Chapter 2 Monster

Cathy's POV...

2 years later...

The sharp scent of disinfects invaded my nostrils. The beeping of a monitor made me flinch as my heavy eyelids opened. Squinting in an attempt to clear my blurry vision, I took in the deserted hospital room. The florescent lighting bounced off the overly bright white walls, making my eyes hurt even more. Turning my head slightly, I saw Bailey, my roommate, taking her flask out of her oversized purse.

It's a little too early to be celebrating my death, isn't it?

Grunting, I tried to sit up. All of the sudden, I heard a piercing scream that sent a sharp pain through my already throbbing head. I looked in the direction where it came from and noted Bailey s disbelief and horrified expression.

"Oh, my God! You're a g-ghost?!" she squeaked.

I swung my legs down from the bed and I looked down at my puffy feet. A wave of dizziness hit me and I felt the urge to vomit.

"Why… are y-you not dead?!"

For fuck"s sake, please shut up. I glared at her and reached up to rub my forehead to ease the increasing pain.

"Disappointed?" I asked.

I grimaced at her stupid face and then glanced around the room. Spotting my clothes, which were hanging in the small closet, I tried to stand to make my way to the bathroom. I wanted to get out of this damned hospital gown. It was itchy and made me even more uncomfortable.

Passing by Bailey, she stuttered, "T-the doctor a-and the n-nurse came here a while ago. T-they said your heart stopped! H-how are you alive?"

I watched as the color drained from her face as she took a swig from her flask. Knowing that she was more likely depressed than shocked, I sighed and pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance.

"What happened?"

"W-well we went to the club last night... maybe you drank more than you thought and got into an accident?"

Oh… right. Last night, I went to the club with her after losing the last of my possessions - my job. I borrowed her car and was driving back home when I swerved so I didn t run over a stupid squirrel and ended up crashing against a giant tree.

How pathetic? Why can't I just die? Sometimes I really feel like I am a jellyfish who won't die no matter what.

Inhaling a deep breath, I went to the washroom to change into my clothes. Before exiting the hospital room, I grabbed my purse. I slammed the door shut behind me and hurried toward the exit.

I needed to get out of this place as soon as possible. I didn't have the money to pay for the hospital bills. Also, there was no one who would pay the bills for me.

When I said no one, I meant it. Like real hard.

No family. No friends. No one in this whole damned world who cared for me.

I grew up in the dark recesses of an orphanage. It was a small room that was probably, the size of a closet. They kept me locked up in there because I had "anger issues." That was just a nice way of saying that I beat the living shit out of anyone who pissed me off. Everyone called me a monster. However, when I turned eighteen, a man named Mr Richard came to the orphanage claiming to be my uncle. He said he was from my father's side of the family.

A routine background check was issued and it came back to be true. I was still skeptical. He told me that after my father died that he was the one who took care of me. But, I ran away when I was four and that s how I ended up in the orphanage… for fourteen years. I could never fully believe what he told me. That didn t stop everyone from singing his praises though. They were happy to be rid of me. So, I went to live with him although nothing really changed. I was still treated like an outsider and two years ago my nightmare turned into a fucking shit show.

2 years ago...

"Cathy, could you come down here please?"

I heard my uncle, Mr Richard's call while I applied the finishing touches of my makeup. He had informed me earlier that we were going out for my eighteenth birthday and that I needed to I dress up. Happiness filled me and I embraced the feeling of finally having a family. I wasn t locked up in a small closet and Uncle always treated me with kindness.

"I'm coming!"

I placed the lipstick back onto my vanity and walked out of my room. As I entered the living room, I noticed the man, who was sitting beside my uncle. I smiled awkwardly and went to sit on the sofa across from them. I passed by the coffee table and noted the strange objects that were on its surface. There were two sticks, something like a pen, and a strange map. I wasn t surprised, as I had learnt that my uncle was a magician and fortuneteller. His predictions were never wrong.

I looked up and saw him watching me with a bright smile. "Cathy, this is my friend, Mr. Carter."

I nodded and the man gave me a crooked smile. Feeling my skin crawl under his scrutiny, I cleared my throat. "Hello."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Cathy."

There was an awkward silence and I looked at my uncle.

