Ew, I'm an asshole for not updating sooner. I mean, I didn't even realize that it's been this long since I've written on …I've been writing on Wattpad and and oh my it's been awhile.
I update the stories in rotations, and now I'm back to Fanfiction and I will update these stories as quickly as possible such as my; Mikey Changes, both Kickin' it stories, Miss Independent and The Guard and the Prisoner and so on and so forth.
It's like…these stories are my babies and I'm the forgetful parent and I just forgot all about them and then you guys, (social services lol), came and gave me notices about how your about to take my babies away if I didn't get my act together and-oh god I'm crazy.
And for my payment to you guys, I will make a real fluffy chapter. Fluffy like cotton candy :)
(Well…a fluffy beginning anyways, HAHA.)
Oh and remember that last, '35 reviews and you get a new update' thing? Yeah, forget about that. You guys are right, screw that.
Okay? Cool.
-BookBearer
"Wait!"
"No."
"Hey-"
"No."
"Come on Kim, don't be like this! Wha—where do you think you are going?" The werewolf pleaded and tried to reason, having to jog to catch up to the furious, foot-stomping blonde.
She was, without a doubt, angry with him as soon as she found out what kind of mess he'd gotten them both in. Even though it was totally accidental, she claimed it; 'didn't excuse the fact that they were still here' and that 'they were both screwed'.
Not that she wasn't completely wrong.
From the moment they entered it, the wood seemed full of noises. Considering the fact that both of them had supernatural senses, there was an overbearing smell of damp leaves and moss, and everywhere the splash of water went whispering about. Just inside, a nearby brook made a little fall into a pool, and the sound, enclosed among the trees, echoed as through in a cave. Roosting birds rustled overhead; the breeze stirred the leaves; here and there a dead twig fell. It really must have put the blonde on edge; being born and raised in the town and all.
If they were going to get through these next two months, they would have to do it together. And even though she hated his guts, he was pretty sure that they both knew that they needed each other to survive this Challenge and Choosing.
"I'm going home, Jack. That's where I'm going." She spoke through gritted teeth, determination evident in her voice. She stepped over a long, wide log as she continued her walk forwards. Obviously, she was still in denial about the whole ordeal, and if she continued to be like that, then that would get them absolutely nowhere. Plus, who knows what lie ahead in this forest, she could be hurt in an instant if she took a wrong left turn.
"No, Kim, you heard what Julie said." In two long strides he stood in front of the blonde, ceasing any more movement from her. He looked her in her defiant eyes, putting both hands on her shoulders, gripping them. "We are in this now, we can't go home. And the sooner you realize that, the better."
She clicked her teeth together, arms crossed and her eyes narrowing dangerously. "Oh yeah, and whose fault is that? Hmm? Whose fault is it that we are stuck in the middle of god knows where, wandering around this seemingly endless forest for two whole months without the slightest of clue of what we are to eat or where we are to sleep?"
Jack searched through his mind for a rebuttal, but found none and shook his head. "But we can find ourselves a place to sleep and stuff to eat, Kim! We're predators. Hunting isn't that hard."
She snorted and raised her eyebrows, "No Jack, vampires are predators. You puppies are just mere house pets."
"Excuse me?"
She gave a mock grin, "Good boy! You used your manners!" Spinning on her heel, she walked in the opposite direction. "I've got to get going."
He huffed, his ego now bruised quite badly, and replied back angrily, "Oh yeah? Well, fine! Run away! That's what you Vampires do best anyways!"
She paused and whipped her head around, her still wet and clumped hair whipping around with her. Some darkened strains stuck to her face as she did so, making her appear even angrier. She tilted her head and looked at him incredulously. "I'm sorry?"
Jack smiled and clapped his hands once and grinned, "Good girl! You used your manners!"
She growled and stomped towards him, poking an accusing finger at his chest. "You, mister, are a dick. You are a major pain in my ass, you thick-skulled, cocky, arrogant mutt, and I'll be damned to the deepest and hottest part of hell before I willingly spend the next sixty-some days with you, Jack Brewer!"
