Call to the Wild

The Seer...

Last night was hazy, my head was pounding. Again the stress had become too much and again I woke up in a strange location. Only this time I didn’t have someone bringing me clothes. I was naked in the middle of the woods...

The sun was directly above me so it must be noonish already. I looked around and sniffed the air. I could smell fresh water. I needed clothes, but how was I going to get them?

I walked for what seemed like miles, following the scent of a creek. I followed it until I came upon a trailer with laundry on a line. It looked like men’s sweats and a black T-shirt that said The Crane. I wondered if that was a company logo or maybe some old band maybe? They were at least two sizes too big. I just tied the pants as tight as I could and hurried down the hill to the road.

It was a country road, even with my increased werewolf strength and endurance it would probably take hours to get to town.

“Sapphira we’ve got to come to some kind of agreement. You can’t just ditch me in the middle of nowhere!” I growled. She could hear me, I was sure of it. Even if she never answered.

The sun was going down by the time I reached the area I’d met the seer at. I considered just going home, but maybe she could help me with Sapphira. I couldn’t keep letting her take control like this! I could smell their village long before I found it. It smelled like rotting wood, moss, and ensense. Now I was standing on the edge of the clearing, it was different. I didn’t see people walking around, there was no smoke coming from their chimneys, somehow the buildings all seemed deteriorated. It was like no one had been here in years... What had happened here?

I wondered around the abandoned village until I found the one the Seer had taken me to. The door sing open with a creak so loud I looked behind me just to be sure. There was no one there, but I had such an uneasy feeling. Something was telling me to watch my back.

Inside the room seemed basically untouched since the day I was last here. Everything was covered in dust but everything was still in its place. There were two tea cups on the tiny dining table, both wooden chairs perfectly in place, even the kettle was still on the stove just waiting…

This was all too strange…

Suddenly I caught a scent… Lemongrass… Before I could even react to the smell, I knew he was at the door.

“Hello.” Said a familiar husky voice.

My heart began to race and my stomach flopped. I turned slowly already knowing who it was. Why was he here? Was this place some facade as well? Was all of this done to trick me some how?

My eyes must have nearly popped out of my head when I saw him. I gasped so loudly, it actually sounded like a silent scream. He was older, it was clearly him, but he was older. He had a beard peppered with bits of gray.

“I’ve been waiting a pretty long time for you.” He said it so plainly.

“What happened?” I asked not sure of what else I could say. I had so many questions, there was no way I could ask them all right now.

“You left me, Ayla. You ran away and never came back. This is why we hide the truth from you.” Dylan had changed so much, he was still him but his tan was a little deeper, a new scar sat just above his left eyebrow. He had a full beard, a few grays here and there, but his hair was pretty much the same. His face was rounder too, somehow he was even better looking than the last time I’d seen him. He seemed somber.

“What do you mean? I don’t understand what’s going on?” My voiced cracked a little, I was trying to keep my emotions at bay, but suddenly I just felt like crying. I wanted to crawl into my bed and cry…

“Ayla you are part witch. You’re not like the rest of us. You’re emotions can trigger very old magic.”

“That’s silly, I think I would know if I could cast spells!” I yelled back, I wasn’t even angry just shocked at this accusation.

“Ayla.” He was speaking so low and calm. He was trying to keep me from getting too upset. I could tell, but how was I not going to get upset?

“How long have I been gone!” Again I was yelling even though I didn’t mean to.

“Maybe we shouldn’t talk about that just yet.” He was trying to evade my question, hoping I’d move on to something else.

“How long Dylan!!”

“It’s been thirteen years.” He looked down when he said it, I guess he’d hoped I wouldn’t ask that. But that had been the first question in my mind when I saw him.

How had it been that long? Where was I for thirteen years? Was I thirty-two now?

I looked around quickly, no mirrors, of course! I suddenly felt claustrophobic, I needed out of this tiny cottage. Without thinking I walked up to Dylan and pushed him out the door. At first it seemed like he wasn’t going to budge, but after just a glance, he moved suddenly… Clearing the door way for me to get through.

I didn’t go far, I just needed some air. I closed my eyes and took a few deep breaths. Then a sound made me remember the need to be alert. My eyes darted to the woods surrounding us, nothing..

“Do I look different? Like you?” I blurted out.

“A little.” He replied honestly. “But you’re even more beautiful than I remember.”

He was smiling now, It was kind of a sad smile still though.

“Wait… And where’s Lisa and where’s all the people that lived here?”

“Uh.. Um.. Well Lisa, honestly I don’t know. We kinda lost touch a few years after you disappeared.” He seemed so reserved which was really strange.

“Lost touch? I thought she was part of your pack?”

“Yeah well the pack sort of dispatched. There’s a few people left, mostly guys, a few old friends who didn’t want to join other packs.”

“This is crazy!” Said Ayla holding her pounding head. She was feeling dizzy and slightly nauseous now.

“Please don’t get worked up, I don’t know if we’ll ever see each other again if you go all witchy again..”

Ayla looked at him with large confused eyes. She wasn’t sure if he was joking or being serious!

What if she did somehow pass through all that time as a wolf. Where was she all that time? Did her magic transport her to the further? No, she wouldn’t have aged then right?

“Can we just go home now?” Ayla asked feeling exhausted and confused..

“Yes we can go home.” Dylan’s eyes had these little crinkles on the sides now. His facial features seemed softer somehow she thought.

The exstranged couple walked through the forest silently as a million more questions flashed through Ayla’s mind.

Where was Lisa?

What had happened to the Seer village?

What was waiting for her back at the cabin?

Surely things couldn’t have really changed that much, right?