Monster

CIELA

2 years ago

The sound of laughter echoes around me.

It isn't the kind of laughter that makes people smile. It's loud, cruel, and filled with excitement, as if they're enjoying the greatest show of their lives. Every burst of giggling is followed by another painful stomp that crashes into my body, forcing another cry out of my throat.

I lie curled up on the dirt, barely able to breathe. My arms stay wrapped around my head because it's the only part of me I can still protect. Every other part of my body is exposed to their kicks. My ribs ache with every breath, my stomach burns where someone kicked me moments ago, and my back feels like it's being crushed beneath heavy rocks. My body refuses to move. It's too heavy. Too broken.

The beating started a long time ago. First, they treated me like a punching bag, laughing every time another fist landed on my face or stomach. When my legs finally gave out and I collapsed, they simply changed the game. Now they're stomping on me instead, taking turns as though it's some kind of competition.

I don't fight back anymore. I just cry.

What else am I supposed to do? There are seven of them—four boys and three girls while I only have myself. Even if I somehow manage to stand, I won't make it two steps before they knock me down again. My body is too weak to fight people who actually enjoy hurting someone.

Another kick lands against my side, making my vision blur. Their laughter only grows louder. I force one swollen eye open just enough to peek at them. A couple of them aren't even joining the beating anymore. They're standing a few feet away with their phones raised, recording everything. One of the girls wipes tears from her eyes because she's laughing so hard.

They're making memories. To them, this isn't bullying. It's entertainment.

How did my life end up like this?

I honestly don't know. They started targeting me because they hated the way I dressed. They said I looked creepy. That I brought bad luck wherever I went. Rumors spread so quickly that eventually people started calling me a demon. They said someone like me shouldn't even exist.

A demon. Am I really?

The stomping suddenly stops. Silence settles over the empty lot except for my shaky breathing.

"I heard you have a sister." Luan's voice slices through the silence.

Slowly, I lift my head. The movement alone sends a sharp pain through my neck. My vision is blurry from the tears and the blood dripping near my eye, but I can still make out his figure standing over me.

I don't answer. I simply stare at him.

With an annoyed sigh, Luan walks closer before crouching in front of me. Our eyes are finally level. His expensive sneakers are spotless despite everything, while I'm covered in dirt, blood, and bruises.

"Did you go deaf?" he asks, his brows knitting together in irritation.

I remain silent. For a second, neither of us moves. Then I watch the patience disappear from his face. His jaw tightens. His lips curl into a scowl.

Without taking his eyes off me, he lazily gestures toward the others. "Go on."

I barely have enough time to cover my head again before another round of kicks crashes into my body. A shoe slams into my shoulder. Another drives into my back. Someone stomps on my leg hard enough to make my whole body jerk across the dirt.

It lasts only a few seconds before Luan raises a hand. They stop immediately. He smiles at me. It's the kind of smile that makes my stomach twist. The smile of someone who thinks he's doing me a favor.

"I'll let you go home today if you answer my question," he says softly. "Sounds fair, doesn't it?"

I taste blood pooling inside my mouth. My lips tremble as I force myself onto one elbow, every muscle screaming in protest.

I look him straight in the eyes. "...Fuck... off."

The words barely leave my mouth before I spit. A mixture of blood and saliva splatters across his cheek.

For a heartbeat, everything goes completely still.

"Fuck!" His voice explodes across the empty lot. Veins bulge along his neck as his face turns red with fury.

“Gross!” one of his friends blurts out, his face twisting with disgust as the others laugh.

Luan lets out an irritated sigh before reaching into the pocket of his pants. He pulls out a neatly folded handkerchief and casually wipes the spit from his cheek as though I have merely dirtied his clothes instead of insulting his pride. His movements are slow and deliberate, making it seem like he's trying to calm himself down.

For a brief second, I think it's over.

He folds the handkerchief, slips it back into his pocket, and turns away. Relief begins to settle inside my chest. Then he suddenly pivots back toward me. Before I can even react, his kick slams into my stomach.

The force knocks every bit of air out of my lungs. Pain explodes through my abdomen, so sharp that I can't even scream. My entire body folds in on itself as I collapse onto the cold concrete, desperately clutching my stomach. I gasp for air, but nothing comes out except weak, broken breaths.

It hurts.

It hurts so much that my vision immediately blurs with tears. I don't want to cry. I hate crying in front of them. But no matter how hard I bite my lip, the tears spill anyway, sliding down my cheeks as my body trembles uncontrollably. Every breath feels like another punch, and every tiny movement sends another wave of agony through me.

Please… Someone… please help me.

The laughter around me begins to sound distant, as if it's coming from somewhere far away. Their voices slowly fade until all I hear is a loud ringing inside my ears. The darkness creeps into my vision little by little. Everything becomes blurry then… nothing.

...

The first thing that jolts me awake is the icy shock of water splashing across my face. I gasp violently, coughing as I instinctively shake my head like a drenched dog. Water drips from my hair onto the floor while I wipe my eyes with the back of my trembling hand, trying to clear my vision.

Every muscle in my body screams in protest. My stomach still throbs from Luan's kick, and my ribs ache every time my chest rises. My entire body feels bruised, heavy, and exhausted.

"Fuck!" Luan laughs, placing a hand over his chest in fake relief. "I thought you actually died. You scared me there. Don't pull that shit again."

I slowly lift my head and glare at him with everything I have left. "If I die..." My voice comes out hoarse. "It'll be your fault."

If looks could kill, he'd already be lying on the ground instead of standing there with that stupid grin on his face.

Luan only shrugs, completely unfazed, as though my words mean absolutely nothing to him. "Now," he says casually, "tell me where your sister lives."

My jaw tightens. "Where she lives is none of your business." The words come out through gritted teeth.

"I see." A slow smile spreads across his face. "Looks like you've gotten some of your strength back."

He rises to his feet. One of his friends immediately walks over and hands him a phone. The moment I see it, my stomach drops.

Luan unlocks the phone without a hint of hesitation and lazily scrolls through it, a smug smile playing on his lips. He hums under his breath. After a few moments, the corners of his mouth curl into an even wider grin. Without saying a word, he slowly tilts the screen toward me, his eyes fixed on my face as he waits to savor every second of my reaction.

The blood drains from my face.

My sister's contact is displayed on the screen.

I know that phone. It's mine.

"So..." he says, resting his thumb over the call button. "Should I press it?"

"No!" The word tears out of my throat before I can stop it. "Don't you dare touch that button!"

Despite how weak my body feels, I somehow manage to push myself into a sitting position. The effort alone leaves me breathing heavily, and my arms tremble as they struggle to support my weight. Every inch of my body aches, as if every bone has been crushed and every muscle has been torn apart. I know I won't be able to stay like this for long.

Right now, all I want is to go home.

I want to lie down in my bed, close my eyes, and let myself disappear into sleep until the pain fades away. I don't want to think about this day anymore. And when I wake up… I'm never setting foot in that school again.

He laughs, and the sound sends a chill crawling beneath my skin. There isn't a trace of guilt on his face. He's enjoying this—every second of it. Watching me struggle, watching me break, it's entertaining to him. If there's a demon between the two of us, it isn't me. It's him. He's the one who shouldn't exist. He's the child of a monster.

"Look at you," he says with a smug grin, lazily shaking my phone in front of my face. "You finally sit still just because I joked about calling your sister." He lowers himself into a squat until we're almost eye level. The smile on his face only grows wider. "So tell me," he says softly, tilting his head. "What are you going to do if I actually call her?"

"You..." My voice comes out as nothing more than a shaky whisper.