Beastly

Prologue

"How could you do this to him?" Ratna asked. "How could you?"

She weeped over her dying son. Her husband stood over them, wiping off the blood that stained his chin.

"He'll wake up in a few days," her husband answered. "And he'll be better than ever."

"You promised me you wouldn't do this," she whispered to him.

It would've been better if he had actually killed their son. Instead, he'd condemned Arnav to a lifetime of darkness. Ratna withdrew her pistol from her purse and pointed it at her husband.

"What the hell is that going to do?"

He didn't know about the pure silver bullets. Before he could guess, she shot him through the forehead.

Arnav still lay on the floor, motionless and now, not breathing. She knew the changes that would overcome him soon if she didn't act. She pointed the gun at her son. He took one final breath, and her resolve faltered.

There were others in the family that could show him how to lead a life of darkness. He could live a life better than his father. However, if he turned out like his father... she wouldn't be able to see it. She couldn't even imagine seeing the transformation.

The pistol still held three bullets. She could still do the right thing. She could put an end to it all, but it meant ending her son. Her son, who loved gardening and the sunlight. He would never see the sunlight the same way again.

It was still better than no life at all. But the pain he would be in. The things he would have to do to stay alive. Ratna couldn't watch Arnav go through that. She placed the pistol to her forehead and pulled the trigger.