The Beast Within (Book One of the Changes Series)

-Porsha’s POV-

But it was too late, I had already seen it, and now there was no way to un-see it. Danielle rushed me away from the sight. We were halfway back to the area we had left Josie in, but I think my mind was still in the muck I had slipped in.

Josie came into sight, still sitting in the same spot, playing with the loose dirt. If she had been exposed to what I had just seen, I didn’t blame her for her regression. I wasn’t even sure if I understood what I saw. I believed the horrifying jumbled mess had to be human, but from there, I had no clue if it was male or female. It looked as if the person was filleted from head to sternum; everything fanned out and left to soak in a stagnant pool of their own juices. What could cause that kind of damage?

“Porsha, I need for you to focus on helping me find a way to close this door.”

My eyes fell over the cargo door we had just come out of that Danni was now trying to bring down to lock us back inside of it. The comprehension of what Danielle was doing finally clicked. Oh God, whoever killed that person might still be in here with us! I ran to help, but it was clear there was no way of getting the door to shut.

Every failed attempt made me panic even more. I gave up, opting to pace back and forth.

“Okay, Porsha, help me think of another plan.”

Was she serious? There was no other plan. We were screwed. The determination minted over her expression said otherwise.

“How are you staying calm? Did you not see what I saw in a heap on the ground?” I yelled.

“That isn’t a heap; that’s Eric. Well, it was before it got him.” Josie stated matter-of-factually.

Danni sighed but never stopped moving, “Josie, is that your name? You’re not helping. How about you get up and look for a lever to this door before they come back.”

“It… they… What the hell are you two talking about?” I continued to panic.

“If you keep shouting, you’ll find out, so shut your mouth and help me!” Danni forcefully whispered.

She jumped up from her bent position, sniffing at the air.

Danielle gave me a look, and nothing else had to be said. It was already too late. They, it, or both were back.

We paused at the sound of another rolling door either opening or closing. My bet was on it was opening. The possible new arrival seemed to get Josie out of her funk. She ran out into the area, keeping close to the walls. I wanted to yell out for her but thought better of it. I only looked away for a moment, losing track of her in the shadows.

“Porsha I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything, you shouldn’t be here. This is all my fault. I’m going to do my best to get you out of—”

A horrible phlegm-filled heave echoed off the cave walls. I turned to see if Danni heard it too, finding she had disappeared. My heart hurt as if I would have a coronary right here and now when I spotted her silhouette on the back wall of the room we were first locked into.

I could barely control my trembling hands, “Danielle, are you okay?” I whispered.

I stared into the darkness, hearing her coming towards me. My heart was now fluttering, burning my chest as the anticipation kept building. Why was I so scared of Danni? There were other things in here that deserved my fear.

Danni finally broke through the darkness, but it wasn’t her. It couldn’t be. Utterly terrified, I couldn’t make sense of what was limping towards me. I took a few steps back as I felt my face contort in silent horror. Every step she took looked painful as her body convulsed like high voltage currents were violently coursing through her. In the distance, I thought I heard another rolling door, but I couldn’t tear my eyes away from her.

A gasp escaped my mouth as Danni violently fell to the ground. She huddled into a tight ball. I wanted to go to her, but I couldn’t make myself move.

“Danni, please stop. You’re scaring me,” I sobbed.

Instinctively, I looked behind me when I heard the gravel shift. There was nothing there. I tried to pinpoint the disturbance, but I couldn’t. There was a good chance I was now shaking as badly as Danielle, if not worse. A shadow swiftly moved in my peripheral vision. Then it happened again on the other side. Maybe I was making it all up? Or it could be Josie. Please let that be the case. Frantically, I swiveled my head, trying to see everything at all times. That was getting me nowhere fast.

My sight fell back to Danni.

Oh my god?! No, that was definitely not Danielle. Where did she go? Where did that thing take her? Shit! What do I do?

The noise that had made me turn away in the first place was now in the background and sounded as if it was getting closer. I should check to see if it was whatever was stalking me, but I was stuck again.

What was I looking at? Even curled in a fetal position, it was massive. Danni’s sheet was underneath it. The tears and sobs fell out of me as I kept scrutinizing the creature. It was drained of color, its skin becoming grayer with each passing second. God, its tremors couldn’t go unnoticed. I left Danni shaking. I didn’t want to think it, but I knew that ‘thing’ was my friend.

I started to hyperventilate. No, no, that wasn’t possible. Shit like this didn’t exist, and even if it did, Danielle couldn’t be one. The growth of its snout left no room for doubt. Josie and Danni were telling the truth. There were werewolves!

I needed to get out of here. I didn’t have another second to decide which way to run when all its limbs stretched out, breaking the fetal position. The creature’s eyelids shot open, revealing its glowing hazel eyes.

“NO, MY GOD, NO!”

I ran aimlessly, ending up in a darkened passage of the cavern. The sound of rapid movement was somewhere close. That would have scared me if my heart wasn’t already racing a mile a minute. There had to be more of those things. I was going to end up just like Eric, a pool of innards left on the ground. The only question was if it would be Danielle or something else that did it. I pressed my back against the cavern’s wall and tried to make myself invisible.

I couldn’t just stand here. As quietly as I could, I felt around for an exit, but I didn’t feel anything other than cool, moist, rock walls. I was still looking for an escape when I heard an earsplitting scream that turned my blood cold.

I watched as Josie ran out of the shadows right before she became airborne. A loud, crunchy thud resonated through the area when her body hit the ground, flopping against it like a rag doll. I couldn’t take my eyes off of her crumpled body. Was she dead? If she wasn’t, it didn’t look like it would stay that way for long.

My eyes stretched open wide, but luckily I stifled the scream that wanted to escape, placing my hands firmly over my mouth. Was that Danni sniffing over Josie’s body or another werewolf?

My hand clamped down harder across my mouth as I watched as the immense creature picked up Josie’s limp body, snapping her neck. Josie’s head dangled, only held by a couple of pieces of skin. I fought against the urge to vomit. I wanted to close my eyes, but I knew I had to keep that thing in view. So I watched as it snarled, tore, and even slurped on Josie’s body. It didn’t take long for her to resemble what was left of Eric.

Out of nowhere, the beast lifted its head and stared straight at me. I didn’t make a noise. How did it know I was here?

Without hesitation, it dropped the remnants of Josie and started towards me. I could run, but I didn’t want to be flung into the air before being eaten. What was I saying? I didn’t want to be eaten at all.

Helpless, I viewed the wide-mouthed monster drenched in Josie’s blood and flesh rapidly stalk in my direction. It didn’t matter what I wanted. I was going to die.

I couldn’t look at it any longer. Closing my eyes, I waited for it to be all over.