few steps toward it then, the wolf came to meet me. It licked my arm, mouthed my hand, and finally began pulling me along into the group. I petted them while they rubbed against me. They weren’t wild dogs, like my aunt thought. They were friendly, pets. They ran through the grass, and I ran with them. Down the trail, through the woods, into the edge of the lake where they all drank, even me. Playing with them had made me thirsty.
While I knelt drinking, one of the wolves took my hair in its mouth and tugged. I laughed and pushed it away. When we scrambled to the bank, the animals lunged at each other. A honey colored wolf with eyes that were almost blue in the moonlight kept nipping and pushing at each of the others. One of the wolves with rich golden fur and light blue eyes appeared to tire of the games and growled angrily. I froze in place and my stomach lurched. What was I doing here with these animals? I could be killed. The golden wolf slunk towards me. Muscles tense, I felt a drop of dew drip from a leaf and strike my forehead. It rolled down my face and as it dripped off the end of my nose, I put my tongue out and caught it. For a brief moment the inner most part of my brain whispered you’re losing your mind.
The wolf continued toward me. When it was close enough, the animal quickly snaked its head out and grabbed my arm in a tight grip, sharp teeth closing onto my skin. Its head jerked and I slammed against the wolf’s body, my teeth jarring as I hit the ground on my knees. Fluid rose into my throat and my stomach churned. A heat rushed over me, a torrential flame of anger. The golden wolf had moved and now had its mouth on the back of my neck, teeth grinding in, holding me. I twisted, ripping the teeth away from my neck. I wrapped my arms around the wolf’s neck and flung it across the grass. It landed with a thud against the ground and immediately bounced to its feet, teeth bared. Buried within the fur and now dislodged by my arms, the blue stone collar glowed in the flash of moonlight that peeked briefly from behind the edge of a cloud. It was the same wolf I’d seen under my window that night.
On the edges of my vision I could see the other wolves, which had kept their distance from me before now, crouch low. The wolf that attacked me advanced two steps and stopped short when another wolf, the one I had played with earlier, leapt in between us. It growled. The others paused. Then it turned and stared at me, as if trying to tell me something. I heard it, a whisper in my head, or whistling through my ear.
“Run!”
Maybe it was plain old common sense kicking in, although I couldn’t imagine what part of my common sense thought I could out run three wolves. But I spun and sprinted down the path toward Louise’s house. A ferocious howl rent the night. I willed myself to go faster. Behind me the ground seemed to come alive with paws slapping against the dew laden grass. Afraid it would slow me down if I turned to see how close they were, I kept pushing myself faster. The sound of teeth gnashing and the splash of hot saliva against my legs made me lengthen my stride even more until my own heart hammering in my ears was the only sound in my head. I leapt completely over the porch steps, my feet touching briefly before I threw open the door. Twisting, I jammed the door closed and secured the locks in nearly one smooth motion. The door shook as a body slammed against it. I sunk to my knees gasping for breath, heart still banging in my chest. Slowly I twisted to a sitting position, my back against the door.
Outside, one of the wolves gave an ear-piercing howl and I shuddered. My body ached with exhaustion. Any minute now Aunt Louise would be down here wondering what was going on. But I could only sit there, close my eyes and pray I’d quit hurting soon. I had to agree, that on this occasion, I really shouldn’t have been out after dark, even though I didn‘t know how it had happened. I took a breath,
While I knelt drinking, one of the wolves took my hair in its mouth and tugged. I laughed and pushed it away. When we scrambled to the bank, the animals lunged at each other. A honey colored wolf with eyes that were almost blue in the moonlight kept nipping and pushing at each of the others. One of the wolves with rich golden fur and light blue eyes appeared to tire of the games and growled angrily. I froze in place and my stomach lurched. What was I doing here with these animals? I could be killed. The golden wolf slunk towards me. Muscles tense, I felt a drop of dew drip from a leaf and strike my forehead. It rolled down my face and as it dripped off the end of my nose, I put my tongue out and caught it. For a brief moment the inner most part of my brain whispered you’re losing your mind.
The wolf continued toward me. When it was close enough, the animal quickly snaked its head out and grabbed my arm in a tight grip, sharp teeth closing onto my skin. Its head jerked and I slammed against the wolf’s body, my teeth jarring as I hit the ground on my knees. Fluid rose into my throat and my stomach churned. A heat rushed over me, a torrential flame of anger. The golden wolf had moved and now had its mouth on the back of my neck, teeth grinding in, holding me. I twisted, ripping the teeth away from my neck. I wrapped my arms around the wolf’s neck and flung it across the grass. It landed with a thud against the ground and immediately bounced to its feet, teeth bared. Buried within the fur and now dislodged by my arms, the blue stone collar glowed in the flash of moonlight that peeked briefly from behind the edge of a cloud. It was the same wolf I’d seen under my window that night.
On the edges of my vision I could see the other wolves, which had kept their distance from me before now, crouch low. The wolf that attacked me advanced two steps and stopped short when another wolf, the one I had played with earlier, leapt in between us. It growled. The others paused. Then it turned and stared at me, as if trying to tell me something. I heard it, a whisper in my head, or whistling through my ear.
“Run!”
Maybe it was plain old common sense kicking in, although I couldn’t imagine what part of my common sense thought I could out run three wolves. But I spun and sprinted down the path toward Louise’s house. A ferocious howl rent the night. I willed myself to go faster. Behind me the ground seemed to come alive with paws slapping against the dew laden grass. Afraid it would slow me down if I turned to see how close they were, I kept pushing myself faster. The sound of teeth gnashing and the splash of hot saliva against my legs made me lengthen my stride even more until my own heart hammering in my ears was the only sound in my head. I leapt completely over the porch steps, my feet touching briefly before I threw open the door. Twisting, I jammed the door closed and secured the locks in nearly one smooth motion. The door shook as a body slammed against it. I sunk to my knees gasping for breath, heart still banging in my chest. Slowly I twisted to a sitting position, my back against the door.
Outside, one of the wolves gave an ear-piercing howl and I shuddered. My body ached with exhaustion. Any minute now Aunt Louise would be down here wondering what was going on. But I could only sit there, close my eyes and pray I’d quit hurting soon. I had to agree, that on this occasion, I really shouldn’t have been out after dark, even though I didn‘t know how it had happened. I took a breath,
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