It was on a bright and starry night that the traveling circus rolled into town. I walk along the dirt road towards the circus three miles from home. I'm not too keen on going, but I can't show that to Harry. Adventurous, brave Harry will never let me live it down.

Harry has been to this circus before. He told me stories, adding exciting details and dramatic pauses the way he did when he wanted all eyes on him.

"I'm letting you tag along so you can see something you'll remember for the rest of your life. There's a kid, not much older than you, Joe. He's a wolf boy. Hair as black as night, teeth as sharp and pointy as you'll ever see." Harry's voice falls to a whisper as he leans in close. "He escaped last time I was there. Broke his chains and leapt from the stage. People were screaming. Women, they was faintin'."

Harry takes off running in this animal like stance, hunched over and crazy looking.

"Ran just like this. You know what happened next? He comes face to face with me." My brother's eyes flicker across my face as I gasp.

"What'd you do, Harry?" I ask. I know as brave and smart as Harry is, he didn't run.

Harry looks around as if he's about to tell me one of those take to your grave kind of secrets.

"Wolf boy reaches out, grabs me in his claw-like hands and bares his teeth at me. Then he lets go a nasty growl." Harry stares into my eyes and I can't help but shiver. "Now, Joe, I knew I was a dead man 'less I used my head."

"As God intended for you to."

"So there I was, dumb old Harry Stinson, in the clutches of certain death."

He starts to pace, looking worried and a little bit frightened.

"I had to think or I knew I was a goner."

Harry stops pacing and grabs me by the shoulders.

"I look the devil beast in the eye and I growl back. Not a little growl. No sir, I give him a growl like this," he whispers, his face so close to mine that our noses are touching. "RRROOOOAAAARRRR!!!"

The noise sends me scrambling backwards, falling on my butt and sliding a good foot or more. For a split second, Harry just stares at me. Then he does what I knew he would. He throws back his head and laughs.

"Joe, you shoulda seen your face."

"None of that was true, was it?" I say, angrily wiping the dirt and dust from my backside.

He shrugs his shoulders.

"I embellished some, left a part or two out, but you better believe I saw him. Ain't been the same since, neither."

The night air holds a hint of honeysuckle bloom as we walk. Harry grows quiet, glancing over at me nervously every few minutes. I guess he figures he's gone too far. The lights of the circus can be seen long before the sound and smell become real. The change in the air is wicked and magical.

After we buy our tickets, Harry won't let me take my time. He hurries me towards the last tent. A painted board is propped against the tent. A crude drawing of a wolf creature is the only image. I stop, but Harry propels me forward.

"Don't be scared," he hisses in my ear. Then without warning he shoves me into the tent.

My foot hangs on a rope and I stumble forward. I skid to a stop just inches from the stage. Something wet drops on my arm. I look up to see the dripping fangs of the wolf boy. I jump back just as his ragged fingernails shoot out for me.

"You stupid jerk," I scream as I turn to face Harry.

But Harry is gone. He's probably hiding out laughing hysterically. I don't care, because I'm running home to tell my mother.

I don't know how far I've run, but suddenly I get the feeling I'm not alone on the road leading home. The hairs on the back of my neck are standing on end.

"Joe," the creature growls as it steps into the silvery path of the moon light. "The story was true, I just left out the worst part."

He stood but a few feet away, his face covered with coarse black hair. Fangs gleam as he speaks. The voice belongs to Harry.

As cowardly as I consider myself, I could not help but step closer.

"Harry, what happened?"

"He bit me," Harry growls bitterly. "I'm not Harry anymore, Joe. Haven't been Harry in so long."

"What do I do?"

He looks towards the night sky, his body suddenly twisting into something no longer human.

"You should run, Joe."