Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 12 Ava: Nightmares

Chapters 11-17 have been rewritten to improve story flow and pacing. [June 27, 2024]

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Strange dreams disturb my sleep these days.

It always starts the same; being pursued in a dark forest, not knowing what's hunting me. The panting, the crashing of underbrush, the chase.

Somehow the forest becomes mountains, and the mountains turn into the beach. Still I run, as fast as I can, with the threat of something at my heels.

It's daytime. It's night. There are people running with me, and I'm alone. It makes no sense at all, and yet it feels completely normal in the moment.

Then a wolf slipping out of the shadows to stare at me, with blue eyes and sparkling white fur, except for a patch of black at the end of her tail.

The dream always ends there, with me startled awake and staring at the ceiling through the dim light of my bedroom window, soaked in sweat and sore like I'd run a hundred miles, being chased by some monstrous beast.

Getting back to sleep after feels almost impossible as I toss and turn, and I show up to the Novel Grind every day feeling more exhausted than the day before.

The only new change to my life is the daily escape from Animal Control—that silver husky (who, we found out, is actually a girl) who always stops by to see me at the store, waiting patiently for an officer to get her and bring her back to safety.

Carlos jokes that I should keep her, since she seems to like me, but there's no way I can raise a pet. Not when there's a part of me always looking over my shoulder. A part of me waiting for the day I have to pack up and leave again.

By the third day of nightmares, I've developed a low-grade fever that seems to come and go, along with a slight cough. Nothing to keep me from working. It just leaves me miserable enough to think I might need some help getting rid of these nightmares.

If I can't get enough quality sleep, I'm going to end up really sick. A trip to urgent care is something I can't afford.

of things on my need list, and not enough dollars in the

on my want list, not my need list, so I have no idea how high my fever might be. Either

clothes makes my skin hurt, and my bones

out of

My arms shake. My muscles protest. My head swims with every movement,

done, I'm a sweaty, trembling

is pure agony. Every step is a torture of sharp pain from heel to pelvis. The sun beats down on me with a vengeance, despite

I can do to keep putting one foot in

to recognize in my time here, who pass by with a smile and wave. I can barely muster the energy to nod in return, shuffling

an eternity. I have to stop and catch

throat's raw from the hacking cough that's developed from needing to breathe

finally stumble into the grocery store, I'm not sure I'll be able to make it back home. It doesn't

a blessed relief… but

not happening by the

shuffling my way through. I have to make smart choices. The basics

carry and require no

a dilemma.

feel my fever spiking. Not investing in a thermometer feels like a

to go bankrupt at the doctor? Or sick enough to make it

make my way towards the checkout, I spot the medicine aisle, filled with boxes of bright

I settle for a small bottle of Tylenol instead, hoping it will

rings up my items. It takes me a second to

don't think I've ever seen a shifter working here

too tired to worry