In Form

The Hint

I went outside and took a big breath in. The outdoors was a good smell. I knew we had more property on the left side of the house, so I started through there.
     It was bushy at first, then it cleared a bit when I found a deer trail. The forest was beautiful at this time of day, the sun shining through trees lke heaven trying to reach earth, and the birds chirping such beautiful songs. It was so peaceful. I began to spin in the light, run and jump off logs and old stumps. It was joyous to be amongst all the vegetation, compared to the city which bared no vegetation at all. This felt good.
    I kept walking through the woods my hands stretched out touching the green around me. The plants seemed to grow with me. The land around me became a bit lumpier the farther I walked. The ground now had little slopes on it.
     I investigated all the plants, naming them off on what kind of plant they were. Till I found one that really caught my eye, a huckleberry bush. It wasn't ripe, or had any leaves on it, but it looked like a good place to sit by. I sat down and played with the dirt. as childish as it may seem, I just love the feel of soil and dirt between my fingers. As I played with the dirt and swirled my hand around it, the dirt seemed to change. It almost looked like soil that you got from the store. Perfectly mixed with vitamins and other things to help plants grow.
     Colors appeared above me. The huckleberry bush began to grow. Little leaves slowly came into view, and from bud to flower to berry the huckleberries grew. I smiled. This was a surprise, but I really already knew I was special in a way. The plants in class grew and moved at my touch or just my presence. So, I wasn't afraid. Out here by myself, I didn't need to worry, about anything. I reached out, grabbed a berry, and ate it. It took me about 2 seconds to eat it, so I grabbed another.
Something moved in the distance through the leaves of the huckleberry bush. I felt the air on the back of my neck stand up. I looked up to investigate. Nothing was there. I stood up to see better but still, nothing was there. I shrugged and kept walking through the woods. The trail I was on became thicker and the bushes were higher now, lining the trail like walls. I outstretched my arms and ran my fingers against the hibernating branches as I walked, they began to bend and grow green leaves as I would touch them. Many branches hung in my way. Although I knew it was nothing, my body was tense as I walked further down the deer made trail. I guess I should listen to what I'm really feeling, but there was literally nothing there.
I spun around as quickly as I heard the bushes rustle behind me. Something white escaped into the brush. I heard more rustling near me and faint grumbling. I began to walk away from the noise slowly, but then bushes rustled at my other side. I heard it running around me, it was on one side then the other, there may have even been two animals circling me. Not thinking clearly, I ran. I ran further down the trail. I heard the thud of something running behind me, panting, and growling. I ran faster, my heart pounding. What do I do?
   Looking down to continue following the trail I realized I wasn't on a trail anymore, I was just running through the woods aimlessly.
The thudding of the animal behind became louder as it came closer. I dared not to look back at what it was. In this short time I thought about where I was running to. So far it was no where, and now I'm gonna die in the woods where no one will find me. Oh my gosh I'm gonna die. I'm gonna die. I tried to run faster but my legs wouldn't allow it.
The animal behind me snarled and suddenly the thudding on the ground stopped for a moment, but I quickly knew why it had stopped running. I felt heavy paws on my back as I shoved me to the ground. I fell and tumbled down a slope into a small ditch area that looked like it use to be a creek. My knee hit first, then my shoulder as I rolled to a stop. I held still, not know if anything was broken, but I guess the only way to find out would be if I moved. I slowly moved my aching body. Everything hurt, but nothing felt broken. I was about to get up when I heard something walking up behind me. I laid still and slowly put my arms over my head and closed my eyes. I hoped it would think I was dead and leave me alone. I heard it's panting get closer, and I closed my eyes tighter. Maybe it was a dog? Maybe it was just a big dog.
    The walking stopped and I could feel its presence lingering over me.
"Need a hand?" I heard a woman's voice say.
I opened my eyes to see a hand down at my level, awaiting to be held. I looked up to see who's hand it was to see a woman in joggers clothes standing to my right, still waiting for me to take her hand. I turned over to look to my left and expected a dog of some kind, but nothing stood where I had heard the panting. I looked to the woman in question, but took her hand anyway.
    She helped me up and was trying to make eye contact, so instinctively I tried to avoid it. She looked at our hands, then back up at me and said, "Gotcha." She smiled, looking accomplished that she had helped me up.
