Wolf's Creek (Book 1 of the Wolf's Creek Trilogy)

Chapter 9: Fun in the Mud

Chapter 9:

Fun in the Mud

            It was raining; pouring like someone had taken a giant bucket and dumped it over all of Wolf’s Creek as A.J, Elmer, and Heather sat in the cafeteria. Their study halls had been moved together for the day because of a shortage of substitute teachers, something the three best friends were glad for when they walked into the cafeteria and saw each other from different areas of the room. “So I think we should go muddin’,” Elmer stated from across the table to his friend.

            A.J directed her eyes to her friend, her mind not registering what was said. Her thoughts were preoccupied with what happened five days ago on Sunday night when she’d exploded in the alpha’s office. She burned red at the thought of her behavior even after five days of the event having passed. She didn’t regret her anger, that was for sure, but she regretted allowing it to get out of control. Usually when faced with things that made her angry like that she was able to keep in control and play it cool, but that night she was unable to keep in control in front of that man, Charles Alaric. The mere thought of him brought all those feelings of hatred and anger back to the surface and made her relive them all over again.

            “Yo, you listening?” Heather asked her friend as she shook A.J’s arm.

            “What?” A.J asked, blinking her eyes a couple of times.

            “I said, I think we should go muddin’ today,” Elmer repeated with a smile when A.J looked at him with her full attention.

            “I’m not sure ‘bout that,” A.J replied as she turned her eyes towards the rain as it continued to poor.

            “Oh come on Artemis!” Heather pouted. “I mean all week you’ve done nothing but work and hide out in your house.”

            “With a good reason,” A.J interjected making her best friend roll her eyes.

            “Yeah, yeah, I know you told us all about your ordeal on Sunday,” Heather said with a couple of nods. “But if you really want to live a normal life then you can’t let them stop you from leaving your house.” A.J just stared at Heather, no blinking with her eyes slightly narrowed the expression that A.J typically wore when she was not waved by what another has said or brought up. “Plus you love mudding and it’s been forever since it’s rained like this so come on! Please! Please, please!”

            A.J sighed. “Well, Pappy’s got a cold so the garage is closed today…so I guess…”

            “Awesome!” Elmer exclaimed. “What ‘bout the other two Smith’s? They got detention today?”

            A.J shook her head. “No we actually made it to school on time today so we’re good ta go.”

            “By the way you did a nice job on your cheek,” Heather noted as her eyes landed on the spot the four long scratches had been. “You’re getting good at the healing thing.”

            A.J touched her cheek where the claw marks were just light red highlights, almost completely healed. “Yeah I’m able to do it without the moon bein’ up too,” A.J bragged with a satisfied smile. “It comes in handy when I’m at the garage. Only wish I knew what else I could do.”

            “You’ll figure it out,” Elmer said surely with a goofy grin. “Did you get to that book store to talk to that woman yet?”

            A.J shook her head. “No,” she said as her hand cupped her cheek. “I’ve had ta work at the garage after school and a lot of stuff happened this weekend. I’m hopin’ I can get down there soon though.”