✔️ MONSTER ➩ Ben Hargreeves

ｕｎｆｏｒｔｕｎａｔｅ

"Ben!" She laughed through her tears as I ran to meet her.

I kissed her. And she kissed me. It was like that day so many weeks ago. I had never even left. There was something inside me that wanted to give her all I had. But before I had the chance she pulled away and started laughing.

"I thought I would never see you again! It's been the longest month of my life. I love you." I had no words for her. So I kissed her, again and again.

"I've got to tell you something." I smiled at her. "And then I've got to show you something."

"Ooh," her eyes lit up. "Sounds fun."

"First of all... Luther and I had to share a room."

She wrinkled her nose. "That must have been terrible!"

"Trust me, it was." I smirked. "But here's the thing. On the last night, he woke me up and started talking to me."

"Umm I don't think I want to hear boy talk." She laughed at her own remark.

I didn't want to get serious after seeing her so happy but I had to prove Luther wrong. I had to prove I was right.

"Galena! This is serious!" My words didn't match my actions as I continued to laugh with her.

"C'mon then, show me!"

"I'm going to! But I have to tell you first. Um... well, Luther wanted me to call it off with you."

Her smile faded. "You're not-"

"No, no I wouldn't. Not now. And that's why I'm doing this, to prove him wrong."

"You're confusing me. Ben, what do you mean? What are you going to do?"

"He said I couldn't control my own powers and that I might hurt you. I'm going to prove him wrong."

I beamed with delight. But Galena didn't have the reaction I was expecting. She didn't even have a response. She should be excited. She should be beaming like I was. Instead she was... I don't know what she was.

My eyes stared into hers, searching for a hint of what she was thinking. She seemed... scared.

"Galena, are you okay?"

"Wha- what?" She came back to Earth. "Yeah. Yeah I'm okay. I was just thinking. Maybe Luther was right."

I laughed. "Are you kidding? I can control myself, Galena. I know my own powers. You know you can trust me."

"I don't-"

"Just watch."

I could do this, I know I could. I closed my eyes.

Breathe in.

Breathe out.

Focus.

My head began to throb. The feeling I always imagined Klaus felt after drinking too much. Then there was the pain in my stomach, the familiar pain I was used to.

I never really see the monsters when they first come out. I know they're there because the pain gets worse. The pain was getting worse now.

They wouldn't harm Galena. They knew what my intention was but I forced myself to open my eyes just to make sure.

Tentacles everywhere. These monsters were kind but deadly. I hoped they would be kind today.

I saw one reach to a tree, pick something off of it, and hover it in front of Galena. She smiled and took it.

It was crazy to me. I felt like it was all a dream. I would wake up and none of this would have ever happened.

But as the tentacle stared near Galena my thoughts faded. It had begun to wrap around her waist. It wouldn't hurt her though.

She was soon lifted up in the air, terror and awe written all over her face.

Another tentacle came to her back, rested on her shoulders, and then around her neck.

"Ben! Ben, they're hurting me." Galena pleaded.

I couldn't assure her otherwise but I knew they weren't. The monsters wouldn't hurt anyone I didn't want them to. I was controlling them.

"Ben." Her plea had more breath in it now. Her face was flushed from what I assumed was fear.

Maybe I should stop them. I closed my eyes again.

Focus.

I checked to see if anything had changed but there was nothing.

Focus.

Nothing was happening. I was losing control.

"Ben, stop them!"

"Oh my gosh, Ben!" I heard a voice yell from behind.

I didn't turn around to see who it was. I had keep my eyes closed I had to focus.

The monsters shrieked back in terror. I felt their tentacles recoil back toward me. Something hurt them.

They were inside me now and the pain was gone so I opened my eyes. There was a trail of blood on the ground and a tentacle where the two stood.

Diego was comforting Galena. My Galena.

I stepped into a pool of blood but decided not to meet them. Galena was crying.

"Thank you, thank you so much." She hugged Diego.

He looked over her neck and so did I. There were markings on it. I hurt her.

"You're hurt." He informed her softly. "Come inside. Mom will have something for you."

Instead I went inside. If Dad ever found out about this, I would be dead. I knew Mom wouldn't tell him and I hoped Galena would get better. But now I knew I could never face her again.

My dream had become a nightmare.