• Encounter

    Once I was far enough from them I took a rest under a giant redwood tree. I didn’t notice my side was bleeding till I sat down. My phone started buzzing and I pulled it out of my pocket. It was Jessica, don’t they know the meaning of ‘alone’. I turned off my cell and put it back in my pocket. I sat there for about an hour till I started hearing voices. Either I was going crazy or they were close by. I struggled to my feet and started running again until the voices faded. When I could no longer run I hid up in a pine tree. The blood from my injury was splattering all over the tree trunk. I settled on a branch and tried to cover the injury as best I could. My vision was starting to go from all the blood I lost but I struggled to stay conscious. “Crysstal, Crysstal where are you.” Chase and Cody were passing by repeatedly calling my name. “You think she’s okay Cody, I smell blood.” Cody took in a deep breath and shook his head. “I don’t know Chase, there’s probably a dead carcass around here somewhere.” Chase spotted the blood that was on the tree. “Look this tree’s covered in blood.” I was hoping they wouldn’t find me so soon. Cody took a good look and I couldn’t read the look on his face. “This is her blood, I smelt it on her earlier before she ran off.” How the heck did they know? I heard a growl from Cody. “And there nearby.” Who was nearby? What were they talking about? “We better hurry before they find her, if that tracker takes a bite out of her.” He was silenced and they quickly ran off. What was that all about? When the coast was clear I decided to climb down and cover my wound with mud to hide the smell. It stung so badly but I didn’t want them to find me. “Well what do we have here, an injured little girl.” My body stiffened, I didn’t recognize the voice. I cautiously turned around and saw a man with jet-black hair. “W-Who are you?” he looked to be in his twenties. He chuckled and held out his hand. “Allow me to introduce myself, my name is Samuel.”

    I backed up a few steps. “Please don’t be afraid, I don’t bite.” When I turned around there was a boy with dark brown hair who was about 17 and next to him was a giant white wolf with golden eyes. “Sorry, did we startle you?” the wolf was bearing its teeth and crouched down, it looked like it was going to attack. “My name is Louis and this is my partner Lestat.” My body started to shake and I turned back to Samuel, there was a woman next to him now. “My name is Jordan.” She had bright red hair that was like fire. “Sorry to trouble you, but we smelt something that just tickled our noses, it smells delicious.” Samuel to a big breathe and smiled pleasantly. Were they talking about my injury? “I’m sorry I have to go now.” The wolf blocked my way and snapped it’s teeth at me. I backed up and it lunged at me, digging it’s teeth in my shoulder. I refused to scream but I punched it in the head to make it let go. “What the hell is wrong with that thing?” Samuel chuckled and shook his head. “Sorry he could be a little rough.” I heard a howl that pierced the silence and they quickly dispersed. I tightly gripped my shoulder that was bleeding now and gritted my teeth. I walked back to the camp to close it up and the other injury. When I looked at my phone for the time, it was already five o’clock. It took me thirty minutes to get back. I went to the car and pulled out a first aid kit from my bag and I quickly wrapped up the shoulder wound first then the one on my side. I quickly changed into my pajama’s to hide the bandages, wouldn’t want them to worry about me. I laid out a blanket next to the pit and I curled up, closing my eyes.

    “Crysstal, thank god your okay.” I snapped my eyes open and picked up my head. It was Jessica, smiling as usual, but not the smile I was used to. “Hey Jess.” She smiled more and let out a sigh of relief. “Hey guys I found her!” the others came running out of the woods. Heather kneeled down next to me and gave me a good slap across the face. “Idiot don’t make everyone worry like that.” I nodded my head. “You’re right, it was careless of me to run off like that, I am sorry.” “Heather there was no reason to do that.” Shade was irritated, probably from her attitude. “She’s the one that ran off and got everyone worried.” “Did you get hurt?” Cody knelt on the other side of me, tracing his hand over my body, examining for any injuries. “No, I’m fine.” Shade’s anger was gone. “Don’t ever do that to us again.” After they were done examining me everyone was packing up. “Are we not staying another day?” Shade shook his head. “No it’s to dangerous here.” I wouldn’t blame him; I wouldn’t want to have another run in with those people. Cody lifted me on his back. “Actually Cody I would rather that she comes with me, you can take Heather.” Cody put me on the ground and I was barely able to stand on my own. Shade placed his hand on my shoulder to balance me then lifted me in his arms. “But Shade I want to go with you.” He glared at her and walked over to the suburban.