Chapter 1

Eve's pov 

      I inhaled happily watching the jungle passed by. The greenery is so green it looks almost dark. I smiled looking at the birds chirping on the branch.

      I smiled after a very long time, I smiled. you deserve to cry in this hell for the rest of your life. I inhaled sharply remembering the words from the monster of my past.

     But it's going to be there, in my past. I'm never going to be there again. Never going to let anyone make me feel those pain again. 

       A line of clearing came into my sight. It was like an area of beautiful mansions amongst the trees. I stopped at the fence that connected the road to the clearing. There was a small house on the right side, must be the watchman's abode.

         If they have a watchman for a whole neighborhood then maybe my neighbors are rich I thought absentmindedly looking at the mansions and the people that are roaming around.

       A man came out of the house. He looked at me and gestured for me to stop with his hands. not like I'm entering without knowing the direction.

He started walking towards me as I rolled down my windows a bit more to get a clear look at him.

     He looks like a man in his early thirties. He was wearing a blue shirt with faded blue jeans making him look intimidating because he was tall and bulky. He not looking like the watchman.

       "Are you new here miss?" He asked coming near me. He was looking at me more like assessing me and my truck.

     "Yes," I replied nodding my head. "I'm looking for this address." I showed him my phone for him to get the direction of my house. 

      "Oh, I see." He nodded. As I was looking at him I saw his eyes dilating. But it was gone before I can even blink.

     "It's at the end of the road. Near the back of the jungle." I nodded. "You need to go straight, before turning left and you will reach your destination." He smiled. He doesn't seem intimidating anymore.

     "Thank you, Mr.bulky." my eyes widen when the words slipped off my mouth. But to my surprise, he laughed at me.

     "It's Joe little missy." He said ruffling my hair. "What's your name? And where are you from"? He asked.

       " I'm Evelyn Regan." I started. But I didn't want to tell him more about me, cause he is a stranger. so I just changed the topic. "Do you know any good places I can work part-time?" He raised an eyebrow at me noticing I changed the topic.

     "Sure. Little Evelyn. If you want I can recommend you to a few cafes in the town." He said.

    "That would be great Mr.bulky." I teased him. He laughed at me and I laughed along.

     "Okay. You can give me your number and I'll send you the address. So that you can go and give interviews and all." I nodded and gave him my number, reason is if he lives in this area then we'll surely meet right.

       So what's wrong with making a new friend. And he is honestly the first person to be added to my contact list.

     After waving him bye-bye I started getting inside the fence. The whole area was beautiful. There were small beautiful houses and big beautiful mansions. 

    People were roaming around freely. Talking to each other. Children were shouting and playing as I passed the park. It looked like a really friendly neighborhood.

     Then finally I reached my destination. My new house. I blinked rapidly as tears started stinging my eyes. you will always rot in this hell. The voices were screaming at the back of my mind as I started towards the house. 

     I fished out the keys and opened the door. Standing there feeling the way my heart finally feeling safe. 

     The inside of the house was beautiful than the outside. But I'll make sure the outside will look beautiful as well. I got upstairs and entered the room that is supposed to be mine.

     It was a beautiful room with big glass windows connecting to the big balcony. The balcony was directly facing the woods. 

    I opened the window glass and entered the balcony. It was so cold here as I shivered when the wind blew by. I looked at the jungle. There was every kind of animal sounds coming from there. But what was clear was the sound of a stream.

       As I was about to turn when something caught my eyes. A dog was standing on the ground behind a tree, looking directly at me. When I squinted my eyes to get a clear view…..my eyes widened. It wasn't a dog. It was a wolf. A beautiful black wolf. 

     But what froze me on the spot was its eyes. They are directly staring at me. Like looking at me with awe. Ohh shit. Wolves can't jump from that far, can they? 

    He must be thinking I'm his next meal. And he sure as hell planning how to pound on me and tear me apart. 

     I took careful steps back maintaining eye contact with the wolf. As I was walking backward he was walking forward. I shivered at the hunger in his eyes.

       I sprinted towards the door and locked it. after making sure I locked it properly I rested against it and took a deep breath. As I was heading toward the door to check the whole house I heard a howl.

          A strong howl of a creature and I  shuddered at the wave of power that passed through me. I frowned as it was so weird to react like that.

      I shook my head and took a deep breath. For some reason, I imagined the big black wolf howling at the moon near the stream. 

     The image was so clear in my head that I thought I saw the wolf howling near the stream. Again I'm getting insane, I thought and shook my head getting out of the room to get my luggage.

        After I got all my luggage from my truck I made sure to lock all the doors and windows of the house. My house. I smiled at the thought and got started with arranging my things. It was never of me to rest when there was plenty of work to do. I believe in resting after everything was done.

     I jumped on the couch and stretched my limbs after I was finished arranging the whole house. I fished out my phone and started checking what else is there to do. 

    Everything was done only grocery shopping was left. I'll do it after I take a power nap. I set the alarm and drifted off.

      ……………………………………………………

         After cleaning the kitchen counter, I put the leftovers in the fridge. This is the time where I thank my stars because the house came with all the equipment. So that I can put the leftovers in the fridge, otherwise with my idea of measurement the food will get wasted regularly.

     I switched off all the lights in the living room and the kitchen, making sure the doors and windows are closed before making my way upstairs to my room.

         Thinking about taking a quick shower before sleeping I stripped down and quickly walked into the bathroom. 

        The water is not only an element but it's the other name of magic when it touches your aching body. My day was so packed that I feel better to the core.

