The Dead of Night

Interim Chapter

m Chapter

Aryana McRae

Why; the word turned over and over in the confines of my mind. Why was I here at this stranger’s house? Why was this girl, this ludicrously ignorant child, in the forest alone with him? Did she not know the danger? Why did they look at each other with pure adoration and admonishment? In all my existence, I had never sensed anything like this. Moreover, what was this feeling that I had; it was as if I was drawn there by some unseen force. What was the secret? What was the missing link here? Just what did I expect to find? Ha, I laughed to myself, now I am trespassing to the realm of “what.” I shook my head. My family and I had been in the territory for only a few hours and I was already having complications. I wished we could have remained in Sudbury. Ontario had really grown on me in so many ways. I love the snow; I detested the rain. I had always been attracted to the snow.  I believe one could say that I ‘blend in’ well. According to some, however, we had disappeared for far too long; our ‘family business’ had begun to fail. So here I was, in the rain, outside a strange dwelling in a strange area. What is the name of this place? I asked myself, bitterly, “Forks,” I whispered, very quietly.

The air picked up; I inhaled deeply and tasted the moisture filled wind. I rolled my eyes, annoyed. I turned and faced the blackness of the shadows.

“If you want to sneak up on someone,” I retorted, almost arrogantly, “try to be the one down wind.” There was a low growl from the brush in front of me, and shortly after, a slow but steady audible growl radiated from the darkness.

I understood it.

“And why didn’t you tell him?” I asked, laughing. It wasn’t typical to hear such disobedience.

A rustling of the leaves sounded as he made his way toward me. He stopped short and a short, breathy exhalation followed my question. Moments later, a slow and subtle growl exited the shadows. To any human, this would be threatening, but not to me. I listened closely to what he had to say, pretending to be deep in thought.

“No. I don’t think that will be necessary. Nothing seems to be out of the ordinary here.” I returned my focus to the small house in front of me; nothing too out of the ordinary anyway.

The next sound seemed to catch me off guard; it was a choking and gagging noise. He was laughing at me, even though it sounded like he was coughing up a bone, he was definitely laughing at me. Another growl slowly edged from the darkness, this one seemed more persistent; he was getting impatient.

“I don’t really know what I was looking for,” I said, gazing back at the house. “There’s something … different here. Something I can’t quite understand. She saw us. I know she did.”

With that, he fell into silence, not speaking, growling, or grumbling. I was beginning to believe he had returned home when I heard a distinct tearing noise. The sound was very similar to someone ripping at fabric or tearing cloth apart; this sound was incredibly strange. Well, it would only be strange to some; I was used to it. I was very knowledgeable of this sound. After a few short seconds, it ceased and was replaced by the sound of a firm voice, thick and dripping with accent.

“And if she did? What then?” His voice was serious and slightly demanding. “Will any believe her?”

“I don’t think that’s the question, my brother,” I said, mystified at my own thoughts.

“Pray tell, what would the question be?” The firmness in his voice was melting into a strong impatience now. I began to think his negativity was a result of being so close to this house.