The Roar of the Night

13

That night, as the house slept in silence, I felt Venom begin to get restless. I knew this was one of those rare opportunities where we could talk without interruptions. As I settled into the small attic that had become my temporary shelter, Venom broke the silence.

**"You took a big risk today, Rex,"** Venom said, his voice echoing in my mind with a mix of concern and reprimand. **"Fire is one of our weaknesses. We could have... you could have..."**

**"I know,"** I responded, knowing what he meant, but feeling at peace with the decision we had made. **"But it was the right thing to do."**Venom remained silent for a moment, processing my words. **"The right thing? To risk... that, just to save a baby. Why?"**

**"Because a hero saves lives, Venom. A monster destroys them."** I felt the tension in him, but I kept talking. **"Since we've been together, I've seen things I never imagined. I've felt fear, doubt, even pain, like when Lucy called me a monster. That hurt me more than I could explain, but..."**

**"But what?"** Venom asked, almost as if he needed to hear the answer.

**"How did you feel when that lady thanked you? Or when the baby, in your arms, didn't cry or move away? She didn't see us as a monster, Venom. She saw us as someone who protected her, who saved her. his life."**

Venom was silent, but he could feel the confusion and conflict in him. Finally, his voice emerged, softer, almost introspective. **"I don't know how I feel. I'm not used to... to that. To being seen as anything more than... than what I am."**

**"I understand,"** I said, knowing how difficult it was for both of us to accept these new roles. 

**"But together, we can do something good. We can help people, truly protect them. And that's what matters, regardless of how they see us or what they think."**

Venom didn't respond immediately, but I felt something shift in him, a kind of acceptance, maybe a small spark of hope. Finally, he spoke with a determination he had not felt before.

**"Yes, Rex. Let's do it. Let's help people."**

I closed my eyes, knowing that although our path would not be easy, we would walk it together, doing the best we could, side by side.