AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“I’m freaking out, too,” I admitted.
“There’s nothing to worry about,” Evelyn said in a matter-of-fact way that made me feel like it was the exact truth. “What happened to you though?”
“I suppose I fainted, too.”
She frowned, shooting me a suspicious look.
Perdita groaned and opened her eyes, blinking rapidly as though trying to figure out what was happening.
“Easy,” Evelyn said. “Can you sit up?” She helped Perdita move into a sitting position.
Perdita looked comically confused. “Oh, I must have… did I fall asleep?”
“You fainted,” Evelyn said.
“Oh.” Perdita nodded. “I remember now. I got up too fast and got dizzy. Well, this is embarrassing. I’m so sorry, Margo. Did I frighten you?”
“A bit,” I admitted. “Nathan’s not coping well either.”
She winced. “I’m in for it now. They’re all going to make a big fuss over this.”
“Not to worry,” Evelyn said. “I’ll drive them off for you. It’s nice to meet you officially.”
“On my bedroom floor,” Perdita said with a snort.
Nathan rushed into the room, scooped her up, then gently set her on the bed. “Eat. Drink,” he mumbled. “Evelyn said. She’s a midwife.”
“Are you?” Perdita said with interest. “Will you be sticking around?”
“For a bit anyway,” Evelyn said, handing her the juice Nathan had set down on the floor. “I think you’re fine, but you might want to mention this to your doctor.”
My phone beeped with a message from Dr Rivers. “Ah,” I said, recalling my panic with sudden clarity. “I sent a message to your dad, too. He’s on his way.”
Perdita rolled her eyes. “Of course he is.” Then she frowned at me. “You’re so pale. Did something else happen?”
I shook my head. “I had a fright. I’m not good with this kind of thing.” I laughed weakly. “Anyway, my mam should be here soon, so I’ll head out before things get crowded.”
“Come back around this week,” Perdita warned. “Victor won’t study without you, remember.”
I hurried out of the room before anyone could ask me any more questions. Outside, I ran so fast, I almost knocked over an old lady who was hanging around outside Perdita’s house. I kept going until I reached the front wall where I waited for my mother and tried to make some sense of what happened. There had been no death, but I had broken past whatever it was my pills did to me. Perdita was fine, so I decided not to mention anything past that to my parents.
A storm lit up the sky, clouded by snow that blew in every direction. I flew through a quiet village, not even a soul roaming about outside. I couldn’t feel the cold, but I could taste it on my lips. I was flying, high above the buildings, but I wasn’t scared. I had somewhere to be.
Mountains came into view, frighteningly quick, and then I was suddenly sucked down into the trees that covered the mountainside. Fear did grip me then. Something was hunting, something dark and terrifying, a force I couldn’t name though it felt bizarrely familiar. I backed away from it, spiralling upward and away, across the rough cliffside, desperate to find safety. The thing didn’t know I was there yet, but it might, soon enough.
A campsite hid behind a crag, safe from the wind. Without even realising it, I slipped down, drawn to the fire. Some wolves slept alongside a familiar form. The hunter would find the safe place soon, but I couldn’t leave yet, not without warning them.
“Dad,” I cried out, but the word was a whisper in the wind. My father opened his eyes nonetheless, sitting up slowly, his face a mask of confusion.
The darkest wolf, large and black, sat up and sniffed the air, growling. The others woke then, instantly alert. The brown wolf, Dorian, a voice in my head shouted, tugged at my father’s sleeve, urging him back. Dad reached for his bag, but Dorian snapped at his hand. The other wolves stood in front of them, on guard, their bodies taut with tension.
“What is it?” Dad whispered.
Dorian whined. Dad rose then followed the wolves away from camp, into the darkness of the woods. They moved fast, but not quick enough. I followed them, but something else was behind us, steadily catching up. Dorian slowed, waiting for Dad, but my father was too slow, too human. The thing behind us was anything but.
The wolves circled my father, giving up on running away. They glanced in all directions, looking unsure. I stood by Dad as an impossibly large form, dark and imposing, burst out from behind a tree. I screamed as my vision turned red.
And then I woke up, almost certain that what I had seen hadn’t happened yet. But it would. Soon.
