Hudsonville: Tales of the Hunted

Chapter 17: Metamorphosis

Andy's heart hammered in his chest.

Martin looked haggard, clothes stained, dark circles under his eyes, one arm sizzling and bloody. The boy's senses picked up on every detail, from the slight tremor in Martin's hand to the rapid pulse visible in his neck.

"Dad?" Andy croaked, his voice hoarse. "What are you doing here? How did you...? Are you okay?"

Martin took a step forward, pushing Vick ahead, the barrel of his pistol lodged in the Vampire's back. Vick's eyes were wide with fear, darting between Andy and Martin.

"It's time to go home, son." Martin said. "We're gonna fix this."

Andy hesitated, his teeth briefly grinding together. He shook his head. "I...I'm past that. I'm way past that. What you're sayin' we should do—"

"It don't matter what we do," Martin cut him off. "What matters is we can make you Human again. No more monster inside of you—no more fear."

The words struck Andy like a physical blow. Human. The promise of being Human again was, as always, a tempting one—but that cure came at much too high of a cost. The boy shook his head, trying to clear the fog of pain, confusion and sorrow.

"...Please. This ain't right. You gotta let Vick go, we...we can talk about this!"

Martin's grip on the gun tightened, his hand trembling. Those tired eyes of his sunk toward the captive Vampire, but something behind them steeled. His brows contorted with pent-up fury.

"There ain't nothin' to talk about." Martin growled. "This has gone on long enough. You're comin' with me. Now."

The boy shifted in his bed. For a moment, the gulf dividing him from his father seemed impossibly wide. Andy's face welled with fear, then hurt, then rage. His fists clenched, claws cutting into his palms, blood trickling down the bedside.

"I'm not goin' anywhere with you." Andy said.

The words hung in the air for a long time. Martin's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of hurt crossing his weathered features before they hardened once more.

"...Don't make this harder than it needs to be, boy. I'm trying to help you."

"Help me? By threatening my friends? By workin' for the folk who want me dead?!"

"They don't want to kill you, they want to cure you! Talia was right, these...monsters have poisoned your mind. Can't you see everything I'm doing is for your own good?"

"My own good?!" Andy's shout reverberated throughout the small room. "You're doin' this for yourself! You're doin' this because you can't accept me for what I am!"

Martin grimaced and shook his head. "That ain't true."

"Then why are you doing this?" The boy got to his feet now, taking one angry pace toward his father. "Why can't...why can't you just accept the fact that I'm better off here? That I'm safer here?!"

"You're not safe, you're sick." Martin took a hesitant step back, pulling Vick with him. Andy took another step forward, this time accompanied by the further lengthening of his claws. Blood trickled onto the floor below him. His eyes glowed with intense light.

"Let. Him. Go." Andy demanded.

"Boy..." Martin took another step back. Andy continued on, flexing his fingers, one eye twitching. His lips curved into a snarl. The old man's eyes nervously darted between his son and the door.

"Andy, please," Martin said, voice wavering. "I don't want to hurt you. Just come with me and we can fix this."

"There's nothing to fix!" Andy roared. His tendons tensed and bulged beneath his skin as another wave of pain wracked the boy's body. He doubled over for a second, falling to his hands and knees, panting heavily.