1Rose ran through the woods still in her tank top and denim jeans from the Monday night practice they had for the high school band. Being a junior was harder than she thought. There were harder classes and drum major responsibilities and right now, she wasn't running just for exercise. She kept looking over her shoulder and panicking, running faster at the sound of the bushes rustling. Then she heard the low growling and screamed with the little energy left in her lungs.
The low growl came from a dog-like creature running at a casual pace. The beast was not hunting fast deer or rabbits. It was a wolf, mostly uncommon in the lower part of the state of Michigan. Its eyes were smiling with pure joy as the human a distance ahead was thinking to run for her life. She should be, this was considered fun to the beast, and when he finally caught her, she'll not be killed, but turned. The wolf was not a normal creature of the animal kingdom. This may have been one of the last werewolves alive.
She heard the animal howl as if in replying to her scream. Rose was scared out of her skin as a man had began to follow her home from the practice. A half-mile was okay, mile was suspicious, but two miles tracing her footsteps was just plain creeping. She had thrown her bag that she was carrying at him and began to run into the woods to her house. Rose probably knew it wasn't a good idea to be taking off into the woods with a man on her heels. The man had given an inhuman growl and began running after her.
Now here they were, Rose running with all of her energy, the man, now a wolf, was at a casual gait. Rose was beginning to slow down a bit from not practicing her running over the summer break. She was beginning to think that the wolf would reach her and kill her. The only thing she waited for was the pain of its sinking teeth into her flesh.
A whinny up ahead. It made Rose quicken her stride and sent her energy soaring. It was her neighbor's horse farm. And it sounded like her favorite horse Black Angel. She averted her path, hoping to confuse the wolf, and ran straight for the horse stable. Black Angel stood in her stall, waiting and wanting to be let out. Rose tacked her with bridle and quickly led her out of the stable. She reached the door when she heard the growl. Looking behind her shoulder, she saw the wolf on the other side of the stable, his head bent and his bare teeth salivating. She didn't fool it.
Rose gave a small hoot to the horse and it took off, leaping into the saddle as the horse took off. The wolf ran through the stable, the other horses making a loud fit. Rose led the horse deeper into the woods and made Black Angel run in full gallop. The growling wolf was close behind, gaining energy and speed to reach the horse and its rider. This wolf wasn't going to give up easily. He chose this night for a reason and it already felt the effects of the full moon on him already. It snapped at the horse's hooves and growled angrily.
They reached a clearing and the wolf decided now was his chance. He spoke a few words in his head to send to Rose up on the horse. "The cave. Lead the horse to the cave. The wolf will not follow." Then he stopped and let the moon take over himself, watching the horse and rider.
Where is that voice coming from? Rose asked herself. Was it from the wolf? Should she do it? But what if it lied? Then what would she do when she was dead in the cave and her remains left there until someone found them a hundred years later? She would chance it. Rose continued on and rode toward the cave. Then she heard something terrible in her head.
"The mist! It's coming!"
She looked over her shoulder at the mass of black mist drifting, no, following behind her. Her mind raced and she urged Black Angel into a faster run. The horse was beginning to tire, and had little energy. Slowly, the mist continued after her and was nearly over top of her. She screamed and cried.
"What do you want from me? Leave me alone!"
The mist was cold against her skin and she screamed as it engulfed her in its cold, deathly grasp. I'm dying, she thought. She could see her life flash before her eyes: her parents, friends, family, Adam. Oh, god. She didn't want to die. Not until she at least told him good-bye and kissed him. Tears flowed from her eyes and she felt the cold sink into her bones.
Black Angel was still at a run when the mist vanished, along with Rose. The rider-less horse slowed and turned for home, walking slowly into the stall and laying on the cool straw, tack and all. The woods were quiet and still, except for the occasional deer or rabbit grazing on grass. The wolf had returned to man and stood outside Rose's house. Rose was asleep in her bed, still in her clothes, and a gash on her right forearm was the only evidence of any injury. The wolf-man had been pleased with his work. It was a successful first turn for the girl. Next full moon, he would turn her all of the way and maybe get a good benefit from her new person. He smiled a job well done and left her sleep. She would need it.