Thanks to everyone who is reading you make my day!!!!

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I was right. Dinner was chicken. Again. I suffered through the meal pretending to enjoy the continuous supply of fired greasy chicken so to not to upset my mother's fragile nerves. As soon as we finished dinner I cleaned up the kitchen, said goodnight to my parents and went back to my room to finish my homework.

Hours later and only halfway through with my homework, I slammed my book shut shoving it off my bed in disgust. I've been working for so long and have achieved nothing not even putting a dent in my work. Teachers are so evil, this is cruel and unusual punishment giving us so much homework on the first day back. I rubbed my hands over my head trying to force the drowsiness from my eyes, the headache from my brain, pulling my hair back into a ponytail I huffed and took a deep breath gaining confidence in myself to finish my homework for the night so my teachers wouldn't penalize me tomorrow, though if I fall asleep in class they sure will.

Sighing accepting my fate of getting a detention I settled in for the night tossing the rest of my books off the bed and turning off the light. Snuggling into my pillow and burrowing under the covers I let myself succumb to sleep.

I slept fitfully that night. Dreams of unfinished homework, evil teachers, and college applications gone wrong. My brain was going crazy contemplating all the various scenarios that could happen because of my nightmare of unfinished homework lying disheveled on my floor scattered throughout my room. Finally I gave up on sleeping and gathered up my papers to settle back in to my work.

Some time later I finally finished all my work I checked my clock. 3 AM. Sighing in relief that I still had around four hours of sleep. I slammed my books shut celebrating that I at last was done. My brain can relax so I can finally sleep.

Just as I was dozing off and slipping off into dreamland a pair of dark eyes flashed before my eyes. They were cold, dark, and so very dangerous looking with a edge of terror emitting out from them. They were terrifying. But as quickly as they appeared they vanished from sight and from memory.

Morning came to quickly for me, I had only got maybe three hours of sleep the night before so I was very sluggish waking that morning, sliding from bed collecting my homework and trudging downstairs. I didn't even bother with breakfast I just slugged to my car and sleepily drove to school. I know it was unsafe to be driving in my condition but what was I to do call a friend and ask? No I was better of relying on myself and myself alone. You can only trust one person and that was you. I knew that for a fact. Too mush life experience to go by, and who was I to break tradition? So I drove my self the five miles to school praying I would make it safely with no accidents or worries.

And I did. I had a few close calls here and there but as I pulled into the back entrance of the school parking lot and into my allotted spot I sighed with relief.

Massaging out the cricks in my hands from gripping the steering wheel to death I made my way into the school. My prison for the next eight hours.

Thankfully the day passed quickly, I only dozed off once. Okay twice today and with my class schedule that was an accomplishment in of itself. Loaded with that nights share of homework I walked out to my car. I drove a 2010 blue ford f150 XLT 4x4 super crew cab. It was a beauty. She was my baby, nobody drove her but me. She was mine. My big blue baby, she could do anything: off road, high- way, paved, gravel, mudding (though that was only once and I'll never do it again- it was fun don't get me wrong but it tore up my baby; she was dirty for a week and the transmission was still crapy to this day.)

Tossing my crap in the back absentmindedly I glanced up and met Lex's eyes. They were darker today, almost black. As we met eyes they turned even darker, if that was possible. Shuddering I pulled away and focused on my car. Something about those eyes were familiar, they tugged on a memory, distant but still there in the back of my head. Shacking it off to sleep deprivation I shrugged and claimed into my truck. Turning on my country station I blasted Carrie Underwood's song Blown Away. Beating my hand in rhythm to the song I sang along.

"There's not enough rain in Oklahoma to wash the sins out of that house

There's not enough wind in Oklahoma to rip the nails out of the past.

Shatter every window till its all blown away

Every brick every board every slamming door blown away!

Till there's nothing standing nothing left of yesterday.

Every tear soaked memory blown away

Blown away

She heard the sirens screaming out

Her daddy laid out passed out on the couch

Some people called it taken shelter

She called it sweet revenge

Shatter every window till its a blown away

Every brick every board every slamming door blown away

Till there's nothing left standing nothing left of yesterday

Every tear streaked memory blown away

Blown away

Blown away

Blown away"

I was so into the music on the radio that I wasn't paying attention to the road and barley missed a car turning onto the road. Tires screeching horns blaring I stopped just in time. Breathing heavily I pulled over to catch my breath. Three more cars pulled out all in a line like they were following each other. Followed by a huge moving truck. A family must be moving in. There seems to be a lot of that going on. New teacher, student. Now a moving truck and at least five cars moving in. They seemed to be headed for the woods, the old cabins that nobody owned but we couldn't be around.

