Chapter 7

Kris

Before I knew it, I realized I wanted space away from Dillan. I couldn't explain it... I just didn't want to be with him right now. And the urge to run in the trees was definitely strong.

"Um, Dillan, I sort of want to be alone right now. You okay getting home?" I asked, pushing away from him.

"Um, sure, Kris. What's wrong?"

"I don't know. I just feel a little off."

"Do you want me to make some tea?"

"No... I just want some space right now. Can you go?"

Dillan frowned but otherwise did what I asked.

"Okay... I'll talk to you on Monday, then."

I followed him out. He walked to his car, turned, and with only a few steps, stood right in front of me again. He kissed me passionately, but, for some reason, the action felt odd. I wasn't as into it as I usually was. And just as we broke apart, the most heartbroken of howls pierced the morning air.

Dillan walked to the car as if nothing happened, even though I was frozen on the front porch, shocked. I watched him drive away as the howling ceased.

I sighed, confused by both the howling and Dillan's behavior, and walked inside. I grabbed my sneakers and pulled them on.

Years ago, when my sister and I moved here, we discovered a rough trail in our backyard. It was almost a mile long, and it circled so that we'd be right back home if we jogged the whole way. My sister and I immediately started placing stepping stones so that we wouldn't twist an ankle in the roots sticking out, but occasionally we would find one root that seemed to always wait for us to trip us up. And in the case of emergency, we placed another trail in the middle of the circle that had a shack. Inside would be a first-aid kit, a fire extinguisher, plenty of water, and some food. Oh, and a shotgun in case an animal came too close to us and was hungry. If one of us doesn't return after a brisk jog in twelve hours, then the other would run for the shack. So far, we've both ran to get the other twice. We never used the gun.

Well, my mind was on other things as I jogged. I kept on thinking about the wolf, and how sad it sounded. I thought that it was strange that I wanted the wolf to be happy. It shouldn't feel heart-broken.

I kept on thinking that until suddenly I was on the forest floor. I screamed. The pain in my leg was unbearable!

"Oh, God, ow!" I screamed. I panted, both from the pain and exhaustion. I looked around. There was a fallen branch to my right. Maybe... if I could crawl to it...

I pulled myself by my elbows. My foot bumped against the evil tree root. I bit back another scream. Okay, scratch that plan.

"DAMMIT!" I yelled. "Why does this always happen to me?!"

I froze when an animalistic snuffle replied. I looked up sharply.

A brown wolf the size of a horse was slowly making its way out of the trees. My breathing sped up a notch. Oh, God, just my luck... I'm now an easy prey!

To my surprise, the wolf hesitated. He backed away, obviously concerned, but equally afraid. I held out a hand.

"No, please... Help. I think my ankle's broken." Oh, great. I'm talking to the dumb animal! I must be desperate. But the wolf seemed to understand, and he was immediately at my side. He nudged my right leg. Was he... asking which ankle was broken?

"No... My left ankle hurts."

The wolf huffed and lay down in front of me. He gestured with his head in a way that I belived meant, "Grab on." I grabbed fistfuls of his fur and he began to stand up. I held on and he walked with me, becoming my makeshift crutch.

"There's a shed not far from here... It was a first aid kit. And food. You can take me there," I told the wolf. He huffed again. I looked at him.

He was so beautiful... It was like looking at something sent from heaven. And his eyes seemed so human... He understood everything I said, and more.

"Were you... Are you the wolf that howled earlier?" I asked. The wolf grimaced and ducked his head. A nod.

"You shouldn't feel ashamed. I feel heartbroken sometimes, too."

The wolf turned his head slightly to look at me. His eyes looked pained.

"No, I don't feel heartbroken now, if that's what you're thinking."

Did I actually... Communicate with a wild animal? But the wolf seemed to blush under the fur, and he looked ahead.

We made it to the shed. I let go of the wolf's shoulders and hopped on my right foot to the shed door. I was grateful for the fact that it was big enough to fit two of this wolf. I didn't want him to leave me alone now. I hopped inside, turning on a battery-operated lamp and sitting on the bed. The wolf stuck his head in, saw that I was okay, and pulled his head back out.

"Wait!" I yelled, reaching out. The wolf poked his head back in.

"Don't leave me," I pleaded. The wolf looked deep in thought, and then he approached me with an unfathomable expression on his face. He began to lie down on the ground until my stomach growled. His head shot up, his eyes teasing.

"Shut up and hand me one of those packets on the shelf," I muttered. The wolf coughed a laugh and nudged a packet off the shelf with his nose. He picked it up by his teeth and flung it so it'd land in my lap.

"Nice," I muttered, slightly awed by the way he did that. I was expecting it to hit my face. I looked at the front. Beef jerky. Yum, yum.

I tore the packet open and ripped a piece of dried meat with my teeth. Being that I was extremely hungry, I really didn't care that I hated beef jerky that wasn't teriyaki flavored. I tossed a piece to the wolf. He chowed it down in a second flat.

"Dogs really ought to chew it throughly," I told him, tossing him another piece. He threw me another teasing glance, and ate the jerky faster than the first. He choked. Thankfully, he spit it out, but I was too involved in laughing hard to feel sick. He looked irritated at something, but thankfully the irritation wasn't directed at me.

Then he sighed and gobbled up what he threw up. Ew. Now I feel sick.

But I was already falling asleep. I felt the wolf come close and pull a blanket over me. There was a sudden, unnatural breeze, and a familiar male's voice whispered, "If only you knew..."

And I was asleep.

AN: Aw, what a sweet ending! No, not the ending of the story, I mean the chapter. Gah! Don't look for a sequel, nincompoop! It's not there! It's just the end of the chapter I'm referring to!