24 January 2001 - 13:00
  "Hi, Ms. Raznaspoeknik speaking."
  I heard the familiar voice of my mother on the phone, and I was almost thinking of hanging up, because I knew I would never hear that voice in the same way again. I decided however that the thing I really didn't want was that she was going to be totally unprepared to see me on national TV, so I got over my fears and started talking:
  "Hi Mom, Husky here."
  "Hi Son! What's wrong with you, you seem to have a bad cold, your voice is so low."
  I sighed and breathed in deeply before talking to my mother again: "Mom, there's something I'll have to tell you. Before you get a heart attack, no, I'm not getting married, I'm not gonna be a father and I'm not having a terrible disease. It's something else."
  I heard my mother with a very concerned voice on the other end of the line: "Husky, please tell me. What's wrong?"
  I breathed in deeply once again: "Did you see the news, about those transformations taking place all over the world?"
  My mother responded with an uncertain tone in her voice: "Yess... I heard about that wolf-morph... Oh, Husky! Have you been attacked by that horrible monster?"
  This was going to be very, very difficult for her to understand I assured myself: "No Mom. I've not been attacked by that creature, that wouldn't be possible, because..."
  "Yes... Dear?"
  "I am the wolf."
  I heard a loud yell from the other end of the phone, then somebody taking over the phone from my mother, I heard a voice that appeared to be my father: "Husky! Why did you scare your mother?! You know she doesn't like those practical jokes you make to her. Remember when you almost gave her a heart attack when you hid that fake ripped-off hand in her drawer. Young man, I think --"
  I interrupted my father: "Dad, this is not a joke. I have really turned into a wolf."
  I heard a short pause, then my father again: "But... that can't be true! I mean, why would you change into a wolf." A short pause again, and then I think it finally got through to my father: "Oh god. My oldest son has turned into a werewolf! What are we going to do?"
  A shiver went through my spine when I heard my mother crying and my father shouting. Then I heard another familiar voice on the line.
  It was my little brother.
  "Hi... This is Eric. Who's there?" I think he probably picked up another phone in the house, because I still could clearly hear my parents shouting.
  God, as if my mother and father weren't enough to handle already. How could I explain my little brother that I turned into a wolf? Well, I might as well get over it now.
  "Hi Eric, this is Husky."
  "Hi Bro! Mom and Dad are having a quarrel or something. They are shouting downstairs."
  I sighed again, for only the hundred time today: "Well, I guess I know why they're shouting. It's about me."
  "Yeah? Why? Did you crash dad's car into a tree or something?"
  I chuckled slightly at that thought: "No Eric. You see... I have changed into an anthropomorphic wolf."
  I heard my brother yell enthusiastic into the phone: "Did you turn into a wolf? Cool! Like on the news?" This was something I hadn't even considered. My brother was too young to fully understand the impact of changing into a wolf, but it was nice to hear someone actually being enthusiastic about my transformation.
  "Yeah Eric, like on the news. I suppose that could be considered cool."
  "And do you have a tail, and paws and fur and stuff? Wow! I can't wait to tell my friends about this! Can you howl on the phone for me now, or can you --"
  I interrupted him: "Eric, hold a moment please. Don't tell your friends! I mean, I suspect you don't fully understand the impact of this all now. But you must promise me for now that you won't tell anyone, ok?"
  I heard Eric sighing on the other end of the line: "Aw..."
  "No, Eric!" I shouted.
  "Well, alright Husky. Oh! I believe Mom's on the phone again, see you soon furry wolf brother, bye bye!"
  I cracked a smile, it was really nice to hear someone comment about my current state without using words like 'monster', 'demon' or 'freak'. But for now I had to concern myself about others, like a hysterical mom on the phone...
  "Husky, this is mom again. Your father and I are still very confused, but we want to make one thing clear: you're still our son, and we love you. We want to see you, could you come over to us?"
  I was thinking, and decided that it was still not the right time to go out in public: "No Mom, I don't want to go on the street. Why don't you come over to my house tomorrow, and bring Eric with you?" I really wanted to see my little brother again, if it was only to make me smile again.
