THE MONSTER INSIDE ME (#ONC2024)

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: RAGE

Days pass by. The therapy is progressing well. I feel more relaxed. I haven't made any friends yet. I don't feel like socializing. In the afternoons, Uncle Ryan visits me. He is quite affectionate with me. Today, he stands in front of me and speaks. I don't listen to him; instead, I focus on his masculine face, eyes, and lips. What can I say about his body? I've never seen a man with a muscular body this appealing.

I close my eyes. He asks me in a concerned tone:

"What's wrong, Arabella? Are you okay?"

He takes my hand, and I feel heat throughout my body. I truly am cursed. He is my uncle. I can't feel this! I quickly pull my hand away, avoiding eye contact with him, hoping he doesn't notice the effect he has on me. I say:

"My head hurts. I would prefer to be alone."

"Okay," he says, rising from the chair. "Do you want me to call a nurse?"

"No, thank you. I lie down for a while, and I get better," I explain.

He approaches me slowly. I believe he is a little afraid of me.

"See you tomorrow, Arabella. Take care."

He reaches out and caresses my face. Please do not touch me. But I don't say anything, and he moves closer and kisses my forehead.

"That's what I do when my kids have a headache," he explains.

He goes outside. I am filled with desire. I close my eyes and try to push away the thoughts of him. It's wrong, I remind myself, but the desire lingers, consuming me. I am a monster.

Weeks pass by. Every day, I become more passionate about my uncle. I keep thinking about him. I want him to be with me always. When he doesn't come to see me one afternoon, I think I'm going to die. The absence of my uncle feels like a physical ache in my chest, a longing that I can't shake. I find myself yearning for his presence more and more each day, unable to resist the forbidden desire that consumes me.

He sometimes hugs me, and I press tight against his body to feel his entire anatomy. Like right now. I'm clutching him and drenched. I can't help but feel a rush of warmth and comfort whenever he holds me close, his presence filling the void within me. It's in these moments that I feel truly alive as if nothing else in the world matters except for him and me together. I know. I'm terrible, but I can't help it. He softly pushes me away. I believe he is a little uncomfortable. Maybe rubbing against him was too much.

But I can't help it; his touch is like a drug that I crave more and more of. As he pulls away, I feel a pang of longing. I know that I want more than just a hug from him. I want his love, his attention, and everything. But I also know that I can't push too hard, or I risk scaring him away. So I smile and try to act casual, even though inside I am aching for more of his touch.

"Have you seen the demon lately?" he asks me.

The truth is, I see him every day. He chuckles at my anguish and desperate longing. He claims that my uncle will never love me and that I have to go to his dimension to serve him forever. He says I belong there, and he may not be incorrect.

I reply:

"No, it seems like he forgot about me."

My uncle gasps a sigh of relief and says:

"I am glad, but I do not trust Zamon. Other times, he left you alone for extended periods before returning. You have to be cautious. We're devising a strategy to strike and defeat him, breaking the contract."

I smile like an idiot. He's so bold and attractive. I am in love with my uncle. But this isn't possible. It's forbidden. I can't think about him like this. I am angry—for myself, for the circumstances, and for society, which has never given me anything and now forbids me from loving the only person who has ever cared for me.

I need to get my uncle away from me. The temptation is too strong.

"Go away!" I yell.

My uncle glances at me with amazement. How is he going to grasp what is going on with me?

"Arabella? Are you okay?" he asks.

"No, I am not okay! And I never will be." I replied. "I need you to leave me alone," I demand, my voice cracking with emotion. 

As he stands there, watching me with a mix of confusion and concern, I realize that this is the only way to protect myself from the feelings that threaten to consume me. I know that society would never understand, but I can't deny what I feel for him. It's a battle between my heart and the harsh reality that surrounds us. But for now, I have to push him away, no matter how much it hurts.

He doesn't leave and I'm filled with wild rage. I rush towards my uncle and begin striking him mercilessly. He is startled by my strength. I throw him off the chair, sit on top of him, and continue punching him in the face and chest. My anger and frustration fuel my actions, and I can't stop until I feel some sense of release. The adrenaline coursing through my veins pushes me to keep going, despite the pain in my knuckles and the tears streaming down my face. 

Until my love for him causes me to stop. I collapsed on top of him, crying. My uncle looks up at me with shock and confusion, his face bruised and bloodied. He strokes my hair and murmurs:

"Everything is going to be okay, Arabella."

I want to stay like this forever. I want to stay in his comforting embrace, feeling the weight of my emotions slowly lift off my shoulders. The sound of his soothing voice helps calm the storm raging inside me.