Another Day in Paradise

Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Marc

            When I woke up, I was lying flat on the ground, staring up at the morning sky with my heart pounding in my chest. Where was I?

I think we're back at the car.

'You think?'

Yea. I'm not very good with directions. I just followed your scent, remember?

'Naw, last night was a blur.'

It felt so good to run again.

'Agreed.'

            I sighed, turning over on the ground and standing up to stretch. My back cracked and I winced, a slight ache in my bones which was there for not shifting in so long, but felt loads better than I had been. Trace had taken me to a forest out of town to just get out for a few days. I had run, all of Thursday night and Friday, letting my wolf take over. I loved the feeling of freedom I got, every time we went.

Remind me again why it's been so long since we've been running?

'It's this annoying thing called school.'

You hardly go there anyways.

'I know, but I can't just walk around outside during the school day without getting caught. Someone would see me.'

I don't care.

'Yea, well then we'd have to go to school anyways, and we'd be fined.'

Oh, right.

'Where's the car?'

No idea. I just told you I thought this is where it was.

            I glanced up to the sky, than breathed deeply the scents of the woods around me. The musk of trees and dirt and sunshine was refreshing on its own. I wanted to be home so bad. Not back in town. With the pack in the mountains. I wanted to run.

We could go running again.

'We have to see where Trace is first.'

Right.

            "Trace!" I called aloud. "Trace!" My voice echoed around the woods. I could hear the cars driving past on the left side of the clearing I was in. Maybe that's where the car was.  Following no exact path, I made my way through the bushes, fighting my way towards the sound of cars. "Trace!" I yelled again.

            "Thought you were never coming out." Trace loped through the trees, a big grin on his face. "Enjoy your run?" He asked. I nodded and his smile widened. "Let's go get something to eat." He said, tilting his head towards the sound of cars. "Doughnuts sound good?"

            "Uh, yea." I responded, grinning with him. He led me out into a gravel parking lot, leading me to his truck. We got in, closing the doors and rolling down the windows so we could enjoy the last of the woods' smells. Trace pulled out of the lot and I stared out the window, lost in thought.

            Was Dakoda okay on Friday when I didn't show up at school? Were Sax and Liza keeping an eye on her like I told them to? My dad hadn't decided to make any unexpected visits had he? I doubted he would let my mom come back for a while; he seemed to almost mock me, in a way. Was he trying to say that he could do whatever the hell he wanted to my family and I couldn't do anything about it? My hands were curled into fists as I thought about my dad.

My cell phone went off, the ringer insistent. I slipped it out of my pocket. Trace was frowning at me, glancing away from the roads for a moment as I checked the caller ID.