Devils Roses 04 - Witch

where Aleks last lost the trail. It was in Virginia. Jonesville, Virginia.”
    Lucas stood and put his hand out, “Take us to Jonesville.”
    Sam pulled his phone out and Googled Jonesville. When the picture on the map came up he flashed them to a dirt road in the middle of nowhere. Tumbleweeds rolled across the dusty road, as a wind picked up making waves in the hay field next to them.
    Lucas looked around, “Where the hell are we?”
    Sam shrugged and looked at his phone, “I’d say in hell, I don’t have any bars.”
    Lucas growled, “Is that a Bison farm?”
    “Look dude, focus. We are in Hillbilly County, someone is going to shoot your hairy ass if you chase livestock.”
    “It’s hard to resist.”
    Sam rolled his eyes, “Okay well maybe we can stop for a Bison burger somewhere. I’m not eating it raw on the side of the road.”
    Lucas stripped his pants and shirt off and passed it to Sam. He phased instantly, sending shredded pieces of his white boxers throughout the air.
    Sam waved his hands in front of his face, “Luke. Gross. Your underwear is everywhere.”
    The huge dark wolf made a funny noise Sam could swear was a snicker.
    Lucas sniffed the ground and began running. Sam ran after him, flashing to keep up.
    Sam wondered how he had caught the scent so fast but soon even he could smell it. It wasn’t the wolf he smelled but Aleks. He ran as fast as his legs would allow as they walked their dead friend’s footsteps. His chest ached thinking about the scent they chased.

Chapter Three
    Ophelia

    She woke tired. She was a typical teenager. She liked to sleep till noon and stay up until two in the morning.
    The difference that morning was a combination of two things. The lingering hope that her parents had managed to believe she hadn’t actually broken the windows and that everyone at school had forgotten she had broken the windows. She had fallen asleep praying no one would care or remember what she had done.
    She wasn’t even out of the sheets when her door was thrown open and her sister walked in, “I need you to be nice to Jake today. I told him you like him and he almost lost his mind. He was pumped. Don’t emo on me okay homie? Be the girl I know you are.”
    Ophelia buried her face in her pillow, “Oh my god why do you have to exist?”
    “You've wished for Jake to like you since we were five and six. Today is your lucky day and he’s going to Lance’s party. So are you by the way.”
    Terror filled her, "I can't go to school."
    "You have to. If you skip you're going to look guilty."
    She looked at her reflection and shook her head, "No. I can't do it and I'm not going to that party with you and the plastics."
    "Ride or walk?"
    She sighed, "I'll walk. I need to get lost on the way and end up in New York City with a different name and a cool mustache."
    Abbey laughed, "Such a loser drama queen." She grabbed her arm, "Come on we'll ride together."
    At school she looked around at everyone from the sidewalk in front of the building. Everything looked the way it did everyday. Nothing looked different. She waited for the stares and the pointing to start.
    She glared at her sister and waited for it to hit. She couldn’t believe Abbey had dragged her to school. She was strong for such a skinny thing.
    Ophelia walked up the stairs of the school feeling embarrassment and pain in each step. She shied away from making eye contact. She would forever be the girl that gave Mr. Paulson a heart attack and nervous breakdown.
    “O wait for me.”
    She frowned and looked back at Maria, mean girl Maria Thompson, running toward her waving her hands. She looked around for Mack and Noams but they were nowhere to be found. She was going to die alone and humiliated.
    She didn’t know what to do.
    She almost turtle’d when Maria reached her, but she saw something she hadn’t seen before. Maria smiled at her.
    “O we’re having a party tonight, end of year party for all seniors. It’s at Lance’s parents place. They have a pool so bring a suit.”
    She stammered, “Uhhh what. N-n-no thanks.”
    Maria laughed, “You have to come. You never come to parties and school’s almost over. Please. Jake Mackay asked me to make sure you come.”
    O nodded, almost laughing, “Jake, Jake, Jake Mackay?” Her sister hadn’t been messing with her. She raised an eyebrow at Maria.
    Maria smacked her in the arm, “You’re being weird. See you at lunch.”
    "I’m being weird?’ She muttered and walked up the