Challenge 25: Quick Halloween Challenge #3: "Scare Me"

[IsabellaRose]

QUICK HALLOWEEN CHALLENGES

We'll be posting 3 quick Halloween-themed challenges with shorter than usual deadlines and smaller prizes, but the idea is to GET WRITING!!

THE CHALLENGE

For the Scare Me challenge, write any length entry you want, micro, short, medium, long, entirely too long... with the goal of giving the reader (or maybe just your character) a scare!

Deadline

• Midnight (EST) Tuesday, 31 Oct, 2023

Limits

• 1 entry per person

Prizes

• 1st Place: 2,000 EcchiCredits
• 2nd Place: 1,000 EcchiCredits
• 3rd Place: 500 EcchiCredits

 

Edited November 3, 2023 by IsabellaRose

[Aura]

Img src: NoriZC (Pixiv)

What if you could see the strings that pulled you along? The threads of those who control you, that hoist you to your feet every morning, but force you to act against your will. Do you believe you do not have these threads? Do you believe you forge your own path? You answer to no one? Stand in front of this mirror and see for yourself. This mirror reflects not the light of our world, but the truth that light keeps hidden. Where you would expect to see a mature woman who has triumphed over all challenges that have come her way, the truth you already know is one you will be frightened to see before you. You will see yourself as but a puppet in a stage play. A cute, marketable little girl. Cute and marketable, but tired. So very tired. There will be no smile on your face and you will have no energy to even stand on your own. You claim you value freedom yet you know the moment those strings would be cut, you would collapse motionless to the floor. These things you claim you hate are your only reason to move at all. That is what frightens most people. Perhaps worst of all, you will see that your own movements are pulling the strings of others below you. Faceless figures you could never identify who are affected by every decision you don't even truly get to make yourself. That is what frightens most others.

There is no need to be afraid, however. This is merely what it means to be human. It is not because you're a woman, or because you're young, or you're inexperienced, or you've trusted the wrong people. Just as you are ignorant of the ways your inability to take control affects others, so, too, are those above you. It's a complex web of control humanity has weaved for itself as a defense against our own insecurities. We love to take credit for our triumphs but make excuses for our shortcomings, rarely do we defer credit for our triumphs or wholly admit to our faults, even the most honest of us. A skilled puppeteer will distract its audience from the strings no matter how obvious they are.

Just who controls these strings of yours? Who do you allow to speak over your life? Is it your father? Your mother? Perhaps you've been abused, traumatized, neglected. It isn't the puppet that gets to choose what carries them, only the one who owns that puppet. It may be your creator, you may have been handed to another by your creator, or perhaps someone has even taken you from your creator. More likely, and more accurately, it isn't even one person. Two, ten, thousands, even. Everyone with their own goals and agendas and expectations of you. Your boss, your teacher, your partner, your ex lover... And you have no say in the matter. You never even knew you were being controlled. You never allowed yourself to notice.

But that is precisely why I am showing you these things. Look at yourself. See how miserable you really are. You want to resist, to fight, but you know you can't. You are a victim like everyone else. A slave to one you don't even know.

You haven't even noticed, that since you've entered this room, I've seized control of it all.

I couldn't care less about your beauty.

I couldn't care less about your freedom.

I couldn't care less about your happiness.

But as I pull this string here and you lift your hand in response... ho ho, oh, what a perfect look in those beautiful eyes of yours. That is what I care about. Perhaps you've had your doubts about everything I've said, but this is proof, is it not? Perhaps I should lift your other arm and place it over your mouth as you gasp in horror at your own body's betrayal~

But I've already told you, sweet girl, you were never in control at all. Fate has merely delivered your strings into my hands. You now belong to me and you will join my show. How you think or feel about that is your choice, but I will happily relish in the despair of your helplessness.

My, the light really does make you look so pretty... you will make such a lovely damsel in distress. Only time will tell if a hero decides to come and take your strings away from me. But until then, you belong to me.

Now show me your bow.

[SataiRolePlayingGuy]

**Warning, this could will gory**

The Monster Under the Bed. The Monster Inside.

How long had it been. Ever since she was a little girl, it was there. Strange, hideous, inhuman. Selena had never got a real good look at it. But those eyes were there, under the bed. A genuine monster. She had tried to show her parents a few times, but it always managed to hide somewhere, out of sight. They thought it was just a story. She assumed someday it was going to hurt her, or worse. She had no idea it's real purpose. Then that night happened.

She did not remember all of it, but one night it crawled out of the bed, on top of her. Before she could scream, her neck was pierced by a stinger on it's tail. Was it poison? No, it intensely relaxed her made her completely calm. Willing...to do the disgusting thing that came next. It rolled her over...she understood, as it licked her sensitive places. She got on her hands and knees...let it mount her...mate with her. In the moment it felt good. She craved it. In the morning she thought it was a dream, a horrifying dream. But then it happened again. Night after night. Gradually it seemed less disgusting. She felt a curiosity over the creature...as she finally understood what it really wanted, what it had been waiting for.

