Goldilocks

by Patria L. Dunn

  The higher she went, the colder it seemed, and despite the ninety degree heat she knew was coming the beads of sweat that had just begun to trickle down her back, suddenly chilled her skin, causing her to shiver. The summit of the mountain was in her sights now, the tip partially blocked by the enormous trees making up the woods that seemed to continue on forever. Hannah pushed herself harder, lengthening her slower stride so that her feet covered more ground with every step.

  Back at her old high school, fifteen miles on a tread mill was expected by the end of training camp, but this wasn’t a treadmill, and her thigh muscles suddenly burned as the trail disappeared beneath her feet, soft earth turning into wild untamed forest. It was either walk or fall, her cross trainers catching time and time again on curling roots that had been absent before, the trees up here substantially bigger than the ones she’d left behind.

  Her stopwatch now read ninety-eight minutes, and Hannah gasped in relief as bright white suddenly crested at the top of the next climb. Where the trees ended, a thin strip of clearing awaited her, and she burst into it, staggering to catch herself on the nearest stable object. Her hands scraped as she flung her nearly limp body across a misshapened boulder, her fingers clinging to hold on to keep her from falling. Her breath came in ragged pants now, her heart hammering so hard in her chest that it seemed as if the air suddenly had a pulse. It was a losing battle to remain upright, a tiny cry escaping her parched throat as she fell to her knees, crawling towards the direction that she knew the creek would be in.

  She felt it before she saw it, the lush grass beneath her fingertips turning to sod and then swamp as her torso sunk down into mushy ground from her weight. The chill immediately cooled her body, and she dragged herself the rest of the way to the edge, not caring that her clothes were officially ruined by the dark earthy mud coating her front.

  Hannah drank greedy from the clear trickling water, dipping her face repeatedly until the pounding in her ears had ceased and she was able to sit up on her knees and look around. Dazed, she blinked as wide open pasture greeted her on the opposite side of the bank, wildflowers in full bloom, waving in the breeze as if to cheer her on. She’d done it!

  Her smile broke wide as she pushed to a shaky stand, her fingers curling into fist that she pumped in the air.

  “And the winner is….!” She yelled out in a fake crowd voice, doing the best boxing jig her spent legs would allow. “Hannaaaaaaaaah Adlllllllleeeeeeeer! And the crowd goes wild!!!” she laughed at herself, jerking around to stare at the mountain that towered a few thousand feet above her now.

  It was just as magnificent as she’d pictured it would be, commanding its own song from the wind that whipped over and around it, drying the wet tendrils of hair that stuck to her face and neck. She stretched out her aching muscles, walking slowly, calming her still racing heart as she inspected the strip of freedom from the woods she’d fought so hard to overcome.

  Even the cabin seemed a world away, the beauty of this wide open space incomparable to anything she’d seen in Colorado so far. She yelled her name again, listening as it echoed in the distance, disappearing somewhere across the meadow without returning to her. Her mouth opened to call out once more when a single low growl caused her spine to stiffen, her body turning towards the woods she’d just come through.

  Hannah stumbled backward in surprise, her shoes sucking down into the soft mud that she was standing in, her eyes widening as her gaze fixed on the biggest wolf she’d ever seen. Almond shaped coal eyes narrowed on her, muzzle barring to reveal a set of sickly sharp yellow teeth that had anything but good intentions. Her mouth opened to scream, but no sound came forth as the wolf took a step closer, the growl in its throat vibrating the hairs on her skin as her hands raised over her hands in defense.

  She’d lost the mace, somewhere over by the boulder the wolf was now blocking with its massive body. Even if she’d had the strength to run her fastest, she’d never outrun something so large. Its face met at almost an inch higher than her 5’8’’, its fur quivering as it advanced further, forcing her back and into the creek. She was ankle deep in water now, her eyes darting wildly about as she searched for a way of escape. Her father would be devastated; he’d blame himself, just like he had with her mother.

  “Please let it be quick,” Hannah whispered, a single tear slipping down her cheek as the wolf took another step forward, its body locked and ready to pounce.

