Moon Crossed

Chapter 4

“Hannah -- did you see this ?" I called. I couldn't take my eyes of the shredded curtains.

She stood across the driveway leaning her back, against my aunt and uncle's house.

“I don't want to come over there," she said softly, folding her arms over her chest.
“But the curtains ---" I started.
“I told you they're weird," Hannah said.
“And they don't like kids gawking through their windows, Come on Alex".

I backed away from the Marling's house. My shoe caught on a raised floorboards of the rotting porch, and I nearly fell.

“Are we going to the woods or not?" Hannah asked impatiently.

“Yes we will," I pulled my shoe free and followed her towards the back. “Tell me more about the Marling's," I said, jogging to catch up to her.  “Tell me some of the frightening stories you heard about them."

“No way," Hannah replied strictly.

We trotted across my aunt's and uncle's backyard. The tall red and yellow trees of the woods, tilting in afternoon shadows, stretching beyond the smooth lawn.

“Please," I begged.
“Maybe in a few days, after Halloween" Hannah replied.
“After the full moon".

I followed Hannah's gaze to the sky. A bright white moon --- almost round as a tennis ball ----- rose over the trees,  even though it was still daylight.

Hannah shuddered “I hate when the full moon comes"  she said. “I'll be happy when it's gone".

“Why?" I demanded. “What's the big deal about a full moon ?"
She gazed back at the Marling's house but didn't reply.

We made our way through the trees. The fading sunlight filtered through the leaves, sending shimmering spots of gold over the ground. Our shoes cracked over twigs and dead leaves.

I found a gnarled old tree, bent over like an old man. The bark was pitted and wrinkled like aged brown skin. Fat gray roots reached up from the dirt.

“Wow! This is so cool" I declared, pulling my camera from the case.

Hannah laughed “You really are a city kid".

“But ---- look at this tree!" I declared. It's like ----it's like it's alive.

She laughed again.“Trees are alive, Alex"
“You know what I mean," I grumbled.

I started to snap photos of the bent, old tree. I stepped back and leaned against a tilted birch tree. I tried to frame the old tree so that its shape looked like human.

Then I moved all around the tree photographing the creases, it's wrinkles.  I shot one slender branch that lowered itself to the ground like a weary arm.

I dropped down to my knees and snapped the roots reaching up from the ground like skinny legs.

A soft buzz made me raise my gaze. A hummingbird hovered over the a flowering weed. I turned and tried to capture the tiny bird in my camera lens.

But the hummingbird was too fast for me. I darted away before I could snap my shutter.

I climbed to my feet. Hannah was sitting crossed legged on the ground, crunching dead leaves between her hands.

“Doesn't that hummingbird know summer is over?"I murmured.

She stared at me blankly, as if she had forgotten I was there. “Oh. Sorry, Alex. I didn't see it". Then she climbed to her feet.

“What happens if you keep going straight?" I asked, pointing deeper into the woods.
“You come to Alaska" she replied in an obvious tone. I'll show you around more next time. “We should get out of the woods before it gets dark"

I suddenly thought of the wolves that Uncle Collin had told me about. The Wolves that gave Alaska its name.

“The wolves that used to live here in theses woods" I said. “They are all gone right?"
Hannah nodded. “Yeah. They're all gone ".

And then suddenly a shrill howl rose up --- so close, behind me. The high, shrill wail of an wolf.

And I opened my mouth in a terrified scream.

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