Putting on the warm terry bathrobe she had always loved, the girl climbed into bed and immediately fell asleep, this time without delusional dreams and frightening images.
***
Waking up was like coming out of a coma. Sammy could not understand what had happened to her - maybe she just dreamed everything? She scrambled out of bed and made her way to the bathroom.
But the dirty clothes in the basket made it clear that everything had happened for real. Suppressing a convulsive spasm in her throat, Samantha brushed her teeth and somehow put herself in order, after which, grabbing her backpack, she headed downstairs.
- Sammy! Are you okay? The mother looked at her worriedly. - You don't have a face!
"I think I've caught a little cold," Samantha replied hoarsely, looking down.
- Can you stay at home? Teresa suggested, but Sammy shook her head.
- No, today is a test... And you... can you give me a lift to school?
- Certainly! the mother exclaimed. - Eat first.
- Don't want. Sammy gulped down half a cup of coffee and headed for the door. - I'll wait for you outside.
The road to school flew by in an instant, and she even managed to recover a little - in her usual surroundings, next to her mother. But, as soon as the mother's car drove off, Samantha was overwhelmed by the realization of what had happened. And it became insanely scary.
Sammy walked across the schoolyard, stammering like a sleepwalker. They looked at her, but the girl did not notice anyone. After what she had experienced the day before, she could hardly stand on her feet, and she could not think about anything at all.
Everything around seemed the same as before - the same teenagers, educational buildings, a dull landscape of late autumn. But for Samantha, something subtly changed, the world ceased to be familiar and no longer belonged to her. Something else took over the surrounding reality. Something terrible.
Someone touched her elbow, and Samantha literally jumped on the spot. Next to her, she saw Jasper, who was looking at her with concern.
"Hey," the guy said carefully. “Sorry, no, I meant to scare you.
- Ah… nothing. Sammy swallowed, her throat dry. - Hi, Jas.
- How are you? Something happened?
Samantha bit her lip. She didn't know whether to tell Jasper about what had happened, because she couldn't explain everything, but she could simply believe in a lot of things. Maybe she got it all wrong.
Sammy, can you hear me? Jasper's voice brought her back to reality. She met the brown eyes she loved so much and felt a little better. A sigh escaped Samantha's chest.
- I hear. I'm sorry, I thought... It's all right, I just didn't sleep well at night, I can't think of anything.
- You're not sick? Jasper frowned.
The concern in his friend's voice brought tears to Sammy's eyes. She desperately wanted to hide her face on his chest and snuggle closer to him, but she hesitated to do so.
"No, it's all right," Sammy said with an effort. She made up her mind not to tell Jasper about yesterday, at least not yet. - And how are you?
"Fine," Jas shrugged his broad shoulders. - I didn't get through to you yesterday, I thought we were going to play WoW.
Sammy smiled wryly.
Sorry, I wasn't at home. Walked with Leah... By the way, have you seen her?
"No," Jasper shook his head. - I just arrived. The car would not start again, I thought I would be late.
- You need to go to Ricky, let him look ... - Samantha muttered, and her interlocutor chuckled:
There's nothing left to fix, Sam. I torture the "old woman", and then to the landfill, and I will buy a new one.
- Well, yes, probably...
"Hey," Jasper patted his friend on the shoulder, and she looked up. - You are somewhere today. Are you sure you don't want to tell me anything?
Samantha hesitated - she didn't want to lie to her friend. But she did not have to answer - the voice of Nate, Jasper's friend, would be heard:
- Dude, let's go! We are going to be late!
Jasper looked around - a friend was waving to him from the porch of the nearest building.
"I'm sorry Sam, I have to go," he apologized, turning back to Samantha. - . We have a test today, don't be late.
"Of course, of course, go," Sammy said readily, feeling relieved that she didn't have to end the conversation. - See you later!
Jas put his hand on her shoulder.
"Promise that if you get in trouble, you'll tell me about it," he asked. - OK?
"Okay," Sammy nodded, feeling a lump in her throat. - Thank you…
The friend smiled at her and left, while Samantha followed his tall figure in dismay. For the first time in her life, she could not share her troubles with him, and this made her very lonely.
However, after talking with Jasper, she felt better, as if a particle of his warmth and participation remained with her. Sammy took a deep breath, straightened her back and resolutely went to class - she had to figure out everything that had happened.
For starters, she would like to talk to Leah, ask her a couple of questions. Mainly why she did not bring help, but left her alone in the forest.