'Strange, but they must have bought them. Don't know why but to each their own. They must have a big family and want the space. Of well.'

I pulled back on the road turing my music slightly up but not to loud, don't want to almost crash again. Blown away was finished by now and Scotty McCreery's "water tower town" took its place.

Humming along I pulled into the driveway of my house. Both my parents would be away tonight for business and wouldn't be back for a week so I would have the house to myself for awhile. Free reign! Hurrying inside I dropped my bag to dig out my work. Thankfully because I did so much yesterday it wouldn't take me long. A few hours a most.

Two hours later I cheered, I was done with all my work for the week! Looking outside I saw it was still light out I made the split second decision to go for a walk the fresh air would do me good. My house was at the edge of the forest so as a child I always had an assortment of hideouts and clubhouses to play in. Walking down the old familiar path I gazed lovingly at the wondrous nature around me. I loved the outdoors. Always have. It was my home my refuge my safe place. After a yelling fight with my parents I would always head out here to calm down for a few hours before heading back. I was always safe here. And always alone.

Settling down under my favorite oak tree in the middle of the woods I curled up and rested my head against the sturdy bark. Breathing perfectly for the first time in days I sighed contentedly at the perfection around me. Birds chirped softly singing the songs of the forest as they flirted around. Squirrels scurried collecting nuts. Small animals skirted around in the brush hiding from the larger predatory creatures lurking around in the shadows. Heaven. Paradise. Home. My safe haven.

I didn't realize I had fallen asleep till a shake in the trees startled me. Glancing around frantically I quickly collected my bearings seeing nothing I shrugged and stood up cracking my back in the process. "Man it's almost dusk I better head back. Don't want to get caught up here at night." I began my walk home. Hearing the sound again I turned startled frightened of who might be there lurking in the shadows. Doing what every stupid girl in horror movies does I asked "who-who's there?" Hearing and seeing nothing I tried to shake it off as a rabbit or deer, but I was too frightened to pass it off as nothing.

I leaned closer to the bushes trying to see within the concealing branches trying to catch a glimpse of what ever was making that noise so I could walk home in peace. I jumped back. A pair of big black eyes stared back a me. I knew about the wildlife of the forest, I knew what animals we had and didn't. I knew what was indigenous, what was poisonous to touch and good to eat. I was not lacking in that department. But what I saw looming there was not something I had seen before. I wasn't sure what it was, I should have backed away then and run carefully home but my curiosity got the better of me.

Braking down I peered into the trees, black eyes watched my every move assessing if I was friend or foe. I hoped to god that it did not find me a threat. Looking closer I saw its black wet nose, long snout, huge head covered in black fur, a long body huger than any I had seen and a big bushy tail. I was in a staring match with a wolf!

Squeaking I leaped backwards and tried to scurry away but my foot caught on a root sticking out of the ground and I fell backwards twisting my leg crookedly underneath me. Holding in a scream I backed away keeping my head down in submission making sure the wolf did not take me as challenging him but I could not move. Cradling my leg against my chest I let silent tears slide down my face. I was going to die. This wolf was going to kill me and nobody would ever find my body.

A wet object poked the hand I had wrapped around me prodding at my arm, not in a threatening way but like how a dog would to try to get your attention. Slowing lifting my head I was met with the eyes of the wolf. He was standing right in front of me with a saddened look in his eyes. He prodded at my arm again wining tilting his head to my injured leg then back up. Confused I just stated at him taking in his huge form. He wined again and nudged my leg as if he knew I had hurt it. Scrunching my eyebrows I slowly released my leg wincing at the pain it caused me. He nealt down and licked my ankle.

He finished cleaning my wound and settled on the ground next to me laying his head close to my chest. Hesitantly I stretched out my hand and patted his head. He jumped a bit but then scooted closed to me resting his head on my stomach. I laughed. He was acting like a dog, a really big dog. My laughter jolted him but after patting his head gently he settled down falling back asleep.

Suddenly very tired I to curled up on the ground against the warm wolf beside me. He purred contentedly in his sleep then I too drifted off to sleep.