She shook her head and spun around, stomping away furiously.
Ouch.
Okay, so maybe he shouldn't have said that.
But didn't he deserve to blow off some steam too? After all, he was also stuck in here with no clue what to do—she wasn't the only one stressed here!
Well… it was more like distressed, with everything that happened within the short span of the last few days. Balancing school and training for the Challenge wasn't as easy as it seemed. Hard workout days left him tired and sore all throughout his body, which meant he wasn't giving one-hundred percent in his focusing efforts. But at least he was trying! She's completely blowing him off here and he was really tempted to just leave her in the forest and finish the Challenge alone.
Then again, if he left her, she'd most likely get hurt. Or lost in this huge forest. Vampires lived in the town, whilst Werewolves lived in the forest. He practically knew what to expect and what not to expect. She probably wouldn't last two days without his guidance.
And plus, unless they came out of this challenge together, they'd have a war on their hands. Like Julie had said before the phone died, everyone was already on edge and if something was to happen to one of them, it would just be the straw that broke the camel's back.
Last time that happened was centuries ago, and from what stories he's heard from his Nona—it was a complete bloodbath. Torn apart bodies aligned the battle field and that no one could tell one person apart from the last. All werewolves and vampires alike were slaughtered brutally; arms, legs, fingers, stomachs, hearts, heads, all parts were scattered across the field. All that anyone could see was the crimson red that spattered from the latest victim.
At the time, Werewolves were shifted into their purest forms and so were the Vampires. Fangs and sharpened teeth met flesh every few seconds, tearing it with all their might. Everyone participating was out for blood and that bloodlust never ceased. Agony was present everywhere, as most bled to death and the screams and moans of pain rang throughout the air.
Finally, on the seventh day of continuous fighting, the casualties became so great on both sides, that the thought of extinction of both species became too real. The Alpha and the Clan Leader at the time were both forced into signing the peace agreement that is still standing today.
Well…the peace treaty that is in jeopardy now.
So unless they wanted a repeat of that disaster, he'd better get the little princess under control before she gets herself in trouble.
And plus, Jack was a lover, not a fighter.
Up ahead, Kim grumbled on about how annoying Jack was and how in the world she had gotten stuck with him of all people. Is god upset with her for some reason? Was it because she took an extra pudding cup in the lunch line? Because that was all Grace's fault—she dared her to do it!
Whatever the reason was, she was stuck now, so she could only move forwards. There had to be some sort of exit out of here, there had to! She just had to think of where it could be. She stepped over a fallen tree, thinking about anyway to get the hell out of this place.
"Stupid forest…" She grumbled, kicking around some fallen leaves out of frustration. "Stupid trees, stupid grass, stupid Jack, stupid Challenge, stupid karma, stupid fucking Donna Tobin, stupid fucking Annie-"
Not even ten minutes into her escape away from that brown-haired moron, (and without any warning whatsoever), Kim felt two arms reach out and pulled Kim backwards. Almost instantly she knew who it was—(who else would it be? They were stuck in the middle of fucking nowhere)—yet, the young Vampirette was still momentarily stunned.
The embrace was similar to Jack's earlier hold and she still felt the familiar feeling of her lungs constricting tightly. Her heartbeat raced painfully inside her chest while her stomach did spectacular acrobatics, making her feel slightly sick. She flushed warmly.
Fuck.
This stupid cuddle was reminiscent of the ones parents or loved ones gave, so Kim didn't know why she felt like this. She'd received countless hugs in the past, yet, the ones he gave seemed far too…intimate. For sure, the feeling was one-sided. She was psyching herself out; what else could it have been?
She was also uncomfortably aware of the way his upper body dipped and raised in certain areas against her back and how Jack's heat radiated strongly from his bare skin. She gulped thickly.
"Okay," Jack agreed, his voice thick and heavy (or did Kim imagine that?), "I'm sorry I hurt your feelings. Vampires aren't cowards, I don't know much about them, but if they are anything like you, they are far from being cowards. And I need someone like that. So for now on, can we please stick together?"
