Lost in the shock and aftermath of nearly watching myself being eaten to death, I finally remembered where my feet were and dragged them back all the way home, dazed and dazzled. It couldn't be real. None of this was real. superhumans? Impossibly large wolves? A forest that changed with time and light? How was any this real? I couldn't even wrap my head around it. Charleston was supposed to be peaceful, small, uncomplicated. But now, the mysteries surrounding such a small town had me bubbling with excitement. and curiousity.
Making a mental note to pay the strange forest a visit during the week, I made my way through the Reed's porch, phone vibrating from deep within my pocket. I reached out for it and muffled a groan when I saw the caller ID. Mom'd been calling me non-stop, thirty times a day at most. It just about made me want to eat my ears from having to hear the phone ring all day. I hurried down to flight mode and turned my phone off, making my way in through Mrs Reed's well tended garden when Mr Reed's small stout figure bent over a small box made me stop and stare. The old faded carton was all too familiar. I peered closely and let out a gasp. They were my paintings! He wasn't about to discard them was he? Oh I'd...
" Hey Mira come on over here!" Ian waved, stepping out of an old shed made of wood. Doubtful, I drew close, fists rounded in readiness for a fight to keep my darlings. And how did they even get a hold on it in the first place? I thought I had it locked away in a hidden enclosure down the the attic?
" Come on." Ian said, eyes twinkling " The ground doesn't bite" I drew close, trying hard to hold down a glare. Calm down Mira. There has to be an explanation for this.
" What's going on?"
" I was going to tell you earlier but Stacey said you went out for a walk." Ian drew close, hands in pocket with a cheeky smile " We found these in the attic earlier today while cleaning up and since you've got a whole lot of them, dad and i decided to move them down here, to this shed since its been empty for years and all" he gave me a look " So, what d'ya think?" Heart bursting with an emotion rather too foreign to me, I let out a gasp, tears filling my eyes, not that I'd ever let them fall. It was too much. Just too much. It was only my first week here and I already had a shed? I'd never had a painting shed all my life. never.
" What do you think Mira? Or maybe you prefer having your stuff up close and personal?" I gulped and held back the lump forming at the base of my throat.
" No. I think its perfect. But isn't it too much? I mean, I just got here..."
" Rubbish!" Someone yelled from behind, startling me. Mom walked up to us, holding out a glass tray filled with milkshakes. Dad snagged a bottle and ian tried to wolf two cups greedily. She gave him a light smack on the back and turned to beam brightly at me.
" You're part of the family now Mira, like you'll always be"
" I... I don't know what to say" I spluttered.
" I'd say puh-wee" Stacey said, coming up from behind with a swinging ponytail that literally sent sparks through the bright afternoon sky. She snagged a glass of milk and let out a groan " The shed stinks Mira, with bugs and cow poo" She leaned and whispered audibly " Once, I heard that Ian used to bath in there! Imagine the horror!" Mr and Mrs Reed let out a laugh and Stacey giggled at Ian's glaringly red face
" Bet it still smells like dork" She added.
" That's enough Stacey. No more teasing. And it doesn's smell like cow poo Mira. Its just a little old"
" It's perfect" I whispered, running my eyes through every old and rustic edge. The Reeds liked old things. Antique wood, furniture and buildings. I took one hesistant step to the door. I shot Ian a look.
" Should I take a peep?"
" Sure" Mr Reed said " Its yours anyway" I dragged my feet in, slapped right in the face by the terrible damp smell of old paper. I crinkled my nose, prodding my feet forward. In the semi darkness of the shed, I could just about tell its size. t was wide. Wide enough to host as many paintings as I wished. Only, did it have any lighting in here? Not that I'd need it considering my photography and all but i still needed some form of light to go through on dark days.
I took one step to the wall, groping around for a light switch when my hands touched something soft and smooth. Ian ran his hands through mine and flipped the switch on, sending strange flutters down my belly.
" Thanks" I muttered, taking one long look around the shed. Wide and pretty airy, it was just perfect for a studio. I could feel waves of inspiration stream through me right there and then.
I turned to Ian, quirking a brow.
" How long has this been vacant?" He shrugged and dragged in a few mural Art boards I'd painted in Las vegas.
" A couple years. Me and the band used to hang in here but we found it a bit too old, rustic you know" I inched closer, intrigued.
" You have a band?" He beamed and shrugged once more.
" Yeah. Its pretty small at the moment but we've toured Philadelphia and done big time gigs in Seattle. But for now, we're just laying low and smoothing out Charlestonian vibes" He did a little wriggle at 'vibes' and I laughed. Stacey walked in and gave us a look.
" How's the moving?" She asked cheekily, giving Ian a weird smile. then she made a face and crinkled her nose " This place smells horrible by the way"
" Its perfectly ok Stacey. Cut it out" Ian shot. She pouted and stuck out her tongue, running her hand through a soft beam of wood hanging down the rafters.
" I could totally give this place a makeover if you let me Mira" she turned to me and I let out a groan. " Please Mira…"
" Stacey we'll talk about that later. Lets move things in first"
" So you'll think about it?" She let out a little yip " later?" I wanted to bite back my tongue but I nodded.
