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Authors: Susan A. Bliler
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left it undisturbed she focused on her jog when she caught sight of the red fur again. Still on her right, the animal was a little closer. She ventured further left and jogged a little faster.
Unfortunately, the fox seemed determined to shadow her. It pressed closer, forcing Chloe to go further off the path than was comfortable. She wasn’t familiar with this portion of the woods and knew she could easily get turned around, yet she figured a few more minutes of jogging then she’d turn and head back.
She was just about to stall out and turn to head back to town when the fox crashed through the brush and lunged at her. Shock tore through her when she realized it wasn’t a fox at all. It was a small red wolf.
The wolf nipped at her heels, forcing Chloe into a dead run. She looked back and saw the wolf giving chase.
Shit! This wolf was nothing like the other she’d encountered. While smaller, it was more threatening. There was no calm serenity washing over her when she looked in its eyes, instead terror lanced through her when the wolf lunged at her feet.
Chloe jumped and sprinted faster. She had no idea where she was heading, but pushed harder. She jumped downed logs and was slapped by more than a few branches as she ducked and ra ced through the foliage.
She checked behind her again and the wolf was still there. It appeared to be restraining itself from attacking her. She knew it could outrun her and couldn’t understand why it didn’t take her down.
She crashed through a clearing and faced forward just in time to throw her body to the ground. She slid a few feet along the dewy grass as both arms snaked out and clawed into earth. She twisted her body until she was on her belly and kicked at the ground with her feet as she continued to slide toward a cliff that dropped God only knew how far.
Her hand snagged a tree root and her body was jolted to jarring halt. Pain tore through her shoulder as it bore the brunt of the full force of her weight jerking to a standstill.
Instantly, her eyes turned to find the red wolf, but it was gone. Her breath sawed back and forth and her body shook from exertion as realization slowly dawned. She pulled back her left foot, horrified that it hung just over the cliff that very nearly just killed her.
She forced herself to a sitting position, her hand reaching up to cradle her throbbing shoulder. She stood on trembling legs and tip-toed to peer over the ledge of the cliff from where she stood. She couldn’t see the bottom and the revelation had her belly convulsing. She dropped to her hands and knees and coughed as her body tried to wretch. She didn’t have anything to eat or drink that morning so there was nothing for her to throw up, so she dry heaved a few moments until the wave of nausea passed.
Shakily, she got to her feet and took a tentative step towards the tree line. She kept her eyes intently focused searching for any sign of the wolf. When there was none, she dropped her arms and broke into a dead run, heading back down the mountain toward home. I am so done running in these woods!
Back home, she showered and debated calling her friend Eden who worked for the local Fish, Wildlife, and Parks department. She’d been sure the wolf was stalking her, and if she didn’t know any better she’d have actually thought the wolf was forcing her to run in the direction of the cliff.
She considered explaining the story to Eden then decided it sounded so foolish that she didn’t want the embarrassment. She didn’t mention it to her mother either when they met for lunch.
Chapter 9
Later that evening Chloe was going stir crazy . She’d cleaned her mother’s entire house and then with nothing else to do, she cleaned in again. She’d cooked dinner, fed her mother and cleaned up the dishes so her mother could turn in early. She sat in front of the TV flipping through the channels quickly with the remote,
Unfortunately, the fox seemed determined to shadow her. It pressed closer, forcing Chloe to go further off the path than was comfortable. She wasn’t familiar with this portion of the woods and knew she could easily get turned around, yet she figured a few more minutes of jogging then she’d turn and head back.
She was just about to stall out and turn to head back to town when the fox crashed through the brush and lunged at her. Shock tore through her when she realized it wasn’t a fox at all. It was a small red wolf.
The wolf nipped at her heels, forcing Chloe into a dead run. She looked back and saw the wolf giving chase.
Shit! This wolf was nothing like the other she’d encountered. While smaller, it was more threatening. There was no calm serenity washing over her when she looked in its eyes, instead terror lanced through her when the wolf lunged at her feet.
Chloe jumped and sprinted faster. She had no idea where she was heading, but pushed harder. She jumped downed logs and was slapped by more than a few branches as she ducked and ra ced through the foliage.
She checked behind her again and the wolf was still there. It appeared to be restraining itself from attacking her. She knew it could outrun her and couldn’t understand why it didn’t take her down.
She crashed through a clearing and faced forward just in time to throw her body to the ground. She slid a few feet along the dewy grass as both arms snaked out and clawed into earth. She twisted her body until she was on her belly and kicked at the ground with her feet as she continued to slide toward a cliff that dropped God only knew how far.
Her hand snagged a tree root and her body was jolted to jarring halt. Pain tore through her shoulder as it bore the brunt of the full force of her weight jerking to a standstill.
Instantly, her eyes turned to find the red wolf, but it was gone. Her breath sawed back and forth and her body shook from exertion as realization slowly dawned. She pulled back her left foot, horrified that it hung just over the cliff that very nearly just killed her.
She forced herself to a sitting position, her hand reaching up to cradle her throbbing shoulder. She stood on trembling legs and tip-toed to peer over the ledge of the cliff from where she stood. She couldn’t see the bottom and the revelation had her belly convulsing. She dropped to her hands and knees and coughed as her body tried to wretch. She didn’t have anything to eat or drink that morning so there was nothing for her to throw up, so she dry heaved a few moments until the wave of nausea passed.
Shakily, she got to her feet and took a tentative step towards the tree line. She kept her eyes intently focused searching for any sign of the wolf. When there was none, she dropped her arms and broke into a dead run, heading back down the mountain toward home. I am so done running in these woods!
Back home, she showered and debated calling her friend Eden who worked for the local Fish, Wildlife, and Parks department. She’d been sure the wolf was stalking her, and if she didn’t know any better she’d have actually thought the wolf was forcing her to run in the direction of the cliff.
She considered explaining the story to Eden then decided it sounded so foolish that she didn’t want the embarrassment. She didn’t mention it to her mother either when they met for lunch.
Chapter 9
Later that evening Chloe was going stir crazy . She’d cleaned her mother’s entire house and then with nothing else to do, she cleaned in again. She’d cooked dinner, fed her mother and cleaned up the dishes so her mother could turn in early. She sat in front of the TV flipping through the channels quickly with the remote,
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