“Ashley!” I yelled out, but it was too late, the wolf pounced on her from behind and took her down to the ground. “Ashley,” I screamed in terror as I heard her blood curdling cries mingled with the furious growls of the beast that was digging his claws into her. I couldn’t see anything once the wolf’s body covered hers, but I could make out her scream at the top of her lungs for a few moments until the parking lot became deadly silent. I rolled into a fetal position in the back seat, wailing lowly as I shivered in the cold.
“Ashley,” I hushed through the crack of my lips, knowing she was dead. “I told you not too …” I sniffled loudly and used the back of my hand to prevent myself from crying. “I told you …”
I could hear the low growls of the wolf, knowing he was eating at her dead corpse. I felt sick to my stomach, wanting to throw up. My eyes were shut as I tried to drown out the sound, knowing it was only a matter of time until the wolf would return for me. I had the option of running, but I feared I would have the same fate as Ashley.
But if I don’t leave now, he will come back for me …
The wolf’s distracted, I realized and came out of the fetal position to look through the glass window. I could see the back of the wolf under the pale moonlight, watching his eerie shape under the heavy fog and tiny flakes of snow.
Damian could come, I thought, but the last warning Ashley gave to me was disheartening. There is no way he would come out the house in the dark. I know him! He would never do that sort of thing.
Ben isn’t one to lie though, I remembered, especially when he knew how upset I was over my argument with Damian.
But then again there were those footprints outside his door, I recalled, and then suddenly turned my head to the wolf’s direction. And the dirt in his bathtub.
And the cuts across the sides of his arms, I remembered, knowing there were fresh enough to be incurred over the past few days. The wolf abruptly lifted his head and turned his gaze to me. I moved back in my seat, sensing his attention had suddenly reverted to me once again.
“Oh no,” I muttered under my breath, as the large creature quietly stalked his way towards me. In the pale moonlight I could see blood dripping from his open jaws; the steady paws that padded heavily against the gravelled parking lot with a determined look. “He’s coming back.”
The wolf moaned once he sat outside of my car door, peering through the clear glass to have a good look at me. The look was unnerving, he never wavered his attention from me. “What do you want?” I cried out, finally losing it when I could see the blood dripping from its jawline. “Go away!”
The moan grew louder, making me think of someone else. I blinked my eyes weakly and then shifted myself closer to the car window to have a better look at the creature.
“Your eyes are green,” I mouthed aloud. “Green like …” A sick pain shot itself through my stomach, once I realized what I was about to say. I shook my head at the creature, wishing he would just go away from me.
“Leave me alone,” I begged of him.
The wolf titled his head downwards and let out a miserable moan. He moved to the side, and then pounced upon the hood of the car. His neck stretched out to the fullest and then he let out a dreadfully long howl. I closed my eyes at the sound of it, feeling like it was striking a chord inside of me.
When I finally opened my eyes, I caught the wolf staring at me entreatingly, feeling like he was trying to communicate to me somehow. A low whimper escaped him, though the wolf’s mouth was closed and then he laid a paw onto the front glass of the car window as if he was reaching for me. My eyes watered at the interaction, knowing I should be horrified since it just killed Ashley, but for some reason I wasn’t scared.
Why am I not scared? I crawled over to the front seat of the car and leaned forward in the driver’s seat to lay my hand over his large grey paw, allowing physical touch without us ever truly touching the other because of the thickness of the glass window.
“What do you want?” I softly pleaded.
The wolf made no reply, only lowering his paw until he could stand over the car hood proudly. I turned my head away with distrust, not sure what to do now that I was left alone in the car. There were no sign of Ben and Taylor, and who knows what their plan of action would be.
And then there is the question of Damian, I remembered, before I let my gaze move upwards to look at the wolf again. Where was Damian when I need him the most?
The wolf glared at me, and in my heart, I could come up with no reply.
***
I looked at my cellphone, the battery was completely dead. Annoyed that it ran out of juice, I rolled over in the back seat, mindlessly staring at the grey ceiling as I tried to come up with a plan. There were low howls across the forest, but they were far enough away to inform me I was in no real danger. My main cause of concern was still perched over the hood of Ashley’s car, curled into a comfortable ball with only the tips of his pointed ears illuminated in the pale moonlight.
