The true mate

Chapter 1 I need this. I need peace. I need a way out. Last few months have been nothing but stress, fear and anxiety. To other people it seems like I'm composed and calm, but in the inside I'm freaking out. I have this talent to put on a mask and don't let people in. I wasn't always like this, when I was little I was a social butterfly, made friends easily without even trying. Now I have to push myself to be around people, every experience makes us the people we are now and over some time along the way I became this quiet, afraid and always secretive person. I'm 25 years old, single and alone. Well, not really. I have my mom and sister, who are in different country. I moved out of my home country 18 months ago. Now I live in Canada's capital Ottawa. Yeap, boring city. It's quiet. Calm. But hey, I like it that way. It's been a year since I moved here, before Ottawa I lived in Montreal. I live with my friend's family here. They needed help with their kids, both parents are working a lot. I love them all. They quickly became my second family, they help me with everything, but most of all, they don't try to change me, they let me be myself, they don't think I'm broken. My father always hated that I'm “different“ than he is, he never understood, that's why we're not in contact anymore, that and some other reasons. That's why I decided to start hiking, every weekend on my days off, when I don't have to take care of the babies I go out and try to find some place to go to and recharge. I'm standing in the middle of this forest I found on my hiking app. I had to take a bus to get here, but it's worth it. It's beautiful here, I'm alone, there's nothing but trees and some small animals. I've always loved forests, there's something magical about them. I love to imagine that all the forests used to have magical creatures in them, that they lived in harmony with the nature, with Earth itself. A lot of people tell me that I still have an imagination of a 4 year old, but I like it, I like to think there's magic and miracles. It gives me hope. Hope for what? I don't know, it just feels right to think that. I have this sixth sense, or more like a feeling, my mother and sister have it too, I just know things, I know what time it is without even looking on my phone, I see it in my mind and have this weird intuition. I believe in universal energy, karma, fate, magic, God, call it whatever you want. I've always had a feeling there is more, something bigger than us humans. I walk along the path deeper into the forest, but something is telling me to go different way than I planed. I look at the path I wanted to go, it feels like something is watching me. It's so cold and dark there, I can feel it inside my body. It feels like my chest is closing, it hurts, I'm so scared right now. The trees are all crooked, dark and taller than rest of the forest. I can't move, I think I'm gonna panic! My hands are sweating, my fingers are so cold. The trees are closing around me, the dark path is getting longer, it's pulling me inside between the trees. It's so dark here. In the dark I see eyes, they're looking at me! I don't know what that is, but it's big, animal maybe? It's talking to me, I can hear it inside my head. I hear deep voice, it's almost a whisper, but it sounds so evil, but yet so pleasantly, like a charm. I need to go back on the path, but.. wait.. I.. what was it? It's gone. I shake my head and blink my eyes to make sure that I'm back to my senses. The feeling it's gone. What was it? I hear a voice in my head telling me to go, just go, find a different way. „Alright then.“ I turn around and go different way. This forest is beautiful, the trees are so green, I can hear a river. Birds are singing in the trees and flying around. „I want to find the river and take some pictures“. Photography is my hobby. „Ah! Finally... It's a lake, I can definitely see myself living here.“ I whisper to myself. I walk along the shore and find my way back into the forest to go back. „The way back should be somewhere here. I should check the app or google maps.“ I stop to take out my phone, but I have no signal. „Oh come on. Work. Come on, come on. God damn it! Fine then, hopefully I'll find some spot I recognize.“ After few minutes of walking I really got to a place I know, but I wish I didn't. „How the hell did I got here?“ I'm looking at the same path I crossed two hours ago. The trees look even taller and darker if it's even possible. There's no way I'm coming in circle. Or is there? „You want me to go in? There no way.“ But wait. I was here before so now I can find my way out, all I have to do is to go back the way I came here. Where is the pa-... here. Ok, few more minutes of walking this way and I should be back on main trail. „What?“ How am I here again? „I don't like this. I still don't have a signal, how am I gonna get ba-“. I hear a branch snapping, so I turn around. Noone is here. It was probably some animal. „Ok, Liz, focus. Before I came here I walked around a picnic table. I need to find that spot and then get back on the main trail. It was somewhere-.“ Again a branch breaking. This is really weird. I should just start walking, if there is an animal, maybe protective animal it could attack me. „Hallo,!“ I turn around to see if there is someone behind me after hearing another branch breaking. I think I heard voices. And then I see it. The eyes, they're looking at me, but not from behind the trees, they're blocking my path back. Everything around it is covered in darkness, it doesn't want me to see what it is. I'm so frightened that I can't move, I can't think. Those eyes, red eyes are getting closer, they're watching me and then I hear it. An evil growl. „I gotta get out of here.