8

"What do you want Riley?" Kessler inquires reluctantly.

The girl walks over and clings to his arm as if it were her own. Riley looks at me from head to toe like I'm a bug that needs to be squashed.

“Let's go. Who is this?” She raises her eyebrow. Riley is wearing makeup, her hair is blonde and pretty, it has waves. Now I understand why Kessler would marry her, although aren't they too young to marry? He will barely be 17 years old. Anyway, since I didn't like the tone in which she spoke, I stood up straight to let her understand that she wasn't intimidating me.

"Let's go, Riley." Kessler led her away from me without even introducing us. I felt dumb and stupid but deep down I knew Riley wouldn't stay with her no doubt.

•

In class I couldn't concentrate, I thought and thought about Lottie and what could have happened to her. I imagined her alone in the forest without knowing what to do, fighting against those beasts. I can't, I have to do something. I put my things away and left the classroom ignoring the teacher's screams. I went to the library, there was a yellow tape on the door indicating not to enter. I crouched down and stepped through it, entering. There was no one here. I took out my camera, I always carried it, and I photographed absolutely everything. I just hoped no one would find me here. They had cleaned the floor where there was supposed to be blood, they had cleaned everything. Not all. I turned on night mode on my camera and took a video, there was a huge line on the floor, I think it was where the blood was and then it was still outside… I kept going, walking out of the classroom. Luckily the others were in class. I followed the line through a lonely hallway, down the stairs and ending up at a large door that said "exit" was the emergency exit. I opened the heavy door, here there were only forests. It didn't seem strange to me, it was logical. I searched the ground for any clues, maybe something of Lottie's, I had to go a little way from the premises if I wanted to find anything. I was scared? Of course I did but I felt that I had to go looking for my friend. Moments later I gave up because there was nothing on the ground but fallen leaves and branches.

"Where are you, Lottie?" I asked the air. I had liked the girl yesterday. Sighing deeply and putting away my camera, I turned on my heels, a figure in front of me made me jump in fright.

“Riley.”

She smiled to me. But it was not a pleasant smile.

"You know my name, but I don't know yours."

How did it get here so fast? I didn't even feel it coming, it was impossible not to rustle the leaves when walking.

“Eve.” I said, "Eva Bailey."

She nodded.

“Hmm Bailey. Sheriff Robert Bailey's daughter?”

“Yeah.”

“Interesting.”

“Why?” I didn't feel good being here alone with this girl, don't call me crazy but I felt that she had something wrong. It didn't inspire confidence in me at all. And it was even scary. Riley circled me like an animal would circle its prey before attacking.

I wasn't afraid of her.

“No reason. My mom is friends with Kessler's mom, Tessa Koch. There I met your father. Kessler's mother is the mayor of Telluride.”

Telluride is the name of this town and I had no idea that Kessler's mother was the mayor. Wow, how interesting.

“I did not know.”

No wonder they act like they own the town.

“It's good that you know, Eva, because I don't like it at all that you get close to him” now she positioned herself in front of me.” He is my boyfriend and soon we will get married.

I felt something in my chest when she said that.

"I don't care, girl, do what you want with him." I wanted to go around her to leave but she stopped me by the arm. Her touch was too strong for a skinny, dumb blonde.

“You have been warned.”

"You don't give me orders." I got out of his grip and raised my voice because I had been very patient with this girl but she filled me. “Listen to me, Riley Koch, don't mess with me because you don't know me and you don't want to. I'm not afraid of you and, just so you know, it's your boyfriend who's looking for me, you should tell him to stay away from me, dear.” Giving her a half smile, I walked past her. But apparently the girl wouldn't stay with the desire, I felt a tug on my hair and a push that made me fall backwards to the ground.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and pulled her hair, Riley screaming like crazy. We both fell to the ground, she hit me and I hit her back.

"Get off me, idiot!" She yelled, "you seriously don't know who you're messing with!" She warned me, I felt that as a threat.

"You don't know who you're messing with." I put her on her back and sat on top of her, locking myself in her arms.

"Oh! Bitch, I swear you'll pay me back!” She shout.

"My father is the bailiff and he taught me a lot of things you don't want me to put into practice on you, you dumb blonde." I pressed her head to the ground. The poor thing was messed up.

Riley laughed.

"You made a serious mistake.”

I didn't know why she had said that, but at that moment I heard a noise, seconds later something grabbed me from the backpack and threw me to the side with a lot of force, I screamed.

My head.

I half opened my eyes when, right in front of me, was a huge wolf growling at me, sabotaging its tongue, advancing towards me. I wanted to stand up but I felt dizzy from the blow. Everything around me was spinning.

I have to run, I told myself, I have to. Riley stood up and smiled casually at me, like there wasn't a killer wolf near her.

"Riley..." I called her name.

"Kill her," she ordered. Did she tell the wolf? It just can't be. The wolf understood her order and, in the blink of an eye, he ran and launched himself at me, but before he could touch me, another larger wolf with black fur intercepted him and hit him against a tree. I felt bad, scared and had a feeling of unreality. This is not happening. The two wolves were fighting, the last thing I saw was Riley running away and a wolf howl, before collapsing.