Hi, if you'd like to complain about how the main character is weak, I'd like to remind you that if these things were to happen to you at the age of 14, you'd most likely also be hyperventilating on the ground too, all those bullcrap about MCs bounding back in seconds to counter a zombie or some apocalypse is just rubbish, unless that person has some weird mental illness or have something, or someone so important they have to protect, they'll be able to do so. Normal humans just don't work that way.

She'll figure it out eventually, not too far from now, actually.

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Running out from the gate of the hospital, I was greeted by an empty street that was otherwise extremely busy on normal days, a car or two was remaining along with a handful of daredevils who were daringly taking videos of the large red beast.

Perhaps finding solace with the brave, though standing a distance away from them with my winged and tailed status, I turned around hesitantly again, to see the creature tearing into the now deceased brown beast, her offspring already long gone into the distance.

After dropping the dead Mother, it was yet again distracted by the sobbing and praying of the blue haired woman whose eyes contained nothing by despair, and with another grin, it slowly walked over to the woman, perhaps because of the lack of competition around that could rival it.

Strangely enough, unlike the others who had transformed in the face of fear, she stood there trembling as drool leaked from the sides of her mouth, accepting her imminent doom.

And with my mouth covered by my hands, I turned around slowly backwards to notice a man seated in his car, his phone pressed against the window to record the sight before him with a pale face.

Running towards him with still shaky legs, I started shouting, "Mister, can you give me a ride?" He could obviously hear me, with a bit of his window rolled down, my shouts were impossible to not hear.

However, instead of agreeing or even disagreeing, the pale man started to reverse his car out of the parking lot, driving away as quickly as he could without turning back.

"Mister!" I screamed at the car driving away from me, "…why?" I muttered after stopping to catch my breath, still weak from the shock and drugs.

Ah.

I knew why now.

As I bent over with my hands covering my knees to catch my breath, a white tail whose tip was touching the ground came into my sight, it was my tail.

In frustration and lethargy, I sat on the floor, thankfully quite far from the beast and the hospital because of how I attempted to chase the car. Only after turning back did I realize how quickly I was running, it was comparable to a car driving rather slowly, but despite that, it was a feat for human legs to go that quickly.

With my phone still clutched in my hands, I started to go through my contacts, quickly finding my mother's number.

"Hello? Amanda?" A panicked voice hurriedly spoke.

"Mo-Mother, there…..there was an accident, a freak accident, at the hospital! I need a ride, there's no one here!" hurriedly explained, afraid of something.

"Are you okay? I saw the news, our men are already on the way, where are you?"

"Umm," I stuttered, glancing around me, "Two streets down at Coverfield lane, the one next to the mall."

"Be safe, they should be reaching soon." Mother said before hanging up.

As I panted in fear, watching the red flickering light on my wristband which were the only source of entertainment in such a bleak situation. The streets were empty with only a car passing by every few minutes, perhaps because of the news of the incident.

More screams came from the distant hospital, perhaps with the patients trapped inside on the upper levels with no method of escape. As well as myself, the hospital where technology was limited to optimize the resting time for patients, we didn't knew of the changings happening until it hit us.

With the adrenaline in my bloodstream gone, the pain of running barefoot hit me, an insignificant prickly feeling that disappeared in seconds brought me back to reality, causing fear hitting me in waves as I started to hyperventilate.

This was illogical, nothing was normal, these things, humans turning into beasts, abnormal beasts tearing into humans and beasts alike.

Grabbing a dirt covered plastic bag that laid a meter away by crawling towards it with labored breathing, I covered the opening with my mouth.

Humans who were breathing minutes ago were now dead, their bodies mutilated, while the rest transformed into creatures that committed senseless killings and cannibalism.

No, I mustn't think about such things.

I need to calm down.

Calm down.

Calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down calm down.

It's okay, it's okay.

Everything's okay.

TO HELL WITH THAT.

What will I do now? Will I be killed? Will I turn into the same thing as them? Will I be a Monster than can only rip apart the living beings around me with a smirk on my face? Will I walk around with a bloodied smile hunting the weak?

I don't want to.

But, how did someone transform? Was it when one's emotion became agitated? Will I turn into one now? Will my fear ruin me?

No, that woman.

She was terrified too.

Yet, her life ended with her human form, she didn't change, she didn't become a mindless beast.

Then, what was the reason behind those transformation?

In that red haired man's situation, he was chased around with still the want to live.

For that Mother, she changed trying to protect her Daughter.

But that woman, the lack of hope in those eyes, the despair.

She didn't have a purpose.

Perhaps, that's how it worked.

So if I didn't wish for strength, would I stay as myself?

I don't know.

As time passed quickly as I was submerged in fear, the red flashing light slowly turned into a green color, the red disappearing along with the fear. Of course, it didn't leave completely, and it probably never will.

How long has it been? I thought absentmindedly as I checked the timing on my phone, it had been only an hour.

