She Came From the Forest (James and Tera: book 1)

9

The sun was setting and the air was getting colder (colder than day since it was always cold in Montana). I was on the back of Tera's bike with my arms around her waist. And believe me, I wasn't embarrassed, because I had no other choice. She was demon speeding. Either I hang on or I fall, and I'd rather not have skid marks of pavement all across my body.

We left Terry's earlier than expected. He mentioned something about the moon and Tera had the strangest reaction. Now she's speeding through the neighborhood trying to get me home.

She's been talking very angrily at herself since we left. "You idiot. Why are you so fucking irresponsible?" She mumbled. "Of all nights, why this one? Ugh!"

"Hey, is everything alright?" I asked from behind her.

She laughed, but it wasn't a happy sort of laugh. It was a sarcastic laugh. "'Alright'? Yeah, sureee everything is alright. Everything is just fan-fucking-tastic." She was super pissed about something. I slowly pulled my hands to the back handle of the bike instead of around her waist. Her head twitched to the side a little bit. "You didn't do anything wrong. Put your arms around me, it feels nice."

I carefully did that. I wrapped my arms around her again. "This left turn up here."

"Yeah yeah. I know." That's funny. I don't remember her ever going to my house. Maybe she passed me coming out one day and I never noticed? No, that can't be it. I WOULD'VE noticed.

I didn't ask questions though. She pulled up just outside of my driveway, but suddenly, she fell to the grass, clutching at her head. I jumped off of the bike and let it fall while racing down to try to help her.

She pushed me back. Hard. Hard enough and strong enough to almost send me flying. I fell off the curb and landed on my butt. She got up, and, with a dash of speed, made her way to the back yard and into the woods. I couldn't just leave her, so I used what I had gained on the track field and dashed after her.

It was now almost completely night. The moon was full, shining through the trees and illuminating the limited areas it could. The other parts were black. The cold air was blowing, hitting my face with more than half of what it would hit me with if I weren't running.

I stopped, realizing where I was. This path was familiar. This entire course was familiar, actually. It's like I've done this before.

I heard the trees rustling from the wind. I heard a lot of grunting, and crackling twigs all around me. I tried to go after one sound, but then another would be in a totally different direction. It confused me. Suddenly, I heard a howl, and everything went silent, as if on cue.

It wasn't a howl from an animal though. Not one from around here. It sounded human-like. Sort of. The howl itself sounded like someone made it, but whoever it was, it sounded real animalistic, like a growl was in them. I was pretty sure it was only one person, and I happen to be chasing that person.

Finally, I made it to the area where the howl came from. I finally made my way through the tree line towards the cliff clearing. And, not to my surprise since I'd been thinking of the dream, I found a woman, standing naked in the center of the moon's line of sight, her back to me.

I froze, petrified at the feeling of déjà vu. What was this? Was this a repeat of the dream the other night? Was I knocked out somewhere else, having the same dream? Was this real?

She bent, panting loudly in pain. Then, she growled. A low rumble that filled a small radius of this area. She turned, and, like the dream, her eyes were glowing yellow. They frightened me because I thought of an animal that was staring at me. A predator.

"Please, don't watch this." She said, gritting her teeth.

"Wha-" I could barely get my words out. "Wha-What's wrong?"