Barely Breathing | Book Three/Season Three A

5

chapter 5

how do you run from the darkness when it lives inside of you?

"Lydia?" I call out into the silence as Stiles and I approach the pool where Lydia stands, shaking.

Suddenly, a strong smell catches my attention, and I stop in my tracks. Stiles notices this and turns around, confusion written on his face.

"What's wrong?" He asks, worried.

"There's a lot of blood over there, Stiles, I can smell it." I whisper. I look past him and see a pool of dark red blood on the concrete and on Lydia's hands.

I feel veins begin to grow underneath my eyes and fangs emerge from my gums. Quickly, I turn around, attempting to hide myself from Stiles and now Lydia who's noticing my hesitation.

"Go Stiles, I'm fine."

"Are you-"

"Go!" I raise my voice firmly, clenching my fists at my sides.

After a moment of silence, I hear him jog in the direction of Lydia and the crime scene.

In the distance, I hear sirens wailing. I decide the best thing for me to do is not be here right now. I look back to see Stiles and Lydia talking before I speed away, not knowing where exactly I'm going.

When I reach the middle of the woods, I look up to notice the full moon. That's why it's so hard for me to control myself tonight.

I look back down, trying to figure out what do to from here. It feels like I'm feeling everything at once, and it's all merging into insatiable hunger.

Just as I'm about to turn and go home-maybe lock myself in my room-a heartbeat starts to thump in my hears.

"You okay?" A voice speaks from behind me.

I turn to see a middle-aged man in jogging attire. Despite his kind check up, the only thing I can focus on is the sound of his blood pumping through his veins.

"You don't look so good." He mutters, his voice low. That's when I notice a smirk growing on his face as he steps forwards.

"Back up." I demand, taking a step back.

"I can help you. Just let me lead you to my car and I'll take you to the hospital to get you looked at." I hear his heartbeat pick up, and that's how I know he's lying.

He's a thirty-something year old creepy liar and just so happens to have a full body sized supply of what my brain is screaming at me to take.

"Yeah...okay." I whisper, my face softening. He smiles, and it's anything but innocent.

I watch as he takes two slow steps towards me before lunging forwards, trying to overpower me. He couldn't have made a worse decision.

As he's about to grab me, I stop him by simply kicking my foot out, causing him to fall on his back.

"Ugh..." He groans, trying to sit up. I let out a cold, dry laugh before grabbing him by the collar and yanking him to his feet.

"What would you have done?" I ask, my voice low and seething with anger.

"What the hell are you talking about-"

"If I were defenseless, alone, innocent...what would you have done to me?" I continue to question, now putting pressure on his throat with my forearm.

"You're crazy." He manages to get out.

"Oh, so now that you're the helpless one, I'm crazy? Funny how that works, isn't it?"