Transformation Tragedies [CoRIII]

Chapter 16 - Realization

Saturday 12.00PM

[Nicole groans heavily as soon as she wakes up and gets caught off guard when she checks the time. Her head throbs a slight bit and her eyes widen when she remembers what happened that night. She quickly gets up and yawns while carefully making her way to the door. Getting used to the bright daylight again, the blue feline squints her eyes until she sits down at the dining table. Richard, who just returned from the garden, gulps when he notices his wife suddenly having made her way out of the bedroom. His heart starts beating faster and he glances outside through the window, where he just had cleaned up blood on the lawn. His ears drop and he slowly approaches the feline, who rests her head on her crossed arms on the table, still groaning in unease. Once she notices him at the table the next second, she quickly rises up and her brows rise as her expression turns concerned. Richard sits down next to her and gently puts his paw onto hers.]

Richard: Are you feeling alright, honey?

[Nicole feels a lump forming in her throat, but swallows it away as she tries to keep herself together.]

Nicole: B-better than last night at l-least...

[Richard doesn't have the option but to bring up the subject when he suddenly feels his worry dominating him. He frowns and puts a small, green collar on the table in front of the cat. Nicole gets tears in her eyes when she recognizes it.]

Richard: Nicole...? What happened...?

[Nicole turns her head away as tears commence streaming down her cheeks and can't handle looking at the collar any longer. She sniffs and starts shivering. The pink bunny moves closer and wraps an arm around her for comfort. He frowns as he does wish for an answer.]

Richard: I'm extremely worried, dear... You haven't even touched the can in the fridge last night.

Nicole: [In a raspy voice] T-the what?

Richard: You know, the cans of tuna that we keep in the fridge for whenever you get hungry at night. The one precaution we kept after the incidents from months ago, remember?

Nicole: Oh... Oh yeah... I- I d-didn't really n-need it...

Richard: You were awake last night, Nicole. What did you do?

Nicole: I... I c-can't...

Richard: Please, I'm begging you. I need to know what is going on so it can be fixed!

Nicole: It can't be fixed.

[Nicole keeps silent and grits her teeth while tears still flow from her eyes, but her tone suddenly darkens as she starts feeling frustrated as well.]

Nicole: I ate a cat, Richard.

[Richard's jaw drops open and his pupils shrink in fear, but still waits for her to speak.]

Nicole: It all started with a phone call I had with Mom and Dad, as I felt curious about Hana after having a nightmare about her... I then got to know they hid information from me and my past had been more complicated than I remembered. Besides, I've lost all my grip I thought I had...

Richard: Grip on the-

Nicole: The Upper Limit, yes. I was just too overcome by emotions and it got me triggered in the most unfortunate way...

Richard: S-so y-

Nicole: I've killed in the past. I've killed another time. My stomach hurts when I think of that pet cat again, but I've entirely lost it now... Those raven skulls... Those too...