"Yeah, uh, fine," Kim stuttered out through a shiver. Her stomach tightened, hating the fact about how much of an effect he had on her like this. She was angry at him a moment ago for Christ's sake and now she suddenly forgave this moron?
Jack, to Kim's immediate relief, released his hold. A smile was bright on his lips and he appreciatively kissed Kim's forehead before walking ahead with a slight bounce in his strides. "Glad we are on the same page! We should get going. It's going to get dark soon."
Kim nodded wordlessly before following suit, forehead still burning where his lips had touched and her cheeks ablaze.
Yeah, he's going to be a problem.
The man suddenly had me pinned underneath him in seconds and my heartbeat got faster as he started to kiss my neck furiously. I felt my eyes practically roll to the back of my head. The sensation of his constant nipping, biting and then soothing licking began to drive me to the edge of insanity...yet left me yearning for more, more, more.
I sat up and the man ran his hand down the front of my shirt, tearing the fabric in half with a smirk. The simple notion sent electric shocks down my spine, intensifying the experience by one hundred and ten percent. My face was beyond flushed and my vision had glossed over with pure lust. I'd never felt anything like this before and the feeling was overwhelming-it was consuming me from the inside out.
I panted, letting out embarrassingly soft and needy moans as he began leaving ghosts of kisses down the bridge of my collarbone and more so down towards my stomach. My back arched, wanting more, but before he went any further, he sat up and pulled his shirt over his head, tossing it carelessly over the side of the sturdy bed.
I immediately yank him back down and after a few short, sensual kisses, I tease, whispering in his right ear, "So my shirt is trashed and you get to keep yours?"
A deep chuckle vibrates through his chest as he continues to work on discoloring the inside of my neck. His voice is deep and husky...it had sent delicious shivers down my spine.
"Hmm...You can wear mine."
He pinned me back down on the bed and growled as we kissed roughly, running our tongues along the sides of each other, fighting for dominance. He had sneakily rolled over, so he was on top…not that I had minded. At this point, I wanted nothing but him and only him.
My mouth broke from his as his hand tangled itself in my own and tugged firmly, yet so gently, forcing me to look upwards. He attacked my neck with his lips, kissing fiercely and sucking, pinning my body back underneath his. I felt my thighs tremble as his hands gripped them, and before I caught on that he was planning something, his lips smothered mine in a steamy kiss.
"Ready, Kimmy?" He breathed out hotly. At the nod of my head he dipped low—
Being yanked from her subconsciousness suddenly, she sat up at the feeling of something hitting her forehead. Was it raining again?
Still halfway asleep, she moved her fingertips to the base of her forehead and wiped, feeling something wet and slimy. Rain wasn't slimy…or was it? It was weird; she'd never really thought about it, only that it's wet and that it drenches you if you're caught in its downpour. But, where was the rest of it?
Curiously, she brought her hand down towards her nose and took a huge whiff, examining it with her fourth sense, only because her eyes could barely stay open by themselves.
Her face twisted up almost instantly, the smell being so overwhelming that it practically punched her in the face. It was sickening and she couldn't help but gag, quickly jumping up and extending her arm as far as it would go.
A tiny wave of nausea washed over her as she saw what was on the tips of her fingers—and what was quickly crusting up. She began to panic, whipping around, looking for something to wipe this stuff off of her. When she failed to find any, she just ran over to the nearest tree and wiped it on there. It had the nastiest smell she could ever imagine…she had to force herself to not throw up her dinner—if she had had any to begin with.
Her lips stretched downwards in a grimace as she caught a whiff of what had hit her forehead. It was wretched, that's for sure. It kind of smelled like…like—
"Oh god, gross!" She screamed, hopping up and wiping at her face frantically once more. Her mouth suddenly went sour as she realized what had accidently slipped into it and she began spitting like a maniac. She probably looked deranged right now, but she didn't really care at the moment.
"Fuck!" She cursed, as she got the last of the brown bits out of her blonde hair. With an annoyed huff of air, she closed her fists and shook them in the air angrily. "Damn birds!"
