29 epilogue

Apollo II was running too fast; Lobo was complaining of a leg ache.

"We have been running two miles Apollo. Why don't we slow down and wait for the rest?"

Apollo grinned at the son of Julia. They were wolves that day, they all agreed, and they'd be meeting in the woods far from the neighbors' eyes—along with Matthias, James' son, Hugh, Lucas' son, Julius, Andrews' son, Andrea, Andrea's namesake and adopted daughter, Isabella, and Tatin.

Time was between sunset and nightfall. The wolves running freely cast a shadow around that large densely forested park. It was a dangerous part of the town to the natives but not to Isabella and Tatin and their newfound friends and kindred spirits.

"Hah, hah…" Isabella was gasping for breath. So were Matthias, Hugh, and Julius.

"Where are they?" Hugh asked.

"Awoooo…" Matthias howled but he was stopped by Isabella for fear of being found by stray wolves. But Matthias and Hugh were having a good time. They were excited to meet Apollo and Lobo. James and Lucas—their fathers had talked about their friendship. They knew that they had special powers, too.

Hugh asked about the newly married couple.

"It's an endless everyday discovery of your partner, and since I lived abroad for a couple of years I'd missed this town more, missed people and friends like you."

"All of us were away that time," said Hugh. "Let's go look for them." They continued to run until they came across Apollo and Lobo. They shook hands and embraced each other. They chatted for a while, looked back at their childhood—they remembered their big party at Isabella's house—they talked about the war.

Lobo couldn't wait displaying his firework antics, a gift he discovered he said when he was nine-years old. He could create fire and carve it in a way and shapes he liked. It was a dangerous gift that only his immediate family knew.

Apollo II was a telepath like Isabella. He could move objects. He let the plants around them sway and dance to everyone's amusement.

Andrea likewise displayed her fire-creating power. She pointed her hand at a heap of soil not far and fire burned the grass that grew on it.

Tatin and Isabella were impressed. They thought all along that they were the only wolves with such gifts.

Matthias, Hugh, and Julius were watching as Isabella, Lobo, and Apollo took turns playing with their powers.

"The hardest part was control," said Tatin.

"Yes," Matthias agreed.

"Yes," nodded Hugh and Julius.

"You mean all of us have gifts?"

They looked at each other smiling.

The sky lit up with firework showers that night.

avataravatar