We Come out at Night

"Tess!" I groaned, lifting up my sunglasses to look at my friend. The hot, Huntington Beach sun burned down on us as we walked down the street, hand in hand, swinging it between us. Her deep brown eyes met my dark green ones, and she smiled at me. "Tess, I want ice cream!"

　
Yep, that's my name. Tess. Tessira Markobs. I know, weird last name. It's like Jacob, except it's Mark. I hate my dad. I'm currently 18, finished high school, and trying to enjoy life while I can. Why? Because dear Daddy wants to ship me off to England as fast as he can, so I can start on collage.

　
Great.

　
My friend is Heidi. A gorgous gal, been by my side since 6th grade, when the older boys picked on me for being fat. Heidi was there to help me through thick and thin. I love her.

　
I smiled at her, lowing my sunnies back over my eyes. "Sure, sure Heid. Let's go," I said, pulling at her hand, leading her further down the broadwalk. A little ice cream cart sat there, playing soft, plinky music. We both ordered ice creams, and gave the kind man the money, before making our way down onto the beach.

　
Sand sifted between ours toes, and we laughed like the children we were inside, making our way into the cold water, splashing and sloshing through the bright blue liquid. I gasped as I felt water splash up my back, and turned slowly to see Heidi looking away, whislting, hands behind her back.

　
I giggled at how cheesy that was.

　
"You are soooo dead!" I said through giggles, kicking water at her. She gasped in shock, now dripping wet, before narrowing her eyes into dark slits, giving an evil grin.

　
Oh, I'm in the shitter now.

　
We started a water fight, spalshing each other, until we were both sopping wet, and our ice creams were wasted in the ocean. We both sat down on the sand, gasping and laughing, letting the cool breeze dry our shirts.

　
I sighed, wrapping my arms around my knees. I just wanted my life to stay this way, peaceful, calm. Friendly. With Heidi. I hate my fuckin' dad!

　
Okay, the thing is, when I was around 4, he walked out on mom, taking me with him. I used to live in the land down under. And for all of you who live under a rock, I'm from Australia. From then on, I've never had any contact with my mom.

　
And now he treats my like I'm his Goddamn fuckin' maid! I cook, and clean, and make the beds, and fuckin' look after his other daughters. My step sisters.

　
And no, they're not ugly. Their absoluty beautful. Blonde hair, bright blue eyes, round full lips, with a perfect figure. While I'm stuck with boring old brown hair and dark green eyes, with freckles, and no perfect curves what-so-ever. I hate Ashley and Niina with a deep, cold passion.

　
They made my high school life hell.

　
Heidi is pretty much the only thing that keeps me sane. She's my real sister. We're pretty much like this *crosses fingers*. I thank her for everything.

　
Heidi patted my head, smoothing my crazy hair against my face. "What's on your mind, Tess?" She asked, blinking her brown eyes, deep as chocolates.

　
I sighed again, the breath escaping from my lips in a short puff. "Just thinking about leaving Huntington behind." I pressed my forehead against my knees. "It's gonna' suck." Pause. "So bad."

　
Heidi let out her cute little laugh. "Man, you know that you're not going to go! You're going to stay! I can feel it," she said, sweeping her hands dramaticly infront of her, as if cleaning a window. I let out a little 'heh' like laugh, shaking my head. She pulled me into a side hug, resting her cheek ontop of my head. "Babe, if you're gone, I'm going to come with you."

　
I, in turn, wrapped my arms around her waist, squeezing her. "You know I love you, right?" I asked.

　
Heidi's body shaked with laughter. "Oh, you've told me time to time."

　
Shaking my head, I pulled away and stood up, brushing the sand off my ass of my knee-length shorts. I grabbed my bag and shoes, slipping them on, while my best friend-slash-sister got up as well, pulling on her ballet flats. We made our way back to the broadwalk.

　
Walking, I swung my bag up, catching it. Well, I almost did.

　
"Ow, you bitch!" Heidi cursed, holding her head in pain, while I just laughed, picking up my bag. What I didn't see was a flying foot.

　
I groaned, holding my forehead. "Fuckin' hell Heid!" She just laughed evily, like a cackling witch. Hm, more like a bitch. Getting up, I slapped her arm, before walking ahead. She just kept laughing her cackle, catching up to me. We came to the part of the street where there was a forest next to it.

　
The smell of pine was welcoming, and I inhaled the sweet scent. Ripping off a small plant leaf, I broke it into little pieces and threw them at Heidi, who easily swatted them away.

　
I pouted, before she pounced on my back. Laughing, we just walked - well I did the walking - and talked - okay, she did the talking.

　
GRRRRRRRROWL!

　
I froze.

　
Heidi - on the other hand - laughed. "Huh, hungry as always Tess?" she giggled out. I let go of her thighs, shaking my head.

　
"Dude, that wasn't me."

　
Heidi stopped laughing. "Wait, than what was it?" GRRRRRRRRROWL! A pair of hazel eyes burned from inbetween two bushes. "Fuck!" she whispered loudly, hugging me from behind. "Tess, if we die, I don't want Dev to take my stuff! I'll miss my teddy boo!" my best friend whispered-slash-cried into my back. She was shaking.

