The Call of the Woods

Luna Rivers narrowed her glare at the heavens, observing as dark clouds obscured the last semblance of the dying sun. The light faded quickly, throwing long veins of exploring shadows through the dense forest that flanked her new home. In her current surroundings, she had yet to see another living soul, which felt remarkably jarring, though also oddly… right. 

The old cabin sat at the end of a forgotten road and was entombed somewhere deep in the mountains; it was some… five miles from the nearest town. The cabin was bequeathed to her by her parents; even as they were alive they had not once brought the property to her attention. Luna only discovered the deed after their untimely passing and it was buried in the drawers of her mother’s desk as though it was a family secret taken to the grave.

And here I am, in front of the cabin with my suitcase at my feet, both apprehensive and hopeful. Luna's life had gone through a rough patch of unfortunate events. She had lost her parents in a freak accident, lost her job, and what seemed appropriate, lost the last semblance of a normal life.

This cabin was crumbling and overgrown, but was her last remnant connecting her and the past—one she found to be exquisitely mysterious. 

“Well,” she said to herself, “guess I will find out what’s inside.” 

In opening the cabin door with a slow creak of wood, she breathed in through her nose, the distinctly smell of slightly rotten wood, dust and pine filling her senses. Inside the home was old furniture, but looked carefully preserved—frozen in time to indulge in memory-laden nostalgia. A very heavy stone fireplace sat on one wall, kind of intimidating. Shelves lay strewn with antique books and curiosities she did not recall from childhood; many items she simply did not recognize at all. 

Luna set her baggage down and ran her fingers along the edge of the mantelpiece. In the center sat a photo of her parents—far younger, far happier—framed. Picking it up, she traced her thumb along the edge of her mother’s bright smile. What were they hiding from her? Why had they never shared this idea with her before? 

A cool breeze swept in through the door, and she shivered. Nightfall was rapid now, and with nightfall came the emotion of fear. The forest beyond the cabin, once so calm, now felt startlingly alive, and she sensed ocular surveillance dwelling in the shadows. 

Luna shook this sense off and shut the door. It was probably just her imagination—the classic narrative feel! After all, she was up here all alone... completely alone. 

Or so she thought.

*****

Later that evening, Luna cupped up tightly on the old sofa, with a thick, warm blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She had spent the last several hours exploring the cabin, concluding it had nothing odd about it—except those strange symbols carved into the wooden forms of the ceiling beams. They were intricate—they looked almost like mystical runes—but they really had no meaning for her. 

Her eyes wandered to the window—the full moon was glowing now, casting its silver light on the trees. The trees glistened from this casting glow, and suddenly, she had a strange and uncontainable order—the compulsion to go outside now gripped her. 

No, she shook her head and the urge departed. She was exhausted as been a long day up here north, fresh air, and all—let’s go with that! She let her attention return to the fire she had started in the fireplace. The flames swayed and danced around—sparks lifted up and swirled about in the chimney. She felt comforted, aside from the looming uncertainty still pulling her mind.  

She attempted to calm herself, assuring that she was merely suffering from nerves. She had, after all, never lived alone, let alone lived alone in the woods. It was normal enough to feel anxious. Even as she closed her eyes, the strange feeling did not ease.

Then, a howl pierced the stagnant air.

Luna sat straight up, her heart racing. The sound was distant but recognizable—it was a wolf howling somewhere in the depths of the forest. Luna had heard wolves before, but this was, somehow, different. Closer, and with more force. The howl reverberated in her bones, delivering a shiver down her spine.

Then another howl called, joined by another. Soon, their cries filled the night air as though an entire pack had gathered on her doorstep.

Luna stood, her breath accelerating, moving to the window. The moon illuminated the clearing in front of the cabin, but the nearby forest lay steeped in darkness. Bruising her squinty eyes, she observed the movement in the trees. And then she saw them.

Near the treeline, at the edge of darkness, and right in the shadows, stood a cluster of shapes. Their eyes glowed, catching the moonlight, as the dark creatures gathered in the shadows hypostatically like eerily wild beasts. They looked like wolves—Luna thought at first,—but then a new sense of horror put the fear in her belly and jolted her to the cold reality that they were not wolves. They were men. At least partially men.

Her pulse beat loudly in her ears as she laid eyes on them. They were too distant to depict exhaustively, but they were unmistakably human, albeit broad-shouldered, tall, and a strange predatory weightlessness. Their eyes glowed in the night while they observed her. 

Luna moved away from the window, breathless, with quick and panicked breaths. She did not know what she had seen, but every instinct told her to run, to hide. But between she could move, he heard a loud knock at the door. She froze. 

The knock came again, hard. Whoever - or whatever - was out there wanted to come in. 

“No.” She whispered, backing further into the cabin. Her mind raced. What did she do? Could she get out of the back door unseen? Was there anyone around to help her. 

Another knock, a voice came over knock, deep and rough, undeniably human. “We know you're in there,” said the voice. 

Luna's blood ran cold, she was was not opening that door. 

“Please” she responded softer, almost euphoric “We won't hurt you.” 

Luna moved back again, the pounding of her heart still not stop. The only thing the inside of cabin, creaked up through the chimney, when outside the howls had stopped, and it was quiet now. 

“Luna.” 

Her breath stopped. The voice said her name. 

“What do you know my name.” She was told first but next, she shivered or nothing at all. 

“Because we've been waiting for you.” The voice was much softer, almost maternal. 

That feeling no desire to breathe, but knowing all of the time was to return until another unidentified voice called out her name. 

“Luna.” 

The awkward moment of the stranger going unheard, during the long silence,  when she resumed breathing, everything slammed together. But before she could glance toward the completing last part of the cabin for the back of the cabin doors, slip out unseen definitely would. 

“We can help you.” The voice beyond the door was full of sorrow “But you have to trust us.” 

Trust them? Luna shook her head. She didn’t even know what they were, let alone if they could be trusted.

The voice came again. This time it sounded more urgent. “You don’t understand. You’re in danger. If you don’t come with us, they’ll find you.”

“Who?” Luna barely whispered.

Silence. Then, just one word, sent a new wave of fear through her:  “Ronan.”