The forest behind Lila Morgan's house had always been her sanctuary. Each tree, each winding trail, felt familiar, like an extension of herself. She loved the way sunlight filtered through the leaves, painting the ground in golden shards that danced as the wind whispered through the branches. Today, though, the forest felt… different.
It was quieter. Too quiet. The usual hum of birds and rustling critters was absent, replaced by a stillness that made her skin crawl. Lila shrugged, trying to convince herself it was nothing. She had wandered these woods countless times before; there was nothing to fear.
Her sneakers crunched softly on the carpet of fallen leaves as she moved deeper, curiosity urging her forward. "I should probably turn back," she muttered under her breath. But something pulled her on, a strange tug at her chest she didn't understand.
A sudden rustle behind her froze her in place. Her heart thumped in her chest as she spun, but there was nothing—only the sway of the trees in the late afternoon breeze. Lila shook her head, trying to laugh at herself. "Get it together, Lila," she whispered.
The silence of the forest pressed in, heavy and unnatural. She reached a small clearing she hadn't noticed before. It was circular, with the trees forming a ring around a patch of bare earth. Something about it felt… wrong.
And then she heard it—a low, guttural growl that seemed to vibrate through the ground. Her eyes darted around, trying to locate the source, but the shadows moved in unnatural ways, slipping between the trunks.
Before she could react, a figure lunged from the darkness. It was massive, easily towering over any human, with eyes that glowed a fiery amber. Lila's legs locked, panic rooting her to the ground.
The creature circled her, teeth bared, growling low. She wanted to run, but her body refused to obey. Fear tightened in her chest, making it hard to breathe.
Pain erupted in her arm as its fangs sank in. Lila screamed, the sound swallowed by the forest as the world spun around her. Everything blurred—pain, fear, the creature's heavy breathing—until she collapsed to the leaf-strewn ground.
Somehow, the creature retreated, melting into the shadows. Lila lay there, trembling, blood dripping from her wound. She forced herself to move, dragging her body back toward the trail, each step agony. By the time she stumbled out of the forest, the sun was dipping behind the mountains, casting long, eerie shadows across the quiet town.
At home, she locked the door behind her and pressed a trembling hand to her arm. The bite throbbed, but that wasn't what terrified her most. It was the change she could already feel—heightened senses, a strange energy pulsing in her veins, and an unfamiliar sharpness in her eyes.
Sleep that night was fitful. She dreamed of glowing eyes and teeth, of running faster than she ever had in her life, and of the forest calling her name. When she woke, her body felt… different. Stronger. Alert. Everything smelled sharper; every sound cut through the quiet of her room like a blade.
At school, Seth noticed immediately. "You okay?" he asked, frowning at her pale face and the way she kept glancing around, as if expecting something—or someone—to appear.
"I'm fine," she lied, forcing a smile. But when she reached for her pen, she noticed her grip was stronger than usual. Her fingers moved with unnatural precision, her reflexes quickening in ways she didn't understand.
By evening, the changes intensified. Lila could see in the dark corners of her room as if the shadows themselves had lifted, and a restlessness bubbled inside her, a need to move, to run, to hunt. Panic mingled with fascination. What was happening to her?
Unable to resist, she returned to the forest, drawn by something instinctive she didn't understand. Each step felt guided by unseen forces, each scent and sound amplified in her new reality. And then she saw it again: the glowing amber eyes, watching her from the shadows, circling, studying her.
Fear surged, but so did a strange exhilaration. The creature didn't attack this time. It simply regarded her, and for the briefest moment, it felt as if it recognized her. Then, with a silent step, it vanished into the darkness.
Lila stood alone, trembling, heart pounding, yet strangely alive. Her life had changed forever. She didn't know what she was becoming, but one thing was certain—there was no turning back.