Under The Red Moon

Chapter 1

It was a clear night on a Friday. The stars were sparkling, there was a full moon and it was a great night to party. Well in a forest a guy, almost 22 years old, was taking a walk after dinner. While he was walking with a flash light in his left hand, the guy thought the fireflies were blinking more brightly than usual. Something must be up. He thought and turned to go home. Outside the house his mother was sitting on the doorstep, with her knees up against her chest, waiting for him.

      “Jack,” his mother looked up to him, “how was your walk?”      

      “Fine,” he said, “How are you, it’s rare that you come here,” his mother never visited him. That was because of the location, for some reason it bothered her that he was living in a lodge surrounded with nature, un-protective.

      “I know I haven’t been supported of you moving here but,” his mother stood up as she continued, “I came here to warn you about the changes that will happen very soon,” her eyes very serious when she said those words.

      “What do you mean by that?”

      “Let me just say this first,” she started, “the choices you make in the future will let your life now seem like a nice fairytale,” before he was going to interrupt her, his mom cut him off, “my warning is this, a young girl that was from your past will come to you. The day is on October 31st, when you turn twenty years old; she will come at mid-night,”

      “What are you talking about,” he asked in a tone of confusion, “are you trying to set me up with someone?”

      His mother shook her head, “No, this girl is unique. You might even know who she is but her feelings won’t be hurt if you don’t. The changes will come when you meet her. You’ll understand after you talk to the lady,” she said, “I hope you’ll understand,” she sounded sad in her tone, his mother closed her eyes for a minute and sighed, something changed when she opened her them. The color changed, from a dark yellow to a light brown. The temperature started to decrease and the moon was a red waxing crescent. It wasn’t a full moon anymore and Jack couldn’t believe his eyes.

      Wings of an eagle appeared broke out from her back and the thick feathers were dark brown, “As you can see my son, I’m not human,” her voice was smooth as a gentle wind, “I’m sorry to say this to you but you aren’t either,” Jack was speechless but before he could get the words out of his mouth, she flew off into the dark night sky with no words to explain to him. The rest of the night Jack couldn’t help but wonder what just happen. The next day Jack went to work at a thrift store, he was putting some shoes in order when his boss, Don Kinsmen came up to him.

      “Good morning Jack, how are you?” The manger, Don and Jack were friends since high school.

      “I’m doing well,” Jack said, “what are you doing for Halloween,”

      “I’ll be giving out candy, you?”  

      “I’m just going to take a walk,” Jack said, “since I live in a forest it might be nice to see the stars,”

      “As always,” Don sighed, “well I guess that’s fine since you are turning 22 today. Just be careful, you might not know what lives beyond the night,” Jack thought he was trying to set the mood since it was Halloween but it sounded like he was saying a clue about what was going to happen in the future.

     

      At lunch Jack was eating his break at his favorite spot in the forest when he heard someone walking behind him; he turned and saw his father, Kenney coming up to him.