remote areas, far away from human civilization. Every few years there would be rumors about them raiding rural towns, or killing nosey college kids, but other than that, their lives were shrouded in mystery.
“I was in a car accident , yesterday, I think,” she said, finally catching up to the wolf. She walked alongside of it, but kept a few feet of distance between them. “I’m on my way to Vermont, to see my mom.”
Sarah was pretty sure that it didn’t understand a word she was saying, but it made her feel better to talk. She hadn’t realized, until she’d started talking, how horribly lonely she had been. The pain, cold, and hunger had overshadowed her fundamental need for companionship.
“Thanks for the fish. I’m not sure how I’m going to eat it, but it beats eating snow. That’s all I’ve had since the accident.”
She didn’t know how long the wolf was going to let her follow it, but she planned on taking advantage of its apathy for as long as she could. Following the wolf was probably the craziest thing she’d ever done, but to be fair, Sarah wasn’t exactly known for being crazy. She was very cautious, but caution, as she’d recently found out, could be just as dangerous as recklessness in its own right.
The wolf probably could have ditched her at any time, but it didn’t. Despite her exhaustion and the stiffness in her legs, she was able to keep up with its steady pace. It was just after dawn, but the weak winter sunlight wasn’t strong enough to banish the cold from her bones.
The ground sloped as they began trudging up a hill. Her aching muscles protested, but she did her best to ignore them, focusing on placing one foot in front of the other. When they finally reached the top, she hunched over and placed her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. Once she’d caught her breath she looked up, but the wolf was gone. Her eyes followed its paw prints to where they disappeared behind a large rock.
Swallowing audibly, she walked forw ard and peeked around the rock. Behind it was a small entryway that led into what appeared to be a dark cave. Sarah stepped back, sighing in defeat.
Following the wolf through the forest was one thing. No matter how dire her situation, she didn’t see how it could be improved by fo llowing a werewolf into a cave. Her shoulders slumping, she turned to scope out the surrounding area and plan her next move.
Despite her high vantage point, the deciduous forest before her was nothing more than a blur of brown and white. She squinted, trying to bring the forest into focus. The brown blurs immediately in front of her sharpened into trees, but everything beyond that remained as unintelligible as ever.
Her thick, plastic-framed eye glasses had always been the bane of her existence. A few days ago, and pretty much every day of her life before today, she had fervently wished that she would never have to wear them again. She didn’t know how she’d lost them in the accident. The impact had knocked her unconscious, and when she’d finally come to, she saw that a tree had impaled her windshield, narrowly missing her torso, and her glasses were nowhere to be found.
I’m going to die out here.
It was the first time she’d allowed herself to think what she’d known from the start. The only thing that disturbed her was how little emotion the thought stirred in her. Hunger and exhaustion had weakened her, and she knew that if she was going to have any chance of surviving, she’d have to find somewhere to take shelter and convalesce.
The sound of heavy footsteps drew her attention back to the cave. Sarah took a few steps forward, expecting to see the wolf again, but that was not what emerged from the darkness. She squinted as a tall, broad-shouldered man exited. He wore denim jeans and was in the process of fitting a white t-shirt over his head.
Frozen in place, only her eyes moved, traveling up his torso and past
“I was in a car accident , yesterday, I think,” she said, finally catching up to the wolf. She walked alongside of it, but kept a few feet of distance between them. “I’m on my way to Vermont, to see my mom.”
Sarah was pretty sure that it didn’t understand a word she was saying, but it made her feel better to talk. She hadn’t realized, until she’d started talking, how horribly lonely she had been. The pain, cold, and hunger had overshadowed her fundamental need for companionship.
“Thanks for the fish. I’m not sure how I’m going to eat it, but it beats eating snow. That’s all I’ve had since the accident.”
She didn’t know how long the wolf was going to let her follow it, but she planned on taking advantage of its apathy for as long as she could. Following the wolf was probably the craziest thing she’d ever done, but to be fair, Sarah wasn’t exactly known for being crazy. She was very cautious, but caution, as she’d recently found out, could be just as dangerous as recklessness in its own right.
The wolf probably could have ditched her at any time, but it didn’t. Despite her exhaustion and the stiffness in her legs, she was able to keep up with its steady pace. It was just after dawn, but the weak winter sunlight wasn’t strong enough to banish the cold from her bones.
The ground sloped as they began trudging up a hill. Her aching muscles protested, but she did her best to ignore them, focusing on placing one foot in front of the other. When they finally reached the top, she hunched over and placed her hands on her knees, breathing heavily. Once she’d caught her breath she looked up, but the wolf was gone. Her eyes followed its paw prints to where they disappeared behind a large rock.
Swallowing audibly, she walked forw ard and peeked around the rock. Behind it was a small entryway that led into what appeared to be a dark cave. Sarah stepped back, sighing in defeat.
Following the wolf through the forest was one thing. No matter how dire her situation, she didn’t see how it could be improved by fo llowing a werewolf into a cave. Her shoulders slumping, she turned to scope out the surrounding area and plan her next move.
Despite her high vantage point, the deciduous forest before her was nothing more than a blur of brown and white. She squinted, trying to bring the forest into focus. The brown blurs immediately in front of her sharpened into trees, but everything beyond that remained as unintelligible as ever.
Her thick, plastic-framed eye glasses had always been the bane of her existence. A few days ago, and pretty much every day of her life before today, she had fervently wished that she would never have to wear them again. She didn’t know how she’d lost them in the accident. The impact had knocked her unconscious, and when she’d finally come to, she saw that a tree had impaled her windshield, narrowly missing her torso, and her glasses were nowhere to be found.
I’m going to die out here.
It was the first time she’d allowed herself to think what she’d known from the start. The only thing that disturbed her was how little emotion the thought stirred in her. Hunger and exhaustion had weakened her, and she knew that if she was going to have any chance of surviving, she’d have to find somewhere to take shelter and convalesce.
The sound of heavy footsteps drew her attention back to the cave. Sarah took a few steps forward, expecting to see the wolf again, but that was not what emerged from the darkness. She squinted as a tall, broad-shouldered man exited. He wore denim jeans and was in the process of fitting a white t-shirt over his head.
Frozen in place, only her eyes moved, traveling up his torso and past
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