Free Hidden Moon by K R Thompson

school, much to Brian’s delight, I offered to drive us back home. I managed to get us back to my house in one piece without killing the engine even once. After waving to Brian, I did a little dance through the front door, happy that I had done so well. Mom grinned at my enthusiasm.
    “Good day? I don’t think I’ve ever seen that dance before,” she teased.
    “Great day. I’m getting the hang of driving Brian’s truck.” I leaned in and kissed her on her cheek.
    “That’s wonderful, honey. We’ll have to look into getting you a car. Whenever you want to go take the test for your driver’s license, just let me know.”
    “One of the guys from the reservation is selling his car. I have to go over tomorrow after school and help Adam study so I thought I’d check it out. I’ve got money saved up and I don’t think he wants much for it. Whatever day you don’t have to work late and aren’t busy, I’ll be ready for the driving test.”
    “I have dayshift all the rest of this week. I should be home whenever you get here after school. Whenever you’re ready, I’ll be here.”
    “Okay,” I nodded and sat down beside her, “How was work?”
    “Adam’s father is the sheriff so he’s in charge. He’s very nice. And there are two other deputies besides Anita, so there aren’t many people there, but everyone is patient and helpful. I think I will like working there.”
    “Adam was telling me about the woman that’s missing from the trail. Have they found her yet?” I asked.
    “No, not yet. They’re still looking. It seems she had a spat with her boyfriend a couple weeks ago, so they’re trying to find him to see if he knows anything,” she broke off, as the phone rang. She got up to answer it in the kitchen.
    I thought about Adam and the other guys searching the woods looking for the lost woman as I went upstairs. I sat down and stared out to the woods, imagining the group of boys scouring the forest.
    A sudden flash blinded me. When I opened my eyes, trees were flying past me as I ran.
    There were wolves around me. One gray, one cream, and two a sable brown. The brown wolves weren’t as muscular, yet they moved with the same fluid grace as the others. I led them on the trail. They sniffed the air around them, their nostrils flaring as they searched for a scent. I looked at the trees around us. The woods were silent. The birds had quieted. Six giant wolves slowed down to a walk as they searched.
    The cream colored wolf reared back his head, and let out a mournful howl that was full of sorrow and anguish. He sat back on his haunches and stared at something in front of him as the rest rushed over to see what he had found.
    I came up beside them and saw what caused him to cry out. A hiker’s backpack, in a dark green color, was lying against a tree. I looked closer where one of the carrying straps had a name scrawled into the worn leather…Meghan. Two aluminum walking sticks laid beside it. I bent down and sniffed the end of one. I breathed in a sweet, copper smell. I snorted, trying to shove the scent back out of my nostrils, as my eyes registered the sticky, dark red stain. It was blood. We would never find her, he had found her first. I set back on my haunches and howled, my mournful cry echoed in the air as my brothers joined me in my anguished song.
    I blinked back out at the trees through my window, shaking my head to clear it. Cold chills swept up my spine as I heard a pack of wolves howl in the distance. The sun had set as I sat there daydreaming. I got up from the chair and changed into my pajamas. Leaving the window open, I crawled into bed as a soft breeze played on my face. I lay there in the dreamy place between sleep and awake, wondering if Adam had found the girl or if the wolves had.

    THE MOON CALLED to him. It stirred his blood, waking him from a peaceful sleep. Even stronger than the pull of the moon, was that of the wolves. He could hear them in the distance as they searched. He