Dark Legacies

Eyes - Dylan

My lungs are screaming from lack of proper air as I run as fast as I can through a dense, misty forest. The moonlight is the only light helping me navigate the gnarled floor. Branches and stumps scrape my bare feet as I move. I can't remember how I ended up here, in my pajamas for crying out loud. The white fabric of my "grandma" styled night dress is covered in dirt and torn at the hem.

There are intense eyes behind me in the darkness. Bright blue glowing orbs are all I can see as I dare a glance back. Looking was a mistake, I don't see the twisted root but my foot catches it and I go tumbling on my hands and knees. Flipping over I scramble as best I can backwards but those eyes have caught up with me.

Set in pitch black fur above a long snout they shine. I start to tremble as I see the huge wolf in front of me slow and begin stalking closer. Sharp white teeth glint as a lip is pulled back but I don't hear a snarl. I search without looking for something I can throw or use as a weapon. I won't risk taking my eyes of the predator and giving free access to my jugular.

My hands find a long branch. I stop moving and sit up, taking the branch in two hands and swinging. I connect with the animal's muzzle and hear a whine as it's head snaps to the side. Slowly, it brings its head back to look my direction with what appears to be a glare. That's not right, wolves can't glare can they? Eyeing my stick, the it lays down must out of reach.

The form in front of me trembles and my eyes go wide as I see fur replaced with skin, snout replaced with a man's nose, and paws turn to hands and feet. Only the black hair and piercing blue eyes seem familiar.

"What the fuck?" I whisper, swallowing to relieve the dryness in my mouth.

The random wolf-man in front of me opens his mouth and all that comes out is a blaring alarm. Covering my ears I squeeze my eyes shut. This can't be real... this isn't happening!

"If you're going to insist on waking up at the ass crack of dawn, can you at least TURN OFF YOUR ALARM in a timely manner Dylan?" An exasperated voice is in my ear.

I snap my eyes open and see my roommate, Stacey, standing next to my bed jabbing her finger at my phone to silence my alarm.

"Shit, I'm sorry Stace.." Muttering as I sit up and rub my eyes.

What the hell was that? I've had wolf dreams before but this was totally different. Usually it's a tawny colored wolf with sweet eyes. It lays with me in the grass of a meadow with the sun shining and flowers everywhere. It's so peaceful and comforting. I don't tell anyone about these dreams of course. Last thing I want to do is sound like a nut job.

"Up late studying again?" Stacey chastises me a little.

We're in our last week of college and finals are in rapid succession. I've been studying long hours to make sure I'm good to go. I loaded my plate heavy this year so I could finish early and be done. I feel horrible that my parents have had to foot the bill for school for so long and I wanted to be sure I did my part.

"Yeah. Sorry again." I give her a small smile. "I know you're probably sick of my wakeup calls."

Stacey has been my roommate since I was a freshman and she was a sophomore. I was the odd man out in room assignments and she didn't mind showing me the ropes. I feel guilty she's had to put up with my early mornings and late nights for three years.

"It's not so bad, makes me get up and we all know I'd sleep till he rapture if I could." She winks at me and grabs her shower tote to head to the bathroom.

"What will you do once we're not roommates anymore? You'll need a tornado alert to get your butt up." I laugh. "Go, have your shower. I'll see you at lunch."

I'm an evening shower girl so I get dressed, put my hair up in my messy bun and grab my book bag to head to the cafeteria for some breakfast. I won't see Stacey till later as she loves her "everything" showers. At seven in the morning on a Wednesday it's quiet. Most classes start at nine and I enjoy the peace until all the rest of our hall gets up. Soon, I won't have this routine and I'll be fending for myself. The thought is both scary and freeing.

I make it to the cafe and grab a tray for my usual latte and chocolate croissant from the ladies behind the buffet. A big breakfast always makes me sleepy so I keep it simple. Especially this close to exams. Grabbing a table for two, I take out my textbook for my Sustainable Agriculture and Land Management class along with my notebook and pen. This class is the last one I need to get my bachelors in agriculture.

Ideally, my next stop after college is to work for the Bureau of Land Management in helping farmers and ranchers create sustainable properties while also being able to turn a profit for their families. So many of the farms and ranches back home had to shut down and sell because of the price of hay and water. Generations of work bought up by conglomerates to try to turn it into prime real estate for small houses with no yards. They've been successful, creating high demand shopping centers in the middle of nowhere and using that to justify the housing developments.

My parents would have been on the chopping block too had they not let me step in. My junior year, I helped them implement rotational planting and optimizing their strategies. The farm wasn't a business really. They grew what they needed and ran a farm stand that was very popular with the locals for the quality of goods. They raised a small head of cattle which they had people buy in on using herd share principles. We managed to keep them from selling but it was an uphill battle.

Another alarm went off on my phone and I sighed. I didn't get as far this morning as I wanted but it would have to do. Time to head to my first class of the day. Stuffing the notebook and text in my bag, I felt the hair on my neck stand up. Stilling, I keep my head bent like I'm searching my bag and look around. I didn't notice anyone near me. Only a handful of other students had come in for breakfast since I arrived. After the dream I had this feeling was eerie and I hurried as I got up and threw my trash away. My class was in the next building thankfully. I'm so focused on getting to class, I don't see the shadow move by the opposite doorway.