Adrian lay motionless in his bed, the air heavy with confusion. His mind was clouded, his body exhausted, but there was an undeniable hunger gnawing at his insides. He didn't know why he felt so fatigued, but everything about his situation seemed… wrong. The sharp pain from being stabbed right through his chest still burned in his memory, yet he knew without a doubt that he had somehow healed.
How is this possible?
The confusion sat like a weight on his chest. He couldn't make sense of the phone call, or the mysterious healing that had come over him, or the strange absence of the injury he had sustained. His heart raced at the thought, but his fatigue made it hard to think straight. He could only lie there for what felt like hours, too tired to move, his limbs heavy as though his bones were made of lead. Suddenly, a deep, sharp ache pulsed in his stomach. I'm hungry. But it wasn't like a normal hunger. This hunger was deeper, something primal, something desperate. Adrian groaned and pushed himself up, his body trembling slightly as he tried to ignore the wave of dizziness that spun his vision. He stumbled into the kitchen, his mind a haze, only focused on one thing: food.
He opened his cabinets with shaky hands, grabbing a packet of ramen noodles. Anything to satisfy the gnawing ache inside. He followed the steps mechanically, filling a bowl with water and tossing the noodles in, hardly aware of what he was doing. All that mattered was the food. As the microwave hummed, Adrian paced back and forth. His thoughts were fuzzy, scattered, still trying to process everything that had happened the phone number, the strange sensation of healing, the overwhelming fatigue but the hunger kept pushing all of it aside. When the microwave finally beeped, he rushed to pull the bowl out, his hands unsteady. He took a spoonful of the noodles, the steam rising from the bowl. But when the food hit his tongue, Adrian froze. The taste… nothing. It was as though he was eating air, the noodles completely tasteless. He frowned, staring at the bowl, then took another bite. Again, no flavor. No satisfaction. Just empty, lifeless sustenance.
What the hell is this?
He couldn't make sense of it. The hunger still gnawed at him, deeper than before. Without thinking, he grabbed another packet of ramen, desperate to make it taste like something. He threw it into the microwave, then stood there, waiting for the seconds to tick by. But when the food was ready, the outcome was the same: bland, tasteless. It was like his body couldn't register the food. His stomach growled again, louder this time, more insistent. Adrian's hands trembled as he looked around the kitchen. Raw peppers. Maybe they would help. He bit into one, but again no taste. His body screamed for something, anything to fill the void, but he couldn't understand why nothing tasted right. The frustration built inside him, his mind spinning, his body desperate for sustenance.
Then, as though his body had a mind of its own, Adrian reached over and scraped his finger along the edge of the kitchen counter. The sharp sting of pain cut through the fog of confusion, but when he saw the blood, something inside him snapped. He didn't think, didn't hesitate. He brought the bleeding finger to his mouth and tasted it.The moment the blood hit his tongue, everything changed.
What…?
The hunger inside him calmed, just for a moment. The taste of blood was like a wave of relief washing over him. It was the first thing in hours that had tasted like something real. He licked his finger clean, the hunger still present but somewhat sated. But then, the hunger flared up again. It was even more intense now, like a fire igniting deep within him. Without thinking, Adrian bit down on his own hand, the pain sharp as his teeth sank into his flesh. Something was wrong. He didn't even feel the pain the way he should. It was like a distant thought, something far away. The hunger took over, and Adrian's mind became clouded. The blood flowed, and he drank, unaware of anything else. The taste was irresistible. His vision blurred, his thoughts shattered, and the world around him disappeared into darkness.
When Adrian opened his eyes again, the room was dark. The weight of exhaustion still clung to him, but his body felt… strange. As though something had changed. He sat up slowly, his head spinning. The first thing he did was look at his hand, the one that had been torn open moments ago. It was completely healed.
How…?
The confusion hit him again, even more intense this time. How had he healed so quickly? How was his body so perfect, like nothing had happened? His chest his heart there was no trace of the injury he remembered. He felt the sharp sting of panic rising within him. This wasn't possible. His gaze fell to the window. Night had fallen, the city bathed in the soft glow of streetlights. He pushed himself off the bed and grabbed his hoodie, still trying to grasp what was happening to him. The room felt suffocating, the air thick with something he couldn't name. He needed to get outside. Maybe fresh air would help him clear his head. But the moment he stepped outside, everything felt off. The world was sharper than it should be. The city was alive with sounds, the hum of distant voices, the soft scuff of shoes on concrete, the scent of food wafting from a nearby cart. But there was something else, something deeper. A scent that filled his lungs and made his heart race.
Blood.
It was overwhelming. Adrian could smell it everywhere, like an invisible current that filled the air. His vision sharpened, every detail standing out like never before. The scent of blood was overpowering, drowning out everything else. It was all he could think about. He could hear the blood flowing through veins, the pulse beneath skin. He could see it, the thrum of life in every person he passed. He felt his teeth lengthen, his fangs pushing out of his gums, and the hunger returned stronger, more insistent. It was like a tidal wave crashing inside of him. His body moved before his mind could catch up, his legs carrying him down the street toward the alley where the scent of blood was strongest.
It was then that he saw them: a group of thieves, laughing and talking among themselves, oblivious to his presence. One of them, a man with a knife, saw Adrian approach and immediately pointed a gun at him.
"Empty your pockets, boy,"
the thief ordered, his voice rough. Adrian froze, his heart hammering in his chest. He raised his hands, trembling.
"I…..I can't control it. Please, just go,"
he begged, his voice cracking with fear. His body trembled with the hunger that was consuming him, and his vision blurred with the need to feed. The thief with the knife walked up to him, sneering. "Empty your pockets or we'll make you." He took a step closer, brandishing the blade. But as he swung it at Adrian, something snapped inside him. The knife shattered against Adrian's chest, as though it had hit steel. His mind went blank. All he could think of was the hunger. The thieves tried to run, but Adrian moved faster, too fast for them to react. His body was no longer his own. The hunger, the rage, the blood he attacked. He drained the life from one man, then another. The taste of their blood filled his senses, and with every drop, the hunger lessened. But the terror of what he was doing the horror of it didn't stop. He could hear them begging, crying out for mercy, but the need to feed drowned out everything. His vision was clouded, his mind lost in the bloodlust. When it was over, Adrian stood over the bodies, panting heavily, his hands drenched in blood. He stared at them, his breath coming in sharp gasps. His stomach no longer ached, but the overwhelming realization of what he had done hit him like a sledgehammer.
His hands trembled as he dropped to his knees, tears mixing with the blood on his hands. He looked at the lifeless bodies around him, horror twisting his stomach.
"I'm… I'm not human anymore."
The words barely left his lips before he collapsed on the cold, concrete ground, the weight of his transformation settling in, heavy and unrelenting.