(Artica)
I sigh, trying to fall asleep, I pray that my grandmother recovers, I don't know what I'm going to do without her. She was the one who made me see who I really was, she taught me how to control my instincts, and the birthmark I have on my shoulder can already be seen in the shape of a wolf.
*I remember how I found out what I really was, I was returning from looking for food when a puma was stalking my grandmother, cornering her at the back of the house. Something inside me ignited, I felt something burning rise from my stomach and spread throughout my body, I looked angrily at the feline who, upon seeing me, shrank back growling. I responded with growls, as I always did to scare away animals.
"ARTICA... IT'S GONE NOW." I heard my grandmother say, looking at me with wide eyes and without moving from her corner, she stared at me, still, it seemed she even stopped breathing when addressing me.
"ARTICA... IT'S ME... JUST YOUR GRANDMOTHER... WE ARE NOT IN DANGER ANYMORE." She clarified with a firm voice. I turned my attention to where the feline had run, I tried to follow it, but my grandmother insisted.
"IT'S GONE... HELP ME PREPARE DINNER." So I breathed and the fire I felt extinguished, I shook my head, returned my gaze to my grandmother more relaxed and extended my hand for her to get up, she looked at me calming her expression.
"THANK YOU... YOU ARE A GOOD CUB... NEVER FORGET IT." She said clinging to me.
Later, while sitting at the table, she asked me what I felt when I faced the animal.
"TELL ME ARTICA... WHAT DID YOU FEEL WHEN FACING THE ANIMAL?... DID YOU FEEL ANY CHANGE?" She asked me.
"WELL... I DON'T KNOW... IT WAS LIKE A HEAT THAT ROSE FROM MY STOMACH... I ONLY WANTED TO PROTECT YOU." I answer thoughtfully.
"IS THAT ALL YOU FELT?" She asks me.
"YES... WHY?" I ask her.
"YOU TURNED INTO A GIANT WHITE WOLF." She tells me bluntly.
"WHAT?!... HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE?" I ask her worried.
"YOUR PARENTS... MAYBE THEY DIDN'T TELL YOU ANYTHING... SO YOU WOULDN'T FEEL DIFFERENT... AND YOU COULD LIVE WITH THOSE YOUR AGE... THINK... WHAT DID YOUR MOTHER AND FATHER DO?... SOMETHING THAT CAN GIVE YOU AN IDEA OF WHAT YOU ARE." She suggests, so I start to think.
"MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME WATCH ANIMAL SHOWS... SHE TAUGHT ME... MMM... AH... YES... SHE ALWAYS TALKED ABOUT HOW WOLVES WERE RESPECTED BY EVERYONE... BECAUSE THEY WORKED AS A FAMILY... SHE ALWAYS DETAILED TO ME IN THIS WAY THE IMPORTANCE OF FAMILY... ALTHOUGH SHE NEVER TALKED ABOUT HERS... I DIDN'T GET TO KNOW MY GRANDPARENTS... AND EVERY TIME I ASKED HER... SHE SAID THAT WHEN I WAS OLD ENOUGH... SHE WAS GOING TO TELL ME." I answered thoughtfully, I still couldn't assimilate what she was telling me.
"I SEE THAT YOU ARE INCREDULOUS TO WHAT I TOLD YOU... LET'S GO OUTSIDE... AND I WANT YOU TO STAND NEAR THE WATER MIRROR... TRY TO RELIVE WHAT YOU FELT... AND THERE YOU WILL SEE IT... THE MOON ILLUMINATES AS IF IT WERE DAY... YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE IT." She says to me, so we get up, I was curious to see what would happen, she stood away, she said it was huge, the truth I didn't feel it that way, I tried to do it but nothing happened.
"I DON'T FEEL ANYTHING." I tell her embarrassed.
"CONCENTRATE... YOU MUST MANAGE WHEN TO DO IT... IF YOU COME BACK TO YOUR PARENTS... AND THEY LIVE IN THE CITY... YOU CAN'T LET IT JUST COME OUT... WHEN YOU GET ANGRY OR SCARED." My grandmother tells me, so I concentrate sighing deeply and I can hear the breeze, the animals and smell the air that when I get the smell of the feline not far away my gaze lights up again, it had not gone very far, it was still lurking.
"THE FELINE IS STILL NEARBY." I warn my grandmother.
"CONCENTRATE ARTICA..." My grandmother tells me, but in a second I see myself running, when looking towards the water mirror I stop.
Is that really me? I asked myself looking in the water mirror, I saw a white wolf that seemed to reach the sky, with a bluish-gray eye color. I remembered that my mother had black hair and a white strand in the center of her head. I looked at myself and suddenly I took my human form again.
"I must learn to control myself"
"I can't introduce myself to my friend like this"
"She will be scared."
I reflected, I returned walking to the house, I don't know how I got so far away, the truth I had speed.
"ARTICA... ARE YOU OKAY?" My grandmother asks me looking downcast.
"NO... I NEVER IMAGINED BEING A WOLF." I answer her somewhat sadly.
