Chapter 3

Freya

The moon is remarkable considering that it is constantly visible in the sky, no matter where you are. It's almost like it's keeping an eye on us.

Why are the things that are out of your reach the ones that are closest to you? Like the sun, moon, and stars, but the ones closest to us appear to be the furthest away.

I cried by the window the first night in my new house, just like I did at home. Looking up at the half-shiny moon in the sky.

I didn't hide my puffy, red eyes from wailing all night in the morning when I went downstairs. There was no need to because what had happened to me was too sudden.

As I walked into the kitchen, I was greeted by the overwhelming aroma of pancakes and chocolate syrup.

Zira touched a strand of my long, black hair as Grandma brushed my cheek, sensing my gloom.

Grandma brought my pancake and a steaming cup of peppermint tea to the dining room. I trailed her.

"There you go, Hun," she said as she set it in front of me as I sat.

"You'll be merry soon," she said as she walked back into the kitchen, as if she could see into the future.

My fork drew the moon on top of the pancake with the chocolate syrup. A moon made of chocolate. I've grown so attached to the moon from staring at it every night while crying that it's sometimes all I can think about.

"Grandma, I'm going outside for some fresh air!" I yelled, feeling the need to.

"All right, Hun, don't go off into the woods; there are wild and dangerous wolves out there!" She responded from the kitchen. I could soon hear her and my grandmother conversing.

My bed slipper was quite comfortable and silky. My feet felt like they were enveloped in the softest cotton. I wore them outside, refusing to exchange them for an outside slipper.

I inhaled deeply and exhaled, already enjoying the fresh air. My body relaxed as I stood on the porch, enjoying the pleasant wind.

It felt nice to see so much green. A wide field that seemed unending, with lowly cut grass and gorgeous flowers at the side of the house. That was the garden. My grandmother's home was the only one in the area. I reached into my pocket and strode to the back of the house. The back was the entrance to the densely forested woodland. There was very little light in the small area of the tree that allowed you to see that there was a path between them. I stood back from it, near the back of the dark blue house, peering into the forest. I felt the desire to sit, so I sat down on a large stone closer to it. My body curled into a ball, and both of my feet rested on the enormous stone's side.

My gaze is drawn to the woodland by a snapping sound. When I saw that it was a wolf, I bolted from the rock. A shaggy wolf with a light gray and black coat. His yellow and black eyes gazed into mine, asking, Who are you? Why am I seeing you here for the first time? My gaze matched that of awe at seeing my first actual wolf.

"Freya," Grandma called, prompting me to turn away from him.

"I'm coming," I responded.

When I turned to look back at the wolf, he was gone.