Half Bitten

“Wake up!” my dad’s voice was more urgent than I’ve heard before. “Get up! It’s Christmas. I’m not gonna let you sleep all day!”
I picked up my pillow and held it to my face groaning. “Go away!”
The plan was to sleep. Sleep until there was no reason but to open my eyes to his flawless face. My life was useless without Lowlii, anyway.
“Get up, Jackie!” my dad’s voice demanded.
“No!” I yelled back. “I’d probably ruin your Christmas anyway.”
“Oh no.” he retorted back from behind the door. “Yesterday we did what you wanted to do. Now we do what I want to do. We’re taking a road trip, you could sleep in the truck on the way there.”
On the way to where?
Before I could ask my question his footsteps trailed down the stairs and into the kitchen. Reluctantly my body lifted itself up towards the closet, keeping my eyes closed purposely. I extended my fingers out expecting to feel soft cloth that would warm my body. I continued to clutch at the air that took shelter in my baron closet. This was odd. I didn’t think I literally stuffed all my clothes in the hamper. I staggered towards the hamper, hoping that all my clothes would be piled in, waiting patiently for my hands to find them. I gasped in shock after realizing that my clothes had disappeared. I dared to open my eyes and stare at my room. My clothes weren’t the only things that decided to dematerialize. My old laptop wasn’t where I left it the week before. I walked down the stairs to confront my dad.
“Dad, where are all my things?”
“I told you.” he sighed; placing himself in between two tightly packed red suitcases. “We’re taking a road trip.”
My heart started to race. Not only would I be further away from Lowlii, but there was also a small percentage that my father knew exactly what was going on between us. If he was through with his lifelong friendship with Bird, what was to stop him from ending my friendship with Nathan, Kindle, Steph, or even Amber? Normally my next reaction would be to scream angrily, wave my fist in the air, and storm out of the room threatening to run away. But something else told me to stay put and figure out exactly what was going on in my dad’s head. Maybe a road trip alone would be the best time to figure everything out.
“But, what will I wear?” I asked politely.
My father pointed to the kitchen table with a smirk, “remember when you said you’d owe me one?”
It took every fiber of my being from bawling into tears. I slipped the poorly knitted Christmas sweater on and winced at my reflection. I looked like a giant red-green-stripped mushroom. The wool used to make the sweater wasn’t the kind that stretched. In fact, it was the kind that clung onto your skin uncomfortably and made you itch with every movement. At every angle, it looked like there were pads attached onto my shoulders. In spite of their enormous size, my neck had minimized. Every time I breathed in it looked as if I was shrinking into my sweater in a manner mimicking a frightened turtle.
Burn it! The intriguing voice demanded. Just burn the thing. The world won’t miss out on that!
I rolled my hands into fists in an attempt to calm down my anger. So what if my father didn’t want to be friends with Bird anymore? That didn’t mean that he could take me away from his family, which just so happen to be my classmates.
The truck horn blared impatiently. I stalked out of the house trying to hide my state of anger. I had to do my job and bursting out at my dad wouldn’t make it any easier. The reason had to be more than his newly boiling feud with Bird, and if he were trying to keep me away from anyone associated with Bird, my dad wouldn’t be the type of person to randomly plan an innocent road trip to the middle of nowhere.
There was something else that my mind idiotically over looked. I’ve been so fixed on spending time with Lowlii that everything else was numb to me. Non-existent.
My dad smiled happily after he found me stepping into the truck. “That’s my girl.”
“Well, the girl is getting some answers.” I grumbled back. “Where are we going?”
“Hum,” he shrugged. “The grand canyon. I wanna get a picture of the squirrels they have up there.”
I watched as the car swerved out of its parking space and progress down the road in the opposite direction we would usually drive. If it hadn’t been for his involuntary chuckle, I would’ve believed his words.
“Seriously, dad. I’m not in the mood for games. Where are we going?”
“Why should you care where we’re going? Isn’t enough that you’re spending alone time with your old man?”
No, no, no! “ I suppose.” I muttered with little effort then eyed him skeptically. “How’s your back?”
