Love Beyond Human

MOONLIGHT LEGACY

Hunter slowly opened his eyes, waking up to the sounds of birds chirping and animals scurrying around him in the forest. Panic set in as he realized he wasn't at home but in the woods, naked and covered in blood. He notice the blood at first, and the animals. Trying to scare away the animals around him feeding on the wound and blood on him, Hunter let out a loud scream, but it was more of a groan due to the pain and fatigue. With a surge of adrenaline, Hunter struggled to stand up, his mind racing to recall what had happened the night before. But his memories were hazy, and he couldn't piece together the events that led him to this point. Knowing he had to get home quickly before his parents discovered his disappearance, Hunter summoned his last bit of strength and sprinted towards his house.

As he approached his home, Hunter didn't want to enter through the main door, fearing his parents would catch him. Instead, he spotted his room window above and decided to jump into it. After entering his room, he heard noises coming from downstairs and realized he needed to clean up. Noticing the blood on his body, Hunter rushed to the bathroom to take a shower, locking the door behind him. Just as he started to relax, he heard footsteps coming upstairs, followed by a knock on the door. "Hunter! We need to talk to you," his mother, Emily, called out. “Mum... I'm in the bathroom. I'm getting ready for school," Hunter replied, trying to sound normal. “Alright, honey, please be quick," Emily responded. As Hunter emerged from the shower, he stared at his reflection in the mirror and smiled, revealing his teeth. But his smile faltered as he noticed blood on his teeth. He tried to rinse it off with water, but it didn't budge. Panicked, Hunter brushed his teeth vigorously, scrubbing with all his might. Meanwhile, downstairs, Ethan, Hunter's father, looked tired. Emily greeted him with concern, "Hey, honey, is everything alright? You seem tired." “Oh, I've just had a rough day," Ethan replied. Emily offered to make breakfast, and Ethan agreed. As they’re down preparing the meals, Hunter, already dressed for school, rushed downstairs. He paused when he saw the bacon on the table, but his hunger got the better of him, and he devoured his meal in minutes. Before Ethan and Emily could discuss something important with Hunter, he interrupted them, “Okay, Mum, I'm out. I'll see you guys later, bye." And with that, he rushed out the door, slamming it shut behind him. “Honey, wait!" Emily called out, but it was too late. Hunter was already gone. Spencer, Hunter's brother, turned to Ethan and asked, "How are we going to tell him now... that he's a werewolf?" Ethan nodded, "Yeah, it was inherited from his father. I know you kids are supposed to live normal lives, but unfortunately, it didn't end well for us. Your father was never born like this; he was bitten. And since then, it has changed the whole history of our generations." Emily chimed in, clutching onto Ethan, "We have to be careful. Hunter's condition is unstable." Ethan said.

At school, Hunter met Ella, but this time she was with someone else. After spending a few minutes with her, she walked to her locker to retrieve some books for class. That's when she saw Hunter at his locker, and they exchanged waves. “Class is about to start," Ella said. “Yeah, I know. What subject?" Hunter asked. “It’s Math, silly. Have you forgotten?" Ella replied with a smile. “Ohh-right sorry.” He said with a smile. Hunter followed Ella to class. The class begins and questions are thrown at the students, but Ella were able to answer all the questions, this impressed the teacher so much he asked the students to give her a round of applause for her intelligence. After the two-hour class, Ella was about to leave when Hunter confronted her. “Hey, you were amazing in there, great job.” He continues, “you're heading home now, right? Which direction are you heading?" Hunter asked. “I'm heading to the street down my left. Are you heading there as well?" Ella replied. “Yeah, that's exactly where I'm headed," Hunter said.

As they walked, Ella asked, "Where is your house?" “It's a bit far from here. How about you?" Hunter replied. “It's just a few blocks from here, not too far," Ella said, “I hope the distance is not stressing you?” She said showing concern for Hunter's long commute. “Ohh no it’s fine, I’m okay. Thanks for asking.” Hunter said. “Your welcome.” She said smiling at him. When Ella reached her house, she waved goodbye to Hunter, who waved back and continued on his way home. After a half-hour walk, Hunter finally arrived home. As he was about to enter his room upstairs, his parents confronted him, looking concerned. They asked him to come to the living room, where they needed to discuss something vital. The atmosphere in the living room was tense. Ethan started the conversation, "How was school today, Hunter?" Hunter replied, still trying to gauge what his parents were getting at. "It was fine, Dad. Why do you ask?" Emily took a deep breath before speaking. "Hunter, we heard there was a mass murder in the woods, and we think it could be you. Hunter, I saw you the other night... you're a werewolf, and you killed people. I tried to stop you, but I got bitten." Ethan said revealing the bite mark on his right arm. Hunter's eyes widened in shock as he stared at his father. "What are you guys talking about? I didn't kill anyone last night." “ You don’t remember-don’t you?.”Ethan continues to show him the bite mark on his arm. "Hunter, if this keeps going on, you might hurt or even kill someone at school. So, I'm sorry to say this but, you have to be detained at once. You're unstable." As Emily spoke, Hunter's memories of the previous night began to flash before his eyes. He remembered the blood, his father's transformation, and the way he had been acting all day. The realization hit him like a ton of bricks.

It was 6:55 PM, and the moon was already out. Hunter tried to escape, running upstairs, but Ethan was too fast. He grabbed Hunter's arm, and Hunter struggled to break free. “Let me go Dad!” Hunter shouted, but it was too late. Hunter screams and yells in pain as his body began to contort, his back bulging, and his eyes widening in pain. His voice changed, his teeth grew into fangs, and his nails and arms elongates.

Ethan transformed as well, but he seemed to be in control of his actions. Hunter, on the other hand, was fully consumed by his werewolf instincts. Emily panicked, trying to run away, but Hunter caught sight of her and chased after her. Ethan intercepted Hunter, and the two werewolves clashed. They growled at each other, their eyes locked in a fierce stare. The fight was intense, with both of them slashing, clawing, and biting. Hunter, fueled by anger and rage, grabbed Ethan by the neck and threw him to the ground. Ethan landed hard, but he quickly got back to his feet, determined to protect his family. The fight continued, with neither side giving in. Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Hunter transformed back into his human form. He collapsed to the ground, exhausted and unconscious. Ethan, badly injured, carried Hunter to a cage in the basement, where he would be kept safe until the next morning. As the night wore on, Ethan reflected on the events that had transpired. He knew he had to find a way to control Hunter's transformations and teach him how to live with his condition. The journey ahead would be challenging, but Ethan was determined to help his son navigate this new reality.

The next morning, Hunter woke up in the cage, his memories of the previous night still hazy. “What-what I’m I doing here?” He asked as he groaned in pain. He looks around, realizing where he was and he tries desperately to remember what had happened, blood was all over his body and he was naked. The weight of his new reality settled in, and he knew his life would never be the same.