Chapter 15: The creature Returns

I knelt fast beside him. “Mike? Wake up.” This was bad. Mike saw too much. And the changes inside me felt stronger now. The bell rang far down the hall. Class was starting. I shook his shoulder again, heart racing.

This was bad. Really bad. If anyone walked in now, they would see everything. I had to wake him up fast. I rushed to the sink, turned the cold water on full, and cupped my hands to catch it. The water felt icy against my skin. I splashed it straight on his face. Drops ran down his cheeks and soaked his shirt. He didn’t stir at first. I splashed more, this time shaking his shoulder hard with my other hand.

“Come on, Mike,” I whispered urgently. He still didn't wake up, so I shouted His name. “Mike!”

Then his eyelids fluttered after what felt like forever. Water dripped from his hair onto the floor. He blinked a few times, confused, then his eyes focused on me. Fear hit him hard. He scrambled back against the wall, pushing himself away from me as fast as he could. His back hit the tile with a small smack.

“Who… who are you?” he asked, voice shaky and low. “What are you?”

I stayed on one knee, one hand up to show I wasn’t going to hurt him. My side still remembered the bite even if it didn’t hurt anymore. “I told you Mike I’m a wolf. At the moment I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”

Mike stared, breathing fast. “A wolf? Like in the stories? You mean you turn into one?”

“Yeah,” I said, keeping my voice calm even though my own mind was racing. Then I told him everything. “Yesterday after I told you to run, the creature slammed me to the floor hard and bit me deep in my ribs. Ever since then I’ve been having trouble controlling my shift. The eyes change, the strength comes and goes. It’s messing me up inside.”

He sat up slowly, wiping the water from his face with his sleeve. His hands still trembled. “You mean you were a wolf and yesterday when you encountered that thing. It bit you and now you’re like this? Does it hurt?”

“Not anymore,” I told him. “But I think something's happening to me. It's becoming harder to control it. Like in here.”

Mike asked more questions, his fear mixing with curiosity. “Is there anyone else like you? Other wolves in the city? Have you met them?”

“I don’t know,” I said honestly this time. “I just moved to the city recently. This is all new to me too. I don’t have answers and I don't know what that thing wasyesterday.”

The bell rang loud through the halls again. It cut through the quiet like a warning. Class was starting. I stood up and grabbed my bag. “I won’t be attending classes today. I can’t risk shifting in front of everyone.”

Mike got to his feet, still shaky but trying to act normal. “Don’t worry about it. I’ll cover for you. But text me your address later.”

“Thanks,” I said, meaning it. “You’re a good friend.”

I slipped out the side door of the school and headed home. The walk felt longer than usual. Every car that passed made me tense. The sun felt too bright on my skin. My eyes kept wanting to change color if I let my guard down. I began hallucinating. I kept my head down and walked fast, avoiding people on the sidewalks. By the time I reached the house, my shirt was damp with sweat. I went straight to my room and waited, trying to hold myself together.

Later that night Ryan and Lila came back from work and school. Lila came back late because she got invited to a party.

The front door opened with the usual sounds. Bags dropped. Shoes came off. The smell of dinner started soon after. I called them both to the living room because they might know what was wrong with me. They sat on the couch, looking tired from their day.

“Look at this,” I said quietly. I let my eyes glow bright blue.

They both jumped back. Lila gasped loud and covered her mouth. Ryan’s face went completely pale, like all the blood left it.

“What happened to you?” Ryan asked quickly, voice tight.

I told them everything in detail. “The creature from last night at the school. After Mike ran, it caught me. Slammed me down and bit me hard in the ribs. That’s why these changes started. I didn’t want to worry you right away.”

Ryan took a step back with fear. He grabbed onto the chair to support him from not falling down. “Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” he shouted. His voice cracked with anger and worry. “How could you keep something like this a secret? Do you know what creature that was? It could be dangerous for all of us!”

He jumped up fast and ran around the house closing all the windows. Curtains pulled tight. Doors locked with extra force. I watched him with Lila. We saw how serious he was. Ryan never panicked like this. His hands shook as he checked every lock twice.

“What’s really going on?” Lila asked him, her voice small.

Ryan came back to us, still panicking. His eyes were wide. “It's going to be back. That thing doesn’t stop once it marks you. We have to be ready.”

We all stood there tense. The house felt too quiet now. The air was thick. Then suddenly a loud roar came from outside. It shook the entire house. Windows rattled hard. The floor vibrated under our feet. Pictures on the wall tilted. My heart stopped for a second.

Ryan turned to me fast, eyes full of terror. “RUN NOW!!”