    Once I stood I asked, "Did you, uh, do you own a dog or something?" I just assumed she was a jogger of some kind, coming to get her dog back from it wandering into the woods. I blinked and realized what the only thing I had said to her was. "I mean- did you see one? I'm pretty sure something was just chasing me- did you see it?" I closed my eyes for a moment. Now I sound like I'm paranoid or crazy.
She furrowed her brows in confusion and cocked her head. The woman had long pale blonde hair in a ponytail and dark green eyes that were filled with the tiniest detail. The eyes were like none other, her irises looked bigger than usual and filled half of her eye space. She was also tall and had a soft long face. She gave me a half smile and her brown brows went up as if she was going to tell me she was sorry. But she kept her mouth closed and just decided to smile. She glanced around the tree canopy before turning and began walking away.
  This was too weird. Why was she out here? "Hey," I called out to her. "Who are you?"
She kept walking away. She laughed a little as if I was joking. "See you soon, Amber."
I hesitated to chase her and flinched. "Hey wait!"
    Almost in a blink of an eye, she leapt forward like she was going on all fours, but landing in her place was a wolf of a white color and a large size. It trotted away into the brush ahead of me and I could not see it anymore.
I held still and blinked multiple times, still so confused on what I saw. I remember gasping, but not exhaling. I couldn't make myself breath anymore than I already was, as I have been barely breathing at all. Once I watched it disappear into the wood, I ran as fast as I could, looking back only a few times. I think I ran faster than when I was actually running from the animal in the first place. I stopped running only when I had found the deer trail I had strayed from, I looked down the end of the trail that had more green and began to run again. I kept running till I could see my house through the naked trees. I ran inside and locked the door behind me.
I sat against the door, breathing so hard I could feel my heart trying to catch up with all the oxygen I was taking in. In my hands I clutched an umbrella that once collected dust in the mud box next to the door, giving me somewhat of a clear conscience of my own protection. After a while my mind cleared enough to realize that the umbrella was a stupid defense, and tossed it aside. I hugged my knees and listened for any movement outside. The quiet beyond the door at my black only made things worse. At any moment I was expecting some sudden noise to scare me, but of course there was nothing. In order to keep myself from being spooked by a simple noise in the quiet, I moved my shoes back and forth across the wood floors to make some noise to defeat the quiet.
    Was that a wolf or a dog? Wolf-dog? The lady had a pet wolf-dog. No. Cause the lady was there when the dog-wolf wasn't. No, it was definitely a wolf. Was the lady there at all? I must have hit my head pretty hard to think her up. But I know I saw her there, I felt her hand when she helped me up. Then she spoke to me. But then the wolf was there. She was the wolf, I watched her turn into it.
    I ran the scenario through my head multiple times, making sure what I saw, was what I saw. But every time I came up with nothing. I really did see it, felt it, and lived it. Or did I? Was I dreaming? Wait. Am I still asleep?
    I pinched myself.
    Nope, not dreaming. Okay, I did see the wolf, fine, there are wolves out here. I fell and hit my head, and I thought the lady was there then snapped out of it when the wolf was walking away. Boom, problem solved. But why would the wolf be walking away.
    I sighed.
    I guess it's not solved because I keep doubting myself.
    I gasped and held my heart. Wait, did I die-am I dead? No, that would be silly, I just touched the umbrella, other wise I would not have been able to hold it.
    I heard the most glorious sound any frightened child home alone might hear, like angels flying down from heaven and descending upon me to guard me from all evil. My moms car pulled into the drive. I got up and peeked through the window to make sure it was actually her. I waited till I saw her perfect face emerge from the car, 'till I quickly went back to the door and unbolted it, swinging it open with glee. "Oh my gosh your home!" I exclaimed running to her side and giving her a hug, all the while looking over her shoulder checking to see if the coast was clear.
     No she-wolves in sight.
     She was surprised by my sudden need for affection. "Oh! Good to see you too sweetie." She hugged me back briefly before I let go.
     "Let me help you with the groceries." I said opening the back door and putting all four bags along my arms.
     She looked confused but grateful. "Oh thank you. You are being very helpful today..." She looked at me suspiciously as she opened the door for me.
