Feral Den

Chapter 30

A long corridor stretched. Darkness crowded the corners. Hailee stood in the middle, her feet moving without her permission.
The walls were a crystal black with white between each large brick. Hailee tried to touch it, but it was only her feet moving. Nothing else worked in her body.
The corners changed, and then there was a door. A long tall door. It stood ominously at the end.
Hailee's feet twisted. Her hand reached out but just as her fingertips touched the bite of the door knob, it was as if Hailee was yanked violently back.

Her stomach sucking in as fists dug its long fingers into her abdomen. Hailee gasped, her body doubling as a large surge of anger raced through her veins.
An undeniable urge to destroy something suddenly took over Hailee's entire being until she nearly blacked out with an insatiable blood thirst.

"What do you mean you haven't found a way?!"

SLAP!

Hailee's eyes popped open. Her blood pumping and heart racing in her ears. With her throat bobbing, Hailee gasped. Her body became ramrod, until another slap came to Hailee's neck, then chest.
Blinking, Hailee turned to what was hitting her. Hailee blinked once, then twice, before her hands flew from Notts throat.

The boy choked and gagged for air as he rolled over, pushing Hailee off of him. Hailee watched, eyes blank and yet wide as she watched Nott hold his throat and work his windpipe open once more.
When he seemed to regain his breathing, Hailee moved closer.

"Are you okay?"
Nott flinched, the movement violent when Hailee touched his shoulder. She instantly drew back her hand, eyes widening in surprise.

It wasn't the first time one of the others in her friend group had flinched from her touch. Not by a long shot —but none had flinched as harshly as Nott did just now.

Nott shivered, his hand continuing to clutch his throat as he sat up. Hailee watched as he stood from the bed. Nott wouldn't turn and face her, making Hailee feel... worse?
She pursed her lips, eyes following Nott as he silently left Hailee's room.

Worse?

Hailee frowned.

How... how did she not feel terrible? What even happened?

Sighing, Hailee slipped out of her bed. She stared at the door —but didn't feel any urge to follow Nott. Maybe she should.
Hailee thought she should go after him. Say sorry. Maybe apologize profusely and beg for forgiveness.
But Hailee didn't. She stood in her place, before walking to the bathroom. Hardly noticing she wasn't wearing glasses, and saw her way to the door perfectly before slipping in.

Inside, Hailee locked the bathroom door and slipped her clothes off. The shower head turned on with steam pelting from the stone floor.
Sighing, Hailee pushed back her matty fringe, and looked into the already fogging mirror.

Crash!

Hailee huffed, puffing hard as she fell into the towel rack and hamper across from the bathroom mirror.
Her eyes were wide, horror tearing through Hailee as she stared into her reflection. Where red bled into green, turning her usually magical emerald eyes into a hideous swirl of near black.

Slapping her hands onto her face, Hailee felt her stomach be socked once more, hands gripping tightly into her sides. This made Hailee nearly double over as she gagged for air.

"Himalia."

Hailee scrambled, her feet slipping. Hailee's side crashed into the stone floor, her blood pumping in her ears as Hailee threw her head back.

No one.
Hailee panted, her hand touching her ear subconsciously. Nothing was there.

Hailee touched her mouth, then eyes. Her body shuddered as Hailee climbed to her feet, legs shaky.
In the mirror, Hailee peaked through her fingers. Horrified to see red swirling viciously around the black of her irises. No green was left.