Wild things || The Quileute Tribe

22 - Tobias

"Toby!"

Tobias woke to Even shaking him. He blinked in the gloom. The duvet was tangled round his legs and Even had turned his bedside table lamp on and he blinked in the mixture of gloom and bright light. Tobias half sat up and began scrabbling for his glasses. Even's face nothing but a blonde a white blur. Even handed them to him and Tobias pulled them on. Now that he could see, he noticed that Even's eyes were wide and his face was pale. His pyjamas, plaid trousers and a white shirt, were rumpled and his hair was messy.

"Even", Tobias slurred, brain still trying to wake up. "What's wrong?"

Even was shaking, trembling. Tobias felt his worry rise. Older brother protectiveness waking him up fully. "Was it Gabriel again? Is he back?"

Even shook his head. "No", his voice was soft. "There's something out there! Outside". He shot a nervous look towards the window. The glass obscured by Tobias' galaxy curtains.

"What?" Tobias sat up fully.

"We need to get Andrew and Lucas", Even muttered, still shaking. "They're still out there".

Tobias opened his mouth, about to say something to try and calm Even down. Maybe ask if he had been watching any horror movies before bed. But something made him pause. Even looked actually scared out of his wits. Outside, a howl echoed round the woods. Tobias felt Even flinch next to him as he froze. The howl sounded like a wolf. There shouldn't be any wolves in Forks, not any close to the town. Tobias had researched it.

"Yeah", he found himself agreeing. Even's fear infecting his veins. "Let's get Andrew and Lucas".

The two of them stayed close together as they left Tobias room. Tobias shadowing Even's side as they made their way down the corridor, turning on the lights as they went. Andrew's room was closer than Lucas'. He woke up as soon as they turned the light on, muttering curses as he blinked at them. The curses stopped as he took in their faces. Andrew got out of bed without a word, to which Tobias was grateful. He had the sense that Even didn't want to explain this more than once. Andrew grabbed a fluffy dressing gown and followed them down the hall.

Lucas didn't wake up until they were all piling on his bed. The mattress shook and he jerked up with a choked snore. "Wazz up?" He slurred at them, eyes half lidded in the bright light. "What time is it?"

"Four twenty six in the morning", Andrew yawned.

"Why am I awake? A interview or event I forgot about?" Lucas asked. He sat up and leaned back against the headboard. Andrew at his side.

"Something happened", Tobias stated. Both boys sat up, eyes widening in concern.

"Even?" Andrew asked. Even hadn't said anything since he had woken Tobias up. His shaking had stopped but he was fiddling with the fabric of his tshirt anxiously.

"I had a nightmare", Even's voice was steadier than before, but still quiet. "So I was on my balcony trying to clear my head. Playing with my fidget spinner". Tobias nodded. It wasn't uncommon for Even to take time outside when he had a bad night. "One second there was nothing then a second later there was this woman standing on the edge of the forest. She was watching me. All pale with long curly red hair. And red eyes, she had red eyes".

There was a moment of silence. "Are you sure it wasn't just exhaustion?" Lucas voiced. "After effects of your nightmare?"

"No! Because one minute she was in the garden, the next she was crouched on my balcony like some ghost!" Even burst. "Skin like marble, red eyes. She didn't look human guys! It was as if I was being hunted by a monster!" Even's voice quieted and he shrunk in on himself slightly, arm coming up to cup his left shoulder. "I fell back and then there was this howling from the woods. The woman disappeared. There were these beasts in the forest. Huge creatures. I didn't stay to see more".