Shadow of the Beast

P-A-R-T-Y

The new week and new school had started even better than I'd expected. Barbara's daughter, Eryn, and I had bonded almost immediately and she'd accepted me straight into her clique. 

She was nothing like the kind of girls I'd been friends with before - she was a perky, cheerleader type with emerald green eyes and long, straight blonde hair. She was exceptionally friendly and accommodating, and it seemed as though everyone loved her, including the teachers. She was really smart, and although socializing was high on her list of priorities, she also had great grades and we seemed to have a lot in common, and similar studying styles. 

She wasted no time in introducing me to basically the entire school, and I pretty much felt like I was living the dream. I didn't have time to think about anything else, and it felt like I'd found my 'new normal', in a lifestyle that I'd only ever dreamt could be mine. 

'David Shaw is having a "back to school" party tomorrow night' she'd announced on Thursday. 'you totally need to come.'

I'd wondered how I was going to wing it, but resolved that I was always going to be honest with Aunt Kate, and after calling her after school, she'd told me I needed to have fun and do teenager-y things, and between speaking to her and Eryn, I'd organized to go with Eryn and then sleepover at her house afterwards, so that Barbara could report back to Aunt Kate that I was safely home, not intoxicated, and well looked after. 

Friday evening came, and Eryn and I got ready together, which ended up being a mini party in its own, us blasting the latest top 40 charts and trying on outfit after outfit, doing each other's hair and makeup, and having a lot of giggles along the way. 

When we eventually got to the party, fashionably late of course, it felt like all eyes were on us. In a good way. There were a lot of good looking guys who would come up to Eryn and whisper in her ear, but I just saw her shake her head to each one of them. I'd wondered what they were saying to her - everyone knew that Eryn had a long term boyfriend. I hadn't met him yet, as he was only coming back to school the next week after being away for a socialists appointment in another state. Apparently he was a big athlete, but had a recurring injury that his parents were paying huge amounts of money to get specialized treatments for. It had sounded weird and far fetched to me, but pretty much everyone I'd met had corroborated the story, asking Eryn how John was doing and if he'd be back in time for the party. Apparently he had landed in the morning... And as if on cue with my train of thought, he walked through the door, grabbed Eryn by the waist, swung her around and kissed her. 

'Hey Baby!' he said excitedly

'Johnny!' Eryn's face lit up at the sight of her boyfriend. He was exactly the kind of guy you'd expect Eryn to be with. Tall, tousled brown hair, deep, brown eyes, athletic. He was a catch, to be sure. 

'This is my new friend, Olivia. She just started at our school - she's Kate Marsh's niece and she's awesome!' 

I blushed a little, and we exchanged pleasantries. Eryn excused herself to go and say hello to a few stragglers who had just arrived. John leaned towards me and chuckled. 'I don't think Eryn can go more than five minutes without trying to welcome and look after everyone.' he watched her flit amongst the cloud with a silly grin on his face. It was clear that he was totally in love with her, and it gave me hope that I could also have what they had some day. 

Eventually Eryn came back, grabbed John and I both by the hand and let us outside, where it was a little quieter. 

'So, Liv, I have had boys asking to meet you the whole night. Quite honestly it's exhausting' she huffed. 'not one of them is good enough for you.'

I felt a bit taken aback, thinking who is she to make decisions on my behalf? But then she continued. 

'I have to tell you, although this place is not short on good looking boys, a lot of them are compete assholes. I got lucky with John', she gave him a little side hug and he grinned 'but so many of them just want to get into your pants just for bragging rights, or will break your heart by hooking up with 10 other girls while they date you. I've seen too many friends hurt, and I don't want it to happen to you. I think I'm going to make a list for you on who to avoid.' she took out her phone and started composing her list, not wanting to waste any time. 

I put out my phone and lowered her phone.' Eryn, I appreciate it, I really do, but just for tonight, let's have some fun? I'm not here for boys, I just moved here and don't have time to be getting into anything in any case. Let's go and dance!' 

John shot me a glance and a surreptitious "thumbs up" behind Eryn's back. 

After dancing for a while and a few sneaky shot of whatever alcohol they had at the party (truthfully, it seemed to be a punch made from whatever everyone had managed to sneak out of the house - revolting tasting, but perfect as an act of teenage rebelliousness) I started to feel a little hot and sweaty. I'd never had alcohol before, so I assumed that this was what being drunk felt like. 

I wandered down the bottom of the yard, and noticed that, like my aunt's house, it bordered the woods, but from the opposite side. I started to walk into the woods again, presumably influenced by the alcohol because walking out into the woods at the time of the night was an obvious bad choice, but then I felt it again. 

The low, rumbling growl, all around me. Remembering that this usually ended in me fainting, I sat down on the moist ground, head down, hoping that it would pass. To my surprise, it did. Silence.

I stood up and brushed the dirt and leaves off my clothes, and had the sudden feeling of the hairs standing up on the back of my neck. I looked up and saw the dark shape of... Something. It looked like a large animal, and as it came towards me it reared up on its back legs, and I swear I was going crazy because it wasn't an animal at all. Walking towards me was the shape of an intimidatingly large man.