  This was it… Killed in the middle of nowhere; there’d be no pieces left to find. Her father wouldn’t even have bones to bury this time. Please please let it be quick…

  **********

  Stupid Girl!

  Jake had been watching Hannah until she’d pushed on past her usual stopping spot. He would have continued to follow her had he not heard the explosion come from the direction of the mine, his father’s voice immediately in his thoughts. He’d been halfway back over the pass before his father had called the warning of the three escaped wolves. Rone had caught two within minutes, but the third was heading North right towards him. North would have been fine had he stayed put, but the mine was south east and backtracking uphill had taken longer than going down.

  Did you get him yet?!

  Jake blocked his father’s demanding question from his head, the woods around him a blur of green as he sped towards the last hill that would bring him to the base. He’d expected to hear screaming by now, anything but the dead silence that greeted him as he burst into the clearing, a guttural roar exploding from his belly as he rose on hind legs and scanned the narrow space.

  He spotted her almost immediately, her eyes wide, her hands thrown up just as the wolf whirled in his direction. It wasn’t exactly how’d he’d planned their meeting over the last two weeks of following her, but their eyes met for a moment, and even though it was fear that he saw in those deep green pools, it was also relief as he barreled forward hurtling his massive form at the claws and teeth already gnashing out at him.

  Their bodies collided with a thud, and Jake rolled the both of them into the shallow creek bed, unable to hold the wolf’s entire weight and his. The girl was frozen in place, her mouth open, sheer terror contorting her features as she fell from the near impact, her arms and legs flailing as the rushing water sucked her under.

  There was no time to help her to safety, the wolf was on him in an instant, sharp teeth breaking the thick layer of his hide and clamping down onto rippling muscle. His father wasn’t kidding when he said that they were getting bigger and stronger. It took everything in him to fight through the pain, searing his shoulders and neck, and slam his body against the rocky bank, loosening the wolf’s hold for just a second.

  One wild swipe and Jake’s claws ripped through thickly matted fur and hide, the wolf’s yelp like music to his ears as dark red blood spurted from the jagged wound he’d left across the animal’s chest. It was impossible to fight and block his thoughts at the same time, snippets of his vision seeping through to the searching invasion his father had now created in his head. Rone saw Hannah the moment Jake caught site of her, scrambling up the bank’s edge on hands and knees, her long blonde hair loose and clinging to her scalp and back.

  Dammit Jake, I’m Coming! Rone’s voice snapped through Jake’s scattered thoughts, raw emotions flooding his son’s mind when he least needed it.

  The wolf was wounded, but still fighting, his sharp claws drawing blood more than a few times before Jake succeeded in pinning him down under the water with his weight. The normally still creek was now one thrashing wave of water, the wolf impossible to kill even though it should have been slowly drowning. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hannah struggling to break free of the thick mud, still crawling on her hands and knees, terrified. He’d wanted to spare her from this very thing, but he couldn’t wait any longer. The second the wolf’s head emerged Jake attacked with a vice like grip on its neck, his teeth sinking like a steak knife through soft butter. A piercing yelp started, but was immediately cut short as the neck
bone scraped and then crunched against his canines, blood gushing free, reddening the crystal clear water to a crimson brown.

  It would be only a matter of minutes before the animal started to heal, and Jake wanted Hannah gone before he delivered the final blow.

  GOOOOOO! He roared, knowing that she wouldn’t understand the word that was so clearly human in his head, but the site of a mutant bear would be enough to scare anyone.

  He could only imagine how she saw him, his chest clenching as she scrambled faster towards the woods in fear of him now instead of the wounded wolf. She was finally on her feet again, stumbling, but running towards the trail that would take her back to old man Jacobs’ cabin.

  Within a few seconds she was only a blurred flash between the trees, the smell of her fear still heavy in the air. The wolf had begun to move beneath him, its head dangling at an awkward angle as it forced itself up onto the bank. Jake let it go, moving himself from the creek so that he wouldn’t be hampered by the weight of the water when he delivered the final blow.