My father cleared his throat before answering in a dull tone. “Now, Jackie. I’m trying to operate heavy machinery on painkillers. I can’t handle any questions right now.”
“Then let me drive.” I offered nonchalantly.
He shifted in his seat uncomfortably. “You don’t know where it is.”
“Where what is?”
He took in a breath, silently judging his word choice. “The grand canyon.”
I tapped my foot angrily. “Come on, dad. We both know that’s not where we’re going.”
“Wow. You’re very observant. Guess you get that from your mother, huh?” he jutted his jaw forward to the windshield. Out of instinct, my eyes darted in the same direction. Green meadows surrounded us, much like the one in my dream. The sun shined lightly making the frost on the grass glisten. There was no sign of civilization for miles except for the paved road we were on. It curled around billows of gracious land. After acknowledging the grass my eyes couldn’t help but stare at the trees that hovered over our heads.
Such trees were uncommon in Port Angeles. They weren’t anything like I had seen in the Hopi Forest; their leaves rustled, speaking of secrets and mysteries, their branches extended upright in an organized manner. Even the green coloring was ardent compared to the white powder that came down and covered them effortlessly.
“This isn’t the grand canyon.” I mentioned in a trance.
My father chuckled softly in so as to not disrupt the beauty around us. “I’m glad you caught on. Let’s just hope you don’t get bored. This is the scenery we’re stuck with for the next three hours.”
I quickly calculated the math. “That would mean we’d be out of Washington.” I fought on letting the tears swell. Being even further away from Lowlii didn’t make my living life any easier. The fact that I was stuck in a rust bucket on wheels for the next three hours along side my dad made my situation even more unbearable.
“What’s wrong?” my dad wondered after taking a glance at my terribly shocked expression. “Are you getting car sick?”
More like Lovesick. “No, I’m fine.” I cleared my throat nervously. “I guess I’ll just need some sleep.” praying silently that I grew out of my idiotic tendency to mumble out precious secrets of my life in the middle of a dream, I shifted in my seat for a comfortable position.
“Good night, Jackie.”
I chuckled lightly, closing my eyes. “Good morning to you too, dad.”

It felt as if I was flying effortlessly through the woods. This feeling—sensation felt awkward to me. I knew exactly where I was; the car continued to glide over the empty road without disturbance, without a change. My body could feel the friction of the wheels against the road under me. A sense of freedom ran through my body which seemed odd to the position I was in. such a sensation wouldn’t happen unless I had been doing something other than sitting. In fact, I was extending my arms and legs wildly.
I was running.
The ground underneath me wasn’t solid but made out of many different layers of twigs and dirt. The smell of damp leaves filled my lungs, the cold air that managed to prick my skin made me shiver. Fog had just started to settle on the earth, making me envy the darkness that was there before.
At least in the darkness I knew what to expect.
The fog grew intense as I challenged my body to move further into the unknown. My heart, which was already pounding against my chest, grew restless. The blood that ran through my veins had moved faster than I ever felt before. Faster than the times I spent alone with Lowlii.
“Jackie! Wake up.” My dad’s voice called out from the fog. My head wanted to turn back, to glance at the safety I was craving, but fear came over me. I ran faster, pounding onto the ground harder.
“Jackie! I think you’re having a bad dream. Please, wake up.”
As my eyes were thrown open, I gasped for air.
“Are you okay?” my dad asked in a tone more breathless than I was.
“Yea—I—I was running. Running through the woods.”
After his eyes grew relieved, my dad started to laugh. “Like a helpless little fox? You’re imagination never ceases to amaze me.”
I wasn’t a fox. I was a wolf.
“Are you sure you’re okay? You seem really scared. Like something is out to get you.”
Only than did I realize what was going on. Shifting my body out of its tense position, I lingered my gaze to the windshield.
“Where are we? This place isn’t safe, we need to leave.”
He blinked in confusion. “No, this is the safest place I know.”
I shook my head. “Get me out of here. I need to get back to Port Angeles. Something—something’s wrong.”
