Among The Wolves

Memories

"Did you find everything ok?"

I glanced up at the cashier behind the desk who sported my grandma's hair-do and was smacking gum like there was no tomorrow. I nodded as I placed my thrift store finds on the counter. Trying to plaster a smile on my face. "Yes nor, I did."

My eyes widened when I realized the slip I just made. I swallowed hard and tried to remain unfazed. The woman raised her pierced brow at me, "Alright, weird kiddo." She flipped through the tags and punched them into the cash register. The abrasive beeping of each punch seemed to make me more apprehensive.

I still could not believe that, foolishly, I had slipped that Wos'Theian term. Thinking about it, I was certain I had called the taxi guy 'nie' a few times as well. Apparently, the title 'Nu' did not come with a set of stealthy skills. I was just as clumsy as I was ever before.

I paid the woman's price with the cash I had on hand and quickly made my way out. With this hand-me-down business dress I was confident I would be able to get around the ornate building of InX-InVett 1. Just an hour earlier the taxi did its due diligence and dropped me off at the front door. The building was spectacular. Perfectly round and perfectly glass. It stood so tall that lower clouds covered the top. It was dizzying to even look up, for it gave the illusion that it was falling.

Looking around I saw the gracefully revolving front doors. I took the welcome sign seriously and began to make my way toward them. My trek was stopped when I saw a man and a woman, very properly dressed, passing me. Their sleek dress clothes shined with professionalism in each movement. They also spotted me as they walked out of the building. Their side glances at my torn cargo outfit, greasy hair, and grimy skin told me that I would not be received readily.

I looked at my clammy hands. With my sickly disposition I definitely would be shooed out. Thus, I made my trek to the nearest thrift store for a pair of reader glasses, some simple jewelry, a Prada-worthy satchel, comfy flats and a business dress to complete my disguise. All for an easy-on-the-eyes price.

Afterwards, I tried to find a store with a bathroom where I could wash up. It was now nearing nine o'clock and most stores had shut down for the night. After consideration I concluded that it would be better and safer if I waited until morning before I started rendezvous into the glass building. After searching in vain for a store with a public bathroom I decided that it would have to be a venture I made in the morning as well. Now, my more pre-eminent concern was a place to sleep. While I had slept on the hard desert-like ground all this time, I did not want to consider sleeping on the cement, in an alleyway or behind a dumpster.

I looked around me, city lights were turning on as the sun became a deeper orange. The shadows of the incoming night grew larger.

I spotted a familiar large building that seemed only a few blocks down. I smiled. No dumpster needed, I knew of a better place. Having been to this city before, I knew of a few things. The building I spotted was a large hospital. It would be a hike to get to the other side but I had discovered a secret place that I knew I could rest at.

In the twilight of the day I set down the sidewalk and forty-five minutes later I made it to the Blood Center that stood next to the hospital. I walked around to the back and immediately began climbing the Small-leaved Lime tree. Reaching my limit about two stories up I stepped onto the top of a window's frame before using a nearby gutter drain pipe to hoist myself onto the flat roof. The pebble stones under me crunched as I made my way to the heating unit on the roof. It would not get cold anywhere near this loud, metal box.

Looking up, I admired the few twinkling stars that the city lights did not hide. As I was setting up a place to lay down, I thought about how I came to discover this place. My neck moved as I looked at the hospital next door. My gaze scaled the brick building and the windows that loitered the side of it.

Eight years ago I stood on the other side of one of those glass panes. My mother, under a medical-induced coma, spent a week there before she passed away. The hospital was full to the brim with wounded people from the war. Antibiotics were rationed and my mother could not be saved.

I had refused to leave my mother's side at the time but with the lack of space and personnel at night, no one wanted to watch out for a young teenager and I was booted out. My fifteen year old self had seen this roof from out the window and would spend the night curled up next to the metal box, sleeping restlessly.

Five nights in a row I slept on these small round pebble stones. At the time I considered it my special secret place... Now it was just filled with painful memories.

I laid my head down on the sleeper and checked my watch. I had to make sure that I vacated before the sun rose otherwise a security guard might take notice and upend me. Nonetheless, I was grateful that I did not have to sleep in an alleyway.

When I closed my eyes unwanted memories consumed me. It was like falling backwards into a history portal. Suddenly, I was sitting down; Grandpa was to my left, hands taunt on the steering wheel. His focus on the road in the dark night. A night too dark to be going out. Too risky... werewolves were still out there. But there was no choice. We had to make this trip.

Grandpa had just come back home mere hours ago, rescuing us from the dank cellar. Seeing the condition of my mother we organized it so grandma would care for the infant and I would go with them.

I was sitting next to him in the passenger seat. Looking out the window, hoping we could go faster to get to the medical facility. The delirious, feverish moaning of my mother reached over from the back seat. Mastitis hit her hard and we needed antibiotics.

A howl sliced the cool air, gunshots resounded in the distance. Grandpa looked wildly at me and pushed the car as much as it would go. The groans of my mother only got louder. I scooted to the edge of the seat. Looking out of the window in front me. I was looking for the lights of the city to break the darkness ahead. The scattered clouds were hiding the two day shrinking moon.

The Imbrue Battle was over but the retreat of the werewolves was not. Vakusi was still chasing and killing off the maddened creatures out of the land.

I felt a vibration underneath the vehicle. A bang, a crash, yelling, snarling, searing pain in my shoulder.

I forced the past out of my head. As per usual, the scar on my shoulder began to ache. I forced myself not to rub it... not this time.

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Author's Note: Second part of the double update coming soon!