  YOU! He roared, knowing full well that the beast understood him, its growl more of a halting laugh as it stared up at Jake through soulless eyes. You almost killed her!

  One mighty swipe of his razor sharp claws cut deep enough to immobilize the wolf right then and there, its guts spilling in a steaming pile from the jagged opening Jake had left in its stomach. But it wasn’t enough for what it had almost done to Hannah. His anger was blind now, the wolf’s body nothing but a bloody pulp of fur and organs when he was done taking out his revenge. Even still, it breathed, its tongue lolling out onto the ground as it wheezed out an eerie warning.

  Creed. Will. Be. Free.

  It was exactly what Jake had feared, but the words only fueled the rage that had taken over him, Hannah his only concern as he closed his wide open jaws down over the wolf’s head and crunched once.

  Not today; He wont!

  Chapter 8:

  “You listening?”

  Hannah jumped as her father’s hand squeezed her knee, her empty gaze ripping from the stretch of roadway ahead to his concerned face. She forced a tiny smile, pushing away the thoughts she’d been struggling with since her run to the base of the mountain. She’d been so scared that the bear had followed her that she’d locked herself inside the cabin until her father had gotten home that day, and then retreated to her room without eating dinner. Telling him about the near loss of her life would have just made him worry, and after surveying the woods from the living room window all day yesterday, she was pretty sure there weren’t any more unnaturally large animals lurking around.

  “I’m sorry what did you say?” Hannah asked, shaking her head in apology when her father repeated himself.

  “I said, are you sure you’re okay. I know you’re nervous about your first day at a new school, but you’ve been kind of out of it since…”

  “I’m fine,” Hannah interrupted him, not wanting to discuss the real reason why she’d been lost in thought since leaving the cabin earlier.

  “You don’t seem fine,” Paul pressed, his eyes locking with hers for a moment before moving back to the road.

  “Dad, really…” Hannah assured him, pulling her backpack from between her feet and into her lap. “You worry too much,” she smiled this time, shrugging as she looked at the rectangular brick building they were coming up on. “It’s just school, right?”

  “Right,” Her father nodded slowly, pulling into a parking lot that was already flooded with students.

  Hannah didn’t have to tell him not to pull right up front. He’d been thinking exactly what she was thinking, maneuvering ‘Big Red’ to the end of the marked exit lane before stopping to let her out. For once the ugly old Jeep didn’t backfire when he put it in park, and Hannah exhaled the breath she’d been holding with a laugh, accepting the kiss he planted on her forehead before jumping out.

  “Knock ‘em dead,” Paul pretended to pump his arms back and forth like a runner, giving her a tiny wave as she shut the door, still shaking her head.

  Hannah refused to look back as she turned and started up the long sidewalk towards the entrance of Lake City High, her head down so that her long hair shadowed the sides of her face. At least it was the first day of school for everyone, and she wouldn’t be forced to stand up in front of every class and introduce herself. But the school’s website had said that the entire study body only totaled three hundred and twenty six, so everyone was bound to know everyone else, and being that she knew no one, she wasn’t interested in being stared at.

  Finding the office was as easy as following the signs they had posted, welcoming new and returning students from summer break. Hannah waited patiently while the secretary pulled her file and printed her schedule, instructing her to have a seat in one of the lounge chairs while she called their guides over the intercom. Within a few minutes, the door to the office swung open and a cute blonde guy popped his head in, a wide smile on his face as he looked from the notecard he was holding to the three girls staring back at him.

  Hannah immediately shrank back in her seat, swallowing hard as she stared at the ferocious looking timber wolf decorating the front of the blue and gold football jersey the guy wore. It was just a picture, but the bared teeth, the empty eyes... Her heart beat quickened as she thought back to her run to the base. The wolf had come out of nowhere; but then again so had the bear. She’d been shocked at first when the bear didn’t try and chase her down the mountain, but the more she’d thought about it -over the last day and half- she was almost certain that the bear had been trying to protect her.

