Incomplete

Chapter 2

ZOE’S P.O.V

 I watch Ariana as she drifts off to sleep, my little sister who has been through so much. I’d follow her into the dreamland, if I knew that the dream wouldn’t visit me again. It doesn’t scare me, just unsettles me. The dream where I’m surrounded by wolves, but not frightened by them. They howl and turn to run, when I find myself following along behind with ease, because suddenly, I’m one of them. We run, feeling the breeze in our fur, connected by our thoughts, hearing each other talk, feeling what they feel, it’s exhilarating. Suddenly, my nose would pick up a sickly sweet scent and the one leading us, the alpha, I assume, would swerve  to hunt down the source of the smell. We all followed him and watch as the alpha leaps at something in the air and brings it to the ground. A fight would ensue, always resulting in the sound of tearing and a blood-curdling scream rippling through the air. Dead. The thing was always dead, but the smell that followed made my nose hurt, it smelt so bad. Howling in victory, we would take off again and run at speeds that I’m positive even real wolves couldn’t reach. I loved it, the feeling, the hunt, the flight. But suddenly we would be attacked by those human-like things, but they weren’t human. They just didn’t smell right, to sweet, to… inhuman. They weren’t natural, but, then again, I suppose I wasn’t natural at the moment. They would pick us off, singling us out to fight each of us individually, taking away our power that we had in numbers. They would pick us off, one by one and we’d end up being trapped like rats. They would crush our bones, which healed instantly, but at funny angles, making us less agile, but we always came out on top. Always won. I would wake up with a strange feeling, and I would be burning up, a temperature higher than should be possible for any human being. I haven’t told Ari, because I don’t want to scare her, give her something else to worry about, on top of everything else she’s already dealing with.

The pilot says that we’re beginning our descent, so I drag myself out of the memories and the world I lock myself in when things go wrong which I can’t afford to do anymore. Not when I’m the adult now. So I wake up Ariana and tell her to get her things together.

“Come on, sleepy-head. You can sleep on the next flight, remember, we’ve still got fifteen hours ahead of us.” I say with the sarcastic smile I know she loves.

She groans and mumbles, “Fine, but don’t wake me up on the next plane until you absolutely have to, or if I wake up myself. I was having an amazing dream”

Out of curiosity, I reach over and feel her forehead. She’s burning up.

“Ari, are you feeling okay? You’re on fire.”

“Really? I feel fine…”

I pull my hand back and let it drop into my lap. Not Ariana too. One of us getting like this is enough. Two is too much, but Papa’s not here to run to, so these problems are mine now. Lucky me. The plane lands and we get off and head into Sydney International Terminal. Our flight leaves in half an hour, so we head to the right gate and go to find the nearest bathroom. When Ariana’s finished freshening up, we head back to the gate, just as they call for our flight to board. Ariana and I are still in first class, which means we board first. Heading out to the waiting plane, we board and get comfy. We’re certainly flying in comfort, thanks to Papa, looking out for us, even after he’s gone. Ariana’s already asleep, poor girl must be so tired. She was always one to be out like a light though. I’m the restless sleeper, like mum used to be. Not that I would know.

Soon after the plane takes off, I can’t keep my eyes from drifting shut. I’m woken by Ariana, who looks slightly terrified.

“Zo, I just had a horrible dream”

I sit up, rubbing my eyes to wake up better

“Really? What happened?” I ask her.

“I think a more appropriate question would be, ‘What didn’t happen?’”

“Quit being so cryptic and just tell me what happened”

She begins to describe in detail the same dream I’d been having for a while now, the sweet smell and everything. When she’s finished, I sit back with a sigh.

“Kenz, I’ve been having the exact same dream” I tell her.

“Really?” She gasps.

“Yup, the giant wolves and everything”

“Wow… Do you think it means something?” She questions me.

“I don’t know. Maybe. It might just be coincidence.”

“Yeah… maybe” Ariana sits back, looking unconvinced.

“Hey, just go back to sleep, we’ll be there before you know it.”

12 hours later

“Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. We’ll be beginning our descent into Washington Dulles International Airport shortly. We hope you’ve had an enjoyable flight and we thank you for flying with Virgin Australia and hope to see you again soon”

“We’re here?” asks Ariana

“Looks like it” I tell her, looking out my window at the bustling city below me. Lights are the first thing I notice. Lights everywhere. Climbing out of my seat I go through the motions, everything I learnt from Papa about departing a plane, Ari mimicking my movements. Stretch legs, check seat, grab bag, just motions. It’s all I’m sure I can do right now, but as soon as we step off this plane, I’ll be the grown up now.   

Heading into the terminal, I seek out baggage collection, trying to give off as confident a persona as possible. Fake it till you make it, as Papa always told me. Seeing my suitcase, I grab it and wait for Ariana’s. Ari spots it and walks past me, handing me an envelope as she passes. I open it and pull out some pieces of paper. I turn them over and gasp at what I see. Birth certificates, passports, visa’s, passports and a drivers license with my name on it. I look at the last piece of paper and see that it’s a map of a carpark. Finally, I find a letter with Papa’s neat scrawl on it.

“Zo,

Follow this map of the car park to find the car I bought for you. I think you’ll like it, you’ve been looking at one for ages. I’ve pre determined a route into the GPS, follow it and it’ll take you to your uncle’s place, Billy Black. The documents I’ve provided will set you up for a life in America, including the drivers license.

Be safe and look after Ari. I know you can do it, my beautiful strong girl, just like your mother.

All my love.

Papa xx”

I blink tears away and grab Ari “Time to go,” I say.

We travel down and out to the garage where the cars are held. I follow the map, paying close attention to the numbers sprayed onto the concrete.

“E 35, E 36, E 37,” I count out loud.

“Zo, I think I found it,”

“Really what is it- whoa,” I trail off.

“Go Papa,” Ari breathes. We stare intently at the cherry red Jeep Wrangler waiting for us.

“Well, I always did like red. Thanks Papa. Hop in Ari.”

Ignition, GPS on, into first and off we go. Onto our new life.

A couple of hours later...

“Well I guess it’s exciting. I mean we’re here in America, Zo! Isn’t that exciting?”

“Mmhmm,” I murmur. I was finding it hard to keep my eyes open. Focus Zo. Nearly there.

“We should go to DC, see the White House! Wouldn’t that be great, we could go on a tour and...”

I knew Ari was still talking but I couldn’t keep listening. I had to focus, I could feel my eyelids getting heavy, and my breathing slowing down. And the wolves. The wolves were calling from the dreamland...

“Mmm,” I mutter to Ari. Focus, focus, eyes on the road... eyes on the forest path... No keep driving, just keep running...

“Zo? Zoe? ZOE?!” 

My eyes jolt open just in time to see the wolf jumping in front of the car and the car charging off the road into the forest. Then I was gone, surrounded by the mixed sounds of howling and screaming.