Little Wolves (gxg)

Chapter 14 - The Clearing

I've officially lost my mind.

I know I've been trying to fight it, but this morning just proves that I've already lost it and there's nothing much to do except embrace it. I'm walking up to the Auden's front porch, where the Auden's dog is sitting there waiting for me, and here my heart is going a hundred miles an hour for no reason. My palms are sweaty and I even got the nervous shakes like I do when Avery is nearby.

Then there's that wolf. She looks bigger than she did a couple days ago, but it could just be that I haven't seen her in a while. Her coat looks more filled in. Scarier... stronger, maybe. I don't know.

All I do know is that as I'm walking up to that damn house that wolf is staring right at me and the only thought bouncing around in my head like a ping pong ball is that Avery is here.

So, I've concluded I've lost my mind.

God damnit, the hair on my arms is even standing on end. Goosebumps flew over my skin like the finale of a fireworks show. Pop, pop, pop, shhhhhh, pop, pop! That's how I felt inside. Bursting with joy and giddiness.

"Hi, missy," I said, coming all the way up to the porch to get the dog. I scratched behind her ears and under her chin and I never smiled so wide at all the happy noises coming from a dog. It makes you feel good when animals like you. Makes me feel special, at least.

"You ready for a run?" I asked. Then, I noticed the weirdest thing.

My eyes flicked down to her right paw and tied around her leg was a bracelet. Not just any bracelet, no, I've seen that green, knotted bracelet before. Yesterday, the whole walk home, it tickled my wrist as I was holding Avery's hand. I stared at it for a while, then touched it and pinched the darn thing between my fingers just to make sure it was real.

When I looked up at the dog she was staring at me so intently, so deeply, I really thought there could be a human behind those eyes. Then I turned away and tried to make sense of it in my head. Did Avery tie her bracelet onto her dog? Why would she do that?

"...Let's go," I said, looking over my shoulder and ushering the dog with my hand. There was a grunt and a frustrated whine that came out of the dog. Like that sound dogs make when their toy gets stuck in a place they can't reach. I looked at her again and I swear she was scowling. I swear on my life that dog was scowling, as if she were trying to tell me something and I just wasn't understanding.

I pinched my arm. Maybe I'm dreaming. It makes sense, right? To be dreaming. But no, that pinch hurt, so I knew this was real life.

Good grief, get me out of here! Just let me go for a normal run where only normal things happen and my head doesn't spin like a top trying to make sense of all these weird things!

I started for the path in the woods wether that wolf-dog followed me or not.

I felt different today. More alive. Like the world had been singing to me my whole life and I just started to listen. Looking at those big, towering redwoods was like looking at my home. They called me to them, whispering, lulling, humming in a language I'm now finally able to understand.

I reached the edge of the forest and it hit me. This new yet familiar feeling. Right as I crossed the line from the pavement to the dirt path, all I wanted to do was take my shoes off. I wanted to feel the dirt in between my toes. The leaves in my hair. The earth against my bare skin.

A gust of wind came towards me and tickled my nose. It brought smells of fresh water and clean air. I closed my eyes and absorbed the aroma into every corner of my body.

Avery's dog came and nudged my thigh. She was taller, I'm sure of it. It was almost scary how much bigger the dog had grown. Her head was up to my belly-button now. She must've grown a foot overnight, there's no way.