Lone Werewolf

Cousins

Do you know that feeling you get when you are hiding?

When your knees are tucked up to your chest and your breathing is shallow and even, heart pumping fast in anticipation of someone discovering you.

I got that feeling, but I didn't know what I was hiding from. A few feet ahead of me was the coat stand; I could just about see through the cracks to the other side. I was crushed into the tiny nook between the wooden chest and the stairs on my right. Every time footsteps strode down the stairs I would stiffen and the wooden floorboards would creak by my ear.

It had been the first place I knew to hide – after running; my heart was still accelerating with the remnants of my mad dash for freedom. It all suddenly made sense as there was only one person who could make me run and hide like this.

I gasped for more breath, realising my heart had stopped for a second; I fiddled with my shaking fingers. I heard an angry bellow from upstairs followed by heavy, slow footsteps on the stairs. A growl permeated the air as I stiffened, tears trickling down my cheeks involuntarily. I could only stare straight ahead at the cracks in the coats on the rack, waiting for when they would be shoved aside and his face was loom over me.

"Come out, come out wherever you are!" he snarled condescendingly. I knew he was just toying with me and it worked, my heart leapt into motion in my chest as my body went into fight or flight mode. He laughed, sensing the blood rushing through my veins and I pressed myself back against the wall. The bottom stair creaked against his weight and I held my breath, clinging onto the hope that he wouldn't find me.

"Boo!" he boomed, yanking the coats apart to reveal his impending figure. My eyes widened in fear as he launched forward and grappled a hand onto my shirt, throwing me out of the nook – scraping my sides harshly against the chest of drawers as I was flung back into the entrance hall.

I scrabbled to my feet, fleeing as fast as I could, but not fast enough as he grabbed me by the hair-I launched forward, propelling myself into a sitting position on the bed. My legs were a tangled mess in the sheets, frightening me and tying me down to the mattress. I squeaked when an arm reached around my waist. My nerves were on hyper alert as I stared down Cesare with wide eyes, whom was frowning up at me.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded, shaken up and breaths still coming short as if I was still in the dream, "I-I'm fine."

It always happens so suddenly; I can only stare at my surroundings, disorientated – why did it all have to feel so real?

"Do you want to talk about it?" Cesare asked gently, rubbing small smoothing circles on my waist. I shook my head, nervously raking my fingers through my hair to comb out some severe knots and tangles. He watched me silently, before speaking up again; "I think you should talk about it," he voiced his concern, "Otherwise it will only churn up and torment you."

I frowned, "You don't need to know about all this."

"It's not fair for you to have to suffer under your demons alone."

I abandoned my hair to stare at my fumbling fingers, "There wasn't much to it," I began, biting my lip, "Not as nearly as much compared to...other times."

He sat up in the bed, propping himself up against the headboard with his pillows, his hand still rested on my waist but I made no sincere move to remove it.

I knew he would let me go – if I asked him to.

"I was hiding," I continued, frowning, "Nowhere significant: just near the stairs. You've played hide and seek before – right?"