Among the Peonies

Last Words

"Sorry-"

"Sh."

"Sorry," I whispered. "What's going on?"

"There's a man near the cabin that we can't quite see. John went on the roof to see if he could get a better look."

"It's a rogue. Important."

James spun around to see John. Seconds passed with silence. "How important?" James' voice was quieter than he had been.

No words were spoken. Only a glance and probably a word through mindlink.

They stood for a second, eyes wide. James immediately pulled off his shirt and tugged it onto me. I didn't question it. Something was wrong. James tucked my hair into the shirt and John ran to peek outside the window.

"He's not in the front," John whispered.

James picked me up and moved me to his back piggy-back-ride style. I held on for dear life.

"What's going on?" I whispered in James' ear. He didn't reply.

John opened the door and stepped out, cautious and crouched like he was ready to fight. He looked around for a moment or two, then motioned for us to follow. We exited the house and went into the woods so that we wouldn't be out in the open, probably. I peeked up and worried out of my mind that our footsteps would be heard in the woods. However, the men were decievengly graceful. Not a sound was made.

We moved quickly. Thirty seconds into our journey and we were ten feet in the woods, maybe fifty feet from the cabin. I looked back, peeking over my shoulder at the cabin. A man, crouched and dangerous looking, connected his gaze with mine. His eyes shone lavender even with his face shadowed. But even draped in darkness, I could see a sickly grin stretch across his face.

"Run," I whispered hoarsely, but no air passed through my vocal cords. He crouched further. "Run!" I screamed.

John and James didn't even question and took off in a super sonic werewolf speed the equivalent of space warp. I held on tight and burrowed my face into his back, screwing my eyes shut.

I heard John shout something and looked up. He shifted into his wolf and leaped over James and I, fighting the giant wolf chasing us. I knew in the depths of my soul John was going to lose.

James ran faster than a car, until we heard the fast and heavy paws behind us again. They were gaining on us.

"I'm going to have to fight him," James shouted back to me. "Keep running. Don't look back." He unhooked my arms from his neck and threw me to the ground as he leaped and shifted. I rolled to a stop, my body aching, but got up and sprinted. I had never felt so slow and helpless than then. I heard the sickening sounds of the deadly fight behind me. It wouldn't last forever, and I hoped it would be over soon. I forced myself to think of a plan. I was way too slow. The sound of water trickling drifted to my ear. I sprinted harder than I ever have to it, yelling at my feet to move faster. I saw a river at the bottom of the hill I stood on. Running down it, I jumped in the river. I completely submerged myself in the chilled water to remove any scent from my skin. I slowly, quietly lifted my head above the water to above my mouth, listening.

It was quiet. The fight was over. Heavy paws were soon quickly approaching. I looked around and saw a small cliff of jagged rocks and hid in its shadow. Taking deep, slow breaths to prepare myself for staying under water for a long time, I watched him. The huge wolf stop dead in his tracks and sniff the air. He sniffed all around until his eyes found the water. His wolf face seemed to smirk. He stalked down the hill and shifted back to his human form.

"Annabel?" he called me. His voice was disturbingly smooth like honey. "Oh darling, why must you play games?" he asked mockingly. He took two steps into the water, knee deep. He turned towards me but didn't see me, although I caught I glimpse of his rugged face and smooth features, a smirk plastered on. He turned away, wading to the other end of the river. I looked around. There was an underpass through the little cave of rock, but the entrance was covered with a waterfall. He would hear a disturbance of the pattern of water falling. I could go under, but once I was in, he would hear any little sound in the cave: including my breathing. I would have to be underwater the whole time. It was maybe one hundred feet long. Heaven help me.

He was still facing the other direction when I took a deep breath and went under water as silently as humanly possible. I moved as quickly as possible, knowing I would run out of air too soon if I didn't move fast. I tried to keep calm, thinking of anything else except my increasing craving for air. The water was too black to see anything, so I drug one hand across the cave wall while a swam. Finally, it ended. I curved around the corner and came up quickly but silently for air. I released my air slow and controlled, so I could still plainly listen for him. Once my breathing was calmed, I peeked around the corner.

I couldn't see him.

I rested my head back against the rock wall. A sinking feeling began to grow in my stomach and I couldn't move out of fear. Within an instant, he was in front of me, pinning me to the wall.

"Well hello. It was rude to not answer me." I gaped at him, not believing this was the end of any chance of escaping. He snickered. "Don't you worry. I'm taking you far away. Any last words?"

Last words? He was going to kill me? What do I want to be my last words? I can't make split second decisions! Especially this big! What do I say?! What do I want to be my legacy on earth?

"Ooga booga!"