The Forest Lurkers

Chapter IV : Monsters on the inside...

''Ugh...'' I mutter as bright lights shine in my eyes.

I woke up in a very bright room, that smelled like chemicals. There were long beds lined across the room, and health monitors beside them. On the 3 beds beside me was Owen, Landon and Aaron.

''Hey, the girl woke up, lets go call her mother.'' A blurry figure said.

''W-what happened?...'' I asked.

''We found you and your friends badly wounded in Pine Hills Forest this morning.'' A lower voiced man replied.

''Are they okay?!'' I yelled, scared.

''Yes, they are all fine. But we had to stabilize one of them, he was in critical condition.'' 

''Who?'' I asked, concerned.

''Aaron, the one at your far left. He's okay now.'' He told me.

I look to my left, to see my friends wide-awake, hooked up to theses weird machines. I look at my bed, and I realize i'm also hooked up to some sort of health monitor.

''Guys, are you okay?..'' I asked.

''Yeah we're fine..'' The boys replied.

''Does any of you remember what you saw yesterday?..'' A man dressed in a white coat asked.

''Well, I remember seeing a big shadow-like figure chase me, and then everything went black...'' Owen said.

''I recall running behind Owen, until I tripped on a pine tree root, and the thing bit me on the leg. Then, I passed out.'' Landon followed.

''I remember looking back to see if Julia was okay, but a huge black wolf jumped onto me, and bit me multiple times. I tried slowing it down, but I was too weak...'' Aaron said, looking at me.

''A huge black wolf you say? Let me note this down.'' The deep voiced police officer replied.

''Okay, now, you guys will be released from the hospital, and the wound should take about 5 days or more to close up. Its your decision if you're going to school or not.'' The doctor said.

As we headed towards the hospital exit, my shoulder started to sting.

''Agh..'' I muttered.

''Are you okay?'' Aaron asked me.

''I'll be fine, its just a little sting that's all..'' I replied.

We got to the reception area, and got our backpacks back. I looked through it, to make sure nothing got stolen.

''Are we going to school? Or home..?'' Landon asked.

''We should probably go to school...'' Owen proposed.

''Yeah, we don't want extra homework after all.'' I stated.

As we walked out of the hospital, I spotted an abandoned car in a ditch, close to the forest entrance.

''Maybe we can use that to get there?'' I said.

''It looks pretty rusty, but it'll work.'' Landon stated.

We were on route to the school, when I checked the wound on my shoulder. I lifted up the white band-aid, to see that it has completely healed, and only a scar was left.

''U-um, guys, you need to look at this...'' I said, my voice trembling.

''It already healed?.. How is that possible...'' Landon exclaimed.

''Maybe it could be that she's-- wait, no, it couldn't be possible.'' Owen said.

''M-maybe it just healed faster than we thought...?'' Landon asked.

''I hope so... I suggest that you guys check your wounds too, in case that its the same for you.'' I replied.

When we parked the car in front of the school, Owen checked the bandage that was located on his arm, and the wound was still there. Landon checked the wound on his neck, to find out that it hadn't healed up like mine. But when Aaron checked his wound, that was located on the left side of his stomach, it was healed up.

''Maybe we were affected in different ways?'' Owen theorized.

''It might be possible, we'll see what happens.'' Aaron replied.

Aaron led us into the school, where the halls were deserted. We were late after all, so it'll take a good explanation if we don't want to end up in detention. I looked at the time, and right now, me and Aaron were supposed to be in PE. I ran to my locker, grabbed my gym clothes and we headed for the gym.

''Oh, what do we have here?..'' Mr. Duncan, PE teacher, said.

''Sorry sir, we were late for school, because we got caught in traffic.'' Aaron explained.

'' I DON'T CARE IF YOU WERE CAUGHT IN TRAFFIC, NOW, 100 PUSH-UPS!'' He yelled.

Aaron and I positioned ourselves onto the ground, and started doing push-ups.

''21..22..23..24..'' I whispered to myself.

''YOU CALL THAT PUSH-UPS, GO LOWER YOU WEAKLING!'' The coach yelled in my ears.

''Hey coach, cut her some slack okay? She's doing her best.'' Aaron said, angry.

''YOU CALL THAT EFFORT? MY 80 YEAR OLD MOTHER CAN DO BETTER THAN YOU.'' The coach kept yelling in my ears.

Then, the coach decided to kick me right in the stomach, and I collapsed to the ground. Anger boiled inside me, and I growled.

''Awww, little miss Julia is mad!'' The coach mocked.

Aaron's P.O.V

I watched Julia as she pulled the coach's leg with incredible strength. His body flung to the floor, with a crack. She growled as the coach moaned in pain, his dislocated leg turning purple. Before he could even scream, she kicked him right in the middle of his forehead, instantly knocking him out. The other students watched in fear, and didn't even try to stop her. I wasn't scared though, she looked strong, and beautiful. Afterwards, she ran straight for the locker rooms. I knew it, I thought. The curse has passed on, and its not long before it happens to me.

Julia's P.O.V

I heard screams for help outside, and footsteps coming towards the door. I ran to go lock it and I looked at myself in the mirror, to see my eyes glowing a bright yellow, and that my teeth resembled the one's of a wolves, sharp enough to cut through bone. I felt a rush of fear flow through my body. What have I become?