Aven's Dream Read Free Page B

ear.
    Down the block was the entry to the trail through the woods. The trail meandered for several miles before eventually coming out on the other side of town near school. I had never run there, not even on sunny days during the summer. While I didn’t take Sean’s stories about the woods seriously, I still kept to the sidewalks. I wasn’t about to go wandering through the dark woods like Little Red Riding Hood. I wasn’t crazy. But today, even my usual route felt isolated. The farther I jogged, the fewer houses remained in sight, leaving only the perimeter of the woods, which seemed eerily alive as the dense wall of evergreens whispered in the breeze.
    Just as I was about to loop back toward the houses and the comforting illumination of streetlights, a long, bone-chilling howl emerged from the trees. Suddenly, before I could reach for Darcy’s collar, my dog bolted past me in the direction of the sound. I watched in dismay as the trees swallowed him. I waited for him to come back before calling his name sternly, scowling when my voice shook. Then I waited some more. Nothing . He must have seen a rabbit, or his favorite—a squirrel. At least I hoped it wasn’t a coyote.
    “Seriously, Darcy?” I muttered under my breath.
    I should have known better than to leave him off leash. Ignoring my growing sense that I was about to star in a horror movie, I tightened my ponytail and took a deep breath before cautiously jogging to the edge of the trees, which seemed to loom toward me, almost grasping. The eerie optical illusion made me swallow before I forced myself to move forward despite the voice in my head urging me to turn and run.
    At the edge of the trail, I paused before darting into the trees. I could see the last of the light disappearing beneath the cloud cover—darkness wasn’t far off. Trying to keep my voice even, I called out again for Darcy and shuddered at what sounded like an animal snarling. The sound was so unlike my dog that I stopped and rocked back on my heels before forcing myself forward again.
    “ Darcy! ” I whispered hoarsely, trying to ignore the sense of panic rising in the pit of my stomach. “ Darcy, come here, boy. ”
    I was getting closer to the sound, but it took longer than I imagined. Ferns and moss-covered stones littered the path as I pushed forward. Tripping several times, I squinted into the gloom. As I clawed my way through the overhanging branches, they tugged like fingers at my clothes. Finally reaching a small clearing, I felt a flood of relief. Up ahead I could see Darcy standing at the foot of an old-growth tree, looking up.
    “You squirrel chaser!”
    A low growl made me jump as Darcy turned his head in my direction. As I moved closer, suddenly I wasn’t sure the sound had come from my dog. I knew there were mountain lions in Oregon, but according to my late-night Internet searches, they were reclusive and usually stayed far from human activity, I reassured myself.
    But then why are you so scared? a tiny voice in my head whispered.
    My breathing came in short gasps as my heart began to race. Fear locked my legs in place like something out of a bad dream. When I whispered again for Darcy, suddenly the entire woods seemed to notice my presence, the air becoming so thick that I stumbled and fell back. Looking up, I watched, hypnotized, as a dark form materialized from the trees and flew toward me. I opened my mouth to scream, but before I could suck in any air, I heard a struggle. It sounded like it was coming … from above me ? Snarling sounds—like wild animals fighting over a meal—made my blood run cold.
    Then I saw the unbearably perfect face above mine, and the scream died on my lips as blackness closed in around me.

Chapter 2: Dark Dreams
     
     
    “ A ven ! Are you on a hunger strike?”
    I woke with a start and stared blankly, disoriented. As my vision focused, I saw the dark wood writing desk that had been my mom’s and the newly painted walls of my bedroom.