Awaken the Luna

Chapter 2: Before the Woods

Before the woods.

This place is beautiful, the trees, mountains, and the weather is amazing today. I have always wanted to see the state of Washington. I feel like I’ve been stuck in my Jeep for days. I have been driving for two days stopping to take in the sights or rest. Norma has carried me through plenty of miles and I certainly trust her to get me to my destination. My white wrangler has seen better days but she is also 20 years old. It was my moms until she left my dad, my sister, and I. Once I became 16 it was mine to sell or drive. I decided to keep it just in case I ever saw my mom out one day or she saw me. I guess part of me wondered if she would follow me and try to make amends. We have lived in the same house since I was born so I know she could find us if she wanted to.

I keep looking into the distance to the mountain in the horizon. Home is back in Texas where we don’t have scenery like this. It’s really nothing like the photos on the internet. One thing I have always appreciated is the beauty of nature and how truly amazing it is. Texas is beautiful but this is a whole new world of mountains and dense forests of evergreen for miles and miles.

My phone hasn’t had the best signal the last few hours I know my dad has called at least 10 times by now. Hopefully he trusts me to be safe and doesn’t overreact when I can finally reach him. It was tough on him when I left and I know he is worried sick. This was our deal and he is a man of his word. I gave college almost two full years of my life and I still couldn’t decide on a major and I was done with all of my basic courses. My dad and I made a deal that I could go on my adventure road trip to find who or what I wanted to be if I completed my core classes. Last week I got the email that I officially passed all of them and could apply for my associates degree. With that my dad agreed to support me in my road trip to Washington. Why here ? I guess it was because it is completely opposite from my small town in Texas. It also seemed to be the center hub of all of my favorite books as well. Authors who I admired used this setting in their stories so why not me too.

I glanced down at the radio: 5:30pm. I should probably stop in the next town I come to and eat dinner then find a place to park and sleep. One thing I don’t want to do is drive winding roads in the dark.

A sign appears saying rest stop 15 miles, that’s not bad at all I smile to myself. Right on schedule. I turn up the music and roll down my windows to enjoy the last bit of journey I have left for the day. My dark auburn hair blows wildly with the breeze. I’m glad I wore my favorite black tee and flannel to keep warm. It isn’t cold yet but with the sun going down I know it will be freezing soon. Or at least what southern people consider freezing. One of my favorite things to do is blast the heat while having the cool wind blow in from having the window down. It helps me feel free, this is the closest I will probably ever come to flying while the wind turns me cheeks a nose pink.

I decided that listening to Demi will do me some good, I unlocked my phone to scroll to my artist list to shuffle my favorite Demo songs.

Looking back up at the road there is an enormous black wolf in the middle of my lane. I hit the breaks and jerk the wheel to dodge the poor creature. To be honest it would probably total my old hunk of junk if I hit it going so fast.

The right front tire hits a huge dip in the road causing me to let go of the wheel as it jerked away violently from my grip. The jeep jerks back the opposite way and turns to its side causing it to roll over on the passenger side. I close my eyes and grab the bar on the door and the gear shift. I brace myself as the car rolls down the side of the road.

Once the car had stopped I opened my eyes. The windshield is shattered and I am clumsily falling out of my seatbelt since the Jeep landed on it’s passenger side. Reaching up to touch my head I feel warm wet liquid and I know I’m bleeding. I flinch from the pain, no telling how deep it is or if I need stitches.

I hit the release on the seatbelt and fall hard on the passenger door and the shattered glass. “Damn it!” I hiss as I struggle to not cut myself more. Remembering the wolf I glanced at the front of the car to see if it was still there. I felt my heartbeat begin to accelerate as I saw the huge creature stalking towards the car.

Great, it probably thinks I can be an easy dinner! I’m bleeding from my head and injured who knows where else. Well not today puppy. I opened my glove box and pulled out my mace that my dad promised I would take with me everywhere I went. It was the real deal not the $10 pink can from the gas station. It can shoot from several feet away and hit the target without being close to the enemy.

Here it is! I grab it quickly as the wolf picks up speed running over to me. I flipped the safety and pull the trigger. Yes right in its face! The wolf covers its face and I hear the most awful bone chilling growl I’ve ever heard. Oh crap I just signed my death wish. I need to move and now.

I shimmy out of the front of the car and look around realizing the car must have rolled off the road more than I imagined. I can’t climb back up the hill and it will catch me with no difficulty. I turn and look into the forest, and think wolves can’t climb trees. I took off sprinting into the trees, I ran track in high school and got a scholarship to my dream university by running. I can out smart a dumb wolf.