“Elizabeth, good to see you. How have you been?” Mary, letting me in, seemed genuinely happy to see me. Ever since Cara’s death two weeks ago she has been kinder and kinder to me. Cara. The house seems so empty without her in it, Jackson defiantly does. He hasn’t been to school at all, or seen any other people except for his mother and me. And even then we barely talk, just watch movies or sit.
“Ok, Thank you. I’ve got some more homework for Jackson. Has he been up?” shaking her head Mary’s eyes dropped to her hands.
“I cannot seem to get to him at all. He is like an empty shell. I really am glad that he has you Elizabeth, if he didn’t I don’t know how he would be right now.” I nodded not knowing what else to say.
“Go on up. Oh and could you try and convince him to come down for tea tonight? Please” Mary looked as though she hadn’t had a proper night’s sleep in those two weeks and I don’t blame her. Although not much could be said about her husband, he left her last week and blamed her for Cara’s death. This isn’t news to Jackson however. Mary asked me not to tell him, wanting to tell him herself which is understandable but it does make my job that little bit harder, I don’t want to see him hurt again. Knocking on the door I let myself in to the pitch-black room. Knowing that Jackson would still be in bed I let myself over to the desk where I put the books. Walking back to his bed I took my shoes off and got in.
“Liz?” Jackson rolled over and snuggled closer to me.
“Yeah babe. How are you?” I grabbed Jackson’s hand and wrapped it around my waist.
“Ok.” His voice was thick and groggy with sleep,
“Have you been out of bed?”
“Yeah.”
“Other than to go to the toilet?” there was silence and Jackson nestled his head into my back. I hated what I was about to do to Jackson, but it had to be done. I got up and went over to his window. Pulling it open and letting the sun shine through I said, “Jackson, you have to get up. Just come down stairs and have dinner with your mum? Please?” Jackson pulled the covers over his head.
“Jackson please.” I walked over and sat on the edge of his bed. “Why wont you?”
“I’m to blame Liz.” I turned to face him properly.
“What are you talking about?” I grabbed his hand and lay down next to him.
“I didn’t make you two go back to the house! I didn’t protect her! I am the reason that Cara is dead! Me! I can’t face mum or dad. Liz, I cant.” I sat staring at his face, he staring at me.
“You are not the reason jack. Please know that.”
“I know you are trying to be nice and thank you for that, but no matter what you say, I still think that I am to blame.”
“Alright then.” I got up and walked out of the room and down to the kitchen where Mary was.
“Excuse me Mary.” She spun around and it was clear that she had been crying again.
“I think you need to come up stairs. Jackson just told me the reason why he wont come down and I think you need to hear it.” Without saying a word Mary followed me to Jackson’s room. Walking into it, it was like a slap in the face. Jackson had gotten dressed in fresh clothes, something he hadn’t done in two weeks, and was sitting at his bay window.
“Jackson?” looking up he was surprised to see his mum there but then he looked at me. I knew he was pissed off at me, but it had to be done.
“Jackson tell your mum what you told me. And Mary, I’m sorry to have to do this to you but you need to tell Jackson.” I gave a half smile and walked out of the room. Shutting the door tightly I went into the study and got a piece of paper out. I wrote on it: ‘Jackson and Mary, sorry for putting you in an awkward position but it had to be done. I know to some extent what you’re going through with the loss of Cara. But she would not want you to put your lives on hold for her. I know that, that is always said in times like this but it is true. Jackson, message me when you feel like it. I’ll be home the whole night. Love Elizabeth.’ Sliding the note under the door, I went home.
On the way home I thought that I would love to talk to someone normal, someone who’s sister hadn’t just died by a shape shifter who was they’re best friend. I wanted to talk to Jacob. I still hadn’t spoken to him though, not since our fight and he hadn’t even tried to call me or message me! At school he avoided me like I was the black plague and even my mum was wondering where he was. Mum still wasn’t home so I let myself in and walked up to my room. Putting my books on my desk I turned to walk out my door but Jacob blocked it!
“Jacob! What, what are you doing here?” shocked is not the right word to describe my emotions towards him. And as though we were not in a fight I ran over to him and hugged him. Staggering backwards Jacob laughed at my enthusiasm.
“Hey there Eli, I missed you too.” I would have replied but I was all choked up and started to cry.
