Guardians of Magic: The Awakening (SAMPLE)

Chapter 7 -- Shocking News

Uncle Jack's shout breaks whatever hold I'm in, and I race towards the safety of the house, expecting for the creature to be hard on my heels. I suck in burning air as I race across the yard to safety, my bare feet pounding across the rough tiles.

Just a few more feet...I imagine sharp claws raking across my back before I'm able to make it to the doorway. A stupid voice in the back of my mind reminds me that the odds of outrunning an animal are slim to none. I push it aside for the sake of my own survival. Darn gone it, I may not make it, but I may as well try!

I don't stop until I race past Uncle Jack into the house. I turn around, sure that the creature is nearly upon us since it didn't take me down beforehand. Instead, I gaze into our now dark and empty yard, the dim stars above casting enough light for long shadows to stretch over the grass. Uncle Jack stands a few feet away, out on the patio, staring into the woods where the eyes used to be. Now there's nothing.

I take a tentative step out with him, assessing the area. Why didn't the animal chase after me?

He stands out there for a few more seconds until he deems everything to be safe. The eerie quiet of the night seems to taunt me. Not even crickets can be heard chirping. Then he faces me.

"You okay?" I just nod, still a little too freaked for words. He glances up at the sky, then frowns. I follow his gaze, only to see a few twinkling stars, and a barely visible half-moon.

"Let's get you inside," is all he says. I reenter the comforting safety of the lit house, crossing over the doorway's threshold, as if that was all that was protecting me from harm. He closes the glass door behind him.

I shiver as I think about what had just transpired. "What do you think it was?" I ask him.

He glances at me then looks away, pressing his lips together. "Dunno," he says as he pulls out a chair to sit in at the table. "Could have been a wolf." He scratches his facial hair, contemplating. I sit at the table across from him, not wanting to be alone.

"Are there many wolves in the area?" I ask him, half envisioning getting mauled the next time I go outside. The other half of me simply wants to talk as a distraction. I can still feel my blood pumping loudly in my veins from the fright. At the same time, I feel my adrenaline start to leave me as my body recognizes I'm no longer in danger. I shiver again, despite myself, this time also from fatigue.

"Well..." he begins. Not seeming to know what to say, he admits, "a few. Their food source, the black-tailed deer, is pretty plentiful in these parts. They don't usually come around people, though..." He trails off, thinking. A crease forms between his brows.

"What?" I ask, interrupting his thoughts. "What is it?"

He looks at me confused, then realizes I meant what he was thinking about. It's almost as though he forgot he was talking. "Oh, nothing. You're perfectly safe. I'm sorry one got a little close, but it shouldn't happen again. Besides, it's not like it even attacked you. It was probably just curious." Was he really trying to brush away what just happened?! Just a few moments ago, he was concerned about my safety. Now he's trying to make it sound like there was no danger at all.

He clears his throat. "But this reminds me. Once a month, the wolves get a little excited around a full moon, so in a couple weeks, we're going to stay indoors just to stay on the safe side." I think he meant for that to comfort me, but it had the opposite effect. I don't argue with him, though. I had a feeling I wouldn't be as safe here as I thought, but then again, who would be, living in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by woods where dangerous animals lurk within. I'm sure their chances of getting attacked are increased.