Wynter’s story

*This story is underneath my folder titled “A creature at the end of the road”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=1470, Enjoy!*

Introduction

Wynter lay in bed, eyes wide open. Downstairs, he could hear his father working away on machinery, attempting to create new methods of torture.

What were the experiments he was so obsessed with? Why did he try so badly to chase a dream that did no good? That only hurt others?

That killed his Mom?

In a minute, Dad would call Wynter downstairs to “help” him, to “test it out”. It would either be a blessed failure or…

Wynter swallowed hard.

Or my life will be ruined. He thought, cold fear clutching mercilessly at his brain.

Chapter One

Wynter adjusted the black and green plaid tie, making sure he looked alright. It was the school uniform. Boys wore crisp white shirts, black pants, green and black plaid ties, and black shoes. Girls wore the same thing, except they had skirts instead of pants.

It was the one thing that made him feel normal. The monotony of school.

“Get ready, the bus will be here in twenty minutes!” Dad called out.

He was always ready on time.

Chapter Two

Wynter rushed out of the front door and ran off to the mustard yellow bus that waited impatiently for him.

Once inside, he took a seat at the back, on a brown, leather chair and waved briefly to Dad before setting his hand down. Dad told him to do it every time and if he didn’t, then Wynter would have to take the medicine again. The thing that made him…

No. Don’t think about it. Just happy thoughts.

Chapter Three

FLASHBACK-THE NIGHT IT ALL CHANGED

“Wynter! Come downstairs, I have a surprise for you!” Dad cried out.

Wynter didn’t move. He wouldn’t come down. He wouldn’t listen. No, he would not give himself up.

“WYNTER! COME DOWNSTAIRS, RIGHT NOW OR I’LL GIVE YOU ONE OF THE FAILED EXPERIMENTS!” Dad yelled.

Wynter swallowed hard. The “failed experiments” were bottles of experiments that didn’t work. Bottles that could kill him.

He pushed back the covers and prepared for the worst.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Wynter walked down the creaky basement stairs, heart pumping furiously in his chest.

After he made the final step down, he sat on the black leather chair in the middle of the room. The brown leather straps held him firmly on, so that he wouldn’t be able to escape.

“Now, if I’m right, this will make you see in the dark. Wouldn’t you like that, Wynter? Wouldn’t you like to no longer sleep with a nightlight?” Dad asked.

It sounded too good to be true. There was always a catch. Always.

“Drink this.” Dad said, forcing his mouth open with a gloved hand.

With the other hand, he slipped a clear liquid in a green bottle into Wynter’s mouth.

Nothing happened at first. It was all calm, all fine.

Until hot, electric sparks tickled Wynter’s lips. Then, it spread throughout his entire body, burning him on the inside, giving him the feeling of a fever. Wynter couldn’t scream, his throat was too sore. Wynter couldn’t see, his eyes were all teary.

Finally, the awful sensation had stopped. What was left was only a cold fear of what he became.

Chapter Four

The bus halted to the front of Hemingway Academy. Kids piled off it, Wynter amongst the group.

There was a small, but burning, pain in the back of his head that told Wynter he was different.

That he was a monster.

Chapter Five

Wynter entered the building and walked down the halls to his first class, Chemistry. Thoughts of what would come at night pierced his mind, but no, he wouldn’t think of it.

He had a class to get to, a partner to work with.

A life to live.

Chapter Six

Wynter walked into the Chemistry Lab, to table eight, right where his partner, Wanette, was waiting.

Wanette always smiled whenever she saw him. Her brown eyes would light up with enthusiasm and she seemed to have an air of innocence and kindness in her that was rare to find in humanity.

She was lovely, but they were only lab partners. They only had work to do.

Besides, it wasn’t like Wanette would be too fond of his true form, no one would.

Wynter stood beside Wanette at the lab table and put on his goggles.

There was much work to be done.

Chapter Seven

Wynter didn’t know what to do, only to mix liquids together. As he got to work, Wanette asked:

“How are you?”

“I’m good, how about you?” Wynter asked. She never talked to him. In fact, nobody in school did.

“I’m good. Do you want to hang out?” Wanette asked.

Hang out? Hang out?! Someone in school was asking to hang out with him?

Chapter Eight

“I’d love to. Where?” Wynter asked.

“At Mark’s Diner. Is that good for you?” Wanette asked.

“That would be perfect.” Wynter said with a soft smile.

Finally, something to look forward to!

Chapter Nine

The day had passed by in a blur for Wynter, with only Wanette on his mind.

He tried his best to be quiet when he got home, so Dad wouldn’t hear, but a familiar voice asked:

“What are you doing, Wynter?”

