Howl Your Appellations

High Lights

BOEN OPEOR

I left with the intention of looking for the wolf girl named Reese. The air almost smells of night. I’m not sure if this is a good idea or not, but I can’t think of anything else to do, I wouldn’t be able to sleep if I stayed in the cabin until morning anyways, and I’ll feel like it’s too late to do anything then. And it’s not like I can ask for help from anyone. Beanie can’t be reached, Moze is in another continent, Isa..well I don’t know what to tell Isa. She knows about the things that happen in Abalone, but I don’t think she knows anything about the forest. She’s a sea-side girl after all; Lissana put me in this situation in the first place so I should probably stop thinking about her. Even Soft is gone...I’ve literally got no one. I feel like crying.

I crossed the tunnel without any problem, although it did feel like the air was thicker there, as if a herd of cirrus clouds decided to take their rest inside. I wonder if Lissana saw me leave with all this stuff. It’s a good thing she doesn’t know that Soft exists, but she wouldn’t have noticed probably. The trees  appear to be a little bent beyond the tunnel; as if looking down and waiting for their prey, a cat and mouse sort of situation. I’m weary that they might actually proceed to squish me with their mighty branches and thick canopies but, thankfully, that didn’t happen. What could be so powerful that made the trees bend? Is this what Lissana meant? But nothing dangerous is happening, maybe I’m not who they’re after. My suspicion for Lissana continues to well.

In any case, I made my escape now off to the inner woods. Aside from the trees, the path now resembles a winding road but nothing sinister accompanies it. Even if it is oddly peculiar, the scene doesn’t possess any sort of threat, at least not to me. Nothing seems to watch or follow me. I can hear the nocturnal sounds of the communal insects and the chirps of maybe a dozen birds, the only thing I’m worried about is encountering predators. I have to be careful with my steps and where I point my flashlight, although there’s still a bit of light seeping through the trees.

It feels like forever, but it’s only been a whole day since the last time I went out, everything feels like it happened in a span of a month. The last few days have been exhausting just the constant flow of events. I’ve become so entangled with so many thoughts that I hadn’t realized I’m wearing a dress while traversing through the forest, it oddly feels like I’m in a show. 

The stream is ahead, but I noticed that there isn’t really anything around, there’s supposed to be a few critters roaming around, but the forest feels somewhat empty, like it’s been abandoned. Maybe this is just me overthinking, and they might just be playing where I can’t see. The forest makes an indifferent sound of thick rustling, the stream continues to sound like water. At least the fish still act like everything is normal. They swim blissfully as if there’s no conflict in the world, a fabricated fish life.

I encounter the tree where Lissana and I had our rendezvous. It’s still as robust and beautiful as the last time; the white flowers still sing the song of efflorescence. It wasn’t a perfect meet up , that day, but I don’t regret meeting up with her or meeting her. I just wish things had been different and that she was more honest. Maybe I hoped for something a little too carefree. I caressed one of the trees protruding roots and thanked it, having watched our theatrics that day.

I slide down the mossy forest canyon and hit something as I landed. It wasn’t there when I inspected the first time; it’s round and transparent but at the center there are two cut daisies suspended in time. The orb appears to be brand new. Where did this come from? Is this place really just a dumping ground? People should be ashamed, they shouldn’t just throw things away even if they see other people doing it. Since it’s freshly thrown out I guess I could take it with me, my pack’s going to get a tad heavier though.

I tried to recall the path I took when I was wandering that day, I didn’t really follow any path I just went in all directions I could. The light penetrating the treetops is starting to fade slowly, this makes me a tad bit anxious. There’s no guarantee that I’ll find the wolf girl and yet here I am. If I end up dead then what happens? I’ve already come this far, maybe there’s a small chance I’ll survive. I pass through a few layers of trees and came upon a pack of wolves, their gaze like lighthouses with the purpose to lead you to your doom. Without warning, in a blink of an eye, I walked into the worst situation possible. One of them takes a step closer but another wolf intercepts and approaches me instead.

“Well aren’t you out so late?” The wolf speaks in a chilling voice, a voice that sent chills to my body once before, it was Krolo.

“Hm? So where’s Lissana?” I flinch, if I take my baton and slam it on his face I might be able to run, but there’s too many of them. I won’t be able to escape. “Lissan doesn’t want me to stay here anymore. I just want to leave.” I reply.

He stares at me and starts to smell the air around me and then, he bares his fangs with his grin, “You don’t act so surprised, a wolf just asked you a question, and you answered instead of running. Did that i***t tell you about us too?’’ He starts to circle around me.

I’m anxious with sweat and holding back my tears. I don’t know how to respond, Sana didn’t tell me anything. Does he know about Skia’s Appellation Records? I don’t think I should tell him about it.

 “She came to me  just like you look right now, and she told me to leave” I told him. He continues his orbit around me. It’s clear that he won’t let me off alive, I have to find a way or at least an opening to run, maybe it will work again this time. It has to. I just have to wait for the right timing. 

“Idiotic. She couldn’t finish the job, so she just tells you to leave. Luna f****d up with her so incredibly, it’s humiliating. As for you, you perhaps hold the worst lu--AAAGHHHHHH!!”

I bashed his stupid face with the baton as hard as I can. He shouldn’t have paused where he did. I can hear them chase after me, and it’ll only be a few seconds before they rip me to shreds. I think of the old observatory, I think of Moze, I think of Lissana. And everything stops, all I could see was red.