It seemed like Mother Nature just hated Kim Crawford. First that huge spider crawling around on her face and now being woken up to a bird feces facial. Hell, what was next? Bigfoot coming out of the woods to obnoxiously point out how the ends of her hair were uneven? And why didn't Jack get his face invaded with bird poop? Now that was unfair!
At the mentioning of Jack, she turned, looking for the brunette. Her eyes scanned her surroundings, the only thing that was in her vision was the dark green of thick vegetation surrounding her. With a sigh, she turned and stomped out the remains of the fire, covering it with dirt with her foot. She then turned and randomly chose a direction, starting off that way.
Jack could not be that far away…if he moved as fast as his brain functioned, he couldn't have possibly gotten that far. How far could he have gotten in such a little amount of time?
"Jack!" Kim hollered, cupping her hands around her mouth. She turned her body as she called out, making sure she did not miss any direction he might possibly be in. She knew she would find him…she had all the confidence in the world. So long as he didn't get himself killed trying to get them breakfast.
"Jack!" Kim said a little a bit louder and a more of a shaky voice. The thought of something happening to Jack should not have shaken her as much as it did at that moment. The idea made her shiver, her steps quickening. Before long, she was sure she was about to actually go into panic mode.
But before she could do anything irrational, a figure busted out from behind her, stopped in front of her, out of breath and panting. She was startled, jumping a bit at the sudden sound and body. When she realized it was the idiot she was looking for, she glared.
"Jack?" Kim hissed, crossing her arms. "Where the hell have you been? I have been looking for your ass for hours! What, did you have to take a piss that long?" She may have sounded angry, but really her eyes were racking over Jack's figure to make sure he was alright. He didn't appear to have any severe wounds and he was not bleeding drastically, so that was good. However, he had scratches all over his exposed lower legs, arms and face.
Jack's chest rose and fell quickly as he tried to regain his breath, his figure bent over, arms on his hips. He wore a grimace on his face as he did so, as if every breath was painful. "K-Kim," He wheezed, making gestures with his hands. Kim took this as a sign and put herself underneath Jack's arm, trying to help him over to the nearest tree.
"N-No," Jack wheezed out, shaking his head, "We…ah, we need to…" He couldn't finish his sentence, he was so tired. His legs felt as if they would collapse underneath him and every time he took a breath, his chest burned. His lungs heaved like the air was acidic and every part of him felt like it would break if he didn't stop.
"Jack," Kim stared him down, her eyebrows furrowed, her eyes questioning. She was confused as to what had him so winded. What was he doing- what the hell has got him in such a rush?
Kim pressed her grip on him a little firmer, letting him know how urgent she was. If this was life threatening, she needed to know before he got both their asses killed. She shook him, "Jack, you need to tell me what is going on."
Jack took a few more moments to catch his breath before he looked back down at Kim. He knew she wouldn't believe him, who would in this state? But she had to trust him right now.
"…pixies."
Kim looked at him for a minute, silence dawning over them both. The only sounds that could be heard were the sounds of the forest and the bugs overhead. It took her a few moments to fully comprehend what he had just said to her.
When she ran it through her mind for the fourth or fifth time, she tried to suppress her giggling, but ended up bursting into loud laughter.
She really tried.
Well…
Not really.
She looked up at Jack, her eyes squinted because she was laughing so hard. She used her free hand to cover her mouth as she did, but it was no use. The giggles were spilling out of her mouth like a waterfall.
"P-Pixies?" She asked in between fits, clutching at her own stomach. "Really?"
Jack looked like he was close to throwing a fit. By now, he had long caught his breath and he was able to stand up tall. "I am dead serious!" He exclaimed, mad at the fact that Kim thought he was kidding. He knew what he saw- well, what he thought he saw. He knew what the hell he (might have been) was running from!
Kim looked at him and gave an amused smile. "Look, I'm sorry to break it to you but," She raised her eyebrows, "Pixies are as real as the Easter Bunny or Santa Claus. I don't know what you thought you saw, but it most likely wasn't a pixie."
