Unaware that one of their children was getting dangerously close to risking her humanity while the other was working on homework at another house in Moon Lake, Rose Van Direstag had returned to the bedroom she was to share with her husband Richard. The day had had its mixed frustrations, and some of it was understandable. For while nearly every town in America would have an odd quirk of some kind, most of them were usually some celebration of something that related to the town's history or something in the local area. Moon Lake was very different and had informed them that they had laws on the books that at least one member of the Van Direstag family would have to give up their humanity in order to protect the secret that most of its inhabitants were were-beasts of some kind. It was something that had put Richard under a lot of stress, and Rose wasn't necessarily that far behind.
However, Rose had felt they had agreed to learn more about the town before doing anything rash. Mostly for the fact that Moon Lake was such a new place for them, and that learning more about the town would allow them to understand more about it, such as why Moon Lake's Mandatory Were Law existed. She remembered Richard even agreeing with her to give the town time and give them time to learn more, but between getting their furniture and going through the hustle of getting it placed in their new home and then getting groceries, they didn't have much time for all that. Richard might have found something out at the college, but given some of his recent actions, Rose didn't think it was all that much.
"What is all this?!" Rose demanded pointing to the open suitcases that her husband was packing.
"I told you the plan is to get out and as quickly as possible, save our family and save everything," Richard answered, "if these animals want to keep their little cult... that's fine, but we will get out. I told you that... we'll let them have their fun at night, and then as the sun comes out, we leave. By the time they realize anything... we'll be out of town and on our way home. If they try to chase us, we reveal them for the paranoid animals they are and they'll have bigger things than us to worry about."
"Including abandoning any member of our family that might have interest in joining them... or learning more about them?" Rose spoke firmly and watched as her husband placed a pair of her own unmentionables in one of the suitcases.
"No one we know would want to become one of them," Richard shot back
"What about the Jenkins?" Rose focused her eyes on him, "We've both met Melissa Jenkins... Rachel said she's become a werecow and that her father became a weretiger."
Richard paused for a moment and remembered his discussion with Harold Jenkins earlier in the day. The conversation had helped him understand WHY Moon Lake had its twisted laws, but that didn't necessarily mean the laws were right. After all, prior to 1865 it was perfectly legal to own human beings as slave and it only took a war to set about the conditions that would end that peculiar institution. In that, the Mandatory Were Law was wrong in Richard's eyes, and at the same time while Melissa Jenkins MIGHT have willingly give up her humanity, Harold Jenkins had been attacked. In that, Harold's transformation was unwilling and thus his acceptance had to be unwilling or a result of the transformation.
"Harold was attacked," Richard spoke, "and Rachel also has said that Melissa didn't change for her, the way that Twist woman did. For all we know, the girl is tricking our daughter to protect her father."
"That makes no sense," Rose frowned, her tone clearly angry, "if she were protecting her father... why would she say SHE was a were? You know that Rachel is smart and smart enough to investigate things she finds weird. In this, if Melissa were lying, Rachel would like investigate until she got a satisfactory answer to her."
Richard couldn't argue that, as the sun began setting outside the house, and bathing the room in an orange-red glow from the sunset.
"At the same time," Rose continued, "We agreed that we would learn more about the town and what they want. We agreed to figure out things BEFORE making a decision. Find out if there might be some reason that might change minds regarding weres... find out if they truly are animals, or are humans with some extra abilities. Your whole scheme here tells me that you didn't honor your own promises."
"I AM honoring my promises! Chiefly to you!" Richard insisted, "to keep you safe... to keep our family safe."
"You're driving us apart if you're just going to decide to run without learning anything and using the same old rants you'd railed against in the past," Rose crossed her arms.
"There is a difference between some lunatic KKK man ranting about some human being inferior," Richard countered, "and weres saying we must give up our humanity... just in order to live here. Think on it Rose. The fact that they have that law in place proves they don't trust people to be good. That is a sign that they aren't as good as they claim to be."
"Then how many attacks have you fended off from the house since we moved in?" Rose asked.
"What?" Richard demanded.
"If weres are nothing but animals... then why haven't they attacked the house... or attacked you, Rachel, Frank, or Rob when you'd left the house?" Rose demanded, "animals do not follow laws and do not create them. The law they follow is survival of the fittest. Which would mean that they might well attack anything they see as weak or as a rival."
"That's not the point..." Richard began, "they're still trying to make us give up our humanity. Whether its in an animalistic way or in a more human-like manner is irrelevant."
"It's quite relevant when you're arguing they're just animals," Rose pointed out and pointed a very accusing finger at him, "for otherwise, you're just making excuses to break promises you'd already made to take the time to LEARN about Moon Lake and its were population before making any decision. You're making excuses to reject any possible choices our children might make if they happen to be supportive of the idea..."
"I'm just doing what is best for them... for us," Richard argued back, "I don't want to see you hurt... us hurt... or to see anyone try to tear as apart from each other!"
A load growling moan was heard from the woods out behind the house making both of them turn to look out the window. By now the sun had set and things were getting dark outside, and that cast shadows from the trees onto the small lawn that was their backyard and nearing the fence that surrounded the rather Japanese styled home... or rather mansion or palace... that was right next to their home. It was enough to unnerve Richard and reminded him of things that had gone on the night before.
"I'm NOT in danger," Rose answered, "and I'm willing to learn... meet our neighbors and figure things out BEFORE making a decision on whether or not to try and run. And you and I should BOTH know that the weres aren't mindless animals... and I'll show you we're not in danger."
With that Rose then turned and walked out the door and headed for the stairs. She ignored Frank, who was standing in the doorway to his room, and it wasn't long before she heard Richard call after her.
"Rose! Where are you going?" Richard asked.
"I'm going to show you that we aren't in danger," Rose answered, "and get you to meet one of these weres that are our neighbors rather than sitting here with your own prejudices."
"I'm not..." Richard began as he followed after Rose, "I'm trying to protect you and our family."
"You're afraid and hiding!" Rose answered as she reached the ground floor and then turned toward the back of the house, and listened to Richard following after her.
"I'm not afraid!" Richard almost instinctively shouted, getting the sensation that Rose was questioning his masculinity.
"Then prove it," Rose glared at him as she opened the backdoor and stepped out into the yard, "let's go meet the were that's out there. We're young, healthy, and it should be pretty clear that they aren't mindless animals. So, I'm sure you can give a brief hello and get some answers on what it's like to be a were and how "animalistic" they really are."
"I don't need to know when I can hear that..." Richard pointed out as a low "oooouuuuaaaaaaaaaaaauuuuuuuuuuuuuu" drifted out of the woods and to their ears, "human beings don't sound like that."
"But for all you know their transformative abilities also changes certain aspects of their vocal chords... letting them mix both human and animal sounds," Rose countered, "thus to understand their intents and behaviors... it strikes me that you need to talk with a transformed were, since you won't listen to one in its human form."
"Because I'm trying to protect this family!" Richard repeated.
"By running away and breaking promises," Rose answered, "if we were following you're original plan by now... we'd be on the road because you didn't know that the weres are more active in their were forms at night. That shows you haven't tried to learn anything."
"I can learn anything," Richard answered.
"Then prove it," Rose practically growled and stepped out onto the lawn and with Richard following after her.
"Fine!" Richard finally gave in, "at least let me take the lead. If it's hostile... I can at least provide a distraction so you can get away. And note, I'm doing this under protest."
Rose gave one small gesture to let him head into the woods and toward the sound that they'd heard. As he went in among the trees, she followed.