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HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 9
Minnow had seen the man stepping out on the road in the rearview mirror, watching her disappear. There was something about that man making him hard to forget. It was the day of the dreaded birthday party. Minnow's room had been transformed into a beauty parlour as multiple people pampered her for the big day. The large bay windows flooded the room with natural light as the afternoon sun travelled westward across the sky. Soft tunes were playing on the stereo, mixing pleasantly with the murmur of low voices from the stylists moving around in the space. Minnow sat quietly on a chair in front of a sizeable lit-up make-up mirror. Her face was etched in a deep frown from all the fuss. None of this was her idea. It was all her mothers doing in her strive for perfection. Minnow had to be shown looking fabulous tonight in front of the more important townspeople. Her mother had been bossing everyone around since the crack of dawn. She had a hand in every detail, leaving no stone untur
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 10
Minnow paced the bedroom floor. An incoherent chatter was heard from the bottom stairs as the guests were greeted and shown into the elegant ballroom.Minnow had been given strict orders from her mother not to come down until she sent for her. She was expected to make a grand entrance when all the guests were gathered. There was a soft knock on the door, and Minnow froze in fear. "Already, surely all of the guests haven't arrived yet?" She mumbled to herself before calling out in a trembling voice. "Come in!"The door creaked, and Minnow held her breath. Her shoulders slumped when Saylor's familiar face peeked in through the door."Oh, thank God. Quick, come in before my mother sees you." Minnow waved Saylor into the room, hurried over and gave him a warm embrace. "Wow. Minnow, you look stunning." Saylor praised and twirled her around in a slow pirouette."I know, right." Minnow winked with a big childish grin. "I bet you are surprised I could scrub up like this." she laughed ha
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 11
As the night continued, Aiko mingled the crowd with elegance and ease. She held the influential businessmen's lingering stare with newfound confidence and calm.Aiko knew the men in the room desired her, and she moved her curvy body sensually and gracefully to tease and provoke.Minnow couldn't control anything happening to her; in what felt like an out-of-body experience. Nevertheless, they remained co-conscious in a state where one person was out, but the other was aware of what was transpiring.Minnow was mortified over the way her alter acted around these big shots.Her grandfather watched her from the centre of the room, surrounded by a group of flatterers. His usual disapproving frown was there, but there was a shift in his glare as curiosity flashed in his milky eyes. "You seem so different. I thought you hated these kinds of events?" Saylor questioned as they danced to the upbeat tunes.He glanced at her suspiciously, and she pouted her full lips and peeked at him from under
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 12
Minnow shifted her weight from one foot to the other as the guests sang the celebration song at a deafening volume.The unpleasant feeling of being stared at intensified as more people entered her field of vision. She was surrounded from every angle on a razor's edge of panic. Minnow glanced furtively over the shoulder with an urge to run, but where to? Aiko's thoughts and her very different personality exploded through Minnow's mind. She was feeding on Minnow's fears and anxieties, using them to become stronger.Aiko pried among Minnow's memories, ridiculing her for being a weak pacifist. They were nothing alike.Their voices conflicted among themselves—within Minnow's head."Regretting sending me away?" Aiko's voice echoed smugly."Never. I am handling it, ok, so leave." Minnow took one long, slow, deep breath as she endeavoured to convince herself that her fast reply was true. "Look at you all sweaty and stressed. You are pathetic." Aiko snickered."Leave. I don't need you", Min
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 13
Minnow's head pounded with tension as she slowly returned to consciousness. Her mouth was still gagged with duct tape, and the musky-smelling sack remained over her face.Goosebumps burning like coal covered every inch of her shivering body in the cold night air. Two unknown people dragged her down a quiet, isolated trail. Her bare feet slid across what felt like rotting leaves and squelchy mud.Nausea stirred in her gut, and panic rose instinctively in her chest from being unable to vomit with her mouth covered.They stopped, and the forest sounds could be heard through the sack's coarsely woven fabric. A wise owl hooted in the distance, and a fox's agonizing cries echoed amongst the towering tree giants swaying in the breeze.A gust of icy wind travelled up from underneath. Minnow gasped at the paralyzing fear of being hung over a cliff edge.She could feel the coldness of the rock beneath her feet as her toes curled around the edge in one last futile attempt at survival—Minnow's h
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 14
The grass was crispy under Aiko's feet, growing freely on the clumpy, mossy mattress floor. A flurry of wind carried a fragrance with it. It was soul-refreshing to smell the mulchy mix of the forest's perfume.Aiko knew the best thing to do when lost in the woods was to try to retrace your steps. It was obviously harder to do when you had been brought to a place blindfolded.So she searched the surrounded area for footsteps. She found large prints near the crater in the ground and glanced in the direction they pointed; she now knew to walk the other way.The hells pit looked like a natural sinkhole with circular earth and stone blended edge. The first blush of light had chased the shadows and banished the gloom, and Aiko could finally see the bottom of the hole.She estimated it was about a 10-meter drop to the smashed cardboard boxes on top of the foam mattresses.The isolated, unpleasant hollow contained nothing but natural debris that had fallen down over time.The ropes twisted fi
