Furry Humans

❝ Don’t consider my kindness as my weakness. The beast in me is sleeping, not dead.❞

ABIGAIL

“Abigail be careful!"

A giggle escapes my small body, as I jump down from the porch into the grass below, my legs buck under me from the force of my jump and I fall to my hands and knees. Dirt and blades of grass scrapping against my hands and sticking to my knees, painting them a slight green.

“Abigail!"

A laugh bubbles in my throat when hands grip my upper forearms and pull me to my them, I look up and into warm brown eyes of my big brother that glances at me in worry.

“You okay?" he asks me, brushing the dirt off my hands and then bending down to pluck off the grass from my knees.

I grin broadly,“Yes! That was fun. Can I do it again?” I say, jumping up and down.

A slow smile spreads across his face,“No. You’re going to hurt yourself for real."

"But it was funn."

Mason laughs, standing from his kneeling position, a breeze flitters across us blowing his brown hair over his forehead; the clouds float along the across giving the sun an opportunity to shine down on us, it heightens the color in big brother’s hair and bounces off the flowers mommy had planted earlier in the week.

"Mason, sweetie!” I hear Mom call from the house, “Come here for a moment, please."

Mason’s eyes lift up from my form and back behind me which lead to the house and suddenly his smile falls from his face and he gives me a quick glance before moving around me. My neck cranes up a little more to get a better look at his face.

“Stay right here, okay?” he says to me, with a look I only see on Daddy’s face.

I nod and watch as he walks up the porch steps and to the screen door where Mommy was standing. They speak real low, so I couldn’t hear them, he then pulls the door back and walks into the house stopping to talk to Mommy again and walks in deeper. Shrugging, I turn away and bend down playing in the dirt. Another breeze picks up and blows my dress to the side, and that’s when a pretty butterfly flutters on the grass by my hand.

I gasp softly, momentarily mesmerized by the deep blue of its wings.

"Pretty. .” I whisper, reaching out to touch it, but it flies away and towards the big trees.

I hop up, “Wait!” I yell, running to catch up towards it, it flutters an uneven path flying above the line Mason told me to never cross. I didn’t care though, I wanted the pretty butterfly and it was getting away from me.

My little feet carry through the thick trees, as I subconsciously follow it deeper into the forest, I laugh when the butterfly flutters low to the ground and then jerks up higher.

“Wait for me!"

I step over tree branches, my pretty white shoes growing darker in color with dirt sticking with it. All of sudden, it gets dark and a booming sound overpasses above causing me to stop. I stare up and see dark grey clouds covering the sky, the sun disappearing, the woods start to darken and I began to shiver in fear. I look back down looking for the butterfly to give me a small sense of comfort, I cried out when I didn’t see it. The woods were growing darker and scarier, small creatures coming out to play.

A growl resonated, echoing through the trees.

My head whipped around, my curious eyes looking for the source of the foreign sound before connecting with blood red eyes, a small gasp escapes my mouth as the wolf stalks forward another growl rumbling from its chest, filled with bloodlust.

"Mommy. .?” I call out, hoping someone could hear me backing away, tears clouding my eyes. ”Masey?"

Licking its front teeth that dripped with saliva, the wolf pounced, paws outstretched and claws extended ready to rip me apart and before it could, a faint whoosh! in the trees was heard just as something, the speed of light past by me, blowing my hair in my face. A strangled whimper echoed in my ears along with a sickening snap before liquid splattered over me.

My small hands reached up and pushed my hair away from my face, the sight of a man in front of me. His blond hair was tousled as his green eyes stared down at me, a bright red ring around his irises. He was wearing a blue shirt and pants that were splattered with the red substance as well.

“You’re safe now.” the man’s whisper, echoed in the wind, a gentle smile on his lips.

His hands were coated in a red substance that was dropping from his fingertips, despite the image, I felt calm.

“You’re not going to hurt me?” I couldn’t help but ask.

The smile on his face grew a little as he shook his head, “No.” he uttered.

"ABIGAIL!!” a voice shouted from afraid and it sounded like. .

“Daddy!” I exclaimed, raising my hands in the air causing the man to chuckle.

"Would you like to go back home?” he asks, a sparkle in his eyes.

