The Moon Rot

Chapter Three: Footsteps In The Dark

I couldn’t stay inside.

The walls felt too close. The silence in my room pressed on my ears like hands. Every creak of the old building made me jump. So I did something stupid.

I grabbed my black hoodie, pulled it over my messy hair, and slipped out the front door.

The night air hit me cold and sharp. It smelled of wet concrete and distant rain. My sneakers made soft sounds on the sidewalk as I crossed the empty street. The streetlight still buzzed above the spot where she had stood. I stopped there and looked up at my own window. It looked dark and ordinary now. Like nothing had happened.

But everything had changed.

I turned in the direction she had walked. The narrow lane between buildings swallowed the moonlight. My heart beat faster with every step. The wolf inside me stayed quiet but awake, like a dog with its ears pricked up. It didn’t push or growl. It simply followed her trail with me.

I walked for ten minutes. Past closed shops with metal shutters. Past sleeping houses with curtains drawn tight. My hands stayed deep in my pockets to hide how much they shook.

Then I heard it.

Soft footsteps behind me.

I spun around fast.

Nothing. Just an empty street and a plastic bag blowing across the road.

I kept walking. The footsteps returned. Matching my pace. When I stopped, they stopped. My mouth went dry.

“Who’s there?” I called, my voice cracking.

No answer.

I turned into a small alley I knew well. It led to an old playground no one used anymore. Broken swings hung still in the dark. The moon lit the cracked concrete in cold patches.

That’s when I saw her.

She sat on the edge of the old merry-go-round, one leg swinging slowly. Up close, she looked even more unreal. Smooth brown skin. Sharp cheekbones. Those golden-brown eyes that seemed to catch every bit of light. She wore the same dark jacket, but now I noticed a thin silver chain around her neck with a small moon pendant.

She didn’t look surprised to see me.

“You came,” she said. Her voice was low and smooth, like velvet over steel. “I wondered how long it would take.”

I stopped ten feet away. My legs felt weak. “Who are you?”

She smiled that same small, knowing smile. “Someone who understands what you’re going through.”

My wolf stirred. Not with hunger. With interest. With… relief?

I took another step closer. “You were watching me. In my room. When it started.”

“I was.” She stood up slowly. She was a little taller than me. “The change came early tonight, didn’t it? Earlier than usual. That means it’s getting stronger.”

My stomach twisted. “How do you know that?”

She tilted her head. “Because the same thing is happening to me.”

The words hit me like cold water. I stared at her, searching her face for any sign she was lying. There was none.

I swallowed hard. “You’re… like me?”

“Not exactly.” She took one step toward me. “I don’t fight it the way you do. I stopped fighting a long time ago.”

The breeze picked up. It carried her scent—something like rain and wild herbs. My wolf liked it. Too much.

I took a step back. “Stay away from me.”

She stopped. Her eyes softened just a little. “You’re scared. That’s okay. But hiding in your room every month won’t stop it. The moon doesn’t care if you’re ready.”

My hands clenched into fists. “I woke up with blood on me before. I don’t know what I did. I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

She looked at me for a long moment. Then she reached out and gently touched my wrist. Her fingers were warm.

“You won’t hurt me,” she whispered. “And I won’t hurt you.”

For one second, the pull between us felt so strong I almost leaned in. Then a dog barked somewhere far away and I jerked back.

“What’s your name?” I asked, voice shaking.

“Zara.”

I opened my mouth to tell her mine, but she already knew it.

“Arian,” she said softly. “I’ve been watching you for three weeks.”

My blood ran cold.

Three weeks?

Before I could speak, she turned and looked toward the end of the alley. Her body went tense.

“They’re coming,” she said quickly.

“Who?”

“People who hunt what we are.” She grabbed my hand. Her grip was firm. “Run with me. Now.”

My wolf surged forward, ready.

And for the first time, I didn’t fight it.

I ran.

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To be continued…