Sunny and Moon - New Claws

Chapter 4: "Are you sick? Or are you something?"

Ruby woke up with a big headache. It had been almost a week after the attack, and she had managed to survive. A big patch covered her scar, which she had to remove this very day. Ruby also had completely recovered, and felt good as new. Well... sometimes she didn't. Her headaches had increased a great amount, but besides that, everything was pretty normal.

The attack had made Ruby not go back to the forest. It was too sickening. She was sure her blood was still lying there... looking as though the attack had not been a week ago, but just an hour before. Ruby shrugged those feeling off. They would only make everything worse.

Once again, Ruby was in that sweet period of the year when she felt as though she didn't have a worry in the world. Cindy didn't seem that annoying... swimming classes had started... autumn had begun... everything was perfect.

"Ruby, dear! Time for breakfast!" Mother called from the kitchen. Ruby's room was located on the first floor of the house, a place where the light of the sun shone best. She got down from her bed, after checking the hour. 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

"Coming mom!" Ruby said. She was already dressed, and as always, her 21 wristbands were securely placed on her arm.

For breakfast Ruby had delicious meal. Scrambled eggs with bacon, accompanied by a good bowl of milk filled with puffed wheat cereal. Oh, and the orange juice! It filled her belly with orangey happiness. After leaving everything on the sink and kissing her mom goodbye, Ruby fetched her book and went outside.

"Spree." Ruby read. It was a very bright day, so bright it didn't seem to be autumn. So she sat down, took a deep breath, and began to read.

She was immersed to a new world. That's why Ruby enjoyed reading. New words popped up every second and she rejoiced when the characters did what she wanted; otherwise she fumed when they didn't. The author tricked her into believing something– then told her it was actually another thing. How she hated when that happened. And then came the plot twist. Ruby had to throw the book to the other side of the world when she found out that Haymitch (the protagonist) actually knew who murdered Tina (his lover) and helped the murderer to hide the evidence just because he was his best friend. What was worse is that he pretended to love Tina, and the whole time the reader didn't know.

Ruby was reaching the final chapters. And suddenly... the feelings began. It started with pain. A normal headache. Ruby thought they had gone, or at least for a week, but no. They came back.

A pressure began to creep up on her, from the back of her neck to her forehead. The pressure was combined with needles, which pinched her every one in a while. Then she started gagging. What was happening? Her breathing was suddenly cut, and every inch of air she tried to inhale wouldn't come in. Then she was coughing. And coughing. And coughing. Ruby tried to breathe, and with a tremendous force, the oxygen came back. She grasped her neck, waiting what would come for her next, but... nothing. It had stopped.

A few minutes passed and Ruby suddenly regained her conscience. Stumbling, she returned home and cried for her mother.

"Mom!" She shouted. "Mom! I don't feel well!"

Her mother, who was named Joelle, ran to her daughter and took her in her arms, before Ruby started sobbing on her shoulder. It had hurt. And there was going to be more.

"Mom... I think I'm sick..." Ruby said, looking into her mother's hazel eyes.

"I don't know darling. I think it might be worse. But I will take care of you until you get better. Don't worry."

And Ruby kept crying into her mother's shoulders, because although her mother made her feel as though nothing was wrong, she knew it didn't.

And that made her scared.

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Not happy with this chapter : (

 Ruby is meeting Carson soon! I feel like you can't relate or simply don't know Ruby well. But once she starts interacting with Carson and more people, (like werewolf packs) you will get to see her true self.