White Water

Morning

The next morning rays of sunlight shone through the windows into my face. At six am, I most likely got three hours of sleep. With a groan I hoisted myself to my feet. And dumped my bag's contents onto the floor. Taking my toiletries in my hand, I found the bathroom.

Finishing in the bathroom, I dressed in a fresh pair of crumpled clothes. I stood in the middle of the chilly cabin for a couple minutes, waiting for my parents' "friend" to appear out of thin air. After deciding that they most likely could not teleport, I picked up the TV remote for the small flat screen. I fell into the soft sofa's embrace and sat through news of Afghanistan attacks. The local newscaster came on. "Breaking news, a car crash was reported an hour ago. There were two deaths," the TV showed a burnt and barely recognizable torn into SUV, "and mysterious claw marks all over the vehicle. We are unsure yet if this mysterious beast attacked after the crash or caused it. Investigators said the animal wasn't looking for food because it left the bodies in the car even with a clear opportunity. The victims were husband and wife." A picture of both of their drivers' license, showing fake names, and blurry pictures of my mom and dad.

A dozen swords struck me in my chest all at one second. I grabbed the remote and fumbled with it, my fingers numb. Everything was so numb, and I turned off the TV. Tears started streaming down my face like a rainstorm from my eyes. My screams and ragged sobs the thunder, my pain emanating from my chest was the result of the lightning's strikes. The world blurred before my eyes as I stumbled over things in my haste to get outside. To try to breathe. Like a gust of wind would blow away all of this broken glass of a reality.

As soon as I wrested the door open, not bothering to put shoes on, I took off. I just remembered running, my feet being nicked with rocks and little pebbles. Barely feeling the pain, the world of looming trees and animal noises passed me by. I cried so hard, but at some time, maybe 15 minutes later, it ceased and the wind dried my tears. But I was cold to the core, nearly frozen with sorrow. Numb everywhere but my chest. I came to a bridge, bridge of a one-lane street.

It hung over the rushing water that separated around rocks that closely resembled sharp shark teeth. I drew in a shaky breath. There was enough space between the bridge and the rushing white water below. I climbed up with my blackened-dirtied feet, leaving tiny streaks of blood on the rail, as I held a pillar with my hand. And I stared down the rushing-water, knowing that the sight of both serenity and danger will be my last sight. There was only one more person worth living for. My soul-mate. But chances were that, even if we did meet, he would want me for my hide, not my heart. My throat tightened and I inched closer the edge. Drawing in one last full breath. Suddenly, I heard the sound of laughter, almost right behind me, in the forest. My breath caught in my throat. And I hesitated before deciding, before I disappeared from a living breathing mess of a world, I wanted to know what the joke was. How someone else could laugh while I am so broken, I am barely alive.

I put one foot in front of another in the direction of the laughs. Within moments I was at the edge of a clearing bordered with cyprus trees. In the clearing there was a gathering of probably 20 kids and teenagers gathered around two young men rolling and wrestling. Both shifted back and forth from human to wolf, wolf to human. So fast it was a blur. There were smiles of not enemies but playful competition on their human faces. And cheers for both sides coming from the spectators. I had never been a part of something like this before. Being a member of a dying pack had its cons. The smaller guy was winning too, and it was funny how they were rolling in a mud-puddle and smearing dirt all over each other. I felt a smile tug at my lips, until I started to giggle.

"Get back in the pack house!" a commanding voice called behind me. The teenagers stopped play-fighting and I whirled around. Not 10 feet from me stood a young man probably 2 or 3 years older than I. Light brown hair and a more than slight muscled build, with small freckles dotted across his nose. Heat flushed to my cheeks and my breath once again caught in my throat, this time making a small gasp-like sound. Dark blue eyes locked on mine, as he seemed to realize there was a crazed-looking tear-stained girl, half hiding behind a giant cyprus tree.

The strangest thing happened, but I couldn't put my finger on the reason at the time. Time seemed to crawl instead of fly. My heart started to not only beat inside my chest but abuse my ribcage. My eyes were stuck on him as he walked closer, reaching out his hand for mine, like a little boy at the museum trying to touch an gleaming golden ancient artifact. Subconsciously I lifted my fingers in response. Our hands slid into each other's, as living puzzle peaces. And I felt my heart slowly return to steady although still beating hard enough to resonate in my ribcage. I was content with staring at him, unperfect but at the same time perfect enough for me. But someone spoke, breaking me out of my trance.

"Darren... who is she?" a little curly haired girl asked the young man tugging on his shirt. Daren looked at me with a smile of a winner. And I felt a blush creep into my cheeks.

"My mate."

A/N: I have no idea how I got so sappy at the end, but this was also sorta my short story in English, and it needed to be wrapped up somehow...