My Guardian

I had never thought about death before. The only thing I believed was that I would die old with the person I love. But apparently, it was happening right in front of me. 

Today was a full moon. The bright moonlight made me able to see what I was looking at. The huge wolf growled with hatred as if it had me. Behind him appeared three more wolves.

Despair, fear, and terror invaded me. I'd die, it's obvious and I'd be torn apart by four wolfs. There was no worse way to die than this.

"Please don't ..." My breath hitched and I felt like I was losing control of myself. The lead wolf approached with a determined step until it was in front of me. Its eyes are black, very black and I would swear I had seen them before. But where?

The three wolves behind were also approaching, growling. Maybe I should look for something to defend myself, a branch, something ... I couldn't make this so easy for them.

The wolfs walked, surrounding me. I looked down and started to search. There was a branch beside my feet. I slowly squatted down and grabbed it in my hand.

The lead wolf positioned itself in front of me again. I stood up and stepped a little away from it, and that infuriated it more and it growled louder.

Force this, Caro, you can do it! You just have to stake it and run!

I listened to my mind as the wolf approached. I thrust the branch into the wolf's shoulder and ran away. I could hear how it wailed angrily and sure the howl would call more wolves around.

I ran and ran and ran. I didn't know where I was. My feet were hurt and I was getting tired. After a while, I didn't hear anyone following me so I stopped to take a breath. Now it's just silence, just my breath-depleted ration.

"Help ..." I stammered, knowing no one would listen. Suddenly, the sound of bushes moving made me alert. I turned to find one wolf with grey fur standing in front of me. It ran to me but when it made the jump, another and much larger black wolf burst it away. The grey wolf cried out in pain and stood up, looking at the black wolf with hatred and fear.

The black wolf positioned itself in front of me like a shield, snarling at the grey wolf. It hissed horribly like it was threatening. Not long after the grey wolf gave me one last look and left. 

Okay, one less, now I just had to find a way to get away from this one.

The black wolf turned to look at me. For somehow I felt this one was less dangerous than other wolves. There was no hostility in his eyes. But I still felt uncomfortable staying with a wolf. 

"Please ..." I begged, hoping I had at least a chance of surviving. 

The wolf came up to my face. I closed my eyes in fear. But the pain never came as I imagined. 

I felt a slime and damp subject running through my face, a little bit itchy but it wiped away my tears.

The wolf was licking me.

Was it savoring me? I didn't know.

I opened my eyes and looked at its eyes... They were as black as obsidian, but they didn't scare me as the other wolf did. No, this one gave me a feeling of being protected.

"Let me go!" I whispered. My heart was beating fast, my breath was ragged and my tears were still threatening to come out.

The black wolf quietly looked at me for a moment and before turning around it shook its head making a gesture as if it wanted me to follow it.

I didn't want to go with it. I did not know if it would take me to its favorite place to kill or let its wolf friends share me or...

The wolf growled again and made the same gesture with its head.

"Okay ..." I murmured, walking cautiously towards the wolf and positioning myself next to it.

It was weird. I should have been afraid. At any moment the wolf could jump up and tackle me and tear me apart. But for some reason, it didn't, and I feel... Peace. I feel calm being with this wolf.

It may be my guardian.

We walked for several kilometers until we got to the edge of the forest where the lake is. I knew I could find my home by going along the lake shore. But I don't want the wolf to find out where I live.

"It's time to say bye. Please don't follow me anymore." I turned and said to the wolf. For somehow I feel it could understand what I'm saying. To my surprise, I saw the huge wolf looking at me with ... sadness? Soon it turned around and walked into the forest.

"Thank you ..." I whispered, thinking it couldn't listen. But soon I heard it howl like it was responding to my words.

This howl touched my heart. I stood there, looking where it went away. Then I remembered that there were wolves wanting to kill me so I quickly left. 

I went back to the house, locking the door. I closed all the windows and made sure the back door was also locked. I went up to my room and stayed there, sitting on my bed, waiting for mom.

***

I heard an annoying noise. I stirred in my bed and crushed my face with the pillow to avoid hearing it, but it kept playing. The damn noise was coming from my alarm. I slowly opened my eyes and the sunlight invaded me. It is morning already? 

I wrinkled my face remembering that it was Friday and I had to go to school. I walked to the bathroom, took off my clothes, and let the water run through my body, but I gasped at the feeling of being super cold.

"It's freezing ..." I murmured. The hot water pipe must be damaged. I grabbed the soap and rubbed it over my body and then shampooed my hair. I gave gentle massages and then rinsed the bubbles off. I covered my body with a towel and left the bathroom.

I looked in my closet for something comfortable to wear. I chose jeans, a short shirt that revealed my belly button, and cotton boots that reached almost to my knees. I grabbed my coat that fell below my thighs and put it on. I brushed my hair down, outlined my eyes, and lastly I put on lip gloss.

I was ready.

I took my backpack and then went down the stairs.

"Carolina, are you ready?" Mom approaches, sleepy. I sit in the chair and prop my elbows on the table.

"No, but it's how I always get up," I replied sarcastically. Mom rolled her eyes and I laughed. She always doesn't like my sarcastic way.

"You are not going to work?" I asked, noticing that she was still in her nightgown.

"Yes, but I will go in the afternoon. Yesterday I came late at night so they gave me this morning."

I nodded. Mom gave me my cup of coffee along with my toast. She sat down next to me and began to feast. I took a sip of coffee.

"By the way, I met one of the neighbors yesterday." She said, looking at me. I almost choked on the coffee.

"Neighbour? Who?" I just hope it's not Kayler.

"Kayler, I think his name is." Mom answered. "A really good young man."

I raised an eyebrow at that last thing she said. Only I knew that he was arrogant.

"Kayler...Ok.."I whispered.

Mom gave me a questioning look.

"Do you know Kayler?" She asked. 

"Kind of. He is in my school." I didn't need to know him very well to realize what kind of person he was. I didn't like that he was my neighbor.

"Last night he helped me with the car. If it hadn't been for him I would have walked home. The car broke in the middle of the road, but luckily Kayler was passing by and he revived it." When mentioning him mom smiled, and I frowned.

Is that Kayler? What was he doing at midnight on those rural roads? That boy is weird.

"Well... How lucky, huh?" I lied. But I just didn't want mom to talk more about Kayler. 

"Yeah, what's more, he offered to drive you to school today."

I spit out the coffee I'd just sipped, and the coffee fell onto Mom's face. I opened my mouth, astonished. "What...?" 

Mom glared at me. "Carolina!" She chided. "Look what you did." Mom picked up a cloth and wiped her face.

"Oh Sorry, but tell me you didn't accept..." I asked, referring to Kayler's offer.

Mom paused and thought for a moment.

"Well, I said yes." She muttered, " And look, he is coming."

Mom looked out the window. And then I heard a blaring horn.

Beep——

I looked out the window and saw a huge luxurious van stop in front of the house.

Kayler is here.

Today won't be pretty either.