Fear of The Dark

Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

When I was 16, my father told me he was dying. I knew there was something wrong long before we had the actual talk. His skin had turned a pale grey color, his eyes were always red from exhaustion, and his hair was slowly falling out.

I remember sitting at his desk, tears rushing down my face as he explained his condition.

"Adeline, honey. Within our world of beauty, grace, and elegance, there is an evil. It is filled with hatred, revenge, and violence. I cannot keep it from you any longer, my dear, because soon you will have to bear the weight of this pack on your shoulders. I will name you Alpha when I pass."

"But papa, I am a woman. They will never listen to me."

"Do you believe you are strong enough, Adeline?"

"Yes. I just – "

"There is nothing left to discuss. I know you are not ready, yet. I will make sure that when the time comes, you will be a diligent, kind, powerful, and well-respected leader. Do you trust me?"

"Of course."

"Now, I am going to be blunt, Adeline. When I was a young man, stories were told around the pack about something called the darkness. It's almost like a storm, a mist, or a fog. It creeps slowly upon the unprepared and suffocates them. It kills."

"Where did it come from?"

"Some say it originated from the moon goddess. She was unprepared for the evil forces that radiated from the packs, especially a pack called Red Moon. They were relentless and disregarded the moon goddess' warnings. Finally, their evil acts transfigured into what is known as the darkness. It grows every time there is a murder, a rejection, a rape, or an unjust punishment from any pack."

"Have you seen it before?"

"That is why I am dying, Adeline. When I was a young man, it slowly crept up on our pack. Luckily, an elder was able to warn us before hand. As our pack was evacuating, I hit my head on a shelf in the basement and was knocked out. When I awoke, this mist was slowly creeping through the windows. It touched me just enough for me to feel the pain and loose feeling. My father wouldn't leave the pack house until he found me, and when he did, he carried me away. I was not killed right away but everyday since then, I have been sick. Good thing it waited to take me away after I found my beautiful mate and had a gorgeous little girl."

"Papa, will it come again? And how will I save them?"

"I pray everyday that it never finds you. If it does find you, there is nothing you can do.  Once it surrounds a pack, it will do everything it can to consume them. I am warning you now, Adeline. Watch, and watch closely." 

That moment is what I dreamed about when the darkness took over my body.

The words that repeatedly replayed in my head were, "there is nothing you can do."

You can imagine my surprise when I woke up with a heavy, confused, and painful headache.

I am supposed to be dead. Why am I not dead?

As I sat up and rubbed my head gently with my hand, I looked around. Flashes of light danced across my vision as I adjusted to the brightness. Soon I was able to see the great big trees, green bushes, and wild lilies.

My pack! Where was my pack? If I was alive then they must have been spared also.

I planted my hands in the soft dirt and rose with great effort. Grunting I pushed my shoulders back and rolled them to ease the pain.

I felt different, lighter, and almost stronger.

I started to run towards the pack house, but as I got closer, the horrific realization hit me like a freight train. 

In my packs place was a gray fog. The ground was soft and almost rotten. It smelled atrocious, and I fought the urge to throw up. There was nothing left.

My chest constricted, and my head became lighter. I breathed harder and harder. I felt as though the devil was standing on my chest as he sucked the breath from my very lungs, laughed at me, and banged my head against the ground.

I was having a panic attack.

Because it was all gone.

The pack house.

My pack.

My family.

Everything had been consumed.

So why was I alive?