The street was empty.
Streetlights flickered weakly as a boy stood on the sidewalk, a phone resting in his trembling hands.
"I miss you…"
The words slipped out before he could stop them.
On the screen was a picture—a family of four, smiling brightly. A memory frozen in time.
A drop of water landed on the screen.
Then another.
He hadn't realized he was crying until his vision blurred. He turned the phone off and lowered his arm, his fingers numb.
The night sky stretched endlessly above him, beautiful in a way that felt cruel.
"If this world could just end…" he whispered.
He waited.
And waited.
Nothing happened.
Of course nothing did.
A hollow laugh escaped his lips. How selfish. It wasn't the world's fault. It never was.
It's mine.
He turned to leave, dragging his feet along the sidewalk—
And froze.
Something stood ahead of him.
A wolf.
No—a monster.
It was enormous, its fur dyed a deep crimson, jagged purple spikes jutting from its body like broken blades.
"…What?"
The beast's eyes locked onto him.
In that moment, he understood something instinctively.
I'm going to die.
It moved.
Slow, deliberate steps. Each one echoed like a countdown.
His body reacted before his mind could. Fear crashed into him, stealing his breath, soaking his clothes with sweat.
Run.
He turned and sprinted.
Too slow.
The impact came from behind. His body slammed into concrete, pain exploding across his back as sharp teeth tore through cloth and flesh.
"AAAAAAAH!"
The scream ripped from his throat.
It hurt.
It hurt so much he couldn't think.
He clawed at the ground, fingertips splitting, nails tearing away as he dragged himself forward.
I don't want to die.
The monster seemed to enjoy it—every scream, every struggle.
I don't want to die.
I want to live.
Live.
Live.
LIVE.
The street remained silent, filled only with the sound of flesh being torn apart.
"Do you wish to live?"
A voice whispered into his ears—gentle, warm, unreal.
Yes.
"Even if it costs you your humanity?"
Yes.
"Even if it costs you your soul?"
Yes.
Even if it costs everything.
Something erupted from within him.
Power surged through his body, blasting the monster away.
The pain vanished.
His wounds closed as if they had never existed.
He stood up.
The monster lunged again.
This time, he didn't run.
He opened his mouth.
And bit back.
Teeth sank into flesh. The pain only fueled him.
Die.
Die.
Die.
With a sickening snap, the monster collapsed.
Silence returned.
He stared at the corpse at his feet, horror washing over him.
"What… did I do…?"
He fled.
Back to his apartment. A place that no longer felt like home.
He vomited until his body gave out.
When he looked into the mirror, symbols covered his face—ancient, foreign, wrong.
"This has to be a dream…"
"It is not."
A woman's voice echoed behind him.
Black hair. A veil. A long, dark dress.
Her hands cradled his face lovingly.
"My dear lover."
He turned—
Nothing was there.
He collapsed onto his bed, squeezing his eyes shut.
Wake up. Wake up. Wake up.
Darkness swallowed him.
And then—
He stood in a shadowed domain.
The woman waited before him
.
"Oh," she said softly, lifting her veiled gaze.
"You have finally come."
——
This is gonna be a rewrite and Im gonna fully make this novel even if it goes well or not I dont mind Im doing this for fun and to pass time.