A flash fiction story By Jihane Rodriguez

"Where do you wanna go?" she whispered, her lips touching my soul.

"Anywhere with you. Take me," I said, softly touching her face.

she smiled, "Then grab your things we are leaving now," said Victoria kissing me with the strength and passion only she was capable of.

We got dressed amid the darkness of the room. A gentle ray of sunlight glittered through the hole in the planks covering the shattered windows. Small dust particles dancing near the curvature of her back while she stood there, ripped jeans, black bra.

"Jack! get dressed!" she said impatiently, extending her hand to me. Patience wasn't her best quality. We walked out of the old building in search for a place to eat. Cannon Beach had served as our little personal haven over the last 2 days but it was time to move on, up north, route 101 was ending soon but our journey had just begun.

Not far from where we "camped" we came across a little quirky looking cottage cafe "Lazy Susan Cafe for breakfast it is," said victoria putting her sunglasses on and planting a kiss on my right cheek.

"Black coffee and Omelets with toast, please," I asked the server.

"May I recommend, the Mushrooms, tomatoes, green onions, and Tillamook cheddar cheese omelet?"

"Yes, two of those, please! and some extra strong coffee if you don't mind," Victoria said with a huge smile in her eyes. She always had this overly positive energy and warmness in her voice. I was in love and she knew it. I knew it. I think anyone that saw us knew it.

"What are you looking at silly?" she said poking my nose.

"You," I said looking straight into her eyes. She smiled. "You are too good for me Jack. Too good"

We ate and bought some bran muffins and granola bars for the road. We drove along the Oregon coast and into Washington state. Our mission was to arrive at Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest by night.

"You have to turn left soon," victoria announced as she looked at the map. We had bought some old school maps, no GPS, no cell phones.

"Take State Route 542," she said.

"Copy that," I said, as she put a Twizzlers in my mouth and I started chewing. We were listening to 80s music, "White Rabbit" by Jefferson Airplane as the sun started to set. "One pill makes you larger, and one pill makes you small. And the ones that mother gives you, don't do anything at all." played the music lyrics in the background.

Route 542 was calm and serene. The forest byway began just east of the town of Glacier as the route entered the national forest. Rows of green tall trees and clean air swirled along the road.

"I can see it! I can see Mt. Baker!" Victoria said, unable to contain her excitement and pulling her head out the window to feel the breeze.

We camped at Douglas Fir along the North Fork Nooksack River surrounded western red cedar, and western hemlock trees. Victoria, the tent, our small fire camp and supplies was all I needed. Life was perfect as the sun disappeared and the stars invaded the darkness. We made love right there next to the river. Like a mellow slow dance, her legs wrapped around my body and her skin warm and soft. The scent of her hair lingering on my body.

We feel asleep soon after, but a few hours later a strange noise woke me up abruptly.

"Did you hear that?," I asked Victoria who was half sleep facing the other way, her back against my chest.

"What?," she said rubbing her eyes, and reaching out for the flashlight.

"No, no, no. Don't turn it on," I asked her taking the flashlight from her hands.

"Crunch, crunch"... leaves crackling and echoing through the empty vastness of the forest. We looked at each other, and she raised an eyebrow and said, "I am sure it's just an animal, It's probably nothing"

But before we knew it there it was a white wolf with yellowish eyes standing at the edge of the tent.

"Don't move!," I whispered without breaking eye contact with the beast. It didn't seem of aggressive nature, it had this strange wisdom in its eyes but I had to be cautious.

"What do you think it wants?," Victoria asked moving slowly toward the wolf.

"Don't! Victoria!" I half yelled, half whispered.

"I know you, don't I?," She asked the wolf in a soft yet commanding voice.

All of a sudden, the trees stood still, there is no wind.

"Daz? It can't be... why? why are you here?," Victoria muttered in a panicked whisper.

Owooooo! Wolves howling in the background. A flash of light, a hundred wolves, dirt, and mud and fur. Everything is spinning and chaos breaks loose. Light and darkness and carnage. Slashes of skin and the metallic taste of blood on my lips. Another howl, another spin. I can't breathe, I can't talk. My bones are breaking one by one and I am incapable of thought. Am I dead? Are we dead? "Victoria!" I try to say but my words never leave my body.

And then, we are running like animals, naked and free through the forest and past the riverbank. The scent of the night is strong and fierce, and electricity flows through my body. I don't understand what's happening, but my body seems to know what to do. As I breathe in my lungs ache and expand. Is this a dream? "Victoria!" I look around in panic searching for her. The moon is round and big, commanding and demanding. I can't think of anything else but the moon.

...

I can feel the sun prickling on my skin, and the echo of the river behind my back. I wake up, vulnerable, wet and naked covered in sand. My head is pounding like an open wound. Victoria's body is next to mine, magnificent and perfect.

"Vic..." my voice is raspy and harsh.

"He is back, he came back for me," she whispered with her eyes still closed.

"Who?" I ask as I move close to her and hold her body against mine.

"Daz."