" Yeah sure. I'll think about it"
" Anyway, when I wasn't snooping around your room lost in abject boredom, I found something wrapped in a gift paper" she did a twirl and tapped her hand against her cheek dramatically " I wonder who that might be… an old boyfriend? Might be new…" I let out a low gasp. Mom's present! I'd totally forgotten about it! I ran up to my room in two quick steps and stacey followed. I threw the door open and she jumped in on my bed, excited. Too bad but she'd have to live with the disappointment. There was no one. There'd probably never be but no one had to know that.
" What's in it?" She asking, bopping up and down " what's in it Mira? Oh tell me what's in it?" I nestled into my bed, tearing the wrapping open.
" Its from my mom in Florida" I said. Her face fell a thousand notch lower. " I haven't opened it in ages. I don't know what's in there" I tore a few wraps open. A camera tumbled out and stacey pulled out a large photo album, running her hands through each page while I thumbed through each edge of the camera, letting out a soft gasp. It was a Polaroid, the latest version, beautiful, sleek and black. I shot one look at my old battered Nikon and the Polaroid. By god it was beautiful, so beautiful it brought tears to my eyes. Not realistically though.
" That's one good looking camera" stacey said, watching me. She drew close and held out the album in my face " look. Your mom's got pictures of you. And her" she inspected a slightly frayed photo we'd taken castle-building at a beach and nodded thoughtfully " your old mom's pretty"
" Yeah. She spent her younger Years modeling. Then she became an artist and a photographer." i let out a sigh.
" You miss her" stacey stated.
" Yeah" I tucked a lock off my hair back " I guess I do. all this, its too expensive. And she just got divorced. She needs more money, more than I do. No wonder she had it wrapped. She knew I'd reject it"
" Why?" I shook my head lightly.
" I'm not too good with presents…"
" Stacey! Mira! Dinner!!" Mom called, her voice echoing through the room. Stacey jumped off the bed and I followed, worn and bone tired. But as I'd come to know in my entire week here, breakfast and dinner was a reed family ritual.
" You look exhausted." Mom said as soon as I got down " how was your walk?" I nodded and dropped into a seat, playing with the dish cloth. Ian trudged in, running a wet towel through his hands. He shot me a wide smile and I smiled back, slightly confused. Stacey skipped around the dinning, talking and chattering non-stop about God knew what. I listened to the unending chatter, letting it lull me to sleep. A werewolf infested sleep… what exactly was he? He seemed human, at least to my groggy shock-fogged mind. how come he turned out all hairy and tall in the sunlight? how the hell could he have possibly taken down a wolf that size? And how the hell did he make my heart beat out of rhythm? Or my head swirl through spasms?
Who… or rather what was he?
" Mira? wake up Mira." i felt a light tug on my arm and I moaned, pushing it away. Mom's voice blurred into focus.
" Is she asleep already?" Footsteps pattered up to me " Mira" light tapping " Mira. Mira wake up dear" I forced my eyes open, taking in the table and a droopy me all splattered across it. I woke up with a start, trying to hide the blush creeping up my cheek. Stacey patted me on the arm, Ian gave me a reassuring smile. Mona glared right through me " Sorry. I… I…"
" You're pretty tired I know" Mom said, dishing a spoonful of milk into a small bowl. I peered at the large loaf of buttered bread by the left and pancakes by the right. " We're having take-out but I made the milk myself. Its an old recipe, a milk soup. Hope you like it"
" Th… Thank you" I spluttered, settling in. I took a few spoonful, holding back the urge to moan out loud. By God it was amazing.
Mrs reed stared at me. " Good?" She asked, lifting a brow. I held out my thumb.
" Perfect"
" Mom makes the bestest meals" Stacey said, buttering her bread with even more butter " I totally can't wait to have you in school with me" she let out a squeal " its going to be AMAZING!" I sat up in mild shock and terror.
" Sc… school? What school?"
" Charleston high silly school starts in two days!" She peered at me curiously " you didn't know?" Trying to steady my totally-about-to-freak-out breath, I shook my head.
" Final year doesn't start till late September"
" Too bad then. We're having an early start this year" She made a face " Sucks I know but what can man do?" She said, shrugging. I WASN'T shrugging. How could she be so cool about this? I just got here for Godsake! I don't want to double as the not only the newest face in town but the newest in school. I'm not ready for the trauma! Not yet at least.
" Don't freak out" Ian said, shooting me a grin " Mom got your stuff ready weeks before you arrived. You'll be fine"
" Course she will" Stacey linked arms with me " i'll be there with you every step of the way" Mona made a light gruff sound and rolled her eyes. I shot her a look and she glared even harder. Cowardly, I looked away.
" yo… you have everything ready?" I stuttered, turning to stare at Mrs Reed. " Really?"
" Yes Mira. And if you need anything just say it and we'll get it" Not knowing what to make out of such undeserving kindness, I nodded and shook my head.
Stacey chattered on and on about her friends and I listened, barely listening. Ian tried to keep up with Stacey's endless chatter and mom and dad talked in low tones, shooting me worried glances I caught too much of the time. Mona positively glared at me and all the utter chaos messing with every cell in my head, I could think of just one thing.
Him