Jack smiled as he applied the prosthetic makeup to his hand. It wouldn't hold up under close examination, but the bandage he planned to apply over it would help. He could barely contain his excitement. It was going to be the perfect practical joke for April Fool's Day!
Jack planned to tell his mother that he was bitten by a strange creature last night. Then, when the TransFun serum took effect, he would change into a werewolf and freak her out! The 'Were' serums used the full moon as a trigger, which explained why they were discounted. After tonight there would not be another full moon for a month. Jack had stored the vial contents in the fridge, concealed in one of his energy drinks. Dave, the salesman at the TransFun store, had suggested cooling the mixture, which would result in a slower, more dramatic change.
Jack heard the door open downstairs and knew his Mom had finally come home from work. He hurriedly applied the bandage, splashing a little red food-coloring on the cloth for effect. Then he rushed downstairs to greet her.
Jack was shocked to see what was in her hand - an energy drink!
"Where did you get that?" asked Jack.
"Duh! Where do you think, dear? From the fridge!" said Sarah playfully as she took another sip.
"That was mine!" said Jack angrily.
"Sorry, it was the last one. And your mother needs her energy for tonight," she said plainly.
Jack continued to scowl angrily. His prank was ruined! His mother began to take offense at his demeanor.
"Listen, young man. I am the one paying the bills around here, so technically everything is mine, not yours! Now...."
Sarah stopped as she spotted his hand and her tone softened.
"Oh my goodness! What happened to your hand, honey?" asked Sarah with genuine concern.
"Nothing. Just a dog bite," said Jack sullenly.
"A dog bite? We should get you to a doctor. It might have been infected with rabies or something, "said Sarah.
"No, it was a friend's dog. He had all his shots. I'm fine," said Jack sadly, still disappointed at the failure of his prank.
Sarah hugged her son, trying to comfort him.
"Oh, Jack. I'm sorry for taking your drink and getting angry with you. If it makes you feel any better, I think it had gone bad. It had a real strange taste - kind of salty and metallic. But don't be so gloomy. I'll bring back some more on my way home tonight," Sarah said.
"Way home!? " said Jack with a start, as he pulled himself out of her hug. "You are going out tonight!?"
"Yes, dear. I have a date, remember? That's why I needed the energy drink. I am not as young as I used to be and it was a long day at work. I am going to need all the pep I can get if I want to make a good impression on him. I don't want to seem listless and dull, " said Sarah.
Jack paled. When the moon rose, she was going to make quite the impression. He doubted that her date would find her dull after that, and the evening was bound to be exciting and memorable.
Jack considered telling his mother the truth, but then he got an idea - maybe he could still play a practical joke on his Mom. It would be quite funny if she changed in the middle of her date. Dave, the TransFun store salesman, had assured him that she would not be feral. After all, she wouldn't be a 'real' werewolf and her bite would not be contagious. Although TransFun was still relatively new most people still knew about its products. He doubted that anyone would try to hurt her or kill her, mistaking her for a real monster. But even if they did, TransFun products had a built-in safety feature. If someone died while transformed they just returned to the nearest safe location back in their old body, completely unharmed.
Then again, maybe it would be a little cruel to embarrass her in public like that. Maybe Jack could convince her to bail on her date and stay home with him. He could still have a little fun with her, acting shocked by her transformation. It wouldn't be quite as exciting, but it would still be pretty amusing.
Sarah watched Jack curiously as he continued to stare at her, debating what choice to make.