     "What?" I shrugged, trying not to look guilty of anything. "Can't I be a good daughter and help my mom with the groceries?" I realized I should have used a different tone, because the last one was too high and sounded like I was lying.
     "I guess so." She laughed a little. "Did you find my note on the tv, or did you just wake up?" She laughed.
     "No, I saw it. It's only been a couple hours." I lied, I had just woken up. I set the bags on the counter and began to take things out.
     "What did you do while I was gone?" She asks as she also takes things out of the green plastic bags.
     "Well..." I tried to quickly think of something to say other than I saw a lady turn into a wolf - or I was attacked by a wolf? I grabbed a round up of six sodas. "Where do you want these?"
     "Oh just put them in the fridge."
     I walked over to the fridge and put the sodas inside. "I walked around the property, you know, to get use to it I guess." I nodded, staring blankly into the fridge. I turned to face my mom. "Where's the river again?" Trying to keep her mind from asking more questions of where I've been.
    She nodded. "Oh it's way back behind the house." She motioned with her arm. "You gotta walk down this old trail until you get to the ridge, then you walk along that until you find the rocky beach thing where we put our lawn chairs." She opened a laughing cow slice and began to eat it. Not unpacking anything else."
     "We?" I questioned as I got the last of the groceries. "I thought you just looked at the house."
     She looked up at me for a moment and squinted her eyes. "Yeah, and its essentials." She laughed and shook her head as she took another bite. "Which reminds me," she raised her finger and spoke with her mouth still full of cheese. "There are chairs that were left down there from the people who last lived here and I need you to bring them up for me tomorrow, please."
     "Yeah sure." I said diligently as I put the plastic bags behind the trash can under the sink.
     My mom threw away the cheeses cradle of aluminum and wiped her hands together. She looked at her phone and gasped. "Oh my word, I better start getting ready for work!" She scurried out of the kitchen. As I walked into the living room my mom stopped half way up the stairs and poked her head down far enough so I could see her face below the ceiling. "Oh, honey, I will probably be working late tonight. Don't worry I will do the dishes when I get home."
     I looked back through the kitchen doorway. The sink was empty. "What dishes?"
     She laughed as she continued up the stairs. "There will be if you eat something!"
After I made myself a peanut butter and agave sandwich, I sat on couch and I turned on the TV, flipping through the channels. The news came on, and again something caught my eye. It was live, and the title was 'Wild Massacre'. Another animal killing has happened, with another stupid title. This one though was different, the animals weren't taken, and they were still in the field.
The same perky news girl, from the last news cast I saw, was again finishing her talk. A few people gathered by the fence off the highway, looking at the scene behind her.
"And yet again, another animal killing has happened." She began. The news people should really make up their mind, last time she said it was sheep thieves, and they didn't think anything of slaughter. Except for the title. Which also had nothing to do with what she was saying. "We are in Birds view, at a buffalo farm. A driver early this morning on highway 20, a few yards from the field, spotted the down buffalo and stopped to call the owner. Let's take a look."
When the camera showed the down and dead buffalo, I was shocked. There were two buffalo bodies on the ground. They were burned and their outside meat and flesh were gone. All the outside fur in the torso area was gone and shredded all around the bodies.
The news lady started to talk again. Then I notice two familiar figures in the crowd looking at the dead buffalo. One blond and the other brunette. The girls I saw earlier today, and at the crash. Both talking, nodding their heads, and gesturing to the field and buffalo. What were they doing there?
    "Amber honey!" I heard my mom yell from upstairs.
    I paused the TV. "Yeah?" I yelled back.
   "Don't get too comfy down there I'm bringing you to school on my way to work!" She sang, knowing that I would oppose.
    I groaned quietly to myself. Going to school a few hours late is one of the most embarrassing first impressions I could make. "Okay..." I somberly replied. I might as well start getting ready now.
    I turned off the TV and got up, heading for the stairs. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a figure behind me. I spun around to see no one there. I held my heart, my stupid mind scaring me, almost gave me a heart attack. I went upstairs to my room. A weird shiver went through me as I went down the hallway. I reached for my doorknob when I heard voices, or maybe just one. The voices would become one, then multiple, like the one voice was echoing. And it was coming from inside my room.
