Chapter 1 - WOLF ME

“No! Don’t come near me!” I screeched. “You see this piece of wood? You’ll be dead the moment this connects with your head, you filthy wolf!” I hissed, using the most threatening voice I could use to scare this wild behemoth of a wolf before me as I brandished the wood on its face, but it only made a snorting sound as if it wasn’t at all frightened.

The beast took another step and another, making me step back, mirroring its action, but something hard kissed my back. There was no escape—the trunk of the tree trapped me from sprinting away.

The whole self-contained district was a dreamlike place for everyone. It was beautiful. Silent. Intimate. The people were welcoming and beyond hospitable. Ciara, my best friend, recommended me the place to breathe, to relax— the sweetest escape I could ever have—she said. And I thought, why not? I had been working like I had six families to feed. It was about time I looked after myself and had the time of my life.

Situated on a small island, Farraey Los Bana is a beautiful island far from Houston’s polluted and noisy crowd—with a beautiful unspoiled sea, white sand covering the shore, and pristine water that reflects the face of the sky. It’s entirely beyond what I had expected when Ciara said it was an Island. I thought that it was just someplace you could tread water, sleep in the cottage and do more than that. However, arriving in the place—via a small boat which people use to transport people in and out of the island—and getting to see the whole lot of it, I was in love. And there is this thick forest as beautiful as its surrounding sea—healthy green, big, and exceedingly valuable; it looks uninhabited, but people have assured me the forest is unreservedly safe.

Exactly three days ago when I arrived here, all I saw was the beauty of the island and its people who would often smile at me whenever I crossed paths with them. It was even a bit outlandish when they seemed to bow their heads before me. I immediately told them not to do it because I thought it was just too polite. However, they simply smiled and said they needed to. Needed to? That truthfully surprised me for a moment there. When I reciprocated their greeting with a bow, they looked abashed and hurriedly cut me off. I lately set it aside thinking that was plainly how they carried themselves—or maybe it was their thing.

When beauty called me to take an energetic walk on footpaths or the trails leading to the top where the perfect view of the ocean awaited, I had then made myself ready in my black leggings, white sneakers, and loose white shirt. It was almost sunset. I was so enjoying myself that I lost track of time; it was getting dark, and I hadn’t reached the top yet. I wasn’t very bothered though because I carried a battery-operated portable light, but when I saw those glowing fiery red eyes and heard it growl, my hand, at breakneck speed, flung the portable light on its face and shoot! I ran like mad screaming or I thought I was screaming because I knew very well that when I got scared, no voice would come out, only my mouth opened wide like hyenas in bated breaths.

My lungs exhausted too much air, which immediately dried my throat down. None had ever prepared me for this—that with such beauty, there was hidden a massive, terrifying animal in—what they had stated was an unreservedly safe!

If I had known this could happen, I wouldn’t have gone out for a walk. I should have stayed at home, in my cozy bed.

The animal growled; its snout was so close to my face, which pulled me back to the situation I was currently in. I felt like crying. I could kill Ciara for this, but how could I kill her when tonight would be my last night before I went to meet my maker.

“Do you wanna die? Do you think you scared me? I am not! I’m a human and I’m smarter than you, you son of animal, stop growling!” I screamed vehemently as I made an attempt to hit it with the stick I had in my hand. It didn’t seem to yield.

Shaking like a leaf, I felt my knees giving up. Cold sweat all over me. When did it become so dark? My eyes made a quick examination around me. However, it was all endless darkness. Lord, please, save me! I whimpered in fear when the wolf sniffed my chest and down my abdomen. Was it contemplating where it was gonna bite first? This wolf could be potentially rabid; I might die of rabies before completely being eaten—God! Help me!

My untamed heart was in rapid beats, creating music at pounding speed. Shaky breaths caught up in my throat when the wolf nosed at my lower region and made an almost purring sound. I nearly fainted. Would it be ridiculous to say this wolf was a pervert! Or could it be that it just wanted to split me in two right there, so it could munch me down so easily? No!

“Fúcking stay away from me!” My screams turned to a long, violent squeal when the wolf’s head moved; its mouth opened as its tongue slipped out, making my body incline deep against the trunk as my hands and legs brutally attempted to inflict injuries on the wolf. Fighting.

It made an angry growl, causing me to stop screaming, and when its mouth curled up and its incisors bared with a snarl, my whole body shook as I gasped for shaky breaths, until I felt my spirit leaving me, my head felt dizzy.

I’m gonna die.