Total Eclipse

Chapter One

Chapter 2

Flashback***

It has been 5 months since my father's sudden death. Out of the 50 maids that resided in this mansion, only 4 remain. The others have suddenly disappeared without a trace. I have absolutely no idea what is going on right now as I am locked with those 4 maids and my mother in mother's hospital room, hiding from the animalistic sounds coming from outside the door. It sounds like there is a pack of wolves in our living room. Here, in this moment I realized something was very wrong.

It started out 2 months ago, innocent. There was strange howling at night, away from the house; this was no big deal of course because we live in 1.3 square miles of woods. But then, it got worse, and weirder. The animals began advancing a small bit towards us each night, and each night it sounded like there were more of them. A week ago they sounded like they were surrounding the house. That’s when I got worried. I called animal control and they said they could do nothing unless they were threatening me. Last night, Saturday, around 9 p.mp. The creatures began growling and clawing at the walls and doors, whimpering at the windows. When I called animal control, they said they'd be out on Monday to take a look.

This morning I had looked outside to see deep claw marks on the sides of the house. Later today, while I was getting a snack in the kitchen, I thought I saw a flash of deep black run by, but I pinned it on my imagination. Until now.

During dinner, there were sounds right outside the open kitchen window. I ran in and slammed the window, trying not to look at the slowing yellow eyes that stared with animalistic curiosity at me through the glass before running off. Yet the sounds continues. As I sat at the table, eating steak and potatoes with the maids, Merida, Amethyst, Ginger and Leila, howls and grunts filled the air. Then we knew we were in trouble. The creatures, which were indeed wolves, hurled themselves against the windows. We saw the first spider web cracks and raced to my mother’s room, the only place where the door had a lock. Also, she had a steel door rather than oak, so we could keep them out. At the moment, the sounds continue, growing louder after that initial sound of glass breaking.

I am worried though. Wolves have not been reported to do this. They are here for something, but what? Do they just smell the food? Are they hungry? Or are they here for something else? Were they somehow… trained to do this? Is somebody after me?

I felt a stirring beside me and turned ready to yell at them to leave mother alone when my mouth dropped open in shock.

My mother, who had been in a coma for 3 years, was awake. And woah did she look mad. A low growl rumbled in her throat as she looked towards the sound. Her eyes darkened to black and she began to shake. She then got up on shaky legs and walked across to a tile in the floor. She smiled.

“Mom?” I asked, emotion making my voice crack at the end. She just looked at me and grinned, then with brute strength she shouldn’t have after 3 years  of laying completely still, she yanked on the tile, revealing a chamber. A small handgun and some bullets lay inside. The girls gasped and backed themselves against a wall. I walked over to her and tried to remove the weapon from her. She made that sound again, low and guttural. She growled.

“Mom, what are you going to do with that gun?” I asked cautiously.

“Out. They need to get out.” She replied, nodding in the direction of the sounds. Then she pushed me behind her and held my hand. “You four, stay here.  Rachael, you stay with me.” I nodded and followed her as she dragged me. We’re going to die, I am going to die because my mom doesn’t know what’s going on.

She growled again and the wolves turned towards us. I swear I saw one smirk before he stalked towards us. My mom fired, catching him in the leg then she fired again, this time his side exploded with red blood. The wolves turned and raced out, the injured oine following behind as my mom laughed. I hugged her, not believing what I just witnessed.