  In that moment, she’d been scared, yes, but there was no forgetting the way the bear’s eyes had locked with hers, widening as he’d charged forward to take on the wolf. He’d looked at her again after he’d broken the beast’s neck with his crushing teeth, his roar sounding more like a warning than it was a threat.

  “Kolby?” a voice broke her train of thought, and Hannah’s eyes jerked up to see that one girl was gone, and the other was getting up and collecting her things.

  Hannah was just about to ask the secretary where her guide was when the door to the office flew open yet again, a pint sized kid with thick black rimmed glasses panting to catch his breath.

  “Sorry I’m late!” he grinned wide, showing off a set of shiny silver braces. “Hannah?”

  “Yeah,” she nodded, her brows knitted as she stood and swung her backpack over her shoulder. “There’s no way you’re a senior…right?” she asked, following the boy out into the hall just as the last bell rang.

  “Nope, freshman,” he laughed, his shoulder length silky brown hair bouncing as he strode down the hallway towards her first class. “Lockers are that way, he pointed down a hallway to their right, tugging her arm as he turned left and nearly broke into a jog. “Chase was supposed to be your guide. My big brother…” he explained with an eye roll, and look over his shoulder at Hannah –who was right on his heels-. “His stupid girlfriend didn’t want him leading some other girl around school all day, so he asked me to do it, and I see you have Ms. Holley for your first class. Ugh!” he shook his head apologetically, pretending to gag himself with his index finger. “Heard she’s a witch, and gives detention for even being one minute late to class. Glad I won’t have to worry about her until senior year, and hopefully by then she will have croaked,” he laughed, coming to a stop so fast that Hannah bumped into him.

  “This is you…” he pointed to the closed classroom door, taking a look at the notecard in his hand. “Looks like you’ve got Raines next for Calculus, and then Goodall for government. I’ll meet you back here when the bell rings, and show you to your locker and how to get to the next hall. Gotta go,” he gave her a sharp military salute, his braces flashing as he smiled wide at her once again.

  “Hey!” she called out just before he made it back to the main hall, causing him to turn and jog backwards. “I didn’t get your name…” she smiled, covering her laugh when he smacked his palm to his forehe
ad.

  “My friends call me Charlie!” he threw back tossing his hand up in a wave before disappearing around the corner.

  If only everyone here were that friendly, her dad might finally get his wish and she’d finally have some friends. Not that she wanted any, but it was a nice thought. Hannah took a deep breath, her fingers trembling as she gripped the knob of the door. Being late to class on the first day was never good. Her plan to go unnoticed was already shot, all eyes on her as the hinges squealed in protest announcing her arrival.

  ***********

  “What’s with all the plaid?” Hannah asked the second Charlie popped into sight, her head nodding to the sea of students flooding the hall.

  She’d never been one to keep up with all the fashion trends back at her old high school, but where she’d felt out of place there because of her lack of high heels, make up and jewelry, she felt severely overdressed here in her flats, khaki skirt and plain white t-shirt. She’d normally have just thrown on a pair of jeans, but in an effort to fit in at this new school she’d grudgingly pulled out one of the three skirts that she owned in an effort to be more ‘girly’ as her father liked to say. It was obviously the wrong choice. Every other kid in the hallway had on some type of plaid top, worn jeans and tennis shoes, none of them seemingly into any sort of fashion trend.

  “Small town and all that,” Charlie shrugged, already leading the way to the hall of lockers he’d promised to show her. “Not much of anywhere to shop except the mom and pop stores. Everyone keeps it pretty simple around here,” he explained, tugging her schedule from her hand. “You can tell the cliques of girl by how they wear their hair,” he smirked, pointing to a group of girls all huddled together in the middle of the hall. “Big and curly…those are the snobs. Ponytails…jocks. Plain…nerds,” he glanced up at her, his face reddening as his eyes fell on her straight gold locks. “Well I didn’t mean you, you’re…you’re…pretty,” his cheeks flushed crimson as he said the word, his eyes jerking away when she gave him a smile.