Chapter 3: The Ritual

Chapter 3

The day was finally upon us.

Saturday.

The day of The Ritual to The Beast, also known as the day I might be sacrificed.

Whether I was taken or not was solely up to the eerie and mysterious Beast.

I hadn't seen Jake since the day I left him in the woods. The day I also met the stranger in the woods. I hadn't been able to get Jake's actions out of my head. He seriously wanted to cut my hand open and implant a chip for his stupid infatuation with the beast. I have known him for as long as I can remember and trusted him with my life and he just turned out to be a total lunatic. I liked him a lot but after that night, I wasn't so sure again.

Jake's memory had me sulking but what lightened my mood was the memory of the greek god of a stranger. He was one handsome hunter. I guessed he must have been from some other town not to far away because if he was from this town I would've remembered that face.

But what I couldn't quite figure out was why he said, 'Soon darling. Very soon' , when I asked him for his name.

What the hell was that supposed to mean? Was he going be there for the festival or was he going to be in town soon? His answer was very vague and confusing. But all I knew was that I wanted to see him again. When he went back into the forest, I felt like a three year old whose Christmas present was taken away on Christmas morning. I didn't know a single thing about him yet I felt this way.

The lunar eclipse tonight must really be messing with my head.

The ritual was set to start at midnight as always. I have never been to one of the rituals to actually see what happens as no one was supposed to be outside that time and the last one took place before I was born. The only persons allowed outside were the elders that made sure every girl arrived on time and that everything before midnight, ran smoothly. But before the ritual began they had to leave the area and go back to their homes.

The elders was a group made up centuries ago when the ritual was started. It consisted of a board of members who were usually the respected senior citizens of Fairbairn. When they past, their children usually took their place. But whatever they knew was always kept tight knit and their lips were always sealed.

Parents of the girls were permitted to drop their daughters off and say their last good bye but again had to leave the area before the ritual began. The only real persons allowed to stay were the girls and a few guards around town who were hired by the elders to keep the hunters away.

Jake was of age and apart of the top hunting family so he was probably going to try to be out tonight after curfew. The hunters also made sure that all girls are present to the ritual so they wouldn't lose their chance of finding this beast.

You may think I'm crazy for saying this but I hope Jake will be fine. He may have wanted to implant a chip in me but I know he is a good guy deep inside. Really, really far deep inside.

Everybody else is supposed to stay locked in their homes and never sneak a peek outside. Everyone complied easily as they were afraid of the Beast.

My entire day was spent with my mom and sister grooming me for the ritual while my father sulked about losing his daughter. But I kept reminding them all that I had a huge chance of not being taken as there were many beautiful girls who were also apart of tonight's ritual.

By eleven o'clock in the night my hair was styled and my make-up was done. My mom gave me the dress she bought for me and left me to change.

I rest her dress aside and pulled out the dress Jane gave me. It was one of the most beautiful dress I had ever seen. If I didn't have to attend this darn ritual I would definitely wear this dress when I got married. But unfortunately I did have to attend so I only hoped the Beast didn't rip me to shreds.

When I looked at myself in the mirror after I put my dress on, it finally hit me that it was actually time. I would either be back in my room by the morning or this would be the last time I would ever see my family or be in this room. I quickly dug through my nightstand and found a recent picture of my family and I which was taken on Christmas. We were all happy and together.

I put the picture in my bra as we were not allowed to take anything with us. Nothing to remind us of our family or this town.

I put my shoes on and went down stairs to where my family was waiting.

"Oh my gosh! Emery you look amazing! Where did you get that dress?" my mother asked when I descended down the stairs.

"A friend gave it to me." I said not wanting to dwell too much on it as my parents never allow us to accept anything for free, especially an expensive dress.

"Okay but if you're here tomorrow sweetheart, you will return this dress." My mother said.

When I looked over to my little sister Avery, she looked heartbroken. She was only fifteen and as much as she wanted to par take in the Ritual she couldn't and losing me would be terrible for her. We were really close since she was born. We were sisters and best friends. I don't know what I would do without her.

