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Bridget in Werewolf Rehab
by Maura Byrne
Format: Paperback
Publication date: 23rd December 2011
ISBN: 978-1-908817-19-8
Price: €9.99
Poor Bridget – she HATES being a werewolf! In the hope she will learn to love herself, Bridget’s mother sends her to the crazy world of Herr Wolf’s International Rehab for Werewolves. But rehab means the nuttiest werewolf losers ever, including Katy a vegetarian werewolf, Eddie an aggressive hyper-wolf and Miguel who can’t howl. Live mice breakfasts, compulsory shape shifting and howling practice…YUCK!
The mad cap adventures really kick off when Bridget meets a bunch of no-hope vampires attending Dracul’s rehab on the other side of the river. Mayhem and attempted murder ensue and Bridget has to decide if she will accept her true identity and unleash the animal within.
A Sample from Bridget in Werewolf Rehab
Katy tugged at Bridget’s arm and they sat down on two benches beside each other, their knees almost touching. Eddie sat uncomfortably close on Bridget’s other side. He kept peering over Bridget’s shoulder at her laptop. Bridget closed the lid. Someone was scratching behind her. Bridget looked around to see a shy-looking Saori digging her nails into the skin behind her ears.
‘A few fleas perhaps?’ asked Mr Boyle, looking over.
‘Maybe a bit of mange? Have you had this treated at all?’
Saori nodded but Mr Boyle didn’t seem satisfied. ‘Do you mind if I have a look?’
Bridget cringed while Roald’s tongue curled out from between his teeth and Andrew jigged on his stool.
‘Mr Boyle, may I go to the toilet?’ Andrew pleaded.
Without waiting for an answer, Andrew raced towards the door.
Mr Boyle pulled back Saori’s ears, examining them closely. ‘Ah yes, I see you have some mite infestation and skin lesions. Do you have any fur loss?’
Saori nodded again, smiling gratefully. ‘I have some anti-mange spray in the cabinet. I’ll give it to you after class and you can apply it after your next shower.’
Bridget shuddered when she thought about live mites eating into Saori’s skin. It was such a pain being an animal.
Mr Boyle walked back to the table. ‘Let’s begin. I want to talk to you today about many of the tinctures I’ve invented over the years. We’ll start with canine parovirus and rabies.’
Bridget groaned and everyone followed her lead. She knew everything there was to know about these diseases because there were loads of forums and blogs covering rabies on Howlo. This was going to be a very boring lesson.
‘Don’t you have anything new?’ asked Eddie rudely.
Mr Boyle raised his eyebrows. ‘Actually I do have some terrific news.’ He tapped his long fingers on the desk in front of him. ‘I’ve invented a cure for leprechaunitis.’
Eddie burst out laughing. ‘Leprechanitis? There’s no such thing as leprechauns, mate.’
Mr Boyle looked astonished. ‘You cannot be serious. A werewolf who doesn’t believe in leprechauns?’
An uncertain, surprised titter ran around the classroom. Only the Irish werewolves seemed to believe in leprechauns.
Mr Boyle frowned. ‘Pay attention now. There are lots of families of leprechauns living around Mallow and although we warn our students to be careful, sometimes someone falls asleep in a fairy field and gets bitten.’
‘What happens when they bite?’ asked Bridget, as everyone stopped laughing and leaned forward to hear more.
Saori scratched nervously. ‘Do you think we’ll see a leprechaun during the term?’
‘I sincerely hope not,’ said Mr Boyle. ‘Once bitten, a wolf develops all the habits of leprechauns: dancing jigs, talking incoherently and following rainbows. A wolf can get so disoriented.’ Mr Boyle’s large grey eyes bulged a little from under his glasses. ‘Anyhow, we now have an antileprechaunitis formula. So there is no longer any danger.’
What a dangerous place Mallow is; Vampires across the river and leprechauns roaming the fields. Bridget wondered what other nasty surprises were in store.
‘What else have you invented?’ asked Katy earnestly.
Rubbing his hands together, Mr Boyle wandered over to a large silver cabinet with a silver key in the lock. The students flinched – silver is very dangerous for werewolves – but Mr Boyle picked up a pair of yellow oven-gloves.
‘Silver resistant,’ he explained crisply, holding them up.
The students craned their necks to see inside. There were hundreds of bottles in the cabinet and Mr Boyle nimbly lifted up one. ‘These are fade drops,’ he said proudly. ‘Every term, we have one student who can’t get rid of their fur for a few days after the full moon. It’s an annoying problem. These are powerful. Ingest one tiny drop,’ Mr Boyle pinched his fingers together, ‘and all the hair on your body vanishes entirely.’
To find out more about Bridget in Werewolf Rehab,
visit www.maura-byrne.com
