The Darkest Eternities

XXV. Silhouette

Cara

The deafening shriek that had just sounded from outside was definitely Liza's. There was no doubt. It was followed by a stunning silence. Tension hung heavily in the air.

Goosebumps erupted on my skin, an awareness filling me. There was danger.

Alice and I stared at each other. I was beginning to panic. Alice's face was expressionless, void of any emotion.

I stared out of the open backdoor where Liza had disappeared out of. Quickly, I grabbed a flashlight from one of the drawers. It was dark outside, too dark. There was another scream, louder this time but different.

The world is a dangerous place... Kogo's words sounded in my mind, never had they left. They came every morning as I said goodbye to my father when he was leaving for work, every evening as I went out to the woods to clear my mind and every night as I sat in bed, awaiting the sleep that had become annoyingly evasive.

"Wait a second," I told Alice, not waiting for a response as I rushed upstairs to grab my stick. I had hoped I would never have to use it.

The world is a dangerous place...the words came again, like an echo in my mind.

I found what I was looking for sitting by the window. Grabbing both ends of it, I pulled strongly and it broke apart. Keeping the side with the sharp blade, I threw the other on the bed and left the room quickly.

I found Alice in the kitchen, she tucked her phone into her pocket as if she had just engaged in a phone conversation. Her eyebrows furrowed as she stared in the direction of the metal rod in my hand.

"I'll tell you later," I said.

We headed out, both knowing without any words exchanged between us, that we needed to go after our friend. It was cold but the thought of what might have happened out there to Liza brought a worse chill to my skin.

"Liza? Liza?"I called repeatedly. The torch lit the way where the lights of the house couldn't reach, illuminating the dark and chilly backyard. It was empty. Worry grew in my heart. What if she had been attacked? What if she was dead? That quickly?

There was a sound coming from the woods, the sound of leaves rustling, like someone was moving rapidly through the trees, running.

We had to go further.

"Liza," I repeated, projecting my voice towards the sound. I only hoped that I would not attract the attention of any nightly creatures.

Seeing that the gate was locked there was only one thing to do. "Jump, "I instructed.

"I swear if she is not dead, I'll kill her," Alice complained, annoyance lacing her tone. She still jumped.

"Don't speak like that," I responded. "She is not dead. She can't be." Even I didn't believe my own words. The possibility that she had already been torn apart was high, especially since we had heard her scream plus it was the full moon.

Kogo had once told me that the chances of one dying in these woods tripled on the night of the full moon. She told me that werewolves enjoyed hunting on this night. On this night, they apparently celebrated who they were, honoring their creator by running freely and basking in her warmth, the moonlight. At least the religious ones did, the rest just enjoyed hunting at this particular time.

I gulped, swallowing my fear, it would only get in the way.

I passed Alice my things through the bars of the gate.

Tightly gripping the metal of the gate, I stepped on a nearby rock and forcefully threw myself over. It was not very difficult, my body was pliable enough.