DEATH WISH - j.hale

LA LUNE - 33

BEFORE SHE COULD COMPREHEND what had just happened, she ran.

He was long gone, and still she ran as fast as her feet could carry her. Her hair whipped behind her red face, her rapid breathing gasping for air as she jumped over trees, rocks, and uprising roots.

She didn't know how she felt.

Confused?

Afraid?

Delusional?

The only thing she seemed to understand were the facts.

Color changing eyes, porcelain white skin, Greek god-like features, strength, speed.

She was smart. She knew the tales of the Cold Ones, and yet she brushed it off like nothing — as if the signs hadn't been there all along.

She was smart, but she felt very stupid.

The skin on her neck stung with the memory of his lips touching the area, longing for answers.
However, she also knew another part of the tribe legends:

They were monsters.

The chilly air of Forks send a shiver down her spine. Why was it always her? Why couldn't she live a normal teenage girl life?

She slowed her pace, bringing herself to a steady walk before she took a look around her surroundings.

Thankfully, her mother had given her a ride that morning, so she didn't need to return back to school for her car.

She took a moment to calm her breathing, using the learned breathing exercises to bring her heart rate back to a normal speed. Her hands felt shaky, the darkening forest seeming eerie after the events that had just taken place.

Bella had lied, and Sara's stomach churned with betrayal.

She took a look around at the place that had brought her comfort in the past.

The warmth the forest brought her was no more, and instead she found herself surrounded by potential dangers and confusion.

No matter how much Sara loved the forest, she knew it wouldn't be safe to stay out for long. Given the circumstances with the animal attacks in the area, she decided to take a beeline, sharply turning right into the direction she knew her home was.

Maybe she was being dramatic?

Ha, as if.

Casting one last weary glance over her shoulder, she continued her way through the forest, brushing away sticks and branches that threatened to scratch her.

Mildew, moss, and humidity was thick in the air, staining her cheeks and nose with a redness. Her mind was empty, and yet running a million miles an hour.

Vampires? Really?

Part of her wanted to call Jasper back, to question him with the piles of wonders that began to rack in her brain. She needed answers, and yet a different part of her brain - the smart one, as you might say - was screaming to run, to pack her bags and leave. Deep down, she knew she was no longer safe. How long had she been in danger?

Hell, she didn't even know.

Finally, with the taste of mildew on her tongue, she made it to the outskirts of the forest, where she was met with the rain stained roads of Forks. They were empty, wetness shining beneath the cloudy sky. Quietly, with nothing but the sound of gravel crunching beneath her feet, she trudged on, the weight of her mind feeling heavy.