Lunch ended up being a quiet affair. If not for the sound of bubbling water, Julia would have forgotten to drop in her food-in-a-bag. All the while, she mulled over what was said, and through hindsight figured that she should have kept her mouth shut. Fat good that does me now.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

Frustrated and impatient, Julia grabbed the bag with her bare hands. She ripped open the bag from the top and steam rose out from the contents. The rich smell of tomatoes, spices and pasta made her salivate. I hope it lives up…

There was a gasp, and Julia caught Gwen staring at her with a gaping jaw. Alas, it was well past the point of no return to act like the contents were too hot to handle. Out of options, she reached for the fork instead.

“Asbestos fingers,” Julia said with a sheepish grin.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Are you okay?” Kaylee asked.

Julia’s vision swirled while those words reached down into the depths of her mind. That familiar voice guided her back to the shore, like a sailor used lighthouses to find their way home. With her sense of smell and touch restored, she gave her head a shake.

“Wha—” Julia managed to say.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Julia?” Amber asked.

Julia had to open and close her eyes several times before the forest and path were restored. To avoid a large tree dead ahead, she had to make a sharp turn. Amber was not so concerned as to pull me out of the way.

Julia laughed nervously before replying, “Sorry!”

“You weren’t there for a minute,” Amber said.

Julia cocked her head to the side. Both Kaylee and Gwen were still on the move with the distance growing between them. This stunt of mine didn’t get noticed.

“Really?” Julia confirmed. “It felt like a… dream… vivid.”

“Perhaps you should hang back and rest?” Amber asked.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

They had a routine, one where Julia would leave early in the morning and meet him out back. They would grab breakfast at the bakery and each other’s company. While neither particularly cared for the burnt that was thick as syrup coffee, it was the company that mattered.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

The lack of answers led her mind to fill the void. Did they know she was a werewolf? Were they leading her to a government lab? Were they working for the corpses? What the fuck did Kaylee do to piss off Amber? I need to focus on something… anything else.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Did you take something?” Kaylee asked.

Had it been anyone else, Julia might have been aghast. However, this remained a powerful trigger for her. How often did people assume she was an addict or drunk when homeless? So, Julia needed to focus on the situation, and remind herself they were concerned. What the fuck is wrong with me?

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Oh no!” Julia yelled upon spotting the thick plume of black smoke.

While she could not be certain, the general direction of the cloud corresponded with her school. When the cloud blotted out the sun, Julia felt her blood cool, having been robbed of the sun’s warmth.

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.

“Thanks for the ride,” Julia said before the truck pulled away.

As always, she caught sight of those blue eyes in the rear-view mirror and swooned. Those were the eyes of the man that was happy to call her his. I’ve fallen so hard for him and I still can’t see the ground from here…

Disclaimer: This excerpt from Dark Hearts is currently in development. There may be typos, errors, omissions, inconsistencies and so forth. The image is sourced from Pixabay.