Living Hunger

Frederique sat alone in her room that night, staring at the reflection in her bedroom window.

Her own face stared back... but it didn't feel like hers.

The shadows under her eyes seemed darker. Her skin paler, stretched tight. The way her gaze lingered on the glass, unfocused... it wasn't just exhaustion.

' You're possessed.'

Arno's words replayed, over and over.

She touched her cheek lightly. Her skin was warm, but beneath it, something else simmered. A constant pressure. An itch deep inside her bones.

And the hunger.

Always the hunger.

No matter how much she ate at dinner, it remained. It wasn't just physical.

It felt like something else clawing at her mind.

She clenched her jaw, tearing her gaze away from the window.

" I'm not a monster. "

But the memory of almost attacking Mathis lingered. The way her senses had sharpened. How easy it would've been to...

" No. "

She wouldn't think about it.

Not now.

The floor creaked softly as she stood, moving toward her bed. Sleep. She just needed sleep.

But as she lay there, staring at the ceiling, the whispers began again.

' Feed. '

Her stomach twisted violently.

She squeezed her eyes shut.

" Stop it. "

But the voice didn't stop.

" Let me out. I can take care of this. "

Her hands curled into fists against the blankets.

It wasn't her.

It was... whatever thing Arno had mentioned. The creature inside her.

But then...

A new sound.

*Tick. Tick. Tick.*

Frederique's eyes snapped open.

The sound wasn't coming from inside her mind this time.

It was coming from outside.

Slow.

Deliberate.

Like claws tapping against glass.

' The window.'

Her pulse spiked as she sat up, heart pounding against her ribs.

* Tick. Tick. *

The shadows beyond the window were impossibly dark.

She couldn't see anything.

But something was there.

Watching.

" You feel it too, don't you? "

The hunger surged, but this time it wasn't directed inward.

It was defensive.

Like whatever was inside her... knew.

Frederique swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand. She crept toward the window, every step echoing in the silent house.

The glass fogged slightly as she exhaled, breath shaky.

Nothing.

Just the empty street below.

But the moment she turned away...

* The glass cracked. *

She spun around just in time to see it.

A pale shape.

It wasn't human.

A gaunt face, pressed against the window. Hollow eyes. Skin pulled too tight, stretched over sharp, angular bones.

And its mouth...

Unhinged.

Teeth like jagged shards of glass.

Frederique screamed...

But the thing was already moving.

The window burst inward with a shower of glass.

She stumbled back, heart slamming against her ribs as the creature spilled into her room, limbs too long, too thin.

It didn't make a sound.

No growling. No snarling.

It just... watched her.

And the hunger... responded.

Not hers.

The thing's.

It wanted her.

' Run. '

Frederique bolted for the door...

The creature lunged.

Too fast.

It caught her wrist.

Pain lanced up her arm as those glass-sharp teeth scraped against her skin.

' No... '

Something inside her snapped.

A voice not her own roared through her mind.

" Mine. "

Her fingers twisted...

Claws.

Again.

The pain faded, replaced with something... worse.

She twisted, slashing wildly.

The claws caught the creature's face, raking deep into its cheek.

It recoiled with a shriek, black liquid hissing from the wound.

But it wasn't gone.

It circled, slower now, eyes glowing faintly in the dark.

Frederique's breath hitched.

The hunger was louder. Stronger.

" Finish it. "

But she didn't want to.

' Not again. '

' Not like this. '

The creature lunged...

And suddenly...

A shadow dropped from the ceiling.

Something lashed out, slamming the creature against the wall with a wet crack.

Frederique blinked, disoriented...

And then she saw him.

Arno.

Or, at least, something close to Arno.

His hoodie hung loose, his eyes darker than before. And from his mouth...

A tongue.

Long. Black. Winding like a whip around the creature's neck.

The monster thrashed, but Arno's grip tightened.

Frederique stared, heart pounding.

"Arno..."

His eyes flicked toward her.

"Stay back."

The creature snapped wildly, but the tongue didn't let go.

Arno's face twisted with effort. Sweat dripped from his brow. Struggring to keep it down.

She heard the wisper screaming inside her head.

'Now, it's time to finish it'

At that moment she lost control of her body. She pounced on the abomination on the floor. Extending her claws in its direction.

When she got closer, an arm wipped toward her. Cutting a piece of flesh from her hand.

She used her other claw to smach it in the place where the heart is supposed to be.

A quiet shriek was heard.

And then...

A horrible, wet crunch.

The monster went limp.

For a heartbeat, there was only silence.

Arno let the body drop.

His tongue snapped back into his mouth with a sickening slurp, and for a moment...

His face twisted.

Like he was ashamed.

After a moment her body shivered where she stood, the hunger still clawing, the ache still there.

Frederique stared, her breath shaky.

"What... what was that?"

Arno wiped his mouth on his sleeve.

"Another one. Same as before." His voice was hoarse. "You're being hunted."

Frederique felt cold.

"By what?"

Arno hesitated.

Then, quietly...

"By things like us."

*Silence.*

Frederique shook her head, fists clenched.

"I'm not..."

"Yes, you are." Arno's voice cut sharper now. "You are possessed. Stop denying it. It's going to get you killed."

She stared at him, feeling that horrible void pressing deeper.

He softened slightly.

"That thing... it could smell you."

Frederique blinked.

"Smell me?"

"The hunger." His gaze dropped. "It's like... bait. The more you fight it, the louder it gets. You need to learn control, or..."

She swallowed hard.

"Or what?"

Arno's face was grim.

"Or you're gonna end up like them."

The words felt heavier than any insult she'd ever heard.

But she didn't argue.

Because deep down...

She knew he was right.