The Beast I Have Become

Chapter 5

Mark's POV

The day has flown by. I was just thinking about how I scratched Ryan. I didn't even try to or anything. I just grab him and the next thing you know I scratch him! I didn't even know I did until he pointed it out!
        Tomorrow night is the full moon, Mark! I say happily in my head. I take a nice hot shower before heading to bed. I bury myself under the covers and take off my glasses and set them on my bedside table. I sigh as warmth and comfort rolls over my body. After a good twenty minutes or so, I fall asleep.

***

Blood. Death.
        The events flash before my eyes as it happens. I'm running through the woods. I find a thing and I attack it. I rip at it and bite it. I rip meat from bone and feast on my prey. My hands are bloody and blood is dripping down my chin and throat but I don't care. I'm half-naked, I don't have a shirt. I only have pants.
       I hear a scream. A flash of blue and red lights flashing before me. I hear yells and bangs. I get out of there as quickly as possible, not wanting to risk death. I stop and get my humanity back. I look down at my bloody hands and realize. I've killed another. I ate another...

I'm a cannibal...
I'm a monster...

***

I wake up screaming, sweat dripping down my face. Matt comes running through the door.
        "MARK!" He replies frantic and worried. "I heard you scream, are you ok?!" I stop my screaming and am left panting heavier than a dog that ran a marathon.
        "B-bad dream," I stutter still staring off into space. "V-very b-bad dream. Horrible. N-nightmare." Matt sits next to me on my bed and rests his hand on my bare shoulder. He pulls back quickly.
        "Fuck!" He replies. With the terrifying images of my nightmare going through my head. I can't focus enough to actually ask if he is ok. "Mark you're hot as hell! Like, literally hot! You feel almost like you're burning up!" I'm still too caught up to really pay attention or even care.
        "I don't feel any different," I reply in a monotone. "I feel normal." Matt looks my way and puts my glasses on. He puts them on carefully, cautious not to stab my eyes out with them. My eyes focus and my vision clears.
        "I don't know if it's just me, but Mark your eyes lighter too," he replies while looking into my eyes. He picks up my phone and flips the camera up and shows the camera to me. I look at my phone screen as I see myself. My hair is a ruffled mess and I have still wet drool on the corner of my mouth. Gross. I then notice my eyes, and like Matt said, they're a bit lighter. Almost like a hazel color. It's noticeable, but not too noticeable unless you knew me like Matt and Ryan. They look the same, but with a lighter tint of yellow to them. I open my mouth and look at my teeth which are a bit pointier than usual.
         "As much as I hate saying this to you," he replies slowly. I know what he's gonna say. "I think Ryan is right about your 'condition'. The eyes, your teeth, and probably the nightmare too."
        "No," I reply, my brain going into sudden denial. "Fucking hell. No. No. No. No. Just...no! I literally can't think of any other words to say other than no!" Matt gives me a pitied look.
        "Mark," he says slowly. "You're going into denial. You know the facts are adding up. Stop denying when the facts have slapped you, showed you their name tag, and introduced themselves to you. Stop denying it." My mind is confused beyond confused. I can't think straight, I'm frantic and nervous, and I'm hyperventilating.
        "B-but I-I-I can not possibly be a-a-a-a m-monster," I reply while looking down at my shaking hands. "This can't be happening." Though my glasses are on, my vision blurs terribly. I blink and try to focus my eyes, but they just become even more blurry and then my vision darkens.