Chapter Ten

“I just came back from school. Wanette asked me-“

“Who is Wanette?”

“My lab partner.” Wynter said, trying not to sigh. He told Dad about Wanette every day. Wouldn’t he remember?

“She asked me if I wanted to-“

“You’re not going.”

“I-“

“It’s done. You’re not going.”

Wynter stormed upstairs, pretending to be mad.

But he had a plan.

Chapter Eleven

It was night. He already finished his homework and Dad was downstairs, working on pointless inventions. He wasn’t sure where Wanette wanted to go or if she was even awake, but he was still human and Dad wasn’t bothering him.

Wynter slipped outside of his window and into the darkness beyond.

Chapter Twelve

Perhaps she was at the diner? Yes, that seemed plausible. Everyone went to the diner, with its bright lights and throngs of people.

That would be the place Wynter would go to.

Chapter Thirteen

They’re not looking at you, Wynter. You haven’t even turned into a monster yet. They’re not looking at you. Wynter thought.

As everyone in the diner happily ate their food, he wondered if they were secretly judging him, if deep down, they knew what he was.

“Wynter!” A sweet voice called out.

Chapter Fourteen

Wynter turned to the sound of voice and found Wanette at a table, with ice cream sundaes for each of them.

Wynter walked up to the table, eyes aglow with the prospect of being with someone who cared.

Chapter Fifteen

Wynter joined Wanette at the table and asked: “How’s life going?”

“It’s good, I’ve got good grades, my parents are going to take me to Clownlandia in a few days.” Wanette said, sticking a spoon in her ice cream sundae.

“How about you? How are you?” Wanette asked through a mouthful of ice cream.

“I’m good. Nothing interesting ever happens with me.” Wynter said with a chuckle. She looked quite ridiculous like that!

The pain was starting again.

Chapter Sixteen

No, no. It wasn’t going to happen, not in front of Wanette. Wynter sucked back the monster that screamed, the monster that clawed, the monster that yearned to get out.

He stuck a spoon in his ice cream sundae and slipped the cold treat in his mouth. It was sweet, but nothing like the rich texture of human flesh.

No. Not tonight.

“Want to go to the park later?” Wanette asked.

“Sure.” Wynter replied.

Chapter Seventeen

FLASHBACK

Wynter watched as Mom was strapped to the leather chair. Dad held a needle in his hand, full of gooey purple liquid. Wynter didn’t know what it was, but Dad said that it was special.

Mom smiled at Wynter. Before Dad called her, she told Wynter that Dad was a scientist and he just wanted to help people with what he made.

“Now if I’m right, this will make you less anxious. Wouldn’t you like that, Anna? Wouldn’t you like to be less anxious?” Dad asked.

Mom nodded.

Without further ado, Dad plunged the sharp, silver point of the needle into Mom’s skin.

At first, nothing happened.

But then, bright, red bumps began appearing on Mom’s skin. Blood seeped from the dots, which grew bigger and bigger.

Wynter’s heart raced with alarm. He ran up to her, but Dad held him back.

“Just wait. She’ll be alright.”

“Look at her!” Wynter yelled, tears spilling out of his eyes.

Mom’s skin was being covered with bumps that would pop with blood once it got too big. Mom opened her mouth to scream, but blood spewed out of it. Her eyes looked back at Wynter with clear, white-hot fear.

Her skin continued to explode with blood.

Chapter Eighteen

Wynter and Wanette were in the park. The moonlight was glaring through the winding tree branches, judging those beneath it.

The electric pain was starting again, his hands wanted to twist and turn.

It couldn’t happen again…it couldn’t!

Chapter Nineteen

“Wynter? Where are you going?” Wanette asked.

Wynter ran off, the shock getting stronger. His fingers felt like they were being stretched beyond belief, his own blood was boiling.

His teeth were like needles inserted into his flesh.

Chapter Twenty

Wynter knelt down to the ground, behind a bush. Wanette wouldn’t find him then. She wouldn’t. She couldn’t.

“Wynter?” Wanette asked worriedly.

Wynter turned to look at her. His vision was blurred, his body felt unnatural.

He nodded, because what else was he to do? Lie?

Wanette’s eyes took on a spark of shock. Was she afraid? She was probably afraid. She had every right to be afraid. He was a beast, a demon. Looking at Wanette made him want to tear apart her flesh like cake, taste her blood seeping into his tongue.

A cold chill went up Wynter’s back. Dad had come. Of course Dad came, he always found out.

Always.

Epilogue

Wynter married Wanette when they both became adults and lived happily ever after.

Well, as happily as they could with Wynter’s past and his Dad lurking in the corner…