Chapter 2
746 Words
I finished my exams and went to meet my friends. Our last papers weren’t the same, but we gathered at our usual spot in the school library before heading to our hideout, Zaryer’s apartment. It had been a birthday gift from her late father, who died two months after she was given gift.
We decided to celebrate our last paper and last day of school at a club. Every year, on our birthdays, our families gave us one night of freedom to do whatever we wanted. We were adults now. I was the last to turn eighteen, but we were ready for our first real night out.
At Zaryer’s place, we played our usual game of “who chooses the theme.” Aumiree won and picked all-black outfits. “We should look like seductive witches,” she said. Zaryer and I grumbled but went along with it.
Aumiree wore a black off-shoulder top with matching shorts, a black choker with a silver pendant of the sun and moon entwined, and black sneakers with white edges. Smoky black eyeshadow deepened her witch-queen look.
Zaryer chose a loose black dress that stopped mid-thigh, spaghetti straps, a golden pendant like Aumiree’s, and a neat bun with doll-like makeup. She looked like a country Barbie doll.
I matched Aumiree’s smoky makeup but with a softer glow. My silver choker carried the same pendant, the one we bought together at a tourist site and swore to wear on our eighteenth birthdays. My wavy hair cascaded down my back over a fitted black dress that hugged my curves. To tease, I threw on a loose shirt to hide the shape, only my cleavage and thighs showing.
“Aumiree, why am I feeling uneasy about your outfit?” Zaryer asked.
“We played fair. I won. Black it is,” Aumiree replied, rolling her eyes.
“We’re not trying to chase guys away with our looks,” Zaryer and I said in unison.
“You look beautiful,” I added.
“Hmph. Zaryer looks like a Barbie, Ayel looks like a goddess teasing her worshippers. Of course I should be the grim reaper,” Aumiree smirked.
“Snap out of your delusions,” Zaryer laughed.
“The driver’s here, girls,” I said, cutting off their banter.
The drive to the club on the town’s outskirts was filled with anticipation. The smell of alcohol, noise, and dancing greeted us as we entered.
“I need to widen out and get my first boyfriend. Bye, girls,” Aumiree said, disappearing into the crowd. A guy asked Zaryer to dance, leaving me alone at the entrance.
I went to the bar and ordered a strong drink. My metabolism burned alcohol quickly, but tonight the glass trembled in my hand. A deep husky voice jolted me out of my thoughts.
“Hey, beautiful, care to dance?”
“Yes,” I said, and we moved to the music.
Halfway through, I felt dread crawl over my skin. A man with green eyes appeared, shoved my partner aside, and his hand brushed mine. Energy surged through me, and my vision shifted to animals tearing into people, blood everywhere.
I blinked back to reality, panic clawing at my chest. The green-eyed man was already beating my dance partner brutally. I ran to find my friends.
I found Zaryer first. “We need to get out of here,” I hissed.
“You felt it too? Said zayer Let’s find Aumiree.”
But Aumiree was nowhere. Screams erupted from the restroom stairs. People scrambled to escape. Then we saw her running toward us.
“Aumiree!” we shouted.
“Run away! Run!” she cried.
We grabbed her hands and bolted. As we reached the door, we froze,
A man shifted into a wolf, tearing another man’s head clean off, drinking his blood.
Screams ripped through the club. Zaryer spotted a broken window and silently pointed. We jumped out, people following, breaking the glass for their lives.
We made a stupid choice. Instead of taking the main road with the others, we fled into the forest, thinking it was safer.
Owls hooted. Orange and hazel eyes glowed in the dark. Bushes rustled, then went silent. We turned back toward the road, but red eyes lunged at us, blocking the path.
It was a wolf. A massive one.
We screamed. Everything went black.
Just before I lost consciousness, a voice whispered:
“Ayel… why didn’t you heed the warning?”
- Writer
