The Dream

Adam woke with a start. It was still dark as he rummaged through his sheets, trying to find his watch before getting up from bed. He squinted his eyes, trying to read the time. It was 5:50 a.m. Adam groaned as he stretched his body. Part of him was telling him to go back to bed, but after thinking twice about it, he decided that he could take advantage of this opportunity. He thought about it as he sat next to the dorm room window, trying to collect all his thoughts.As he glanced out towards the outside world, a sliver of golden light, thin as a whisper, nudged its way between the emerald embrace of the firs outside Adam's window. The world was a canvas of pre-dawn hush. The school, a quaint brick building nestled amongst the towering trees, slumbered beneath a blanket of twilight. Its windows, usually a flurry of activity by this time, were dark, their reflection a perfect echo of the stillness in Adam's soul.Beyond the manicured schoolyard, the forest stretched, a tapestry of deep greens and browns punctuated by the fiery bursts of maples already touched by autumn's kiss. In the distance, the majestic peaks of the mountain range wore a crown of rose-gold, the rising sun painting their snow-capped heads with a soft, ethereal glow. The only sounds were the rustle of a squirrel gathering breakfast in the branches below and the tentative chirps of birds stirring in their nests, a slow, sleepy symphony heralding the day's arrival. A sense of profound peace settled over Adam, a quietude as vast and ancient as the mountains themselves. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated beauty, a stolen glimpse into the heart of nature before the human world intruded.Adam took a deep breath and got up, deciding he was going to go for a morning jog in the beautiful morning. As he fetched his training shorts and vest, he couldn't help but notice Bryce asleep on his bed, taking deep breaths with a thin layer of sweat covering his forehead. He turned to his side and murmured something that was inaudible to Adam.Adam thought of waking him up. Maybe Bryce could also do with a jog around the school. But he knew Bryce better than anyone; he would be caught dead waking up that early for no good reason. Adam settled on ignoring him as he put on his gear and his jade green sneakers before heading out of the room and shutting the door behind him.The cool morning air embraced Adam as he stepped outside. He took a moment to stretch, feeling the satisfying pull of his muscles as they warmed up. The school grounds were empty, a rare sight that filled Adam with a sense of solitude and freedom. He started his jog, his feet hitting the ground in a steady rhythm that matched the beat of his heart.As he ran, the worries of the past few days began to melt away. The mystery of Luna's book, the strange behavior of Bryce, and the unsettling conversation about werewolves all seemed distant and unimportant compared to the simple joy of running. The path took him around the school, through the quiet gardens, and along the edge of the forest. The world was waking up around him, and Adam felt a deep connection to the beauty and tranquility of the morning.***Meanwhile, Bryce was locked in a nightmare he couldn't escape from, screaming his lungs out as something carried him away. His eyes were clenched shut, his gut wrenched, and his muscles tensed as he braced for the worst. He had just witnessed his mother get devoured by giant wolves, and now he was going to be next. He was going to die just like his mother, alone in a cabin somewhere in a snowy mountain.A million thoughts flooded his mind. He had never gotten to ride a skateboard, never experienced his first kiss, never felt the adrenaline of skydiving, and now he was probably going to get eaten alive. It must be painful, he thought to himself. He had just lost all hope when something, almost like a primal instinct, shot up in his brain. Even if he was going to die, he wouldn't go down without a fight. He wiggled around and threw a powerful kick, which connected with the beast's face, causing it to let go of him and tumble to the ground."What the hell, Bryce?" The beast said in an oddly familiar voice, frantically trying to get up."Dad?" Bryce said in a confused tone as he took a closer look at what turned out to be his father. He was a tall and built man well within his mid-thirties. He had hairy arms and chest with a medium-sized beard and long brown hair combed to the side. He wore a white snow coat and brown khakis with black snow boots. A rifle was slung on his back as he ran his fingers over his face, examining his bloody nose before shifting his attention back to his son."Bryce, what were you thinking?" his dad asked, still sounding annoyed but with a hint of concern."I-I thought you were one of them," Bryce stammered, his voice shaking. "The wolves, they got mom."His father's face softened for a moment before hardening again. "We need to move. Now. It's not safe here," he insisted in a stern voice. He picked up Bryce as if he weighed nothing and bolted for the door. Moments later, a wolf was trailing behind