Species Unknown [Book 3: Canis]

CHAPTER FOUR

DAY 02
BLACKWATER
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

I WOKE UP to the sound of my phone's alarm reminding me that I had to face yet another day. Letting out a sigh, the old bed frame creaked as I shifted, moving to sit up. I rubbed my sleep deprived eyes as I yawned and stretched my tired body, ignoring the sharp pain that tugged at the scar on my thigh.

As I woke myself up, an odd feeling settled over me as I processed my surroundings. Ever since I drove off the main road and down to this cabin something had felt...off. I had hoped the feeling would fade come morning, but it still hung over me like a dark cloud, looming ominously around me and this tiny cabin.

Though perhaps I was overthinking it...I thought momentarily, brushing my fingers through my hair as I let out a breath. Perhaps this eerie feeling stemmed from the jarring situation of waking up in an unknown location for the first time. Or it could be from my overall lack of sleep. Either way, I wasn't sure I even wanted to know.

I shook my head, as if to shake the feeling from my body.

Get it together Anna...I chided myself.

I had shit to do.

Looking around the bedroom, I realized that no sun shone through my dreary windows. The forest trees had long grown to blanket the sky above, blocking the morning sun and casting my small cabin in a fittingly gloomy shade. Though, judging by the rainy weather of the California November, I doubted there was anything other than rain clouds waiting for me beyond the tree line.

Grumbling, I found the motivation to swing my legs off the edge of my bed and stand. My eyes hurt from exhaustion and my stomach growled as I walked around my bedroom. Finding my still unpacked suitcase, I opened it and began digging through my clothes for an outfit.

Unfortunately, as I dug through my items I realized I had not brought many day to day casual clothes with me.

Not that I had any to begin with...

Most of my wardrobe was filled with black work slacks and various blouses. The few casual clothes I did have consisted of a few overworn pairs of Levis jeans, hoodies, and Henley long sleeve shirts.

Judging by the dark skies, I opted for a pair of low rise Levi jeans and an old black Henley long sleeve shirt. Slipping the clothes on, I quickly fixed up my hair before grabbing my car keys and wallet off the bed's side table and heading out.

I closed the cabin door behind me, making sure to lock it before slipping the key into my jeans pocket. The chilly November air cut through my thin shirt, and I wrapped my arms around myself for warmth as I rushed over to the truck parked messily in the cobble driveway.

Slipping into the truck, I turned it on and backed it out, hitting the road. As I drove, I typed into my GPS "nearest restaurants". To my disappointment, only two showed up as being within 30 miles. My stomach growled again so I opted for the closest one, which was a diner about two miles away in the middle of the small town I had driven through last night.

If I remembered correctly, the town was called Blackwater, and it was a small town of only a few thousand people. Not to mention it was in the middle of the thick Northern California forest, far away from any neighboring towns.

Perfect place for sketchy laboratories...I muttered to myself, remembering my assignment.

I felt my phone sitting sturdy in my back pocket and made a mental note to reread my assignment case files again soon.

But food first.

Soon enough, I was pulling into the parking lot of the small diner. It was a pathetic establishment, with only two other cars in its miniscule lot. The building itself wasn't very grand either, with a withering white paint and an outdated retro theme, it looked every bit of an old fashioned 50s diner.