Jack stepped away from her, crossing his arms and frowning at her. Was she calling him a liar? What in the world would he lie about? "Kim," Jack looked serious this time, "Kim, I'm not kidding, we need to get out of here!" He grasped her arm and dragged her with him as he quickly walked forwards.
Kim was shocked at the contact, not actually thinking he would grab her. She didn't know why he was getting so frantic- pixies were nothing but legend. They didn't exist and never would ever. Kim waved him off, "Jack, listen to me," She tugged her arm back, making him stay back momentarily. She waited until he turned back around.
"Pixies aren't real." She stated bluntly, shrugging. Something in her brown eyes lit up, much like a raging fire. A sneer formed on her lips and she hissed, the tips of her sharp fangs beginning to show. Jack shuttered at the sight, even going as far as taking a step back…for cautionary reasons.
"Even if they were, they wouldn't last long. They're nothing but tiny, despicable pests who bite and chew through everything they touch." Her brown eyes seemed to glow with hidden rage, "Those manipulative little bugs." She growled softly, crossing her arms.
Jack's eyebrows raised, his interest suddenly peaked. "What's with the attitude-"
"I do not have an attitude!" Kim cut his sentence off with a cold snap of her voice. She shot a cold glare in Jack's direction and the look immediately sent shivers down his spine. He rose his hands up in surrender, taking another precautionary step in the other direction. Kim noticed this and angrily let out a sigh, trying to recollect her composure.
"Come on. It's getting dark." She grumbled, looking away shamefully for exploding at Jack like that. She didn't mean to be…well, mean, but pixies were a touchy subject for her. And not just her in particular, but to all Vampires in general. Pixies and Vampires…didn't have that good of history. That was it— nothing more nothing less.
With that, the young vampire spun around on her heel and stormed away in the other direction, without so much of an option to do otherwise from Jack. He followed behind her silently, his mind reeling over what just happened and whether or not there was actually something there that he saw.
Probably not.
Maybe it was just some bad berries he ate or something.
Jack shrugged, brushing off the matter and pushing it away to the back of his mind to dwell on later. In this forest, matters like those weren't something to take lightly— who knows what lies in the dark forest other than rabbits and frogs and helpless deer?
Jack jogged forwards to catch up with a quick moving Kim.
"You humans speak of our dust, spreading rumors of our source. You know nothing. You humans speak of our lore, but the words of our kin are not for your ears. You men so tall of stature and small of joy, cannot be taught, cannot learn…"
The words echoed off the nonexistent walls, bouncing back and forth, getting louder and softer then repeating.
Kim desperately clutched at his limp body, pulling him backwards with all her might and forcing her black, blue and crimson stained legs forwards. She tugged and tugged, her chest heaving up and down painfully, her lungs on fire. But she could not escape. No matter what random direction she went in, which way she turned, it was there.
Kim had seen darkness before, she'd been experiencing it all her life. She knew what darkness was— it was the kind that makes streets or empty roads look like an old fashioned photograph, everything a shade of grey.
This wasn't like that. The darkness was empty. Silent. The kind of darkness that robs you of your best sense and replaces it with a paralyzing fear. And she knew she needed to get out of it. Somehow, she needed to get them both out of this.
"You know of love and joy, but in such small measure that the rest of your being is filled with emotions we cast aside many centuries ago. Why hold onto hate when you can vibrate with the energy of mother earth? Why be so violent? You have no answer."
The words hit her like knives, cutting deep and slicing away at her clothes and skin. Only, this wasn't a figure of speech— she could feel every word breaking skin, her own cold blood running down her arms and legs.
Thankfully, a speck of light caught her eye and Kim's heart just about leapt out of her chest. It seemed so far, but she had made it to this point, she could continue onwards for a bit longer. Gritting her teeth, she pushed forwards, dragging him along with her.
"Our ways are song, dance and storytelling. We joke, laugh and make merry. Our dust is our own, for in your hands this wondrous beauty would only accelerate your evil deeds. For it is a form of power and we know how that affects you, twists you."
