The silver moon's curse

's

t pounded in my ears like a war drum, and my lungs fought to pull in the humid air hanging in my room. The shadows of th

wi

as it

'd pushed it down, and I'd even checked it twice. But now the heavy old frame st

e they were being pulle

curling through my hair, brushing agai

. Distant. O

er. Full of pain and power. It echoed from the woods the Black Hollow Forest wrapping around the night like a silk sc

n a sickly pale glow. Everything looked bleached and brittle under it. The trees in the dis

Just the sound of the wind

ain. Th

near but not as far as before either. My stomach turned. My fingertips g

shimmer of trees and the slight rustle of leaves, like the woods were breat

thing wa

A shiver ran down my spine, and I backed away from the window, grab

the type to scare easily, not after everything I'd been through, losing my parents, moving to this eerie, cr

t like a

w. The moonlight still poured through the glass, cold and ghostly. My room was silent, but the house was never still. Eve

the sketchboo

with a frantic rhythm. When I finally looked down, I saw the forest again. But this time, there was something else. A shape in the shadows. T

ad burned

oaned again,

Lonely. That howl could've been anything an animal, a

e the feeling that it

ied to calm myself. I counted my breaths

thing softer. A growl. Low

nearly

ul not to make a sound. I felt like I was in a dream, movin

against the glass

d the edge of th

erson. Not qu

ed slightly as if it sensed me. The moonlight caught the glint of

r. The pages fanned open, revealing the newest drawing. The figure in the forest the

drea

over. Every hair on

the shawl tighter and rushed to the door, turning

n I expected most of the light bulbs in this place were ancient or

e. I had no idea where I was going maybe the library, or the parlor, or anywhere that didn't have a

ight. Caref

alone in

oice was bare

waited. No

scream. Or r

ting. The bulbs in there were new I'd changed them myself. I slipped inside and flicked the switch. Warm ye

tried to steady my hands

. The open window. T

tories abou

he locals avoided it. Kids dared each other to step inside and never ma

it was just smal

asn't s

momile. It was supposed to help with anxiety, or insomnia, or something. I held the warm

t circling back to

d watched me. It hadn't lo

looked

rd. Could it h

y from school. Broody, yes. Mysterious,

had glinted in the sunlight earlier t

n't go

y and sipped the tea. Th

around me, I couldn't shake the feeling that something had cha

ard that howl. Like an old instinct buried deep in my

he sky. Only then did I creep back upstairs, wary of every shadow. My window was

t left the shawl on. I did

there beyond the trees

d already