Moon Phased: The Triple Claim novel Chapter 13

Chapter11-1

Raven’s POV

Jesus, I didn’t realize how much I missed the city, with its lit paved streets and concrete sidewalks, until I stopped for what felt like the hundredth time to relieve one of my shoes of a rock. I felt like I had been walking forever, with nothing looking remotely familiar, but then, of course, I was in the middle of nowhere,

surrounded by a vast forest.

Night was beginning to fall upon me, and the nocturnal creatures that inhabited the forest were awakening, as the sounds of crickets and an owl hooting within the covering of the forest filled the surrounding air. I was seriously questioning my navigation skills, as it was clear that I had chosen the wrong direction to walk, but I knew all roads led somewhere.

With the sound of rustling leaves, and the feeling that I was being watched, I picked up my pace, as a shiver ran the entirety of my body. My heart now throbbed in my chest, as I tried to steady my breathing, while I struggled to hold back the panic attack that was threatening to take over me.

Under my breath, I began to curse myself out, for not allowing Chance to just take me home, realizing it wasn’t the right time to be bullheaded, especially when I had no clue where the hell I was. As a howl now echoes in the wind in my direction, I come to a complete halt, while I turn in a circle, knowing that I was lost. But as I fully turned in the circle, my eyes spotted in the distance a mailbox, tucked within shrubbery, almost invisible at this time of day.

Relief began to fill me, as I let out a long exhale, knowing that I had at least found some kind of civilization in the middle of God knows where. But that relief was short–lived, as thunder began to roll in out of nowhere, and the clouds above my head let loose. With rain now beating down on my head, I pulled the towel I was holding over it, and raced towards the lane beside the mailbox, praying that it led to

someone’s home.

Unlike my grandmother’s lane, this lane was well maintained, telling me that someone took pride in their home. In the distance, I could see a break in the trees that surrounded the lane, giving me hope that shelter was soon to come, as the thunder continued to roll in.

C

As I stepped out of the covering of the forest, the lane was now lined with fencing, and in the fields, I could see horses running towards a huge red barn. Beyond the barn sat a beautiful Victorian–style farmhouse, with the most amazing wraparound porch. If it wasn’t for the pouring down rain, I would have paused for a moment to take in the scenery that surrounded it, as it sat in a valley, with the mountain range surrounding it.

Thankfully, I could see lights on inside the house, as I rushed towards the steps of the porch, praying that meant sorneone was home. Now under the covering of the porch, I removed the towel from over my head, as I began to shiver from the cold rain that lingered on my flesh, before I moved to the screen door, now hearing a radio being played, as a woman’s voice sings along with the song.

Knocking on the screen door, I prayed that she would hear me over the radio, as my teeth began to chatter

Chapter L

Claim

from the chill that was now setting into my hody, while I turned to look off the porch as more dark clouds rolled in, carrying thunder and lightning with them.

“Can I help you?” A woman’s voice said from behind the closed screen door, startling me, as I turned to see an elderly woman around my grandmother’s age.

“I’m sorry to bother you, but I seem to be lost. I just moved here from California to live with my grandmother, and was swimming with some friends at the waterhole after school and I seemed to have walked the wrong way. Do you by chance have a phone so that I can call my grandmother to get someone to pick me up?”

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