Forever (Mine II)

Chapter 40

The Monster Within

Kim's transformation was terrifying, a shift from the man he once was into something darker, more unstable. His eyes bore into Bible with a wild intensity, the cracks in his sanity widening with every passing second.

Venice's small voice, trembling with fear, broke through the tense silence. "You're a monster, Papa."

The word hit Kim like a sledgehammer. "Monster?" he echoed, his voice a mixture of disbelief and bitter acceptance. He pointed a trembling finger at himself, the madness in his eyes deepening. "A monster... that's what I've always been, isn’t it?"

He laughed bitterly, a sound that sent chills down Bible’s spine. "Born a human, forced into becoming a monster," Kim continued, his voice low and dangerous. "I was made into a cold, killing machine. But Vegas... Vegas brought me back to life, made me human again. And now... now there’s nothing left of that man except for my kids’ love. But even that… even that is slipping away."

Kim’s gaze turned to his children, who stood frozen in fear. Their wide eyes, filled with terror, broke something deep within him. "Monster?" he repeated, his voice cracking as he pointed to himself again. "Is that what you see when you look at me?"

Venice and Leiah trembled, taking small steps back as they tried to distance themselves from their father’s terrifying transformation. Kim’s heart shattered at the sight, realizing that the only thing keeping him tethered to humanity was slipping away.

Bible, sensing the danger in Kim’s growing instability, stepped forward cautiously. "Kim... the kids… they’re scared. Please, don’t do this."

But it was too late. The children, overwhelmed by fear, turned and bolted out of the room, their small feet pounding against the floor as they fled from the father who had become a stranger.

The sight of his children running from him, terrified of the monster he had become, broke something in Kim. He stood there, staring at the empty doorway where his kids had disappeared, feeling the last threads of his sanity snapping.

"They're scared of me," he whispered, more to himself than anyone else. His voice grew louder, more desperate. "They're scared of me because of you!" Kim shouted, turning his rage onto Bible.

Bible stepped back, fear creeping into his own heart. "Kim, please—"

"You want to leave, right? You’ve been wanting to leave since the beginning!" Kim’s voice was venomous, filled with a toxic mix of pain and anger. "Then go! Get out of my sight before I change my mind!"

Bible’s heart pounded in his chest, fear and sorrow battling within him. Kim was lost, consumed by the darkness he had fought so hard to keep at bay. The man he once loved was buried beneath layers of rage, grief, and madness, leaving nothing but a broken shell behind.

Kim’s eyes were wild, his breathing ragged as he pointed toward the door, demanding Bible’s departure. The anger in his voice was edged with something more—a desperate plea for salvation that he knew would never come.

The door slammed shut behind Bible, leaving Kim alone in the silence of his shattered world. The echo of Bible’s departure reverberated in the room, the final nail in the coffin of everything Kim had tried to hold together. He stood there, frozen, staring at the door that now separated him from the man he loved—his only connection to the past he so desperately wanted to reclaim.

“What have I done?” Kim whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief. His hands shook as they reached up to his face, slapping his cheeks as if trying to wake himself from this nightmare. But this wasn’t a dream. It was the harsh, unforgiving reality.