The Prefects got up from their seats and started handing out forms.
Slumped in my chair, I was still mulling over this morning's unfortunate events when a voice above me said: "Take one and pass it along please."
He has a nice sounding voice, I thought to myself.
I looked up and saw Aiden Callaghan standing right next to me! My body immediately shot up straight as if someone had just passed an electric current through to my chair.
This was the first time I have ever seen him this up close and in person. I could smell his scent, clean and soapy. His eyelashes were incredibly long, they were like small curtains that covered part of his grey coloured eyes.
Then my eyes were drawn to his hands. He had long slender fingers, nicely-trimmed clean fingernails and perfectly well-defined knuckles. They looked like they belonged to the hands of a concert pianist.
"Thanks," I muttered, taking the small bundle of paper from him. I couldn't help but notice how short and stumpy my fingers were compared with his. Whilst he had the hands of an artist, my hands looked like little paws that had been clawing through the mud all day long.
Ashamedly, I used to bite my fingernails, it was a habit of mine especially when I found myself bored.
My little paws held the piece of paper and as I started to read, frown lines began to appear across my forehead.
It was a waiver form!
Written in black and white, it informs participants of the risks involved during the full moon and the school will NOT be liable for any damages caused.
What damages?
I waited until Aiden was out of earshot before turning to Molly. She was already busy signing her name in all the boxes.
"What's this for?" I whispered.
"It's just so that the school doesn't get sued if we get hurt." She whispered.
"Are we likely to get hurt?!"
"No, we'll be fine. It's usually the older students that might get hurt." She said firmly.
I was lost for words.
Dr Carlton got up on stage and explained.
"For tonight, the students will be divided into Hunters and Chasers. The students with green ties, i.e the ones who have already had their transformations will transform under the full moon and in their werewolf form, they will be the Hunters. Your job for tonight is to hunt the Chasers down.
The Chasers will be the ones who haven't had their transformations yet, i.e pupils with brown ties. You will each be given a shotgun containing tranquillisers. You will chase the Hunters and the Hunters will have to do their best to avoid being shot.
For students who can transform at will, i.e students with the silver buttons, we will draw names out of a hat to determine whether or not you will be the Hunter or the Chaser."
He then began picking names out of a hat. Then as if suddenly remembering something, he added, "Those students who are new in Year 5 and have not yet had their transformations yet, you will not participate in tonight's event, only the day training."
I looked at Molly and she seemed relieved.
"Do we just stay in our rooms all night?" I asked.
"We'll have to be in separate rooms in case one of us transforms in the middle of the night then attacks the other person."
"Is that even possible?" I was shocked.
"Who knows?" She shrugged, "We could turn at any point."
"What if a Chaser transformed during the event?"
"Then they can't hold their shotgun anymore." Molly giggled.
I giggled too. It was funny trying to imagine a werewolf holding a shotgun whilst standing on its two hind legs.
The morning training involved a lot of running and jumping. We had all changed into sportswear and were gathered in the playing fields. The grass was green and the sun shined brightly.
The teacher, Mr Wilkes was a tall man in a blue tracksuit with short spiky hair. He had a whistle tied to his neck and carried a clipboard. He had the built of a footballer and looked like a football coach.
I have never been good at sports and by the looks of it, neither was Molly. We had to first do a 1000 metre distance race and I came last in my group. And Molly tripped over after the first laps, cutting her knee in the process. They had to take her to see the school doctor.
Kendra came first. I have never seen anyone run so fast before, she was faster than lightning. And that was her in her human form as well. I dread to think how fast she would be if she had transformed into werewolf form. She could probably outrun a bullet.
Then after lunch, we went to practice our shooting techniques. That was something I wasn't too bad at having had plenty of practices shooting ducks at the Carnival Fair stand. Molly, on the other hand, was hopeless, she missed every time, regardless of whether it is a moving target or a still target. I tried to show her an easier technique, but it didn't seem to improve her one single bit.
Time quickly passed and the night slowly began to creep in.
After dinner, we were all shown to our designated rooms and they bolted the door behind us. We were told to stay in the rooms at all times until tomorrow morning.
The full moon glowed eerily against the night sky and strange shadows loomed in the forest. I could hear the noise of wolves howling in the distance.
Then there was a faint noise coming from outside my door, I put down my journal and listened carefully. It sounded like the creaking of floorboards.
Someone was outside!
I looked over to the door and saw the lock beginning to slowly turn by itself, bit by bit, then all of a sudden the door slammed wide open with a loud 'bang'.
Standing at the entrance was a brown coloured werewolf with laser beam-like red eyes. It bared its razor-sharped teeth and growled at me ferociously, looking like it was ready to rip me apart.
I felt my blood going cold.
I recognised those eyes.