Dusk Glow

Chapter V: Bound by the Moon's Call

Darla gripped the steering wheel of her old red Chevrolet pickup as she navigated the winding path toward the forest's entrance. The truck sputtered and groaned, rattling with age and character—a gift from her father when she first moved in with him.

Each bump in the road made it creak, echoing the anticipation stirring in her heart. As she parked and turned off the engine, the familiar sounds of the truck faded, leaving only the cool night air and the looming shadows of the trees ahead.

She took a deep breath, gave a quick glance back at the old truck, appreciating its character, its flaws, and the memories it holds before. She stepped into the forest which is darker than usual tonight, the full moon casting an eerie glow through the dense canopy of trees.

The night air is cool, with a strange sense of anticipation hanging in the air. Darla walks along a narrow path through the woods, her heart racing, her mind spinning with thoughts of Edwynn. She's convinced that if she wanders deep enough into the forest, he'll find her like he always does. After all, isn't that how these stories go? Her thoughts are a jumble as she moves deeper into the woods.

The sound of her footsteps on the dirt path echoes around her, and the occasional rustling of leaves makes her glance nervously into the shadows:
What am I even doing? Walking through the woods alone at night... during a full moon? But this is it, right? The perfect moment for Edwynn to show up all mysterious and brooding. I trust my instincts about him finding me and us having a dramatic confrontation, and everything will finally making sense.

She pauses for a moment, flips her hair, before continuing onward.

And maybe, just maybe, he'll put it all in place for me... tell me that my speculations so far and that the stories were true. About the Fangs and Claws... or at least bring it to a close. However I have a strong sense that it's all connected, I just know it!

Just as she's about to give up on her plan and head back, a familiar, almost silent presence appears behind her. Darla turns to see Edwynn stepping out from the shadows, his movements graceful and quiet as always. His piercing blue eyes lock onto hers, the moonlight making his skin glow with an ethereal quality.

"Darla," he says softly, his voice carrying a weight that makes her shiver.
"What are you doing out here, darling?"

She crosses her arms, trying to play it cool despite the nervous flutter in her stomach.
"I could ask you the same thing. But I think we both know why we're here."

Edwynn raises an eyebrow, his expression unreadable. "Oh really? Do enlighten me."

Darla takes a deep breath, her thoughts racing. This is it—her moment to confront him about everything. "I've been thinking a lot lately...
And... about you."

Edwynn's expression darkens slightly, though he doesn't interrupt.

"And I know it sounds crazy, but... Your skin... is as pale as your skincare gone wrong... yet it is perfect and as cold as popsicle...
Your words... can get really catty."

She lets out a quick gasp as she feels his presence behind her in a blink of an eye almost.
"You look like you're out of a gothic novel... I have never seen you drink or... eat. You're like... an emo with a vitamin D deficiency because you never show up when... it's sunny.
I know what you are..."

"Say it Darla.
Say it loudly."

He is now weirdly close to her eyeing her neck right behind her. Darla takes a second before she replies.
"You're one of them... a femboy, aren't you?!"

There is a brief silence that makes all the tension in the air palpable as she continues, her voice trembling slightly.
"I mean... that's fine by me. In fact I'm, like, really into that. It's that I have also been thinking about—the stories a lot... The Fangs and Claws, they weren't just bedtime tales, were they?
They are... real."