Chapter 2

Chapter two

Farah POV

It’s true what they say; your life does flash before your eyes when in the face of death. The fall felt like a lifetime.  I’m only 17 but I relived my entire life in the seconds I was falling. 

My childhood friends came to mind; I was playing tag with kids from the pack while Jake watched over us. I saw my parent’s countless hugs, when I used to ride on my dad’s wolf as a child, my brother dunking my head when we used to swim in the lake, birthday after birthday, years of training, highschool, when I had friends. I had a good life and a loving family. But they were gone now. I accepted that it was over.

Pain erupted in my entire body and i let out a piercing scream when I crashed into the tree tops, breaking branch after branch as I fell through the trees. Branches stabbing and piercing my body. Then I felt the air leave my lungs as I was slammed into the icy water below. 

The pain and cold made me want to take in a deep breath, but I was completely submerged. The rapids rolled me around and thrashed my body violently. I needed to swim up for air but had no clue which way was up. The current pulled me along while I tried to fight to the top of the water. My shins slammed against rocks and fallen branches. But the sharp pain in my side is what made me try and scream out again, only to be muffled by the water. I tried to fight the rapids while still bracing the pain with one hand. The water around me was a soft shade of pink from my own blood. 

I was desperate for air, trying to swim with all that I had left in me. When I felt my face break through the water and the heat of the sun on my face, I gasped for air while coughing out the water that tried to enter my lungs. My hair clung to my face trying to block my breaths, and the metallic taste of blood was in my mouth. 

I could barely stay afloat with one hand. Reaching down again, I could feel the cause of the intense pain, and pulled a large spike of drift wood from my side. My body was done. I could feel it shutting down. There was just nothing left in me. My arms were useless, and kicking to stay afloat only hurt my side more. All I could feel was pain and burning throughout my entire body.   

My wolf sensed the stress on my body, taking over and shifting quickly while keeping us afloat. I would heal faster in wolf form. Our gorgeous brilliant white coat was always amazing to see even though I could shift for about a year now.  We began paddling, keeping us above the water and letting the current take us forward. For the first time today, I thought we might just make it, so I let her fully take over and went to the back of my mind to rest. 

When I finally came to, I realized we were now running. My wolf got us out of the water and back on land. Our white fur was dry now but still bloody, and covered in mud and leaves as our paws sunk into the wet ground. 

The sun was going down now and the air was much more crisp. It felt nice against our fur and the many cuts and lacerations that covered us. We must have been fleeing for at least six hours now if the sun was almost gone, but I still didn’t want to stop. I continued in wolf form for a little longer; she was so fast. I always loved when she took over and darted around the forest on pack runs. But now I still had to remain on alert. I had no clue where we were and if we had entered another pack’s territory yet. 

I caught myself enjoying the cool breeze that tickled our fur, giggling, I realized I finally felt safe or at least safe from what we were running from. A small weight was lifted from my shoulders. But, I still didn’t know what our next move would be. 

I shifted back when we found our way to a road. My clothes were shredded and gone from shifting earlier so I limped amongst the trees next to the road trying to stay out of sight. Each tree acted as a crutch to help me stay upright.

It was completely dark out now other than the faint moonlight breaking through the tree tops. Luckily, being part wolf helped me see at night. The once crisp air was now just cold. I needed to find cover for the night. My body was aching, my lungs hurt. I hadn’t eaten today or had anything to drink, and it was starting to affect me. I was feeling dizzy and lethargic from blood loss and hunger. I was just walking at this point, keeping pressure on my side with one hand, and using the trees for balance. My legs couldn’t take much more and my feet ached. 

The road began to open up ahead and the ground under my feet turned to gravel. I could feel the stones cutting into the balls of feet.  But what I saw up ahead was my saving grace.

 A house. 

It was huge.  A three story gray stone and wood house with a large wooden porch. The first floor lights were on; the golden glow acting like a beacon in the darkness. My head was spinning and my body was screaming in pain. I was going to have to take my chances here. Anything was better than where I came from, I tried to reassure myself.

My body could barely make it up the five steps. I fell after just two stairs, slamming my shins on the wood, and then crawled my way up the rest. I couldn't even scream in pain. My body had had enough and collapsed just at the large maple door. 

Dear goddess Selene, someone find me. 

I had to alert someone I was here. I needed help. I rolled to my back and I used all that I could to lift my right arm and knock once on the door before my arm fell, hitting myself in the chest. 

Please someone hear me.

I tried to yell for help but my dry throat wouldn’t let anything come out. I fought to lift my arm once more, throwing it against the door just as my vision started to go dark and I gave in, letting the darkness take over.