"Emery." She said rushing into my arms crying. It was a lucky thing I had on water proof mascara or else I would've been a mess.

I felt another pair of arms wrapped around us and I saw my mother crying as well. My dad joined soon after, "My girls, what am I going to do without you all." He said sniffling, trying to hide his tears.

We all just stood there wrapped in each other's embrace as a family trying to ease the pain of what could be a lost.

Trying to lighten the mood I said, "Ugh, you guys are ruining my hair." I said in a really girly voice. They all laughed and let go of each other but I could still see the sorrow in their eyes.

"You'll always be beautiful no matter what honey." My mother said hugging me again.

"And you'll always be our little girl." My father said.

They all stepped out of the house with me in tow. Before I closed the door I took one last look at my house. I took one last look at where all my memories were held from a child, hoping that this wasn't my last time here.

By the time we left it was half eleven and it took ten minutes to reach the edge of the forest from my house.

As we drove I noticed that there was absolutely no one outside. Nothing, not even an owl was heard. It was like the world was paused. The only lights on were the street lights and the moon light. The full moon that would quickly turn into the blood moon next half hour. It was quite strange driving through town like this.

Sooner rather than later we pulled up at the edge of the forest next to the other cars of the parents.

When we got out of the car there was a guy waiting to check the names of the girls off the list.

"Name?" he asked holding his clipboard.

"Emery Aiken." I said.

"Alright Emery Aiken, right this way." He said smiling as if I was not about to enter a human sacrifice.

"All the girls are here." He announced to the elders.

The elders who were were the most knowledgeable of the ritual, made sure to over see that it runs without a hitch.

"Welcome everyone! Today we are here to join in The Ritual to the Beast!" One of the elderly woman said.

"I hope you girls are excited to be here and enjoy in this festival."

Speak for yourself buddy, I thought.

"Well, shall we start The Ritual to the Beast?" Another elder asked us and most just nodded their heads.

"Two minutes before everyone leaves!" Someone said.

"I'm going to miss you so much dear." My mother said giving me a hug.

"I'm going to miss you to mom." I said.

"And what about me?" Avery asked hugging us.

"I'm going to miss you most of all kid." I said hugging her tightly.

"We love you dear." My family said as they got into their car.

"Love you too!" I called back at them.

When they went into their car, everyone else's parents went as well.

I looked around and saw about one hundred girls, all dressed in different white dresses. Some were a bit indecent but some were over the top. I mean what made them think showing off their assets were going to get the beast? But what really made me laugh was the puffy, princess ball gowns that some wore. Weren't they going to be uncomfortable when they got chained up and have to wait for god knows how long?

I went up to my really good friend Marne, who like me, didn't believe in this whole ritual folktale.

"Hey Marne, nice dress." I said smiling at her and glad that she wasn't one to wear the indecent or over the top dress, but instead a simple strapless dress.

"Oh my gosh! Emery! Where have you been, I have been trying to get away from all these crazies here." She rambled and hugged me.

"Hey there to you to." I said laughing at her outburst.

"Also where did you get this dress? It's is gorgeous, like out of this world beautiful!" she squealed beaming at my dress.

"A friend gave it to me." I said.

"A friend?" then she wiggled her eyebrows playfully, "Is this friend a certain Jake?" she asked.

"No, actually Jake and I are over." I said.

"Over?" She frowned. "What happened?"

But before I could answer her, the elders and the guys with the chains called us over.

"I'll tell you later." I said as we headed to the forest.

Some of the elders carried torches to lead us into the dark, creepy forest since it was pitch black.

I looked back and darkness consumed everywhere around us that wasn't covered in light.

The men with chains led each one of us to a different tree that were meters away from each other.

I didn't realize that we would all be sitting away from each other. It was far enough where we weren't able to see one another due to the darkness and other trees but we were all close enough to talk to the person who was chained next to us.

