It was a cloudy afternoon, on my typical walk back from school. Passing the same forest I do everyday. Always calling to me. I wonder what lies behind the shadows? Once I reach home I put my books into my room, slip off my shoes and head into the kitchen for a snack. Slowly I eat, thinking more and more about the eerie forest I am dying to investigate. I finally give into my urges and grab a heavier jacket, and head to the forest. The crunching of leaves beneath my feet and the silence of the forest is soothing to my ears. Looking and walking around aimlessly in the beautiful forest I find myself deeper and further away from an exit. The sun has also set, and the once beautiful forest has turned into a dark and scary maze.

Frantically I look for my phone only to find I forgot it. I must have left it on the counter in all of my excitement to get here. But now…now I have no light source. How am I supposed to find my way home? I guess I will have to get myself back on gut instincts. Turning back toward the direction I  came from, I walk slow. My eyes struggle to adjust to the darkness and I come up short in this unfamiliar territory.

Walking blindly through the never ending sea of trees, I feel as if I am being watched. Pausing to scan my surroundings I lean forward thinking I see something. Luckily it was only my imagination, and it was just an oddly shaped branch.

As I continue my journey lights appear in the distance. Hurrying my pace to get to safety, I realize that the lights are not street lights, they are house lights.

“What? Who would live out here,” I ask aloud.

“Crack! Snap!” Almost on cue I hear branches break behind me, followed by the loudest growl I have ever heard. Quickly I turn around and begin to sprint. Weaving my way through this death trap of a forest, I see the biggest dogs ever, and they’re after me! Panting and pushing with all I can, I try not to slow down. Before I know it I am tackled to the ground by one of the vicious dogs. Screaming and wrestling with this beast of a dog, I feel myself becoming weaker. Slowly as the scratches begin to sting, and I accept defeat, I stop trying to fight the dog. Oddly as I stop fighting, so does the dog.

Opening my eyes only now realizing they were shut, I try to catch my breath. Lifting my head from the ground and leaning on my elbows, I make eye contact with the dog. Closer examination reveals that the dog is actually a wolf.  The wolf’s eyes are huge yellow orbs just staring me down, making me uncomfortable. A shiver runs down my spine, and I can swear the beast in front of me almost shows a look of concern. I no longer see the other wolf so I decide to try and run. Cautiously I stand up, and sprint once again.

To no avail I am tackled once more. Cursing myself for even trying to get away. The wolf hardly doing anything, but crushing me with its weight, just sits on my body. Which causes me to be completely trapped.

Being on my belly this time I lay my head on the cold leaf covered ground, waiting for my demise. Quietly I hear the crunching of leaves nearby, and slowly pick my head up. Almost instantly I scream,

“Help! Help me please! Wait! No! Run, run fast, save yourself!” To my surprise the man I was screaming at did not move, except for his mouth when he said,  

“Would you shut up? And stop trying to run away, you are just making this harder on yourself. Jeez you are such a human.”

Puzzled I look up at the man with pleading eyes begging him to explain. The man just looks down at me and questions, “Who are you, and what are you doing here?”

Sarcastically I respond, “Well my name is Jo, and I came here so a giant wolf beast could sit on my body!” The man smirks and looks in the wolf’s direction.

“Luke, I think you can get up now.” Just like that the weight was off my body and the wolf was standing next to the man. Rapidly I stand up, brushing my body of the decaying leaves, and look over to the man.

“I don’t know what that is,” I say pointing to the wolf. “But you can’t just let your pet attack people!”

“Oh he’s not my pet.”

Right after that was said, cracking and snapping sounds filled the air around us. Just for me to realize that the so called wolf was transforming into something else. Those cracking and snapping sounds were his bones, soon followed by tearing of what must have been his fur. Only seconds later, a newly formed man stood in front of me. To add to the shock, this new man spoke, making everything real.

“I am not a pet sweetheart, I’m a werewolf.”  

Stumbling backwards I fall to the ground ready to scream, when a hand with lightning fast speed covers my mouth. Releasing my scream, muffled by the strong thick hand, I panic and try to break free of the man.

“We will not release you until we teach you a lesson,” Luke stated. “Come on Mark, let’s show her what we do to trespassers.” Evilly Luke and Mark smiled, bringing their bodies even closer to mine. I tried with all my remaining strength to back away from those monsters, but I backed up into a tree and was stuck. The men’s teeth were just as sharp when they were wolves, and they slowly were grazing them along my body. Soon Mark backed up and Luke was on top of me yet again, teeth out, looking ready to kill.

I gulped, “Please…please don’t kill me.” A stray tear fell from my eye, “You said it yourself I’m human, I didn’t know any better.”

Before I could beg anymore to be released, a sharp pain shot through my neck. I let out an ear piercing scream that was not covered by a hand this time. What felt like fangs were piercing my neck right on top of my collarbone. I could smell the blood seeping out of my freshly made wounds and hear the maniacal laughter from Mark as I was being tortured.

Soon after Luke unclasped his jaw from my neck he stood up in front of me. “We don’t take kindly to trespassers. Go home, and let that mark remind you of your biggest mistake…entering werewolf territory.”

Days later, walking home from school, the same path as always, I feel my neck twinge. Slowly looking over to the edge of the forest a shiver runs down my spine. Quickening my pace I pass the forest knowing not to make the same mistake again.