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.

into my mouth, I fill a glass of water at the sink and swallow them with a sip of calcium and other

Gross.

my tongue and

in the fridge, five

Too far.

Suffering is easier.

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

again,

my senses in the past to avoid beatings at the hands of Todd and his cronies, but

habits die hard, I

myself to the

filters through the thin fabric, but

rain to come. It feels later than it

for a solid five hours, and it feels

squint at the bright screen as I type out a quick message to Mrs.

Not feeling well today. Might not make

know I'm in no shape to work

bed is more comfortable

way when a sound

scratch. A scrabble of claws

coming from the

into my

my imagination. It has

it

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

shakes as I turn it, the click of the latch sounding unnaturally loud in

just an inch. Enough to see, but

hallway

flooding through me, when a flash of silver

react, something shoves the door open with

escaping

not some shadowy monster that comes barreling

It's a dog.

A very familiar dog.

been escaping Animal Control every day has shoved her way into my apartment, sniffing around like she belongs

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

You don't

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