Chapter fourteen: Track

William crouched behind the tree, his breath coming in jagged gasps. The hunger was creeping in, the insatiable craving clawing at his insides, but he tried to control it. Stay calm, stay calm, he told himself, trying to steady his heartbeat. But the urge to feed, to consume, was overwhelming.

He peered around the tree again, his eyes locking onto the injured man on the ground. The man was still breathing, barely conscious, his body a bloody mess. The wound in his side was deep, but there was still time—maybe enough time to save him.

"Please, just... hang on," William muttered to himself, his voice hoarse. He couldn't explain why he wanted to help. There was something in the man's eyes, something human. It was a fleeting connection, but it was there. William took a deep breath, but his stomach twisted painfully, and he felt the familiar pull of hunger deep in his gut.

As he moved closer, he could feel the transformation begin. He tried to ignore it, tried to focus on the man, but it was as if the hunger had a mind of its own. It gnawed at him, tugging at the edges of his sanity.

He crouched beside the man, forcing himself to speak, his voice shaky. "I won't hurt you. I... I just need to help. Please."

The man's eyes fluttered open, terror filling his gaze as he looked at William. "You... you're not human."

William's breath caught in his throat. He wanted to apologize, to explain, but the words didn't come. His skin was already stretching, his bones creaking, reshaping. He could feel it—the transformation taking hold of him. His nails began to extend, his muscles tightening, his body growing in ways it shouldn't.

"I don't want to hurt you," William said, his voice strained as his ribs seemed to expand, pushing his skin tight. His heart pounded painfully, and he had to bite back a growl. "I just... I'm not—I'm not like this. It's just—just the hunger. Please... please understand."

The man's breath hitched, and his eyes darted between William's face and the claws starting to sprout from his fingers. The skin on William's arms was paling, twisting into a sickly gray, his muscles bulging unnaturally as his joints popped, elongating. He was no longer just a man, but neither was he the Wendigo that stalked in the dark.

"Please, don't hurt me!" the man cried, his voice rising in fear. "I... I can't—"

"I won't hurt you," William repeated, his voice faltering as his teeth sharpened, elongating like daggers in his mouth. His vision blurred, his eyes burning with an unnatural light. He couldn't control it anymore. The hunger was consuming him, and the transformation was irreversible at this point. But he couldn't let this man become just another victim.

He reached out, his clawed hands trembling. "I'm sorry. I'm... I'm so sorry," he whispered, trying to stay in control, trying to push through the madness threatening to take him. His body was changing, the heat rising, the agony of the transformation searing through his bones, but there was still a part of him that held on.

His voice was strained, almost pleading. "I don't want this. I never wanted this. But I can't stop it. I can't stop the hunger."

The man's eyes filled with terror as he scrambled backward, dragging himself away from William. "You... you're a monster! You're no better than them! Stay away!"

The words cut deep, but William couldn't stop. His chest heaved as the transformation continued, his ribs snapping, stretching. He could feel his spine twisting, lengthening. His face contorted as the last vestiges of his humanity slipped away.

"No, I'm not a monster. I'm not," William growled, his voice now guttural. He reached out, desperate, trying to grasp the man's arm. "I just... I just need your help. Please."

But it was too late. The man, terrified beyond reason, kicked out with what little strength he had left and scrambled away. His eyes were wide with fear, his breath rapid as he screamed.

"Monster! You're a monster! Stay back!"

William stumbled forward, his body wracked with pain as his arms and legs twisted. His vision was red, flickering with hunger, and all he could think about was feeding. The man's soul, pulsing beneath his flesh, was just within reach, and the hunger roared louder, drowning out everything else.

"I don't want this..." William whispered, a tear slipping down his cheek. But the words felt hollow, as if they were no longer his. "I just need... I need you to understand. I'm not..."

But before he could finish, the man had already run off, his scream echoing into the distance, fading into the wind.

William stood there, frozen, his body fully transformed. His heart thudded in his chest, his breath ragged. He looked down at his hands, the claws, the lengthened limbs, the sharp teeth, and felt the emptiness inside him.

What have I become?

The hunger was still there, deep in his bones, but it was different now. It wasn't just a need—it was an insatiable, unrelenting force. He could feel it gnawing at his soul, pushing him further into the darkness. There was no going back.

With a final glance at the man's fleeing form, William collapsed to his knees, his body trembling. The hunger gnawed at him, but there was nothing left to eat but the darkness inside him. And maybe, just maybe, that was the most terrifying thing of all.

I'm a monster, he thought, the words bitter on his tongue, but he knew they were true.

The transformation had been completed. And with it, the last remnants of his humanity had slipped away.

[Your hunger remains unsatiated.]

[You have received soul essence.]

[20/1000]