Kim had to pause to readjust the body on her aching shoulder, and every moment she did so was more painful than the last. She clenched her teeth together and willed herself to endure it until she could get them both out. The darkness was suffocating- encasing her in an endless amount of black and black and more black.
Suddenly, Kim could feel her left leg give out, stuck in something thick and goopy. Her breath quickened as she desperately looked down, but she couldn't see anything. It all blended in together- she was blind to her surroundings. Kim reached down and used her hand to touch what was beneath her, what was dragging her down. It was warm to the touch and thick bubbly, as if tar.
"You see us as nothing more than legend—a myth."
The words got louder, ringing in her ears relentlessly. It was deep and echoing, shaking her to the core. Kim felt the vibrations in her throat as she let out a blood curling scream, the words becoming even more vicious and maliciously directed at her.
"Foolishly overlooking the obvious,"
She tried to lift her legs up, but they only weighed her down even more. It was like quick sand; the more she struggled, the quicker she could feel herself sink. Panic rushed through her system as dreadful thoughts invaded her mind. She quickly reached for the body next to her, seeing as it she was stuck, there was no reason he would have to be as well. The remaining blood in her body ran cold when her hands scrambled, touching air.
Her fingers clutched at nothing. Only more emptiness.
Jack was gone.
"You choose what you wish to see,"
Her lower body was completely taken over, the strange liquid up to her chin and beginning to cut off her air. She held her breath as long as she could, red and black splotches danced in front of her. Kim's head was pounding, every cell in my body, screaming for oxygen. A sense of anguish, more so than pain, had taken rule of her heart, and he was extremely light-headed. She kept fighting until she feel like her head was about to explode—she had to take a breath.
"Our worst to you is mischief,"
So she did.
"But what you have yet to see,"
Kim felt her eyes close, the darkness completely surrounding her and silencing her cries.
"…you will have no words for."
Kim awoke suddenly, every thought in high definition. Her heart pounded in her chest rapidly, her breathing coming out in short spurts. Her mind was racing, replaying the horrific and chilling dream she had just had.
Her heart dropped at the fact it was still night.
And she was alone.
The day before, Jack had convinced her to stick with him and she agreed, they had set out to find some food. They had some shelter, but Jack (stupidly) had gotten them even more lost than they already were, so it wasn't an option to sleep in the convenient, and somewhat warm treehouse again.
So instead of wasting their time searching for the treehouse, they resumed their search for a dry area to sleep and some editable items. It took a while, but eventually Kim stumbled upon a decent area to settle down in and make camp out of.
Apparently, Jack was the 'hunting expert', so of course she had let him do all the dirty work. He promised to bring back a whole buffalo—(of course, there were no buffalo for miles…they were in the middle of a goddamn forest, but hey, she didn't want to burst his bubble)—so with a halfhearted smile and two thumbs up, off he went to search for their dinner.
In return, she had agreed to stay behind and set up camp; including a small fire made entirely out of dry sticks and grass, and two cozy-looking logs for pillows. Of course, the logs were on opposite sides of each other because, who knew if that sketchy werewolf might try something? She couldn't be too careful.
And so she waited.
And waited.
And…
Waited.
Slowly, but surely, the sun had begun to disappear among the trees, taking all sunlight with it and leaving nothing but the navy blue sky. Even then, she waited, convincing herself that he probably had just gotten lost and he was trying to find his way right back at that exact moment with their warm, freshly caught buffalo…or squirrel…or whatever.
And so, tapping her fingers on her knees, anxiously awaiting her furry-friend's arrival, she waited.
And waited.
And…
Waited.
She had waited for so long, that she even began to think that he actually had left her alone in this forest. At such a ridiculous thought, she laughed out loud, not believing such nonsense her impatient self would come up with. Beads of cool sweat on her forehead made themselves known as she wiped it away, suddenly annoyed.
'He's coming back.' She assured herself, biting the bottom of her lip. 'He wouldn't just…leave. I just have to give him some time.'
And so, again, she waited.
And waited.
And…
Waited.