There was an unpleasant sensation in Sammy's pit of the stomach. She understood that her friend had simply abandoned her, and this circumstance would have upset her to tears if something more serious had not happened yesterday.
Samantha didn't want to think about her next step. At the thought of Travis Doyle, she began to pound, and a terrible bestial look floated before her eyes. And that growl...
Sammy was confused again. The irrationality of what she saw at night, did not want to put up with logic, and because Samantha literally the earth was leaving from under her feet. Mechanically moving her legs, the girl reached the entrance to the building, climbed the stairs and went inside, finding herself in a long, dim corridor. And only now it dawned on her that the next lesson in the schedule was biology.
And that means she'll see Doyle.
Sammy involuntarily stepped back. She broke out in a cold sweat, her hands trembled. Of course, it is extremely stupid to be afraid of a classmate in broad daylight, at school, especially since Sammy was not completely sure that she had not dreamed of yesterday's horrors. But for some reason my heart was beating a beat in my chest, and my palms were sweaty.
Samantha tried to dial Leah, but her friend, unfortunately, did not pick up the phone. Probably already sitting in the classroom - what to be afraid of, naked Doyle did not growl in her face.
The absurdity of the latter brought Sammy to her senses a little, she even managed to smile to herself and walked forward. But before she had gone three steps, a familiar low voice with vibrating notes said just above her ear:
- Hey, Wiley.
Sammy jumped half a meter to the side. With wide eyes she looked at Travis, dressed, clean and combed, who stopped in the middle of the corridor, his hands in his pockets, and mockingly smiled at her, sparkling white teeth. Quite human.
“Don’t be afraid, baby, I won’t bite you,” the guy murmured and grinned. Why are you so nervous, huh?
"What...what do you want, Doyle?" - Sammy managed to squeeze out, but instead of a confident tone, it turned out to be some kind of squeak.
Travis shrugged.
- Nothing, I just wanted to say hello. And you didn't even answer me. Didn't your mother teach you politeness?
Sammy suddenly felt uncomfortable being alone with him - the bell was about to ring, and there were no other students left in the corridor. She hurriedly slung her backpack over her shoulder and walked quickly towards the classroom, but Doyle caught up with her in two steps and grabbed her by the sleeve of her jacket, which made Sammy goosebumps with fear.
- Wait for me after the lessons in the parking lot - you need to grind something, - the guy said through his teeth, after which he released her hand and, having overtaken, went ahead. But as he grabbed the doorknob, he turned around.
Sliding a cold glance over the girl, Travis said in an undertone:
- And just try not to come.
Samantha didn't remember how she got to the office and sat down. She found herself already at the lesson, and somehow, apparently mechanically, she laid out her notebooks and textbook, and even wrote down something. But emotions overwhelmed her with her head, she wanted to burst into tears and run away wherever her eyes looked.Turning her head, Sammy found that she was sitting at her desk alone - Leah had not come to class. From this circumstance, she was completely dizzy, and she lowered her head, trying to breathe deeply. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw that Doyle was watching her, which scared the hell out of her.The lesson went on as usual - Mr. Becker was explaining a new topic, the students were talking in an undertone to each other, rustling notebook sheets, fidgeting in their places. But Sammy felt as if she had fallen out of this reality, and everything that surrounded her was a props. The real, creepy, is hidden behind all this tinsel.The phone vibrated and she winc
"Okay, to hell with him!" - decided the girl and went in the indicated direction. If Travis killed her, there would be evidence, a message, he should understand that. Giggling nervously at her own thoughts, Sammy tried to blend in with the other students - all she needed was for someone to notice her getting into that idiot's car.She saw the jeep right away, and her anxiety only increased - the rear windows were tinted almost tightly. That's why the back seat... No one will see her there.Once at the car door, Sammy paused. Looking to the side, she caught the eye of her classmate, Iris. She, apparently, was interested in why Samantha got into the car with Travis. Sammy suddenly changed her mind about hiding - let them know. For her safety.Taking a deep breath, she pressed the handle and opened the door. In the cabin, an indicator chirped melodiously, but she heard nothing more. Looking closer, Sammy saw Travis in the semi-darkness from the tinted windows, he was also sitting in the
Travis' words hung in the air. He finally turned to the girl sitting next to him and looked at her.“I am very afraid of losing myself,” he said. “I know that everything I said sounds like a complete psycho, but it really happened ... And I'm also afraid to do something at a time when ... When I'm not a person. And last night I got to know you. My consciousness returned to me. I don't know why, but you helped me come to my senses. And I want you to help me in the future. I have to learn to control what happens.- But how can I help you? Samantha spoke up. Her voice trembled against her will.- Just be there when things happen.Sammy stared fearfully at the boy next to her. Is he joking?"You're going to kill me," she choked out."I didn't kill you last night," Travis said quietly. There was something in his blue eyes that made Samantha's heart clench. I didn't mean to attack. For some reason I was drawn to you ... I can’t explain. You ran, I ran after. Then you fell, and I sat next to
