The wolf child

Chapter 1

Keyston looked at the couple walking across the street on the footpath with their hands intertwined. He couldn't help the feeling of jealousy coursing through him.

Him and his girlfriend Sarah had made plans to hang out that afternoon. He could've been enjoying his day with her but here he was. Babysitting his cousins.

His aunt didn't trust Joshua enough to watch his 12 year old cousin, the last time she made that mistake Caleb had to be taken to the hospital because of suffocation from smoke his brother had produced in the kitchen.

Hence he was babysitting Caleb and Joshua while his aunt was attending her meeting. But mostly Joshua.

"Keyston, watch out!" Caleb's frantic voice pulled him out of his thoughts and he turned just in time to dodge the ball that was suspiciously aimed at his head.

"I'll get it." He ignored Caleb's words and continued glaring at Josh who raised his hands up in surrender and yet had a cheeky smile on his face when he teased
"Hey, It's not my fault you're daydreaming about your girlfriend man!"

"You practically had stars in your eyes looking at those couple across the street."

I scoffed "At least I have one, unlike your sorry ass."

"A Hot ass."

"Yeah right, come on Cal. I'll fix you something to eat." tuning him and his detailed explanation about his hot ass and ego I begin to make my way inside the house.

When he noticed I'm no longer paying attention to his constant yapping he starts mimicking me.
Sending him a flat stare I turned around only to be met with an empty backyard.

No Caleb in sight.

I forget to breathe for a second.

Aunt Jo will kill me!

An uncomfortable feeling bubbles in my chest as panick starts taking over.

Josh must've noticed the sudden change in my posture because he grows quiet before looking around. Worry settles in his eyes as it dawns on him.

We share one look in silence before sprinting across the backyard shouting his name like maniacs.

There's a road that splits two ways, both of us take our own way from there.

I half jog and half run looking around for him when my eyes fall on footprints leading into a park in our neighbourhood.

Caleb always had this habit of jumping into small pools of water on road while walking.

I follow after them. There he's standing in the middle of the park holding the ball. His clothes are beyond dirty. He's talking to someone.

I walk upto him. A huge smile is plastered on his face when he sees me coming.

"What are you doing here, Cal? We looked all over the neighbourhood for you."

"Sorry" he mutters sheepishly before pointing behind him.

"I was playing with her."

I take one look before crossing my arms over my chest.

"There's no one here except for us, buddy."

Confusion flickers through his eyes before he looks around.

"Maybe she just left."

Heaving a sigh, I beckon him to follow me.

The two boys walk together. "You know your mom said she's almost home so we've got to hurry." The younger one nods listening to the other boy. Another boy joins them and within few minutes starts bickering with the red head. When they are about to turn around the corner, the young one turns around  one last time to look at the park , and notices a lone figure standing at the entrance and waving back to him. The kid grins happily and saunters ahead of the bickering duo who look at him weirdly before shrugging it off  just like they shrugged off the weird feeling of being watched.