"DON'T FEEL LIKE THAT... THERE ARE MANY LIKE YOU... I WAS ONE... A GRAY WOLF." She tells me and I stare at her astonished.
"I NO LONGER HAVE THE ENERGY TO CHANGE... AND I STOPPED DOING IT BECAUSE IT ONLY CAUSED ME TO BE FEARED... AND PERSECUTED... THAT'S WHY YOU MUST BE CAREFUL WHOM YOU REVEAL YOUR TRUE SELF TO." She tells me.
"BUT... YOUR FAMILY... WHAT HAPPENED?... WASN'T IT THAT THEY ARE ALWAYS UNITED?" I asked her curiously.
"THE TRUTH IS THAT I WAS THROWN OUT OF THE FAMILY... THEY CONSIDERED ME USELESS... I COULDN'T GET A PARTNER... I COULDN'T MAKE THE CHANGE NORMALLY... THAT IS FROM HUMAN TO WOLF... BUT YOU ARE UNIQUE... YOU HAVE AN AURA THAT DISTILLS THAT THEY RESPECT YOU... AND YOUR METAMORPHOSIS YOU DO IT NATURALLY... YOU JUST HAVE TO EXERCISE CONTROLLING WHEN IT SHOULD ARISE... YOU HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO BE ABLE TO FORM YOUR OWN FAMILY... IT'S A PITY THAT THE WOLF IS THE IMAGE OF AUTHORITY IN A PACK." She tells me thoughtfully.
Listening to what she was telling me reminded me of what my mother taught me about who the Alpha was and that everyone should respect and follow, he was the one who maintained order in the pack, and he was chosen for being the strongest and largest who could defeat anyone.
"A hollow pure muscles, I thought." Remembering what my father said once, it seems he didn't like him.
But he told me that what should matter to me was being humble and intelligent, and above all having wisdom to know how to be a true leader. At that moment I didn't understand what he was telling me, but now I'm starting to understand.
*Reflecting on my future, I finally fell asleep. Suddenly I felt like someone jumped on me, so I wake up scared.
"HEY. I shouted jumping out of bed and I see a blond boy who upon seeing me gets up astonished looking at me."
"WHO ARE YOU?... WHY ARE YOU SLEEPING IN MY BED? He asks altered."
At that moment Mrs. Leticia and her husband enter turning on the light when hearing the scream.
"WHAT HAPPENED? The lady asked worried. And when seeing the young man they are astonished."
"LUCIANO ... WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?... WHY DIDN'T YOU WARN YOU WERE COMING? Mr. Gutierrez tells him."
"AND COVER YOURSELF SON. The mother tells him throwing him pants and I turn seeing him in his underwear so I turn red covering my face. He hurries to put them on nervously."
"SINCE WHEN SHOULD I WARN... IT'S MY HOUSE... I HAD ALREADY FINISHED TAKING THE EXAM... SO I DECIDED AT THE LAST MOMENT TO COME... BESIDES MY CELL PHONE RAN OUT OF BATTERY. He clarified nervously and checked me out from time to time frowning seeing me with his sweatshirt on."
"ARTICA COME... LET'S LET HIM GET DRESSED... YOU WILL SLEEP WITH ME. The lady tells me taking my hand and taking me out of the room."
"WHO IS SHE? Luciano asks his father nervous."
"HA HA. The gentleman laughed sitting on the bed." YOUR FACE... IS FOR A PHOTO... A GIRL SURPRISED YOU IN YOUR BED... WASN'T IT THAT YOU HAD THEM ALL. The father teased him reminding him that he boasted of his fame with the girls.
"DON'T MAKE FUN OF ME... TELL ME... WHO IS SHE? He insisted again."
"SHE IS OUR GUEST... SHE STAYS WHILE HER GRANDMOTHER RECOVERS IN THE HOSPITAL... I RESCUED HER IN ONE OF MY EXCURSIONS CONTROLLING THE PLACES COVERED BY WATER... SO BEHAVE... SHE IS NOT LIKE THE YOUNG WOMEN YOU KNOW. His father tells him seriously gesturing with his fingers that he would watch him."
Luciano breathed heavily put on a shirt and went to the kitchen to drink a glass of water to calm down from the bad time he had. He remembered the shiny eyes that observed him in the dark that surprised him, until the mother turned on the light and found the young woman with skin as white as paper, as well as her hair, was almost his height.
"HELLO SON... I MANAGED TO CALM ARTICA... YOU SCARED HER... SHE IS SLEEPING IN MY BED NEXT TO JOSE... I DON'T KNOW AT WHAT MOMENT HE WENT TO SLEEP WITH US. His mother commented entering the kitchen."
"WHAT DO YOU TELL ME ABOUT ME... I WAS GOING TO REST AND SOMEONE PUSHES ME... HIS EYES SHINED IN THE DARK... I CAN SWEAR I SAW THEM AS A WHITE OR YELLOW LIGHT. His son tells him."
"REALLY?... THE COLOR OF HER EYES IS UNIQUE AND STRIKING... BE KIND... SHE IS GOING THROUGH A DIFFICULT TIME. Her mother tells him."