“ But where? My only way out is blocked. Without thinking I start running deeper into the forest. The leaves and branches are slashing me in my face, it hurst, but I need to get out. Which way? I can't see anything but trees. It's so dark here. It can't be night, right? „No.“ I say to myself. „I wasn't here for too long. It can't be that dark, unless. Where am I?“ Come on Liz, think. Calm down. „Shit! I went on THAT path. I don't like this.“ A growl. Chill comes over me, my body is covered in cold sweat in seconds and my chin is shivering with fear. „I'm so stupid.“ I start turning and looking everywhere trying to find a way out. It's useless, there's nothing but trees and darkness. s**t! s**t! s**t! Another growl, but this time it's right behind me. What am I gonna do? Is this how I die? I don't dare to turn around, but then I feel pain, excruciating pain. That thing pushed me on the ground, I'm laying in dirt, my knees are probably bruised, my hands burn with pain and my right cheek and side of my face are all wet from the fallen leaves and mud. Fu*k. I didn't realized I was crying until I started to sob. Please God help me, I want to live. Anyone please help me. „Help me! Aaaah!“ My back hurt so much. That thing, that animal is standing on me, Its weight is crushing me. It's huge. I try to turn my head more and look at that thing, at the moment I lay my eyes on it I am speechless. It's a wolf. A huge black wolf with red eyes and I'm it's pray. Those eyes are looking straight into my eyes with such hate and disgust. I want to say something, but I don't know what. I feel like it would understand me, but could any word reach to it and convince it to let me live? I just look into its eyes with pleading for my life. The wolf blinks few times, shocked as it heard me, but after it composes itself it only puts more weight on my back. I scream in pain and fear. Please come and save me. Anyone. Please. My ears are hurting from the sound that resonates through the forest. It bounces of the trees, it's terrifying, but calming at the same time. The wolf standing on me growls as an answer and pushes my onto the ground even more. Another growl answers him with more power, it radiates respect. The wolf after few moments of debating with himself get off my back and runs away growling. I'm still laying on the ground, terrified and unsure what to do. Should I wait or just get up and run? But run where?I look infront of me and I see a black wolf, but with blue eyes. It is looking at me with calm, giving me time. Huh? It's sitting? Is he the wolf that saved me? Looks like it. He doesn't seem to be angry or harmful. He is actually making me calm. Ok, slow movements, sit slowly, don't provoke it. I try to sit, but my back hurts. The wolf whines after I wince with pain. That sound makes me look at it, it is really looking with pain at me. Am I really that pitiful? Ok, I am sitting, I should calm down and think how to get out. I should just turn around and go the opposite way, that way I could get theoretically back. „What the hell?!“ The wolf is laying its head on my lap. I jump up and try to distance myself from it, but it again looks at me with pain and... hurt? Why? „Ok, I'll sit down again, but don't come near me. Or... at least let me know you are getting closer, you scared me.“ The wolf nods as an agreement and waits for me to sit back. It gives me few seconds and slowly comes closer and lays its head on my lap again. This feels nice, I could stay like this forever, the fear is leaving my body, even the pain. Hm, you are a strange one. But you saved me, so thanks I guess. I think to myself, but when I finish my sentence the wolf looks at me with confusion in his eyes. „You can hear me?“ The only answer I get is a nod. He can hear me. He can hear me, how?! That's ridiculous, I must have hit my head or something and now I have a concussion. „Ok buddy, I have to go back. Get up. Hey, I said get up.“ The wolf only lifts his head and then puts it back down. „I really have to go. Kris is gonna call the whole Canadian army, to find me. Come on get up.“ With that the wolf gets up really quickly, but growls a bit, almost as it didn't want me to hear him. I only shake my head and start walking, but a loud whine stops me. Is he sad? „I'm sorry, I have to go home, my friends are going to freak out, I told them I gonna be back in 3 hours tops, I have no idea how long I've been here and judging by the dark it's probably eveni-“, wait. It's not dark anymore, how? I was so into the calming feeling and warmth that I didn't notice the darkness is gone. Now when I think about it, it must have been the other wolf. I always kind of knew there are some forces in this world that are bigger than us, good or bad, I have encountered few of those in my live, but nothing as big and powerful as this. „Do you... do you think you could show me a way out?“, without a second of waiting the wolf starts walking, but I am not sure he is leading me out of the woods until he stops and turn to look at me. „Oh, you want me to follow, ok. Sorry, I'm coming.“, I jog closer to him and walk in silence, he sometimes looks at me and then back on the path, or around us. After few minutes of walking I recognize the picnic spot. „Yes! We're here. Thank God! I don't know how to thank you, I mean I've never met an animal that would-.“, where is he? I turn around, but I'm alone again. I look into the woods trying to catch a glimpse of the wolf, but I can't see anything. Thank you, hope I'll see you again. „You will.“ I hear in my head and a howl in the distance as an answer.