Chapter IV
Maria
I was determined to do what I wanted, which was to explore the forest in order to find the werewolf. According to legend, when the moon turned crimson, it was a sign that a werewolf could appear, and I wanted to capture one on camera. I know the risk is high, but I would find a way to avoid a werewolf attack. However, what worried me was whether it really existed or if it was just another of Cledir's crazy legends. I know he has many stories to tell, but many of them could be inventions. After all, the moon is in a crimson hue, but who guarantees that a werewolf might appear? I have my doubts, but it doesn't hurt to explore the forest to find out.
Right now, I'm lying in my bed. The weather wasn't too hot; on the contrary, there was a breeze that made the air cooler. At that moment, I hoped that the whole village would go to sleep so that I could take action. I was determined to find this werewolf at all costs. To protect myself from a possible attack, I will carry a silver blade with me, as I know that werewolves have a weakness for silver, and I'll use that to my advantage.
I needed to be careful not to fall asleep. Even though I was tired, I had to stay awake. I kept checking the clock; it was digital and next to me. It indicated that it was midnight, but I didn't feel safe leaving the village until everyone was completely asleep. I knew someone might end up staying awake and see me leave, but I wouldn't allow that. I might leave near dawn, but I would get what I wanted. I really wanted to take a photo of a werewolf, especially because I could prove to everyone that it actually exists and is not some invention of Cledir, not that everyone doubted it, but there was always someone who had their doubts about whether it was real or not.
After spending a lot of time lost in my thoughts, I glanced at the clock again. I saw that it was one-thirty in the morning, and if my memory served me right, everyone was already falling asleep, which would be a good time for me to take action. I wanted to capture a photo of this werewolf and prove that they really exist.
I got up from my bed and went to the bathroom. Everything was going as planned. If my grandmother was still awake, she might notice that I went to the bathroom, but she wouldn't suspect that I was about to escape through the window, especially since it was through my bedroom.
After using the bathroom, I returned to my room. I was barefoot, but to avoid thorns or any unexpected obstacles, I would take my sandals with me, although I would carry them in my hand. Once I realized that my grandmother was asleep, everything was going according to plan. No one could know that I was heading into the forest to find the werewolf, not even my friend Heloísa. It's not that I don't trust her, but I wanted to do this alone, and I didn't want anyone to have knowledge of it.
I climbed onto the windowsill and positioned my legs outside. I kept my sandals in my hand the whole time and then stepped on the ground, making a little noise. I looked around to see if anyone had woken up, as the noise might have been noticeable, but fortunately, I didn't wake anyone up. Nevertheless, I needed to make sure. I was afraid that my grandmother had woken up, so I crouched down and started crawling to check if she had awakened or not. Fortunately, that didn't happen. She was still sleeping, and I felt relieved.
Now was the time to explore the forest, but I would only put on my sandals when I was in front of it. I didn't want anyone to hear my footsteps, as that could be complicated. After getting up slowly, I started walking gently. Even though I was barefoot, I could still make noise, so I walked as I described to you. I kept looking around to make sure no one had woken up to see me heading to the forest, and luckily, that didn't happen. Everyone was still asleep, and I felt more relieved as I went along. I looked at the moon, and it was still in that crimson hue. I have to admit; it's eerie to see it this way, perhaps because I'm not used to it.
I continued to walk slowly while constantly looking around. Even though I was getting more at ease as I advanced towards the forest, I still had to be careful not to attract anyone's attention. I checked to ensure the camera was hanging around my neck, and the answer was yes, which made me even more relieved.
I was getting closer to the forest. After more than ten minutes of walking slowly and avoiding drawing attention from the sleeping villagers, I finally reached the end of the village. When I left, I quickly put on my sandals, placing them gently on the ground. I looked back and saw that the village was still asleep. I smiled and continued forward, making sure everything was in order, and I had the silver blade I mentioned earlier, and everything indicated that I did. Now was the right time to carry out this mission I had created for myself. I know it will go well.
As I continued to walk, I felt more and more anxious because I was about to meet a being popular in human mythology, a being that was a mix of a human and a wolf and appeared on full moon nights. However, this werewolf seemed different; it appeared on nights when the moon was crimson. If this is true, then I'm very lucky.
After a lot of walking and reflecting on my actions and the reasons that brought me to where I am now, I finally reached the forest.