What time is it? Will I have to wait here the entire night?
I jammed my phone back into my pocket, and tiredly stroked my fingers through the length of my hair. The wolf’s nose perked up, lifting off his arm as it sniffed the air. A low moan escaped him, before he rose upwards, and then lazily hopped off the hood of the car to work his way around to my side of the window.
“Please go away,” I murmured, knowing that look of longing was tearing me apart. The wolf lowered his head, and then padded forward, moving ever so softly under the moonlight to return to Ashley’s corpse.
“Ugh,” I grumbled, since I knew exactly what the wolf intended to do next. I covered my mouth in disgust, not wanting to be in this car anymore. I only wished I had the keys, although I would not get very far with a flat tire. There was no point running to my cabin as well, the key was in Ashley’s pocket and there is no way in hell I would get that back.
My only option was to run an even further distance to Taylor, and Ben’s cabin; but could I guarantee that my friends made it there safely? And how would I be able to find their small cabin in the dark?
A howl echoed through the dark forest, making the wolf in the center of the parking lot perk up his ears and turn around. He seemed consumed by the chorus of sounds vibrating through the forest, hauntingly echoing in the wind as it blew across the empty parking lot.
I could go to Damian’s, I thought, I know he will open the door for me.
I could climb up his front porch, I convinced myself, even though I knew not one word of it was true.
The fog was lifting, letting my eyes scan the empty horizon to make out the cabin that I could have run too if it hadn’t been for a missing key. I looked further to the right, seeing the crumbled form of my friend that I was helpless to rescue. I closed my eyes at the sight of it, knowing I was only looking at a few remains of her dismembered body now. It was clear enough for me to see a flock of birds descending over her body, their black wings flapping energetically as they …
I turned my head not wanting to see anymore, forcing the rest of my lingering thoughts from my mind. I looked straight ahead of me, seeing the tip of Damian’s cottage. It’s not so far, I lied to myself, if I run fast I might make it. I foolishly unzipped my boots, knowing it was next to impossible to run in them.
The wolf was momentarily distracted, seemingly bothered that the ravens were taking up the last of his food. I unlocked the driver’s door and waited until I sensed I had a clearing. The wolf turned around and made his way to the dead carcass, and that’s when I creaked the door opened gently and slipped through the narrow crack. I froze, peering through the two glass windows to see the other side where the wolf was currently padding his way to the flock of ravens. I think I got it, I told myself, and then left the door ajar in case I had to sneak back inside.
My dress hiked up higher, and I tipped toed around the front of the car. A part of me wanted to flee into the forest, but I knew I would get lost in there. The safest route to take was Damian’s cabin; and maybe, he might open the front door for me.
I tip-toed a bit more, passing the damaged hood of the car that had a deep concave from the wolf’s weight. I can make it, I thought, and walked a bit faster, noticing how the wolf was too consumed with eating the last of his meal.
I’m free.
I took larger steps, feeling the jarring pain of the sharp rocks underneath my bare feet. An excruciating feeling was felt with every step, but if I wanted to make it through this night alive it was something I had to endure. A stray raven flew into the air, and decided to hover over me, making me look over my shoulder even more in the hopes that the wolf had not notice my absence.
A strange flashback of Damian’s interaction with the raven earlier today came into my mind, but luckily this one didn’t seem interested in antagonizing me. I skipped over the jagged rocks faster, realizing I had created more distance than I could have ever imagined. The stray raven continued to make large circles around me, squawking randomly to my dismay.
I could make out the outline of Damian’s cabin, catching sight of his wooden porch where I could find some refuge for the night. The fabric of my black stockings were tearing at my feet, flinging to the sides of my ankles as if it had enough of my ill-treatment.
The sharp gravelled hill appeared in my view, and I nearly smiled once I realized I was almost there. A low growl made me stop in my tracks and in horror I looked over my shoulder to see the wolf was circling the car.
He realized I that am gone.
I was too scared to move, frozen still as I heard a low moan escape the creature’s parted lips. I held my breath with anticipation, knowing it was only a matter of time until he spotted me.
“Please don’t,” I whispered under my breath, while a sharp wind blew at the side of me, sending a painful shiver down my spine. “Please.”
The wolf visibly sniffed at the air, and then suddenly turned his gaze in my direction.