It was the middle of the damn summer. No way would it snow, not even in Michigan.
This was just too freaky. I turned around and faced whatever the hell was following me, but the footsteps stopped. I wasn’t fooled.
“All right. I know you’re there. Come out and show yourself!” I shouted.
I knew my voice would scare off any animal that followed. But what emerged from the trees wasn’t an animal. It was a man… the same one from the ice rink earlier.
I was officially terrified. This dude was a stalker. He was going to kill me. But I knew I couldn’t show any fear… that would only increase my chances I’d end up dead from the situation.
“Get the hell away from me,” I said. I took a step backward, looking for something I could use to defend myself… but there wasn’t anything in sight, not even a branch.
The stranger didn’t obey my command. He took another step toward me, smiling.
“A woman shouldn’t be walking these woods alone. Where are your friends?” the stranger asked. He approached me in a twitching way— like a spider killing a dying insect caught in its web.
I let out a vacant laugh. He was a poor stalker. “You obviously don’t know me very well. I don’t have friends.”
“Oh, really?” his grin widened. “Well then, this will be far too easy. Why don’t you play with me?”
“No thanks. I don’t play well with others,” I said. I went to turn away, but the stranger lunged in front of me.
“Don’t try to run,” he said coolly. “You have something I want.”
That was it. I punched him in the nose. Blood went squirting everywhere, and the stranger let out a strangled noise, clutching his face as he fell to the ground. I took off in a run, darting down the path the way I came. I had powerful leg muscles from skating. I could outrun him.
The stranger did something insane as he rose up to his full height. He growled. He honest-to-Godgrowled.Just like a creature would. It sounded like something an animal would make.
I dared to look behind me. Disbelief rippled through my core as I watched the stranger transform, erupting into a powerful black wolf.
My jaw dropped open. This was no average wolf. It was practically as big as a horse. It could fit half my body in its mouth, for crying out loud.
But like hell if I’d stop running. There was no freaking way. I increased my strides and kicked it into high-gear. I heard the heavy footsteps of paws behind me as the creature caught up. I could practically feel his hot breath on my heels. I was going to be dinner.
When the wolf’s teeth grazed my ankles, I knew I had to stop running and fight back. I spun around and ducked out of the way, off the path. The wolf went past me before it spun around on all fours, baring its fangs.
The wolf pounced. Fear went spreading through my body at an alarming rate. It was paralyzing, gluing me to the spot as the wolf came closer and closer. It was only a few seconds, but it felt like hours. My life flashed before my eyes as the wolf aimed his mouth toward my neck, intending to rip out my throat.
Aw, hell no. I ain’t dying today!
That steely resolve of rebellion caused me to do something fucking crazy. I raised my right hand and closed my eyes shut.
There was a warm sensation spreading throughout my hand, and it was as if a flood of power exploded from my fingers. I heard a loud yelp. I opened my eyes and my mouth dropped open as I saw a great blue light exploding from my fingertips. The light had smashed into the wolf like a laser beam and slammed him against a nearby tree. The beam went straight through the tree, leaving a gaping hole that smoked and left burning cinders.
The tree wasn’t the only thing that looked like Swiss cheese. The wolf had a massive hole gutting its chest, leaving a cauterized, gaping wound where muscle and blood should’ve been. I could see clear through it to the other side— like a window in his torso.
I would’ve thrown up if what I’d done hadn’t been so fucking cool.
“Oh my God.” I advanced on the wolf, though I kept my distance. Before my very eyes, I watched as the wolf changed back into a man. The hole remained in his chest, leaving the stranger vacant of a heart, his hooded gaze staring upward at the sky like he was still shocked.
Oh shit.Oh shit.I killed him. Like D.E.A.D. dead.
I forced myself not to panic. I’d slain a freaking werewolf. I didn’t even know they existed until a few moments ago!
The thought came to me that wolves ran in packs. He probably had friends running around, and I bet if they saw me standing here, they’d put two and two together and get pretty pissed I’d murdered their buddy.
I took off. My breaths were sharp and stabbing by the time I got back to my house. I went locked all the doors, shut all the windows and drew the curtains. I kept the lights off and crawled onto the couch, wrapping my arms around my knees and shivering.
I just killed somebody. Holy shit. But was that person really aperson, or was it an animal? Was I hallucinating or something? None of this could be real. I remained on the couch and didn’t move, jumping at every sound the house made.