One of the men instructed me to sit on the ground as he took the chains, that were more like shackles, and placed my hands in the cuffs and wrapped the chain around the tree trunk a few times and the placed a padlock to ensure it wouldn't move. The coldness of the metal sent a blood curdling feeling to settle within me.

By the time each of us were locked in place on our own tree, the men with the chains left and the elders left with a few words.

"So girls, I wish you all the best. Now it's our turn to retire for the night and return to the absence of one of you. All we can say is that whoever will be gone, will be dearly missed. Now we hope you girls sit and don't try to run." An elderly woman said smiling at us as she turned and left with the others.

When they left we had fifteen minutes left until midnight.

With probably a few minutes left I looked up to the full moon and saw the darkness that was the earth's shadow, completely engulf the moon and the moon faded into a red sinister color. It was as if blood was splattered on the moon but soon the entire moon was a deep red and the sky illuminated the color.

All the whispering from the girls was soon turned into labored breaths as everyone witnessed the phenomenon of the blood moon.

I could hear the loud clock from the town, struck twelve signaling the start of The Ritual to The Beast.

The blood moon was at its peak in the sky, shinning down with all its red glory.

There was a distant howl not too far away. I could hear everyone mumbling around me frantically but I just looked at the moon praying for this all to be over with fast.

I heard the loud thumping of footsteps echoing through the forest. This was suddenly becoming too real. I felt my heart start to quicken and the unwanted feeling of fright enter me.

The thumping became louder and louder until I heard it heading this way. The footsteps finally approached us at it slowed down and I could practically feel it standing just beyond the trees in front of me.

My curiosity took over and I suddenly felt the urge to open my eyes and see what it was. What the infamous Beast was.

Slowly I opened my eyes and looked straight at the Beast.

But it wasn't any beast.

No.

It was a wolf.

A gigantic wolf that held the size of a bear.

And it was looking directly at me.

Red eyes starred straight at me as it took one step at a time and revealed it's entire body.

The wolf had pitch black fur. Its red eyed reminded me of the blood moon above us. It was quite beautiful but the fact that it might kill me brought me back from my thoughts.

Oh god I was going to die for sure. Everyone knew wolves killed people. They were carnivores. It was looking directly at me. Its next meal.

When I looked it in its eye I could sense danger but there was also an uncanny feeling of safety as if it would protect me.

I could hear the other girls around me all hyperventilating or going crazy with fright. I had no idea if they saw what I'm seeing or if there were others.

The Beast, or in this case, the wolf walked right up to me never taking its eyes off of me. I couldn't blink either. It was like we were both in a trance.

I felt compelled by the creature.

The Beast stopped directly in front of me and sniffed the air to which its eyes turned a darker crimson color. When it sniffed me, it let out a loud ear splitting howl.

I cringed back from the sound but when it saw my reaction it suddenly stopped and whimpered as if he knew it was hurting me.

The wolf then did the last thing I would think of.

The wolf bent its large body towards mine and moved his head to my neck. I honestly thought it was going to bite me. But instead it licked the right side of my neck. There was a blazing heat that passed through my body when he did that.

The wolf took its eyes away from me for the first time since it saw me and looked at my hands.

It took its big paw with sharp nails and broke open both my hand cuffs that were attached to the chain that held me to the tree.

This was becoming too frightening.

I suddenly felt very sick and my head became dizzy.

There were suddenly more wolves of various size and color that appeared behind the wolf in front of me but they all seem to have went to the other girls.

This all felt insane and I felt as if I was going insane. My vision then became clouded with black spots and I heard the wolf that was in front of me whimper again.

My eyes snapped close and I went unconscious feeling the warm fur of something holding me up.

A/N

The Ritual finally took place!

I hope everything was well explained and described.

So the Beast turned out to be a wolf! Who would've thought? Actually we all knew :)

Picture of Emery's dress and shoe to the top.

Song: Nathan Ball - Howling

Really hoped you guys enjoyed this chapter because I really loved writing it.

So what are your theories for next chapter? Let's discuss.

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Read on wolfies, 🐺

-Shania. 🐾