PROLOGUE: Hold On
790 Words
Prologue: Hold On
There’s a large opening, covered in snow and surrounded by forest and mountains. I stand in the middle wearing nothing but a pair of jeans. No shirt or shoes even though it is freezing outside. My body naturally runs hot, so the cold is bearable for me. I look around, trying to figure out exactly where I am. This location is not familiar to me and I don’t see any significant landmarks. Just as I decide to start heading towards the trees, I see someone running out of the dense forest. They are running faster than a normal human and I watch intently, trying to figure out who this person is and what they are running from. They are so far away that it’s hard for me to make out any details even with my sharp eyesight. I try using my sense of smell but the harsh wind keeps my nose from identifying a specific scent. What creature is this? It’s getting closer and I’m able to identify a female figure. Her dark hair is blowing wildly around her head and she looks to only have on a thin cotton gown. Finally, I pick up her scent as the wind direction switches and hits me in my face. Wolf! At the same time, I see four wolves emerge from the same part of the forest the female came from. They are running at top speed but they still can’t seem to bridge the gap between them and the girl. She is exceptionally fast. She lifts her head and makes eye contact with me. I think I see a mixture of uncertainty and relief on her face. She is headed straight for me. Something tells me I should run too, but I do not want to leave her behind. I want to help her. I want to save her and find out why she is running from these wolves. I need to. I move to meet her part way as I see her pace slowing, which allows the four wolves pursuing her to catch up more. She’s growing tired. I can tell. I try to shift into my wolf but can not seem to. F*ck! Why can’t I shift? I look at the female again and try to yell to her but my voice is not working either. Sh*t and f*ck! Can she understand that I’m going to help her? I hope so because I don’t want her to think I’m after her too. Finally, we are within a few feet of each other and I get a good look at her face. She is beautiful. So damn beautiful. I open my arms and without even a second of hesitation she runs into them as if she knows me. As if she has known me her whole life and knew I would be waiting for her in this empty field at this exact moment. With her chest pressed tightly against mine and my arms wrapped around her petite physique, I look over her shoulders and see that the wolves have stopped running. They cast angry and frustrated eyes in our direction but do not attempt to come any closer. A growl rumbles through my chest and suddenly the wolves whimper and bow their heads.
“Thank you.” I hear a whisper in my ear from the frightened little stranger I’m holding in my arms.
“You’re safe now.” I comfort her.
“Please, hold on. I’m on my way. I’m on my way to you. Hold on,” she whispers.
I pull away to look at her face but instead I find myself grasping at air. She’s vanished. I look around in a panic trying to find her but there’s no one there. Even the wolves are gone. It’s back to just being me, alone in the snow-covered empty field surrounded by trees. I begin to yell loudly, hoping she will hear me and come back.
“Where are you? Where did you go? I can help you! Come back! Come back!” I release a loud growl from the pit of my stomach in frustration and it causes the ground beneath me to shake……
Suddenly, my eyes open and I sit upright in my bed drenched in sweat. A dream. Another dream. The same dream except each time I have it I get closer and closer to the mystery girl. This time I actually reached her and was able to save her from danger and still she vanished right before me. I lay back down and close my eyes. If the dreams were omens then eventually, my damsel in distress would come to me. Right into my waiting arms. I just had to hold on.
- Writer
