The Beast Within (Book One of the Changes Series)

-Danielle’s POV-

He didn’t hear one word I had said. I sat transfixed, staring at my phone’s screen saver of a picture of Lexi and Cameron at last year’s Pumpkin Patch.

The overall shock of how the day unfolded threatened to overwhelm me. Nathan had all this planned since last night. He had no intentions of discussing anything with me.

I started the car and just started driving.

I pulled my car into a space in the mall’s parking structure because it was as good of a place to stop as any. I just knew I wasn’t ready to go home and face the new mommy figure. It was hard enough to keep my thoughts from violence, and I felt justified in my anger, but it was the amount of rage that coursed through me that was scary.

I left the car, walking towards the movie theater. Luckily, there wasn’t a line at the kiosk. The movie I chose didn’t matter, just as long it didn’t have any violence. I was on edge. Who knew what urge I would act out with the right influence?

It didn’t bother me; I was late, which was good since the movie had already started by the time I found my seat. It could’ve been on mute as far as I was concerned.

My feelings loudly played through my thoughts and how everything was falling to pieces around me. No, I wanted to escape my issues, at least for a short time.

I forced myself to look up at the screen to see the credits were almost over. Scanning the room, I noticed I was still the only person in the theater. That couldn’t be right.

With how I felt, chances were high that I accidentally walked into the wrong auditorium. I stood up, finding myself unexpectedly sore. My joints popped and cracked as I walked towards the theater’s exit to fix my mistake.

“Hey, you finally had enough, huh?” I heard someone say behind me.

I turned around, seeing an usher that I must have missed.

“What are you talking about?”

The usher appeared confused by my question, “You watched this movie like three times straight, no bathroom breaks or anything. Dude, I didn’t mess with you, though. I thought you needed time for whatever you popped to wear off.”

What was he talking about? There was no way I could’ve been here that long.

“I think you’re mistaken,” I retorted.

“Nah, anyone could see you were wasted. One person tried to get by you, and when you didn’t respond, she called herself helping you. Until you growled at her.” His face lit up, “Dude, no worries, I didn’t report you. She should’ve minded her own business. So uh, what were you on?”

Terror gripped my heart.

“How about you take some of your own advice and mind your own business?” I snapped.

I didn’t give him time to share anything further. I swiftly waded through the empty chairs before heading towards the emergency exit. A slight chill met me as I broke through the door and found an inky black sky waiting for me. God, he wasn’t lying.

I kept my stride, reaching for the phone. My purse almost fell as I pulled out what I was looking for.

Nine o’clock. How did I lose so much time?

This incident only made Nathan’s case stronger, and right now, I found it really hard to fight against it. The consistency of my crazy was becoming too much.

Tears gathered at the brim of my eyes before falling down my face. I lowered my cellphone, taking a moment to look up at the night’s sky. Multitudes of tear-blurred stars lit up the darkness. I let out a whimpered breath. It was time to go home.

The parking garage’s elevator came into view, but I couldn’t make myself get in. Just looking at it made me feel trapped. So, I started up the stairs instead.

Each level I walked up led to a new worry playing out in my head. I tightly gripped my cell. Once I reached my parking level, I knew what had to be done. Lifting my phone, I noticed I had four new messages.

My heart sunk into my feet as the guilt started to settle in. I knew at least one of those calls, if not all of them, was Nathan. By now, he had to be worried, and once I called, he would be furious. I had to literally shake the thought out of my head.

Every step was more challenging than the last. With how today ended, it didn’t matter how angry I was at Nathan. I still needed to let him in on everything.

I could hear the sound of my shoes as they hit the cement, ricocheting off the structure’s walls. The area appeared drained of life. A few empty cars were my only company.

Shit, I didn’t park on this level. Instead of going back to the stairs, I started up the lot, walking towards the next platform.

I zoned out to the constant rap of my strides, trying not to focus on the inevitable. Then I heard footsteps that weren’t mine. My head turned towards the noise to find I was being watched.

A lone teenaged girl sitting on the parking structure’s ledge studied me. I couldn’t help but slow down and stare. We had the distance of at least three rows of parking spaces between us. Still, her fiery red hair against her alabaster skin couldn’t be overlooked from any distance.

From how her eyes scanned over me, I couldn’t shake the feeling she was sizing me up. For reasons unknown, I started to feel a panic form deep within my gut.

I turned my attention back on my car, holding on to the hope I was overreacting, but that was shattered when the young girl started to trail behind me.

I was slightly embarrassed by how frightened her presence made me, but my instincts told me to feel otherwise. I quickened my pace, looking back often.

Her stature, the hip hugger jeans, and purple baby-tee didn’t give her the appearance of someone dangerous. Still, whatever innocence I found in her attire was lost by her demeanor. She looked as if she took pleasure in my discomfort.

The wind flowing through the structure picked up, blowing my hair away from my face. Finally, I could see my car, but she was still behind me. I was seconds away from shouting at her when the air suddenly shifted.

My nose picked up a scent. Without hesitation, I swiftly spun to confront the young girl only to find no one was there.

I was completely thrown off. Even though she was gone, my anxiety heightened. I ran the rest of the way to my car, locking myself inside. Panicked, I looked around the cabin of my vehicle, halfway expecting to see the creepy woman-child in my backseat. Instant relief flooded in when I saw it was empty, but the short-lived feeling quickly turned into hopelessness. Collected tears fell as my heart began to burn, taking my breath away. I tried to catch my breath between shuddered sobs.

The school incident, the bedroom incident, the nightmare, the unexplained rage, and the phantom girl were all sourced from the same crazy. Everything that was happening was in my head.

The phone’s ring startled me out of my fit. I looked around one last time, taking in a deep breath before answering.

“Hello,” I mumbled between deep breaths.

“Danielle, where are you?” Nathan sternly said.

I had to concentrate on not having another crying fit.

“I went to the movies and lost track of time—”

“I know you’re upset about some of my decisions, but disappearing for hours on end isn’t the solution,” Nathan interrupted.

My vain attempt to control my sobs failed. Nathan’s voice seemed to have disappeared from the line, leaving only the echo of my crying to bounce back to me. I was close to thinking the call had dropped when he rejoined.

“What’s going on Danni? Are you in some kind of trouble? What movie theater are you at?”

I swallowed hard, “Nathan, I think I need help; I’m seeing, hearing, things… I, I’m even smelling things! Something is wrong, and I need for you to believe me, please believe me!”

“Honey, which theater are you at?”

My brain was a chaotic mess. It took a few moments to remember exactly where I was.

“I’m at the one near the Promenade Mall. You do believe me, don’t you?” I desperately asked.

“Yes, Danni, I believe you. But right now, I just want to get you home safely, okay?

I nodded my head.

“Danielle, are you still there?”

“Yes, yes, I’m here. Okay.”

“Gina is still here. I’m going to ask her to stay a little while longer since the kids are asleep. I’ll be there soon. Keep your phone by you. Danni, everything is going to be okay, and I love you.”

“I love you too,” I kept the phone by my ear even after the line was disconnected.

I still had my doubts Nathan would understand after he heard everything that had been happening. I wasn’t even sure if I would be able to if I was in his shoes. I had everything to lose, my children, my husband, my life. What if I had already lost everything, and I just didn’t know it yet?