New home, New town, New life (Book 1)

Chapter 8

Three days had passed and Snow still hadn't come to me. I had a feeling something was wrong, but now I knew for sure there was. I had a feeling Soil knew something. Every time I asked where he met Snow, he'd avoid the question. Always saying he had to pee or that he was going to go hunt for food. "Hey Soil, how far south from the mountain are we?" I knew he would answer this one.

"We are 15 miles south of the mountain. North of that small house that's been there for over 100 years." Got him!

"I used to live in that house with my Dad."

"How is that possible? No one has lived there for over 20 years." A smile grew across my lips.

"I was born in 1978. I'm 17. How is that possible?"

"You're a witch!" He was blunt. 

"No. Just someone who hasn't aged for a very long time."

"Leave now." 

"Tell me where Snow is and I'll spare your life."

"She's in the old house, locked in a cage. Please, don't kill me."

"I'll think about it."  I turned and took off toward the house at a full speed run. Anything that was going to stop me was either going to get punched and stomped on. I wasn't planning on stopping for anything. Not even to catch my breath. I felt like I was being followed, I kept running, hoping whoever it was, would give up. I got to the house and suddenly felt an over whelming sense of anger, fear and pain. "Snow." Was all that went through my mind. 

I kicked the door down on the third try. I looked around at the scene that was laid out in front of me. It was horrifying. Bodies were everywhere. Animals, humans, fresh, old. It was horrible. The smell was just as bad as the sight. "Snow!" I called out, but there was nothing. Nothing but eerie silence. I smashed my hand off the wall as hard as I could. Pain was the easiest way to find each other. 

I found her under fresh human and animal corpses. It was disgusting to touch them, but all I could think of was getting Snow out of here. She was more important to me than anything. Even my own life. I pulled at the lock as hard as I could, but it wasn't breaking. "Come on!" I yelled at it. I kicked it, nothing. I punched it until my hands bled, hoping that it was break inside, nothing. "Hold on Snow. I'm going to get you out of here." I kept trying to break the lock when a sharp pain went through my shoulder. I cried out and turned around to see who it was, but something hard hit me across the face. I was not going to give up that easily. I never have and I never will. I looked around. 

"Come at me!" I yelled, looking everywhere I could without leaving from in front of the cage that held Snow. "Come on!" I yelled again and was hit in the face again. I hit the ground, but I got right back up. "There is no way I'm going to let you kill her!" I heard a laugh from the shadows. It gave me chills, but I ignored them.

"Close your eyes and listen." Snow's raspy voice reached my ears. I closed my eyes and listened to everything around me. After a few moment, I heard movement behind me. I waited until they were right behind me. I spun around and brought my fist up, smashing their nose into their brain.

"b***h. I know many ways to kill someone. No one messes with her. No one!" I spat on him. It turned out that it was Soil. I guess he was going to wait until I had found Snow before killing us both. I don't care now. He was dead and I was slowly bleeding out. 

It took me some time to break the lock, but I did it. I pulled Snow out and held her close to my chest. I had fallen over onto the blood staid floor, but I didn't care. I had Snow in my arms again. "I'm so sorry this had to happen to you. I promise, I will never leave you again." I whispered into her ear. 

It had been seven days of in and out of consciousness. Snow and I were too weak to move, too weak to get out of this bloody house. "Penny! Snowflake!" I heard someone calling for us. 

"In here." My voice came out as a raspy whisper. They called again, but they were getting farther away. "Help!" I tried to call out, but it only came out in bits and pieces. His voice was almost gone when I grabbed an antler from a dead buck. I hit it off something hard a few times, but it wasn't loud enough. I use up the last of my strength and hit it off the cage that held Snow. It was loud and it hurt our ears, but it worked. The shape of a man came in. I heard him gag at the smell of the house. He saw us and took us home.

In the light and with what vision I had, I could see that Snow was no longer a white wolf. Her fur was stained with blood. "Snow." I whispered. 

