Chapter 1 Sienna's POV
"Hey, Chipmunk, don’t worry. I’m almost there," I said, scrambling to grab my keys and the gifts I’d bought, trying not to trip over myself. My phone pinged, a text from a client with an appointment in thirty minutes.
“Fuck, I thought I canceled that.”
“Canceled what, Sienna?” one of the kids called from the other end
“Nothing! I’ll get there soon. Give the phone back to Danny,” I deflected, quickly texting the client to reschedule and offering a discount.
Balancing work and my social life was a nightmare. I had every reason to skip this party, but I couldn’t. Ever since I aged out of the foster care system at 18, I hadn’t visited my last foster home as much as I wanted to. I’d promised the kids I’d always come back, but life had gotten in the way.
Today was one of the kids’ birthdays. There was no way I could miss it.
"Please, can you stop at a cake shop to get a cake for Madison? You know how much she loves them, and I can’t afford it with the budget cuts," Danny, the foster mom, asked.
The budget.
They’d been dealing with cuts for a while, and Danny had to hold back on a lot.
I stopped at a cake shop and bought a chocolate cake with fudge filling and ganache, Madison’s favorite. I couldn’t wait to see her face.
After grabbing the cake, I headed straight to the foster home.
I pulled into the driveway, grabbed the cake, and walked around to the backyard. The party was in full swing, kids running around everywhere.
The moment they saw me, they rushed over.
“Sienna!”
“Hey, kiddos,” I grinned, holding the cake high as they tried to hug me.
Danny took it, and I hugged them properly before they ran off. I looked around for Madison, but she wasn’t with them.
Then small arms wrapped around me from behind. Madison.
I squatted down, patting her cheeks. Her jaw looked thinner, and so did the others’. I knew the feeling, waiting, hoping to be adopted or to age out and start life on your own.
Danny wasn’t as bad as some foster parents. I’d bounced between homes before landing with her at 15. She was the nicest I’d had.
But she wasn’t perfect. Fair but distant, doing just enough to get by. The only good thing we got was a birthday party. She’d never had one as a kid, so she made sure we did.
Ironically, her trauma was the nicest thing she shared.
Still, better than most.
“It’s time for the birthday girl to cut her cake!” Danny said, smiling. During these parties she seemed to relive the childhood she missed.
Afterward, she’d go back to her usual self.
“Alright, guys, let’s sing for Madison,” I said, gathering them.
“Happy birthday to you…”
“Make a wish, Madison!” someone said.
She turned to me, smiled, and blew out the candle.
I checked the time, it was late. My place was a three-hour drive away, and I had a 6 a.m. client.
“Danny, I have to go. I need to be at work early tomorrow.”
“Oh, dear. Can’t you stay at a hotel? There are cheap ones nearby,” she said.
I shook my head. “No, I need to leave now.”
“Wait, aren’t you going to say goodbye to the kids?”
“No, Madison won’t let me leave if she knows.”
“Okay. Call us when you get home,” she said, letting me slip out quietly.
I tiptoed to my car, started it, and hit the road.
As much as I didn’t want to leave, I had no choice.
Almost immediately, my phone rang. Danny.
“Hello!”
“Hey, Sienna, you need to come back. Madison’s been crying since she found out you left.”
“What? How did she find out so fast?”
“She wanted you to cut her a piece of cake, but you were gone.”
“Shit, Danny, I can’t. Tell her I’ll make it up to her, okay?”
“Alright,” she said before hanging up.
I tossed my phone onto the seat and focused on the road. Suddenly a bright light flashed ahead. A truck barreled toward me at full speed.
“What the … Holy fuck!” I panicked, yanking the steering wheel, but it was too late.
My car flew off the road, tumbling into the woods. Everything went black.
“Why is everything so quiet and blank?” I thought. I couldn’t feel a thing.
“Wait. Am I dead? Is this the afterlife?”
“Oh, fuck… This might be hell,” I muttered as something crawled on my skin.
“Of course there are bugs in hell. I always knew those little shits were demons.”
I still couldn’t move. The bug bite got worse.
“Fucking shit,” I growled, slapping my hand against something and rubbing my eyes.
This wasn’t hell. I opened them to a clear blue sky.
The car was upside down, wrecked. I’d been hanging there unconscious for who knew how long. No wonder I couldn’t feel anything.
I unbuckled myself with difficulty.
“Argh!” I winced as I dropped onto the roof of the car.
I grabbed my purse and crawled out.
What happened? I remembered the truck, but everything after was a blur.
I turned on my phone, relieved it worked.
Notifications popped up. One read: “Fatal accident on Road D. A truck collided with a small car that veered into the woods. Emergency services are searching for the driver; the impact may have been fatal.”
“Oh my God. That’s me. How am I alive?”
“I should call Danny…” I swiped to the call log, but my phone died.
“No, no, no!” I pressed the button, but nothing.
I checked myself for injuries. None. How was I alive?
Then I heard rustling in the bushes.
“Who’s there?” I called. No answer.
Suddenly, large wolves emerged, circling me.
Of course. I crash in the woods, and now I’m surrounded by predators.
I looked down at my boots, cursing my footwear. I was trapped.
I wanted to run, but fear pinned me. The wolves grow
led, closing in.
What do I do?
Run or stand here and let them eat me.
I turned toward an opening and bolted.
But I tripped over a rock and fell to my knees. The wolves closed in, baring their teeth.
This is it. I’m dead now.
I closed my eyes, waiting for the end.
“Ahhhh!” I screamed.