Wolf

I was out of the room as soon as my eyes were open. The vibes I was getting were setting me on edge. After running to the car, I locked myself in and tried to calm my breathing. I turned the car on and before I went to pull out, a familiar face caught my eye. I locked eyes with crystal blue ones. She was leaning on the door, her arms crossed over her chest and a cigarette in between her lips. She took a drag off the cancer stick and waved me off. I nervously waved back before reversing and swerving out of the parking lot. Utah here I come. The drive went by quickly from the time I left the hotel and then soon I saw the Utah sign. I smiled when I realized I was only one state closer. Utah was very pretty, the dusty orange earth made sculptures. The road was straight for hours, the pavement cracked. My car was the only one I saw for miles. I pulled into the first gas station I had seen ye

"Wakie Wakie California!" A groan rippled off my lips as my eyes open. Her face lit up at me and her giggle filled the room. "What time is it?" My voice was deep due to the lack of use. "Four." She replies, my eyes shoot open. "Four?!" I jump up, hitting my head on the bunk bed. I grab my skull in pain while muttering curse words under my breath. "Yea, we've got work to do silly!" I glare up at her and stand, stretching and cracking my body. I run a hand through my tangled hair and then dragged it down my face. "Can I take a shower first?" I mumble, her bottom lip jutted out and she contained a laugh. "If you wanna take two in

7 o'clock seemed to be teasing me. It came very slowly. Waking up at four and doing all the chores, it felt too slow. Taunting almost. But after breakfast, it was time for me to hit the road if I wanted to make it on time. I jumped into my uniform and threw my hair into a ponytail. Just like the time this morning, the drive was dreadfully slow. But I wouldn't let the time kill my mood. I was excited. More than I had been in a while. I was working at a zoo! How cool is that? Finally, I pulled into the parking lot and walked into the office. I clocked in and found Kari."All right new girl, we're just starting breakfast," She handed me two buckets. "This one is Teddy's and that one that one is for Cuddles." What odd names. They must be red pandas or otters or something. But when she pushed me toward the tigers, I looked at her in confusion.

"You're what?!" I hid under my blanket, attempting to hide from the wrath of the curly-headed demon yelling at me. Good thing I waited till after breakfast to tell her I was going on a date with Lucas, or she'd wake up the whole house."I can't let you go alone with that guy!" She screeched and I suddenly had a light bulb moment. I threw the blanket off me and tackled her to the floor. First, she yelped in surprise but then started hitting me."Eliza! I have a brilliant idea!" She scoffed in disbelief."You? Brilliant idea? You're going on a date with a complete stranger." I pouted and she raised her brow."He's not a complete stranger," I mumbled. "Anyway, why don't we go on a double date?!" Her eyes went wide for

Monday and Tuesday passed too quickly. The only thing interesting was Jimpy-our most famous chimp- had a thankfully successful surgery. Wednesday I had off. My bones ached from working. Hauling pounds of meat and sweeping pens. I laid in bed after feeding and cleaning the animals at home. Eliza was sitting beside me on the floor. Her face was unreadable. Ever since Sunday, we hadn't talked about the wolf who jumped in front of our car. Honestly, I didn't want to have the conversation. It was stressing me out. Each day I went into work, Darby and his team would be parked along the road. They hadn't caught him. But the anxiety of not seeing them parked along the road one of these days was taking a toll on me. I wanted to be at work. Doing my routine so I didn't have time to think. I also wanted to nap. To lose myself with in the blankets. But Eliza wasn't having that. I could see it in her eyes when she looked up. An apology brewed in them.