Scratch of a Wolf

It was late. I was staring out of the window in the car. Darkness consumed everything outside, enveloping us on this deserted road. The dull headlights illuminating only what was necessary. The sound of the car, humming through the night, was all that could be heard. No one dared to speak. Not even a single star shone in the sky. The moon was large and full as I watched it chase the car. The moonlight, however, never seemed to reach the ground. I looked up at that moon. Longing for something to end this limitless black night. I sighed and looked away. I began to study the shadows that occupied the space with me. The smallest shadow filled me with a sense of peace and love as I moved a lock of hair from their tiny face. Their snores filled some of the silence but before long, another sound invaded my hearing. Sniffles. Barely audible, as if the offending person was trying to stay silent. My eyes snapped up to the two large silhouettes in the front of the vehicle. As soon as I did, the feelings of peace I once had vanished, replaced with anger and rage. So consuming it pulsed through my veins. My body began to tremble, and I felt my heart harden as the sound made me scoff. “Please don’t, you’ll understand one day” a voice declared. I rolled my eyes and didn’t respond. Exhaustion was evident in my muscles. I attempted to stretch out across the seat but was constricted by the seat belt. I loosened it off, freeing myself before settling down and closing my eyes. As I did, something flashed across my vision in the night. It was like a blur, a streak of color flew past the car. I snapped my eyes open again and looked out into the night, searching. Alert and uncomfortable, I waited. It had been too long. Yawning, I pushed the uneasiness aside before re-settling again. My eyes closed and oblivion took over. All too soon I was jolted awake. The sound of metal crunching echoed around me. Gravity flipped me around as the car rolled and somersaulted. My head hit the window with enough force to crack the glass. The pain was all I could feel after that. Stabbing, relentless pain. I opened my eyes, my vision blurred and tinged with red. For what seemed like an eternity there was silence. No one screamed or cried for help. A glow then began to emerge from the front, cascading from the shadows in the front seat. Chanting could barely be made out. “We love you baby” was the last thing I heard before my eyes closed shut. As quickly as it started, it ended and the pain was all that was left. An ear-piercing growl emerged from around me before the world went silent once more and the sweet feeling of oblivion took me again.