Inhuman

Fex took a fighting stance while staring decisively at Leo walked who also took a fighting stance like Fex. The two locked eyes at each other for a very long time before before Leo charged with a punch but Fex easily blocked it by parrying his hand to the other and using his other hand, hit Leo beneath his ribs. The fight was gradually becoming a competition. Leo retaliated and slid Fex's feet off the floor. Fex fell from the surprise and gave Leo the advantage as axe-kicked Fex's back on the floor. Fex rolled over to avoid the foot, giving him enough time to rise back and continue.

"scared kitty cat...."Leo taunted.

Leo went again by performing a variety of different punches. Fex dodged slightly and tiptoed backwards because Leo was too rough. Fex kicked him successfully on the shoulders and, jumping in the air, he kicked him 5 times untill he lost stamina and fell on the floor. The fight was over, and Fex was the winner. Leo got up himself demanding a rematch.

"do you never give up?" Fex said panting heavily. The same was for Leo who was sweating as if he was put in an oven.

"I'll defeat you one day", Leo promised.

"whatever, will you help me do my math homework?"

The two boys walked to the dining.

"that was a hand-to-hand combat, not one of skill. A real karate master does not rely on skill", Leo taunted looking for faults to get away from the fear of losing to his best friend.

"I don't let the coach's words get through me", said he, "if you must win, you must do what it takes".

"I disagree with you", Leo protested.

"I neither"

"okay, we'll have to agree to disagree then. Which means no one won that fight"

"ugh! fine!!"

They sat in front of open math books. Leo was a master at math, and Fex had to endure the pain of having him blabber about how good he was at math all the time. A few minutes had passed; the boys closed the book having done justice to it.

Bored, Leo asked "anything to discuss?"

"well I had this strange nightmare ...."

"really? Tell me!"

"I was chased around by a scary looking beast in the middle of a creepy forest."

"lemme guess, the beast chased you down a cliff?" Leo said nonchalantly.

"yes! How did you know?"

"most people had told me they had the same dream. Quite amazing, right?"

"yeah..." He said, deep in thought.

"maybe you can teach me your skill?"

"but you said 'a real karate master must stick to hand-to-hand combat' "

"that was ten minutes ago. Don't you understand the difference in time?"

Fex chuckled, "are we still agreeing to disagree?"

"yes"

"okay. Just get in a stance like this, then jump and kick as many as you can!"

"right, I'll try that at home"

A car parked outside. The boys, currently at his room, looked down to see the chattering people. The scent of candy filled their noses - the family is back.

"my parents are back", Fex announced.

"so....?"

"nothing", he had probably forgotten to tell Leo about Amy this morning. That will be a story for another day because if he told it now, Leo would be like 'i told you so'.

Soon enough, a knock was heard on the door, "Fex, you in there?"

Fex recognized the voice immediately; it was his dad.

"yes, dad".

"can I come in?"

"uhh... yeah!"

The door creaked open. His eyes first set on Leo, "Leo, I didn't know you would be here too"

"Good day, sir", Leo replied.

He nodded, "you both can come downstairs", turning to Leo, "Leo, care for some chocolate?"

Leo shakes his head, "no thanks. I came here to do maths homework together"

"maths homework?"

Dad now turned his gaze to the book on his bed. On it was carefully inscribed: 'maths workbook'.

"may I see?"

"oh.. Yes, dad", he gave him the book.

Dad opened it and winked. He closes it and gave it back to Fex. There was an awkward silence untill Leo broke it.

"uhmm... I'll take my leave now". He felt there was something they wanted to discuss alone; even though he wanted to hear it - a father-son talk. "take care, Leo. Bye", Dad said. Leo left the house and Fex could see him through the window as he walked down the streets. Boy, how fast he is, Fex thought.

"I'm impressed, Fex. You're improving in mathematics", Dad commented.

Fex gulped. He remembered the maths quiz and the possibility that he might fail it. Should he tell him? No! said his brain, it's better to enjoy the present and leave the future for the time it may come. But he hadn't lied, had he? No, I haven't, he said to himself, I haven't said anything yet.

"- so because of that, I'm cancelling your grounding". Fex grinned. He was grateful enough not to say anything about the quiz. This was good, at least for now, when his father hadn't had his results.

"thanks dad".

"you're welcome. And never_steal_again!"

Fex wanted to protest but if he did, he might not have dinner tonight so he said, "yes dad, I won't"

He sat on his bed as soon as his father went out. What would happen if he told him about the nightmare? Maybe it was just an exaggeration. He'd better keep his dream to himself.

It was three. He closed his eyes and felt a burning sensation in his chest. It spread around his body to his feet, to his vein, to his skin, to his face.

"I may have caught a fever", he said to himself. But the feeling was strong and soon, his skin was hardened so that it became hard scales and his fingers, claws, his brownish red eyes, gold. It was an inhuman transformation - something that the world could not explain. And he saw that beast, the snake with the power of fire, calling to him, "Fex...."

He saw himself fall into that cliff a second time and fell to the deep dark scary unknown. But the darkness ignited and his body fell into that ignited darkness. But instead of burning, the fire merged into his body and seeped through his skin. Soon, in the darkness was nothing but Fex's body, his eyes growing in flames. That Fex whose eyes was glowing in flames was not Fex. And Fex saw his own body, and it sprouted wings. That Fex was consuming Fex's soul.

"stop, stop!!"

But the voice was ravaged by the pleasant sound of pleasure. He saw himself kill himself.

He fell to the floor having been unable to withstand the pain. The beast, and that Fex - they were all inside of him. He struggled to the mirror to see a dark horned and scaled monster with two wings. The burning question killed his fear, his curiosity, his soul. He looked at the mirror again, filled with smoke, "what am I ?"