Wolf Moon - Chapter 2

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The woods were dark, spooky and very, very cold, forcing Grace to appreciate she couldn't exactly have been worse kitted out for a hike in freezing temperatures. The only positive was that she had a long coat on. But she had no hat or gloves, her legs were bare and her high heels were agonising to walk along a stony track in. She could already feel blisters and pressure points building up on her feet and was starting to yearn obsessively for a hot, soapy bubble bath.

At that moment, a screech owl called loudly overhead and she could feel her sense of apprehension ramping up one notch further. Taking another glance at her mobile phone, Grace realised with horror that less than twenty percent battery remained; clearly, having the light on permanently must drain the charge. What the hell was she supposed to do when she ran out of light altogether? Ethan was right; this was a stupid idea. Although strangely, even if she did end up freezing to death alone tonight, it still felt like a better idea than having to spend another second in that weasel's company. Maybe she ought to phone someone for help; Maya perhaps? Although until she could pinpoint her own location, how on earth was anybody else going to find her? Glancing at the bright screen for inspiration, she realised there was no mobile signal anyway, so her plans were largely irrelevant.

Suddenly, Grace caught a glimpse of moonlight through a patch of trees. She knew the woods were surrounded by the moorland they'd been driving through. If she could make it to the moor, not only would she have better visibility of local landmarks, to check she was heading in the right direction, but the bright moonlight would help to illuminate her way. Her phone would become less essential, if it were to run out of battery.

Immediately, Grace altered her course, not caring that bramble cables were scratching painfully at her legs, as she doggedly headed towards the patch of moonlight. Her breath was coming in great, heaving gasps by this point, partly from exertion, but mostly from fear. She could feel her pulse beating noisily in her eardrums, the dappled shadows playing tricks on her mind and forcing her to see all kinds of imagined threats. Pushing aside a soft branch that unexpectedly tickled her face, Grace marched onwards, the patch of moonlight growing larger. She could see the shape of the moorland through the few remaining trees now, as gnarled branches, devoid of their summer vegetation, unexpectedly scraped across her shoulders. It felt like she was on some kind of ghost ride at a theme park, but this time it was real.

Having climbed through a dilapidated barbed wire fence, Grace inhaled slowly and tried to take a second to calm her thoughts in the surrounding silence. The moon was so bright that she wouldn't need a torch to help navigate her way. Thank goodness. But her teeth were chattering wildly now and she knew she must find help, or shelter, or ideally both. With her breath condensing around her in the frigid air and a hoar frost settling over every exposed surface, the temperature must be well below freezing now. This was not a night to be out in a short skirt and high heels. She had to take swift action.

Spotting a narrow path leading across the moor, Grace decided to make for that. Doing her best to avoid the low-lying boggy ground, she stumbled painfully forwards, entering random light mist patches which impacted her visibility and made her feel afraid. Aching with cold now, her fingers were balled up within the pockets of her coat. She couldn't shake off the feeling that she was being watched, but knew she was just being stupid. After all, who the hell would be out on a freezing night on the moor at...she glanced at her almost dead mobile phone once again. One thirty in the morning. Nobody sane, that was for sure. Although, that in itself wasn't exactly a reassuring thought.

Just then, Grace was convinced she heard movement to her right; the sound of someone or something stepping on frosty vegetation was a surprisingly recognisable sound. Although she didn't really want to know who or what was in the vicinity, Grace ever so slowly twisted her head around to look, feeling a wave of relief when she saw nothing. It must be her imagination. With a sigh of relief, she returned her eyes forward, only to see the silhouettes of four large men standing in front of her. Instantly, she attempted to scream. But although she put considerable effort into it, as had happened in some of her worst nightmares, absolutely no sound came out. Instead, on the verge of hyperventilating, she drew in sharp, short breaths, the impact of the cold air on her lungs making her wheeze even harder.

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