The Universe's Mixer

The zoo had been a problem. Inside of the zoo, he'd not been able to do much of anything. The cage they had given him had been large, but very open. Not a whole lot to hide behind. Still, they'd fed him and kept him clean. Given him toys and companions. Not that the companions had wanted to have much to do with him. He was too big. They thought he would hurt them.

When the cage door had been left open, there was no way he could possibly let that pass by without at least trying to get out. It had worked, to his amazement. He slipped out of the cage and straight out of the zoo without anybody seeing him. His heart had been hammering against his chest, he'd been panting. He'd been so sure that somebody would not only spot him, but try to take him down with something a little rougher than tranquilizers.

He'd run to the shadows, first, and then followed his nose to trees. Trees, and grass, flowers, nature. It had turned out to be the park. Not exactly what he'd been hoping for. He'd wanted to make it all the way out of the city and into the forest, where he knew he'd be safe. But once in the park, he couldn't seem to find his way out of it. Scared, lost, angry, he'd shifted.

The form he had as a man was dark like his fur. The hair a rich black, the eyes pools of deep brown. He hadn't had any clothes, of course. He'd not worn clothes in a good long time. Since before the zoo. And certainly not in the zoo. He'd never even transformed there. Didn't want to risk somebody seeing what he was. Making a bigger spectacle of him. He hardly remembered clothes at all.

There had been some running around in the park, trying to find things to eat. Stealing from picnics and rooting through the trash can. He'd been gone from human civilization for far too long, words stuck in his mind and he couldn't make his throat form them. He grunted at the people he saw and ran away. He'd found a small cave in the heart of the park and made his home there, lining it with grass and a stolen picnic blanket. He became a wolf again to sleep, it was safer for everybody.

This morning he was just coming out, stretching and enjoying the warmth of the sun on his dark fur. Yesterday, he had seen the people on the television talking about him. They had not put the nude human and the wolf together yet. Which made him smile. Almost puppy like, he grinned at the world, his tongue lolling out. He needed to seek out food.

Amy had a forty minute wait in the ER before one of the clinic doctors was able to see her. During that time she called the Doctor, who she was pretty sure did not mend broken arms.

"Do you ever answer your messages?" she started with an annoyed lecture, trying to balance a gossip magazine in her lap, turning pages with her good arm, while holding the injured arm in the air. She felt a bit sheepish. "I broke my arm and I'm not sure if socialized medicine has caught on here or not. If you don't mind bringing money or some psychic paper with health insurance on it? Maybe? Yeah? You know, if you're not too busy ignoring my messages?"

She hung up.

After waiting she was led into a small examination room. Then there was another fifteen minute wait for the nurse. Another twenty minute wait for the doctor after that. Because she was bit by a strange animal, there were shots. The needles were quite large, but Amy did her best to look away and ignore them. Then more waiting. Then x-rays. Waiting. Then the cast.

As the day progressed, Amy started to feel irritated. And itchy. Sitting down or concentrating became harder. Everything smelled. Even the blood from her shirt -- very thick, metallic and tangy.

"Can dog bites cause migraines? Would rabies cause a migraine? Could I have someone not wearing perfume putting the cast on, thanks? You're giving me a headache," Amy snapped at the nurse. The nurse decided it was as good excuse as any to leave her in someone else's care and left. Amy sighed. She opened up the door from the examine room and peeked down the hall.