My mind raced as I tried to contain it. I didn’t want to assume the worst but the thought couldn’t help but rush in.
“Jackie, you’re talking nonsense. You don’t even know where we are.”
“Take me home. I can’t explain it right now, dad.”
Lowlii told me that I wasn’t allowed outside during the time he changed.
“Jackie, it’s Christmas day. We aren’t driving back.”
“Driving back from where? I need to be home.“ I urged.
If Lowlii picked up my scent anywhere I wasn’t expected to be, it could confuse him, or even anger him. All the other days he had the chance to know exactly where I was. I would see Amber or Steph during the school day and he would come over for the night. If I were at my father’s shop, Bird would drop by every once in a while and greet me with an honest smile.
But there was no way I could contact Lowlii now and I was sure that my dad didn’t update Bird on his sudden urge to become a traveler.
Within a second Lowlii could think that the bloodsucker behind the attacks snatched me. it would be the perfect time for such a thing to happen.
“Jackie, please.” My dad sighed, looking down at the steering wheel. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be. This could be the best Christmas yet.”
I glanced back out through the windshield. The thick shrub stopped short at the beginning of the dirt road that led us onto the driveway of a fancy house. Built on an extra platform to ensure flat ground, it stood five feet off of the slanted earth it was on. The windows were tall and spotless, mostly covering the exterior of the house. White frames accented them beautifully. I felt as if I was staring at a mansion, one that could only be owned by the richest of people.
“Are you going to help me with the bags?” my dad asked, letting his gaze rise up to mine. “Or, do you just want to stay here and get over your false phobia?”
The faster I was inside, the better it would make the situation. I pushed the door open and started to head towards the back of the truck to pick up my bag.
“Wait—no, we should go ring the bell.” My dad maneuvered his body out of the car in a rush to catch up with mine. “I’m sure our bags will be fine in the truck. No one comes here anyway.”
I turned back and counted the steps as I walked closer to the house. The stairs leading up to the backdoor were made out of wood. It didn’t seem fit for them to be there.
I waited by my dad’s side while he reached for the doorbell. I listened nervously as the sound echoed out, alerting the people inside.
“Oh, I forgot.” My dad muttered turning to me in a rushed manner. Within a second something was slipped onto my head mimicking the same material my sweater was made of.
“A matching hat?” I groaned in disgust, reaching up to uncover my eyes. “Really, dad. You don’t know how illegal this is.”
“No, don’t.” My dad protested, pulling the knitted hat back onto my eyes. “Not now.”
I whined, trying to slap his hands away. I could hear the door in front of us swing open. Before I could introduce myself, I was pushed in with the hat still over my eyes.
“Honey!” my dad yelled out in a sweet voice. “We’re here!”
Mocking laughter erupted from the young voices that seemed to be on a different floor of the house. Inside, the air was warm, filled with the scent of food simmering and cookies baking.
“Oh! I’m coming, love,” a female voice answered back just as sweet.
I managed to hold a good grip on the hat over my eyes and whipped it off.
“Hi, Jackie. It’s nice to see you out of the dance room for a change.”
I gasped inwardly as I stared back to the woman that looked resembled Ms. Rolands. She certainly had her smooth pale skin and subtle beauty. But this side of Ms. Rolands, the side of an average apron-wearing cookie baking housewife, was never one I expected to witness.
“Would you like a sugar cookie?” The imposter smiled politely, lifting the tray of powdered cookies up. “I just baked them.”
Out of instinct and pure shock, I shifted my eyes to my dad. “What are we doing at the Rolands house? Bird would never approve.”
My dad, now placing one arm around Ms. Rolands’ shoulders, sighed calmly. “Actually, this is their vacation house.”
I let three seconds of silence slip after finding his answer unsatisfactory.
“Right, well, we’ve been meaning to tell you this.” Ms. Rolands cleared her throat in an attempt to signal my dad.
He, in return, propped himself up. “The truth is, Jackie, Kassie and I have been dating for the past two and a half months.”
I couldn’t believe his words. My stomach churned inside out, my mind wouldn’t let the right words bubble to my lips.