She had grown more isolated as the days continued. More irritated by little things, avoiding family and friends. Spending more time in her room. Skipping school when she could, struggling through it when she could not. There was another reason for this.

After the first few days, her body started shifting in weird ways. At first she wondered if it was just bruising. But it kept getting worse. Her skin gradually darkened, dried out...then got scaly. Only in patches, but they were getting bigger, and more of them. There was also the little growth on her lower back, just above her butt. That was growing...she could start to move. She was changing. Becoming more like...it.

How long would it be before she could no longer hide it? How much would she look like it? A female version of whatever it was? Did she dare tell her parents? Friends? Anyone else? Could it be reversed? Or would they just lock her in cage, or worse? Do experiments on her possibly, maybe even just kill her to be safe. She could not rule those possibilities out. She dressed heavily to hide it, endured it. Only feeling comfortable at night, relaxing as she let the creature mate with her. It felt good now. There was still disgust, but she wanted it too.

Eventually the creature did something new. When it came to her bed, it dropped some meet in front of her. No skin left, she had no idea what it was from. But she had been sure the thing was a predator. She was not sure how intelligent it was though. It either could not or did not speak. Only sometimes did she think it might understand what she said. Now it had gone hunting for her, brought her meal. Watched her, hoping she would eat it. With a little reluctance she picked it up. She was uneasy about strange uncooked meat. But she was changing. It was probably safe. She picked it up, took a bite. It was surprising good. After starting she ate the rest quickly and easily. Pleasing the creature.

After that, he continued to bring her food. The same sort of meat. She would eat before the nightly mating. Her body had changed drastically by now. Most of the skin below her neck was changed. She had a proper tail now, though her baggy pants hid it. The nails on her feet and hands were starting to harden...lengthen, sharpen. For now though the feet still fit in her shoes. Had started wearing gloves. Her teeth too. It would not be long. Soon she would not be able to hide it. Her head would soon change too.

Those close to her knew something was wrong. But not what. Finally, her mother decided to confront her. After getting home from work, she went straight to her daughter's room. Not knocking. "Selena. Are you okay? If something is bothering you, do you want to talk about it?"

It was so annoying. Selena was just irritated with anyone around her. Her mother would not understand, could not understand. Well, maybe she could be changed too. But no, she did not want competition. She was the creature's mate now. No rivals could be tolerated. She mother as a threat in various ways. "Go away, mom!" She snapped. With a bitterness that surprised her mother. She held her ground, but looked said. "Please, Selena. You can trust me." She stepped forward, attempting to comfort her daughter. The opposite happened though, a burning hostility built up inside her. After a few more minutes of arguing, she snapped.

She did not realize what she did until it was over. She lunged at her mother, with superhuman strength. Bit into her throat, went for the quick kill. A predator hunting her prey. Killing her rival. By the time it was over, she realized what happened, her mother was dead. She had killed her own mother. She felt the tears at the realization. But, she also felt...hunger.

It did not take long to figure out. Her mate, what she was becoming. They were predators. Humans were their primary prey. That was what he had been feeding her. She was now eating her own mother's body. She could not stop herself. She was trying to destroy evidence. But it also tasted good. She ripped off her clothes as she did. There was no going back. She was not human anymore.

Then came her father's voice. Calling for her mother, for her. She was still focused on her meal though. Ate more as he slowly approached. She wanted him to see this. And he did. "...Oh my Gog?!...Selena?!...What are you?...What did you?..." He was sick, emptied his stomach at the sight of his wife, having been killed and being eating by their daughter...who was unrecognizable, except for her bloodstained face. The room covered in blood, her mother's body ripped apart, much of the insides devoured and showing signs of the damage.  She smiled at him. Not the smile of his daughter though. A monster's smile. Alien, cruel, hungry. "...Come here...daddy..." She slowly crawled towards him, her new tail swaying back and forth. "...No!...No!..."

She ran from the room. But Selena chased him. It was a game. She would let hum run, struggle. But she blocked every attempt at escape. He would not leave the house again. She let the fear run through him. She realized it. Her mind had been changing too. Thinking more like the creature she was becoming, abandoning humanity. Seeing humans as food, nothing else. She eventually pinned him down in a corner of the basement. His screams echoing as she finished him off began eating him as well. That night she shared what was left with her mate.

They stuck around a little, hunting anyone who tried to check on the house. The police were extra fun. She suspected their guns were still dangerous. But that made it better now. Her head had transformed too at this point. Ears pointy and sticking out. Two big thick horns, her eyes a bright orange, that glowed in the dark.

They learned to communicate. Her mate did not speak like humans, but did make sounds what were in fact a complicated language. She learned to understand it, speak it. They decided they needed to find a new home, the process of changing her was complete. Eventually more drastic measures would be taken with the house. Too much for them. They needed something more isolated. Where they could hunt. Where they could be safe...all three of them. Selena could feel it. She was carrying his child. It made her happy. To give birth and raise another creature like them. A boy. Who would someday find a human girl like her, and repeat the process. The circle of life. Brutal, bloody, beautiful. That was what Selena now thought.