NaStyRoMo 2012: A long way back.

Tweet of the Day: Epistolary Writing

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The Wolf and the Songbird

It seems I’m not done yet with the little village of Bleddynglen or the tale of a girl that finds a wolf in the woods.

Interesting.

The story continues in:

Under the Stars

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“Dammit Jason, you’re heavy,” I said while dragging his semi conscious form back to the car.

 “Sorr—burp! I think…” he gurgled.

 “No, you are not getting sick on me, Jason. I swear I’ll drop your arse right here!”

 My nose, cheeks, and ears ached from the cold. I spotted the Volvo by the side of the road. I popped the boot so that Jason could crawl in and remain unseen until I got him back to the village. He pulled a gym back from a dark corner of the boot.

 “What’s this?” It had an oversize jumper, matching pair of exercise trousers and trainers. “You can change in here, I’ll start the car.” Turned the ignition the moment my bum hit the seat and cranked up the heat to maximum. Someone had put that bag in the car, probably Dad. Jason crawled over to the front passenger seat.

 “Better…much better,” he said. Before I could answer he slid into a deep sleep. The snores dug into my left ear. But he was alive. I dropped him off at his house and then drove back home. Mum and Dad sat in front of the telly watching some 90’s romcom.

 “Everything alright sweetheart?” asked Dad the moment the front door slammed shut.

 “Yes,” I muttered, too confused and angry to say anything else. I didn’t know why I was angry or confused. Or why I kissed Jason. There was something…missing, unfinished.

Not that!

 I wrapped the warm blankets of my bed as tight as I could and faded into sleep. The next morning Jason was nowhere to be found. Again, he would not answer any of my texts, emails or calls. His Mum said he was sick. I’d believe it until I caught him talking to Cynthia on Saturday by the petrol station.

 “JASON!” I screamed.

 Cynthia made herself scarce. Jason adam’s apple went up and down three times fast.

 He opened his mouth, “Jen, I was just about to–”

 I grabbed him by the arm and pulled him out of side by the wheelie bins.

 “About to do what, exactly?”

 His hands went deeper into the hoodie’s pockets, “Call you, I was about to call you.”

 “Really, before or after you chatted up Cindy?”

 He grabbed me by the shoulder so fast I nearly fell.

 “Listen, this…is not easy, okay? We didn’t…” he closed his eyes, “I need to talk to you, in private. Meet me at home in an hour, please.”

 “Fine.”

 An hour later Jason sat at the edge of the bed in his room, the walls covered with footie and rugby posters. He held a slim leather bound journal.

 “Can you tell me what happened that night?”

 “Don’t you remember?”

 “Sort of. I remember a song, being cold and you dragging me back to your car. Before that is all kind of strange, more smells and sounds than anything else. Oh and being very hungry. I remember that.”

 “Sounds about right,” I said.

 “So nothing else happened?”

 “No,” I said. If he didn’t remember the kiss then I wasn’t about to bring it up. I guessed it made sense that he wouldn’t remember much from that night.

 “Nothing at all?”

 “We snogged and–”

 His head whipped in my direction, “And?”

 “And that was it,” I said annoyed that there had to be something more.

 Did he expect something else?

“Oh, I see. Thanks.”

 “What you didn’t expect me to drop my pants in the middle of the forest for you,” I said. A look into amber eyes flecked with verdigris told the truth, “You did?”

 “It’s the reason why the girl has to be a virgin.”

 “WHAT! Are you serious? You are serious. Why in the hell would I want to do it with that…” the memory of the yellow eyes in the whitebeam flashed on my mind, “that thing!”

 He pounced from the bed until he was just an inch from my face, “I AM THAT THING! WE ALL ARE THAT THING! DON’T YOU GET IT!” Dread shook me to the core.

 Run dammit, RUN! NO! No I won’t!

 Tears welled up in his eyes, “Me, my Dad, your Dad, probably half the men in the village are that thing.” He bowed his head. “Go, just go!”

 And I did. I didn’t stop until I came home. Mum was in the kitchen. I rounded on her.

 “WHY DIDN’T YOU TELL ME!”

 “Excuse me?”

 “Why didn’t you tell me that he, that I, that he had to…” I gasped for air. “That I had to let him rape me!”

 “Rape you? Sweet—”

 “FUCK YOU!”

 Dad caught Mum by the wrist, the open palm an inch from my face.

 “You’re hurting me David,” said Mum.

 He let go, “I’m sorry. Jennifer, you better go to your to…cool off.”

 I stalked off. I threw myself on the bed. Percy, our calico, joined me. He stuck his head playfully between my breast and offered an ear for scratching. I drifted to sleep to the sound of his purrs.

 The next morning Mum and Dad joined me for breakfast. I pushed soggy flakes from one end of the bowl to the other with a spoon. Dad had a book that looked like the one Jason had in his room. He covered Mum’s hand with his.

 “Jennifer, tells us everything that happened,” he said with his soft amber stare.

 And I did just that with every detail I could muster. By the end I felt like a hollow husk, empty of all emotions except a vague sense of despair.

 “I see. We should have told you about that as well. It’s just part of the ritual. If,” Dad looked at Mum, “I thought that it would have hurt you.”

 Mum whispered, “No David, you never hurt me.”

 Is this love or the magic talking?

 “Besides,” Mum continued, “you are no ones slave Jennifer. I went to Uni, just like the girls of my generations, met other people, you know the usual.”

 “But you came back here,” I said.

“Yes, I did. The bond is strong, strong enough to pull me back to your father. To marry him and to have you.”

 “Jennifer, whatever you do, we will support you. You know that, don’t you?” said Dad.

“Yes,” I said. “Dad, what happens to the males if the ritual is not done all the way?”

He tapped the book with a finger, “The records are sketchy. Their are some references to lone wolves. I don’t know exactly what happens to them except that they leave never to be heard of again. I doubt there are any places that would welcome one of our kind with open arms.”

 The doorbell rang. I went to answer it. Jason stood in the front step.

 “I’m sorry,” he said.

 I hugged him. Just like the kiss, it was instinct. I needed him and he needed me. I wasn’t sure about the rest, but I was sure he cared for me. And I for him.

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