growl. Brave as she was trying to be, Emily began to feelafraid . . . very afraid. The creature seemed to sense this change of emotion, from her rock-steady conviction to the overwhelming fear that now threatened to hold her paralyzed where she stood.
Thatâs when the wolf sprang forward, charging at Emily, its eyes wild with rage, its jaws wide open, trailing long strings of blood-flecked saliva.
Emily turned and ran, crashing back through the dense woods. She gave no thought now to being brave, or to proving to everyone else that the wolf was real. Her only thought was to survive.
Branches tore at her face and arms as she ran. No matter how fast she pushed herself, she could hear the wolf close behind. Its powerful legs pounded into the ground, propelling the beast forward, growling and snarling as it ran.
Emilyâs ankle caught a low branch. A jolt of pain shot through her leg as she tripped and tumbled to the ground, twisting and landing on her back. The wolf increased its speed, seeing that its prey was vulnerable now. It leaped into the air, ready to come down right on top of her.
In the split second that the wolf was airborne, Emilyrolled over, the pain in her back and shoulders matching the ache in her ankle. The wolf slammed to the ground beside her, landing just inches away from her face. It slid along the fallen leaves and twigs and crashed into the base of a tree.
Emily pushed herself up from her stomach and stumbled forward, shoving the pain aside. Behind her, she heard the wolf scramble back to its feet and continue its close pursuit.
Jumping over low branches and ducking under higher ones, Emily maneuvered through the woods like some combination gymnast and high-hurdles track star. Ahead she spotted a thin ribbon of light through the trees. She allowed herself to feel hopeful.
The streetlights! she thought. Iâm almost there, almost home.
Emily emerged from the woods into the Strigsâ backyard. She glanced toward the door, hoping that maybe the noise from the chase would have awakened someone.
The Strigsâ house was dark and still.
She glanced back over her shoulder. The wolf was still just a few feet away.
Dashing across the street, Emily made for her frontdoor, like a runner sprinting for the finish line. Her legs felt like lead, her ankle throbbed, and she began to tremble as she ran.
The wolf drew closer and closer.
Emily hit the front steps and took them two at a time. She grabbed the front door, threw it open, and ran inside. But the beast was right there, leaving her no time to close the door and keep it out.
She bounded up the stairs, but the wolf was right behind her, nipping at her heels. If she could only make it to her room. But what about her mom and dad? Even if she could make it to safety, the wolf would surely get them.
Trying to force herself to move faster, Emily stumbled on the top step and hit the landing, sprawled out on her back. The wolf was next to her in a flash, its paw on her shoulder, pinning her down.
The wolf lowered its jaws toward her face and began to change shape. While becoming no less menacing, it morphed into a human shape.
As the creature came closer, Emily got a good look at its faceâits human face.
She was stunned.
The face was shockingly familiar. She knew this face. But who? Whose face was it?
The human monster still had long fangs, which it now lowered toward Emilyâs neck.
CHAPTER 8
âYaaaiiii!â Emily screamed, bolting upright in bed, covered in sweat. She flung the covers off and rolled to the floor to get away from the monster attacking her. Then she realized that there was no monster. She was alone. It was not three oâclock in the morning, but rather seven a.m. The shine was shining. Sitting on the floor, panting, out of breath, Emily slowly realized that she had just had the worst dream of her life.
âThe whole thing, the howling, the woods, the chase, the changing from a wolf into a
Thatâs when the wolf sprang forward, charging at Emily, its eyes wild with rage, its jaws wide open, trailing long strings of blood-flecked saliva.
Emily turned and ran, crashing back through the dense woods. She gave no thought now to being brave, or to proving to everyone else that the wolf was real. Her only thought was to survive.
Branches tore at her face and arms as she ran. No matter how fast she pushed herself, she could hear the wolf close behind. Its powerful legs pounded into the ground, propelling the beast forward, growling and snarling as it ran.
Emilyâs ankle caught a low branch. A jolt of pain shot through her leg as she tripped and tumbled to the ground, twisting and landing on her back. The wolf increased its speed, seeing that its prey was vulnerable now. It leaped into the air, ready to come down right on top of her.
In the split second that the wolf was airborne, Emilyrolled over, the pain in her back and shoulders matching the ache in her ankle. The wolf slammed to the ground beside her, landing just inches away from her face. It slid along the fallen leaves and twigs and crashed into the base of a tree.
Emily pushed herself up from her stomach and stumbled forward, shoving the pain aside. Behind her, she heard the wolf scramble back to its feet and continue its close pursuit.
Jumping over low branches and ducking under higher ones, Emily maneuvered through the woods like some combination gymnast and high-hurdles track star. Ahead she spotted a thin ribbon of light through the trees. She allowed herself to feel hopeful.
The streetlights! she thought. Iâm almost there, almost home.
Emily emerged from the woods into the Strigsâ backyard. She glanced toward the door, hoping that maybe the noise from the chase would have awakened someone.
The Strigsâ house was dark and still.
She glanced back over her shoulder. The wolf was still just a few feet away.
Dashing across the street, Emily made for her frontdoor, like a runner sprinting for the finish line. Her legs felt like lead, her ankle throbbed, and she began to tremble as she ran.
The wolf drew closer and closer.
Emily hit the front steps and took them two at a time. She grabbed the front door, threw it open, and ran inside. But the beast was right there, leaving her no time to close the door and keep it out.
She bounded up the stairs, but the wolf was right behind her, nipping at her heels. If she could only make it to her room. But what about her mom and dad? Even if she could make it to safety, the wolf would surely get them.
Trying to force herself to move faster, Emily stumbled on the top step and hit the landing, sprawled out on her back. The wolf was next to her in a flash, its paw on her shoulder, pinning her down.
The wolf lowered its jaws toward her face and began to change shape. While becoming no less menacing, it morphed into a human shape.
As the creature came closer, Emily got a good look at its faceâits human face.
She was stunned.
The face was shockingly familiar. She knew this face. But who? Whose face was it?
The human monster still had long fangs, which it now lowered toward Emilyâs neck.
CHAPTER 8
âYaaaiiii!â Emily screamed, bolting upright in bed, covered in sweat. She flung the covers off and rolled to the floor to get away from the monster attacking her. Then she realized that there was no monster. She was alone. It was not three oâclock in the morning, but rather seven a.m. The shine was shining. Sitting on the floor, panting, out of breath, Emily slowly realized that she had just had the worst dream of her life.
âThe whole thing, the howling, the woods, the chase, the changing from a wolf into a
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