I was buzzing from happiness, still unable to believe that I passed. Even after all the winners got on the stage and were congratulated and given an envelope, it still felt unreal. Now that I was returning back home, I was nervous but hopeful. Now that I won, they shouldn't be mad at me and would instead be pleased that their two sons passed, right?
At the talent showcase today, I learnt that my talent was called biologist and chemist now. That has a nice ring to it.
By the time I arrived home, everyone was fuming and angry. I was forced to kneel while my father slapped me hard.
"You stupid fool, do you know how much you embarrassed me today?!" He yelled and I cried, having no idea why they were still not pleased.
"But I passed the test. I'll make you proud in the academy ." I managed to respond but he slapped me again. Mother and the rest were fuming at the back.
"Forget it, you'll just embarrass us even more anyway! Only Landon was needed to do this." He yelled.
"Now he'll go ahead to embarrass me in the academy cause people would know we're related." Landon cried out before storming out of the room, his mother trailing after him.
By the time father was done with me, I wasn't sure if i regretted taking the test or not.
He didn't forbid me from attending the school cause apparently it's not out of his power, but he swore to not support me at all in the school. The academy would cover the school fees and a few others but I was certain I'd still need financial help.
Still, I was just happy they were still allowing me to leave.
The next few days were slow. I packed what I had, while Landon was taken to shop for a lot of new clothes and shoes.
On the day we were to leave, a limo was rented to drop him off.
The Montclair family wernt that well off but they wernt poor either. For some reason, they never spend a dime on the original host.
I wasn't allowed to accompany him in the limo, and when I asked what form of transportation would drop me off, i was asked to figure it out myself or sit at home.
And so I set out on foot, pockets empty and luggage filled with ratty clothes, determined to get to the academy no matter what.
I walked the one hour walk all the way to Eric's house, panting and drained by the time I arrived there. My legs hurt so much. Walking still feels unusual to me.
I had predicted something like this happening so I had asked Eric if I could ride with him to the academy since he also got accepted.
He had eagerly agreed and I had been estatic and relieved as hell, that at least it seems I'll finally have a friend.
However, the dreadful news was delivered to my by his mother.
"Eric already left, there."
As I left his house, I kept wondering how I'll arrive at the a academy. I felt hurt that Eric left without me but at the same time, it wasn't his fault and he didn't owe me anything.
As I resumed walking, my calves burned, I felt so tired and badly wanted to rest. But i couldn't stop cause the day was starting to darken and it would be unsafe if I'm still outside.
Realistically I knew i could never arrive at the academy on foot tonight, and that meant I was doomed.
After walking for what felt like ages, the sky was completely dark, and I was cold to my bones, my legs feeling like they'd give out soon.
I was too far to turn back home at this point.
As I still kept dragging myself forward, I wondered if I should've just stayed back instead of trying so hard like this. Perhaps it was in my destiny to never experience happiness, to never escape from suffering.
When the sky abruptly opened and a cold downpour started, I felt the urge to cry from frustration and resignation, but I didn't. There was no place to hide from the rain, leaving me no choice but to keep walking, while hoping I don't attract any kind of danger tonight.
At some point, the rain prevented me from seeing and my bones were so tired, I felt dizzy. I sighted a fallen branch and hurried forward, huddling beside it and wrapping my arms around myself while the downpour continued harshly.
I didn't realize when I started crying. The tears just poured freely.
I felt angry at the heavens. Why do I keep facing setbacks no matter how hard I try to push forward?
Do I just kill myself again?
I looked around the empty, dark road in front of me. Well, that's if I don't get killed by a wild animal tonight.
My sobs probably made me not realize that I wasn't alone until it was too late.
A pair of golden eyes was staring at me from across the road. I gasped, my back pressing hard into the branch behind me as the animal slowly approached, watching me closely like an animal would its prey.
Was that a wolf?
My thought was confirmed when it stood before me, tall powerful and dark as night. It was a wolf with sharp, golden eyes and even sharper looking teeth. He let out a growl as he circled me and I whimpered, trembling in fright.
"Please don't eat me." I whispered over and over again, breathing shallowly and quaking. A startled sound left my throat when a cold nose touched my cheek, before a growl rumbled against my skin.
I sat still, not daring to breathe or move… but when nothing happened and some minutes passed, I tentatively looked over at the wolf and dread consumed me all over again. He looked really terrifying.
But why was he yet to kill me?
The wolf made a low, distressed sound as his snout touched my cheek again and I frowned, feeling the strings of my beard being tugged as I quickly looked it over.
What's wrong with me? Was I feeling sympathy for a wolf who'd end up killing me?
The wolf made the sound again, almost sounding like it was in pain.
"Are you in pain, Mr wolf?" I whispered, knowing I was being utterly ridiculous cause this wolf would undoubtedly end up killing me.
When the wolf only whined again, I looked it over again. It was yet to kill me ao I'm assuming it was in a good mood for now.
The rain had refused to a light patter and I was too tired to move. I was starving and need a good sleep, but I couldn't ignore the wounded sound the wolf made again.
So I pushed myself to my knees and gently moved around the large, wild animal. It didn't attack so I relaxed a little.
It wasn't gonna hurt me… hopefully.
A sighted the bleeding in its hind leg almost immediate. It's leg was trapped in some sort of trap and it was bleeding profusely.
I gasped in shock. "Mr wolf, you're really hurt!" I cried out, unable to believe the sight of the trap tearing into his leg. He must be in so much pain. Who's cruel enough to set such a trap?
Even though I was certain he couldn't understand me, he gave a pained, low sound.
I sighed as I drew closer to the injured foot. I could pull the trap out and stop the bleeding with my medicine— a little concoction I made with some herbs while gathering ingredients for the talent showcase.
But what if he chose to eat me after I do that, as a way to replenish his strength and lost blood?
Perhaps that's why he lacks appetite to eat me right now.
It was wise to ignore the trap in its leg and be on my way right now, after all the rain's fully stopped now.
But I felt too guilty to do that.
As I worked on pulling the trap out, I kept talking to him, to help myself more than him.
"Please don't eat me after I help you, okay, Mr wolf?"
"If you do, you'll develop a horrible tummy ache. I'm not tasty at all."
"It's gonna hurt when I pull, please don't bite my head off."
"I'll be gentle, I promise."
"Poor Mr wolf…"
When I finally pulled the trap out, it tore out a lot of skin and the wolf howled loudly, the sound echoing far around and deep enough to rattle me to my bones. I sat frozen for seconds until the sight of his horribly bleeding wound caught my eyes, then I got to work fast.
I washed the calf with some rain water and applied the ointment to it, wrapping a piece of my shirt which I tore off around it.
In no time, the bleeding stopped and I felt relieved when he didn't attack me instantly. He just stood in front of me, watching me.
Was he contemplating eating me?
"You promised not to eat me, Mr wolf." I called out weakly, nervous as I slumped against the branch again, shivering from cold. I was even more tired right now, my eyes feeling droopy.
I expected the wolf to leave, but when he approached me, a scream was about to tear out of my throat before dying off when he just settled right beside me, his body warm, thick and soft.
With a startle, I realized he was trying to keep my warm. My eyes widened but I didn't question it, too tired and drained to. I just leaned closer into it, snuggling and signing in bliss cause he was so soft and warm, it's fur comfortably against me.
I didn't realize when I fell asleep.
But when I woke up, the sun was starting to set, and the wolf was nowhere to be found.
By my side, where the wolf once was, sat a bunch of fruits.
My eyes widened as I picked up an apple, my stomach growling.
Did the wolf bring me these fruits to… thank me?