The Hunter Chronicles - The Beginning

Chapter 19

The dream begins as soon as I fall asleep and I let it in. A happy family of three, a fit young blonde girl walks to the fridge and takes out a bottle of water, her brother teases her and she playfully returns then she walks over to her father and kisses the top of his head telling him that she is going for a swim. Her father folds his newspaper and tells her to be careful. Before she goes out the door she promises that she will be, as she walks out onto the deck leading to the lake she removes her shirt then her pants and dives in perfectly. She comes up for air frowning and looking around, she shakes her head and begins her breast stroke. Something strange is in the air. The girl suddenly gets pulled down...

I wake up feeling a little dazed, I feel with my hand along Jared's side of the bed the turn, he isn't there. I rub my eyes and feel a chill run down my spine. I make my way downstairs when the most amazing smell hits me making my stomach growl hard. The closer I come to the kitchen I can hear Jared whistle, I peek around the corner then he looks up smiling, "Morning beautiful." He turns to the stove grabbing the newspaper on the counter, "Oh hey check this out, a seventeen year old girl drowned, that's terrible, isn't it?"

"Sofia Compton." I read then glance at her picture. I know her. "I had a dream about her just now." Jared frowns and I fill him in on the dream.

"So do we go and check it out?" I ask but I know the answer.

"Only if you want to."

I sign, "I'm having these dreams for a reason, right?"

Jared nods.

"Okay but first give me some of that food first, I'm starving." I tell him and Jared fills my plate with bacon, eggs and sausages. I dig in eating more than I should.

***

On our way to Angel Lake Jared suddenly says, "I need to tell you something."

Oh no! I immediately assume the worst. "What's wrong?"

"I'm human." He answers quickly.

"What?" I ask completely surprised and confused my brain, not believing my ears.

"Human. I've been a bit off lately. I should have been able to smell the blood of the guide from miles away and when the wendigo attacked I didn't have the strength to fight it off." He almost whispers.

"Are you sure?"

"I am. I feel different."

"Are you upset that you're human now?" I ask

"No. It's amazing. I don't have to worry about hurting you and besides I didn't make a very good vampire anyways." He smiles.

I allow myself to smile even though my head is spinning. How did this happen?

We pull up to the Compton house, it's old and dirty yet peaceful at the same time. I recognize it from my dream. Jared knocks on the door and introduces us to the young man that opened.

Will Compton leads us out onto the edge of the deck and points at the lake, "That is where she got dragged down?"

"And you are sure she didn't just drown?" Jared asks. We know it wasn't otherwise I wouldn't have dreamed about it but I understand why he asked.

"Yes. I am sure. My sister was an excellent swimmer, we practically grew up in the lake. She was safer out there than she was inside her own bathtub." Will says. I feel so sorry for him. I couldn't imagine the grief he must be feeling for the loss of his sister. They seemed close in my dream.

"Did you hear slashing or any signs of distress?" Jared asks.

"No." Will replies.

"Ever see any strange tracks by the shoreline?"