CHAPTER ONE
My breath came out in short gasps, as I gulped the freezing cold air through my eager lungs. My calves burned with that familiar, almost numb flame as I jogged along the curving trail. Thick tree's and the murky waters of a nearby bay were what surrounded me, the chirping of birds echoing through the sky in the early morning. It was there that I saw the silhouetted figure, crouching like an inhuman beast. I could barely make out the body, whether it was an estranged human or a deformed creature I could not tell from the far distance but my legs reeled; refusing to go any further in sheer panic. I assumed it was my paranoid instincts going into overdrive, but the mere glance at the silhouette sent a wave shivers up my spine. It seemed to be stooping over a smaller form on the ground, but its stance seemed to have a defensive manor to it.
I winced as a branch cracked under my feet, already watching as the creatures head shot up and stared right at me. Rays of sunshine seemed to seep through the thick clouds, radiating on the ground revealing the glistening brown fur and pitiless black eyes of a giant wolf; I held my breath.
My arms thrashed in the crispy air of my room, my bed sheets falling to the ground as a gasped back into reality. My body was covered in cold sweat, tense and anxious for the wolf that had been haunting my dreams for the past week to spring from the dark corners of my room and glare at me with those black, deep eyes that bored into my soul in a way I didn't think possible. A quick glance at my phone and I knew it was too early to eat breakfast but the thought of going back to sleep and seeing those eyes again wasn't that appealing to me at the moment. I slunk out of bed, practically hauling myself to the shower. The overcast that had seemed to overwhelm me dissipated once the cold water shot from the shower head and onto my flushed skin. I closed my eyes, relaxing under the beating water.
It was wrong to take a shower so prior to the dream; my mind would soon wander out of lack of interest and replay the reverie in my thoughts like a gruesome horror scene. The dream itself wasn't at all frightening, the familiar musky scent of the forest and bay was soothing and peaceful but when the silhouetted figure came into view; the atmosphere was placated with edginess. A few times the wolf had paced a couple of feet closer to me, and all I could do was stand rigid in utter fear. Maybe I had seen it in a movie or TV show, or seen it in the zoo as a child. There was something eerily familiar about it; even the stance that I had seen countless times was proverbial. I had to have seen it somewhere; there was no other explanation to why the creature would be in my dreams. Maybe it had to do with something important…..something I was forgetting. My thoughts were interrupted by a loud banging in the lower floor of the house. I turned off the water swiftly and grabbed a towel from the rack, sliding it around me, my feet tapped against the cold, marble floor as I walked to the spiral stairs.
"Leah" my thirteen year old sister always was an early-riser "Did you drop a plate or something" No Answer. I padded down the stairs in attempt to catch her red handed stealing chocolate bars from our mothers stash.
"Holy sh-" I froze, clutching my dripping wet hair as my older brother Derek and his best friend Jared sneaked into the kitchen door leading to the backyard, Jared stared at me wide eyed. My mind suddenly registered that I was only wearing a towel, and my hair was dripping; heat blotched my cheeks.
"Oh god…I should…I'll go upstairs" I sputtered, as I spun back to the stairs as rapidly as I could; clutching at my towel for dear life. I threw on my old, paint splattered jean shorts from Hollister and a tank from my dresser, running a brush through my damp hair. I breathed in and out, trying not to remember the most thwarting moment of my existence. I padded down the stairs, my flip flops squishing under my feet, relieved that Jared and Derek were nowhere to be seen.
"It's cold outside Zoe" my mom glanced at my outfit
"And we're inside" I rolled my eyes "Calm down Mom, I'm not going to get hypothermia or something"
"If you get sick don't come to me for medicine" she shook her head. I ignored her, and walked to the kitchen door leading to the backyard
"I'll eat breakfast later, okay"
On the day of my birth, a pine tree had sprouted out of the ground of our backyard; showing its first stages of life. My parents thought it was a miracle, my dad growing up to become a pastor instantly assumed that it was the work of God, a sign that their first daughter would bring life into their family so they named me Zoe. As a child, I would climb the branches of the trees as it sprouted higher and higher than my baby like height could stand next to and boast that I was taller than a tree trunk. Instinctively my fingers wrapped around the stubby, but seemingly strong branch pulling myself up with ease. The cool air brush my skin soothingly, I sighed as the memories of my childhood flashed before my very eyes.
"Hey you okay" I instantly blushed at the all too familiar voice, Jared always did that; appear out of nowhere at random times and in times like these it was completely infuriating.
"I'm" I breathed "Fine. The question is what were you and Derek doing this morning?"
"Nothing important" He kicked a branch, it skidded against the grass. His presence was like a pulsing red light, radiating heat on your skin; never inconspicuous.
"As in, none of my business right; I'm just your best friend's annoying little sister and pestering neighbor"
He glance my way quizzically, a faint smile dancing on his lips "Is that what you think of yourself?"
"Not exactly" he sat beside me, his weight dropping the branch lower to the ground "Someone's packed on some weight"
"Shut up" he shoved me playfully, the loud snap of a wood breaking and giggles filled my ears as we thudded to the ground. He plopped on top of me, all his weight crushing my tiny frame. He chuckled and raised himself up with his elbows.
"Thanks for saving my fall" he smiled
"Thanks for toppling over me" all I could register was how close our lips were, and then he jumped back up holding a hand out to me in a sigh
"It's getting cold out" rubbing my hands with his fingertips as our hands intertwined, he didn't let go "I'll make breakfast"
"I'm sorry, I have midterms on Monday I don't want to miss my tests because of food poisoning" I taunted
"To bad, you have no choice"
"No please, not Jared's cooking" the imitation of a damsel in distress filling my features, he rolled his eyes "What's it going to be this time, if you say waffles I'm going to attack you right now"
"What's wrong with waffles?" he raised his eyebrows
"They are frozen, bricks in boxes" I informed him of my utter hatred in Waffles
"And pancakes are spongy, circles in packages of powder" he countered
"That's discrimination against pancakes!"
"Out of every girl I ever met, I have never ever fought with them about Pancakes and Waffles" he smiled
"I'm flattered, considering you've met thousands of girls"
"Do I hear a hint of jealousy?"
I rolled my eyes for about the fifth time this morning and walked up the cement steps "Do I hear a hint of caring"
"I've always cared about you Zoe" he frowned as if the statement wasn't obvious
"Doesn't seem like it" I scoffed under my breath, somehow he heard
"It's not my fault okay, Derek has the this strange opposition with us going out" the words that flew from his lips startled me as much as it sent a explosion of happiness to erupt "He's extremely against it as if I'm wrong for you, but you know what" he brushed my cheek, hands cupping the side of my face "I don't care anymore"
"I never knew about this" I managed to sputter
"Well, you know now and trust me I won't…."
"Jared" my body went rigid at the sound of my brother's voice "Can I talk to you for a minute" it was completely stupid of me to turn and meet my brother's icy dark blue eyes
"You don't need to listen to him, he's not your father" I whispered to Jared
"But I am his best friend" my brother grabbed Jared by the shoulders and hauled him to the door "Now go be a good Zoe, climb your stupid tree and stay away from my friend" I glared at him until I saw him walk upstairs through the glass of the door. And for a split second the wolf in my dreams, its glistening brown coat danced in my thoughts like the glistening rays of sun.