    I held still as I listened. Was there someone in my room? The voice sounded like it was in my room, but also in my head. It made no sense. I couldn't tell what the voice was saying but it sounded like it was repeating something. I put my ear closer to the door to hear better. The voice was starting to form actual words, I could make out letter sounds instead of undeciphered whispering. The voice got louder as I pressed my ear against the door. 'Aspher-arsfar -ampere-ampair-' The words made no sense so I got closer to the door but it made no difference. I finally took in a quick deep breath and turned the door handle. 'Samper -hamber-anneber-' The voices got louder as I quickly swung the door open. The voices were quick and jumbled, they filled just my head a second before my eyes focused on my empty room, there was a sudden quietness and the voice whispered the last of its words. 'Amber.'
     "Amber?"
     I gasped and spun around to face my mom who was peaking her head out of her room.
     "Are you okay sweetie? Why are you standing outside your room?" I had a nervous smile on, probably hoping her daughter wasn't crazy.
     I immediately shook off my freak and put on a smile. "Brain freeze." I tapped my head. Then remembered I never had anything frozen, so decided to draw her attention directly away with a question. "Are gonna use the shower?"
    She smirked at me, probably knowing something was up. "Brain freeze... riiiiight." She played. "No I'm not gonna use the shower." She chuckled and went back into her room.
    I looked back into my room and stared for a couple seconds, hoping to see something that my have spoke to me. Is my house haunted? I guess I could look up the history of the house later, but it doesn't seem that old of a house. I continued into my room and closed the door behind me.
     In my efforts to get ready for school, I put on some makeup, but not a lot, I didn't want to give them the impression that I was a makeup diva or something. I couldn't decide whether to curl or straighten my hair, so I just left it down and untouched by anything hot.
As I was walking out of my room, I noticed that the lavender on my window sill had died, probably from lack of sun light or water. I shrugged it off, telling myself to water it when I came back.
Like clock work, my mom and I came out of our rooms at the same time. I hopped in the car with my mom. I was so nervous for my first day. I had butterflies in my stomach, the closer we got to the school I felt more and more nauseous. My mom was being awesome and got me a Pepsi before going to the school. I gave my mom a hug and kiss and walked inside the school. No one seem to notice I was there. I walked up to the first person I saw and asked them where the office was. They seemed like a very nice person, they pointed me the way and I headed for the office to my left.
I walked up to the desk and waited. Two ladies behind computers were typing away. They didn't seem to realize that I was there. I knocked on the desk.
"Yes?" One asked. She seemed a little annoyed I was there, and that I ruined her typing pattern.
"Um, I'm new here and I was wondering... um, if I could, um, have my class schedule?" I said nervously.
She didn't seem like a very caffinated person. "Sure." She said as she got up. She looked through a box that had folder in it. She skimmed through them, then opened one up and pulled out a sheet of paper. "Here you go... Amber" she said as she read the name on my list. "Your locker is number twelve in the freshmen hall." She said. Then sat down and began to type again.
I walked out of the office and went and found locker twelve. I was pretty disappointed to see that it was a bottom locker. Thankfully it didn't look like anyone owned the locker above me. I took an extra-long time to put away my things just so I could see who owned the lockers next to me. Then I went to my fourth class period.
I was one of the first people in the class. The teacher walked up to me to greet me. Her name was Mrs. Spike. A shorter pale women with short cut, almost bleach blond, hair, and wearing an apron. I suspected this was a cooking class. I got an apron, put up my hair, and washed my hands. Then class started.
There were six periods. All fifty minutes long. Some of the teachers were pretty nice, some could have been better. I got homework on my first day, and quite a bit of homework at that too.
After fourth, it was finally lunch time, and only two more periods to go before school was over. I sat at a table where there was almost no one there. So much for making friends. I guess it was better than intruding on some popular table then have a bad name the entire school year, or worse, the rest of my high school years.
Then four girls sat down at the other end of my table, they were all blond. As soon as they sat down the other people at my table moved to another table. They looked like quadruplets, but fraternal. They all had something in common, other than there looks, they all had pink on them.
One had a pink blouse and skirt, and pink boots. Another with a pink beanie and scarf. And another with a pink shirt and jeans. The other with a pink belt and jacket.
