WHEN IT ALL BEGAN. . . .
// i remembered falling asleep after my father tuck me to sleep. . . but this place look so unfamiliar. strange. i don't recall leaving the house so late in the night.
then how did i get here?? where is this place?
won't they be worried if they eventually find out that am missing?
i looked up at the sky, the moon high up in the sky and the night so deadly cold. everywhere was so gravely silent.
i look beneath my feet and ahead of me to see trees and grasses everywhere. it is so foggy that i couldn't see far ahead.
i started to freak out knowing my father would be furious that i left the house alone , and in the night for that matter. i must go back at once!
as the road is not clear, i stumbled few times over tree extended roots and fell down few times. it was so uncomfortable and terrific. i stopped dead track when my ear caught the sound of a breaking twig.
that is definitely not my feet.
i slowly turned my head toward the sound and a faint view of a figure came to my view when the fog rised a little. i was so scared, eyes widened as i saw a boy standing several feet away behind a tree and staring back to me.
his green eyes boring into mine.
he too has a frightened expression. he look so confused and his face gave me a 'who are you' look. all his movement stopped after he sighted me from afar. all i could see from him is the glowing eyes that stare back at me.
i felt a urge to move closer, a feeling that said to me that he is someone i know. i found it strange but i still took few steps forward to take a good look .
then. . . an unknown vigorous ache soared up in my chest, spreading all over my body.
my wolf became restless and the urge to run for my life became so huge that i couldn't suppress the feeling again. i felt my heart seizing and i clutch at it so tight that my hand hurt. i writhed in pain and agony that i have never felt before and i fell to my knees.
i felt like am dying and all i could think of is my family. cold fear took over me that i may never see them again. the tears that i resisted overpowered my eyes and dropped. i felt raw cold devouring me quickly. my eyes flashed to the boy standing and watching me but it only make my heart dropped as he just stood and watch with terror.
all i could of was my father, my little brother and my mom.
i can't die like this, i still have many things to achieve in my life! i haven't even found my mate yet. my mind was filled with many things.
all i want was to be back with my family. not in this. . . this. . creepy forest and this creepy boy and this pain that threatened my life.
" Dad. " i croaked out , my lungs screaming at me to shut up as the pain intensify to it peak and the darkness approach to envelope me. . .//
#
" PEANUT! PEANUT! "
i woke up to my little brother hovering over me and violently shaking me to wake up.
i gasped sharply as i regain my breath shortly but the heat and sweat that envelope me make my consciousness to slowly return.
it felt like i was once dead and i just came back to life. Then the smell hit me hard.
SOMETHING IS BURNING!!
i shot up from the bed and my eyes went straight to my little brother who stood beside the bed, panting. cam was already covered in sweats and tears.
realization hit me like a slap when i saw smokes seeping through beneath the door. . . that our house is the one burning
" autumn! " he cuddle my shoulder. " i thought you really passed out." he said amist tears. " our house is burning. we don't know how and we are stuck in here." he bursted into tears again, letting my fears build up.
" oh my God, cam." i coughed vigorously. the heat became terrible and i could hardly breathe. i wonder how long he has been in here.
i threw the sheets away and got out of bed , hopping into my flip flops. i smelled something awful in the smoke, choking me. it took a sec to realize it's wolfsbane which means that we have very little time in here before it knock us out completely.
" where is mom and dad?! " i asked deadly worried.
" mom's room is locked so i figured she is still inside and i couldn't reach dad's room at all. fire have spread all over the place so i came to wake you up. am really scared, peanut."
i pat his head comfortingly and carried his small frame, running swiftly across the room. the moment we swung the door opened, fire boom at the end of the hallway, scaring the shit out of us. the balcony that over look the living room is also burning, leaving us stuck. i grabbed my sweat shirt to cover cam, brazing my body for the next action.
i had to burst through the fire and it burned my skin, hurting me like hell. i ought to scream in agony but i couldn't breathe it out and tears stung my eyes.
fortunately, we made it through the stairs entering the kitchen. cam was already passing out in my hand after inhaling a lot of smoke. i had to lay him down to open the kitchen door leading to the living room but it was ajar.
fuck!
i was shaken and frustrated at once, banging with all my might and energy till the door came loose. thunder soared powerfully in the sky, jolting my heart in fear. the moment the light reflected inside ,
i was shocked when i saw a shadow on the wall of the kitchen. i turned swiftly to the window behind me but no one was there. i quickly carried cam into the living room since the fire has not spread completely at the area.
i checked his breathing but it was so shallow that my heart raced with fear and terror.
tears stream fastly down my face refusing to believe all of this happening suddenly.
just at the moment, Charles entered. our pack beta. he lives few meters away from our house so i believe that he knew nothing about the fire. he too was so shocked and overwhelmed with fear. he rushed to our side with a super speed.
" oh my goodness! autumn! Cameron! what happened? are you guys okay? you are not hurt anywhere, are you?". he said checking our body.
" cam passed out after inhaling a lot of smoke! "
" i have sent for the pack doctor. she is on her way and members of the pack are helping to put out the fire, okay? "
he hugged both of us tightly, breathing heavily. he too then sniffed the air before his wolf growled with a deadly tone and his eyes suddenly bled black.
" WOLFSBANE! let's get you guys out of here! "
he led us outside rushing through the smokes. people have gathered, everyone saving the remains of the pack house. my eyes watered as i stared at what's left of our house overnight.
then , i remembered my parents are still in there.
" Charles, mother and father are still in there! " i said to him, where he knelt, tending to cam.
" stay with your brother. i will be back."
i held his hand and stopped him. " you must come back please.". i said with teary eyes. he gave me a sad smile before running into the blazing fire.
i stated at my brother's face, taking his hand into mine. then molly came running to us with her first aid kit. she pulled me into her arms the moment she reach us.
" thank God you are okay, autumn. what happened? how did the fire started? " she sobbed still checking out my body
" i have no idea too, pls save my brother! ". the word left my mouth before i could think. my mouth shakes and tears won't stop pouring.
poor 12 years old me. molly squeezed my hand, reassuring me.
" i promise everything will be fine, okay. just calm down and relax. everything will be fine.."
i watch carefully as she sort out my brother. his breathing came back to normal after few minutes. i was relieved small but still worried about my parent.
" nothing will happen to them, autumn."
minutes seem like hours as i waited impatiently for them to appear. the moment i spotted them coming out of the smoke, i rushed over to see my mother lying lifeless in Charles' hand. he was also covered in bruises.
" mother! ". i shook her but got no response. molly rushed to her as Charles laid her down on the grass, checking her vitals.
too many bruises to tend to. . .
" she is not breathing! " molly said in a serious tone. " we need to take her to my place now."
"what of dad? where is he?! " i asked Charles. he shook his head
" the alpha is nowhere to be found and we can still tend to that later. i already instructed the fighters to track their scents."
i broke down with fresh tears. what is happening to our family? who are those heartless monsters that did this?
i could feel my energy slowly slipping away and my eyes lids becoming heavy.
" can you still walk, autumn? " Charles asked me as he stood up to carry mother. i barely nodded before my consciousness slipped away and i Fell into eternal darkness.
x x x x x x x x x x
song: lucid dream by juice world
author of the book: harsley ace