Wait (Harry Styles)

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1

were·wolf

noun

(in myth or fiction) a person who changes for periods of time into a wolf, typically when there is a full moon.

"Rosie! Stop shaking that box so much, I have my laptop in there!" I scolded my younger sibling. Her arms were threatening to topple the box onto the dead grass- I would've helped, except my arms were full with junk that was to be quickly stashed away in the attic.

It was absurd - how we had to move here, right in the middle of the school year. This wasn't planned, it was all very hastily put together at the last minute. I still remember being pulled out of 3rd period, my teacher looking at me with such sympathy. I immediately knew, something bad had occurred at home. My dad had a heart attack, and no one was home to dial 911, although it would've been too late already. My mom was the one that took it the hardest. I still hear her sobbing at night, sometimes even praying that this was all just a dream. "I knew I shouldn't have left out those pork rinds." I would sometimes hear her mercilessly whisper in her room, constantly taking the blame for his fall.

Unfortunately, this was all very real. We were stuck in an old unfurnished house beside the side of the road. Where it got undeniably foggy in the winter, and incredibly damp in the summer. The closest building from here, was a 10 minute drive. Since my dad never left a will, or left us any money, we were basically close to being broke. Thankfully, my mom's side of the family had some sympathy left for us and let us live in this old house; where apparently, this was where my grandparents lived. Until they moved into a retirement home. I knew I couldn't complain, we weren't paying rent, and I didn't want to trouble my mother with my selfish bickering. She already had enough on her plate, with taking care of 2 kids all by herself (I don't count, since I'm practically the second mother of this household), and of course being a widow. I tried to help her out as much as I could, but I knew it wasn't ever going to be enough. After my father's death, she became more quiet and reserved, sometimes even zoning out midway through the day.

"Zack!" I beckoned for my brother to come over to help me. He was such a brat. Immediately when he heard when we were moving, he started crying and complaining - giving no regards to how everyone must've felt. I still remember how he tried to call the police, threatening that if we packed his stuff away, he was going to run away. And true to his word, he did. But he didn't make it far. Maybe one or two blocks, before coming back in and switching on the TV- claiming his friends wouldn't miss him, so it didn't even matter anymore.

"Stop trying to ruin my life!" He sneered at me, in the obnoxious tone I knew all too well. Before running into the house, nearly bumping into Rosie.

"Be careful!" I called out, but the notion was lost. He was already long gone. I sighed, smoke flowing gently out from my mouth. It was starting to get cold, and my fingers were growing alarmingly numb from holding onto the box for so long. I absolutely hated this weather, this house, and basically anything in this 10 mile radius. Except, I wasn't going to let myself complain now. "Suck it up, Amelia." I quietly chanted underneath my breath, hoping it would encourage me.

-----

My leg went up to support the box that was slipping from my cold hands, the trap door shut behind me as I shakily put down the brown box on the wooden creaky floor. Bringing my hands up to my mouth, I tried to desperately regain warmth in my hands, by breathing on them. We were all going to have to bundle up in thousands of layers while sleeping, until the repairman could fix the heater. He only worked on weekdays, and today was Saturday.

It was eerily quiet in the attic. No, scratch that. This whole place gave off a weird vibe. With the weird musty smell always hanging in the air, and the cloudy atmosphere, I felt like I was in some horror movie. I walked over to the small window on the other side of the attic, lightly pushing the box I had carried up, to the side.