The night it happened - Part 4

I have absolutely no idea how I got home, but I found myself in bed with my muddy clothes still on and a blood-stained towel wrapped around my throbbing arm. There was a knocking at the door. “Lucy, Dan’s here. Shall I tell him you don’t feel well?” I struggled over to my wardrobe and looked at myself in the mirror. My usually beautiful long hair was dirty and bedraggled and my face looked puffy and swollen. Were those leaves in my hair? I was sweating profusely. I looked totally dreadful, but had never felt better. I smiled at myself. “Tell him I will see him tomorrow night,” I shouted back to my mum. It had begun.

The next day

“Do you think you will be better by Friday? We have that meeting with Accounts, which I am sure you know about as I put it in your diary. I really need you there Lucy!” I put on my croakiest voice. “I don’t know. I hope so.” But there was no fooling my wily boss- she knew jolly well I didn’t have flu at all. “I’ll let you know in a few days,” I said, then I terminated the call. I didn’t give a shit about Katy. I had other important things to do today, including going back to that campsite. I had had a night full of vivid dreams. I was running through a moonlit forest. Everything was silent apart from the pounding of my heart and my panting, but then I woke up sweating and delirious. Did I really get bitten? What was happening to me? But it did happen- the set of teeth marks on my upper arm proved it. Strangely though, they looked like they were already healing over when it had only just happened yesterday. I had to go back there, to ask questions, to see for myself. However, when I got there later that morning the caravans had all gone and there was nothing to see apart from the tyre marks and muddy footprints left behind. I stopped and stared at a large burnt-out area of grass where the fire had been. So I wasn’t imaging it after all! The caravans and campsite had been here, but now it was eerily empty. Where had they gone, I wondered? I needed to speak with the old woman. How did I get home? Did she help me? After the bite I had blacked out, but someone must have bandaged up my arm. This morning when I had tentatively looked under the towel, I found a rough cotton wrapping around my bite with some sweet-smelling herbs tucked inside. I was amazed the wound was not infected. I felt deflated. The old woman and dog were gone. I would never be able to find out what had happened now. Whilst I was mulling over all this, I heard a familiar neighing nearby. Thunder was watching me from over the fence. At least he is still here, I thought. I smiled and went over to him, but instead of coming over as he usually did for his treats he backed away, his eyes rolling in terror. “Thunder, what’s up old boy?” I was alarmed to see him like this. I stretched out my arm to him but he flared his nostrils and reared up at me. He then bolted away as fast as he could to the back of the paddock where he eyed me suspiciously. My heart sunk. This did not bode well at all.

The day it happened - Part 1 (Morning)

The day it happened started off like any other day, except I knew it was going to get worse as it was my birthday. The only day I hated more was Christmas. It was a Sunday and a small family gathering had been planned for later at my Aunty Susan’s house, except she wasn’t really my aunty at all (we just always called her that). Breakfast was the usual - Coco Pops (other breakfast cereals were available), coffee and orange juice. Mum never bothered to make an effort these days. She stopped bothering with anything after trying to have another child after me and miscarrying three times. I think she somehow held me personally responsible, at least it felt that way. I hated the fact I was still living at home, but I couldn’t get enough of a deposit together for my own place. My attempts at house-sharing had been disastrous- one was an obsessive guy who checked everything I did, another was a complete psycho we found on a Facebook advert, and the last one cried herself to sleep every night and drove me crazy. I couldn’t take anymore and moved back home, a complete failure. “I’ll see you a 3pm Mum,” I shouted from the bottom of the stairs as I left. No reply. No Happy Birthday Lucy. Nothing. Dad was at the garage, even though it was Sunday. It was his place of refuge, and those cars were his life. I went to see Dan, the only person I actually cared about today. “Hi sweetheart,” he said as he hugged me. His hugs were crushing but I tolerated them. Besides, his huge presence always calmed me down and made me feel safe. “What’s up?” He could tell I was not happy and dreading the party. “I’m okay, I’ll be better when it’s over,” I replied. He went over to a drawer and got out a small blue velvet box. “It’s just something little,” he said meekly, looking embarrassed. Dan, my ray of sunshine! I could have cried but held my composure. “Oh, thank you!” I opened it and inside was a cute silver heart necklace. “It’s lovely.” I kissed him softly then pulled away. “I have to go now. I may see you later depending on how I feel,” I said. I quickly left. He didn’t try to stop me.