“Hey! Hey! What’s wrong?” I shook my head and Jacob led me over to my bed. Two weeks worth of emotions just boiled over and I poured my heart out to Jacob. Except the part about Scott being a wolf. After I had finished spluttering Jacob held me until I had calmed down.
“I’m so sorry Eli. I hate seeing you like this, and I wish you didn’t have to go through this again. But I’m here now and it will get all better… how is Jackson?” laughing I got out of his grip.
“Ha! You think that just ‘cause you’re here it will all get better?” he shrugged and had a playful smile on his lips. “Jackson... isn’t good at all. He hasn’t come out of his room, and wont talk to his mum. Thinks that it’s his fault. Not to mention that his parents split up and he still doesn’t know. And I can’t do anything about it!” I looked down at my hands and Jacob let out a sigh.
“Eli, if there is anything I learnt two years ago its that you cant force people to get better. They have to do it on their own. I know it hurts to see him like this but you have to just stick by his side. Be the shoulder he needs to cry on and his support. That’s all you can do.” He gave me a half smile and then grabbed my hand.
“Look I’m sorry about our fight. I didn’t mean the things I said. You’re not one of those girls, I was just jealous. I’m used to having you all to myself. And now I have to share you with Jackson.” Walking out of my room I looked at him.
“Share me?”
“Yeah...?” I smiled and kept walking down stairs. “Lets go out! Out for a movie or something?” he bounded playfully in front of me, like a little puppy making me laugh until my stomach hurt.
“Your like a little kid! You know that right? But sorry little boy, I need to stay home. I promised Jackson I would incase he rang me.” Jacob’s face fell and his eyes became sad and puppy dog like.
“NO! Don’t you do those eyes on me! I’m sorry Jake but I promised him! Now please leave. I still have to finish my English assignment.”
“The English assignment? Wasn’t that due like two weeks ago?” I nodded and walked to the door.
“Yeah, but Mr. Carson gave me an extension.” Jacob stopped in the doorway and narrowed his eyes.
“How long of an extension?” shrugging a pushed him out the door,
“A ‘how ever long it takes’ extension. Bye Jake.” As I was shutting the door Jacob pushed back in and grabbed me in a bug hug.
“Call me if you need me.”
“Thank you.” As he let go of me he said,
“Oh and can I please get a lift to school tomorrow?” laughing I nodded and shut the door. My smile disappeared as soon as the door was shut though; all my stress and worries had come back. Sliding onto the kitchen stool I opened my laptop and finished my assignment.
They are pack animals though, dependent on each other and without their pack, they struggle to survive. Teaming up to kill and share their prize. However if you get one by itself it will still kill, but an easier target. A threat, something it cannot back down from. Even a dog or small deer. So if something is threatening themselves or their pack. The wolf… will attack. This is what I experienced and it was nothing that I would ever want to happen again. My second encounter with a wolf, the same wolf, though it was not something I wanted to happen. I had seen the lone wolf attack. Right in front of me and I could hear the whole thing. I didn’t think an animal could scream out in pain, but I was wrong. They can, and they can sound very much human like. Fear ran through me, and I was frozen. Watching the events unfold in front of me and unable to do anything to stop it. Stuck, scared and yet mesmerized. The same was said for the other animals. They, knowing that their life would be affected if they interfered watched from a far, they too frozen at the spot, shaking uncontrollably.
I still love wolves; I just have a better understanding of them. You see a wolf kills its victims by stalking them and when the timing is right, attacks. Going for the kill shot, right at the neck. There is a major artery that runs through the neck and straight into the heart. Going for that spot means a quick death, although not that I would call it a quick death withering in pain not able to escape for minutes and then, once your blood has nowhere to go but out of your body and onto the ground. It is only then that you feel no pain or no fear, sort of like an out of body experience. Then once the animal is dead the wolves would usually just eat it where they made the kill, but when it is a lone wolf they go and hide in a secluded place, away from other predators. This is what this wolf did. And once it has finished with the kill, they howl. A spine tingling howl that everyone knows and can identify. They do this howl when communicating, but when it comes to lone wolves they do it out of loneliness. This is when I knew that what I had just experienced had finished. I was still frozen to the spot and that howl woke me out of my trance, allowed me to run, and run for my life. That experience was two weeks ago and I still hear that wolf, can still hear its howl… right outside my window, just in the woods.