　
The eyes seemed to burn through me. I wasn't scared though, meerly curious. I took one step forward, and the eyes seemed to get closer too. I could just make a shadow of a large head. One step, two step, three step. Closer and closer. Soft grunts of breath came from whatever this creature was.

　
I held my bag tighter, and lifted it up, ready to clonk the shit out of this beast when...

　
Snap!

　
"Holy shit!" I yelled as something leaped out from the bushes beside me, grabbing my bag, before hiding back in the woods. The hazel eyes blinked, before disappearing.

　
Heidi let go of me. "Well, what's done is done, let's go!" she said quickly, grabbing hold of my hand, trying to drag me away. I stood my ground. It was quite easy, considering that I'm 5'7 and Heidi's only 5'3.

　
"No, Heids. Whatever that was has now got my bag! I have to get it!" I looked at her scared, brown eyes. Sighing, I added, "You can stay if you want." The hand dropped back.

　
"Be careful, Tess," Heidi whispered before I ran off into the forest.

　
I will say this now. I'm very clumsy, and can get easily lost. Now, put me in the middle of the woods, with roots poking out of the ground, branches sticking out infront of you, and tree tops covering the sky, showing no blue what-so-ever.

　
How do you get out of there?

　
Well, that's simple. Very simple.

　
You can't.

　
And being lost creeps the hell out of me, making me jump as hell. So when I hear a soft growl that no one else can hear, I tend to shriek, run in a random direction, and trip over a root sticking up from the ground, while also getting hit in the face by a branch.

　
Yeah, that's kinda what happened.

　
I spat out a chunk of dirt and bark, rubbing the mud off my face. Sighing, I leaned against a large tree. Buried my face in my hands. And screamed.

　
It helps me, so don't give me that look.

　
"Woof!" I gave a yelp, looking up. There, sitting infront of me, was a massive dog. I meant it was fuckin' huge. If I stood up, it would probably reach my shoulder. It was dark gray, with black running through its fur. Like, you know, the roots were black, that two tonned fur wolves always have.

　
Never mind.

　
And bright deep blue eyes, blinking at me. I think I almost shat myself.

　
Gulping, I muttered, "Nice doggie, good doggie, please don't eat me." Standing up slowly, the wolf got on all fours as well. Huh, I was right about his height. Or, at least I think it's a he.

　
I started to walk sidewards, but it followed my movement. I stop, he stops. I go, he goes. I jump up and down, he looks at me like I'm a looney.

　
Guess he dosn't do all things.

　
He gave a little yap, and another friggin' giant dog comes up behind him. This one isn't as tall, and is light gray - more of a silver - with dark gray highlighted fur, and bright green eyes. Much brighter than mine. He cocked his head to the side, as if to say 'What are you looking at?' silently.

　
He walked up to me, and dropped something infront of me. My bag. Gasping, I scooped it up right away. But on the way up, I bumped my head against the gray dog's snout.

　
He yelped in surprise while I whined and rubbed the back of my head. "Fuck, you have one hard snout," I muttered under my breath.

　
The dark gray one came up next to the other dog, and sniffed my hand. That one holding my bag, that was right near my crouch.

　
"Whoa!" I said, backing off, which ended up in my slamming my back against some bark. "Stay away from the lower area," I said, as if it could under stand me.

　
Both of the dog's seemed like they barked a laugh. Kinda weird. Then the dark gray one contuined to sniff my legs, arms, shoulders, before sniffing right in my face. It did that cute little dog sneeze thing. Yeah, not so cute when you get snot and saliva all over your face.

　
Both of the dogs seemed to find this funny, and barked out a laugh again. I furrowed my eyebrows. This was beyond creepy. I shook my head, and started to walk off, when that fuckin' dog took my bag again.

　
"Hey!" I yelled out as the gray dog ran off into the bushes. I growled, then looked at the dark gray dog, whose tounge was hanging out of his mouth, as if he was giving me a goofy grin. I scowled. "What are you looking at?" I said, crossing my arms over my chest.

　
Then I realised that I was talking to a dog. In the middle of the woods. Lost.

　
Fabulous.

　
The dog stuck his tounge back in his mouth, and motioned his head towards the bushes that the other dog went through. My eyebrows furrowed again. "You want me to follow him?"

　
Doggie nodded his head cutely, and walked towards the dark green flora. Once he saw that I wasn't following, he looked back towards me. His large tounge hung out again, and he gave me that dog like grin, as if to say 'Come on, I don't bite.'

　
Yeah right.

　
But, my curoisty got that better of me. Sighing, I walked over to the large dark gray dog, standing up against his side. Softy, I patted his head. His eyes fluttered closed, and he made a weird humming noise. Kinda like a purring, except much more rougher. His large head rested on my shoulder, and I smiled. It was very, very cute.

　
"Come on doggie, show me what you want to show," I said, shrugging his head off. His eyes opened again, and he blinked at me cutely, sniffed my shoulder, before heading through the bushes. But something inside me told me not to go. Why?

　
Because curiosity killed the cat.

I came here for something and I'm not turning back

Strong in the mind but you still hold my keys

Keeping my fate deep within your threshold

Petty inconvenience but it means the whole world to me.