, and her tail whips up. It knocks some scrap metal off a shelf as she readjusts to standing digitigrade. The metal parts CLATTER to the floor. Dustin flinches, opening his eyes.

He screams as he squirms and pushes against the wall into the corner. Startled, Jacqueline steps back, almost tripping.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Dustin! Hey, Dustin! Stop, you’re ok! I’m not going to hurt you!

Jacqueline’s distorted yet recognizable voice stops his screaming. He stands panting in the corner. She takes a step toward him, paw extended. Dustin grabs a spray can off the desk and hurls it at Jacqueline, hitting her head and bouncing off. She flinches back.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Ah, bitch!

DUSTIN: No! D-don’t you d-dare come ANYWHERE near me!

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Ok! …Ok.

She holds her paws up defensively. 

Harley cautiously steps forward. Jacqueline looks at him. He hesitates for a moment, caught in the spotlight of her glowing silver eyes.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Are you ok?

HARLEY: Jacqueline?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Sorry, I know it’s a lot all at once… Freaked me out at first too.

HARLEY: Y-you’re a wulver…

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): (smiling) You don't say?

Dustin cringes at the sight of her long, sharp teeth. 

Harley gently touches her paw. He looks in astonishment, comparing his hand size against Jacqueline’s massive paw. His full hand only covers the pads. 

HARLEY: Wow… H-how is this even possible?

Jacqueline breathes a sigh of relief and relaxes, quirking a smile when he plays with her claws like a curious child.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I have no idea. It possessed me. Felt like having lava shot through my veins, frying me from the inside out. 

HARLEY: Being possessed hurt that bad?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I’d never felt that much pain all at once in my life.

HARLEY: I’m sorry.

Jacqueline shakes her head.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): It was only a couple seconds before I blacked out, but when I woke up… I was this. 

She gestures to herself.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I don’t remember the wulver leaving, but I know I’m not possessed anymore.

Dustin relaxes a bit and stands more comfortably against the wall, arms crossed. Harley looks up at her, cocking his head to the side.

HARLEY: You can just go back and forth? Y-you’re like the world’s first real werewolf!

Dustin perks up at “werewolf.”

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Yeah, kinda, I guess?

DUSTIN: (to Harley) How are you so ok with all this?!

HARLEY: Dude, it’s Jacqueline. Of course I’m ok with it. Yeah, it’s… weird…

He rubs the back of his neck.

HARLEY: Ok, really, really weird… but if she was going to suck our souls out, don’t you think she would have done it by now?

Dustin gestures widely with his arms.

DUSTIN: How should I know? I’ve never met a WULVER before!

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I don’t even know how to “suck souls”… 

Jacqueline turns to Harley.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Man, you seriously need to get a cat.

Harley looks up, confused, before realizing he has been petting her arm the whole time. Eyes wide, he lets go.

HARLEY: Oh, sorry!

Jacqueline smiles and attempts to sit down on the blankets. She has difficulty finding a place for her tail. Harley sits back down on a beanbag, chuckling as Jacqueline struggles.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Shut up. I’m not used to THIS!

With a flick, the ungainly member grinds against the blinds, bending them. Dust fluffs off.

HARLEY: (smiling) Sorry, I just never thought I’d see such a dangerous creature flop around so… awkwardly. Kinda makes you less threatening, honestly.

Jacqueline makes a face and sticks her pierced tongue out. Harley laughs.

HARLEY: I never would have thought I’d see a wulver with piercings either!

Dustin creeps up and sits at the corner of the blanket.

DUSTIN: Uh, what did your dad say about… all this?

He gestures to her, top to bottom.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Nothing, I haven’t told him.

DUSTIN: What? Why? He should be the first person you go to in a situation like THIS!

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Yeah, let me go tell the UMBRAL BIOLOGIST his daughter can turn into a WULVER! I’m sure I won’t end up on an examination table to be dissected, tested, poked, cut, injected, and whatever else!

She turns away from Dustin, ears flat, eyes to the ground.

DUSTIN: D-don’t you think you’re overreacting? I mean, your dad could probably fix whatever this is! 

She sighs and leans back, the fur on her back brushing against the wall.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): That’s the thing though. What if… what if I don’t want to fix it? Whatever that wulver did to me…

She plays with the fur on her arms. 

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): …I kinda think it’s… cool. 

Dustin blinks and shakes his head.

DUSTIN: You can’t b-be serious! A wulver, a soul-sucking, hellish, a-abomination, and you think it’s COOL?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Yeah, I do!

DUSTIN: Are you nuts?! Look at you!

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Yes, look at me! I never have to worry about getting my soul eaten again because I can defend myself! (chuckling) And if I can do anything close to what a wulver can, imagine the insanity we can get away with at school!

DUSTIN: That’s the first thing you—Jacqueline, you could be SICK. This could b-be KILLING you! You need to tell your d-dad or go to the hospital!

She bares her teeth, snarling.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): You know I can’t!

Dustin jumps back, stumbling over himself. 

Jacqueline recoils, taking a deep breath. 

Harley sits back awkwardly.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): I’m not DYING, and I don’t think this is hurting me… People finding out a human can turn into a wulver though? THAT could hurt me.

Dustin swallows and bites his lip, eyes flicking to the ground, then immediately back, reluctant to peel them away from her.

His gaze softens.

DUSTIN: I get it.

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Thank you.

Harley casually leans forward.

HARLEY: Um, you said you might be able to do what a wulver can?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Maybe. I haven’t tried yet, but it makes sense if I have this body.

HARLEY: You want to go downstairs and try?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Why not? (to Dustin) I know this is a lot. You don’t have to be here if you don’t want to, or if I’m making you uncomfortable—

DUSTIN: —It’s ok. Harley’s right. You’re d-definitely still you in there. I see that… It’s just going to take me a while to… adjust.

Jacqueline nods and gets up. She crouches a bit to get through the doorway.

HARLEY: (chuckling) You are such a beast.

Jacqueline trips on the first step, sending her into a vicious tumble down the stairs. She flops onto her back at the bottom. Dustin bursts into hysterical laughter. Harley attempts to hold his laughter back.

HARLEY: Are you ok?

JACQUELINE (WULVER FORM): Yeah, yeah…