Chapter 2

"You belong here, Rashad." 

Isabella looked up at someone taking to her. Who's Rashad?

"But you can't stay. You'll die." The person said.

Isabella was unable to utter a word, stared at the person. The person did not have an appearance, it was just blank. 

"You will die."

The scenery all changed after that statement. Isabella found herself bloodied and on the floor.

"Please, don't kill me." She begged the figures standing around her.

"Rashad, you cannot stay. You were given time to leave. Were you testing us?"

"Please…I have a child and a wife." She mentioned.

Gently, Isabella opened her eyes to the image of a room. She found herself laid on a bed. She sat on the bed, examining her surrounding. The room had quite interesting artifacts and intriguing design. She found her bag leaning on the wall besides her. 

"Where am I?"

There was a barge in from the door in front of her. Isabella was focused on the door and the person ahead.

"Oh, you're awake." A middle aged woman of average height and light skin said.

"Where…is this?" Isabella asked

"Where do you think?" 

Isabella figured it out. 

"One of our truckers found you laying unconscious in the middle of the road." 

"Oh. I'm in Silverbrook?" The discovery gave Isabella a rush of excitement. She couldn't help letting out a smile.

"Honey, why did you come here?" The woman politely asked.

"Uhhh…"

"You got family here?"

"…no"

"You got a place to stay?"

"I don't. I tried looking for a place but…I couldn't."

"I blame you, darling. I blame the government. We ain't even on radar." The woman wasn't exactly wrong. "You're welcome to stay here for as long as you like." 

"Where's this?" 

"It's my house. This is a just room I never use."

"Thank you." 

"If you need me, I'll be out in the bar across the street. The door's this way." The woman pointed the direction of the door. 

"Thank you so much." Isabella expressed her gratitude to this kind woman.

"I'm Stacy. Stacy Josephson."

"Isabella Sinclair."

"See ya later, Isabella"

Stacy left Isabella alone in the room for the bar across the street. Isabella stepped out of the bed and felt the cold wooden floor. Walking around the room, intently studying each unique artifacts. She remembered her phone and laptop. She searched her bag and found them both. She took out her phone to see what the time was and it was 10:32am. She also noticed that there was little to no cellular network. 

She decided to head out and survey the town and take pictures but realized that she had forgotten her camera.

"Oh no!" She exclaimed but she was still going to do it either way. Her phone camera was good enough.

It wasn't a lively town neither was it a quiet town. It had very few people and something felt different about the town. Isabella was outside and felt comfortable for a second until she noticed everyone's countenance–uncomfortable. She hardly went anywhere around the town with having people whisper about her. She shrugged them off. She thought she could do a good job ignoring them but she felt a spark of anxiety within her do she headed to the woods that she caught sight of while walking around the town.

She walked into the ever green woods underneath the mild mid-afternoon sun. She felt something she had never felt in a very long while–connection.

The trees were all and provided shade to everything. Very little beautiful beams of sunlight passed through. The was a running stream ahead, she could hear it. Engrossed in the beautiful scenery, she did not take pictures; she was in another world.

There was a large tree ahead with elevated roots she thought she could stand in and maybe make a video and take good pictures. She reached the tree and was shocked by the sight of what looked like claw marks. 

"Wha…"

She ran her finger through the claw mark. It was obviously not that of a human, it was too big and deep. She took a picture of it. She also noticed the time was past 3. How long has she been in there?

Something moved. She heard the sound of rustling leaves and broken branch. It startled her.

"Who's there?!" She quickly stuffed her phone in her pocket.

Nothing came forth. She wanted to investigate but had a sense of alert in her head. She felt a vibration on her lap and pulled out her phone. Her phone had died.

"Shit." She exclaimed. She had to leave the woods. On her way out she heard a whisper, an inaudible whisper, she turned back to look but there was no one. 

"Isabella!"

Isabella was startled by a call from Stacy. "What were you doing in there? Come with me."

Stacy had a worried look on her face. As Isabella and Stacy  walked together, Isabella could audible hear people talking about her.

"She went into the woods."

"Why did she go into the woods?"

"Hey, you, pretty lady." A stout old drunk stopped Isabella on her tracks "Why d'you go into the woods?" 

"Leave her alone, Bernard. Come, Isabella." Stacy ordered.

They headed for the bar. Stacy opened the door first letting Isabella walk in.

"Thank you." Isabella said as she walked in. It was a quiet bar with soft jazz all over. There was about 4 people in the bar. A lady seated with a man. Another older man standing behind the counter and a young man. The young man particularly caught Isabella's attention. He was holding up a book so she couldn't see the rest of his face but the part she could see had her. 

"Please sit." Stacy told Isabella who found a seat at the counter.

"Would you like a beer? We don't have red wines or anything fancy."

"A beer would be nice." Isabella said while her sight was still on this young man. 

"That's Gabriel." Stacy noticed Isabella's line if sight and thought it nice to tell her who it was.

"Hmm?" Isabella's sight turned to Stacy as she pushed a tall glass of bright yellow beer to Isabella.

"Gabriel Lockwood. I don't know much about him but he sure is helpful around here. He don't talk much."

"I see." Isabella said while taking a sip from the glass of beer.

"Honey…" Stacy caught Isabella's attention. "why…did you go into the woods?"

Isabella gently dropped the glass on the countertop.

"I…wanted to do some research."

"I know you're new in town and haven't heard of the recent rumors but…" Stacy stopped, looked left and right, ensuring that nobody was listening to her conversation with Isabella. "…I hear there may be wolves in the woods."

At first, Isabella was stunned. "Just wolves?"

"No, no." Stacy was silent for a moment. "Werewolves."

Isabella felt her heart drop and in the moment frantically laugh. Her laughter caught everybody's attention. 

"There's no such thing." Isabella tried to recover from what she thought to be a silly joke until she remembered the claw marks. Her laughter seized.

"You noticed something, didn't ya?" Stacy figured. Isabella pulled her phone out of her pocket but it was dead. 

"I…have to go back to the house."

Isabella drank the whole cup of beer and placed the empty glass on the counter. "Thank you for the beer."

Isabella left the counter dumbfounded and speechless. She walked outside, greeted by the soft warm setting sun. She looked at the woods from afar. She felt drawn to it but werewolves? That seemed almost impossible.

A tap on her shoulder, she turns to see who tapped her. It was him.

"Oh!" She was caught by surprise by him. She stared deep into his eyes for a moment. Her brown eyes met his enchanting silver. She was afraid to stare too long.

"If you want to know more, meet me by the woods as early as you can." He said.

His voice pierced her senses. Deep, warm and calm. She felt goosebumps. His scent was musky and woody. He had perfect skin. 

"B-But, I can't."

"It'll be fine." 

Then he walked out of her sight and back into the bar. She still couldn't take her eyes off him.