Steven pushed open the door, stepping into the dimly lit living room. He was exhausted—his body sore from the transformation, his mind still reeling from everything he had just experienced. The moment he entered, he could feel the tension in the air. Kristina and Jim were sitting on the couch, both of them staring at him, their eyes filled with concern, fear, and confusion.
Kristina stood first, her voice shaking slightly as she spoke, "Steven, where have you been? We've been calling you, texting you, and you've been ignoring us. What's going on? Are you... are you okay?"
Steven hesitated, shifting uncomfortably. The truth felt like a weight on his chest, something that he couldn't bear to say out loud. He didn't want them to know. He didn't want to admit it. But he couldn't hide it anymore. He couldn't pretend.
"I..." He looked at Kristina, trying to steady his voice. "I became a monster at night," he finally muttered, his voice barely above a whisper.
Kristina's face paled, her breath catching in her throat. "What? What are you talking about, Steven?" Her voice was frantic, as if she couldn't quite process what he was saying. "What do you mean by monster? You're scaring me."
Jim, standing behind her, crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "What is this, Steven? Are you messing with us? You've been acting weird for days, and now you're telling us you're some kind of monster?" His voice was firm, but there was a hint of worry in it, as if he was trying to keep his calm.
Steven's hands clenched into fists at his sides. He wanted to say more, to explain, but he couldn't find the right words. The truth was, he didn't fully understand what was happening to him. All he knew was that when the sun went down, something inside him changed—something dark and violent. And he had no idea how to stop it.
"I'm not messing with you," Steven said, his voice cracked with emotion. "I don't know how to explain it, but every night... every night I turn into something else. Something... terrifying. It's like I lose myself. I can feel the power coursing through me, and I can't control it. I hurt people." His eyes were desperate, and he couldn't bring himself to look at either of them for too long.
Kristina took a step closer, her voice breaking as she spoke, "No, Steven, you're not a monster. You can't be." She reached out to him, her hand trembling as it hovered near his arm. "You're still you. You have to be."
Steven flinched at her touch, pulling away slightly. "No, Kristina. I'm not the same. I've... done things. Bad things." He ran a hand through his hair, pacing in frustration. "I don't know how to stop it. I don't know what I've become."
Just as the words hung in the air, the sharp sound of a car screeching to a halt outside caught their attention. The familiar flash of red and blue lights filtered through the curtains of the window. Kristina turned toward the window, her eyes widening in disbelief. "What... what is that?" she whispered.
The knock came almost immediately after. Loud, insistent, and heavy, echoing through the house like the sound of impending doom.
Steven froze. He recognized the knock. The police were here.
Kristina's face filled with dread as she turned to look at him. "Steven... what's going on? Why are they here?"
Before Steven could answer, the doorbell rang, loud and commanding. He slowly walked toward the door, his footsteps heavy, his mind racing with the weight of the situation. He knew what was coming.
He opened the door, and two officers stood on the other side, their faces grim and accusing. The officer in front, a tall man with dark hair and a stern expression, didn't waste any time. "Steven Henderson, we need to speak to you. We've received reports of a creature in the area—multiple sightings. People have said they saw it near here. There are witnesses who've identified you. They're claiming it's you."
Kristina gasped, her hand covering her mouth as she looked at Steven in horror. Jim's eyes widened, confusion and fear twisting his features. "What? What do you mean they saw him? What's happening, Steven?"
The officers stepped inside without waiting for an invitation, their eyes scanning the room as if expecting to find something out of place. The lead officer turned to Steven, his gaze hardening. "You need to come with us," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "We've already gotten calls about your... activities. People are afraid. We need answers."
Steven felt the weight of their gaze on him, his heart pounding in his chest. He had tried to keep everything under control, to keep the darkness inside him hidden, but now it was spilling out. How could he explain this to them? How could he explain that he was the creature they were hunting?
"I—I can't," Steven said, his voice cracking. "I can't explain it. I don't know what's happening. But I'm not... I'm not what they're saying. I'm not the one they're after."
The officer didn't seem convinced. "We've had multiple reports of a creature with your description in the area. People are terrified. You need to come with us for questioning."
Kristina stepped forward, her voice shaking with fear as she said, "Steven... is it true? Are you the one they've been seeing? What's happening to you?"
Steven's heart sank. He couldn't lie to her. He couldn't hide from the truth anymore. He looked at her, his eyes filled with anguish. "Yes... I am. I'm the one they've been seeing. But I swear to you, Kristina, I don't want this. I didn't ask for it."
Before the officers could take another step toward him, there was a sudden shift in the air. The temperature in the room seemed to drop, the lights flickering. Steven's hands trembled, and his heart raced. He felt the power inside him stirring again, threatening to break free. He could feel the fire in his veins, the need to escape, to run, to fight.
The officers seemed to notice the change in the air, their eyes darting to each other, unsure of what was happening.
"Steven, what's going on?" Jim asked, his voice full of fear.
The officers' hands instinctively moved to their holsters, but they didn't pull out their weapons just yet. The tension was thick, almost suffocating.
"I... I need you to leave," Steven said, his voice low and dangerous. The officers hesitated, but before they could respond, Steven's body tensed, his teeth clenched, and he looked at them with a fury in his eyes that made them take a cautious step back.
"Get out," Steven growled, his voice echoing with an otherworldly power. The officers, sensing the threat, slowly backed away, not daring to take another step closer.
"Alright, Henderson. We'll be back," the officer said, his voice shaky now, as he motioned for the other officer to leave.
The door slammed shut behind them, and the room fell silent. Kristina and Jim stood frozen, their gazes fixed on Steven.
He turned to face them, his chest heaving with exertion, his hands still trembling. "I didn't mean for this to happen," he whispered. "But I can't control it. I don't know how much longer I can keep it inside me."
Kristina took a step closer, her eyes filled with fear and concern. "Steven... you don't have to do this alone. We're here for you. We'll figure this out together."
But Steven could only stare at her, his heart heavy with the realization that he might already be too far gone to ever return to the person he once was.
And the truth hit him harder than ever before—he was no longer just Steven Henderson. He was something far darker, something far more dangerous. And the world would never look at him the same way again.
The police officers hesitated outside Steven's house, exchanging wary glances. The unease in the air was palpable. Their instincts told them not to push further, but they weren't giving up on their target. After all, Steven Henderson was now their prime suspect in a case filled with fear and mystery.
As they walked to their squad cars, Jim and Kristina decided to step outside for some air, their emotions swirling after the intense confrontation inside. But the moment they stepped out onto the porch, the officers intercepted them.
The lead officer smirked coldly. "You two know more than you're letting on. Don't you?" he asked, his voice low but menacing.
Kristina froze, her breath catching in her throat. "What are you talking about?" she stammered.
The officer leaned closer, his tone laced with blackmail. "You'll convince Henderson to come with us willingly, or we'll make sure you both are implicated too. Harboring a suspect is a serious crime."
Jim's fists clenched at his sides. "You can't do this! You have no proof!"
"Proof?" The officer laughed mockingly. "I've got enough witnesses and terrified townsfolk to make a case. If you don't want to be part of the collateral, you'll cooperate."
Inside the house, Steven could hear the conversation. His anger boiled as he clenched his fists, his breath quickening. The fire inside him stirred, his soul igniting with a rage he couldn't contain. He walked out onto the porch, his presence commanding, his eyes dark and burning with an unnatural glow.
"I'll come with you," Steven said through gritted teeth, his voice low and dangerous. "But leave them out of this."
"Good choice," the officer said, smirking triumphantly.