Bound by Glass

06| Stop Commanding Me Around!

I heard another howl, and I ran to the window to see a pitch black hole of darkness, only dimly illuminated by glow of the stars. I pushed away a branch that hung before my window, its spiky leaves poking the burnt skin on my left hand.

I ignored the pain, squinting, trying to get used to the dark to be able to see what was going on. The ice cold wind blew in my face like small needles piercing my skin. I automatically raised my shoulders, regretting having taken off my leather jacket; my thin cotton shirt was barely bode any protection against the wind. The cold immediately seeped into my skin, sending a shiver throughout my body. My back was being warmed by the fire in the room, the bare skin of my neck and arms feverishly hot.

Suddenly, I saw two small red shimmers in the woods outside the camp borders. Soon, another pair joined the first, which confirmed my theory. The wolves were back. I knew this moment was going to come one way or another–but I didn't expect it to happen so soon.

Winter was yet to come, but it was already freezing. The water basins were covered with a thin layer of ice every morning. Frost coated the leaves of the trees, where water droplets were frozen in place on their way sliding down the dark purple nerves of the leaves. This winter would be harsher than anything we'd ever known. I was frightened of when it would hit, and many others were, too. We were right to be afraid–the forebodes of winter were strong this year.

"Tenna, I'm going to look for your father," Kael said, striding across the room, yanking open the door. "Stay here." He exhaled and stepped through the opening, closing it behind him.

I scoffed. Like he's going to give me orders. I followed him and found Kael leaning against the wall in the hallway.

"Are you ever going to do what you're told?" he asked.

I smiled broadly and stepped past him, crossing half of the hallway before calling out behind me. "You coming?"

"I was waiting for you, you know," he replied, laughing softly before pushing himself off the wall and joining me walking down the dim corridor.

Little did we know that those were the one of the last peaceful moments we had left before all hell broke loose.

* * *

Downstairs, people were frantically rushing around , carrying guns, ammo, swords, daggers and unlit torches. "We have limited ammo! We won't last long!" I heard a voice yell from the living room. As we entered, I saw my dad, Otanec, and Maiya Severink standing face to face, arguing. It looked pretty heated. Maiya's lightly tanned skin was reddened, either from the blazing fire in the fireplace, or the heated words that were being flung between her and my father.

Maiya was about twenty five years old, a fourth generation, and an incredible strategist. She had thick, wavy black hair, tied back with a red bandana, and she was wearing jeans and a sleeveless white linen shirt. Her thick eyebrows were creased, her lips which were pressed together into a thin line which accompanied her frown, and her arms were crossed. Everything about her said 'I'm against this'.

Otanec, on the other hand, looked like he was about to run out and fight the wolves all by himself.

"We have to stand down, Otanec. We cannot win this fight," Maiya said. "These aren't the normal Rifecsa wolves we have in our woods," she said, rolling the 'r' as a sort of growl, "These are Mekayka," she hissed. I saw my father visibly grow paler.

I swallowed. You can't get much worse than those. Mekayka wolves were once Rifecsa wolves, like the one we had encountered in the forest, but were caught, trained and tortured by the Authorities until they were turned into lethal killing machines, heeding nothing and no commands. They kill without reason and without being noticed, slaughtering everything and everyone in their path.