Volkodlak - The Beginning

3. The Past (Unedited)

April covered her face with the hood of her cloak and hid a small knife in her belt which was around the waist. Monica brought the carriage and April climbed in closing the door behind her.

"Ready?" Monica questioned

"No," April replied abruptly.

Monica chuckled at April's indecisiveness. She tapped the stick to make the noise indicating the driver to move the carriage forward.

April could see through the windows things passing by her in a blur and she could still remember the day she lost everything. It was like a fresh memory refusing to fade.

April knew that her brother was in grave danger. She firmly believed that they did not abandon her. Her parents had found her cocooned in a blanket on her father's farm. They raised April as her own since then. She received two letters on her birthday when she turned twenty-one. One was written in English, and other was in a very different language. It was in Latin and a very ancient one at that was all she could find. She could not translate it completely because there were words which even the oldest people in the village didn't know. She could not find anyone who could interpret that letter for her but the other letter in English, but it was half, another half of the letter was missing. Her mum said it was how the letter was received.

From the letter, April realised that she was the love child. An abomination. She was a disgrace for her mother's family. Her mother loved her so much that she could not kill her when she knew that a baby was growing inside her. She had apologised in the letter thousands of times. April had forgiven her, but she had no clue about her father. Who was he or Where was he or What did he do? Who sent her those letters? And why?

April's friends had planned to go on hunting expedition just two days before her twenty-third birthday. Monica, Jay and April were like a pack. They could never feel complete without each other, never be separated from each other. People envied their bond, their friendship.

There were times April felt suspicious. She felt that was more to it. More than her brother's disappearance. Village Ma's story, those dreams, the growls she heard, the pain she felt. Whenever​ she would look at the sky or whenever a gust of wind passes would blow on her face, a particular type of chill runs down April's body. April felt like something somewhere was amiss. She felt something calling onto her, pulling her towards a thing she could not see. She always felt like she is being watched, and she is being followed. With a defeated sigh she leaned back in her seat and closed her eyes waiting for sleep to engulf her in its embrace.

The carriage came to a screeching halt stating that their destination has arrived.

April knew that moment she steps out of this carriage everything will change. Sweat started trickling down her brow and hair on the back of her neck stood up. Every fibre of her body was screaming to turn the carriage and return.

There were a lot of questions which swarmed in her mind. The biggest question was,

"Was she ready?"

"April..." Monica whispered as she looked at her friend who was a nervous wreck. Red Willow creek was the place where monsters roamed freely.

They had never been there but gory in the stories circulated in the village were enough to make anyone fear their life. The disappearance, the blood. Every child in the village was warned to never enter the area of the Red Creek.

"In a moment, Mon," April murmured as she clenched and unclenched her fist. She wiped the sweat on the back of her hand with her dress and exhaled a deep breath. Monica placed her hand on April's shoulder and squeezed it reassuringly.

"After you," Monica said as looked April with a smile. April nodded her head frantically and closed her eyes for a moment. Her parents face flashed in front of her eyes and her tumbling resolve strengthened. She opened her eyes with a certain firmness in her eyes.

"Let's do this," April affirmed and she brought the hood forward and covered her face with it. April opened the door of the carriage and jumped out of the carriage.

Author's Note:-

So my lovelies what do you think? What is going to happen next? Do let me know in your comments below.

Please do vote, comment and share!

Until next time then!

Love,

Kshama Hasmukh Doshi.