(Present day)
Darlene drew herself a bath and went back into her room to gather her pajamas and towel.
She headed off to the living room, to where her grandfather was watching TV. This was his favorite part of the house and watching TV, his favorite hobby. Most of the time he fell asleep in his big lazy-boy chair while watching a program on TV, but never admitted it.
She stopped halfway through the corridor. He didn't believe her fifteen years ago. Why would he believe her now?
She turned back to the bathroom. Shut the door behind her, got undressed and immersed herself into the lukewarm water.
Usually she lay in the tub for hours, but not tonight.
Darlene glanced out of the window when she came from the bathroom. She caught a glimpse of the black wolf when she drew the curtains. Quickly falling down on her knees, peeping over the windowsill and smiled as she stared at the black wolf with the long pointy ears.
The smile didn't last long, though. The black wolf sped downhill and barged through the open window. Darlene fell to the floor. She didn't move. Didn't even breath – or so it felt like – when the wolf landed on top of her.
The wolf's warm foul breath, huffed over her face. Something dripped on her. She opened her eyes, slightly. Saliva drooled from the wolf's snout. The sharp white teeth exposed as the lips curled up. Her nose wrinkled as she snarled.
Their eyes met. Ylva's black eyes gazed into the green eyes of the woman on the floor. She sniffed a few times over her face, before she jumped off her. Ylva climbed up the windowsill, glanced back, before she jumped out and disappeared into the night.
Darlene rose when the wolf left. Stormed to the windowsill and stared into the moonlit night.
She checked the time. Nine o'clock. Gramps was still awake. She yanked the bedroom door open and sprinted down the corridor. Catching her breath in the doorway before entering the living room.
Her grandfather sat in the lazy-boy. The chair tilted backwards, with his legs raised on the footrest. The TV still on, but he was fast asleep.
"Gramps?" Darlene called out softly, to avoid giving him a fright.
Pete woke and cleared his throat. Pretended to be awake. "Yes, dear. Something wrong?"
"Promise you won't make fun of me."
Her grandfather switched off the TV and frowned as he turned to face her.
"I saw, Lupa."
"Oh for heaven's sake, Darlene! Don't start with that nonsense again!"
"It's not nonsense! She was in my room. Just now."
"Argh, come on! Why didn't she tear you apart like that thing fifteen years ago behind John's…" Pete realized he said too much and changed the subject. "When will your parents and Stevie be here?"
She knew he wouldn't believe her. Why did she even bother telling him? She rolled her eyes. "I already told you, Gramps. This weekend." She gave her grandfather a hug and sauntered back to her room.
Darlene peeped out the window, before she quickly shut it. Just in case Lupa decided to return and 'tore her apart', like Gramps said. She shut the curtains and fell down on her bed.
Her girlfriend would also arrive this weekend. Only two more days. She smiled and switched off the light. Maybe she should give her a call tomorrow.
***
Cell phone signals in and around the farmhouse was inadequate. Sometimes no signal at all. Darlene found a spot where she received a good signal. Halfway up the ladder of the water tower.
Her grandfather gave her permission to use the landline, but with him around there was no privacy at all.
She headed towards the water tower, after breakfast. Climbed the ladder on the side of the tower. Halfway up, she made the call to Linda, while clinging onto the ladder.
The conversation between them didn't go well.
"But I miss you, Linda! You said this weekend!" Darlene sighed loudly. "Yeah, I love you too." She dropped the call and gazed over the farmland. Everything was so beautiful in the countryside. The air was clean, much cleaner than in Johannesburg.
She climbed down the ladder and strolled back to the house. Thinking about the conversation with Linda.
"And why the long face? You better get rid of it before coming into this house," Pete remarked as he opened the back door.
"Fine, I'll stay outside!" She crossed her arms and took place at the bottom of the stairs.
"No need to take it out on me, Missy!" Pete shut the back door and disappeared into the house.
Darlene jumped up and raced after him. "I'm sorry, Gramps. It's Linda. She's not coming this weekend anymore. Maybe the next one. Still too much work at the office."
He gave her a hug and took place on the lazy-boy. "Oh, let her be. You will find someone else to keep you busy while you're here." He grabbed the remote and turned on the TV.
"Yeah. Like who?"
Pete's eyes stayed focused on the TV while he answered. "Little Sandy is coming home this weekend. Remember her from school?"
Darlene grimaced. "Why in the hell would I want her to keep me company?" She took place on the couch. "She's five years younger than me, and we never were friends at school."
He switched off the TV and turned to his granddaughter. "Well, she's going to be alone, and you are alone. I just figured you two might, you know. Want to catch up on the old times."
"No thanks, Gramps. I'll wait for Linda."
***
Sandy was seven years old when Darlene moved to the city. They saw each other only during school holidays. Everybody made fun of Sandy, because she was a tubby little girl. Her parents on the other hand, were tall and slender. There were rumors about Sandy being an adopted child, because she looked so much different from her parents.
Sandy finished school and went off to college. Darlene never saw or heard of her again.
Her parents, Don, and Susan Lange, were the owners of the only guest house in town.
They bought an old house. Don restored and rebuilt it. Turning it into a guesthouse and called it La Croc, named after the Crocodile River flowing nearby.