  "Well, I guess so. Tomorrow will be..."
  Suddenly I heard Liz yelling from downstairs: "Husky! Come on down, the news is on in a minute!"
  I quickly ended my phone call: "Mom, you have to watch the news on Channel 2 now, there is an interview with me. I'll call you back as soon as I can." I heard my mom resist, but the interview was going to start any moment. I shouted a quick "Bye," and hung up the phone. I ran downstairs.
  The news had already started and Liz had turned on the VCR. I heard the familiar voice of the newsreader on TV: "Good Afternoon, this is Philip Freriks and you're watching the NOS news of 24 January 2001." I sat down on my 'tail-friendly' chair and started watching.
  "In the whole world transformations have taken place. People have changed into animals, either normal animals or anthropomorphic animals. Estimates are now about 100. The majority of these transformations have taken place in the United States, but there are reports of transformations in our country.
  "Our special reporter Susan Parker had an interview with a man who has changed into an anthropomorphic grey wolf."
  The interview was broadcast. It was the same as I remembered, they left out some less important questions, but fortunately they did keep it fairly unchopped, and it was made clear that I was still a living, breathing being who didn't have any bad intentions. It was weird to hear myself talking, and I noticed for the first time that I did actually have a lower pitch in my voice.
  The last question was asked, and I could see myself being very uncomfortable with the question, I was wondering if anyone else would see it too.
  The newsreader was now on the screen again: "The news hasn't gone by unnoticed by the government. Several politicians had their shares on the current events. Prime Minister Kok talked to our political reporter Job Frieso in The Hague."
  Prime Minister Kok appeared on the screen. The reporter was asking him questions: "Mr. Kok. What do you think of the recent news about the transformations?"
  Minister Kok looked as if he was really shocked by the news. I couldn't remember ever seeing him looking shocked about anything: "I haven't had a change to read all the reports about these transformations yet. But it looks like we'll have to debate this extensively."
  "Have you already talked with any of the victims?"
  Minister Kok raised an eyebrow: "No, not yet. But I intend to talk to anyone who wishes to speak with me."
  Then the reporter asked a question that was very important to me, but for some reason I hadn't thought of it before: "Mr. Kok, will all the rights of the constitution still apply to these 'creatures', considering they aren't really human anymore?" I was twitching my thumbs, this was really very important for me.
  "It's too soon to say anything about these... uhm... events. As soon as anything is decided you'll hear it."
  Damn, exactly an answer that could be expected from him.
  The newsreader appeared once more on the screen: "For now, this is the news about the transformations. There will be an extra journal at 7 o'clock on Channel 1. Now over to other news of tod --" Liz turned off the TV again. She had been awfully quiet during the news, and she had a look on her face I never had seen before.
  "Liz, what's wrong?" I asked her, ears pulled back.
  Nothing could have prepared me for the answer she gave me: "Husky... I'm afraid I can't stay any longer with you... God, I feel so fucked up about this, but it's the only thing I can do to stay sane. All these things that happened the past few days, I just... can't cope Husky. I can't. Please don't feel like I hate you or so, but I just... I mean, I know how you feel, and I'm sorry for it."
  Fuck it all, was the only thing I could think of. And she couldn't possibly know what I was feeling inside. The only thing that kept me sane for the past few days was Liz's presence. If it weren't for her I would have probably killed myself already. I didn't have the power to do anything else than to say to her: "Go Liz. Go. Just... go."
  She took her bag and started walking to the door, looking at me once again: "Sorry, Husky. Honestly. Sorry." She opened the door, letting a cool wind breeze trough the house. And then there was silence. Absolute silence. And before I knew it I was venting out my rage on everything I could find in the house, glasses, furniture, devices, anything my paws could grab. It just didn't matter anymore.
  After my rage had finally declined I sank down in a corner of the room. I couldn't think of anything. I just sat down there for god knows how long. Just staring at my paws. Just... doing nothing.
  I probably would have stayed down there for another week if it weren't for the doorbell to ring. From the voices I heard I could make up they were my parents. I couldn't think of a worse time for them to visit me. But I had to open the door. I just had to.