The Saga Of The Bullied Luna’s Return

Audrey ~~ The cold wind of the night brushed my face. I didn't mind the slight coolness in the air. I had to keep moving forward. I had to keep running, and I had to pick up the pace or they would eventually catch me. The stabbing pain in my left foot and leg sent chills down my spine. Probably both the foot and a leg bone were broken. I couldn't care less; I had places to be. The moonlight illuminated the woodland floor, making it easy for me to make my route. As long as I could get away, the branches slapping at my face were only a minor inconvenience. I sought independence, a way out of my dysfunctional family. They were coming after me, and I could hear them. The sound of their approaching feet was louder and more rapid than mine own. As I threw on another burst of speed, my heart rate went into overdrive. As I pushed my way through the dense forest, I told myself, "Keep going Audrey, don't slow down." If I kept running, I might be able to finish the race for the first time in my life. A large area of light appeared ahead, suggesting that there was a path through the trees I had been following. If there weren't any trees in the way, I'd be able to run a little more quickly. I was so close to plunging through the woods and into that opening. The barriers that had prevented me from going all out disappeared. And nearly immediately after leaving the cover of the woods, I ran straight into another person. A man had been seen strolling around the open area. Several inches separated him and myself in height. His jet-black hair seemed to disappear into the gloom of the night. I couldn't make out the exact color of his eyes in the dark, but he was a bit older than me yet still seemed rather young. He looked down at me where I had landed in a heap and asked, "Are you alright?" with genuine worry in his voice. I ran straight into him, and he didn't even flinch as I bounced off of him. He could as well have been a wall. He extended a hand to me as he leaned forward. My already rapid heartbeat accelerated to the point that it practically hummed. My previous attempts at evasion had never led me to anyone else. If he was one of those who sought out people like me, I had no idea. Fear seized control of me. I didn't have time to figure out what was happening; all I could do was jump up and keep running. This guy might be just like my relatives, or even worse. I got up and started running again without turning to look at him. My fractured foot and leg finally caught up to me after I sat on the ground for 30 seconds. I hobbled away from the area, changing my course from where I had been going before because I couldn't run as fast as I had been able to. I had to get far away from that man and my loved ones right now. I was back in the forest, making rapid progress. He yelled after me, "Wait." He had been silent for a while when I turned and ran away again, but now he was talking normally. My pursuers got up to me after only three steps, at which point I asked, "Where are you going?" The first wolf barged into me, sending me crashing to the ground once again. A enormous grey wolf, panting heavily, stood over me and put a paw on my breast. In a matter of seconds, three other wolves appeared from the woods and began prowling around me. The man was continuing making his way towards me as I heard the crunch of leaves and twigs under his feet. As my cousin's face loomed over me as he proceeded to hold me to the ground, I cried, "Get off me Arlo," into my own thoughts. As I fought to break free, his wolfish face only grinned maniacally. I was terrified that Uncle William would find me. However, this outcome was inevitable. Seconds later, even through the dense foliage and the blackness, he was within range for me to make out. The sight of him put an abrupt stop to my rushing heart. I stopped breathing and thought I might as well die then and then. I knew the night would not end well for me. To hear his growling, grating voice say, "When are you going to stop trying to run away from me, you little b***h? Don't you know better by now?" sent sickening waves of dread through me. But I said nothing in reply, just kept Staring at him like a frightened rodent Staring into the eyes of its attacker. The smirk on Uncle William's face was pure malice as he looked at me. As I lay there motionless, his golden eyes bored daggers into me. His blond hair was blowing in the wind. Everyone told me he was attractive, but whenever he looked at me or I returned his gaze, I felt a chill run down my spine. Although in his mid-30s, he looked and acted much younger than his years. Around him, I always felt feeble and helpless. To hear him say, "Don't you know that you're supposed to be mine?" made my stomach turn. When are you going to stop acting like a baby, Betty, and accept reality as it is? The man from earlier stormed over and appeared to be glaring at the scene we were making, as if to say, "What the hell is going on here?" Were we completely unrecognizable to him? Did he realize what was happening? Was he familiar with my kin? Would he aid them in recapturing me? None of these inquiries had answers, and neither did I have any idea who he was. But then, I didn't know anyone's name beyond my own family. Uncle William yelled at the young man who had approached, telling him, "This is no concern of yours. Leave us be." Out of the corner of my eye, I caught him Staring directly at me. Why did he need something from me? Did he look like my Uncle William? Once again, the feeling of itchiness crawled over my skin. He gestured at me and added, "This doesn't look like a very pleasant experience for her." Again, it's none of your business boy; get out of here before you do something you'll later regret. He yelled back, "You're threatening me?" obviously unaware of who I was or how influential my uncle William was. He probably wouldn't have spoken to him in such a manner if he did. My cousin Arlo was standing close to me before Uncle William came up and put his boot on my chest. They all shifted their attention away from me and onto the man who had insulted my uncle. My uncle's voice had that sharp edge it often had when he was upset, and he said, "You can clearly see that you are outnumbered, do you really want to continue this issue, boy? I suggest you run along and leave our family business to us." It was directed towards me the most of the time. The man gave us a long look before uttering, "Hmph." He looked at me and Uncle William with particular interest. His voice was gloomy as he said, "I will go, for now." Was he one of the guys that frequently went on hunts for wolf packs? One of the men I've been cautioned to avoid my entire life? The events of tonight made me feel like I was running from one terrible circumstance to another and back again. The man gave a backward glance and proceeded to leave. As he strode away, he merely glanced over his shoulder once. The darkness swallowed his form fast. Uncle William moved forward and grabbed me by my long, golden brown hair and said, "Let's go." He scowled down at me and said, "And this will be the last time you try to run from me or my patience will completely snap. I just might forget to be forgiving when I punish you next." As he dragged me along behind him, I felt the sting of my hair being yanked. Because of the discomfort and the fear of what would happen when we returned home, I forced my eyes shut tightly so that they couldn't see that the colour of my usually deep blue eyes had lightened to a softer hue. The entire time I was being dragged through the forest, I felt the sharp edges of the roots, branches, and rocks that littered the ground digging into my skin. By the time we returned to the family home, I was covered in bruises, scrapes, and cuts and my scalp felt like it was on fire from Uncle William's hard hold as he pulled me along. The family compound was a sprawling manor deep in the woods. The only thing between the road and the house was a three-mile driveway that wound its way through the forest.