Lycan Labyrinth : The Captive Transformation

Chapter 1: The Unremarkable Prelude

Part 1: Whispers of Routine: The Unseen Patterns Weaving Through Alex's Mundane Existence

Alex Reynolds was a humble 21-year-old college student who lived his life in a quiet neighborhood in Cleveland, Ohio. He was one of those young people who could easily integrate into everyday life. He had a slim build, a shock of brown hair, deep-set green eyes, and an air of discreet anonymity. He was anonymous, the kind of person you wouldn't look twice at if you passed him on the street, and that's exactly how he liked it. In the summer of 2001, Cleveland was like any other city. The streets are lined with quaint homes with white picket fences, their shadows stretching lazily across the carefully manicured lawns. The warm midsummer sun shone through the leaves of the towering oak trees, casting dappled patterns on the sidewalk. The birds chirped happily and the distant car noise was just noise. It was a soothing lullaby for the residents who called this place home. For Alex, this was home, a refuge from the chaos of the outside world. He lives in a modest apartment whose walls are covered with posters of bands from his teenage years. The floor creaked in a familiar rhythm as he moved, and the apartment’s layout was seared into his memory. There was an old leather chair by the window, its cracked upholstery evidence of countless hours spent lost in thought. However, for Alex, it was a daily routine that brought him comfort. The steady rhythm of his life was predictable. In college, I studied biology and mastered the intricacies of exams and lectures. His dreams, like those of many of his colleagues, promised a future full of hope and aspirations. He imagined himself in a nice suit, perhaps as a biologist conducting groundbreaking research. His dark descent into a world of horror was a story he couldn't have predicted, a chapter he couldn't even begin to imagine. Alex's daily life went like clockwork. Breakfast was simple, cereal and coffee in preparation for the challenges ahead. "Good morning, Alex," my roommate Jake greeted as I entered the kitchen. "Hi, Jake," Alex replied. "How did you sleep?" Jake asked. "That's nice," Alex said. ''Did you guess?'' Jake said, ''You don't seem to understand.'' Alex shrugged him off. "I had another strange dream." "Another one? What was that about?" Jake asked. Alex hesitated. He didn't like talking about his dreams. They were so strange and disturbing. "Nothing," he said. “Come on, man. You can tell me,” Jake said. Alex sighed. "It was about...a cult." "Cult?" Jake repeated. "Yes, a cult that tried to destroy the world," Alex said. "Wow, that's pretty dark," Jake said. "Right? I don't know where that came from," Alex said. "Maybe I'm reading too many Stephen King books," Jake suggested. "Then I'm going to class," he said. "Me too," Jake said. They put on their backpacks and set off. “Have a nice day,” Jake said. "You too," Alex said. They parted ways and Alex went to the bus stop. He armored himself against the world, wearing frayed jeans, a faded T-shirt, and sneakers. The local university was a haven of learning and discovery, and Alex loved it. He attended lectures, absorbed the wisdom of his professors, and interacted with other students. He wandered through the crowded halls, each step bringing him closer to the future he so longed for. "Hello, Alex," said a familiar voice. He turns around and sees Lisa, his classmate and crush. "Hello, Lisa," he said nervously. She smiled and walked towards him. "How are you?" she asked. "It's okay, thank you," he said. “That’s nice,” she said. She looked at him with her bright blue eyes and he felt his heart skip a beat. "So...I was wondering..." she began. He waited expectantly. "Yes?" he demanded. She took a deep breath and blushed a little. "Do you want to go out with me?" she asked. He blinked in surprise and delight. "Really?" he asked. “Yes, really,” she said. He smiled widely and felt a wave of happiness. “Yes, yes, yes,” he said. As Alex headed to his next class, he felt like he was walking on clouds. He couldn't believe Lisa asked him out on a date. He had liked her for a long time, but he never had the courage to tell her. He thought his girlfriend was out of his league, but apparently she liked him too. He felt like his life was finally going somewhere.

In the afternoon, when the sun reached its peak and the world seemed to stand still, Alex found solace in a park not far from his apartment. He sat on a weathered bench, the warmth of the wood seeping into his clothes. Here he was just another figure among the scattered park visitors, quietly observing the rise and fall of his life. The time I spent in the park felt like minutes and hours passed slowly. He saw children playing on the swings, heard their laughter, and remembered the bells ringing in the distance. Elderly couples strolled hand in hand, their stories etched in the contours of their faces. At 21 years old, Alex felt like a fleeting shadow in the fabric of his own existence, a mere whisper in the symphony of his life. His everyday life was a refuge for him, a refuge from the noisy cacophony of the world. He found solace in quiet moments under the shade of a tree. It was a temporary respite from the invisible horror that awaited him. He decides to call Lisa to confirm the date. He dialed her number and waited for her response. "Hello?" she said. "Hello, Lisa. I'm Alex," he said. He heard her voice and felt a warm sensation in his chest. “I just wanted to see if we still had coffee,” he said. "So where would you like to meet?" she asked. "How about a cafe near the library?" he suggested. "Sure, that's nice," she agreed. "Okay, I'll meet you there at five o'clock," he said. “See you then,” she said. They hung up and Alex put her phone away. He was excited and nervous at the same time. He wanted the date to go well, to talk a lot, and to feel a connection. He hoped this was the beginning of something new and great. He wanted to refresh and change before meeting Lisa. He walked along the sidewalk, humming a song quietly. He did not notice the man chasing him from a distance. He wore a black hooded cloak and carried a silver dagger. There, Alex Reynolds lived his days in the middle of everyday life, in the heart of a strange city, with the reassuring belief that he was safe from the darkness that lurked in the corners of his existence. A shadow that remained unnoticed by the world until one day everything changed and he disappeared without a trace, leaving a blank space in the ordinary life he once knew.