Chapter 2
534 Words
The morning after her encounter with the werewolf, Emily woke with a start, the events of the previous night replaying in her mind like a nightmare she couldn’t escape. She could still feel the cold grip of fear around her heart, could still hear the snarls and growls echoing in her ears. Max lay beside her bed, his wounded side bandaged, his eyes alert and watchful.
Emily’s parents had been beside themselves with worry when she returned home with Sheriff Henderson, but they had quickly ushered her inside, insisting she rest. They hadn’t asked many questions, but Emily could see the fear in their eyes, fear that mirrored her own.
As she dressed and made her way downstairs, Emily found her parents sitting at the kitchen table, speaking in hushed tones. They fell silent when they saw her, exchanging a glance that made Emily’s stomach twist with unease.
“Morning, honey,” her father greeted her, his voice too cheerful, too forced. “How are you feeling?”
“Okay, I guess,” Emily replied, though she knew she wasn’t okay. “What happened last night? What was that thing?”
Her mother, who had always been the more superstitious of the two, looked away, her hands trembling as she clutched her coffee mug. Her father sighed, running a hand through his graying hair.
“Emily, there’s something we need to tell you,” he began, his tone serious. “Something about our family, and this town.”
Emily’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”
Her father took a deep breath. “The Carter family has lived in Pine Hollow for generations, ever since the town was founded. But there’s a dark history here, something that’s been kept hidden for a long time.”
“Your great-great-grandfather, Jonathan Carter, was one of the town’s founders,” her mother continued, her voice wavering. “But he wasn’t just a simple settler. He was also a hunter, a hunter of things…things that shouldn’t exist.”
Emily’s mind raced. “Are you saying he hunted werewolves?”
Her father nodded. “Yes. Pine Hollow was built near these woods because the settlers believed it was their duty to protect the world from the creatures that lurked here. The werewolves were cursed, bound to this place by something ancient and evil.”
“But how could something like this be kept secret?” Emily asked, struggling to process what she was hearing.
“Most people didn’t know, and those who did either left or took the secret to their graves,” her mother said quietly. “Over time, the werewolves became more of a legend, something people whispered about but didn’t really believe. But the truth is, the curse never went away.”
“The full moon brings out the beast in those who are cursed,” her father explained. “But the curse can also be passed on, through a bite or a scratch. That’s why it’s so dangerous.”
Emily felt a chill run down her spine. “So what do we do now?”
“We protect ourselves,” her father said firmly. “We stay indoors during the full moon.
- Writer
