Beyond The Forest's Edge (IN PROGRESS)

four

That night, I could barely sleep. My thoughts were drowning out the ability to shut my eyes and relax. My name was in that bag. Anyone could know who I am now, whoever took it, anyway. I tossed and turned like a wild sea storm, trying my absolute hardest to take my mind off of just... everything, but it was no use. Fuller saw a wolf in the middle of a small town and took an actual picture of me and my bag was stolen. Probably from a Sanguine who's out to get me and expose me to the world. Who knows, anymore? I sure don't.

     Alas, the next day I still got up and got ready for school, got dressed, ate, and left to go on the bus. I hope to God that Fuller doesn't suspect me being aware of the "rampant wolves" in this town. I genuinely don't know how I'd respond or how I'd feel. All I know is that if I ever do anything like that again, I must lay low. My safety and security depend on it.

Once I got on the bus, I felt the same anxiety and queasiness that I felt the day prior to now, except somehow it doubled. That's definitely not giving me a good connotation of the day.

I walked into the school, sitting at the cafeteria in the same spot I usually did until the bell rang, signalling first block. I ate breakfast pretty quick and just scrolled through my phone. Sometimes when I sit alone, I think about just... how alone I am. No one sits by me in the morning nor at lunch yet..., when I look at other people, they're socializing like it's so easy. To me, it makes me too aware of myself and how i'm portraying to other people and I clam up. I never knew why.

As I thought about my personal emotions, I heard the first bell ring. I walked up the stairs with a mob of other students until I turned into the class, seeing Fuller holding... a polaroid image in his hands. Dear, god.

"Ezra! I have a lot to tell you! Sit down!" He motioned me over.

"Wh-What is it?" I said in a slightly nervous tone. We haven't even spoken to eachother much, so how is he so comfortable talking to me?

"Well, first of all, I went to the woods yesterday right after school, trying to get pictures of nature for my photography class and I happened to find your backpack right outside the place!" He said, lifting my bag up from behind him.

"Oh thanks, I must've left it after I... went swimming in the lake... somehow." I lied to him to protect my identity.

"But... I also have more startling news." He said, lowering the bag towards me. "I saw something.. incredible. Look." He said, handing me the image. It was of a wold snaring viciously.

"Woah.. is that?" I began to ask.

"A wolf? Yes. I saw it yesterday.." He said, taking the image back from me. "I'm going to submit it for a photo contest this weekend that my photography class is hosting."

"Photography class?! Isn't that unsafe? Like... what if-" I began to panic, then the bellrang signalling first block.

     Still lingering in my mind, what he plans to do with that picture. It's quite obvious to most people that theres very seldom wolves in my state and plus I look pretty different from just a normal wolf. I'm much stronger and broad than most may think.

"So with that, work on your study guides until... 9 o' clock." My teacher announced, shuffling of bags soon followed.

"I can't believe that." I turned to Fuller and said.

"Believe what?" He asked, sitting upright.

"That you actually... saw a wolf... And the photo contest... why do you need it for then?" I asked, still questioning if I really even wanted an answer at that point.

"Ezra.. I thought it was quite obvious... I'm going to submit it and compete." He said in a quite smug tone.

"For what?! It's just a picture." I said, trying to push off the idea.

"Just a picture?!" He asked in a rather offended tone. "This is a picture of a magnificent animal! Ezra, look closer.." He said, pulling me in. "Notice the way the sun light just pours over the dark fur, giving it an amber glow? And the pose is just... breath taking. All wrapped up by the framework of the trees?! What isn't there to judge!" He chuckled in rapt amazement.

"Fuller! Ezra! That doesn't quite look like study work to me!" The teacher yelled, her voice boomin around the room.

"So sorry, Miss." Fuller said, stuffing the photograph into the desk.

"What are you two even looking at?!" She demanded an answer, quickly approaching us.

"Oh! Um, it's nothing really!" Fuller said, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

"Hand. It. Over." She demanded, holding her hand out infront of her.

     Fuller reluctantly handed her the photograph and examined it.

"Some image you found online, is it? Well, it's mine now, maybe next time you'll think about this situation when you see your grade!" She then ripped the photo in half.

"No!" Fuller said.

"Yes..." I whispered to myself.

"You can't do that! That was a possesion of mine!" He began to plead with her.

"Again, should have thought of that before! Now maybe you'll study." She sat down, with rage still written all over her face.

"Bummer... maybe you could just try to-" I began to suggest until Fuller talked over me.

"I have to go back." Fuller said with eyes full of determination.

"Go back? To where?" I asked him in a suspicious voice.

     Fuller seemed rather shocked that I didn't quite knew what he meant.

"Those woods." Was all he said.

     Oh no.

The rest of the class went by pretty quickly, but I can't get the thought of him going back into the woods today and finding sometging else... that isn't just me.