123FORWARDPart 6-1.The next morning, Sammy woke up in the same all-consuming excitement that she had fallen asleep the day before, but, nevertheless, thoughts fit neatly in her head. What Doyle told her could not be accepted and understood with a half kick, but Samantha decided not to worry ahead of time and just watch what was happening.The first thing to do was decide what to say to him. Sammy really didn't want to get involved with Travis because she didn't trust him one iota. However, what happened in the night forest did not want to fit into the framework of the understandable and reasonable, and Sammy did not like understatement. She had to complete this story.Going to school, the girl found the strength to chat with her parents as if nothing had happened, and the usual things calmed her down and gave her confidence.However, when Samantha caught sight of her own ill-fated essay, her mood deteriorated rather badly. In the evening, the state of mind was not conducive to stud
When it was finally time for the big change, she was ready to kill Travis herself with her own hands. After wandering around the dining room building, Sammy did not meet him, and had already decided to send Doyle to hell when her phone rang.She did not save his number, but she found out, because he had written to her the day before.- Doyle, is that you? said Samantha coldly, answering the call.“I am,” came the answer, but somehow muffled. - Come to the parking lot, to my car.- And why not ... - began, it was, Sammy, but Doyle had already passed out. Cursing under her breath, she tossed her phone into her backpack and headed for the parking lot, determined to tell Doyle what she thought of him.From irritation, she did not immediately find his car, but there was no one near the jeep. Looks like Travis was waiting for her inside again. Sammy gritted her teeth and pressed the handle of the back door, pulling it towards her.Doyle was indeed sitting in the car - through a veil of ange
After class, Samantha broke down and went looking for Jasper. She found a friend in the company of a friend, Nate, and even rejoiced at this - if they were alone, Sammy would never be able to restrain herself and tell Jas the truth. The truth about what's bothering her. But Nate couldn't do that, so Jasper would still think of her as a normal person for a while.A friend slapped her on the palm and sat her down on the concrete railing next to her. Nate, as always, made a face at the sight of Sammy, but she was genuinely glad to see both of them.- How are you? Jasper asked. - You weren't seen today.- Yes, I ... Was busy at a big break, - Samantha said, dangling her legs."I understand," Jas said. “Heard you and Leah had a fight?” Can you tell me what happened?- Straight news of the day ... - Sammy muttered. – Yes, only… Not now. I don't want to talk about it yet."Of course," her friend nodded. - As you say. And I also heard that Travis Doyle has been fighting for the second day bec
For some time they just walked side by side in silence, each thinking about his own. Samantha did not quite understand what Travis was going to show her, because, as she understood, these terrible transformations happened to him only at night. She furtively glanced at the guy, still not completely believing that he really was a werewolf.Saying this word to herself, she shuddered. From childhood, Sammy was frightened by stories about werewolves, she herself did not understand why. And how did it happen that she had to face this in real life ...But maybe not everything is so scary? Maybe Travis is imagining everything, and his trembling and other incomprehensible, at first glance, things that Samantha observed can be quite explained from a logical point of view. With a stretch, of course.- What are you thinking about? Doyle interrupted her thoughts.Samantha gave him a quick glance.“About you,” she said. – More precisely, about what is happening to you.- And what did you think? Tra
Morning greeted the girl with excitement and a feeling of regret. Sammy spent an almost sleepless night, she imagined Travis, then the wolf, then Leah, and they all looked at her with reproach and condemnation. Even after the haze of the night had faded, Samantha still felt uneasy.Looks like she went too far with what she said to Doyle the day before. Samantha told herself that he asked for it, and his jokes also crossed all boundaries, but she was gnawed from the inside by the way he reacted to her words - as if she had hit on the most painful place. Apparently, that's how it was.Sammy didn't really know what to do with it. Go ask for an apology? Unthinkable! After what Doyle had said to her in the car, Samantha wouldn't even be able to approach him, let alone speak. Forget about everything and move on? Perhaps. But how to sleep at night, knowing what is happening to him? Sammy did not understand how she could help him, but then, in his car, she saw that Travis felt better in her p