Creatures ~ Jackson Whittemore [Book 2]

Discoveries

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Apparently that was the only logical explanation a bunch of doctors could come up with to explain why a bleeding girl would run around the woods and not remember a single thing. Though who was Maya to argue, she didn't have a PhD. After having a bunch of prescriptions shoved down her throat to help her deal with the stress, the hospital finally agreed to release her. Though Maya had a fleeting suspicion that her dad's threat to sue the hospital for patient negligence made then shove her out the door faster. But at least she was home and in her own bed now.

There was a soft knock on her door and Maya groaned. "Dads, I promise I'm fine. You don't need to keep checking to make sure I haven't gone sprinting off into the woods again."

"Wow, I thought you'd be happier to see me."

Maya's head perked up at the familiar voice and the frown that had been on her face was instantly replaced with a smile. "Jackson, what are you doing here?"

The teen walked inside Maya's bedroom, taking a seat next to her on the bed. His eyes trailed over the injures that had yet to heal on her face. "I wanted to see how you were feeling. I uh- stopped by the hospital a few times, but Darren wasn't too thrilled to see me there."

"God, he's so ridiculous sometimes." Maya grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose in aggravation. "But I'm glad to see you though."

"And I'm glad you're okay. You had me worried Maya." Jackson said, bringing a hand up to lightly trace the bandage on her shoulder. He still couldn't get the image of her lying on the lacrosse field out of his head. Every time he fell asleep, that night played over in his head and he'd wake up in a panic.

Maya brought her hand up to his, lacing her fingers through his own. "I still don't even remember what happened. TThere's just this giant void in my memories. Sometimes I get flashes of the music that was playing, or me drinking punch...us dancing together. But that's been it."

"Maybe it's better if you don't remember." Jackson knew Maya still knew about the supernatural, yet it seemed like the trauma was keeping her from putting together the fact that it wasn't an animal that bit her. After the disappearing act she pulled from the hospital, Jackson was worried what would happen if she realized she might be turing into a werewolf. "You're alive and that's all that matters." The look in Maya's eyes made Jackson feel so guilty. "I'm sorry that I wasn't there to protect you."

"Hey, I'm alive and that's all that matters," Maya quoted him with a sweet smile. "Don't think for a second that I blame you." She leaned in, kissing him softly. Yet that simple, caring action only made the wound on Jackson's side burn hot with more guilt.

He wanted to say something. But if Jackson did that, it meant that he'd risk losing her and that wasn't something he was willing to do. Maya had made her opinion about him getting the bite very clear. But when he had to carry her bleeding body from the lacrosse field, Jackson decided that he needed to be stronger. It was a way to protect her and though he didn't want to admit it to himself, Jackson was worried that he wouldn't be good enough for Maya without it. Especially not if the girl kissing him right now was becoming a werewolf like her best friends theorized.

Saving him from his own thoughts, Maya pulled away and sent him a tired smile. "I know you just got here and I love that you cared enough to come and check on me..."

"But you're exhausted and need rest?" He laughed, trying to forget the guilty thoughts plaguing him as he pressed another kiss against her lips. "I'll come back and see you tomorrow."

"Actually, I'm coming to school." Maya waved off the comment Jackson was about to make. "I know I sound insane, my dads already gave me that speech. But I just want my life to go back to normal. So I'll see you tomorrow." Jackson shook his head in disbelief at her plan, but still smiled nonetheless as he left Maya's room.

...................

The scary part about waking up from a dream is the first few moment's where you're still unsure of what's real and what was the dream. When Maya opened her eyes and found herself laying in the middle of the woods by the same lake Scott had supposedly found her by, she really hoped it was still part of her dream. After sitting quietly and pinching her arm, Maya was met with the horrifying realization that she had wandered out into the woods once again.

Cold wind made goosebumps rise on her arms and Maya tried to rub some warmth back into her limbs. Her bare feet padded along the forest floor as she walked back the direction she thought her house was. Maya was sure she was quite the site when she finally stumbled out of the woods. Twigs and leafs were tangled in her dark hair and dirt caked her legs and bare feet.

The back door to the house was wide open. Maya was just glad she didn't break a window this time. No lights were on inside and everything was quite besides the squeak of the back door sliding shut. It was hard trying to get back upstairs without making too much noise. Maya didn't want her brother or dads to find out that she had been sleep walking; they were already worried as it was.

She slipped into the bathroom silently and turned on the tub, letting warm water slowly fill it. Peeling off her dirty clothes, Maya sighed in content as she sat down in the bathtub and closed her eyes to relish in the relaxing feeling washing over her aching muscles. As she lay there, a weird tingling sensations buzzed across her body. For a moment it felt as if her body was completely part of the water and suddenly everything about her legs felt heavy. Blinking open her eyes in confusion, Maya let out a scream.

It took no time at all for Darren and her dads to be awake and banging on the bathroom door. "Maya, sweetie, what's wrong?" Joe asked in a panic. The door handle wiggled frantically as Brian tried to force his way into his bathroom while Darren stood next to him ready to kick it down.

Clearing her throat, Maya hoped she sounded less terrified than she felt. "I'm fine, I just saw a spider. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you guys"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Darren's voiced asked from the other side of the door.

"Of course. Please go back to bed, I swear I'm fine." She could hear their footsteps as they all went back to their rooms. She let out a breath, glad that she had locked the door. If she thought the sleep walking would have concerned her family, Maya wasn't sure what they would have done about this. "I'm so not fine." Maya whispered to herself as she stared helplessly at the gigantic, fish-like tail where her legs should have been.