Silence

He heard the sound of her crying behind the door.

The silence of the night was heavy, but her sobbing pierced his heart like a dagger.

He spoke from behind the door, his voice trembling:

— "I'm sorry… for everything I did. I don't remember the past. I've lost a part of my memory…"

A moment of silence… then the door swung open violently.

She stood there, her eyes blazing with fury, her face like a storm on the verge of erupting.

— "You don't remember?! You don't remember?!"

She screamed, her voice shaking:

— "You don't deserve to live! You… you—"

But she didn't finish.

Noura, her daughter, appeared behind her, holding onto the edge of her dress.

She asked innocently:

— "Mom… why are you yelling at the door?"

Tamara froze.

He froze too.

Their eyes widened in silent shock.

Noura smiled sweetly:

— "Hello."

Her mother pushed her back quickly, shouting:

— "Go inside! Now!"

Youssef, his eyes still locked on Noura, whispered:

— "She's… my daughter."

Tamara shouted, her voice trembling with both fear and anger:

— "What do you want, Youssef?!"

At that moment, her other son came running after hearing the shouting.

— "Mom! What's going on?!"

But as soon as his eyes met Youssef's face, something inside him changed.

He growled like a beast and charged, shifting into a ferocious hyena.

He attacked his father viciously, but Youssef didn't fight back. Instead, he leapt into the air and shifted into a giant falcon, soaring away.

The boy tried to follow, but Tamara screamed:

— "Youssef Jr., stop!"

He obeyed, disappearing into the forest.

He landed beside his friend "Noah," who was asleep near a small fire.

The ground shook beneath him, and Noah woke up startled.

— "You scared me, man! What happened? Why do you look so upset?!"

Youssef didn't answer. His breathing grew heavier, his chest rising like a volcano about to erupt.

Suddenly, he shifted into a giant werewolf, his eyes burning with uncontainable rage.

He attacked Noah blindly.

Terrified, Noah climbed the nearest tree, trying to escape. But the beast broke it with raw force.

Noah fell into a narrow burrow, and the tree collapsed on top, hiding him.

Through a small opening, he watched the werewolf howl in agony under the moonlight—

A howl that sounded like a heart breaking in silence.

Noah didn't move. He just watched, trembling, praying the night would end.

It was the longest night of his life.

As dawn began to seep through the trees, the werewolf suddenly collapsed to the ground…

And turned back into Youssef.

Noah crawled out, running toward him in fear:

— "Youssef? Are you okay?!"

He approached carefully and poked his still body. No movement.

He checked his pulse… and smiled in relief:

— "He's alive."

He slapped his friend across the face:

— "Wake up, man!"

Youssef opened his eyes slowly, seeing Noah's silly smile above him.

Despite the pain, he smiled back.

— "What happened?!"

Noah replied with sarcasm:

— "You don't remember? You almost ate me!"

Youssef sat up with difficulty.

— "I have to take you back to your family."

Noah protested:

— "No! I don't want to go back! I want to be like you… wild!"

Youssef said nothing.

He looked at him one last time, then turned into a massive eagle, and took off into the sky.

He flew over a busy road, then gently dropped Noah among the cars and vanished into the horizon.

Noah screamed behind him:

— "Youssef! Don't leave me! You promised! Please… I want to be strong!"

A voice echoed inside him:

"If strength doesn't come from within… no one can give it to you."