Another thing they had in common was that they were all wearing a necklace. Each necklace was different in its own way but, they all had an onyx on their necklaces. As soon as my eyes locked onto the necklace my eyes blurred for a quick second. I couldn't control it but, it just happened.
They kept talking, while I just ate my food. Then one of the girls that was closest to me, turned her head out of the other girls' conversation and looked at me. I kept my head down.
"Hey, your new aren't you." The blond sitting closest to me said. Her perfume was very strong, and very strange smelling.
I looked up, all four of them were now looking at me. I didn't know what say. I was never good at making friends, I couldn't let this chance go. So I thought of something simple.
"Yes." I said, pretending to look gleeful.
"Hi, welcome to Concrete High School." She said extending her hand to me. She sounded very nice. I noticed that she didn't tell me her name when she greeted me.
"Hi, I'm Amber. Amber Schwits." I said shaking her hand, hoping she'd tell me her name.
"So, what's your story?" she asked.
She seemed way too nice to someone who lived in this school, or this town. My first thought was a cyborg.
"I moved here from Seattle. My mom got new work near hear. So far my favorite restaurant is that Cascade Burgers down the street." I felt like a real dork when I said that.
"Nice." She said. "That's not our favorite though" the blond behind her said. "We like more fancy restaurants" another said. "Like 'Sunny Bears', near the grocery store." Another said.
I was kind of creeped out by the way they talked individually. But I tried to be nice.
"You said you last name is Schwits, right?" She asked.
I nodded.
"What's your Mom's name? If you don't mind me asking?" she asked.
"Clare. Or Clarrise if you want." I said. If it was me I wouldn't really shoot for 'What's your Mom's name' for a first impression question.
"Ah." she said.
"So are you guys related?" I asked, pointing to all of them.
They all giggled a little. "No, and Yes." She said. I was confused by her answer. "Well, we like to think so." Another said. "Well we kind of are..." another snorted.
"It's ok, I get it." I said. I was too overwhelmed by their talking technique.
She smiled. It was a sweet smile too, not a creepy one. "So are you liking it here in Concrete?" She asked. A smile still on her face, that gave me confidence to answer.
But before I could speak I caught eye of her onyx necklace. She played and stroked it while she waited for my answer.
The onyx was beautiful. I felt like I was in a trance just staring at it. It had little diamonds surrounding its oval shape, and a soft cloth like material as the neck piece. As I eyed the beautiful jewel, my eyes blurred for a second, without my control again.
The girls face changed from a sweet smile, to a straight face. She covered the jewel and I looked back at her face. She still awaited my answer.
"Um... Yah it's, um, been fun so far." I said.
"Well, I think we'll be great friends." She said, a smile once again appeared on her face. But this smile was different, it wasn't the sweet one I saw a minute ago, it was almost, nefarious.
One of the girls tapped on her shoulder. "Well we got to go, bye." She said getting up, and started for the door.
"Wait! You didn't tell me your names." I said quickly.
One of the last ones out turned towards me. "We answer to Onyx." And she left with a skip in her step.
They were a very strange group, but I guess a lot of the groups and people here were strange too now that I look around. No matter how strange they were, I was just glad I made some friends.
Riding the bus home felt different. I didn't recognize anyone, and every time we turned a corner I would almost freak out because I thought we weren't going to my stop. I was bummed when I realized that my new friends didn't ride my bus. We were going through a part of the road where everything to the right was filled with field and a couple houses, when I realized that we passed my stop. I was freaking out on the inside. The bus started to slow down to a stop to drop off a kid at some long driveway up a field. This was my chance to get off. I got up and started off the bus. On my way out the bus driver caught me.
"Hey, where are you going?" The elderly man said.
"I'm new here, and this is my stop." I said quickly, and got off.
The bus driver bought it, he nodded and closed the door.
As the bus left I headed down the road towards my house. The road was dense with trees. It was gorgeous. I could almost see all the way through the woods. The light hit the trees just right to make it look heavenly. I took a step towards the forest, but stopped hesitantly. I turned and began walking down the road again, back home. I will go in there some other time, maybe when I'm more familiar with it. Who knows what could be in there.