The Night Her Body Betrayed Her
1070 Words
The Crestwell.mansion twinkled like a fairy-tale palace, its flashing chandeliers casting a golden glow over the sea of designer-clad students. Lydia Crestwell, the birthday queen, stepped out beaming with pride as her friends cheered and laughed around her.
Alisa, dressed in casual and not so flashy dress, looked around and felt like a wilted flower amidst the roses. Her best friend Ethan had forced her to come along even though she made it clear she didn't want to attend the party.
But as they entered the mansion, Alisa's anxiety spiked. She hated parties as she never even got invited, she hated being the poor girl in a world of privilege.
As they made their way through the crowd, she heard whispers . Someone snorted, "Thrift store special." Lydia's friends giggled.
"Hey, Alisa, you look damn...interesting," Lydia said with her voice dripping with sarcasm. "Damn..that dress is vintage."
Alisa's eyes stung, but she forced a smile. "Thanks,
Oh, uh, you got it at a... boutique uhh?
The group laughed, Ethan griped her arm. "Come on, let's get some drinks," he said, trying to steer her away.
But too late. The damage has already been done. Alisa already felt like an outsider, she felt like a charity case pretending to be one of them. She yanked her arm free from Ethan's and ran, pushing through the crowds out into the cool and dark night.
Ethan chased after her, "Alisa, wait!" He called out while running." Alisa, please! Wait..
She didn't stop until she reached the woods. She collapsed against a trunk with tears streaming down her face.
Ethan caught up, trying to catch his breath and at the same time trying to apologize. "Alisa, I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."
"Get away from me." You knew this would happen," she choked out. Tears burned hot down her cheeks. "I told you I didn't want to come, but you insisted. You always insist, and I always end up humiliated."
His face crumpled. "I know. You're right. I'm sorry."
Ethan's face fell, but he didn't defend himself. Instead, he sat down beside her on a nearby log. "I'm sorry, Alisa. I thought it would be different this time . I thought it was just going to be all fun tonight. Please I'm sorry.
Alisa sniffled as her anger deflated a bit". But broken . The woods were peaceful, the only sound was the music from a distance and the rustling leaves. She let out a shaky breath and rested her head facing down Ethan's laps as he gently held her closely. "It's going to be okay," he softly whispered.
A few moments later, something terrifying began.
The first scream tore out of Alisa’s throat before she understood why.
It started in her hands.
She looked at her fingers, sprang up from Ethan's laps, her heart was slamming, as they jerked violently, curling inward like they no longer belonged to her. A sharp c***k snapped through her knuckles. She gasped, choking on air.
“No..no..no, Jesus! no" Ethan, something’s wrong,” she sobbed, clutching her hands to her chest.
Another c***k. Much louder this time
Ethan sprang up," What tha fuckkk"...his eyes popped out.
Her fingers stretched, her skin pulling tight, nails darkening and thickening at the same time. Alisa watched in horror and fear as one of her nails pushed forward, lengthening and sharpening into a curved point.
“Oh my God..what's in this?” she screamed. “What is happening to me?!”
The claw slid free with a wet and sickening sound. Then another. Then another.
Alisa shrieked and fell back onto the forest floor, the forest leaves were crunching beneath her as her spine arched into inhuman form. Pain detonated through her arms, her shoulders jerking as if invisible hands were forcefully twisting her bones the wrong way.
Crack...crack..CRACK.
Her elbows snapped outward. She screamed until her voice shredded,"her nails and claws digging into the dirt as her wrists bent, realigned, reshaped unpleasantly. Her skin rippled like something was crawling beneath it.
Ethan backed away a step, trembling, but didn’t turn or run.
“Alisa..listen to me,” Ethan said with his voice shaking.
“You have to breathe. You have to stay calm.” Ethan's voice echoed sharply.
Alisa laughed hysterically through her tears. “Calm? I’m...ahhhh!”
Her scream turned raw as her spine bowed violently. Her back curving and vertebrae popping out one after another, forcing her onto all fours. She felt her body compress, her muscles swelling tightly until her clothes tore with sharp rips.
Her jaw burned.
She clawed at her face as her teeth pushed down, elongating and pressing painfully against her lips. She gagged, coughing with saliva spilling as her mouth forced itself wider.
“I can't stop it”..i can't," it's not stopping", Noo"AHHH!" she cried.
Ethan swallowed hard, his eyes wide open in terror. “You’re changing. I know it hurts", but you’re not losing yourself. You have to focus on your mind, Alisa" Focus.”
Alisa lifted her head.
Her vision sharpened violently, the colors became too bright, smells became overwhelming,"Ethan's heartbeat thundered in her ears. The smell of fear flooded her nose.
A low and unfamiliar growl vibrated from deep inside her throat.
Ethan froze.
“Alisa…?” he whispered.
The last wave hit all at once. Her legs snapped and reset, bones shifted with brutal force as fur burst through her skin in grey dark waves. The pain finally perked then snapped into something else entirely.
Power.
Silence followed, only broken by Alisa’s heavy, monster breathing.
Now she stood taller, massive and covered in fur with claws digging into the soil. Her Yellow eyes lifted slowly and locked onto Ethan.
Recognition flickered.
Then hunger surged.
Alisa lunged.
Ethan's eyes opened wild with terror as he exclaimed, "OH MY f*****g GAWD!" He fled and ran with his legs pumping as fast as fear would carry him. He doubled-jumped over rocks like monkeys in the jungle, then finally slipped into a narrow cave as Alisa's claws slashed the air behind him.
Alisa howled furiously before crashing past the cave, sprinting deeper into the forest, the trees blurring as she vanished into the darkness.
The woods slowly went still.
Ethan curled into the cave with hands clamped over his mouth, shaking violently as fear overshadows his whole being.
Outside, somewhere far away, another howl echoed, then nothing at all.
Only silence remained.
- Writer
