Sky Of Flame

Arc Of Light

I stare out the bedroom window and into the street. Logan is pacing worriedly on my doorstep. I sigh.

Damn, Logan needs to chill.

I grab a random shirt from my closet and put it on. Just as my belt buckle clicks, Logan promptly bursts in through the bedroom door.

"Archer! Are you okay? Were you kidnapped in the night? Did you sleep well?"

I just stare at him. His eyes are as wide as they can be and it looks like he hasn't slept for a week.

"Logan, if I was kidnapped I wouldn't be here now would I." I say sardonically.

He smiles sheepishly,

"Well, I guess not."

I walked past him into the hallway. He follows me into the kitchen.

He fidgets and shuffles about the tile floor as I pour milk.

"If you have something to say, say it."

He bites his lip,

"Well... I was just wondering if you are still having nightmares about that day."

I grit my teeth, Damn this is not something I want to talk about.

I ignore him and grab my school bag from the table.

"I'm going to school."

Logan nods worriedly. I slam the door and walk down the stairs.

The teacher drones on and on while I stare sleepily at the chalky board. Without warning, a bright white light flashes across my eyes. I spring out of my seat in alarm. The teacher looks up at me, but it isn't the teacher.

"Are you okay?"

Laila

The face disappears. The blank white walls are closing in on me. I can't breathe. A tingle spreads along the surface of my skin as the urge to shift into wolf form becomes undeniable. I rise from the floor and ran out the classroom door. My heavy footsteps echo the empty hallways. I could hear the teacher calling me but I still surge forward through the front doors of the school.

Reaching the cool fall air I transform into a full sized wolf. I dash to the woods.

Your father... died protecting us... hasn't come back... new Alpha...

I shake the thoughts out of my head. After the exhausting events of the day I lie on my bed. Images of Jacque flash across my eyes. I can't forget the look in Jacque's eyes. Like deep black holes boring into you seeing into your soul, but it's only one way and I will never be able reach him. I sigh,

Jacque, why?

I roll to my side. I closed my eyes.

Laila. Laila's dead.

I can feel Laila's warmth on my arm. I can feel her soft lips. I can smell her sweet scent. I can feel Laila's determination and happiness. I can see Laila on the ground in a puddle of blood. I can feel her fingertips brushing my face lightly.

Tears started to fall from my eyes.

Logan knocks on the door.

"Go away," I growl.

Logan's shadow recedes then comes back. I could hear a clink as he sets something on the floor. Then he walks away. The front door closes in a soft thump. I get up tentatively and open the door a crack. I peer down to see a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. I smile,

What am I? Four?