"I'M GOING TO SLEEP. He answers annoyed."
"DON'T BE LIKE THAT... REST. His mother tells him seeing that he walks away to his room."
Mr. Gutierrez seeing that his bed was occupied by his youngest son and Artica, goes to his children's room, settles in Jose's bed and seeing him Luciano shakes his head in denial.
"I WILL KEEP YOU COMPANY. His father tells him closing his eyes to sleep. Luciano sighs heavily and settles in his bed, approaching the pillow he feels a soft aroma, the girl had left her scent on it so he turns it somewhat annoyed to sleep."
Mrs. Leticia lay down accommodating Jose in her arms and watched Artica as she slept in profile at one end without moving.
Early in the morning Luciano woke up as usual to go for a run and looking out the window he saw a huge white wolf running on the sidewalk, he rubbed his eyes and looked again but it was the young woman whose hair was swaying on her back as she ran away.
"I have visions"
"Exercise", he thought.
Leaving his room he put on his hands-free headphones and went for a run, he saw her turning the block, he tried to reach her, he had to run faster than normal, he reached her agitated.
"DO YOU LIKE TO EXERCISE?" He asked calling her attention.
"YES. She answers him that she had realized his presence a while ago so she took her human form quickly."
"DID YOU HAPPEN TO SEE A WHITE WOLF?... I THOUGHT I SAW IT. Luciano tells him."
"NO... HOW STRANGE... HERE IN THE CITY. Artica comments pretending not to know."
"MAYBE IT WAS ONE OF THE PUREBRED DOGS... SOME NEIGHBORS HAVE THEM... BY THE WAY... I DIDN'T HEAR THEM BARKING... THEY ARE USUALLY NOISY. He comments and looks towards a neighbor seeing how his great dane was huddled with his ears low towards a corner of the house, he found it strange, he always barked at him, but now he seemed scared."
"IT COULD BE... I DIDN'T SEE ANY. Artica tells him and they arrived in front of the house, she entered calmly, he looked at her from behind."
"YOU ARE WEARING MY SWEATSUIT. He tells him indicating what he was wearing."
"I WILL RETURN IT TO YOU... I WILL HAVE MY CLOTHES. Artica answers him somewhat embarrassed."
"GOOD MORNING GUYS... YOU WENT FOR A RUN. His father greets them as he heads to his work."
"YES DAD... WE EXERCISED. Luciano answers him."
"ARTICA... MY WIFE TOLD ME ABOUT YOUR PARENTS... DO YOU HAVE ANY DATA THAT YOU PROVIDE ME... SO I LOOK FOR THEM. The gentleman said remembering the conversation with his wife before sleeping."
"YES... IN MY BACKPACK... I THINK I HAD WRITTEN DOWN THE CONTACT NUMBER AND THE ADDRESS. She says running to get her backpack."
"WHAT ARE YOU THINKING SON? His father asks him seeing him so thoughtful."
"THAT I FOUND IT STRANGE ... SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE NEIGHBOR'S DOG... HE ALWAYS BARKS AT ME WHEN CROSSING... BUT NOW HE SEEMED SCARED OR SICK. Luciano comments thoughtfully."
"HE WILL HAVE GOTTEN USED TO SEEING YOU. His father tells him patting him on the back"
"HERE IS MY BACKPACK. Artica passes him showing him the inside of it."
"THE ADDRESS IS WORN OUT THE INK... YOU CAN HARDLY READ IT... BUT THE PHONE NUMBER YES. He says taking note and of the last name and name of her mother." NIEVES LOBOS ... WAS THAT YOUR MOTHER'S NAME?... IT SEEMS THAT WAS HER CONTACT NUMBER. The gentleman comments.
"YES THAT'S HOW SHE WAS CALLED... AND MY FATHER WAS JULIO. Artica answers him feeling encouraged, she had the hope of seeing them again."
"WELL WITH THIS I WILL START... DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT WAS THE NAME OF THE PLACE WHERE YOU LIVED? He asks."
"MY PARENTS SAID IT GREEN MEADOWS... FOR ME THAT'S HOW IT WAS KNOWN. Artica tells him."
"WELL... WITH THAT I WILL FIND OUT... SEE YOU. He says saying goodbye."
"DIDN'T YOU LIVE WITH YOUR PARENTS? Luciano asks curiously."
But Artica looked at him sideways without answering, she had no desire to tell him anything, she didn't like his attitude towards her.
"ARTICA... WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE FOR BREAKFAST?... DO YOU HAVE CEREAL... MILK. Mrs. Leticia tells her."
"MILK I WOULD LIKE TO HAVE FOR BREAKFAST. Artica comments."
"WE ALL HAVE BREAKFAST AND WE WILL GO TO THE SHOPPING CENTER... I WILL BUY YOU FOR YOUR ATTIRE... THEN WE CAN SEE YOUR GRANDMOTHER AT THE VISITING TIME. Mrs. Leticia informs her."
Artica nodded satisfied, she missed her grandmother and wished she could see her.
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