Forlot: Silver Woods - Book Fifteen

Chapter Seventeen

Did you readers read what she said correctly? You had better read it again. I will wait. Done? Excellent. I thought that I misheard her and asked to repeat herself. Silver forced one of those bars that is part of the hospital bed down and plopped her bottom on the edge of my bed.

"I am really, really sorry, sis. I never asked for this to occur. I never wanted you to be harmed. I...I am sorry that I scraped you and caused that chandelier to fall on you."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa," I said. I was feeling a headache coming on, and that was probably because my sister was throwing too much information at me. "Stop talking. Stop talking for a moment. Take a breather." I slammed my head back on the soft and warm pillow. "Ow! Why the heck did I do that?"

Silver started reaching for me, but hesitated. "Why did you do what? Did I do something to upset you?"

"Besides cutting me out of your life and being a bully towards me, no." I massaged my forehead. That is where it was aching the most. "I am just having a severe headache from...whatever happened to me."

"Whatever happened to you?" She raised an eyebrow. "Do you not recall what I accidentally did to you?"

I wrapped my thumb and fingers around her wrist. "You hold it right there, my younger sister. You may have treated me unfairly. You may have hurt me recently. But in no way can you blame yourself for the chandelier crushing me. That is not your fault."

"Yes, it is."

"It was not stable, Silver. It was bound to fall."

"Listen to me, Sam. I—"

"I hope that you like white chocolate, Sam," Darius interrupted her. "I was going to get you chocolate, but the darn vending machine was out of them." He was taken aback by Silver and glared at her. "Why do I have a feeling that this is your sister?"

It was Silver's turn to glare at him. "We are sisters, thank you very much."

He walked into the room and was holding a candy bar, a small bag of chips, and a bottle of water. "I was not talking to you, lowlife. I was talking to your wonderful sister whom you should be more respectful of." He now stood on the other side of my bed and set the foods on top. "I apologize, Sam, for leaving you alone and allowing..." His eyes darted to my sister. "...this lowlife to give you the time of day."

"Darius, please," I pleaded. "There is no need to call her a lowlife. She may be a bully, but calling her a lowlife is taking things too far."

"'Too far'?" He motioned to Silver. "A member of your own family is treating you like trash, and yet I am the one who is taking things too far?"

"You do not need to stoop down to her level. You need to show her the better way."

Darius was going to reply, but Silver beat him to it. She wiped her nose, and a couple tears streamed down her cheeks.

"That is what you think of me? A bully?"

I turned to her. "Well, yeah. Sorry for making you cry, but it is the truth."

She rubbed her eyes, and then let her arms dangle to her sides. "Okay. I...I know when I am not wanted." She jumped to her feet and started making a run for it.

Little did she realize that her wolf tail was poking out of her silver dress. It was a gray, bushy tail and swayed left and right.

"Sis!" I shouted. "What is up with the wolf tail?"

She let out a gasp, a gasp that scarred me for a moment or two, and spun back around. Then it looked as if she were stuffing the tail up her dress. And she was.

Darius whistled. "Hey! That is a good-lookin' tail!"

I gave him a playful slap. "Stop it. The tail is part of her wolf costume. She wears it every year for Halloween."

My younger sister nodded in agreement. "That is what it is. A fake tail."

"Why are you wearing your tail at this time of day?" I wondered.

"I-I was trying on the costume before I came here to the hospital. Must have forgotten to take off the wolf tail."

"Why try on your costume now?"

"So I will be prepared for Halloween."

"It is summer."

"Yes...which is why it was the perfect time to do so." She cupped a hand around her ear. "I hear Mom and Dad. I am going to check on them. See ya!"

Silver disappeared from my sight, and I gently pushed my body into the mattress. So many thoughts cluttered my mind. Why was she nervous? What was up with the wolf tail?

Oh my gosh.

My bottom jaw dropped, and I pressed my hands against my cheeks. It explains why she acted strange a minute ago. Why she wanted nothing to do with me.

Whoever says that I am a dumb character should count their chickens before they hatch. Seriously. Count how many chickens you have right now. I will still be here. Finished? Thank gosh.

"Sam?" Darius said. "What is the matter? Should I grab a doctor?"

I looked at him with my eyes wide. "No doctor will believe me."

"Believe you about what?"

"My sister...my younger sister...is a werewolf."

Darius was not convinced at first. "Huh? What did you say?"

A heavy sigh escaped my mouth. "I know that I might sound crazy...but that has to be it. The wolf tail. The fact that she scratched me by accident. It cannot be a coincidence. And may I remind you that anything can occur in Forlot."

He scratched the back of his ear. "Right, right. Well, if she is a werewolf, then I must be a vampire."