Animal of the Night

I was walking through the woods with my twin sister, Claire.  We did so often there was a clearing with a pond that we like to go to get our mind off things at home.  On our way there though we heard the snap of a twig, it was dark out so when we looked in the direction of the sound we didn’t see anything.  Claire brushed it off as an innocent animal but, I wasn’t so sure.  I was often told I had an overactive imagination but, when I looked back I swear I saw glowing red eyes looking back at me through the shrubbery.

I was then awoken by my boyfriend, Noah, gently shaking me awake with a concerned look on his face.  “Was it the nightmare?  You were thrashing around in your sleep again.” he said to me.  I stared at him for a moment wondering how I was lucky enough to get someone so handsome and sweet.  His ocean blue eyes with the slightest tint of red, full lips, brown buzzed hair and muscular body. “I made you breakfast” he adds.  “I’ll be out in a minute, I want to freshen up” I replied.

He looks at me for a moment before kissing my cheek and leaving the room.  I get out of bed and head to the ensuite bathroom.  I stare at myself in the mirror, my red hair, somehow still intact, my green eyes, that unlike Claire’s, are carefree and full of life.  I quickly get dressed into a red tank top and dark wash shorts, that reach about mid thigh.  To top off the outfit I pull on my favorite black leather jacket and dark green combat boots.  I’m drawn out to the kitchen by the sweet smell of bacon and eggs.  On the table there’s a plate of bacon, eggs, toast, and a bowl of green grapes along with a glass of milk.  Noah is already sitting at the table but, as always, waited for me before we both started eating.

“Have you decided what you’re going to do today?” he asks me.

I shrug my shoulders and say “I might go visit my sister.  I haven’t checked on her in a while.”  I glance at him to see his reaction knowing he doesn’t really like me visiting her. 

                           ****

I stop at a little café, with the best chocolate brownies, before going to visit my sister.  I approach the big light blue building with a minimum of 3 or 4 windows per floor.  I enter the building and, as usual, Dane is seated at the front desk with his feet on the desk and head back.  Dane is almost 6 feet tall, muscular and a huge flirt.  I don’t know how he does it but he can always tell when I come in without opening his eyes!  I tiptoe around the desk when I hear: “Hello Scarlett, you want me to buzz you through or are you going to stand behind me all day.”

I sighed and said “I don’t get how you do that every time.”  He just laughed and buzzed me through.  As I approached Claire’s room I could hear her murmuring to herself, I stopped is it possible that she’s gotten worse?  Maybe I should have visited sooner.  I finally found the courage to knock softly on the door before entering her completely white room.  The first thing I noticed was that she was drawing frantically.  I nervously walked closer to her and saw what she was drawing.
                        
                         ****

When I returned home Noah was there.  “I’m not hungry, I’m going straight to bed” I mumbled softly while striding quickly through the house to the bedroom, though I knew he heard me.  He can always hear me.  I quickly threw on my form fitting nightgown that showed off my curvy yet slim body.  I climbed on to the large bed for my small height of 5 foot 3.  It didn’t take long for me to fall asleep although sometimes I pray sleep never comes.

I turned away from the glowing red eyes so fast I thought I got whiplash.  Claire didn’t seem to notice the eyes.  We’re almost to the clearing when we hear growling and hissing, Claire starts running towards the sound realizing it came from the clearing, it took me a moment before I too ran towards the sound not liking the thought of being by myself out here this late at night.  Once I reach the clearing I see this beautiful black wolf fighting someone with fangs and seemed extremely pallor; it felt as if all the color from my skin vanished.  Both of them were moving so fast it was hard to see where they went.  The wolf hit the guy so hard he flew back into a tree and passed out, a gust of wind blew by in the wolf’s direction.  I saw the wolf’s nose twitch before quickly turning towards the direction of Claire and I.  All of a sudden a muscular boy with a brown buzzed  haircut around 16 years old, the same age as Claire and I, was standing where the wolf was.  The other guy started to stir awake and when his eyes flew open they were red.  He got up and next thing I know he was in front of Claire biting into her neck it happened so fast I didn’t have time to process what happened until she fell back with her eyes closed.  I frantically searched for her heartbeat breathing a sigh of relief when I finally find it.

My eyes flew open, I looked around the room and noticed it was still dark outside and after a moment I heard arguing but, it sounded like Claire and  Noah.  I stayed silent for a moment it couldn’t be Claire they would have contacted me if they released her.  It sounds as if they’re arguing about me.

I hear them say something about erasing a memory but it wears off?  Out of  curiosity I slide off  the side of the bed being careful to stay quiet.  Before moving from where I am I recall where all the squeaky floor boards are avoiding them on my way to the door.  The door was already open a little so I peek through the crack of the door.  I see Noah and a furious Claire staring him down and I don’t know what made me do it but I dashed out in front of Noah seconds before Claire appeared right in front of us with a murderous look.  Without a second thought her hand came down towards me full force. 

I closed my eyes preparing myself for the impact but it never came.  When I opened my eyes I saw Noah’s now lifeless eyes looking back at me and I saw blood trickle down from the side of his mouth.  At that moment all I felt was anger and bloodlust flow through me as I slowly turned to Claire with a murderous look.  I saw the color drain from her face before I stood up.