Where were they? The men Mother sent.

Dialling her number with shaky hands, instead of her voice, the familiar beep made it apparent that her phone was off.

Fearing the worst, I called Father.

"Father?" I asked after I connected.

"Listen to me, move to the center of the city, we cannot save you now, it's impossible for anyone to listen to me and risk their life, don't turn back, don't detour, keep walking and keep in contact, conserve your battery power, if you're hungry raid some stores." He hurriedly explained.

"They're securing the middle of the city, the military is gathered there and medicine for calming is being given out, the band around your hand is helpful in telling your emotions, when it's flashing red, it means you'll turn soon, if it flashes blue, you're gone. Don't ever let it change to that color."

"Father! Listen to me, it doesn't work that way!" I screamed, "It happens when someone desires for strength, no matter how scared, how rapid your heart is beating, it only happens when you wish for power!"

"What do you mean?"

"I'll explain it to you, get something, someone to get me! Use your money, bribe them! I can't run! Save me, Father!" I begged, "Don't leave me out here!"

"I can't!" His frustrated voice came into my ear, "The city center is in turmoil, everyone's trying to evict the changed humans, my men are in danger of transforming themselves, money is useless at this point!"

Even as he spoke, screams could be heard as well as fighting at the background.

After taking a deep breath, he spoke with the calm voice I was used to hearing, "Amanda, it would be a miracle if I could convince people that we shouldn't isolate or kick out the changed, if I don't stay here, even more will die, you must understand!"

"Stop trying to be the people's leader, please, please come and save me, please Father, please, you can still win presidency after this, please please please."

"You don't understand! Amanda, I cannot save you, you have wings yourself, you can come and find me, I must help the city secure a safe location before anything!" He spoke with renewed anger.

As tears soaked my face, I spoke with despair, "I the end, I will never understand."

"I cannot speak anymore, just come and I will protect you then, fly here if you can." He hurried spoke as the screams at the background became louder and louder, before the beep of the call disconnection came to my ear.

"…in the end, you still wouldn't care about me." I spoke with sniffles interrupting every syllable.

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I didn't know how much I had walked, with the compass directing me in the beginning, the only thing I had to do now was continue walking.

The rocks on the road dug into my feet as I walked through the empty buildings, all I had on me was the hospital gown, my undergarments and my phone. My appearance was extremely rugged, my wings limply dragged across the floor along with my tail, the drugs applied on it still in my bloodstream, protecting me from the pain I would've received otherwise.

Strangely enough, there wasn't any beasts in my sight, perhaps the only reason why people gathered in the middle of the city was out of fear of the news they've received from the media.

Of course, there were also skeptical people looking out at their windows, the peering and wary eyes scanning my movement.

On the streets were a few imprudent humans, changed or not, raiding stores and houses, relishing in the sudden chaos.

Fights broke out as owners who had stayed behind fought tooth and nail against the multiple people attacking his store.

As I walked, whistles could be heard as a few human silhouettes appeared behind me, their footsteps alarmingly loud.

Perhaps because of my changing, my senses became sharper, and with every minute I spent, the drugs wore off to sharpen my physical abilities and senses.

Yet, I continued walking, the stupor I was in refusing to let me go.

Only when a hand grabbed my shoulder did I realise they had been calling out to me from a while ago.

"She must be deaf, huh?"

"Pffft, quite a beautiful girl we have here, look at those wings, reminds me of cosplay, wouldn't mind to fuck her."

"Dude, that's your fetish? Are you kidding me?" A man laughed as he elbowed the second speaker.

"Won't she turn into a beast, like what the videos show? Fuck imagine this cunt turning during a fuck." Another guy snickered.

How horrible, as people died, these people ran around stealing.

My heart contracted, remembering the Mother that had transformed, relished her humanity, in desperation to save her Daughter.

Some people were too self centered and ignorant, causing more harm, while the others sacrificed themselves to save others.

Tears that stopped only a while ago came back as my legs gave way again, forcing me to collapse to the ground in a crying mess.

"Oi, what are you doing!" A voice came from afar.

Pushing apart the men surrounding me, a middle aged man came to my sight as he asked, "What the….are you okay?" Grabbing my shoulder with two hands, forcing myself to look up.

"Let's go, to the middle of the city." He said, pulling me up along with himself, ignoring the annoyed grunts of the men around.

As we walked away from the surrounding men, a beast's cry could be heard as screams erupted all around.

Hesitantly, the both of us turned around to see a large green bird, perhaps larger than a helicopter, come towards a woman a distance away from us with its claws positioned to grab her, it's lower body leaned forwards with its legs stretched out and it's wings slowing its descent.

"Shit, run!" He shouted, pulling my hand.

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Thanks for reading, please leave comments and suggestions, it's like my fuel and motivation for writing.

Also, if you're free, pelase check out my other novels, [Five souls, 1 body] For a similarly dark story, or [The Heroes' Familiar] for a more light hearted one.