The School of Wolves

Ch. 67 Replica

It feels as if my whole body is frozen. Hearing the beat of my heart is the only thing grounding me.

Why is a child here? I thought it was only supposed to be me in this simulation. My heart beats erratically, as if it would explode from my chest. Every pulse sends a sharp jolt through my veins, making it harder to think about the test.

I sit up, my movements in a hurry as I start towards the sound. I find myself stumbling around as the light has suddenly gone dim. I trip over a root but right myself before I fall face down.

The new light change is taking my eyes some time to adjust, the simulation must be changing to night time. The sun is now barely casting a glow on the forest around me. It is now darkening, the shadows curling around the tall trees in a thick fog.

A ding resounds around the forest. My head turns toward the sound, as a robotic voice speaks over the speaker announcing, "Round 1 complete. Initiating Round 2."

"What?! I'm not done yet?" I shout. The child's scream sounds again this time in terror.

I pick up my pace, not wasting another moment as my body screams at me from the exertion. I really hope I'm wrong about the scream and it's not a child but an owl.

I stumble forward, the fading light making the path treacherous. Especially with my eyes, they should have realized that I don't have werewolf vision.

Roots and uneven ground catch my feet, but I keep on. I brush my hands across the rough bark of trees and leaves of bushes as I go by. Leaves crunch beneath me, the sound goes faster with each step.

I near a clearing, the air feels different too. With a heaviness to it that pairs well with the now silent area. I tread lightly, as much as I can. The sound of a child whispering becomes clear.

I walk towards her, my eyesight better adjusted as I spot her crouched behind a bush with big leaves. Good, she's been hiding. I let out a breath in relief, she's unharmed too.

"Hey, can I help you sweetie?" I softly say, announcing my presence.

My mother would always call me sweetie whenever I was scared as a child. She still does and it calms me down, lots. I just hope it helps calm her down too.

The child whips her head around, her frightened eyes light up as she sees me. She unwinds her arms from around her knees that were held tightly to her chest. A defense wall of protection, I remember that ball position from when i was a kid.

I take a tentative step closer, the last rays of the sun shine on the child. My breath hitches as I see her face more clearly. I look at her in alarm, my mind sending me shock waves of confusement.

It's not just any normal little girl.

It's me.

Well, me when I was four. The spitting image of me when I was maybe four or five? The same long golden blonde hair, the same blue eyes that are now wide with fear.

It's been so long since I've seen the dress she's...what I would wear. The dress is an exact replica down to the cute, sunflower colored sleeved dress that I loved to wear.

I was scolded multiple times for wearing my best dresses when I played outside. I almost laughed out loud at the child version of me because it's impossible.

But then I remembered I'm in a simulation. So maybe it's not as impossible as I thought.