Ridley And Her Wolf

Chapter One

             I couldn't remember who I was following or what I was looking for. I knew it was important, vital that I kept looking. The damp leaves brush past my face, tangling in my hair. I keep pushing through, panic building inside of me, creeping up in my chest. I heard something in front of me. The trees were so dense, I couldn't see. I stopped and listen to my rampant heartbeat in my ears, watched my breath freeze in streams above me. I heard a eerie heartbreaking howl. As in a wolf. Fear once again took control and adrenaline pushed me forward . I could tell I was close, but the sense of dread overtook me completely . I could see light ahead. I burst out of the forest , onto a dirt path, riddled with rocks. I clutched a tall , dead tree, the cold seeping into my fingertips. I heard a low growl and looked up. A huge wolf  stood over a mass on the ground. I crept closer, my heart beating in my throat. The wolf was preoccupied, snuffing at the thing at its feet. It was a person. My mind was blank. I couldn't see their face, but I could see scarlet on their face. Something registered in my mind as a saw what the person was wearing. A grey plaid scarf. A scarf that I gave this morning as a gift. A gift to my mother. A scream rose in my throat and the wolf 's golden eyes pierced mine and I could think no more. Everything faded as mournful howling mixed with my broken screams.

        I felt someone shake my shoulders . My eyes flew open and suddenly everything felt too quiet. My brother Greyson looked at me with utmost concern. "Rid, are you alright. You were screaming. " he said quietly. I sat up and looked around. I was in my car, in the backseat. I must have fallen asleep from our drive from Pennsylvania to Ashland , Oregon. We were parked in front of a  dark grey gothic house. Our new home. From what I could tell it was at the end of a road surrounded by misty forest. "Where's Dad?" I asked. 

      "Inside." Greyson said. I'm glad Dad didn't hear me scream. I was the one who took the path after mom didn't return from her afternoon run. I was the one who saw her lifeless body strewn across the dirt. They say she died of a heart attack. My mother was the healthiest person I knew with no history of heart problems. I've had nightmares since. 

    "Come on Riddle" The knot in my chest loosened slightly when I heard the nickname Greyson had for me. "Grab your boxes. I want to see inside." After he left I realized he stayed out here while I slept. He usually was the one that woke me up when the screaming started. He's the one who stays with me until I fall back asleep.

   I get out of the car and slung my duffel bag across my back. I stack my boxes and make one trip into the house. The inside was old and mostly wood and stone. I found myself liking it. There was no furniture in it, that would arrive tomorrow. I walked up the creaky, spiral stairs and wander around, trying to find an open room. The first door was a bathroom with a claw foot tub. I venture to the very end of the hall and open the door to the last room. A huge bay window looked out the backyard. I plopped down my stuff and peered out the window. The last struggles of daylight was pushing through the trees. I grabbed my grey coat and ran down the creaky stairs. "Dad, I'm going to go explore." I call out to him. 

"Be careful. Don't wander too far." He warned. I opened the heavy door and made my way down the black driveway. I wandered to the edge of my side yard,  cutting through the trees onto a little path. Panic stirred inside of me. It reminded me of the day I found  my mother. Dead. I pushed on though the wet leaves. Near the end of the path I found train tracks. Balancing on one of them I made my way down it, a bubbling creek to my left. I hummed aimlessly and smiled.

 I liked it here already. The peace and quiet. Hopefully here would be different. In Pennsylvania everyone cared too much about who they were and how much money they had. They were incredibly self centered. I used to be like them. I used to feel comfortable being the center of attention. My friends were more important then anything. I limited myself in school, never taking AP classes. I was capable, but my friends weren't in any, so I wasn't. Everything changed after my mom died. I'm a different person , I guess. Or I hope to become one. 

Lost in my own train of though I barely reacted when I heard something move at my right. I turned around to see where the noise came from. And I nearly screamed. A massive black wolf loomed in the edge of the trees. It eyes were a oddly trusting amber color. I gasped then. Not because I was afraid, but because it was the same wolf as in my dream. 

The wolf tilted it's  head as if it was trying to understand something. Or maybe why I wasn't running and screaming. Or maybe it was just sizing me up, ready to eat me. I slowly tried backing away, but me, being probably  the  clumsiest person alive, fell when my foot hit the metal track. I landed with a soft 'oof '. I was strangely calm. My mind wasn't working properly. I wasn't afraid. I was curious. Some strange part of me wanted to ask if it knew my Mother. This brought me back to reality. The wolf still had not moved. In fact, it sat down. Even sitting, this wolf was bigger than normal. Not like I've seen many , but this had to be at least six feet tall. I shuddered and slowly stood up. I knew I should go, but some twisted, haunted part of me needed to see the wolf again.  "Find me. " I whispered softly. Then I turned and ran.

It started to rain. 

I ran.

Somehow I made I back to my house. I breathed heavily, clutching a stitch in my side. I went back upstairs. "I'm back, Dad"I called, my voice breaking slightly. I found my bedroom again and kicked off my leather boots.

The rain was harder, drop spattering against the window. It was nearly dark. Suddenly I was exhausted. And I wanted to make it to school tomorrow. I pulled out a few blankets and my pillow. No mattress yet. I make a nest on the bench of the bay window. I don't bother changing into pajamas. I looked out into the dense trees of the back yard. 

   The wind howled and made the house creak, but I found it comforting . My eyes grew heavy and I was almost asleep when something caught my eye. A shadow streaked  in the trees, a human shadow. The all too familiar fear creeped in my chest. It's weaving trough the trees. It's slowly growing . Suddenly a massive figure bursts out . It's a wolf , the one from my dreams. The one from the train tracks. I'm sure of it. I open my mouth to scream when my light flicks on. My father stands in the doorway. "Let's sleep in the great room tonight, there are a few couches in there." I swallow heavily trying to control my breathing . "Alright" I'm surprised how steady my voice is. I grabbed my blankets and pillow and quickly search the yard. The wolf was gone. But I had a peculiar feeling that I would most certainly see it again.