Chapter 1 DENVER

Chapter 1.

LYANNA’S POV.

I wake up in the middle of the forest, my sleepwear, pink pyjamas hanging loosely around my body. Fear instantly grips me, and I shoot up from the forest floor so fast like the flash of lightning, darting here and there in the thick darkness, my feet crushing the leaves underneath. Shit. How’d I get here? Where’s mum and dad? Squinting my eyes, I try to pinpoint their exact location amidst the tall trees with its gnarly branches, but all I can see is darkness covering me like a thick blanket. Sweat circles my underarm, making my side itch and I swallow past the bulge in my throat, mumbling a weak ‘hello’.

My voice echoes through the chilly air, hitting me with full force, and it nearly knocks the air out of my lungs. Gasping for breath, my eyes widen in realization. Oh my gosh. I’m all alone. No one’s coming for me. Heart hammering against my ribcage, I try to maintain my balance, but my knees are wobbly and I can barely keep steady without the world dancing around me.

“Hello. Is anyone there?” I manage, blowing out a shuddering breath. Adrenaline surges through my veins like a burst of sprinkling water in a dry desert, making me heady. Where’s everyone? Suddenly, there’s a faint rustle to my right, distorting the silence and I instantly turn in the direction of the noise. But, there’s no one there. Maybe I’m imagining it. Come on, wake-up. Wake up, Lyanna. I squeeze my eyelids shut, and open them, willing myself to be back in my room and on my bed. Instead, a low growl jolts me from my reverie and my eyes fly open to see blue pairs of eyes staring back at me from a distance. They’re the bluest thing I’ve ever seen, burning brightly like a fiery flame, and the darkness seems to dissolve like a layer of dust fading from a surface until it’s just us, my heart beating wildly.

“What are you?” I whisper, afraid it’ll hear me. A grunt follows, resembling that of a human, but then, it materialises from the darkness and I realize it’s a.. wolf? Jesus. Before I can think, it charges at me, claws coming out of nowhere to scratch at my skin, and I fumble backwards, the sharp-pointed nail narrowly missing me by an inch.

Stumbling back on my feet, I run blindly through the trees, my legs picking up speed. I can hear it closely from behind me, its breath noisy against my back and I willed my legs to run faster, thorns tearing through my flesh, but it’s as if I’m running through thick mud and I can’t go any faster. Come on. Chancing a glance behind me, I realize it’s hot at my tail and pushing my chest forward, I leap over a fallen branch only to crash into the tree.

Choking for air, I get up, sweat pouring out of my face and trickling into the space between my breasts. Oh my God, that's why I hate afternoon sleep. I look around and realizing I’m in the comfort of my room, I heave a huge sigh, my breath slowing down to a steady pace. Fuck. I don't understand why I keep having this nightmare since Dad told me we were leaving for Denver. What awaits me?

“Lyanna, are you coming?” Mom calls her high-pitched voice close to shrill, carrying through the four walls of the square apartment I’ve known all my life to me. Quickly, I got out of bed…

“I’m coming!” I shout from the room upstairs, but I remain on my bed, gazing longingly around at my brightly lit room, with the ruffling curtain. I’m going to miss it here. But, I have to leave. My school has given me a scholarship to study in a college in Denver–a state far from here, and although my parents had been jittery with excitement since the weekend, I was unfazed.

It was just like moving to the house three doors down, nothing special. In fact, I rather have this bizarre feeling, shouldn't I be happy? Heaving an exasperated sigh, I grab my carry-on bag and stand, staring at the blue and white painted wall for a moment too long.

My mom’s voice comes again, this time louder and more impatient. “Lyanna, we’re going to be late. What are you still doing?”

Snapping out of my reverie, I hurry out of the room, shutting the door with a loud bang, and down the steep stairs, pausing at the base to take in the entire house with all its pleasant memories once more. Alright, goodbye. Tightening my hold on the handle of my bag, I step outside, squinting against the brimming sunlight. Fuck. It’s so hot.

Mom blows out a breath in frustration, letting her arm fall by her side. “Jeez. What took you so long?” Eyeing me warily, she doesn’t say anything else, entering into the passenger’s seat and slamming the door shut. My dad horns, as if on cue and I mutter my goodbyes to the house, skipping down the porch steps to the waiting SUV. It’s a little old, the gray color rusty and dulled from wear, but it gets us where we need to go.

Biting on my bottom lip, I look out the window as the car slowly backs away from the driveway and onto the quiet street. Mrs. Sam, our neighbour (no longer our neighbour anymore) is already out this early morning, sprinkling some water on the flowers dotting her front yard, her green gloves matching the color of her light sundress.

I wave at her, a smile cracking through my hardened exterior. She stops, waving back at me. Her eyes go to the foam that had been spread flat on the roof of the car with wires and all and I can tell she’s about to say something.

“Buckle up,” mom says, drawing her own seatbelt from the side. “It’s going to be a long ride.”

The journey seems to go on forever and we only make a few stops on the way–to refill the tank, buy snacks, public bathroom–before we’re back on the road again. I am busy playing card games on my iPad since my friends are all offline, miles and miles of green rolling past us in a blur. I think we’re passing the great G or something like that. I can’t be sure.

Mom glances briefly at me through the rearview mirror. “Lyanna, is everything okay? You’ve been.. awfully quiet.” My dad looks at her and shrugs, an understanding look on his face.

“Yeah, I’m fine,” I say, not looking up from my phone. But, on second thought, I raise my head, smiling stiffly at her. I don’t want to have anyone concerned about me much less now. There will be plenty of time for that later. The worry on my mom’s face collapses, giving way to relief and soon, she’s grinning from ear to ear, her thin lips stretching wide.

“Don’t worry, you’ll love it in Denver. School’s closer and the prospect of making new friends is exciting, right?” She says this, staring at my dad’s side profile like she needs him on her side.

“Of course,” I respond, forcing enthusiasm into my voice, but all I can think about are the friends I’d left behind. Not like they’d be gone forever. We’ll still keep in constant communication through Skype calls and all that. Staring out the window, I allow a small smile to touch my lips. Well, Denver, here we come.

We finally arrive at a sprawling two-storey building painted in white and with a wide, wraparound porch, and picket fence that gives the place an inviting feel and I hop down from the backseat, staring in awe at how beautiful it looks like with the sun shining in the background, casting a kaleidoscope of light around the house. It’s hotter here than back home. I can feel sweat crawling down my back in one line, little drops falling into the waistband of my jeans, but I pay it no mind. The French windows gleam against the sunlight and I can see a pool off to the side, the blue sparkling like nothing I’ve ever seen. It’s breathtaking.

“What do you think, Lyanna? Do you like it?” My dad asks, slipping his hands cooly into the pocket of his brown slacks, the back fitting nicely.

“Yes,” I answer, soft-voiced, staring transfixed. “It’s beautiful.” The front door suddenly opens and a burly man promptly steps out in a navy blue uniform as if he’d been expecting us all the while, waving. His smile is garish like that of the joker, his cheeks creasing, and his shoulders are square as if he were in a boxing ring.

“Um, honey?” My mom says to my dad, one eye still on the man. “Could you help bring up the luggages? Lyanna and I will do the first exploration.”

Suddenly, something catch my gaze, looks like the man I always see in my dreams. My mom goes inside and I drop the luggage, carefully taking the small path that leads to the forest where I see him take.

"Are you lost?" A deep voice of a make ask behind me and I freeze, too afraid to turn around.