"Cathy, can you do me favor?" He paused as he noticed my confused expression. "Could you take him up to your room for a little while?"

My stomach dropped and my breathing hitched for a moment. "Why?"

I could see he wasn t happy with me questioning him, but I didn t care.

"I need him to stay in your room for a while so I can execute a spell. It is quite dangerous and I don't want Mr. Carter to get injured."

Not wanting to make him upset and being way too trusting, I lead the man to my room. As soon as we were both inside, I heard the door close and lock from the outside.

"W-why did he lock the door?" I wondered out loud.

Without replying, Mr. Carter grinned and sauntered towards me. With one swift movement, he switched off the lights. Only a small amount of light drifted into my room from the window and I could see his dark eyes leering at my body like some kind of wild animal. I shut my eyes tightly and I felt my heart slam against my ribs. Sick with dread, I stumbled backwards.

"Don't come any closer or I'll scream!"

Warning bells were going off in my head with every step he took. His face broke into an evil grin.

"Uncle!" I screamed as Mr. Carter reached over and grabbed my butt. "Uncle, please help me!"

No one came. The man didn't bother moving from his spot and my screams made his smile grow even wider. Terrified, I held my breath and then I realized that it must have been my uncle that arranged this. He is the one responsible. Why?! Why did he do this to me?

The foul man caged me against the wall and I froze in place. In that moment, all I wanted was to get my pepper spray and empty its contents at his disgusting face. Panicking, I tried to just wiggle my fingers, I couldn t move. I was paralyzed and that's when I heard the familiar voice my head.

"That's right I'm still fucking in here," he said.

I haven't heard his voice for a while. I don t know how he came to live around me. What I did know was that he scared the living shit out of me. When I was locked up in the orphanage, he would frighten me with nightmares and tell me of all the horrors he had seen while in Hell. He always made me feel ugly and unwanted because of how I looked. Whenever I stood in front of a mirror he would laugh at what I wore, the freckles sprinkled on my face, or the way I tied my hair. And the worst thing, he would target my body to hurt the most.

During one of our many fights, I broke all of my mirrors so I couldn t see myself or him anymore. I thought he had left because I had a family now. But, no! Now he was back. I desperately wanted to fight and make this scumbag writhe in pain beneath my feet, but the demon held me still. He was enjoying my torment… what a bastard!

Mr. Carter's hand moved to the area between my thighs and I felt the hair on the back of my neck rise. Goosebumps broke out all over my body. Suddenly, I was able to move again. My skin started to stretch to the point of making my veins bulge and my nails elongated into claws. Well, this was new. Was the demon doing this or was it something else? I felt powerful - more powerful than I have ever felt before. It was like I had the strength to kill ten men at once. My body was shaking with the intense changes and I let out a small groan when a sharp pain shot up my spine.

Mr. Carter wasn't even paying attention to how I was changing because he was so focused on unbuttoning my blouse. Rage filled my soul and I sincerely wanted to kill him. I grabbed his hands and forced them behind his back.

"You bitch!"

He was struggling and tried to free his hands. Effortlessly, I shoved him up against the wall and wrapped both of my hands around his neck. I smiled. I swear that I could smell the rankness of his fear.

"W-what is happening with you? W-why are your eyes turning red!?" He coughed as I tightened my grip. "Let me go, please!"

He grabbed something off of my vanity and slammed it against my head.

I swore and winced in pain. Letting him drop to the floor, I pressed my hands on my forehead to stop the bleeding. Desperately, he ran to the door side and banged on it. It finally opened and he tumbled out of the room. I heard the door lock again. Sighing in relief, I turned the lights on to survey the damage. I stood before the mirror to see what had happened to me. Flinching in terror, I stared at my reflection.

My once smooth and tanned skin was now rigid and white as paper. Honestly, it almost looked bluish due to my protruding veins and my eyes, which were hazel, were now blazing red.

"She is a monster!"

I heard Mr. Carter declare from the other side of the door. But I didn't know why but I felt someone had put a hand on my hair. It was that type of warmth I had been craving for all these years.

There wasn't anyone in this room yet I felt there was someone watching me and whispering in his weakest voice.

"I am so sorry. It's... because of me... Everything is happening because of me." And that was the last thing I heard before I fell unconscious onto the floor.