Marianne

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

            The next morning before Lynx or Nina awoke; I grabbed my bag and slipped out of the house. It was dawn. The sun had just started to peak out of the clouds. I hurried towards the west, feeling the pulling sensation inside me grow stronger with each step I took. By the time I reached the park, I was flying. My lungs were burning a little, but I loved the feel of the wind on my face. But as the town limits loomed ahead, I started to slow down. I needed to conserve my strength for whatever laid ahead of me.

            I traveled for a week, only heading westward. I found that if I walked or ran in any other direction, the pulling wouldn’t be as strong. Finally, after almost two and a half weeks, I stumbled onto what appeared to be a small outpost camp. It was looked abandoned now, but as Lynx so often reminded me, looks can be deceiving. So, I stuck to the shadows as I walked around the outer perimeter, checking to make sure it was indeed abandoned. I couldn’t smell any new scent of wolf. The oldest had to be at least six-seven years old.

            Feeling a little safe, I started to make my way closer to the only building. However, I kept in the shadows, not knowing what I would find. By the time I had reached the door, darkness had completely taken over. I was glad at this moment for the night vision that came with being a werewolf. I could see almost ten times better in the night than I could in the day. After several unsuccessful attempts at pick locking the door, I finally unlocked it. I smiled a little as I opened the door. I slowly stepped through onto the threshold. Before I could step another foot inside, I went flying through the air. I started chewing myself out for letting myself get caught in a novice trap.

            As I swung around, I got a better look of the inside. Dust covered the floor and what was left of several counter tops. I could faintly make out a trap door, in which I thought might have been a kitchen at one time. After thirty minutes of twisting and jerking, I almost had the rope frayed in half. I was about to break it completely when the sound of running paws reached my ears. Not knowing what or who was coming, I became still, slowed my breathing to make it sound like I was asleep and had be hanging there for days.

            I could hear the bones crack and pop as several wolves shifted back into human form. I kept my breathing slow and steady, although it was a little hard. The closer they came, the more nervous and scared I became. “Hey, Tom, the door’s open!” I heard a thick, strong voice bark. “Didn’t you lock it when we left last week?”

            “I promise I did, Beta. I made sure it wouldn’t open.” I could hear the tremor in the boy’s voice, and just for a split second I felt sorry for causing him to doubt his decisions. I stayed as still as I could, trying my best not to move. But that’s a little hard to do when blood’s rushing to your head and you’re getting a little dizzy. My foot was starting to hurt, and even though I tried my best to stop the whine, it slipped out of my mouth anyway. The footsteps of the incoming wolves can to a dead stop. They had heard it. Slowly, a head full of thick, black hair appeared around the door facing. He didn’t see me until his eyes became adjusted to the darkness of the room.

            He slowly walked into the room. And right behind him followed five of the tallest men I had ever seen. I was peaking at them, and when I saw them looking at me, I quickly closed my eyes. I knew they couldn’t tell if I was asleep or faking it. “Just ask her man. You voice would wake anyone up.” One of the guys said, joking. “Naw, you do it.”

            “Y’all stop bickering.” This came from the first guy to walk into the room. And for whatever reason, that even I can’t explain, I suddenly felt safe. He walked over to me and softly shook me. I held my breath and didn’t move, making him shake me again. Slowly, as if he had just awoken me, I opened my eyes, blinked, and looked around. I make eye contact with him and give him a little smile. One that said, “I don’t know how you are and why I trust you, but don’t hurt me.” All he did was just stare at me, his eyes filled with suspicion. “Who are you, why are you in our territory, and how did you get in?”

            I hung there, upside down and just stared at them. Obviously, they couldn’t tell that I was a wolf, or else they would have shifted before me. Sweet, I mentally laugh, I get to act like a human for once, and get away with it. I widen my eyes and made my heartbeat and breathing speed up a little. “Oh my goodness!” I whisper, “You’re part of a gang?! Please.” I beg, making my voice wavier. I mentally smile when I notice that I sound like I’m about to cry. “Don’t kill me. Please…” I watched as all six of them looked shocked and backed up a little. The one closest to me faced me and said softly, “We’re not going to kill you. Just tell us how you got in and who you are.” I bobbed my head up and down so fast, I thought it was going to snap off, but I had to act like a frightened little human. “I’ll tell you anything. Please, just don’t kill me.” I take a shallow breath. “I’m Mari, Mari McKlondon. My foster father, Lynx, sent me to look for his friend, something about having a lead for him or the like. But I was only to tell him.”

            I twist around a little, squirming. “Do you know where I can find a Mr. Randy Cortez?” At the mention of his name, all of their faces became a blank slate almost instantaneously. “My father told me to find him. It’s really, really, really important that I do.” I couldn’t tell if they believed me, they were just standing there, watching me. Suddenly, I feel the rope give and I fall. The last thing I remember is feeling multiple hands trying to catch me, and then darkness took over and dragged me deep into the abyss.