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.

mouth, I fill a glass of water at the sink and swallow them with a

Gross.

bitter taste of the tablets remains on my tongue and I wash it down with

have bottles of water. They're in the fridge, five feet behind

Too far.

Suffering is easier.

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

that feeling again,

hands of Todd and

die

drag myself to the windows, pulling the curtains

filters through the thin fabric, but

rain to come. It feels later than it is, the

for a solid five hours, and it feels like

squint at the bright screen

Might not make it in tomorrow. Will

I know I'm in no shape

The bed is more comfortable than the couch, and the

head that way when a sound stops me in

A scrabble of

from

into

my imagination. It

hear it again. Louder this

pounding in my ears. By the time I reach the door, my palms are slick with sweat, and my breath comes in

reach for the knob. My hand shakes as I turn it, the click of the latch sounding

the door open, just an inch. Enough to

The hallway is

to close the door, relief flooding through me, when a flash of silver catches

can react, something

back, a yelp of surprise and fear escaping my lips as

monster that

It's a dog.

A very familiar dog.

every day has shoved her way into my apartment,

eases a little between my shoulder blades, and I

You don't live

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