The Prophecy Series: Pinespoint

IVY

I continued my sprint down the gravel road until the encroaching darkness made it impossible to see.

Running was never my favorite activity, but it served as a distraction from the crushing thoughts that plagued me. It was a tool in my self-destruction kit. A significant part of me yearned for the end, yet something kept me anchored to life. My mother was a part of that anchor, but there was another piece that I couldn’t comprehend or articulate.

Eventually, I halted, bending over with my hands on my knees, gasping for breath. I hadn’t gone for a run since before I left Hawaii. My fitness level had plummeted and the environment was unfamiliar. The temperature was near freezing, though snow hadn’t yet graced the ground. The air was biting, and my lungs protested.

Once I’d regained my breath, I straightened up and began the trek back to the cabin. An eerie sensation of being watched washed over me, and I was certain it wasn’t any of my father’s men. It couldn’t be. They’d stopped caring ages ago, but the creeping paranoia made my skin prickle and dread flooded me.

This feeling wasn’t new. Since escaping Master, I’d spent most of my time looking over my shoulder, anticipating his arrival to end my life. I’d thought that after all this time, I was safe. But could I ever truly be safe?

The snap of a twig made me freeze. I scanned the area to my right and left, finding nothing. I took a deep breath and resumed walking. Another twig snapped and I spun to the right, trying to locate the noise. It seemed close, but all I saw was darkness.

Could it be a person? An animal? The wind? No, it couldn’t be the wind. I felt watched, but I couldn’t determine if it was a person or an animal.

“Whoever you are, I’m not amused!” I shouted into the void. I was on the brink of insanity.

There were no other houses for miles, I knew that much. So, it must be an animal, right?

I retrieved my phone and switched on the flashlight as the sky darkened further.

“Damn,” I muttered, resuming my walk toward the cabin. I wanted to sprint, but I knew that if it was an animal, it would likely give chase. If it was a person, I needed the head start.

The thought made me quicken my pace. Another twig snapped, and I spun to the left.

I froze as I locked eyes with a pair of glowing red orbs. I gasped and stumbled backward, landing on my butt. I was in deep trouble.

This was it…this was how I was going to die. Not by my own hand…no, by a damn animal.

A growl sliced through the air behind me and I curled into a ball. The smaller I made myself, the better. My fight-or-flight response was non-existent at this point, and I resigned myself to whatever brutal end was approaching. I just hoped it would be quick because I was done with suffering.

A deep, menacing growl and a roar echoed as the wind swept over me. I opened my eyes to see a massive wolf soaring above me. I watched as it lunged at the red-eyed wolf, and they engaged in a fierce battle. I knew I should run, but I didn’t; I couldn’t.

I heard rustling behind me and tore my gaze from the wolves to see two more emerging from the woods. They positioned themselves on either side of me, almost protectively.

Why were they guarding me? Why were the wolves fighting? And why were these wolves so damn big? I’d seen wolves at the zoo, but never in the wild, and these were much larger than the zoo wolves.

No, these were five times the size of the zoo wolves.

I heard a snap— a bone snap. I recognized the sound. It was distinct from a twig. I looked back to see the red-eyed wolf collapse. The other wolf turned and began to approach me slowly.

I noticed movement at my sides and saw that the wolves beside me were now standing on two human legs. I looked at the wolf in front of me and nearly screamed when I saw that he too was standing on two human legs… naked.

Before I could process what was happening, everything went black.