Tangled in Moonlight: Unshifted (Ava and Lucas)

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Ava: Her Name's Selene

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

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The dream clings to me, leaving my heart pounding.

But it's not real.

Just a nightmare.

Rolling over, I curl into a ball to fight the shivers wracking my body. The fleece throw is both too hot and too cold, and I can't take it off. When I do, I'm dying like I've been thrown straight into a snowbank, naked. With it on, I feel like I'm going to drown in sweat, but at least it's less uncomfortable.

The unsettling dream lingers in my head, the sensation of dirty feet and crunchy leaves echoing against my feet.

Unease crawls down my spine, anxiety doing its damnedest to take over.

I ignore it as best as I can in my current state.

Sleep, I need sleep. Maybe if I can just drift off again, I'll wake up feeling better. Renewed.

But no matter how determined I am, my body rebels, keeping me awake.

I can't get comfortable. The couch, all cozy comfort, now feels lumpy and unwelcoming beneath me.

Minutes crawl by.

Still awake.

With a groan of defeat, I force myself off the couch. The room spins for a moment, and I grip the armrest hold myself up.

Bathroom first. Then medicine.

The trek to the toilet is a monumental effort, a full exercise routine.

My heart pounds and sweat pours down my back by the time I'm done. I should get a badge for not peeing myself when I feel like this.

Maybe a trophy acknowledging my survival of the common cold will help me feel better.

The kitchen is next as I hunt down the Tylenol I'd left on the counter somewhere. Even pulling the cotton balls out of the brand new jar makes me want to quit and lay back down, but I persevere.

Congratulations, Ava. You did it.

water at the sink and swallow

Gross.

the tablets remains on my tongue

They're in the fridge, five feet

Too far.

Suffering is easier.

as I try to hype myself up for the walk back to the living room, the hair on

that feeling again, like

my senses in the past to avoid beatings at the hands of Todd and his cronies, but there's nothing here to

die hard, I

to the windows, pulling the

filters through the thin fabric, but it

It feels later than it is, the gloom making it

suffering for a solid five hours, and it feels like it's been a

my pocket, I squint at the bright screen as I type out a

feeling well today. Might not make it in tomorrow. Will keep you

short-staffed, but I know I'm in no shape to work right

sway on my feet. Maybe the bedroom would be a better idea. The bed is more comfortable than the couch, and the

head that way when a

A scrabble of claws against

from the front

heart into

just my imagination. It

hear it again.

to move. One step. Two. I creep down the hall, my heart pounding in my ears.

I turn it, the click of the latch sounding unnaturally loud

just an inch. Enough

The hallway is

flooding through me, when a flash of silver catches

then, before I can react, something shoves the door open with surprising

yelp of surprise and fear escaping my lips as I lose

shadowy monster that comes barreling into

It's a dog.

A very familiar dog.

shoved her way into my apartment, sniffing around like she

of being watched eases a little between my shoulder blades, and I lean against the door to close it, coughing

You don't

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