At Dawn

Eleven.

٭ Eleven. The Wolf of the Woods ٭

MERE LUCK HAPPENED IN THE MORNING FOR ME TO WAKE UP around dawn. Waking up early never bothered me like it did to most teens. Not to mention I wanted to get an early start to my day instead of late.

So, when I got up, I went into the bathroom and freshened myself up before pushing some hair behind my ear before I left to go get dressed. With the cool autumn weather coming down I decided to go for a simple yet warm outfit to wear.

Nothing too much for the weather, not too bundled yet not too exposed. Just a simple sweater and a pair of my work-out leggings since I couldn't wear a tank-top. But at least I had my workout pants on so it wouldn't all go to complete and utter heel and be cold.

Once I was fully dressed, I moved downstairs and into the kitchen where I opened a cupboard. Taking out a box of cereal I fixed myself a bowl before going and sitting down just as my mom came downstairs. "You're up early." My mom commented brushing blonde strands from her face.

"I'm going on a walk on the trails and wanted a good start." I told her with a smile on my face. She nodded as she poured herself an identical bowl of cereal before sitting down next to me as I looked up over at her and smiled.

"How did yesterday go?" I asked ignoring the subject of how Lex and Silas sat across from me yesterday without my mom's knowing. And I planned to keep it that way if I had anything to do with it. Mom smiled fondly at the mention of last night with her boss.

"Very well, I most certainly have the job with a fourteen-dollar hour wage. It's very good and the job isn't too stressful, so I think we'll be doing very good." Mom spoke proudly and I smiled. Her words were very encouraging knowing after our big fall we were getting up.

Once I finished my cereal, I got my phone and earbuds before waving goodbye to my mom. And with that I got out of the house and took a pause at the steps and breathed in the fresh air. Being out here was pleasant as I looked around the yard.

The grass was covered in morning dew not to mention fresh rain from the rain last night. My bedroom water was still wet with the drops of water gliding down and reaching the wet fresh grass. I laced my shoes up before looking around the woods near the house.

But my eyes went almost to the trail where Lex took me down. Would his parents mind if I went into their yard to go on the trail? I was unsure, Helen was a bit. . . there. She didn't seem like the type to back down from a fight not to mention possessive.

Her husband of all else was quite stiff and more than anything terrifying. Lex seemed to be an even distribution of them. Yet he had this sense of humor and constant smirks decorating his face. Not to mention this habit of making me highly nervous.

However, it was pure luck on discovering another trail behind the house which brought a smile to my face as I adjusted my sweater and then hit play on my phone. And with the song softly coursing at the lowest volume I went into the woods a smile placed upon my face.

This trail went down a different path then the one at Lex's house. Nature was always something I lavished in causing me to stare lovingly at the trees around me. There were tall ones, short ones, and even one large bare tree with gangly limbs twisted upwards hidden amongst other trees of the forest like a sore thumb sticking out.

I smiled as I continued forward running a hand through my hair as I looked around the forest. The trees were lavish fading from green to brilliant autumn colors, varying shades of red, orange, and the occasional yellow as they collected on the forest floor.

Birds flew up from a tree taking off in the opposite direction as I smiled. Being out here in nature brought a calm and relaxing feeling washing over my body. It felt as if all the responsibilities of my shoulders were suddenly lifted off as I walked through the wood's freedom in me.