Wulven [A Different Wolf Novel]

Chapter 11 | Crossroads I

1:47 AM, the following day.

Liez wakes up at the strange sound of people talking downstairs. Looking at the clock, she wonders why Littlewood is accepting visitors in the wee hours of the morning.

She cautiously sneaks out of the girls sleeping quarters and heads towards the staircase to take a peek.

At the reception area is Miss Ruth speaking with Mr. Jones. With them are five of what appear to be the latter's men, all dressed in black suits.

"But I thought you will fetch the kids tomorrow. Why now? Why this early?", adamantly asks Miss Ruth.

"Well, there's a sudden change of plans.", Mr. Jones nonchalantly answers as he dusts his coat.

"Alright, let's get this over with, Ruth. I want all the kids eighteen years old rounded up, including that new girl Liza.", he asserts.

Surprised and taken aback by what she heard, Liez inadvertently kicks a toy truck left lying around by the tots.

Hearing the noise, Mr. Jones looks in her direction.

"Ah! There she is!", exclaims Mr. Jones, his eyes gleaming with a reddish tinge.

The headmistress's voice drifts toward Liez, so soft and yet uncannily so loud that she could hear it clearly.

"Run!"

"Get her!", Mr. Jones signals to his henchmen. Like doberman pinschers, they go after Liez with fierce resolve.

She immediately sprints to the fire exit a few meters away, only to find it locked. One of the men almost corners her but she evades him and races to the Attic.

Closing and locking the door behind her, she grabs her bag. The window suddenly swings wide open, causing the cold wind to enter the room.

She could hear Mr. Jones' men furiously banging at the door, trying to ram it down.

"Open up!", shouts the man.

She looks out the window. The only way to escape is a 15-meter drop ‌below.

The men finally blast open the door and enter the room. With not much of a choice, Liez makes a literal leap of faith.

Dropping ‌hard to the ground, she expects a broken leg or two. To her surprise, she survives the fall unscathed. She dashes to the orphanage gate.

Outpaced, the men head back downstairs to continue chasing her.

Finding a bicycle padlocked to the gate, Liez pulls the chains off it with ease and speeds her way out of Littlewood.

Bewildered, she is in panic mode. Having spent most of her life inside the orphanage, she doesn't know where to go and what to do. And then she remembers;

"Willow Creek... that's right! I've got to get to Willow Creek fast..."

She pedals off to Hemlock Nature Trail as fast as she can. But before she knows it, Mr. Jones' men are already on her tail. She could already hear their car's engine roaring. They are catching up fast.

She quickly makes a turn down the rocky pathway that leads to Hemlock Trail. She knows ‌they can't outrun her there. She pedals off until she reaches the dilapidated gateway of the trail. A crude "No Enter" sign is nailed across the wooden gate.

She pries open a small portion of the barrier to make a hole and enter it. With her bike too big to fit the hole, she leaves it behind and pushes forward to Willow Creek on foot.

The moon lights up her way as she speed walks amongst the trees. Her breath fogs up in front of her as she breathes.

Just as she was feeling safer, she hears footsteps. Mr. Jones' men are on her tail again and they are gaining on her.