By the Light of the moon

Katie wished she didn’t have to meet Jeff’s family. Shadows of her past loomed before her eyes. They must never know. Jeff understood. Sweet, caring, sweet and empathetic, he was special.
The dreaded day arrived before Katie realized it it was a bad idea.
“Jeff, I can’t do this.”
“Yes you can sweetie,” He said, smiling as they turned down the road to his parent’s home. “They will love you, as I do”.
“But the moon is nearly full Jeff. We must leave before midnight--we can’t chance staying any later.”
The hair on Jeff’s arms bristled as he remembered.
“Sweetie we will be on our way back to the apartment long before midnight”
Katie could not help but show her apprehension. She loved Jeff more than her life and looked forward to meeting those who had raised him, sharing his life, molding him into the man she chose as her soul mate.
Still, time was of the essence. Leaving before the moon rose was imperative.
They were greeted and hugged by a horde of people, many resembling Jeff; smiling relatives who seemed to take to her as if she were already family. How different, Katie thought, it would be if they really knew me.
Dinner was a long drawn-out affair, with simple, ample, delectable fare, enough to feed an army. Everyone talked at once, pommeling Jeff and Kate with questions. Where they met, their future plans, and when they intended to marry--not a subtle group.
Katie took an instant liking to them, seeing Jeff in them in so many ways. The moon low in the sky was nearly full, and Kate felt the anxious premonition of what was soon to come. She nudged Jeff under the table. He got the message and started to tell his family that they needed to leave now to get back to New York.
The house shook. Thunder roared menacingly as winds picked up. Someone turned on the TV to hear the weather report of tornados in the area- just before the lights when out. Katie clutched Jeff’s arm.
“What are we going to do? It’s almost time.”
“Don’t worry kids” Jeff’s father said, lighting lamps and lanterns “we hardly ever get tornado’s in NJ, and when we do,not much damage. We’ll just head to the cellar. It’s just a minor disturbance”.
A crack of lightning struck the hundred-year- old oak tree in front of the house, spitting its trunk. The sound was deafening. The tree fell directly on the house, giving them seconds to run to the basement.
Katie was shaking, as were the rest of the family. But it was not the storm she feared.
“Get a grip everyone” Jeff’s dad said. “We’re safe down here.”
No, Katie thought we-you-are defiently not safe. The new full moon was hidden by roiling near- black clouds, yet Kate felt its call, unable to resist the changes beginning to occur in her body.
“Jeff, we’ve got to get out of here now!”
“Baby, how can we? That tornado is dancing all over the area. My folks won’t let us leave”
Katie stifled a whimper of fear. “Jeff, it’s starting to happen”
“Ok, we’ll handle this. Don’t panic. Let me think a minute.”
They both jumped as a slice of zigzagging lightning slashed across the cellar, illuminating the room with eerie, terrifying light.
“Mom!” Jeff called out, as the screams of his family subsided. “Kate is getting a migraine headache. Is it ok if I let her sleep it off in that little room in the back?”
“Sure.” His mom’s voice held a tremble, but she was a tough lady “I’ll see if I can find some stored-away blankets for her”
Katie curled up on the cot in the little room, covered herself, and hoped her howls at the hidden moon would be muffled by the crashing thunder and pounding rain. Jeff held her close, kissed her face, its contours already beginning to fill in with the soft fur of the wolf.
“Tie me to the bed, and lock or bolt the door”
“I will”
“Do not open it, no matter what.”
“I won’t”
“I love you Jeff.”
“I love you too.”
Katie fought through the agony of the changes, pressing her mouth against the pillow to hold back both the screams of agony, and need to howl at the full moon. She prayed for morning to come quickly. A new day. A normal life. . . until the next full moon. She wished she had never met Jeff’s family. It hurt too much.

-Micki Peluso 766 words

This is another assignment which must start out with the first sentence and build a story from it. Limited word count as well.