It's been a couple of months since my mother and my siblings have...died. Now, I can't even look at the colour red without crying my eyes out. But I'm getting stronger. My dad has even visited me a few times. "Raven!" My step-dad calls out, "I'm going shopping for new decorations, want to come?"
"Just one second!" I yell back
I pull on an old sweater and some blue converse. I was already wearing jeans and a t-shirt, I was studying for a test. I take the steps two at a time, not caring if I was to sprain my ankle, I heal fast. I smile at my step-dad as we head out the door and towards his old truck. He pats it down as we climb in. I chuckle to myself, I never did quite understand him fully. He, how can I say this nicely? Oh yeah, after mom died, he went nuts. Wacko. Crazy. All of those words describe him, but he isn't full-blown, padded room worthy, yet. Keyword; yet. "Raven? You think that you could grab me these things?" he asks, handing me a list
I look down at the list, checking over for anything un-necessary of dangerous.
Bows
Bulbs
Lights
Extra Santa hats
"Okay, daddy" I reply to his weird shopping list
He parks and we hop out. I grab his hand and run for the store, already regretting not bringing my winter coat. I warm up a bit as the warm air blows across my face. I grab a cart and start on the list as he searches for my present. I find the ingredients for my famous Christmas cookies, and soon find the decorations. I gasp at how much of that colour there is. A stray tear falls down my cheek, but I go on, and find a couple gold and green bows, the same with the bulbs, lights, and Santa hats. I find my step-father at the clothes aisle, looking at two Christmas dresses for me. One was green, one was gold. "Dad, I'm ready to go, you want to get something last minute?" I ask him
He shakes his head and holds up the two dresses for me to pick. I close my eyes and point at one. I end up with a brand-new green, knee-length dress. We exit the store after buying all of our things. We drive home quickly, not wasting any time at all to put up our newest additions of decorations. "Daddy? I'm going for a walk. Wait until I get back to light the candles. I want to watch when you do, okay?" I ask
He nods, a bit busy in his garland to notice anything. I shrug and walk out the door, barely remembering to close it fully. I saunter to the woods, my only place where I can let everything go and just be who I am, no judgements, no fear, just running and relishing in the awesomeness of being an animal. As soon as I hit the forest line, I morph, adrenaline going through the roof in my small veins, my black fur rustling in the wind as I speed through the woods. I notice some other wolves, all standing in a circle. I morph back to a normal form and stand behind a tree, hiding so they don't see me. They growl, but to me, their growls, their whimpers, it's all translated into pure and simple English to me. I peek over the edge of the tree and one of them catches my eye. I slide back in my hiding spot. It saw me, it saw me! I think, and soon, I'm surrounded by them. "Who is she?" one of them asks "Sam, what are we going to do, she saw us!" another one cries
"I'm Raven" I answer the first one, "and you don't have to do anything, I think I'm one of you"