Merely Human

Chapter 10

I didn’t go back to the apartment after I saw Caden. I was upset, I was angry, and I didn’t even know why. I drove off to a beautiful area I knew of that had a forested area with a lake in the middle of it.

“Do I like him?” I wondered as I walked into the trees.

I couldn’t like him, he was an inconsistent asshole to me, it had to be something to do with the supernatural bond between us. It wasn’t real, if I ignored it maybe it would go away. With that determined thought in mind, I pushed myself deeper into the trees and tried to block out all thoughts of Caden.

            I suppose I should have been frightened being out in the woods by myself, but I couldn’t find it in me to be anything. Jason was probably looking for me by now, and thanks to the binding spell he would find me soon. He knew I was supposed to be home by now and he was worse then Trish about me getting home late, sometimes getting upset and anxious if I took too long coming home from the store.

I decided to enjoy my last half an hour or so to myself and quickly stripped down to my underwear before diving into the lake. I dunked my head entirely and then shook the water from my hair, shivering slightly from the temperature.

The wilderness made me reminisce about when I would go camping with my parents and we would sing around the campfire. I smiled slightly as I recalled a Bob Dylan song we would always sing since my father was obsessed with him. I splashed the water about around me and then began to float on my back in the water as I sang the song.

            “Your breath is sweet

Your eyes are like two jewels in the sky

Your back is straight your hair is smooth

On the pillow where you lie

But I don't sense affection

No gratitude or love

Your loyalty is not to me

But to the stars above…”

I continued singing the song until it was finished, still lying on my back in the middle of the lake, every once in a while doing a lazy backwards stroke. The feeling of the sun beating down on me was pleasant and made me sleepy. When the song was over, I allowed myself to sink under the water and I finally emerged, pushing my hair out of my face.

I swam my way back to the shore and had half of my body out of the water when I realized something was watching me. A giant grey wolf sat next to my clothes completely focused on me and I froze under its’ gaze. I suddenly realized that I was half naked and quickly reached up to cover my top half despite the fact I still had my lacey black bra on. It wasn’t Andrés, I knew that much.

“Who are you?” I asked in a normal talking voice, knowing that if it was a werewolf, and no doubt it was, then he would understand me.

The wolf cocked his head slightly as if surprised. Rising to his feet, he began to move towards me and I quickly began to scramble back into the lake. I was getting ready to dive back in the water when the wolf stopped and turned his head to the side, baring his teeth slightly at the forest, before looking back at me. His eyes seemed to look me over one more time before turning around and running off.

“Andy?! What the hell are you doing?”

I turned to look in the direction the wolf had and saw Jason coming out of the trees.

“Jason!” I sighed. “There was a wolf.”

“Where?” he asked immediately, turning around and sweeping an eye around him.