Hour after hour passed by and she could feel her stomach begin to get tangled into knots. She could feel her palms begin to sweat and she frantically wiped them back and forth on the boxers Jack had given her earlier in the day. At first, the feeling of worry began to creep into the back of her mind, but she quickly tucked it away.
But then again…what if he was hurt? What if that was the reason why he was so late?—What if he couldn't make his way back to the camp? Anxiety suddenly crashes over and every waking thought is soon consumed with this worry.
This was the Challenge for him…what if he was being tested right then and he wasn't ready? What if he was caught off guard trying to get her something to eat? It would be all her fault if he was hurt, and she sure as hell wouldn't forgive herself-
She shook her head, attempting to clear away those harsh thoughts.
'No, he is fine.' She repeated to herself, 'He's the supposed next Alpha of the Werewolves…he could take care of himself if need be.'
She tried to steady her breathing as she again, reassured herself that everything was going to be alright, and that he was coming back in one piece.
Then that thought popped inside her already crowded mind.
…He couldn't though, right?
He wouldn't.
Of course, he had nowhere else to go, but he could be already halfway across the forest by now.
She might have only known Jack for a short period of time, but she knew he was better than that. He was a jackass, definitely, but not that type of jackass. Didn't Werewolves have some type of honor code? Loyalty? He'd never do that to her.
Would he?
An icy chill ran through her as she considered the thought;
Maybe he had abandoned her.
Suddenly, she looked around her, seeing nothing but darkness and the cold feeling dread slowly began to make its way into her bloodstream. The unknown sounds within the forest seemed to get louder as her breath began to get shorter. She couldn't breathe, her chest was beginning to tighten out of nowhere. When she did find that she had the ability, it came in tiny rasps and coughs.
It was a repeat of her dream eariler.
It was a repeat of that fatal day, eleven years ago.
She was having a fucking panic attack.
She looked left and right, head turning to look behind her, suddenly terrified by what she may find, but couldn't bring herself to stop checking. Tears began to prickle in the corners of her eyes and start blurring her line of vision as she tried to get herself to calm down. Her fingers began to tingle as her foot shook anxiously.
The dark sky gave no comfort either—it acted as the lid to this horrid box she was trapped inside. And it just kept closing in as she just couldn't handle it. She yelped and shot right up as she spotted a dark creature speed by, nearly sending her straight into cardiac arrest.
She silently began to wheeze as she brought both of her hands up to cradle her head, trying to get her thoughts straight—to concentrate. Her legs felt like they were about to fall apart right underneath her and her whole figure shook. It was as if she were breaking down.
And she could feel her body begin to shut down.
She tried to breath, in and out, but her lungs felt as if they were about to burst out of her chest. Not like they even could with the huge weight that felt like it was already resting on top of it.
This was bad.
Like, really bad.
The last time this happened was when her mom—
"Kim?" A voice spoke from behind her. The voice alone seemed to pull her a tiny bit out of the pit of darkness that she had seemingly fallen into.
"Okay, so don't ever use the leaves for toilet paper—wait, Kim what's wrong?"
She spun around, instantly regretting it because of the wave of dizziness that draped over her, but couldn't really bring herself to care at the moment.
Jack was back.
Even though her legs felt like cinderblocks, she forced herself to lift them up and run over to the confused werewolf. She could see his faint outline of his figure through her running tears and as soon as she was close enough, she threw her arms around his shoulders.
A breath of air was knocked out of him from the impact and his confusion only grew from the sudden embrace. Just a while ago, she was furious at him, not wanting him anywhere near her…what changed?
Nonetheless, he wrapped his arms around her small waist, pulling her in more towards his chest. She hiccupped within his arm, wrapping both her arms upwards and over his shoulder.
And so they just sat there in compete silence, her breaths ragged and uneven.
"Whmmn-…hmmn-mum…sm-mmh-mn." Her words came out mumbled, making Jack crack a smile at her antics. He couldn't help but think back to when he found her on the street, crying, and when he had held her in his arms before. Even though he wasn't used to this sort of thing, he still stroked her blonde hair, quietly assuring her to calm down and breathe.
