2025-03-07 00:36:38The rhythmic tapping of rain against the kitchen window was oddly soothing as Ben Carter rinsed the last plate from his dinner. Life had been strange since the train explosion—a disaster he still couldn’t fully wrap his head around.
How he survived such a ghastly accident still didn't make sense to him. A miracle, one would say, but that ' miracle' had come with consequences - more weird things he could not understand. His hearing had become unnaturally sharp. Sometimes, if he focused too hard, he’d hear strange vibrations in the air, almost like a pulse only he could feel. Ben set the plate on the drying rack and leaned against the counter, wiping his damp hands on a dish towel. The rain outside intensified, thunder rumbling faintly in the distance. He reached for his coffee mug when something caught his attention—a faint noise from upstairs. It wasn’t the normal creaks of an aging house settling. No, this sound was deliberate, almost rhythmic. Like footsteps. He froze, the mug halfway to his lips, straining his ears. Nothing. Maybe it was his imagination. Or maybe not. Ben gently set the mug down and grabbed a flashlight from a drawer. He switched it on. The beam of light cut through the dimly lit house as he made his way toward the stairs. Each step creaked under his weight, the sound amplified in the otherwise silent home. At the top of the stairs, he paused, his heart beginning to race. The hallway stretched before him, lined with doors leading to the bedroom, bathroom, and storage closet. The noise came again, this time from his bedroom. A low, scraping sound, like nails dragging against wood. “Hello?” he called, his voice tentative. There was no answer. Ben’s grip tightened on the flashlight as he approached the door. It was slightly ajar, swaying gently as if disturbed by a draft. “Who’s there?” he asked, his voice firmer now, though fear crept into his tone. He pushed the door open with his foot, the hinges groaning. The flashlight beam swept across the room, illuminating the bed, the dresser, and the closet. Everything seemed in place, but the sense of wrongness lingered, settling over him like a heavy fog. Then he heard it—a guttural growl, low and menacing. Ben's heart skipped a beat. He turned sharply toward the corner of the room with the flashlight trembling in his hand. Something moved in the shadows, its outline barely visible. At first, he thought it might be a dog, but as it shifted closer, he realized how wrong he was. The thing was crouched low, its elongated limbs ending in jagged claws that glinted in the light. Its body was a grotesque combination of muscle and sinew, and its eyes burned a sickly yellow, locking onto him with an unnatural intensity. Ben stumbled back, his breath catching in his throat. “What the hell…” The creature lunged forward without warning, moving faster than anything he’d ever seen. Its claws raked across his arm as he threw himself to the side, crashing into the dresser. Pain shot through him, hot and sharp, as blood began to seep from the gash. The flashlight clattered to the floor, its beam casting wild, disorienting shadows. Ben scrambled to his feet, clutching his injured arm. The creature turned, its movements unnaturally fluid, and let out a snarl that rattled in his chest. It charged again, and he barely dodged, it's claws narrowly missing his face. The ringing in his ears started, louder and more intense than ever before. His vision blurred slightly as the sound grew, resonating through his skull. He clutched his head, trying to drown it out, but the vibrations began to ripple outward, distorting the air around him. The creature hesitated, its glowing eyes narrowing as it tilted its head, confused by the strange phenomenon. Ben didn’t understand it either, but he seized the moment, raising his uninjured hand instinctively. A wave of sound burst from him, a force so powerful that it knocked the creature back into the wall. The drywall cracked under the impact, and the creature let out a piercing shriek. Ben stared at his trembling hand, disbelief washing over him. He didn’t have time to process what had happened before the creature recovered, its snarl deeper and more guttural. It lunged at him again, faster this time, and Ben’s second blast of sonic energy was weaker, unfocused. The creature shrugged it off and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. The air left his lungs as the weight of the monster pinned him down. He struggled, thrashing beneath the creature as its claws tore into his shoulder. The pain was excruciating, white-hot and unrelenting. His hands trembled, trying to summon another burst of power, but his strength was fading fast. Ben kicked out with his legs, managing to knock the creature off balance for a split second. He rolled away, grabbing the overturned flashlight. The beam illuminated the creature’s grotesque face, its yellow eyes glaring with primal fury. Ben swung the flashlight with all his might, striking the creature’s head. The impact stunned it briefly, and Ben scrambled to his feet, clutching his bleeding arm. He backed toward the door, his breathing ragged, his mind racing. The vibrations in his head grew stronger again with the sound building to an almost unbearable crescendo. Desperation took over. He closed his eyes and focused, channeling all his energy into one final blast. The sonic wave erupted from him, shaking the walls and shattering the bedroom window. The creature was thrown backward, crashing into the closet door. For a moment, it lay still, and Ben dared to hope it was over. But the creature stirred, its movements slow and deliberate. It rose to its feet, its claws scraping against the floor as it let out a guttural growl. Ben’s legs gave out, and he collapsed against the doorframe, his vision swimming. The creature stalked toward him with its eyes glowing brighter, and its movements predatory. Ben’s strength was gone, his powers drained. He tried to crawl away, but his limbs refused to cooperate. Blood pooled beneath him, his breaths shallow and labored. The creature loomed over him, its jagged claws raised for the final blow. Ben’s vision blurred, as the world around him faded away.
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Chapter 1
Dan was a man caught between frustration and resignation. His reflection stared back at him, hollow-eyed and tight-jawed, as he sat with his head leaning against the glass window, watching the blur of passengers filing into the train as their voices formed a distant hum in his ears. He’d spent the last year juggling nearly five part-time jobs, scraping together every bit of dignity and ambition he could muster to prove himself. All of it—every sleepless night, every penny saved—had been for her.But none of it had mattered.The memory of Lauren's parents was still fresh, like a bruise that wouldn’t fade. Just days ago, he’d stood awkwardly in their pristine living room, wearing the one decent shirt he owned, hoping this time would be different.But the polite smiles had quickly turned into thinly veiled contempt, and before he could even defend himself, her father’s words had cut deeper than any blade,"You’ll never be good enough for our daughter, Dan. Stay away from her."And then,
