Freeze (The Jewel Project #4)

22.2|| Freeze

The path Jimmy, Jerry and Jessie had taken was easy to follow. The ground stayed flat and partially dry, and it was easy to keep a straight line. Jerry still felt like it was all about to go to hell in a handbasket. They were being followed and the wolves had the home turf advantage.

Then there was Jessie. She was a white trembling mess, so unlike the strong girl Jerry knew. Her running was clumsy and uncoordinated, she almost fell over a couple of times, and her lips kept moving, whispering something no one could hear.

This got Jimmy increasingly worried, though Jerry wasn't entirely sure how he knew that. His brother had a determined expression plastered on his face and ran with ease, even as he gripped Jessie's arm to make sure she wouldn't stumble again.

Once Sam and Tom disappeared from their path, the growling behind them subsided. Jerry even slowed down, trying to see where they'd gone, but Jimmy called out to him and they increased speed again. Halfheartedly, Jerry followed.

Kyle and Kay had disappeared first. Then Angie, Tina and Billy. Now, with Sam and Tom also gone, they were alone and all Jerry wanted was to stop this nonsense, delete the wolves and go find everyone through the forest.

Jimmy finally slowed down and glanced over his shoulder. Jerry did so as well and noticed they were no longer being followed. Jimmy didn't stop, but reduced the pace. After about five more minutes of running and no sound to indicate they were being followed, they finally slowed to a stop.

Jerry propped his hands on his knees and took in deep, controlled breaths. The cold air burned his lungs with each breath, but he continued the process and finally managed to bring his heart rate in normal range.

"Do you think they're gone?" he asked.

"I'd be surprised," Jimmy said carefully.

"Maybe they split up to follow the others and there were none left for us," Jerry suggested, though he surely hoped not. It was a horrible thought.

"Nope, don't think so," Jimmy mumbled, messing with his watch. "We should move out, just in case." He frowned, pushing more buttons. "Shit, I think something happened to Kyle."

Before Jerry could even process the distressing news, something rustled through the bushes and Jessie bolted. She made her way off the path, between two trees and into the darkness. Jimmy let out a swear and ran after her, Jerry close on his heels. The ground was still manageable between the trees, but a hill loomed to their left, covering everything in additional shadow, as if they needed more darkness in their lives.

"Shit," Jimmy said, finally catching up with Jessie and pulling her back. "What are you doing?"

"I can't... I just can't..." she whimpered. "I tried..."

Jerry approached them warily, the look of terror on Jessie's face worrying. Then there was the fact that they shouldn't stop, because there was certainly something out there stalking them through the trees and bushes. They needed to go back on the path.

"We should--" He froze.

All color in Jessie's face drained and her eyes widened, fixed on the top of the hill before them. Jerry raised his gaze and his stomach twisted, crashed and burned. There was a lone wolf there, big and shaggy, watching them, its tail moving the slightest bit.

Jessie whimpered and trembled. And when the wolf knocked its head back and howled into the night, she let out the most unearthly scream Jerry had ever heard. It made every hair on his body stand on end. Before he could open his mouth to ask, Jessie's eyes rolled and she crumpled to the ground.

"Fuck," Jimmy mumbled with appropriate urgency. "Move."

Jerry did. He turned around and headed back into the open, followed by his brother who had picked Jessie off the ground. Once they were back on the path, it was obvious the wolf had just signaled their position. Distant shadows moved towards them.