He approached me slowly, his movements uncertain. Suddenly, he jumped toward me, but before he could reach me, another wolf jumped on him from my left side, knocking him off balance.
Reacting quickly, I stood up with my gaze fixed on this other wolf who saved me, his face was bright, and I retreated back into the safety of the house, closing the door behind me.
Peeking through the side glass of the door, I witnessed the intense fight between the two wolves.
They caused severe wounds upon each other, their anger evident. Then, the wolf that had come to my aid lifted its head toward the sky and let out a haunting howl.
This seemed to frighten the other wolf, causing it to flee. This second wolf disappeared into the bushes, and what I witnessed next was beyond my wildest imagination.
I heard grunting noises, and as I looked on, the wolf stood upright on its hind legs.
Its fur began to shed, and it turned and twisted in agonizing pain, transforming into a human figure.
The darkness of the night obscured my view, leaving only a shadow falling to the ground.
Fear gripped me, and I was too terrified to investigate further. Seeking solace and protection, I rushed to my mother's room, waking her up in a state of panic.
Covered in blood, I blurted out, "Mom! I saw a child being torn apart right in front of me!"
Shocked, my mother tried to calm me down and explain what had happened. I explained the entire incident to her, leaving her equally horrified.
"Oh my God!" she exclaimed, her hand covering her mouth. She quickly poured a glass of water for me. "We need to contact the police," she declared.
"But they'll never believe us!" I hiccuped between sobs.
"Then we'll tell them only what they can believe," she reassured me, gently rubbing my shoulder.
So we told the police about the wolf attack on a child right in front of me, without delay, the police arrived and conducted a thorough investigation of the scene.
They discovered wolf fur behind the bush near my house, confirming the presence of the predator.
It was at this point that Sheriff Newton arrived, realizing the impact the incident had on me.
He empathetically handed me a psychologist's card, suggesting me to seek support if needed, while kindly advising me not to blame myself for what had happened. With a gentle pat on my head, he departed from the scene.
Next morning, Mr. Darkwood awoke to a confusing situation. Finding himself undressed on the floor of his own room, he noticed blood all over his body, especially from his lower lip to his abdomen.
"What the..." Confused, he examined his nails, which were stuffed with dried blood and skin.
Rushing to the bathroom, he confronted his reflection in the mirror, desperately seeking answers.
The sight of the bathtub triggered his memory of the previous day's fall.
"I should be dead after a fall that bad!" He mumbled.
Overwhelmed by panic, he took a shower to cleanse himself, attempting to rid his body of this unknown blood.
Emerging from his room shirtless, he began to towel dry his hair when our eyes met.
I was seated on his couch with my mother, accompanied by his nurse. We had gathered to extend an invitation to my father's funeral.
However, Mr. Darkwood could see the pain in my sleep-less eyes.
Throughout our conversation, he repeatedly observed me, wearing his shirt, as I recounted the events of the previous night.
Despite my efforts to conceal my emotions and appear normal, the haunting image of the child's lifeless body kept haunting my mind.
Sensing my distress, Mr. Darkwood kindly offered all the support he could give during this difficult time. "If you want to take a break, I can talk to the principle."
As I rose to my feet, I spoke, "It's fine, staying home will only make me feel worse."
"Okay, so if not that, why don't I give you a ride? I'm heading to the school as well," he offered.
Before I could say anything Mom interrupted. "He's right, you should go with him," my mom advised.
"Okay," I nodded.
During the car ride, we both remained silent. He seemed concerned about me, but he was also worried about not remembering what had happened to him or how he ended up undressed and whose blood it was.
Upon arriving at the school, I was lost in my thoughts and didn't hear him call my name.
But then his hand on my shoulder nearly startled me to death.
"I am sorry," he said.
"No, it's fine," I replied, wiping away my sweat.
"Are you sure you're up for this?" he inquired.
I nodded. "I have to do this, I must do this," I stated as I opened the door, and he held my hand.
Looking at our hands, he apologized, "I'm sorry, I don't know what came over me."
"It's okay," I reassured him. Not to mention, his kind touch made me feel better.
"Just know that if you need me, I'm here," he smiled before releasing my hand.
"I'll go park the car," he said.
As I walked through the school grounds, I felt the eyes of others on me, but this time there were whispers too.
I wasn't sure if it was because I arrived with a teacher or if it was related to the previous night's events.
For the first time, I entered the classroom with my head down, lacking the strength to meet anyone's gaze, knowing that if I did, tears would start to flow.
And then my questions were answered when Mr. Darkwood entered the class and began his lecture.
During the lecture, someone in our class asked, "Can you tell us anything about the history of the time when there were too many wolf attacks?" Another student responded by howling.
It was meant to be a joke, but it made me feel uneasy. I tried to stay calm and smiled but my eyes met with Mr. Darkwood's, he knew I was not happy about it.
He rushed over to the student and slammed his desk, growling at him.
"Do you think this is funny? Imagine witnessing a little boy being torn apart right in front of you!" he yelled, causing the class to fall into a heavy silence.
Willow, rubbed my shoulder to comfort me and whispered, "Don't pay attention to that loser."