"She will be fine. She wasn't hurt much. She's mostly feeling what happened to you." It was Hunter and Wolf who had pulled us out of that house. 

"You  owe us big time. We had to get a heck of a lot of maggots off you both." Wolf said. A harsh cough was brewing in the back of my throat.

"I will make it up to you." The cough came out harsh and loud in Hunter's ear.

"Ow!" Demon yelled.

"Sorry." I held back another cough.

"It's alright. It wasn't your fault." Demon sounded upset at something, but I could barely think straight. 

Snow and I were brought into a very brightly lit room. The light above us burned my eyes. "What is wrong with the girl, and why is there an animal in my hospital?" A man said. 

"We found her in the old house in the forest. She was covered in maggots, along with the wolf. Doc, there were dead bodies everywhere in that house. My brother and I carried them here, you have to help them." Wolf was speaking to a doctor. That must be who the other man is.

"I am a Doctor! Not a Vet!" The doctor yelled. I reached out and grabbed his coat with my dirty hand.

"Please.. Help Snowflake first. She's important to me.." I begging him. I saw his eyes soften. 

"Alright. I will try my best." He quickly took Snow from my side. 

I was in and out for an hour or so when I heard Wolf stand up. "How is Snowflake?" He asked.

"I stitched up the bad wounds and cleaned her up the best I could. Snowflake will have to heal herself from here on out." The doctor said. I sat up, causing my wounds on my head to bleed more. The maggots had kept us alive, but now that they were gone, I was bleeding out again.

"Thank you." My voice was still raspy. 

"Now, we must get you treated." He took me away from Snow, Wolf and Hunter. "What's your name?"

"Penelope Scarlet Windford. I'm 17. My father is Hank William Freeman. My deceased mother's name was Mary Violet Windford. I need to get back to my father. He probably thinks I'm dead."

The doctor frowned when I tried to get up. "If I don't get you fixed up, you will be." I remember getting a needle, but nothing else after that. I felt like I was floating again. I couldn't move or speak. I could just float. Going wherever I was being taken.

I could hear a beeping noise. It was getting louder by the second. I opened my eyes and there was a bird laying on my chest. I screamed and tired to sit up, but I was restrained. I fought until my wrists bruised. "It's okay! Penny! Penny, it's me, Demon! Hunter's partner!" He spoke! This thing was not a bird! Animals don't talk! 

"You spoke! Animals don't speak! Get off me!" I was screaming and fighting against the restraints. Three large men came into the room, tightening the restraints on my wrists and adding some to my ankles. 

"Penelope!" I heard another man call out.

"Penny! Don't you remember who I am?" Demon said. I was so scared. I had no clue as to what was going on or where I was or who was near me.

"Get away from me!" I screamed, pulling on my restraints. Everyone had left the room. Everyone but one man. I recognized this man.

"Penelope, do you remember who I am?" He asked. Fear and pity were clear in his eyes as he looked at me. 

"You! You left my mother when she told you she was pregnant with me!"

"I'm sorry. I was scared to be a Dad. I was only your age, 17. Your mother was 18. It was one time. A month later she came up to me during lunch break in school and told me she was pregnant. I got scared and ran. I ran to my father and asked him how to raise a child. He told me, but when I got back, time had moved on passed me. Remember? Shadowdale Woods has a huge difference in time. Anyways, when I got back, I heard about your mother's death. So, I took you in and tried to be a Dad, but I guess I didn't do a good enough job. I'm so sorry." 

Tears streamed down the sides of my face. "Let me out. I want to give you something." He released me from my restraints and I got off the bed. "I don't remember what your name is, but I know you are my Dad, so here." I hugged him and didn't let go.

"Pen, I love you." He said into my hair.

"I love you too, Dad." My words were muffled in his chest.  I fell asleep right next to him that night. My dream was beautiful. A beautiful green place with lots of people and animals. It was beautiful, but oddly familiar.