Shifted #Wattys2016

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Maxine

Emmett and Caven never returned from the trees. When I brought it up to Felix, he told me not to worry, and that they were fine.

The girl—Bloom—was sitting at the head of the fire, and started telling a story of the wolves long ago when we returned.

"Old Native folklore." Felix explained. I understood that.

Everyone at the bonfire seemed to be native. Their dark skin tone and facial shape was a giveaway. They all seemed close, all like family. They can't all be related, can they?

Where are the grown adults?

Emmett seems to be one of the oldest. How he wore himself helped me guess he was the leader. I'd have to ask Felix later.

Closer to the end of Bloom's story, there was rustling through the trees. Emmett came jogging towards the fire, alarm spread through his strong facial features.

Felix stood.

"It's Greyson." Emmett said, putting his hands on his knees.

Felix stood and looked at me. "Stay here, Max." Felix nodded once at Emmett and went running towards the trees.

Bloom carried on with her story, never once pausing. She watched as Felix and Emmett jogged back towards the trees but continued on anyway. I loved how the red reflected with the green of her eyes.

Once that one was finished, she asked if anyone had any they wanted to share. A girl, Ember, raised her hand and launched into her tale.

There was a cry from the woods, animal like, but still slightly human.

I stood up and slipped away from the fire that was slowly starting to die. I walked off towards where Felix and Emmett went.

It was a million times darker in the trees. I was glad I wore jeans instead of shorts. There was another cry, this one more human. I followed the sound.

Max.

It was like a whisper right in my ear and it sent chills down my spine, but no one was there. I crossed my arms across my chest and let out an unsteady breath.

Max.

Again, right in my ear, this time followed by a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, peering into the solid darkness. I couldn't see anyone, but that didn't mean no one was there.

"Who's there?"

A soft, female, laugh.

"Boo."

I jumped to the side, hitting my arm on a tree. I felt surrounded and vulnerable.

More laughter, followed by piercing icy blue eyes. She appeared just as the Cheshire cat does. Teeth and eyes before the face and body. It was human. Why wouldn't it be?

"Oh, Felix," she raised her voice and octave. "Oh, my dear Felix, I just love you soo much. Who would've thought? A silly old city girl like me falling in love with a stupid, country boy like you." She changed her accent at the end, lowering her voice and adding a country accent.

"Who are you?" I asked, trying to keep my wavering voice strong.

"I, am Ronnie."

"Ronnie? Okay, well, I don't know what you're talking about considering I don't love Felix. We're friends."

Ronnie laughed again. "Clearly, you're as dumb as you look. Don't you sense it?"

"Sense what?"

She gasped, then broke into more laugher. "Oh, Felix, what have you gotten yourself into?" She asked, looking up at the sky. "You're human."

"One hundred percent."

"Max?" It was Caven's voice, hardly carrying through the dozens of trees.

"Over here!" I called out.

"Tell Felix I said he's screwed." Ronnie smiled and ran off, her laughter ringing out in the night air.

I felt a hand on my back. Caven's. "Max, you were supposed to stay by the fire. Come on, you had Felix worried sick."

Caven grabbed my hand and pulled me back to the clearing.

Felix pulled into the driveway to Julie's.

"You know," I began as he put the car in park. "You've got a lot of questions to answer tomorrow."

"What?"

"Yeah. Like, uh, what the hell did Caven mean by shifted? Where did Caven and Emmett disappear to? Where did you disappear to? What Ronnie meant by, "you're screwed"?"

"Wait, wait, wait, you talked to Ronnie?"

I nodded. "Yeah, when I went searching for you in the woods. Ronnie came up behind me and started saying that I was in love with you. I didn't know what she was talking about, and then she asked if I felt it, whatever 'it' is. Then she started to laugh and asked if I was human... and then she said that you're screwed."

"Goddamn it."

"What did she mean by all that?"

Felix took a deep breath. "How about this: I come over here tomorrow, and I can answer all your questions, okay? You've had a long night, I've had a long night, we both need sleep."

I nodded. "Okay, sure. But, uh, answer me this:who's Greyson?"