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 15
The truck ride down the mountain was uneventful. The man who introduced himself as Elias was chatty and vibrant. Aiko wasn't really in the mood to talk but answered Elias's question appeasingly. The rhythmic rocking of the truck made her eyes heavy, and she swung her restless gaze over the stunning nature flowing past the windows. On one side of the road, the knobbly face of the mountain was grizzled and sacristy silent. On the other side, a magnificent panorama view peeked through a harmonic blend of towering emerald pine trees and the ember-red leaves of autumn. "So, are you from the mountain?" She suddenly heard herself ask in a desperate attempt to stay awake."No, I live closer to White Creek. That's where I have my farm." Elias clarified."You are a long way from home," she mumbled and rubbed her narrowing eyes.Sleep seemed hellbent on claiming her right this instant."Yes, but it's worth the trip. I sell most of my produce to The Moonfall town. They are great people," Elias
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 16
A steady rhythmical whirring seeped into her ears, and Minnow blinked as her eyes adjusted.An expansive room with a high ceiling and smooth concrete walls stretched out in front of her.She first thought, have I just stepped into a military base? There were desktops alongside the slate grey walls with multiple laptops and computers, the hard-disk access light flickered in the dim glow, and the drives made a high-pitched whining noise as they received continuous data.Above the desks hung large screens displaying what looked like surveillance footage from numerous foreign locations. On the opposite wall were countless glass cabinets with a vast arsenal of weapons.Under a warm light was an old wooden bookshelf adorned with ancient inky treasures lined by size. The wood on the bookshelf looked like it was once a part of a mighty ship that had washed up on a beach one day. But, now finally sat in its forever harbour, in this room. A sturdy steel table stood in the middle, with docume
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HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 16
A steady rhythmical whirring seeped into her ears, and Minnow blinked as her eyes adjusted.An expansive room with a high ceiling and smooth concrete walls stretched out in front of her.She first thought, have I just stepped into a military base? There were desktops alongside the slate grey walls with multiple laptops and computers, the hard-disk access light flickered in the dim glow, and the drives made a high-pitched whining noise as they received continuous data.Above the desks hung large screens displaying what looked like surveillance footage from numerous foreign locations. On the opposite wall were countless glass cabinets with a vast arsenal of weapons.Under a warm light was an old wooden bookshelf adorned with ancient inky treasures lined by size. The wood on the bookshelf looked like it was once a part of a mighty ship that had washed up on a beach one day. But, now finally sat in its forever harbour, in this room. A sturdy steel table stood in the middle, with docume
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 15
The truck ride down the mountain was uneventful. The man who introduced himself as Elias was chatty and vibrant. Aiko wasn't really in the mood to talk but answered Elias's question appeasingly. The rhythmic rocking of the truck made her eyes heavy, and she swung her restless gaze over the stunning nature flowing past the windows. On one side of the road, the knobbly face of the mountain was grizzled and sacristy silent. On the other side, a magnificent panorama view peeked through a harmonic blend of towering emerald pine trees and the ember-red leaves of autumn. "So, are you from the mountain?" She suddenly heard herself ask in a desperate attempt to stay awake."No, I live closer to White Creek. That's where I have my farm." Elias clarified."You are a long way from home," she mumbled and rubbed her narrowing eyes.Sleep seemed hellbent on claiming her right this instant."Yes, but it's worth the trip. I sell most of my produce to The Moonfall town. They are great people," Elias
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 14
The grass was crispy under Aiko's feet, growing freely on the clumpy, mossy mattress floor. A flurry of wind carried a fragrance with it. It was soul-refreshing to smell the mulchy mix of the forest's perfume.Aiko knew the best thing to do when lost in the woods was to try to retrace your steps. It was obviously harder to do when you had been brought to a place blindfolded.So she searched the surrounded area for footsteps. She found large prints near the crater in the ground and glanced in the direction they pointed; she now knew to walk the other way.The hells pit looked like a natural sinkhole with circular earth and stone blended edge. The first blush of light had chased the shadows and banished the gloom, and Aiko could finally see the bottom of the hole.She estimated it was about a 10-meter drop to the smashed cardboard boxes on top of the foam mattresses.The isolated, unpleasant hollow contained nothing but natural debris that had fallen down over time.The ropes twisted fi
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 13
