Red moon notice

We meet again

Now standing at the spot where he found Mia dead...

His hand trembled remembering her eyes wide, frozen in terror as death took her during that moment of her nightmare, no girl her age deserved such a violent death, and it made Tom shed a tear.

He opened his bag and took a bottle of whiskey out, the iron cup got filled and he held it to the trees "Rest in peace my girl"

How long was it since he talked to her? Just talk, he begged in himself her essence isn't trapped within these trees, hoped her spirit moved on and didn't get trapped here thanks to that horrible death she underwent.

He chose a rock and sat "My dear Mia, if you're still here... Please be at ease, daddy's sorry for not being there for you when you needed me the most, but I want you to know, you will always be in my heart, I'm not lonely"

He took a sip and looked down "You and mommy, live in my memories always, so move on, mommy awaits you in heaven my child"

There was a snap of a twig behind him and he flew up holding the whiskey bottle ready like a bat, but nothing stood there, not even birds, no noise at all.

He sighed lowering the bottle but drank from his cup, he was rattled without a doubt, yes it was a calm moment being able to talk to Mia, even if he knew her Innocent soul probably moved on that time already, but it brought peace to Tom knowing he can always just talk to her.

He watched the light washing the sky, the sun was now gone and the stars properly dazzled one half of the spectrum, it was magnificent.

He turned looking at the spot he saw Mia last one more time, then headed back through the forest.

He heard another twig snap and turned back, but breath left him and he held, there she stood... His girl... Mia... But how?

Hiding half behind a tree she seemed sad, and she didn't move... "M... Mia..." He said rubbing his eyes and looked again, but she was gone.

"Mia!" He yelled running in that direction, he came to the tree he saw her last but she vanished "Mia–!"

Was he hallucinating? She seemed older yes, but he will never forget that angel face, never! No matter her age!

He scanned the forest slowly and sure enough he saw her again, only the side of her face revealed from a tree.

"Mia! Why are you running!?" He called, from there he saw the tear drip to the forest floor and she disappeared again.

"No!" He ran again but tripped, the bag flew from his grip and one of his two whiskey bottles broke on a rock.

Tom was up grabbing the whiskey soaked backpack and ran again "Mia! Come back!" He called coming around that bush but saw nothing yet again.

He was starting to believe this might be a hallucination, he had quite a lot of whiskey and this place did hold bad memories for him, It won't surprise him if he was seeing things.

Tom combed the forest one last time with his eyes, then sighed heading back, she looked real enough though, so real for that instant Tom believed his girl was here, but the way she vanished into thin air had him doubt, maybe it was her ghost trapped here as he feared.

Somewhat off the beaten path Tom found himself lost by the time the sun's rays went to rest, but he didn't feel at all worried, the stream was due west as he knew, so all he needed to do was walk until he finds it.

The noise if the water beating the rocks came through the forest and at last he knew his way, not bothering with heading all the way to it he turned north and headed up the holler, but even if the sun was set Tom realised there was no real darkness, not yet, he turned and saw the full moon hanging in the sky, another memory of that night leering at him in agony.

He sighed and heaved over an incline but the growl made him freeze, he slowly turned to it's direction and saw, just as he did that night, the large animal glaring at him, only this time there was no heavy offset of shadow to hide it, like it wanted to make him aware of its presence...

In full view of the moon, the tail gave a frustrated lash to its left and the ears drawn down low, the lips drawn up high, exposing those one inch canines.

Tom felt to his belt but Warren still had his pistol, then saw this wolf turn into the very embodiment of death, he had no way to defend himself.

It snapped its jaws and charged, Tom stood watching his life flash before him, why run? There's no way he and his limp can escape this thing, he made peace "Leya, Mia... Here I come"

Meters before the wolf had him another one came and plowed the initial animal into the ground, Tom blinked taking in breath again.

The two wolves snarled and roared clawing at each other violently, blood painted the leaves and trees, fangs and clawed flashed and struck, it was utter chaos.

Tom found his second wind and ran, suddenly forgetting the pain in his leg he sprinted up the holler, behind his ears the roars still persisted with your occasional yelp of pain.

He reached his car and climbed in, started and turned on the lights, expecting to see something there instead hung a deathly silence in the air.

Only the bellows of his engine hummed in his ears as he scanned the parts where his lights lit the forest, but nothing.

Tom got reverse and left the parking, he raced out as quick as the overpowered car allowed, when he reached the gate it felt like waking up from a nightmare, soft hisses came from the tar just like that feeling of realization that it was only a nightmare... Was it?

Tom looked in his rearview but still saw nothing, was it really just a dream? Will he wake up now? In his bed somewhere? Did he fall asleep in the forest?

Tom pinched his cheek and the pain was real, it was real...

He got to a motel a good while from the park and drew in, at the reception he booked a room then headed over with that yellow envelope under his arm.

He slammed the door shut but peeked through the window again, expecting to see that wolf wait for him somewhere, yet still saw nothing.

He turned into the room slowly, taking another breath, holding it seemed to come so naturally he didn't even realise he was doing it until the burn in his lungs forced him to gasp.

He threw the envelope on the bed and held the pictures up, they were only photos of tracks, and some of the killings that happened, the one with the couple came closer to his eyes, those bites and claw marks, large and gaping, if the wolf was as big as he just saw, then it made sense why no one can identify this animal.

Wolves are not that big, they are not! He looked to the window and saw the white light of the moon touching the curtains, on the night Mia died there was also a full moon... Could it be?