Crushing Emeralds

Chapter Fourteen

I roll over only to stop short from a shooting pain across my stomach. I roll back onto my back and stare at the ceiling, the very familiar ceiling. I’m back in my hospital room. My hand glides over my stomach, even through the blankets I can feel the thick layers of dressing that cushions my permanent reminder of the wolf.

A nurse walks in after hearing the mattress squeak. She has more dressings in her hand and a pair of scissors. “How are you doing this morning?” she stares at me, but I remain silent. “Well, I’m going to change those dressings because your wound needs to be cleaned.” The nurse claims gently grabbing my shoulder to ease me into a sitting position.

The cold metal of the scissors makes me jump as the nurse begins to cut the old dressings off. She gradually peels the wrap off, blood makes it stick to my skin causes it to itch. Once the white wrappings are off I stare down at three large slashes that are stitched closed. I’m more than relieved when the nurse is finished covering them back up.

My mother only leaves when Evan and Kordie the following day. She leaves to run some errands and in the capable hands of my friends.

“How are you doing?” Kordie asks.

“Just great.” I reply sarcastically.

Evan has his hand on my calf gently rubbing it to give me strength. “It’s over. That’s all that matters.”

“Davey White, the veterinarian insisted on taking a closer look at the animal because he claims to have never of seen anything like it before.” Kordie says. “I personally hope it gets cremated. Sooner rather than later.”

Evan and Kordie do all the talking while I just sit there pretending to listen. I pretend to listen and be okay for the next two days before they discharge me.

“Mom.”

Her eyes remain on the road as she answers me. “Yes Honey?”

“I need to see it.”

Her head snaps in my direction for a few seconds before glancing back at the road. “I’m not sure if that’s the best idea.”

“I need to see it.” I repeat and I’ll keep repeating it until she takes me to the vet.

***

I sit in the chair as my mother talks to the man that insisted on keeping on the animal. After several long minutes my mother gestures for me to follow.

With the doctor and my mother flanking my sides, I stop short. “Can I go in alone...please.”

My mother shakes her head, but when the veterinarian gives a nod she stops. Her hands twist together with nervousness.

The room is cold and clean and bare except for a few lab tables. And on one of those tables is the is a covered mass, but its too small to be the wolf.

It has to be it though. I yank the white sheet that covers it back revealing what’s underneath. “No.” All breath leaves my lungs in a instant. I stumble backwards only to slam into a table. The commotion gets my mother’s attention and she barges into the lab with the doctor on her heels.

“Is this is joke?” I yell at them. “Where is it? Where is the wolf? Why is Blake here?”

The doctor gives me that look. That you’re not well look. His eyes go back and forth between me and my mother silently telling her something.

“Honey? The wolf’s right there.”

“No. No its not.” I turn back to face the table and see the big hairy beast laid out on its back. Its tongue lolling out of its mouth.

No. I just...I saw him. I swear...

“Let’s get you home sweetheart.” My mother leads me out of the room. I struggle against her hold trying to keep the wolf within my line of sight, but it remains the wolf and I don’t see Blake laying on metal slab again.

Did my mind play tricks on me? Or was it telling me something?

***

I walk into the living room where my mother lounges on the couch watching the news. I linger behind her silent fixated on the television.

“The mysterious wolf responsible for killing four teenagers and two adults during an school field trip and later reeking havoc has disappeared from a local veterinary clinic. We will keep you updated when we have further details.”

I sway on my feet, my vision going black. I knock a vase off the table and in slow motion it crashes onto the floor. Pieces of glass flying everywhere.

My mother runs around the couch barely catching me before I hit the ground.

My mother thinks it best if I’m not left alone. So when she has to go into Flourish she enlists Evan to watch me. He comes parading over happy to tasked with taking care of me, but I on the other hand don’t like to be handed off like a precious cracked heirloom.

He talks slow, asking simple questions. Keeps him movements to a minimum. Always staying an arm’s length away. We sit in the living room watching TV until his stomach growls. “Time for lunch.” He chimes.

He gently places me in chair as he prepares us sandwiches. He’s in the process of cutting the finished product in half when he winces quickly sticking his finger in mouth.

I instantly catch a whiff of something in the air as Evan hands me the sandwich in one hand, but my eyes go to his other hand that has a piece of paper towel wrapped around it, blood seeping through.

I tear my eyes away and rub at my temples aggressively.

“Is something wrong?” he asks.

“It’s just...hard to see blood...I’m fine.” I lie covering up my true fear. I swear I could smell his blood. It smells sweet.

***

“Mom! Kordie’s here. I’ll be back later.”

“Just be back before supper okay.”

“Sure thing.” I leave with a smile on my face that hasn’t surfaced in months. Between healing and getting my anxiety under control to the point of being able to function again these past few month were harder than I like to admit.

With my first time out of the house, back into civilization a smile happens without forcing it.

I slide in the front passenger seat with Kordie behind the wheel of her mother’s car. Evan lays across the back seats lip syncing to the music. Further down the road Kordie starts to sing aloud. Just like the old days. Except Kordie is driving so we can’t leave her behind...like we have a tendency of doing.

We have to park a block away being a Saturday. Kordie and Evan try to keep up with my fast pace. The closer we get though the more I have to weave through bodies. In the crown of people, I spot him, it stops me dead in my tracks. People walk around me and in front of him blocking him from my line of sight every so often. His gray eyes never breaking away from mine.

Evan finally catches up to me grabbing a hold of my arm swinging me around to face him. “Are you okay?” Evan asks before I’m fully turned around.

But once I do face him head on it’s Kordie who worries me. Her hand slaps over her mouth muffling the gasp of breath as she stares at me, horrified.

Evan quickly lifts me off my feet and carries me through the crowd back towards the car. “We need to get you to a hospital.”

I want to tell him to put me down confused on why I need to go the hospital of all places. I strain my neck trying to spot Blake within the crowd of people, but he’s gone.

“Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god.” Kordie chants as she fumbles with her keys.

Then I feel the warm sticky wetness on the front of my shirt. Three lines of blood soak through my t-shirt slowly merging into one large splotch. No. I’m almost healed.

One word keeps repeating in my mind.

Werewolf.

TO BE CONTINUED...

Please let me know if you enjoyed the story so far. I'm so lucky to have been asked to post this portion of the story on here by Dreame, but now its up to you the readers for its continuation. Do you want to see Emerald and Blake finally have their first confrontation?

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