them, chasing them down. As the weight of everything began to dawn on Bryce, he started to cry out."Dad! We have to save Mom. We can't just leave her!" Bryce frantically cried and beat his father, trying to get him to turn back and save his mother. "Dad! Why aren't you listening to me?" he yelled as his father dashed towards their SUV parked near the road.His dad had to make it, for his son. He had to make sure they both lived. As he got closer, he noticed something in the car's reflection—a brown and gray giant wolf was chasing them down, and fast.With one swift motion, Bryce's dad jumped to the side and shoulder-rolled, shielding Bryce from the impact as the werewolf sped past them and hit the car with a loud thud. Bryce watched as his father swiftly set him down beside him and pulled out his rifle in one fluid motion, training it on the wolf that was growling in rage between them and the car.The wolf's eyes glowed with fury, and it bared its teeth, ready to attack. Bryce's father took a deep breath, his hands steady on the rifle. "Stay behind me, Bryce," he said, his voice calm but filled with determination.Bryce watched in shock as the wolf began to contort and morph, growing to stand on two legs and assuming a half-human, half-wolf physique. Its upper body expanded, and its shoulders widened, resembling a human-like build. It grew to a staggering eight feet tall, towering over his father, who stood at six foot four. The werewolf arched its head back and let out a maniacal laugh in an unsettling, deep, raspy voice that sent chills down Bryce's spine."You think your little toy is going to hurt me?" the werewolf teased as Bryce's father cocked the rifle."I guess there's only one way to find out," he said, taking a careful step back and preparing for the worst. He took a quick glance at Bryce making sure he was behind him.The werewolf growled and pounced in one swift movement. Bryce closed his eyes as he heard the ear-splitting sound of the rifle firing a round. When he opened his eyes, he saw the werewolf sprawled on the ground in front of his dad, tainting the snow red as its blood gushed from a tennis ball-sized hole in its chest. The werewolf's body began to smoke, almost as if an invisible fire was burning it. Bryce's dad took a deep breath before quickly moving toward the car, making sure Bryce was behind him. He knew that, even though he had killed one threat, he had also given away their location.He was right. As he shut the door, he saw three wolves pouncing toward their position. He quickly pressed the ignition, and the car whirred to life before he swiftly shifted the gear to drive."Dad, what about Mom?" Bryce cried."It's too late for Mom," his dad said a bit too loudly, looking him straight in the eye with a pained expression. He didn't mean to yell; he just had a lot going on. He was on the verge of death, and he had lost the woman he loved.Bryce's heart sank, tears streaming down his face as the reality of his father's words hit him.He quickly focused back on driving, stepping hard on the accelerator. The car jolted forward as a wolf whizzed by from behind, barely missing them. He turned ferociously, and the car skidded, doing a 360 before heading toward the road."Bryce, seatbelt. Now!" he ordered, taking a quick glance to make sure his son was okay. They were now speeding through the snowy road, visibility worsening as it began to snow again. "Shit," he cursed, struggling to see the road while zigzagging through the turns. They could hear faint howls behind them, but they slowly grew fainter and fainter.Just as Bryce was about to breathe a sigh of relief, he saw glinting yellow eyes from behind. A grey wolf appeared out of the fog, chasing them down."Dad," Bryce called out in fear as his father stepped on it, trying to outrun the wolf. But the wolf was faster and closing the gap between them."Take the gun and shoot it," his dad ordered, trying to maneuver the car away from the wolf. Bryce grabbed the gun, loaded it, and cocked it frantically before lowering the window and trying to aim at the oncoming target. He fired, but somehow the wolf, as if it had super speed, dodged the bullet, sidestepping to the right and continuing the chase.Bryce aimed and fired again, and again, and again, but to no avail. It was as if the wolf could see the bullets before they even landed, dodging all of them. Bryce pulled the trigger once more, but nothing happened. He had run out of rounds. He pulled it again just to make sure. Nothing."Dad, I'm out!" Bryce shouted, his voice shaking with panic.His father glanced at him, his jaw clenched in frustration. "Hold on tight!" he yelled, swerving the car sharply. The wolf, caught off guard, stumbled slightly but quickly regained its footing, still hot on their trail.Bryce's heart pounded in his chest as he braced himself, the car skidding on the icy road. They were running out of options, and the wolf was relentless. Bryce's father pushed the car to its limits, hoping against hope that they could find some way to escape this nightmare.He quickly turned back and searched the glove compartment to see if there were