Mon Amour

Prologue

"Grandpa, tell it again!"

"Calm down young one. I'll tell it again. Just let Grandpa catch his breath."

Little AnnaLee waited in silence. She never liked to upset her grandpa and he was quick to show his 'passion' disguised as a horrid temper.

The old man sat back and watched his granddaughter. He studied her big eyes as they awaited him to start. He quite liked telling the little girl of his memories. Everyone else thought he was crazy, but not AnnaLee. She believed everything the old man said.

Even though her intentions were to keep quiet she just couldn't help herself.

"Please hurry to catch your breathe, Grandpa. I want you to tell it."

"AnnaLee..." her Grandpa chastised.

"I'm sorry, Grandpa. It's just that you are the only one that can tell it right and its my favorite story of yours."

"They're not stories, my dear. They are memories. Understand?"

AnnaLee pondered this for a minute and then nodded.

"Alright, let's see... Where shall I start..."

"Start when you were walking through the woods, Grandpa!"

"Ah, yes. Yes. I'll start there, child... I was walking through the woods one evening as I was apart of the search party for my neighbor's dog. I never did like that dog and actually hoped no one would find it. It always barked at my..."

"Grandpa..." AnnaLee gave him a pointed look.

"Yes... well... as I was saying. I was deep in the woods by this time and I heard movement some way up the path. I tried to follow the noise but it only led me deeper into the woods. I was ready to turn back when I saw them." The old man paused again to catch his breath.

"Go on, Grandpa!"

"They were huge wolves. The size of horses, no lie. A grey one and a brown one. Their fur so sleek..."

"Tell of their eyes, Grandpa!"

"Let me get to it, persistent child." Her Grandpa scolded.

Now AnnaLee knew she had bugged him to much as a "Sorry" was mumbled from her lips.

"Yes. well, think nothing of it Anna, i'm a grumpy old coot who everyone thinks has gone insane. Don't let my outbursts bother you. Hell, I dont know what I'd do with myself if you didn't come to listen to my ramblings."

The little girl grimaced.

"Grandpa, you said a curse word."

"I suppose I did. Haven't you started using those words yet?"

She shook her head. Of course she didn't. Her mother told her not too. Anyway, she had just turned eight. Little girls don't use such foul language.

"Well I suppose it is a bad habit. Yes, don't speak those words, AnnaLee. Promise me, AnnaLee, that you wont repeat bad words."

"I promise."

The old man smiled. He didn't need his son to know that he had let a word slip while speaking with his daughter. He had no idea that the little girl took this promise to heart.

"Finish, Grandpa!"

"Oh yes, now let me see. Where was I?"

"Their eyes, Grandpa."

"Yes, yes. They looked at me with eyes filled with a hypnotizing aura. They seemed to glow in the dimming light. Almost as if you looked into the moon. Then, I ran as fast as I could to get away from them, but I could hear their paws hitting the ground behind me.

"I ran for a long time before my legs gave way. I collapsed on the ground and prayed they had stopped long ago, but they didn't. The wolves were right behind me."

The old man seemed lost in thought as he said, "I truly was prepared to die."

"But you didn't, Grandpa, did you?"

"No, sweet child. I surely didn't."

"Please go on Grandpa, this is my favorite part!"

"All in good time, my dear. You know the rest anyway."

AnnaLee pouted. Her Grandpa always tried to end the story before it's done. Almost as if he was afraid she won't believe him.

"I'd like it if you would finish it."

"Alright, but don't call me crazy when I'm done like everyone else."

A nod from her head was all he needed to continue.

"Well, it was then that I realized how cold it had gotten. I hadn't brought a jacket and I ripped my shirt when I fell. My Lord, I don't know what made me think of such things in that moment. I suppose I just didn't want to die cold... Well anyway, when I looked back up, the wolves had morphed into men. I know it's crazy, but I stand by what I saw. I couldn't do anything but shake, from fear and the cold.

"As if they could sense it, the brown wolfman handed me his coat. I was shocked to be honest. I wasn't expecting an act of charity. Then he spoke. Told me to leave. I looked around and knew I was lost and didn't know how to get back. He sensed that, too. Told me that he would lead me back to the main road if I promised not to speak on what I saw. All I could do was nod. He kept his word, and led me back. Then they both just vanished."

The old man had told his granddaughter this story many times, and every time he was scared she would think he was crazy.

Instead, she looked at him with curiosity.

"What happened to the coat Grandpa?"

"I still have it to this day."

They both heard shuffling and AnnaLee turned to see her dad in the doorway.

"Dad, please stop filling my little girl's head with garbage. I've asked you a million times. No one believes the silly stories you made up."

And then he walked back out.

AnnaLee looked over to see her grandpa with his head hung low. It hurt her to see him so saddened.

The little girl ran over and crawled into the old man's lap. As she put a hand on his cheek, she spoke.

"I'll always believe you, Grandpa."