BECOMING

3

3

Isla

After

     ISLA STOOD UP, looking at her surroundings. The Sun was setting, and snow was falling from the sky. She looked around, but all she could see were some trees and bushes covered in snow. No houses, no paths, no footsteps, no signs of civilization.

     It was getting dark, and she was naked with no where to go.

     She thought it was strange how she felt no cold even when it was snowing, but she shrugged it of, thinking that apparently it was one of her many new abilities.

     Isla walked towards one of the trees near hear, thinking that maybe she could climb it and take a better look around her, but when she reached it, a feeling of déjà vu hit her.

     There was a big, old, metallic sign hanging from one of the trees that read Windemere House. The name sounded familiar, but she didn't know why. "I have been here before." The voice in her head told here. "I know this place. I know where to go."

     "Really?" Isla asked her, annoyed. "You've been here before?"

     "No, but I know where to go." She answered.

     "So I should just do what the voice in my head says?" Isla asked, skeptic. "I must be really going crazy."

     "I'm not just a voice in your head." The voice said, offended. "I'm more than that, and you know it. Besides, do you have a better idea as to where we should go?"

     Isla was really annoyed, but the voice was right. She had nowhere to go, so what harm would it really make to follow the voice's instructions? Isla sighed, giving up. Her body started moving on its own, the voice taking control over it.

     She walked for a while, with the sky getting darker, and her body getting tired. Some time passed –Isla wasn't sure how much-, and she could still see nothing useful. She was starting to regret listening to the voice, when suddenly she saw lights on the horizon.

     She walked closer, and closer, and she could now see the lights belonged to a big, white house. She walked towards it, feeling a little hopeful and relieved.

     When she finally got there, the sky was pitch-black, and her body was exhausted. She walked across the front porch, and with a weird feeling on her stomach, she knocked the wooden door.

     A minute passed, and nobody answered. She could hear that somewhere inside the house music was playing, classical music. She recognized the piece as one the Violin Suites from her favorite contemporary musicians, Cheryl Frances-Hoad. She concentrated on the music, enjoying it.

     Another minute passed, and the song was almost over, when an enormous man with dark skin opened the door. He's appearance was somewhat intimidating.

     The man stared at Isla for a moment, with a questioning, surprised look on his face.

     Isla didn't know what to say. How could she explain to him how she ended up in his doorstep, when she wasn't sure herself? How could she explain to him that the strangest things had happened to her in the last few hours? How could she explain to this man –or any other, for that matter-, that she had turned into a wolf, and that when another wolf knocked her down she had somehow transported to his house? She couldn't, she thought. She just couldn't.

     Isla cleared her throat, and said the most reasonable thing she could think of. "I'm Isla."

     The man looked straight into her eyes, as if waiting for her to continue. After a moment, when he realized she was not going to say anything else, least of all explain herself, he took a step back. Isla feared he would close the door, and leave her standing outside, alone, but he didn't. Instead, with a strong, masculine voice, he said, "Come in."

     She did.

     Silently, she followed him through the house. They crossed a big foyer, and then walked up a big staircase, which led to a dark, long hallway, filled with wooden doors. He switched the lights on, and led Isla to one of the many wooden doors. He opened the door, and stepped inside. Isla followed suit.

     "You can stay here." He said. "There are some clothes you can use in the closet." With his head, he pointed a big, wooden, old wardrobe. "You can clean yourself up in the bathroom, and when you're finished, you can join me downstairs for dinner.

     Isla nodded, her heart swelling with gratefulness. "Thank you, sir."

     The man nodded. "You can call me Bao."

     Isla nodded again, and smiled lightly again. Bao turned around, and walked out of the room, closing the door behind him.

     Isla looked at the room. It was spacious and nice. It had a big bed, with a wooden headboard and a fluffy duvet. Beside it, there was a nightstand. The room also had lots of windows, all looking out to the gardens.

     She walked to the wardrobe, careful of not looking at herself in the mirror, and grabbed some of the clothes. They were old and a little too big, but she didn't care. She walked into the bathroom and took a shower.

     She was surprised to see that there were all the things she needed, shampoo, conditioner, soap. There was even a hairbrush, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.

     After showering, while she was brushing her long, almost black hair, she thought about the wolf she had seen before. The big, black wolf. Her heart ached. She wanted to see it again.

     She thought about his tormenting, blue eyes. She thought about the way they looked almost... human. Was it possible that he was a human, just like her? A human that could change into a wolf?

     A human, she thought, that could change into a wolf. That reminded her of the scary stories that she read as a child. She thought about the scary beats of all those stories. Was it possible that she was one of them? Was it possible that she was a...

     "No."

     She thought.

     "Stop."

     "Now."

     She blocked all of those thoughts away, and when she finished brushing her hair, Isla walked out of her room to join Bao for dinner. She didn't know the house, which was as confusing as a maze, but she followed Bao's scent until she found him in the kitchen. There was an old woman with him.

     They were with their backs towards Isla, and when she was about to make her presence known, Bao spoke. "Perfect." He said, and turned around to see her. "Just in time, Isla." He smiled a little.

     Isla was confused. How had he known she was there? "Let's eat, shall we?" He asked. Isla nodded uneasily. Something wasn't right.