I walked into school, scanning the hallways for Emily. When I spotted her, I couldn't help but smile. I approached her, asking, "Hey, how's it going?"
She looked up, a hint of suspicion in her eyes. "I'm fine, thanks. You?"
I sensed something was off, but she didn't press the issue. Instead, she said, "Hey, I was thinking... want to check out that haunted house on the outskirts of town tonight?"
I chuckled. "You don't believe in ghosts, do you?"
Emily smirked. "Well, since you don't believe in ghosts, I'm sure you won't be too scared to go there with me at night."
I laughed. "You're on. 8 pm. Just us."
I had a feeling that she has suspicions about me so she was taking me to a place to try to spook out any thing out of the ordinary from me but I trusted in my secret keeping skills so I agreed to come along.
As the evening approached, we made our way to the haunted house. The once-grand mansion loomed before us, its windows like empty eyes staring back. Ivy crawled up the walls, as if trying to claim the structure as its own. The wind whispered eerie melodies through the broken panes, sending shivers down our spines.
We stepped inside, our footsteps echoing off the walls. Cobwebs clung to our faces, and the stench of decay filled our nostrils. The air was thick with the scent of rot and forgotten memories. Suddenly, a loud crash made us jump. We laughed, nerves on edge, as we realized it was just a loose board.
As we explored, I sensed a presence lurking in the shadows. I didn't want to alarm Emily, so I kept quiet. But then, an arrow shot towards us, and I caught it with my bare hands, moving Emily behind me.
"What's going on?" Emily asked, voice trembling.
I tried to stall. "We need to get out of here first."
A grotesque creature emerged from the darkness. Its body was humanoid, but its skin was deathly pale, with black veins visible beneath. Eyes glowed like embers, and razor-sharp claws extended from its fingers. It lunged at us, but I kicked it back. However, it managed to scratch my hand before I could react.
We ran outside, stopping at the top of a hill to catch our breath. I looked at my bleeding hand, confusion etched on my face.
"Look, you're bleeding," Emily said, concern etched on her face.
"That's not possible," I muttered, feeling something stir within me. My heart raced, and my senses grew sharper.
"What do you mean it's not possible?" Emily asked, her voice laced with worry.
I tried to think of a lie, but my mind went blank. "I... uh... I'll explain later." And by explain I mean brainwash her even more because there was no way in hell that I was telling her exactly what was going on with me. If I tried that, Ava would bury me alive and dance on my grave.
Suddenly, a searing pain shot through my body, and I felt my muscles contorting. My vision blurred, and I stumbled backwards.
"Emily, listen to me, I need you to run from here as fast as you can, okay?" I growled, trying to maintain control.
"What's going on?" Emily asked, fear creeping into her voice.
"Just do as I say. I'll explain everything later, I promise," I said, my voice no longer human.
Emily ran away as fast as she could but still she was human so getting far under this short time was impossible. I let out a primal roar. My body transformed, my senses heightening as I gave in to the beast within. My fangs protruded, my skin turned white and claws shot out of my fingers. This is what I feared the most. Losing control. I'm still too young to be able to control when I transform like Ava and my parents do. Anytime my body feels a threat that is more dangerous than normal, this happens and since I was attacked by a supernatural creature that my body refused to heal from, it decided to transform me into something that can ensure I survive but honestly speaking, I don't think that even after transforming, I'll be strong enough to take on this creature. This was why Ava never wanted me to get too close to a human. Now I'm changing and no member of my family is around to cover for me or calm me down enough for me to change back . I jumped off the ground, my feet barely touching the earth as I ran after Emily, tracking her with her scent which was still fresh in the air. I was like a passenger in my own body. I was moving but had no idea where I was going or why I was going there. I could see through my eyes but couldn't control the activities of my limbs. I really hope I can think of a lie that can make this whole incident disappear.