The Shadow Wolf

Four

Ezra:

I hate nightmares. Especially the ones with frogs in them. I'm standing right in the center of a muddy swamp. I can smell the rot of the water around me. There is a massive toad sitting up ahead, maybe four or five feet away. His mouth opens up wide and the Sound of Madness begins to play. I jump back confused. I turned around to see a massive wolf looking back at me. I scream taking a step back only to fall. I sat up and jumped out of my bed to find I wasn't in the middle of a swamp with the giant toad or the giant wolf. I shouldn't have watched Pan's Labyrinth last night.

"Hello?" I answered, my voice is a little raspy. I hate waking up in the morning.

"You're still not up Ezra?" I sat on my bed looking around.

"It's six-thirty," I guessed falling back onto my pillows. "I don't have to be there till eight,"

"Ezra it's seven forty," I shot up to look at the alarm and she's right it is in fact that late.

"Fuck, why didn't you wake me up?" I asked panicking.

"Get down here I need you. It's Saturday," she shouted and hung up.

I dialed for Rip as I rushed down to the lobby to catch my uber after a quick shower.

"If it isn't important, Mika. I'm going to kill you," she answered groggily.

"I'm not Mika," I laughed.

"Oh, Ezra. You have no idea what you're doing," she complained with a yawn.

"I was just calling to check up on you. How did things with your brother go?" I asked.

"Ripley, wake up," someone shouted.

"What the fuck, Mikhail," she cried out. "I'm sorry Ezra. It went well he's here and he's moving in,"

"Oh nice," I laughed

"Mikhail, no don't touch that," a loud growl made me flinch. People don't growl like that right?

"Ripley, what the fuck?" his deep voice shouted. "Why do you have this in your room?"

"I told you not to touch it. That's for my new sculpture,"

"What are you going to do electrocute someone with it?"

"No, it's for the bright lights exhibit next year," she argued.

"Who's on the phone? Is it ravioli friend?"

I laughed.

"Yeah,"

"You make the best ravioli I have ever had Ripley's new friend," he called out.

"Mika, hold still," Rip urged.

"Thanks," I laughed. "I'm Ezra by the way,"

"Ezra, that's a badass name," he laughed.

"That's what I said. There don't touch my stuff again, Mikhail. Get the hell out of my room,"

"You know, I had forgotten you were a raging bitch in the morning," there was a struggle before she came back to the phone.

"Sorry about that, Ezra. My brother is an idiot," she panted.

"I'm glad you guys are on good terms again. I have to let you go. I'm a little late for work,"

"Where do you work?" she asked.

"With my sister. The bar is a Cafe by morning,"

"Nice, I might head down there with Mikhail after a short meeting with our parents. So you guys can meet him or he's going to bother me about it all day,"