The awakening
407 Words
The Awakening*
Nina's eyes fluttered open, her head pounding with a dull ache. She lay on a soft surface, the scent of leather and wood filling her nostrils. A dim light cast shadows on the walls, making her skin crawl.
Where was she?
The memories came flooding back – the café, Sophia, Lucas, the figure in the shadows. Her heart racing, she scrambled to sit up, her eyes scanning the room.
She was in a small, cozy room, a single bed against one wall. A wooden chest sat at the foot of the bed, its lid slightly ajar. The room was silent, except for the soft hum of a clock ticking away in the corner.
A door creaked open, and Sophia slipped inside. Her eyes, red-rimmed from crying, met Nina's. "Welcome back," she whispered, her voice trembling.
Nina's mind was a jumble of questions, but one word tumbled out: "Where...where am I?"
Sophia sat beside her, her hands clasped together. "You're safe, Nina. You're with me. You're going to be okay."
Safe? Nina's gaze darted around the room, taking in the unfamiliar surroundings. Nothing about this felt safe.
Sophia's eyes filled with tears. "I'm so sorry, Nina. I didn't want you to find out this way. You're a lycanthrope, a werewolf. And there are those who will hunt you, try to control you, because of what you are."
The words, like a mantra, echoed in Nina's mind. Lycanthrope. Werewolf. The memories of the ritual, the Blood Moon, and the shadows came flooding back.
A shiver ran down her spine as she remembered Lucas's face, the scar above his eyebrow, the piercing green eye. "Lucas...he's..."
Sophia's expression turned grim. "Lucas is...complicated. He's been watching you, protecting you, for years. But he's also...different."
Different? Nina's mind was a jumble of questions, but Sophia's next words cut through the chaos.
"The Blood Moon is coming, Nina. It's a night of power, a night when the veil between worlds is thin. And you're going to need to be prepared."
Prepared? Prepared for what?
Nina's vision blurred, her body tingling with an energy she'd never felt before. The room seemed to shift, the shadows twisting and writhing like living things.
A low growl, like thunder, rumbled in her chest. Her skin pricked with goosebumps as she felt her body changing, her senses heightening.
The transformation was upon her, a maelstrom of pain and power. Nina's vision narrowed to a single, piercing cry...
- Writer
