Living Hunger

The hunger lingered.

Even after the monster had dissolved into nothing and the alley returned to silence, Frederique felt it gnawing. A void, cold and constant beneath her ribs, pressing tighter as the adrenaline faded.

She staggered home, the memory of Arno's words echoing louder than her own footsteps.

' You're possessed. '

' Possessed by what? ' She thought.

She unlocked the door with trembling hands. The house was dark.

Quiet.

Too quiet.

No parents. They were still working. As always.

The shadows pressed close as she walked toward the kitchen, her heartbeat loud in her ears.

She needed food.

She had to eat.

Maybe... maybe that would make the feeling stop.

The fridge door swung open with a soft creak.

Eggs. Bread. Leftover pasta. Cheese.

She didn't think... just grabbed, ripping open packaging, shoving food into her mouth with trembling hands.

The ache didn't ease.

The emptiness only seemed to expand, no matter how much she swallowed.

Her stomach twisted painfully.

Her reflection caught her attention in the window above the sink.

Wide eyes. Pale skin. Greasy hair clinging to her face.

But worse was the way her pupils seemed too large, the edges too dark.

' You're possessed.'

The words hit harder now.

Something's inside you. Something... dangerous.

Frederique dropped the half-eaten sandwich. It hit the counter with a wet, soggy sound.

She backed away from her own reflection, her breathing ragged.

And then...

A whisper.

Faint.

Crawling up from the back of her mind, like static.

" You don't need food. "

She froze.

The voice wasn't hers.

It was softer, sweeter... childlike.

And it was wrong.

" I can feed you... just let me. "

A sharp ache flared in her chest.

She gritted her teeth, clutching the edge of the counter.

" Get out. "

The voice giggled.

" You called me. "

" No... "

" You wanted this. "

Her hands clenched until her knuckles went white.

And then, just as suddenly as it had come, the voice faded.

But the hunger stayed.

----------------------------------------------------------

School felt worse the next day.

The voices.

The stares.

Frederique walked the halls with her head low, keeping to herself, but the whispers found her anyway.

" Fat. "

" Weird. "

" Freak. "

And the hunger stirred again.

Not in her stomach this time.

Deeper.

Like the void inside her was leaning closer, pressing against her mind.

She almost didn't hear the footsteps behind her until it was too late.

"Hey, Freddy Freezerburn!"

A sharp jab to her shoulder.

Frederique flinched, spinning around.

It was Mathis. Of course it was. His smirk was just as cruel as ever, eyes gleaming with the thrill of getting under her skin.

"What's with the dead-eyed look, huh?" He shoved her shoulder again.

"Gonna cry?"

She should've walked away.

She always did before.

But today...

The hunger twisted.

' You don't have to take this. '

Her nails dug into her palms.

"I said... are you gonna cry, piggy?"

Frederique's breath hitched.

Something inside her shifted.

The noise of the hallway faded.

Her vision narrowed... sharp and too clear, as if the world had slowed down.

Mathis' pulse.

She could hear it.

Smell the sweat on his skin, the nervous energy behind his mockery.

And for just a moment...

She felt his fear.

And it tasted... sweet.

' Do it. '

Her fingers twitched.

' One step. Just show him. '

"Hey! Are you even listening, freak?"

Mathis' grin faltered slightly. He noticed something had changed.

She could smell that too.

' Break him.'

Frederique's lips parted...

And then a hand grabbed her wrist.

"Freddy."

The voice wasn't Mathis.

It was quieter.

Familiar.

She blinked.

" Arno? "

Standing beside her, half-hidden under his oversized hoodie. His dark eyes locked on hers.

The hunger lurched, twisting inside her.

But the moment was broken.

The world snapped back to normal.

Mathis snorted, oblivious. "Yeah, keep the creepy boyfriend out of this."

Frederique's fists relaxed. Barely.

"Leave me alone," she muttered, voice hoarse.

Mathis rolled his eyes but didn't push further.

Not today.

As he walked away, Arno didn't let go of her wrist.

Not until Mathis was gone.

Frederique pulled away, glaring.

"What do you want?"

Arno raised an eyebrow.

"You're welcome. Again."

She stiffened.

"I didn't need your help."

His smile didn't reach his eyes.

"Yeah. Sure looked like it."

Silence stretched.

Frederique clenched her fists.

' I almost... '

' No.'

It was the thing inside her. Not her.

But deep down... she wasn't sure anymore.

Arno finally broke the silence.

"You felt it, didn't you?"

She didn't answer.

He nodded anyway, as if he already knew.

"Look... you're on the edge. I've seen it before."

Frederique's glare darkened.

"Don't pretend you know anything about me."

Arno blinked, then his tongue flicked out... just barely visible before vanishing.

"I know exactly what you're feeling. And I know how it ends if you keep ignoring it."

Frederique's stomach twisted.

She hated how calm he was. How sure.

Like he'd already accepted... whatever this was.

"I'm not like you," she said quietly.

Arno's expression shifted.

For the first time, there was something like hurt behind his eyes.

But it was gone just as fast.

"Sure," he murmured. "Keep telling yourself that."

And then... just like the night before... he turned, vanishing back into the crowd.

Leaving her alone.

Again.

But this time, the hunger wasn't just lingering.

It was growing.