When The Wolves Come Out

Chapter 2

I race around the corner to see my bus turning out of school. Great. Breathless, I begin walking home. I wander past a section of trees leading into a forest area, and that's when things change.

The sky that a few moments ago was a bright blue was slowly being covered by a blanket of murky grey clouds. The wind picks up and I feel goosebumps prickle on my bare arms. I shudder but keep on walking, slowly picking up speed as I feel a raindrop on my nose.

Suddenly, I hear rustling in the leaves and snap my head towards the trees. There's nothing there.

I begin to walk again, my eyes averted ahead of me, when I hear footsteps, except they're particularly loud over the sound of the now torrential rain. I stop in my tracks, desperately spinning my head around to see what's going on. And then I see it.

A boy. He's standing on the other side of the road, staring at me with deep brown eyes. His wavy brown hair blows perfectly in the wind, sweeping out of his face. Raindrops are falling perfectly over his eyelashes and dripping down his tanned cheeks. He's the most beautiful boy I've ever seen.

Now I'm the one staring.

He begins to cross the road, his eyes never leaving mine, and I begin to run as fast as I can back home. I don't care that I can't see from the rain. Except when I look back, I haven't gone far at all. My feet feel like weights pulling me down, and no matter how fast I run, I will barely move a metre.

The boy is coming closer, still at a walking pace, his face completely calm. As I'm looking back over my shoulder, I trip, falling onto my sides and desperately dragging myself along the pavement, away from him.

I give up when I hear his obnoxiously loud footsteps right behind me, and I turn around on the floor to face him. His once deep brown eyes are now a glowing hazel gold colour, and he smiles, reaching out his hand for me which I reluctantly take, and he pulls me up.

"Hi," he says in a smooth, low voice. "My name's Ethan. What's yours?"