Heart Of Ice

Chapter 14

Samika's POV

I rearrange the small stationery station I have in my room. I am motivated after I met Brent Foster today. His work of art, the intelligence, the detailing.. it simply blew my mind away.

Olive and I couldn't stop talking about him all the way back home. Olive told me that there was a girl who was hitting on him when he was their teacher and she was the main reason he had to quit. When Olive said she is going through something similar, I just couldn't help but wonder where those kids are leading to.

For sure fantasizing age gap love has become a fashion statement nowadays and high school kids are quickly adapting to it.

I also talked to my dad and told him that I want to proceed with the idea of opening an art school. I didn't know if he was happy about it or whatever, because he was too busy to say anything back.

For a while, I felt happy that my parents were giving me some attention as they should. But things are back to square one again. Maybe by running my own business, I can get myself out of this and start my own life. Now I am too dependent on my parents.

Once I am done with arranging the stationery, I fall on my bed and grab my phone. There are no texts and no missed calls. How is my life this bland!

I decided to finally call Nyle and talk to him about everything. For one thing I am sure, is that I definitely feel something for him. I laugh more and my heart rate goes insanely up whenever I am around him. When he leaned closer and I closed my eyes, almost inviting him to kiss me, was an eye opener for me.

So I call Nyle and wait for him to pick up, which he doesn't. For some reason I cannot sleep so I decided to paint something again. They say practice makes man perfect. I don't know how many long years I have to practice more to become like Brent Foster. Or maybe, to become like me. One of a kind. I want to be the first Samika Adams.

I open the window again and look at the moon shining so bright. Must be a full moon. I set up everything and sat on my stool, before the easel trying my best to paint the starry night. I am not sure if I am going to succeed this time or not, but I'd like to attempt at least.

When I'm in the middle of painting, I hear the wolf howl again. Thoughts and images come rushing to me again. I panic for a minute but then, I don't know what gave me the source of courage.

But I grab my phone and call Nyle again. He doesn't answer. Every single thing that is happening is pointing to the same thing. I know I am crazy. And all I am doing this for, is just to prove myself that I am not crazy.

Maybe I was already unconscious and imagined things during the night I got into the accident. Maybe it was just a dream.. whatever Brent saw when he was in coma.

I could have left it there if it was that simple. I noticed the way Nyle reacted during the news announcement on wild wolf. I noticed the way Nyle's eyes flickered and changed into an entirely different color for a second. I also noticed how the wolf I saw had Nyle's eyes that changed for a second.

I know I am going to go crazy with all these thoughts. So I would like to check it myself. I want to go see and confirm myself that Nyle is at his home and the howling wolves are different. That they are not the same. That it is all fictional and supernatural.

I grab my coat because the weather is slowly starting to get chilly. Winter is not even around the corner but the weather has been going crazy since the last few days.

I tell Sarah not to tell my mom or dad about me going out at this time. Not that they would ask because they wouldn't even know if I am in my room sleeping or out, partying.

I drive to Nyle's house first and the main door is locked. My heart starts beating insanely fast as I drive towards the woods. I know how dangerous it is and how deathly dangerous it can turn into.. but I just keep moving.

I don't know what I am going to do after I find out, but I just have to find out what is what. I don't drive deep into the woods this time. I stop the car at a safe distance so if something happens, I can run and lock myself in it.

And I started walking towards the place where I saw the wolves twice. I look around and there is no sign of them. I look up at the sky and the moon is at its apex. I don't know if it means something to the wolves, but I just want to be brave today.

You can all go ahead and call me stupid, because I am! I am stupid. I am insane. I am not in my right mind. I am curious right now and curiosity is getting the best of me.

I pick up a rock and look around for any sign of wolves or any other animals again. When I find none, I throw the rock into the nearest tall bush and wait for something to happen.

People usually regret not saying goodbye to loved ones when they take steps like this. But I don't have such regrets. My parents would read it from the newspaper and get back to their board meetings again. My father might feel a little sad. My mom, I doubt.

I wait for a few minutes and then walk back to my car. I sat in it for a while and I totally lost track of time.

But what I saw stunned me to the core. It is a good thing that I did not park my car deep into the woods. I am still deep into the woods, but not usually where I encounter the wolves.

I switch off the car lights and grab my phone. I switch on the camera and start recording. I see the two wolves come to the place I was at earlier. The brown wolf has its snout up in the air as if it is sniffing the air for a scent.

Then the wolf looks straight at me. It's dark and I switched the lights off in the car, and yet there ran a shiver down my spine. The wolf stares at me and I wonder if they have night vision. If they do, then I am doomed.