The Wild Within

Nova stood in front of the mirror, staring at the reflection that had become increasingly unfamiliar over the past few months. At sixteen, she was no stranger to change—adolescence was supposed to bring shifts in everything from her body to her moods. But what she saw now sent a chill down her spine.

Her once-smooth skin was now marred with faint reddish patches that seemed to be spreading across her cheeks and arms. It wasn't just acne; it felt different, hotter to the touch. She reached out to trace the marks, her fingers trembling slightly as she did so.

"What the hell?" she muttered under her breath, her voice barely above a whisper. She had always been a quiet girl, one who preferred to observe rather than engage, but this was impossible to ignore.

Nova had always been curious about her origins. Her adoptive parents, Mary and John Carter, had told her she was their "little miracle," found on their doorstep as a baby after a tragic car accident. They had loved her fiercely, raised her as their own, and Nova had grown up believing that she was theirs.

But now, as she stared at the mirror, she couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right. She tried to remember any signs of this change before now. Had there been a time when she felt different? When she noticed an unnatural strength or an insatiable hunger for raw meat?

No, not exactly. But then again, she had always been a curious eater. While her peers preferred broccoli and chicken nuggets, Nova often found herself inexplicably drawn to rare meats—a craving she had always tried to suppress and explain away.

Still, there was no denying what was happening now. As she watched, one of the patches began to pulse with a faint red glow, like a living thing beneath her skin. Nova's heart raced as she pressed her hand against her cheek, trying to ignore the heat that radiated through it.

"Nova, honey, are you okay?" Mary's voice called from behind her, breaking her out of her trance.

She turned to see her adoptive mother standing in the doorway, wearing a faded robe and her hair tied up in a messy bun. Her eyes widened when she saw Nova's hand still pressed against her face.

"What's going on with your skin?" Mary asked, her tone laced with concern.

Nova hesitated for a moment, then stepped back from the mirror. "I don't really know," she lied, her voice barely above a whisper. She could feel the heat of her cheeks flushing as she avoided eye contact.

Mary sighed and nodded, but then stepped closer, reaching out to place a hand gently on Nova's forehead, checking her temperature. "A bit of rest will do you good," she said softly, though there was something in her expression that made Nova feel uneasy. It wasn't just worry—it was something else, something she couldn't quite place.

That night, after Mary had gone to bed, Nova lay awake staring at the ceiling. She kept looking over at her reflection in the mirror, half-expecting the red glow to return. When it did, she closed the mirror and pulled her blanket up tight, trying to pretend that nothing was wrong.

But deep down, she felt deep down that something had shifted in a way she couldn't yet understand.

The next morning, Mary and John took Nova on a weekend trip to a nearby lake—a tradition they had been keeping since Nova was a child. The sun was bright, and the air smelled of pine and fresh mountain air. Nova walked ahead of them, her hands instinctively clenched into fists as she once again felt the strange heat radiating from her skin.

She could feel their eyes on her back, but she didn't turn around. She knew that if she did, she would see the concerned looks on their faces, and she couldn't bear it right now.

As they reached the edge of the lake, Nova stopped suddenly, her breath catching in a strangled gasp as a sharp pain seared through her. Her parents turned to look at her, their expressions a mix of panic and fear.

Nova doubled over, clutching at her chest as tears blurred her vision. She could feel something inside her snapping, breaking away from the control she had tried to maintain. And then, it was gone—replaced by an overwhelming rush of power that left her shaking to her core.

Her transformation was violent and terrifying, a brutal surge of fur and claws erupting from her body as her human form gave way to something else. She felt the weight of her bones shifting, bending, transforming into something unrecognizable. And then, she saw it—the blood. Her parents were standing in front of her, their faces frozen in terror as Nova's new form lunged at them.

But it wasn't intentional. The pain had been too much, too overwhelming, and the instinct had taken over. She couldn't stop herself as she attacked, her newfound strength and speed leaving no room for hesitation.

When it was over, Nova stood trembling amidst the wreckage of her family's love and trust. Her parents lay still, their lifeless eyes staring up at her. Horror and guilt consumed her as the weight of what she'd done settled in.

She ran.

The cold night air bit at her skin as she sprinted into the woods behind the house, her bare feet pounding against the earth. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't stop. She couldn't. Her parents were gone, and it was her fault. She was a monster, and there was no going back.

Nova didn't know where she was going, only that she needed to get as far away as possible. The forest seemed to embrace her, its shadows offering a semblance of safety. She collapsed under the canopy of trees, her body trembling from exhaustion and grief.

Alone and afraid, Nova gazed up at the moon. Its light bathed her in a silvery glow, and for the first time, she felt a strange sense of belonging. The moon seemed to call to her, to soothe her in her anguish. But it couldn't erase what had happened. Nothing could.

As she drifted into a restless sleep, Nova's mind raced with questions. What was she? Why had this happened to her? And most importantly, how was she supposed to survive now?

The answers would come in time, but for now, all she had was the darkness and the haunting echo of her parents' final screams.