The Monster Within

7. Beautiful Monster

I backed away from him and stumbled over. "No..."

He stood his ground and approached me slowly, "Nellie, what are you?" He asked again.

My eyes widened and I shot up from the ground. "You can't tell anyone! You can't ever tell anyone that you met me. Forget that we met, and leave right now!" I yelled angrily.

"Nellie.." He began.

"Leave right now! Never come back!!!" I screamed at him. "If you come back, I will kill you!" I sobbed.

  I pointed to the door but Ollie just stood there speechlessly.

"Idiot, did you not hear me?" I scoffed in a harsh whisper.

Ollie stepped closer to me until he was just a few inches away. He carefully and gently wrapped his arms around me in a hug.

"What are you doing?" I hissed angrily.

"I'm not leaving you. Especially after what I just witnessed." He murmured, whilst patting my back.

I didn't like being touched. But, for right now, I needed it.

I just stood there in his embrace and cried softly.

~~~~~~

I was sitting on the couch speechlessly and in a daze. Ollie sat next to me quietly.

I felt numb. I'd never felt so guilty or angry with myself for lashing out on someone. I really was beginning to soften.

"Nellie." Ollie shifted uncomfortably, "will you please talk to me? Say something.." He mumbled.

I sighed and fiddled with my brown hair. "I wasn't always.. Like this." I murmured softly.

Ollie looked at me expectantly, eager to hear more.

I cleared my throat and leaned back against the couch. "It all started when I turned 13. So, a little more than two years ago.." I thought back to what happened..

•••••••••

"Blow out your candles, Nellie!" My mom exclaimed excitedly.

I closed my eyes and blew it out. "I'm finally a teenager!!" I jumped up and down in excitement.

"You're growing up so fast!" My dad smiled.

"Wait! I bought a special candle, so we have to use it!" My big sister Anna said as she ran to a drawer.

"A special candle?" I asked.

"Yes!" Anna exclaimed, rushing back to me with a fancy candle. She put it in the cake and lit it with a lighter.

  The fire on the candle began to change colors, from yellow to blue, pink, green, purple, red.

  "Ooh. Pretty." I spoke in awe.

The fire suddenly made popping and crackling noises. The flame turned black.