The One You Feed

I’m walking through the woods, the rain is pouring down making my journey harder than it should be. The moonlight is shining down on top of me as I make my way through the trees as the low lying branches cut my skin. I ignore the pain and blood dripping down my arms, only stopping when it get to a cabin. There is a candle lit in the window and the front door is wide open, tempting me to enter. But just as I’m about to enter, I hear leaves crunching under the pressure of something’s foot. My heartbeat begins with quicken when I hear a low, warning growl coming from behind me. My hands shake as I slowly turn around and my heart stops when I see a large black wolf standing there crouched down low as if it was ready to pounce. Its teeth are showing as it snarls at me and it begins to advance towards me. I feel myself backing up slowly, nearly falling over the wooden front steps. The snarling becomes more intense as another wolf joins in. This wolf is as pure white as the driven snow but its piercing black eyes aren’t looking at me and the snarl isn’t directed towards me but to the other wolf. The white wolf becomes between me and the other wolf, ready to attack if needed.

“There are two wolves inside all of us,” a voice says behind me. I whip around and see an old man standing in front of me dressed in traditional Native American garb. “The choices we make, little wolf, helps feed these wolves. Don’t let the wrong wolf win…”

I walk out of my apartment building and instantly slip my sunglasses over my eyes as I begin my journey to the L train to head to my father’s house; not until I make a detour to Central Park. I have all plans on enjoying this Indian Summer as much as I possibly can. Because before you know it, Mother Nature will get wise and make the temperature drop and bring on that snow.

As I’m sitting on the train, I feel my phone vibrate in my hand. Looking down at it, I notice a text message from a blocked number. My eyebrow raises as I swipe left to unlock my phone so I can read the two unread text messages .

You’re in grave danger, Lupa.

Don’t let the wrong wolf win.

I just stare at the messages, wondering who the hell could this be. It could be an ex boyfriend but honestly none of them would do something this stupid when they know my dad is a detective for the NYPD. None of them have the balls to send me cryptic text messages.

Who the hell is this, I type back angrily. I really want to find out who the hell this person is or better yet, who they hell they think they are.

Don’t let the bad wolf win.

“What the fuck?” I say to myself as I pull up my contacts and scroll until I find the contact simply marked love of my life. I hit the call button but I’m instantly greeted with his voicemail message. I just roll my eyes as the conductor announces my station over the intercom.

I text my dad telling him I’m going to be late as I’m walking through the admission gates to the zoo. It’s been awhile since I’ve been here and I really miss watching the wolves in their exhibit. It’s so relaxing to watch them live their lives. It really puts me in peace.

I’m the only one sitting next to the wolf enclosure. There are no kids throwing a temper tantrum or babies crying or even someone yelling into their cell phones. It’s peaceful; just the way I like it. The only thing I could hear are the distant howling of the wolves and very soft sound of First Aid Kit playing on my phone. Absentmindedly, I walk closer to the gate as a wolf and her cub are standing there. The mother is cleaning her offspring and a pain flashes through my heart. Each year, around this time, I get a feeling as if something is missing in my life. I never met my mother and I never will, after almost 25 years you would think my heart would get the picture. But seeing any type of mother and child is enough to bring on the wave of sadness and pain.

After a couple of minutes, the mother finally feels my eyes on her and she looks up at me. The instant her eyes catch mine, she moves in front of her cub and crouches down snarling at me. I’m like a deer caught in headlights; I just stand there in shock. Why all of the sudden would she do this? The snarling must have caught the attention of a zoo keeper because he comes rushing over to me, pulling me away from her just as she pounces into the glass enclosure. Stunned, I just shake my head and sprint away; ignoring anything the zookeeper has to say.

Just as I’m exiting the zoo, my phone goes off. I roll my eyes when I see who’s calling; well calling me back. “Where the hell were you?” I ask, answering the call. “ I tried calling you and it went straight to voicemail; I could have died and you wouldn’t have known.

He just laughs, “don't be so over dramatic Randall. I turned my phone off because Gabbie the bartender was over last night. I didn’t want your disapproval to spoil the night.”

“You deserve so much better than Gabriella Gable, Abel.” I tell him. “There is something off with that girl; I just can’t put my finger on it.”

“Anyway, why did you call?” He asks, clearly changing the subject from his fuck buddy to why I called him in the first place.

“I need to talk to you,” I tell him. “Something weird is happening and I think I’m losing my mind or just possibly overthinking things as usual.”

“Usual spot?” He asks.

“Usual post.” I reply.

“I’ll bring the vodka and be right over…” I hear a click before I shove my phone back in my pocket and begin my trip back to the L train…

**

“So last night you had a dream a Native American came to you and told you not to let the bad wolf win then you get a text message saying the same thing?” He questions, making sure he’s getting everything straight.

“The the wolf mother growling at me at the zoo just like the black wolf did in my dream; just minus the cub.” I add on. “Does this mean anything?”

“I think it’s just a coincidence.” He simply states. “You’re overthinking things.”

“There are no such things as coincidences,” I tell him. “Isn’t that your motto?”

“If you think these things are connected, why don't you google what you’re dream means?” He asks. “You are still into that stuff right?”

“Don’t you think I did that already?” I shoot back at him. “It didn’t give me a straight answer.”

“It’s just a dream,” he counters, “it doesn’t give straight answers. Trust me, you’re overthinking things, Randi.”

“I would have believed you if it was just about the dream, but those text messages coming the next morning? That’s what’s freaking me out. In both I get called wolf; little wolf in the dream and Lupa in the text messages. Lupa is Latin for wolf.”

“You’re overthinking things, Randi.” Abel repeats himself. “You need to relax and not get yourself worked up over a dream; a dream you’ve had countless times. This isn’t the first time you had a dream about a wolf and it won’t be the last.”

“I’m starting to think those dreams aren’t just dreams anymore,” I mutter as I begin to playing with the crystal hanging off my neck.

“Again, you’re just overthinking things.” I says, yet again. “Why do you have to think these are more than just dreams and coincidences?”

“Why are you so adamant that they aren’t?” I counter. “You’re my best friend, you’re suppose to believe and support me; not make me feel crazier than I already do!” I get up off the bench I was sitting in and throw my purse onto my shoulder, “call me when my best friend comes back, okay?” I walk away, ignoring Abel yelling for me. I don’t have to deal with this. I called him because he could always play devil’s advocate with me. But for some reason, he wasn’t making me feel better. He was actually making me feel worse. He wasn’t easing my mind about these dreams; he was making me feel crazy.

If my dreams and the text messages I got this morning aren’t connected; then what are they? It’s more than a coincidence, let me tell you.