Chapter 3
I was three when there was a blood moon. A blood moon happens when the red planet converges with the moon every thirteen years. The red planet makes it look as if the moon is red. This is the only time a new werewolf can be born.
During a regular full moon a person bitten by a werewolf will die, but during a blood moon a person bitten will become a werewolf. The blood moon lasts three days. It has been thirteen years since the last blood moon. The first night of the blood moon is tonight. Everyone in Caraway is scared beyond belief. We just don't know what to do. I get an idea.
"Everyone, may I have your attention?" I ask.
Everyone stops bustling around. "Thank you. I understand we're all a bit scared." I look among the crowd. Every person in town is in the crowd. "In order to calm our nerves I suggest we all stay together."
"Let's have a party in the town's square," Matthew yells out loud.
"Yeah!" A bunch of people yell. "Yeah!" That evening the townspeople of Caraway got ready for a dance. People set out food,, lanterns, candles, refreshing drinks, and have even taught the young children how to dance. It is finally ready. Darkness has just set on the village.
The blood moons hangs lifelessly in the sky. A group of young girls seem to be having second thoughts until the music starts. I look around and notice a group of girls surrounding Ryan. I roll my eyes at the group of girls even though I wish I had the courage to ask him to dance with me. He looks around and his eyes set on me. Ryan mouths "Help me!" I smile to myself. I shrug my shoulders to show him I can't help. He puts his hands together in a begging motion and gives me his puppy dog face. I just cannot resist that face! What to do, what to do?
I get Matt and my brothers to each ask one girl to dance with them. They each say yes. The rest of the girls realize Ryan is not going to dance with them, so they go off and dance with other boys. Ryan is coming toward me. I stand frozen in place. He gets closer. I feel my legs quaking. He gets closer. Maybe he's going for the drink table next to me. I turn my head to check for the punch table. It's about twenty feet away from me. I feel a chill run down my back. He's getting closer. I feel a burning heat on my forehead. He reaches me.
"Thanks for saving me. Apparently I have a group of fan girls," Ryan says. "Your welcome, but my brothers and Matt kind of did the heavy lifting."
"You're funny. Do you want to dance?" My mind is racing. I just stare at him blankly.
"Sure, but I'm warning you I have two left feet." Ryan smiles. We start dancing. A few dances later it becomes a very sensual dance. "Excuse me," Ryan says. He walks off. Is he just uncomfortable with this dance or is it he just doesn't want to dance it with me?
I stand here cold and alone just like the night my parents died. No matter how hard anyone tries no one could fill that hole in my heart. The giant hole of not having Mama and Papa be around ever again. They aren't around to love me, to hold me, to help me with my problems. I'm all alone and I always will be. No matter what. I'm feeling sorry for myself. No. I will not feel sorry for myself any longer.
I walk into the crowd. I look for someone alone. I can't find anyone. I finally see someone. It's the new boy, Josh. I walk over.
"Do you want to dance?" I ask. He takes my hand in his and we dance. We laugh and have fun. "You're a pretty nice guy Josh."
"Thanks." Together we eat the food and slurp down the drinks on the table. "Um, Julie. I was wondering if you would want to go out with me. . .?" I gulp.
"Um. Can I think about it?"
"Sure. I have to go. My parents are expecting me."
"I better head home too." I walk through the crowd toward my home. I notice a group of people crowding around something. I push through and see two boys beating Ryan up. I don't know why they are, but I'm not going to let it happen any longer.
I grab the two boys by their collars and throw them back. I throw them to the point to where they fall to the ground. I rush over to Ryan and crouch down. I check to see if he's okay. Other than the bruises, scratches, and blood he's okay. I stand up and turn around to see who was beating Ryan up. It's Nick and Robbie.
"What the hell were you thinking!?" I say. "Are you psychotic or something?" I ask.
"We were protecting you," Robbie says while he points his finger at my chest almost accusingly.
"Yeah," Nick says. He always joins the bandwagon.
"What do you think he was going to do? Poke me, slap me, maybe even murder me?" I say with sarcastic horror. "He was talking to his friends about asking you out." Nick says.
"My god, that what this is about!? My love life!?"
"Since dad is dead we have to keep you out of trouble," Robbie says.
"Don't you bring dad into this. And since when is Ryan trouble?" I backhand Robbie for being a jerk and slap Nick for listening to him. I run off into the dark forest. Black clouds hover overhead. Thunder booms, then a bright flash of lightning streaks through the sky, breaking the huge clouds. Rain pours down in sheets, pelting me.
The rain is cold and painful. Wind whips my damp ,hair and dress around. I run through already deep puddles soaking my boots. My socks squish with every step. I don't know why I ran into the forest. It's probably because I knew I wouldn't be able to stand being in the same house as Nick and Robbie and I would just run into the forest later on.
I hate that I couldn't do anything about my brothers hurting Ryan! I hate that I didn't know that my brothers would do something like this! I hate Nick and Robbie! I hate I couldn't help Ryan! I hate that my parents are dead! I hate the wolf for killing them! I hate myself for hating feeling sorry for myself! I hate me! I hate everyone and everything!
I stop and slump down with my back against a tree. I put my face into my hands and start to cry. I don't know what else to do. I hear a rustle in the bushes. I lift my head. I see something coming out of the bushes.
I stand up. It comes out of the bushes, but it's too dark too see what it is. I can partially see a silhouette. All I can tell is it is very large and it's growling. It's slowly moving toward me. One foot at a time. Closer, closer, and closer it comes. It is right in front of me.
It stops raining and the clouds roll out of the way of the moon. It casts a red glow upon me and what is standing in front of me. My heart skips a beat. A wolf that is bulkier than a Timber wolf stands in front of me. It is at the same height as me. It is completely white. It has bright yellow eyes. Like a daffodil in spring. It stares me straight in the eyes.
"Julie, what are you doing all alone out here in the woods?"
"You can speak. . .?"
"I only can talk to people I know or want to come with me."
"Julie!" Scott yells somewhere in the woods. He has come looking for me. "Julie! Where are you?!"
"Come away with me. Now!" The wolf says.
"No. I can't leave my home! I'm not freaking leaving with you either!" I say.
"Julie? Is that you?" Scott asks.
"You're thinking of you're home Julie? Really?" The terrifying wolf asks. Why wouldn't I be? Why wouldn't I be scared? Is he just expecting me to take this seriously? No! His kind killed my parents! "Yes. . ." I say.
"Julie! It is you! I'm coming!"
"I'll be back for you Julie. Before the blood moon wanes!" The wolf bounds away. Scott appears out of the bushes.
"Scott!" I run to him. We hug.
"We were worried about you." I pull away from him.
"Who is we, Scott?"
"Nick ,Robbie, and I."
"Are they with you?"
"No. They knew you wouldn't come home with them. . ." I hug Scott again.
"Do you know what they did?" I say with my face in his chest.
"Yes. They also told me what you did to them."
"Hey?! If they hadn't beat Ryan up they wouldn't have had to face my fury!"
"I'm just glad I wasn't there to be sucked in to doing what they did," Scott says jokingly. We walk home together. "I hope you'll still be able to get lessons from Ryan after what they did to him." Scott is silent. We get home. Robbie and Nick are sitting at the table. Their heads are hanging low. I walk past them and up to my room. I lay down on my bed and fall asleep.