I nod, and with my response, he holds his hands out the red still on his hands, I look from his hand to his face and with small steps, I place my smaller one in his. His other hand comes down and rests on my back, and before I knew it, I was lifted in the air and rested on his hip.

“Whoa! Your talll!” I giggle, enjoying how high I was on the ground.

His chest vibrated, as he laughed again, while he begins to walk in the direction the sound of my name came from. He was walking for a little while before I turned my head and was close to his face, I could make out the structure of his face and he was handsome as the word Mommy would use to call Daddy.

My hand comes up and rests on his cheek, the coldness of his skin seeping into my palm, I gasp still holding my hand there. His eyes snap over to me, never stopping his walking pace.

“You’re cold,” I comment, rubbing my hand down his face, while he continues to carry me through the forest with his arm under my bottom.

“Have you ever heard of a blanket?"

His head bobs up and down, “I have.” he says stepping over a tree trunk.

I hum, patting his cheek, “You should use one, you need to get warmer.” and the only response I got back was another throaty chuckle.

We both fell into silence and a moment later I unconsciously laid my head on the inner side of his neck, breathing deeply. We passed under trees, shadows of the leaves passing over my skin and the man’s, I begin to compare how pale his skin was. The clouds were still out and darkening by the minute, the roll of thunder heard in the distance.

“What’s your name?"

He didn’t answer right away but his arm tightens around me.

"Elijah,” he commented.

I grinned, “It’s nice to meet you, Elijah, I’m Abigail."

My eyes shot open, my chest heaving up and down in rapid breath. My eyes were a bit blurry from the sudden action and I blink rapidly, breathing deeply before turning my head from side to side taking in my surroundings. The room was unfamiliar and I had no recollection of coming in here, the walls were plain white besides picture frames that held paintings and there was a black desk with a matching chair to it and a book shelve beside it; I could say it was a cozy room with other things filling it.

And slowly the remains of my “dream” began to seep into my mind, confusion and wonder were the two main emotions fluttering within among others; the questions swirled in my head like never before.

′Who was this Elijah to me? Why is he popping up now? Where is he? What happened?′

I lay in my own thoughts, relaxing in the softness of the bed, until I was jarred to reality with a vibration against my bottom, patting around I pull out my phone and answer the call without checking the caller ID.

“Hello?" I sigh, rubbing my eyes.

"Where are you?” Dad’s voice flows through.

I tense, stopping all movements, and regarding his question, I dig around in my brain momentarily forgetting where I was.

“Still at the pack house," I answer, gazing out the parted curtains, "I guess I fell asleep, sorry."

A sigh was heard and a muffled voice came through at the same time. "It’s fine, you had us worried— mainly your mother when you didn’t respond to our texts."

An airy laugh escapes me, sitting up slowly, my hair falling over my shoulders while swinging my feet over the side of the bed.

“Tell her I’m okay, I was just exhausted and lost track of time. You both act like they’re going to hurt me."

He grunts. “You know her, the pregnancy is settling in."

Besides the noise on his end of the line, probably from Mom in the kitchen, we both were silent, this was the first time we’ve talked because I was avoiding him.

The door to the room opened and in walked Xavier, in all in glory, wearing a tank top and baggy sweats while barefooted; his hair was tousled from sleep yet his eyes were bright and alert. My gaze was locked on his bare arms watching as the slight twitch of his muscles came to life when he closed the door behind him.

"Abigail?"

I snapped back to the conversation, "Sorry! What you’d say again? I was distracted."

Xavier chuckled, sitting at the end of the bed.

“I said there was another reason I called,” an emotion deep in his voice, as I waited for him to continue. When he didn’t right away I began to worry.

"What is it?"

“. . You’re cousin Sarah was murdered. . ."

All air left my lungs, as I stared shocked at the wall ahead of me everything else blurring out.

“She was found in her room, claw markings on her body and a note beside her head. Your uncle was the one who found her,” I could hear him gritting his teeth. "He believes a wolf did this and it wasn’t an accident."

It wasn’t until I felt a soft brush under my eye to realize I was crying, Xavier sat in front of me with saddened eyes and I’m guessing he heard.

Sarah’s murder was planned.