Moonbound Secrets

eve in curse

gripped the steering wheel tighter. With his arms folded and his sharp gray eyes fixed on me, the guy wh

from the long driv

a tone that was at once a challenge and a thr

llage on the outskirts of a vast forest, but it was meant to be the new beginning I much needed. A opportunity to

gone when I

ands as the door creaked open. "Marge" was written on her name tag,

n standing and added, "Don't mind, Gus." He enjoy

ous grin and nodd

s. She looked at my vehicle, which was overflowing with lug

pay for the gas and rem

ouse," she said cautiously. "Just watch out for dan

"What do

nd steered me in the direction of a

home, which was at the end of a meandering gravel drive. The sky was stained wi

linted like secrets, was a holdover from another era. Given my area of wo

e without were the first things I unloaded. The air felt... strange as

"All right, Lila

he walls had faded wallpaper and the flooring groaned underfoot, everything s

d in town the next morning. The neon sign for the restaurant Marge had su

th the exception of a bright red-haired waitress pouring coffee and two el

inned and glanced up.

Is it really

n Silverpine? News spreads more quickly th

r happy disposition was typical. "It's goo

Then she said, lowering her voice, "But don't eat the

he night before va

hints of something deeper as I drank my coffee a

hting close to the

just like t

ves." o

e guys who were playing cards stoppe

with my supper and put the dish down. "Don't be afraid of th

tried to sound info

e many. Curses, unexplained disappearances, and nocturn

restaurant entrance jangled, interrupting m

had en

xuded an intensity that energized the room. His c

e pot. With a murmur, the card players hurried away, t

h mine, it seemed as if the wo

whispered in a s

"How are you aw

as he did not respond. "G

the kind of place where time seemed to have stopped. With their branches intertwining to cr

ermeated the cold air. I was at pea

eard it,

tural growl that m

y the sound. The tranquility I had experienc

a shaky voice,

lash of silver fur, eyes that glinted like

taggered back, breathing

last of the light. It wasn't quite a wolf. It was bigg

stare like a tangible for

was gone, vanishing into the woods so quickly

ty and slammed it behind me. I leaned my back against th

utside was qui

t I had se

t, whatever it was, it had been observin

scrapping across wood coming from