The Art of Mending Memories

The Art of Mending Memories 3

The Art of Mending Memories

Chapter 3

I could feel myself waking up. I groaned. I didn't want to get up. I wanted to sleep my life away in a dreamless haze. I heard Aunt Jane moving around on the floor below in the living room. I heard the TV on. I groaned again and slowly opened my eyes, blinking them few times. I rolled over and looked at the clock.

11:47

Damn. How am I ever going to be able to wake up at 6:30 for school? I groaned again as I realized it was my last day of vacation. And I would spend it worrying about when wolf-boy would re-locate me. May be he already has. I used my sixth sense to see if any shifters were around. None. I was in luck.

I rolled out of bed and practically fell down the stars because my coordination in the mornings was so bad. "Guh mornin" I mumbled to Aunt Jane.

"Oh, Good Morning Sleepyhead. Coffee's in the pot. I just made it 20 minutes ago. I figured you'd be waking up soon."

"Mmm" I mumbled. 'Thank God for coffee' I thought as I poured myself a cup and added milk and sugar. I walked into the living room and joined my aunt on the couch.

"I think I'm going to go on a hike today. Up to Watcher's Peak. I could use a long hike and a pretty scene to draw."

Aunt Jane studied me as I said this, probably to make sure I was okay. Last night I had broken down into tears and cried on her shoulder for an hour. Normally I'm not a big crier.

"Alright" she smiled. "Have a nice time. I'll be here if you need me. It's not suppose to thunder or rain today, so I think I'll paint the fence." I smiled a little when she said this; Aunt Jane had been meaning to paint the fence since last year but she was always "busy." I looked on the coffee table in front of her and saw a half-finished book lying there. Looks like the fence will have to go another day without being painted.

An hour later I was on the trail up Watcher's Peak. The trail was a moderately-intense two miles up, but on the way down I would take the less steep four and a half mile trail. My sketchbook and colored pencils were in my backpack, along with some crackers, and apple, and water. I had the mountain to myself, according to the empty parking lot. I breathed in the beautiful scents of the forest. I loved hiking.

A little over an hour later I reached the peak. It was a little opening with trees surrounding it. But the best part was the view. I could see the mountains in the distance, and the giant lake lying before them, which now seemed like it was a small puddle under my foot. The sun was high in the sky and the breeze was light and gentle. The whole district was in front of me. I loved it here. Everything was calm, and it made me feel like everything was okay, even if it really wasn't.

I sat down against a log and pulled out an apple, munching as I admired the view. When I was done I threw the core into the woods and pulled out my paper and pencils. I started drawing.

I was about halfway done with my drawing when I noticed someone was there. As soon as I realized someone was there, I realized it was a werewolf. Aaron.

I took a deep breath. "I know you're there. You might as well come out." He started emerging from the shadows with a shy ashamed expression on his face, like a little boy who was caught stealing cookies from a cookie jar. "And for future reference," I added, "when I go hiking, unless I specifically invite someone, I WANT to be alone. Being stalked does not count as being alone."

He sat down a foot away from me and leaned against the same log I was leaning against. His skin had a faint red glow to it. That is how I could tell he was a werewolf. Shifters emit a glow; each species has a different color. Werewolves were red. Humans who are "found" get a faint purple glow to their skin, but only after 24 hours of being found. I didn't see a glow yet, so I didn't know whether or not to believe him. Being "found" was a rare thing; most shifters just fall in love like normal humans. Well, from what I know.

I watched Aaron from side view as I pretended to go back to my drawing. He had straight black hair that stuck out in odd places ̶ just like Harry Potter's, I thought. His eyes were gray ̶ gray like the sea after a storm. His skin wasn't tan, but neither was it pale. It was a normal Caucasian skin tone, possibly slightly darker than it would be during the winter. He was wearing white shorts and a light blue t-shirt. He was very attractive, and definitely my type physically. He had muscles, but they weren't over-the-top muscles, just teenage guy testosterone-induced toned muscles. He looked over at me and our eyes met.

"It's beautiful" he said in a deep sexy voice, with a small smile playing at his lips. I looked back to the view.

"I love it here." I told him. "Everything is perfect and I don't have to worry about my problems. I can just enjoy myself."

Aaron nodded in a sad way; like he knew he was the problem that had drive me here. "I know what you mean" he said. "I feel like this is all that matters, this view, and that I'll never have to worry again. Like I can just be happy looking at the mountains for the rest of my life."

We became quiet again, both lost in our own thoughts.

"I'm giving you a change you know" I told him after a while. I knew his head turned toward me, but I kept mine straight ahead. "I've seen was becoming 'lost' does to a werewolf, and I wouldn't wish that on anyone. Ever. On the other hand, I hate werewolves more than any other thing in existence." I took a deep breath. "I've seen the love of a werewolf. But I've also seen the anger and madness of one. I have seen and felt the worst things in the world, all at the hand of a werewolf. So when I say I am giving you a chance, do not expect much. I do not trust easily, and I am a hard person to win over. I cannot promise anything to you, except that I AM giving you a chance. And for your sake, do not blow it, because I will not be giving you another." I put my pencils and paper in my backpack. I was about to get up when I remembered something. "The only thing I ask of you is that you always be completely honest with me. No matter how hard you want to lie," I paused and turned my head to face him, "don't."

With that, I got up, turned, and started walking down the mountian. I knew he was still sitting against the log thinking about what I had just said.

I was nervous that I had made the wrong choice. He was a werewolf after all. they were vicous beasts. I took a deep breath, thinking about what Aunt Jane always said: "everything in life eventually all fits together." Well, I sure hope so, because there is no point in doing a puzzle unless you get to see the final picture.

ʘ ʘ ʘ ʘ ʘ

I stepped out of the shower. It had been a very long day; a very long 24 hours actually. I could now officially determine if I was truly Aaron's find. I was very nervous. I didn't want to be. Oh, dear God, please don't let me be.

I walked out of the bathroom, careful not to look in the mirror over the sink ̶ I wanted the full view. I caught sight of myself in the full length mirror. I started to cry as the inescapable truth that showed I really was Aaron's "find" set in: my skin was glowing. Purple.

Tears poured out of my eyes and dripped off my chin, landing softly on my color bone. Where the tears touched the purple blazed, and then softly faded off to match the rest of my glowing skin.

When a person's skin glowed like this it meant they were a shifter's "find." It glows a lighter, less noticeable, indigo if they were a shifter's mate. I stared through my blurry vision at the light violet glow radiating off of my skin. I knew no one else would be able to see it, but I could.

it used to be a pretty glow, when it was coming off my sister. Now it's hideous. I wanted to cover every inch of my skin so I could hide it. But it was too late. I knew the glow was there, just one more image burned into my mind.

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I hope you enjoyed it. I admit, I'm having much more fun writing it than I thought I would.