        After waking of in the afternoon I quickly went to the nearby market for grocery shopping. But before that, I stuffed my belly with food.

     It took me over two hours to buy everything that I need to survive for a month. Starting from bread to toilet cleaner. Thank God I listed them down when I was on the flight.

      After cleaning my self I wrapped a towel on my hair and another on my body then padded to the closet. It was not a big one but it was big enough for me to arrange everything in it.

      I changed into a big t-shirt that comes up till my mid-thighs and a pair of knee-high floppy socks. Then proceeded to towel dry my hair and left it down to get wind-dried.

      It was only past seven o clock but I was sleepy. I looked at my bedside table and saw my diary. It was calling me. So I picked it up and sat on the bed. 

     This was one of the many habits which make me a nerd. Maybe no one maintains a diary nowadays.  Everybody has become so acquainted with technology that they don't need pen and paper. but I on the other hand still tells my everyday story in my diary.

      May because I never had a friend to share my feelings with. So I write them down. And today I felt like meeting my notebook friend. My only best friend.

     dear diary,

it's me again. I moved to Italy finally. I moved on finally as you know I've been trying to summon up that courage for the past year and I did it finally.

So here's the thing. I'm happy. I have a new house to call mine. a new school I'm going to attend after the weekend and hopefully, after tomorrow, I'll be employed as well.

And that's what makes me happy. I stood on my own two kegs and fought for myself. Okay, not fought but ran away. But sometimes it's better to run and train yourself to be stronger. Right? So that you could come back and fight.

I'll go back one day and fight them. And take what is rightfully mine. But before that, I just pray to the universe that they won't find me. Cause of what they did then everything is going to be futile. My efforts are going to get wasted.

So I just hope everything goes according to my plan. and I hope that one day when I'm older and stronger I can go back And fight for what's mine. Till then I've to stay low and hide.

Eve…

I placed it on my bedside table and was about to switch off the light when I heard a howl. The same howl I heard in the morning. I got up and started walking towards my window.

           When I opened the curtains I saw the silhouette of an animal facing the moon. but I couldn't pinpoint what animal it was because it was so dark. But when I opened the window to look the animal turned and I saw it.

        It was the black wolf from the morning. It was looking directly into my eyes. His eyes were green and they were shining in the dark. It looked so beautiful that I was mesmerized.

     As the gust of wind blew my hair I came out of the reverie. I shut the window and draw the curtains and jumped on my bed under the covers after switching off the lights.

       After some proving about the wolf, sleep consumed me but I still heard the loud howls of the wolf.

    ………………………………………………….

       'Margaret's cafe'. I looked at the board and entered the cafe. It was beautiful with high ceilings and chandeliers. It was quite shiny for a cafe though.

      "Hello. How may I help you?" The waitress asked as I stood in front of the cash counter.

     "Hey. I'm Evelyn Regan. I was appointed for an interview for the waitress job. Joe said he referred me." I explained gesturing with my hands.

  "Oh. Yes yes. This way is the office." She said and walked towards the hallway I don't notice but followed her anyway.

     She knocked on the door of the office and entered me following behind her.  There was a table with three chairs on it. One for the boss of course and two on the other side of it.

     "Wait here for five minutes boss will be here shortly." She said and I smiled at her as she walked away. She seems nice though. 

      "Hello, little Eve." My eyes widened at the voice. I turned around to see how entering the room. 

     "You're the owner of this cafe?" The first thing I asked.

     "Why? Can't I own a restaurant?" His face held amusement. 

    "No, it's not like that. But you are a watchman right?" I asked completely shocked that I didn't realize what I just said. But to my surprise, he just laughed

      "Not a watchman. But I am kind of on the duty of looking after the land." He explained while leaning on the boss chair.

    "There's a job like that also?" He completely lost it at my expression. His laughed roared at every corner of the room.

     "You don't know about a lot of things little one." He murmured while wiping the corner of his eyes. But I just nodded.

     "So, let's start the interview?" I asked him. Cause that's what we're here for.

    "Okay. So have you ever waitressed before?" He asked I just shook my head.

    "It's okay. You'll learn. It's not rocket science. All you need to do is remember how to politely ask for an order and be a little patient because customers can be hard sometimes." I nodded and he went along. "Your uniform will be provided to you on the first day of your joining with pen and notepad."

      "So can I start tomorrow? He nodded. " I have some requests as well," I said he laughed.

    "Of course you have." He mumbled smiling at me.

     "I'll work in the evening after school if that cool with you and I want Sunday off. If I don't get my requests fulfilled then im not doing it." I said more like demanded.

     "Done" he announced. what?!

       "really?" I asked.

"Of course little one and you're welcome." He said before I could even thank him. I smiled at him nodding my head

    …………………………………………………..

        The weekend passed with me learning how to waitress and me learning a few dishes from YouTube. But what was a regular occurrence was the wolf. I was getting used to listening to its howling every night before sleep now.             Monday is here. I stepped out of my truck and locked it. Here I am standing in front of my new school. There were so many thoughts flying in my head.

      But most of all is can I make friends? Real friends. I never have had any friends and I don't want fake friends. I want real friends. Who will stand by you, support you, laugh with you and cry with you? That kind of friend. we will see that in time.

        I took a deep breath and adjusted the bag straps on my shoulders. With that, I entered the building. I look around for direction and saw a sign for the academic section and oriented towards it while checking my surroundings.

     As I was not looking where im going I collided with something heavy and fell on the ground with a thud.

     owwwwww….

"I'm sorry are you okay?"  I looked up and froze.

TBC….