PROLOGUE

"After many blood draws on numerous people, and close inspection," began a reporter on national news, which everyone seemed to be watching. "It has been confirmed that humans are being infected with the 'hell's plague', as it's nicknamed, and are turning to demons."

12-year-old Shiloh Moore's stomach ached, his hands clutching at it. Not from illness, but from fear. He'd noticed changes within himself recently, and hoped he were wrong.

He turned his attention back to the news, and away from his niggling thoughts.

"Symptoms may include," Shiloh's posture straightened, so he was no longer slouching on the sofa. "An increase in water consumption,"

Just a day earlier, he had scarfed down three bottles of water, soon making it to eight. Coincidence, right?

"Rapid growth in fingernails,"

His immediate response was to turn his fingers around. As he'd previously noticed, they were long. Not too long, however, he constantly chewed off of them. He had not seen them this long in, well, years.

"The most noticeable change will be the color of their blood, which will be," the reporter briefly scanned the paper on the desk, then looked back to the camera. "Silver. If you suspect someone in your life is turning, police will now have access to blood draws…"

Shiloh pulled down the sleeve of his shirt, his hands trembling. A band-aid.

'The moment of truth,' Shiloh thought, with a sigh. 'Let's see if it's true, or if I'm just making things up.'

He hesitantly reached to his arm, another sigh. He could do this, he thought.

He ripped it off, and in horror, he stared to the white pad inside the band-aid; silver.