CHAPTER 5
1782 Words
I sprang up from my bed panting and my clothes wet from sweat. I looked around the room but saw nothing. There is no beast. I am alone.
It was just a dream.
No! It’s a nightmare. A horrible nightmare! But why does it feel so real?
I wrapped my arms around my body while my eyes surveyed the room once more. Making sure that the creature that I saw is not really here.
I vividly remember how it looked like. How she sounded like...
The way she called my name sent shivers down my spine. And her eyes… There’s something in her eyes that made me feel… something. I don’t know. She looks familiar. Like I have seen her before but I’m sure I haven’t. I would surely remember if ever I had seen something like that creature.
I don’t know what’s happening anymore.
I gripped my hair with my fingers then pulled them tight. My head is pounding and I continue to sweat profusely. I feel so anxious and I feel like I wanted to run again.
“Granny…” I called out in frustration. If only I stayed with them I wouldn’t feel this scared right now. They will surely comfort me and tell me that everything will be alright. I want to be with them.
I wanna go home...
But I'm confused. Irish' voice is echoing inside my head. Reminding me that I shouldn't go out anymore. Images of last night came flashing before my eyes. When I was running aimlessly around the city until I got hit by a speeding car...
Tears fell like waterfalls down my cheeks. I couldn’t control my emotions.
The fear, the pain... Everything is making me insane. I needed answers. And right now, I could only think of my grandparents who will give me the explanation that I needed. They must know what's going on. I will go home!
I stood up from my bed and grabbed my bag and phone. It’s almost midnight but I don’t care. I have to go home right now. I'm still scared that what happened last night will happen again but right now, my eagerness to find the answers is greater than my fear.
I ran outside my dormitory but this time I made sure to look out for coming vehicles and I didn't go that fast. I don’t want to end up in a hospital again. It took me a few minutes before I got to the bus station. Luckily I made it to the last trip.
Each minute that I spent inside the bus is slowly tormenting me. I feel so uneasy. My whole body is trembling and I couldn’t wait to get off. I wanted to run. I feel like the bus is too slow.
Finally, after the long wait, the bus stopped on its last station. I quickly jumped to my feet and made my way out, not minding if I am already bumping other people just to get out as fast as I can.
I took a deep breath to fill my lungs with fresh air when I made it to the woods. I missed this. It’s only been weeks since I left but it felt like forever already. I looked around the familiar trees. I can see them clearly with the help of the light from the full moon.
But I can’t fool myself. I know it’s not only that. I’ve seen this forest a lot of times under the moonlight but it was never like this. It was never this clear. Even in the dark, I can see every outline of each leaf. Every bumps and lumps on the barks of the trees.
I can hear every creature both asleep and awake. Their sounds seem to be filling my ears. It is the same forest where I grew up but it felt so different. My tears fell because I realized how much everything has changed. I don't even know myself anymore.
So many things have happened that it made me feel like a long time had passed since I left. I started walking further and further. My steps got quicker until I ended up running. My foot stepped into dry leaves and twigs making a sound that bothered the animals around but I couldn’t care less.
All I could think about is going home to the comfort of my family. I was running as fast as I could when I suddenly fell down to the ground.
“Aah!” I screamed.
Here it is again, the pain that is shooting down from my core to every fiber of my being.
My fingers grasped on the grass beneath me as I try to catch my breath.
“Please… I just want to go home.” I whimpered in pain.
"Just hold on. We can get past this..." Daciana's weak voice echoed in my mind.
I shook my head and forced my legs to stand up but I can’t control them. The pain is too much I can’t even get up from the ground. So I tried to drag my body instead. With every push, the pain surges even more.
I just want to give up and die here in the middle of the woods but I can’t. I can’t die without seeing my grandparents first. I want to feel their hugs even for the last time. Because I swear, I can feel my life slowly leaving my body with every move that I make.
Another wave of great pain washed over me and it left me lying flat on the ground. With my vision blurry from the torment, I stared at the big round moon that seemed to be looking down at me. Watching me suffer in agony.
I heaved long, deep breaths until finally the pain stopped. The moon must have felt bad for me and decided to end my suffering. I feel exhausted but I pushed myself to stand back up. With small, unsteady steps, I continued to tread the way back into my grandparents’ house.
It took me longer than I thought. My grandparents might freak out after seeing me at this time. My grandmother might probably lock me in my room after for roaming around in the wee hours of night but I don’t give a damn. I just want to see them.
A smile broke into my lips when I finally caught a glimpse of our small house. Tears started to fill my eyes as I take each step closer. I wanted to run but my knees are still weak.
But my body froze when I glanced down at my body.
My shrilling scream pierced right through the silence of the night only that it came out as loud howl!
My whole body looks just like that of the beast that I saw in my dream. I raised my hands and saw it full of white fur with my nails turned into long, sharp claws!
I wailed another loud howl that sent all the night birds flying away.
I turned into a monster!
“Rieka calm down.” Daciana’s soothing voice didn’t do anything to pacify me.
“How can I calm down? Did you do this to me? Did you turn me into a monster?” I cried.
Am I having another nightmare? Can somebody please wake me up? I don’t want this! I’m not a monster!
“You are not a monster.” Daciana cooed but I just kept on crying.
“Please… Wake me up!” my sobs were now uncontrollable.
This is the worst nightmare that I have ever had. Or that’s what I thought…
Because when our front door opened and somebody turned on the lights on our front porch, I know something worse is about to happen. They can't see me like this! I wanted to hide but my legs won't listen to me.
My grandparents walked out and saw me down on my knees, crying my heart out.
I watched how shock and fear registered into their faces. My grandmother clutched her chest while Gramps pulled her behind him. I can hear her rapid heartbeats and I was so damn scared that something might happen to her because of me.
“G-gramps…” I uttered with my broken voice. “Granny!”
“It’s me… Rei… I’m Rieka!” I couldn’t control my sobs but I tried to speak, hoping that they would recognize me despite my appearance. My voice sounded the same, it is my only hope.
“What are you talking about? What kind of creature are you?” Gramps asked in an angry voice.
I knew it. Who would believe me in this form? It’s easier to believe that I am a beast. A monster.
“I don’t know! I don’t know what happened.” I kept on crying.
“But please believe me…” I pleaded.
I tried to look into his eyes, hoping that he would see past through my horrid looks and see the granddaughter that they raised and loved.
“I’m Rei…” I dropped down to the ground and cried, my shoulders shaking with my sobs.
“Helena!” my grandpa’s frantic voice made me look back at them.
I saw him carrying my grandmother’s unconscious body.
“Helena wake up!” he shook her shoulders.
“Gramps! We have to bring her to the hospital!” I stood up and walked over to help him but he shut me off.
“Stop it! You are not my granddaughter!” he said angrily.
“Just leave us alone! This is your fault! I will never forgive you if something happens to her.” He spat each word with disgust.
Those words shattered my heart even more. I got stunned for a moment and just watched him carry my grandmother inside the house.
“Helena!” I can hear him from here but I couldn’t move.
My tears kept on falling but I couldn’t make a single sound anymore. This is my fault. I should have left them out of my problems. If only I didn’t go back here…
“Don’t blame yourself. Everything will be fine.” I heard Daciana but I find it so hard to believe.
How? How is this fine?
“Stop talking to me!” I said in a hard voice.
“Go away! I don’t want to hear you! Just leave me alone!” I kept on crying until all my energy left me. I don’t know if I fell asleep or passed out from too much crying but when I opened my eyes, my grandparents’ shocked faces were the first scene that I saw…
- Writer