This situation wasn't awkward for him like most hugs he was forced into. Like the ones with distant, unknown relatives or when he visited the nursing home with his mom and had to hug the elderly, or even when Donna pounced on him just to show off to her girlfriends. This one was different; nice and simple. It was even…comforting in a way.
After one particular hiccup, she slowly lifted her head, locking their eyes together. She looked disastrous, her hair was a mess and her eyes were puffy and her cheeks were red…but she couldn't look any more beautiful.
"Y-You stupid j-jackass," She scolded, weakly hitting his arm. "W-Where the hell have y-you-*hiccup*-b-been?"
He smiled and used a thumb to wipe away a stray tear from rolling down her cheek. Her stern tone told him that she was angry, but her eyes showed relief.
"What happened, Kim?" He asked, frowning once again.
She looked away, biting the side of her cheek as if deciding whether or not to speak. She was hesitant to say anything because…well, she didn't want anyone to see this side of her. He has already seen her crying and that's how far she wanted it to go between the two. They were rivals, after all.
She tensed. "I…uh—n-nothing."
Jack sighed, making a mental note of this incident and promising to bring it up later. Something triggered this, this emotional state of hers and he was going to know what. He was genuinely concerned for her safety—and of course, so she wouldn't be so problematic…
"S-So where's this buffalo, huh?" Kim suddenly asked, eyebrows raised and same spunky attitude quickly returning and covering this vulnerable side of her. "I'm starved."
Jack chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck nervously, "Well you see…turns out that um…there are actually no buffalo in the forest." Kim hit his arm and began to yell at him for being so stupid, but Jack only laughed as a response.
And soon after she ceased her yelling, they sat there, together just talking over the campfire like normal people would. She talked about school and he talked about the teachers, badmouthing one here and there, causing Kim to smile and agree wholeheartedly. They even somehow got on the topic about the best conditioner and shampoo and their haircare and how Jack's was better than Kim's.
Of course, Kim rejected that idea and pointed out all the flaws in his products, much to Jack's dismay. He even pouted when she said his hair wasn't as near as bouncy as hers when she tried her best. She couldn't help but point and giggle at his child-like face…it really did a number on her mood, lightening it up a tad. It even made her momentarily forget what had almost been earlier in the evening.
Eventually their small talk turned into small snores; Jack sitting and leaning against a nearby tree whilst Kim lay closer to the small campfire. She had curled up her legs into Jack's sweatshirt and since it was way too big on her, it served its new purpose well as a shield against the cold, dark night.
And while the blonde slept, Jack wasn't too far away from sleep himself, his eyelids drooping. But, before he slipped into unconsciousness, he watched over the blonde, mind still processing tonight's events. That was certainly something she needed to tell him, but in all do time, he was sure of it.
Even if she didn't believe it then, they we bound to get closer within these next few months. He knew so. If they were to survive together, to rely on one another, they first had to trust each other. Could he trust her though? He barely knows the girl. But for that to happen, she'd have to open up to him and vice versa. It was a long road ahead that was certain.
Finally, his eyes closed and his breathing slowed as he drifted into unconsciousness; Kim being the last thing he saw, trust being the last thing on his mind and the reason why he was late coming back tucked away inside his heart, making the last feeling he felt before drifting off;
Ache.
Wow.
I'm going to keep this short because lord knows I have a shit-ton of things to do and stories to update but I just wanted to review this chapter really quick.
Some big points would have to be the mentioning of a few subjects;
-Kim's fear of being left alone
-Darkness
-Kim's mother
-Pixies
-Blindness
-Jack's reasoning for being late
Review those six things and tell me what you think they have to do with one another in the comment section below. Remember that all of this will link up together in the end…I just want to see if you can be the next Sherlock Holmes and figure it out, lmao.
And I just want to thank 'Supergoddad' for writing his/her comment and getting me back in gear to finish this chapter that has been literally sitting in my draft section in Word. And to everyone who has been asking…you guys are my motivation.
Thanks everyone,
-BookBearer