HOWLING : chapter 1

Im lying on the ground, not knowing where I am right now. I wonder how I got here? My eyes are sealed shut but I can sense that im not alone. Somebody or something is watching me intensely. Where am I? I thought to myself. What happened? Questions filled my head. Questions I didn’t have the answers. A sudden breeze caught me shivering. I opened my eyes slowly but everything is pitch black. I cant see a thing. I grip the ground and take a deep breath. The musky smell of dirt and pine woods hit me. ‘The woods’ I whisper to myself. It takes a while for my eyes to adjust in the darkness. Then I heard a crack not far from me. I stumble upon my feet.

’who’s there?’ I asked aloud.

Silence. Maybe that’s just my imagination. I sighed in relief. Then I heard growling and it sounds so near. I grabbed the nearest stick I could find.

’Who’s there?” I asked again, louder this time.

Is this the end of me? The thought filled me. The growling become louder in my ears, also the sound of it walking nearer. Then I saw it. A wolf.

Its not just an ordinary wolf. Its huge. Bigger than a grizzly bear. I stared in shock, unable to move even a muscle. The first thing that I noticed is the eyes. This wolf got vivid golden eyes. Almost human-like though it looks empty. We stared at each other for a whole before I heard another growling behind me. He’s not alone. Panic filled me. I turn around and there it is ; another huge wolf. Theres only one explaination for this. Im surrounded by them.

‘Chris!’ I heard a voice.Mom! Then I feel somebody shaking me. ‘wake up Chris!”

I opened my eyes,confused. My mom touch my hands.I winced at her touch.

‘Nightmare again dear?’ She asked me. I nodded weakly. The same dream about this wolf haunted me since the end of summer. Its been a week now and Its really bugging me. Im definitely not scared,yet I feel very fond of it. Like somehow im connected to them. Especially the golden eyed one.
‘Are you okey Chris?’ She asked me.
‘Im fine mom. Just having a bad dream.Thats all’. She nodded and tuck me back in my bed.
‘Good Night’ she said as she turns off the light and leave.I tried to go back to sleep but I just cant stop thinking about those eyes. I continued to drench myself in thoughts until I fell asleep.

The sound of my cell phone woke me up the next morning.
‘Hello..?’ I said groggily.
‘Are you still in bed?!’
‘uh, yeah. Who is this?’ I asked back. My brain is still sleeping.
‘Its me, Alison! Are you planning to ditch school today?!’ She shriek.
‘Huh..? What are you talking about?’ I yawned.
‘It’s the first day of school! And you’re already late!’
‘Oh’ . I said, still trying to process her words and then it hits me. Dang! Frustration filled me. Suddenly im wide awake.
‘Thanks for the wake up call Ally. Gotta go,Bye’ I throw my phone on my bed and start dashing around my room, trying to get ready for school as fast as I can. I watch my reflection. Perfect. I thought, and run downstairs bumping on my dad.
‘Late again Christy?’, he asked. I grinned at him and run to the door.
‘Bye dad!!,’ I yelled on my way out. Just as I thought, Alison was already there, waiting for me in front of my house. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the steering.

‘Sorry Ally’, I manage to say that with the most sympathetic expression. Gosh, she do looked pissed.
‘You owe me big time Chris’, She pinch my nose hard.
‘Ow..’ I said, rubbing my nose. She smiled in satisfaction. Fine, I guess I deserve that. I smiled back at her. Alison is my only friend here. We’ve been friends since my family moved in Forks. My dad owned a restaurant in town and Alison’s dad worked there. Im not really a people person. I avoid myself from people. I hate being in the center of attention. Sometimes I wonder why Alison is my friend. She’s bubbly and loud unlike me who prefer to keep on being silent. That’s why im not very popular at school.
I smiled at my own thought.
‘What are you thinking about?’ Alison asked me.
‘Nothing’ I said as we arrived at the school parking lot.
‘We’re here!’ She said cheerfully. I smirked, wondering how someone could be so excited on the first day of school.Plus, its fereaking cold out here. I grab my backpack and grab her along.
‘Come on, I don’t want to get in trouble on the first day’, my words got her burst out laughing.
‘Like im the one who’s being late’, she said sarcastically. I ignored her. Im having biology this morning. Mr Sherman has started checking attendance when I walk in. He looks like he’s going to yell at me for being late but I just ignore him and walk slowly to my seat.

Everything seems to move slowly today. Im starting to feel bored. I take a quick glance at the clock.5 minutes more. I told myself. I take a deep breath and try to occupy myself for the last 5 minutes. Then the bell rings. I quickly grab my stuff and literally run out of class, feeling more than relieved.
‘CHRIS..! Wait up!’ I turn around and saw Alison running towards me. ‘Why so hurry?’ she asked,panting.
‘Mr. Sherman’ I said that name as an explanation. She nodded, clearly understands what I mean. On our way to the cafeteria, Alison starts babbling about the new kid in school.
‘New kid?’ I asked.
‘Yep! He’s in my Spanish class just now. His name’s Stefan Hale and he’s huge’.
‘What do you mean?’ I turned to her.
‘I mean, he doesn’t look like he’s 17 at all. I think you have to see it to believe it’ she said excitedly. We grab our lunches and sat at our usual table. Alison is still talking about this Stefan guy and im trying hard to pretend to be excited about her story. Then I smelled it. It’s the same musky smell in my dreams. I turned around trying to find the source. Alison nudges me, interrupting my focus on the scent.
‘That’s him’ she said, pointing at my back. I turned around and I saw him. He’s huge alright but not in a bad way. He looks like he spends a lot of time in the gym and he got tan skin. The tan skin suites him perfectly.
‘What do you think?’ Alison asked me, interrupting my thoughts again. Her eyes glisten with excitement. I shrugged. She rolls her eyes at me. Dramatic much?
‘Really..I don’t know. He seems just fine to me’ I said honestly. I really don’t know what to say because somehow his presence makes me feel protected, safe. Its disturbing. I don’t even know him. I told myself. Alison sighs beside me. Probably irritated at my respond.
‘Seriously Chris, like everyone in this school is drooling over him and you think he’s just FINE?’ Is there something wrong with being just fine? I asked myself.
‘I guess’ I said. Then I remembered my dreams about the wolves. Nobody knows about it except me. Even Alison didn’t know about it. I cant tell her. I cant tell anyone. Somehow I feel like I have to keep this to myself. I have to protect it from everyone. The dreams, the wolves.

TO BE CONTINUED................