The Roar of the Night

11

The next day came with a strange feeling of heaviness. I was trapped in the kennel, a space that barely allowed me to move, with the only option of sticking my head through the bars to look outside. It was uncomfortable, but it was necessary. I couldn't let Lucy see my full form, not after what had happened at the bank. So I stood there, silently, watching her play in the yard.

Lucy seemed lost in thought, her movements slow, almost automatic, as she tossed a ball into the air and caught it again. From time to time, he would look at me, as if he were waiting for me to say something, for me to react, but I couldn't. I didn't know how. Then he came over, putting the ball down and sitting in front of the kennel, right where he could see me.

"Rex?" His voice was soft, almost shy. "Yesterday... something very strange happened." I stayed silent, not moving, just watching her as she continued. "A monster... appeared. It looked like one of those villains that Spiderman fights in New York. But this one was different. He didn't attack, he didn't steal. He saved me."

I felt a knot in my stomach when I heard the word "monster." He couldn't blame her for using it, but it hurt anyway. I forced myself not to react, not to show how much it affected me. She needed time to process everything, and I... I needed to be strong for her.

Lucy continued talking, as if she was remembering every detail of the previous day. "Spiderman has saved me before, you know? There was one time... I was with mom, and some bad men caught me. They tried to throw me off a building, but Spiderman got there just in time. He caught me in the air and left me in a safe place. It was amazing, just like in the movies."

A part of me was glad to hear that, to know that there were heroes like Spiderman protecting Lucy when I was away. But then, his voice became more serious, more introspective. "But this monster... he looked at me in a strange way, like he knew me. Spiderman just left me safe and walked away, but this one... was different. He made me feel... safe, but also scared. As if he wanted to protect me, but he didn't know how."

Lucy's words were heavy in the air, and I forced myself to stay quiet, to keep my head down. Every time she said "monster," a part of me broke a little more, but I knew better than to interrupt her. She needed this, she needed to talk about what she felt.

"Things have been difficult since Mom started dating other men," he continued, his voice dropping even further. "After she and Dad divorced... she's had three boyfriends. The guy she cheated on Dad with... he dumped her when he found out she didn't have as much money as she thought. Now she's dating a very rich, and it seems he wants us to move to London with him."

I noticed the doubt in his eyes, the uncertainty reflected in his expression. "I don't feel safe with him. He's not bad, he treats me well... but a part of me still misses dad. Mom was hesitant to let me come here after the explosion at home. I think she still doesn't know everything that happened "

His words reminded me of that day, when Rhino had attacked our house, and I had done everything I could to save Alex. I remembered how I felt at that moment, the fear of losing someone I loved, and the relief I felt when Alex hugged me and thanked me for saving him. But he couldn't say any of that, he couldn't share those memories with Lucy.

"I don't know what to do," Lucy finally said, her voice almost breaking. "I don't know if I should go with Mom or ask her to let me stay here. I want to be with Dad... but I'm also afraid of what will happen if I leave."

I couldn't speak, I couldn't tell him what I really thought. So I did the only thing I could at that moment: I stuck my head a little further through the bars and gently rested it on his leg, silently begging Venom not to cover my ear like he had before. He didn't want to scare her, not again.

Lucy looked at me for a moment, and then, with a slight smile, she began scratching me behind my ear. I felt immediate relief, not just because of the simple gesture, but because it meant that there was still hope, that I could still reach it somehow.

As I stood there in silence, a part of me wished I could tell her everything I felt, explain to her that I wasn't a monster, that I just wanted to protect her. But for now, this would have to do. It was a start, and that was all that mattered.