more bullets. He found one more magazine and quickly reloaded the gun, pointing it back at where the wolf had been... but it was gone. Bryce carefully scanned the area before turning back to his dad."I think we lost it," he said in a panicking voice."Are you sure?" his dad asked."Yeah," he said reassuringly as he glanced once more. They had lost it.They drove past an opening and made a heavy right onto the main road, speeding down it at over a hundred kilometers per hour. It all seemed like smooth sailing ahead as Bryce's dad double-checked to make sure everything was okay. As he drove, he couldn't help feeling responsible for all that had happened. It was his fault. He turned to glance at his son, who was crying silently beside him."Why did the bad wolves attack us, dad? Why did they kill mom?" Bryce asked, his voice whimpering.His father didn't have an immediate answer. What was he going to tell him? That it was his fault his mother was dead? That his actions—his business—led to all this? That if he had kept to himself and not pried into other people's business, none of this would have happened? And right now, they could have been enjoying a bonfire in their living room with a cup of hot cocoa and some chocolates. He could have been playing the guitar for his kid and his beautiful wife.He took a deep, shaky breath as he thought of the explanation he was going to give when suddenly they were interrupted by a huge thud. In the blink of an eye, they were hurled to the side of the car as inertia took the car in the other direction. They began flipping over and over, losing sight of the road and tumbling down the side of the mountain. He tried to let out a yelp as the car tumbled and flipped, hitting the ground with each turn. The windshield broke, showering them with painful, stabbing glass shards. The car flipped three more times before everything went dark.***Bryce slowly began to regain consciousness as his eyes fluttered open. One of them stung with a warm sensation, and his vision was bloodshot. His body ached everywhere, and he realized he was upside down, suspended in his seat by his seatbelt. Frantically, he tried to set himself loose, his breaths coming in short gasps. He turned over, only to see his dad unconscious and bloodied."No!" he cried out, his voice trembling, as he struggled to unbuckle his seatbelt. He could hear howls in the distance, getting closer with each passing second. Finally, the belt buckle snapped open, and he fell to the ground with a painful thud. He cried out from the pain as he dragged his battered body out of the car. The snow beneath him was stained red as he lay on the cold ground, trying to catch his breath.After what felt like an eternity, he mustered the strength to get up. But as he rose to his knees and turned his gaze up, he realized it was too late... they were surrounded by wolves, each one eyeing him with hunger, like predators stalking their prey in the wild.In front of him stood the same majestic white werewolf with the glowing red eyes that he had seen earlier. It took a step forward, transforming into its half-human, half-wolf form, towering over Bryce. With striking feminine features and a majestic mane, it exuded a terrifying presence. It let out a slight giggle, revealing its sharp fangs."So, you're Alexander Farren's little brat," she said in a female raspy voice, her crimson eyes fixed on Bryce. His heart sank as he watched his short life flash before his eyes.***Bryce woke with a start, his heart racing and tears glistening in his eyes. A cold sweat coated his face as he ran his hand across his chest, revealing a faint but unmistakable claw mark. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself after the nightmare that had shaken him to his core. What time was it? He fumbled for his watch, squinting to read the time. 9 in the morning. He had missed breakfast, and the dining hall would surely be closed by now. But at least there were no classes today.Saturdays and Sundays were the coveted free days at school, a chance for students to relax and unwind. While some opted to head home or explore the town, Bryce usually stayed on campus. There was always something to do – whether it was playing sports, watching movies, or engaging in club activities.As Bryce got up and stretched, the morning sun streamed through the window, casting a warm glow on his pale skin. He pondered how he would manage to find something to eat when his gaze fell upon a package atop his cabinet. A note rested on top, penned in Adam's familiar handwriting.'Figured you'd be sleeping in so I packed you some food from the cafeteria. Aiva is prolly worried sick about you. And if you need me I'm prolly at the basketball court. Adam.'Bryce couldn't help but smirk. Adam, his loyal best friend, had once again come to his rescue. They had been inseparable for as long as he could remember, like brothers in every sense except blood. Despite their closeness, there were certain aspects of Bryce's life he had chosen to keep hidden from Adam – his dark past and tangled family history were secrets he wasn't ready to share. Not yet anyway.