Minnow's head pounded with tension as she slowly returned to consciousness. Her mouth was still gagged with duct tape, and the musky-smelling sack remained over her face.Goosebumps burning like coal covered every inch of her shivering body in the cold night air. Two unknown people dragged her down a quiet, isolated trail. Her bare feet slid across what felt like rotting leaves and squelchy mud.Nausea stirred in her gut, and panic rose instinctively in her chest from being unable to vomit with her mouth covered.They stopped, and the forest sounds could be heard through the sack's coarsely woven fabric. A wise owl hooted in the distance, and a fox's agonizing cries echoed amongst the towering tree giants swaying in the breeze.A gust of icy wind travelled up from underneath. Minnow gasped at the paralyzing fear of being hung over a cliff edge.She could feel the coldness of the rock beneath her feet as her toes curled around the edge in one last futile attempt at survival—Minnow's h
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 12
Minnow shifted her weight from one foot to the other as the guests sang the celebration song at a deafening volume.The unpleasant feeling of being stared at intensified as more people entered her field of vision. She was surrounded from every angle on a razor's edge of panic. Minnow glanced furtively over the shoulder with an urge to run, but where to? Aiko's thoughts and her very different personality exploded through Minnow's mind. She was feeding on Minnow's fears and anxieties, using them to become stronger.Aiko pried among Minnow's memories, ridiculing her for being a weak pacifist. They were nothing alike.Their voices conflicted among themselves—within Minnow's head."Regretting sending me away?" Aiko's voice echoed smugly."Never. I am handling it, ok, so leave." Minnow took one long, slow, deep breath as she endeavoured to convince herself that her fast reply was true. "Look at you all sweaty and stressed. You are pathetic." Aiko snickered."Leave. I don't need you", Min
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 11
As the night continued, Aiko mingled the crowd with elegance and ease. She held the influential businessmen's lingering stare with newfound confidence and calm.Aiko knew the men in the room desired her, and she moved her curvy body sensually and gracefully to tease and provoke.Minnow couldn't control anything happening to her; in what felt like an out-of-body experience. Nevertheless, they remained co-conscious in a state where one person was out, but the other was aware of what was transpiring.Minnow was mortified over the way her alter acted around these big shots.Her grandfather watched her from the centre of the room, surrounded by a group of flatterers. His usual disapproving frown was there, but there was a shift in his glare as curiosity flashed in his milky eyes. "You seem so different. I thought you hated these kinds of events?" Saylor questioned as they danced to the upbeat tunes.He glanced at her suspiciously, and she pouted her full lips and peeked at him from under
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 10
Minnow paced the bedroom floor. An incoherent chatter was heard from the bottom stairs as the guests were greeted and shown into the elegant ballroom.Minnow had been given strict orders from her mother not to come down until she sent for her. She was expected to make a grand entrance when all the guests were gathered. There was a soft knock on the door, and Minnow froze in fear. "Already, surely all of the guests haven't arrived yet?" She mumbled to herself before calling out in a trembling voice. "Come in!"The door creaked, and Minnow held her breath. Her shoulders slumped when Saylor's familiar face peeked in through the door."Oh, thank God. Quick, come in before my mother sees you." Minnow waved Saylor into the room, hurried over and gave him a warm embrace. "Wow. Minnow, you look stunning." Saylor praised and twirled her around in a slow pirouette."I know, right." Minnow winked with a big childish grin. "I bet you are surprised I could scrub up like this." she laughed ha
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 9
Minnow had seen the man stepping out on the road in the rearview mirror, watching her disappear. There was something about that man making him hard to forget. It was the day of the dreaded birthday party. Minnow's room had been transformed into a beauty parlour as multiple people pampered her for the big day. The large bay windows flooded the room with natural light as the afternoon sun travelled westward across the sky. Soft tunes were playing on the stereo, mixing pleasantly with the murmur of low voices from the stylists moving around in the space. Minnow sat quietly on a chair in front of a sizeable lit-up make-up mirror. Her face was etched in a deep frown from all the fuss. None of this was her idea. It was all her mothers doing in her strive for perfection. Minnow had to be shown looking fabulous tonight in front of the more important townspeople. Her mother had been bossing everyone around since the crack of dawn. She had a hand in every detail, leaving no stone untur
HOUR OF THE WOLF Chapter 8
Minnow couldn't sleep that night. She was too wired to relax and tossed and turned the night's first half. The clock had entered the hour of the wolf when she finally fell into a slumber, the time when the deepest fears haunted her. The sleepless spell when ghosts and demons are most powerful. Minnow was transported back to that dreadful night everything changed. It was dark, cold and damp in the playground. Minnow desperately moved her shivering body crawling over the wet grass. Dead rotting leaves rose and squeezed out between her fingers as she dragged herself forward on the nature floor. The blood rushed loudly through her ears and blended with her laboured, shallow breaths. Heavy footsteps followed behind, and the clacking sound of the metal as a belt buckle was undone. "No, no, this is not happening." Her brain screamed, drowning out all rational thoughts about fight or flight, freezing her in tonic immobility. A pair of warm hands gripped her bare legs and flipped her for
