Milkshake Duck
Doug stood on the dock gazing out at the glassy water of the pond. On the shore nearby people were laughing as they tossed bits of bread out to the ducks. Doug contemplated the peaceful scene as he took a long pull of his delicious milkshake. They wouldn't be cheerfully laughing if they knew the dark secrets of the lake. He looked out across the smooth dark waters; at the far side cliffs reflected in the mirror-like water. Green forests surrounded most of the pond except here at the town park where people were feeding the ducks. Wood ducks! He hated wood ducks. He felt the blood thumping in his head. Did he really hate them that much? Oh wait, he was just getting brain freeze from drinking the milkshake too fast. He took a break from the shake and his blood began to feel harmonized again.
His phone pinged, a text message. From that girl Aix whom he quite rather fancied.
"hey, want to do something this evening?" she asked.
Hmmmm, damn, this would not do. He eyed the place in the sky where the moon would rise anxiously. This would not do at all. Probably can't tell her to meet up tomorrow because the effect usually lasts 24 hours. Will have to suggest next week. He sadly started punching in the message.
While his phone was out he checked the time of the moonrise again. He still had about an hour until the full moon would rise. Somewhere in the distance a wolf howled, startling a nearby couple. If only they had any idea, thought Doug, shaking his head as he walked away.
He tossed the empty milkshake in a trashcan and wandered into the forest. Following his favorite secret trail, ducking under branches and winding through thick foliage until he came to a little glen on the far side of the pond, across from where the moon would rise. The sky was turning a dark blue, the sunset glowing somewhere behind him. He checked the time on his watch, and then took it off and carefully placed it under a thick bush. He then removed his clothing and carefully placed it under the bush as well. He sat there shivering with goosebumps in the evening air. This was a bit awkward but he'd found it to be the best way to do it. There had been some awkward moments when the moonrise had caught him in town. He cursed his luck for that fateful duck bite he'd received a year ago. Who would have guessed...
Suddenly he felt it happening. Suddenly he was quivering all over, quaking.. quacking. He regained his composure, feeling a bit embarrassed about that inadvertent outburst. He waddled to the water's edge and looked down at his reflection. The prim green head of a mallard gazed back at him. He recoiled, he would never get used to this. He took another few moments to steel himself to his fate, and then hopped in the water, which actually felt quite comfortable, and paddled off to where the other mallards hung out. He'd have to tell them about those damn wood ducks.
The Next Day:
With a tremendous splash Doug came down into the water and skidded along sending up a spray, bowling right in amongst the wood ducks, followed by two of his mallard friends. Immediately he set about wildly flapping his wings and quacking wildly, setting the wood ducks to flee.
"Hah!! Take that you wood duck bastards!" he exclaimed happily in duck, which sounded like a very self satisfied "quack quack quack" to the nearby humans. The ability to do those splash-down landings made it almost worth having this strange were-duck curse. An elderly woman tossed a piece of bread right in front of him. Ugh, it's that cheapo wonder-bread he thought to himself and turned away. One of his companions gobbled it up though. Some guys have no shame.
He decided to waddle ashore, he was getting that bloodthirsty urge to peck at people's heels. As he was waddling about looking for a likely victim he noticed what looked like a milkshake cup from his favorite cafe, sitting upright on the ground. "Hmmm, I wonder..." he said out loud, which sounded like a quick contemplative "quack?" and he waddled over to it.
It was half full! Someone had just... abandoned half their delicious milkshake?? He knew he would never demean himself to finishing someone else's milkshake as a human, but he couldn't help that being a duck somewhat effected his senses of propriety. He carefully took the bent top of the straw in his bill and attempted to suck down the delicious contents. It took a bit of trying, not really having lips and all, but eventually he managed to make it work. Ahhhhhhh he closed his eyes and enjoyed it.
"HEY LOOK AT THIS!!" he was abruptly broken from his reverie by some loud young man. He opened one eye to see the young man pointing at him.
"Guys, guys! This duck is drinking a milkshake!!" the guy was getting out his camera-phone. Oh great he appears to be taking a video. Doug's first impulse was to storm off or maybe just start acting like a totally normal bird brained duck but then he got a better idea. As he kept slurping down the milkshake the man got closer and closer with his video.
Yessss get closer Doug thought to himself nefariously, and I'll show you a surprise!!!