The Girl who Drowned in Darkness

Chapter 6: Family

I'm running, my giant paws press into the dirt. I twist and turn in between the trees. Everything is in slow motion, yet still speeding past me. I push myself to go faster, lighter. Paw prints leaving a trail behind me. The earth squishing in between my toes. The scent of trees, grass, and dirt envelope my senses. The wind caresses my fur. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I'm searching. Searching for something important.

Suddenly, I became surrounded by white light instead of trees. I was trapped, an endless white light in all directions. The sounds of the alarm radio rang in my ears.

Before I could stay in the dream, my eyes fluttered open, sunlight immobilizing my eyes for a brief moment. Blinking a few times, seeing I was still in Lacey's bedroom. I tend to wake up disoriented in the morning. I turned my head to face Lacey who was still sleeping. An earthquake could happen, and she would still be asleep.

I poked her shoulder, she stirred. I kept poking her until I saw her eyes slowly open and look at me. Her long, straight blond hair was spread out against her pillow. Her baby blues stood out against the sunlight streaming through her bedroom window.

She tried to go back to sleep, "Don't you dare go back to sleep, we have to go to school. Plus, your favorite song is on."

Her eyes became wide open with a questioning look, "What song?"

I rolled my eyes, as if I would not know her favorite song, "Mascara by Niykee Heaton."

As soon as I had spoken, she bolted out of bed and started brushing her teeth. I got up and started singing along to the song as I got dressed for school. Lacey rinsed her mouth and smiled at me, singing along with me.

Since Lacey accepted what I was, its been a little easier to accept myself. They're times though, when the darkness closes in on me, reminding me that there's still a monster buried inside waiting to come out and play. But they are tiny moments though, where I don't feel like I'm completely losing my mind. Times where I'll be with Lacey, and she'll smile at me and laugh, and I'll smile back and actually feel like I'm human. I'll actually feel sane and normal for once. I cherish those rare moments, and I long for when the next one comes where I'll finally feel free once more.

I haven't told Lacey what I experienced in the coma. I know she knows I haven't told her everything. And I know I promised her that I would open up to her more, but I just can't. Luckily, she hasn't pressured me or anything about what I've been keeping from her. I'm just not ready to fully open myself up to someone yet. I wish I wasn't so scared, but I am.

Even though I won't be opening up to her any time soon, its nice to know she doesn't hate me or think I'm a monster. The fact she accepts me for who I am, even when I don't accept myself, is enough of a reminder that she's probably not going anywhere anytime soon.

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The radio blared in her bedroom as we finished getting ready for school. As soon as we were done, we grabbed our bags and headed to school.

We were by our lockers when Lacey decided to bring up the topic of Josh.

"So, what are you going to do if you see Josh?"

"Nothing, I mean its not like he saw anything. He saw me as a wolf, yes. But he doesn't know anything more than that. But I'll probably continue to avoid him anyways, to be on the safe side. Don't want him getting any ideas about me."

And when I thought our conversation was private, Liam walks up to us.

"Hey! Whose going to avoid who?"

"Hey New guy, Josh came to her after school yesterday when she was a wolf. So now she's going to avoid him."

Liam rolled his eyes at Lacey's apparent lack of desire to call him by his actual name, while he looked at me.