Instinct {The Half Moon Chronicles}

Chapter 8.

Chapter 8.

The school bell rang loudly in the hallway where I was located and resonated loudly, causing my head to pound. I looked up at it with a grimace. The gleaming white walls of the area hurt my eyes and with gritted teeth I stumbled down the hall, struggling to get to my locker. My fist was clenched firmly around my backpack strap, keeping it tightly locked onto my shoulder. I feared I would squeeze too hard and break the fragile material. My breathing was laboured and came out in heavy, exhausting gusts. I narrowed my eyes to dull the brightness and slowly lifted each of my heavy feet as I painfully wandered over to the welcoming steel door that protected my possessions. It was in my sights. Sometimes, as I stared at it, my vision would blur and warp. There were hundreds of students milling around me, chatting and laughing with their friends. My hypersensitive hearing picked up everything. Gum being chomped around in someone's mouth. Teeth grinding together. Shoes squeaking as they slid across the floor.

It was all too much. My locker in my sights, I tried to hurry towards it, needing to stop. I needed to rest, to control this sudden lapse of concentration. I could get over this. I could control this. I could get through this. I knew I could. My gaze drifted towards the wall where my destination was waiting, and I somehow managed to walk quicker. I was determined to seize control.

My vision blurred once more. Black, swirling forms danced across my eyelids. I gulped down the bile rising in my throat. My vision cleared. My feet became rooted to the floor.

First I saw it. Then it saw me. Its gritted teeth glistened as it slowly stalked towards me, its form rigid as it got ready to pounce. My weak legs started to tremble. A bead of sweat formed on my forehead. It came closer. I tried to back away but it only continued whilst I remained glued to the floor. My once tight grip upon my backpack disappeared and my open bag fell to the floor. I heard the books slip out and land with a thud. I looked down at my bag.

When I looked up, it was gone. I gulped loudly in the silent hallway. Slowly, I rotated my head slightly to glance around me. There was no one else in the hallway. All of the other students had somehow vanished, leaving me pray to the monster waiting for me. My toes twitched and tingled and my sense of control over my lower limbs returned. With a large amount of effort, I managed to move my stiff right leg a fraction of an inch. I was about to take a step when I was plunged into darkness.

It was silent. All I could hear was my erratic breathing. I tried to peer into the menacing blackness, fear clouding my thoughts. What could I do now? How could I save myself from this terrible ordeal?

The sound of a pencil slowly and painfully rolling along the linoleum floor broke me out of my mental revere. I tried to adjust my sight to the darkness but all I could see was black.

A growl sounded by my left ear and I whimpered. I was not alone.

Its hot, foul stinking breath warmed the back of my neck, and its fur deftly caressed my sensitive skin. It circled around me, taunting me.

Poor, weak little wolf. No one can protect you now. Where is your pack? Where are your protectors? You can't protect yourself. You can't even shift. You are a pathetic disgrace. You don't deserve your abilities. Frail, feeble mutt. When you finally realize what you really are, you won't be able to handle it. It will destroy you. And I will relish in your pain as you scream for mercy. I will enjoy every single moment of watching you writhe. And when it is all over, I will take what it mine. You will wish I had killed you this day. You can't run. You can't hide. I will always find you, little wolf...

I trembled as his voice echoed in my mind, chilling me to the bone. His tone was haunting, malevolent and petrifying. I believed every word he said, yet I couldn't decipher what he actually meant.