Wolf's Moon --- ONC 2022 (LONGLIST)

Chapter 7

The sun had barely begun to rise over the horizon, shining in through the windows and bringing the early light to the day. A gentle dew rested upon the grass and leafy foliage, moistening and waking up the remainder of the world. A warmth was already blanketing the mountain, foretelling the heat that would soon become overbearing outdoors. It was another beautiful summer day that held so many possibilities and adventures for those who took advantage of what the forest had to offer them. 

Callista was already awake and moving about the cabin, preparing for the rock climbing adventure Noah and her were to have that morning. Even while Noah slept, Callista showered, gathered the climbing gear and managed to make a rather hearty breakfast for the pair of them. It was only a matter of waking Noah up enough to get her ready and moving for the day as well. 

Glancing towards the master bedroom after setting the now full plates of food on the table, Callista wondered if Noah had actually gone to bed when she said she would the night before. 

Pushing her curiosity out of her mind, Callista allowed her excitement to take over as she practically skipped over to the bedroom. She came to a stop right outside the door with a little added hop given her excitement. Her hand was raised, ready to knock on the door and wake Noah up, but she was stopped when the door opened and a fully dressed Noah now stood within the frame. She was all smiles and appeared rather lively that morning. It was the complete opposite from what Callista had thought of while she was setting the table for breakfast. 

"Morning! Something smells good in here." 

Callista was a bit stunned by the sudden excitement and energy Noah was exhibiting. She even had to move out of the way when Noah bounded out of the bedroom and crossed the cabin interior to the kitchen. Stranger yet, she looked dressed and ready to go rock climbing despite being against doing so the previous day. 

"Um, good morning. I made breakfast if you want some."  

The confusion was thick within Callista's words, but one could not miss the curiosity that worked to slip into each word she spoke. She followed behind Noah to the kitchen, always staying just a couple steps behind while trying to understand her friend's change in attitude. It just wasn't like Noah and it was starting to freak her out a little bit. 

As she reached the table, Callista slowly sat down in the chair across from Noah. She watched as her friend practically stuffed her mouth full with the scrambled eggs and bacon she cooked for them. There was also fresh cut fruit and buttered toast with orange juice to chase it all down with. Still stunned, Callista slowly took her first bite of her own food, the crunch of the toast never distracting her from Noah's lively appetite. 

"This is really good." 

"Thank you." 

Blinking her eyes, Callista brought herself back to the present and out of her mind. She was glad to see Noah so energetic, but it felt off and nothing like who her friend really was. Normally Noah would go for anything relaxing, not getting exciting over some sporty activity, especially rock climbing. 

"Is everything okay?" 

"Hm? Yeah, why wouldn't it be?" 

"Oh, no reason." 

Picking up her glass of orange juice, Callista brought it to her lips and took a large drink. She averted her attention off to the side as inconspicuous as she possibly could, not wanting to seem too suspicious in any way. Though, it must not have worked too well since Noah was giving her quite the strange look while slowing down the pace she had been eating at. She had a feeling her friend knew there was some reason to her sudden question, but she didn't know what that exactly was as of yet.