Stumbled to the Past (girlxgirl)

Chapter 1: The Past and Present

Grandfather and I had just finished roasting marshmallows by the campfire. As we were about to head back inside, a bone-chilling howl pierced through the night. Grandfather held me close and said, "Don't worry, Lucie. It's just the wind playing tricks on us."

But I knew it wasn't just the wind. I saw a shadowy figure lurking among the trees. Its eyes glowed like burning embers, and its snarling fangs made my heart race with fear. It was like a creature from one of Grandfather's stories—a werewolf.

Before we could react, the creature pounced, knocking Grandfather to the ground. I screamed as it lunged towards us. Its monstrous claws ripped through the air, and I closed my eyes, too afraid to look.

But then, everything stopped. I heard a fierce growl, and the weight on top of me disappeared. I opened my eyes to see a woman with flowing dark hair and eyes that seemed to sparkle like stars. She fought the creature with astonishing speed and strength, and I knew she was not an ordinary woman.

As the creature retreated into the shadows, the woman turned towards me. My heart pounded in my chest, and I couldn't bring myself to look at her face. She gently placed her hand on my shoulder and said, "You're safe now."

I wanted to thank her, but fear held my voice captive. She scooped me up in her arms and carried me back to the cabin. I felt safe with her, but the memory of my grandfather lying motionless in the dark forest haunted me.

The woman laid me down on the cabin's soft bed and covered me with a warm blanket. She whispered soothing words, like a lullaby, and my fear began to ebb away. But when I mustered the courage to look at her, she had already turned away, her face obscured by the shadows.

_________

22 years later

"That's all for today, class. See you all on Monday." I announced, then on cue, we heard the bell ring. I turned off the projector and start packing my things as my students scramble away out of the classroom.

You don't need to be observant to see whose students are just waiting for the bell to ring and those students who really enjoy studying or some who just really enjoys checking me out. In my two years of teaching, it is no longer new to me and I learned well how to just ignore those hormonal teenager's eyes.

I'm almost done packing my things when I felt eyes were watching me, yet I know I am alone in the room as all the students were too excited to go home or do whatever on a Friday afternoon. This quite happens every day my entire life that I get used to it.

I will feel it then I will find nothing even if I tried to look. It is quite the feeling where the hair at the back of my neck just rises on its own. It never fails to make me feel conscious of how I look, but I never really do anything about it.

The sun cast a warm glow through the windows of my office as I sat grading papers, my mind focused on my students' progress. Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and before I could respond, Brent Morgan, one of my colleagues, barged in with a confident grin on his face.

"Hey, Lucie," he said, leaning against the doorframe, "I was wondering if you'd like to grab a coffee with me after work."

I offered a polite smile, though my heart sank a little. This wasn't the first time Brent had asked me out, and despite my subtle rejections in the past, he seemed undeterred. While I valued his friendship, I wasn't interested in anything more.

"Thank you, Brent, but I already have plans after work today," I replied, hoping he would take the hint.

Brent's grin widened, and he shrugged, seemingly undeterred by my response. "No worries. Maybe another time then." He lingered for a moment before finally leaving my office.