Hybrid !

Donna Vandryn

The morning sun cut through the fog as Donna pulled her backpack over her shoulder, waving goodbye to her sister, Bonnie, who seemed preoccupied. Today was Bonnie's birthday, a day that always brought a mix of excitement and quiet worry. Donna knew her sister didn't have much to celebrate with, yet Bonnie rarely let that dampen her spirit.

When Donna entered the school, the hallways were buzzing with energy. Her friends greeted her, voices overlapping in excited chatter. The annual celebration was tomorrow, and preparations were in full swing. Colorful streamers and banners lined the walls, and half the school seemed caught up in dance steps, costume fittings, and whispered plans. The air smelled faintly of glue and freshly painted posters.

In the center of the room, Jessie was practicing his dance steps, looking as focused as ever. Donna smiled, moving over to him with a natural ease. "Need a hand, Jess?" she asked, watching as he struggled to keep rhythm. She guided him, offering advice and laughing when he tripped over his own feet.

"How about you, Donna? Are you in any of the plays or dances?" asked Sansa, one of her friends, nudging her playfully. Donna hesitated, a little shy at the thought, and shook her head, trying not to draw too much attention.

As they rehearsed, Joshua—one of Donna's closest friends—looked over his script, glancing up at her with a smile. "Will you be there to see my show?" he asked, his voice soft. "I have a secret to tell you, too."

Donna's eyes sparkled with excitement. "Of course, I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world!" she replied, feeling a warm rush of happiness. She knew she could count on Joshua, and the promise of a secret only added to her anticipation.

The busy hallway suddenly hushed, students glancing around curiously as a stranger entered. He was dressed sharply, wearing dark sunglasses and a brown tie that seemed oddly formal for their high school. He walked through the crowd with an air of importance, his gaze sweeping over them, then narrowing slightly when it landed on Enzo. The look felt cold, almost judgmental, and Donna couldn't help but feel a prickle of unease.

Everyone turned, watching as the man made his way to the principal's office. Donna noticed him inching toward the sidelines, trying to avoid any attention, a nervous shiver in his movements.

Donna lingered for a moment, her curiosity piqued. Who was that man? And why had he looked at Enzo like that? The feeling of excitement in the hallway shifted subtly to tension, like a shadow passing over the sun. She glanced over at Enzo, who seemed just as uneasy, his gaze fixed on the stranger until he disappeared into the principal's office.

Donna took a breath, shaking off the strange feeling. Tomorrow was a big day, and she wouldn't let anything spoil it. For now, she had Jessie to help, a show to look forward to, and the promise of secrets waiting in the wings.

ENZO VANDRYN & DONNA VANDRYN

The night had fallen, and a full moon hung in the sky, casting a silvery glow over the school grounds. The stars sparkled like scattered jewels, their light shimmering off the stage as students and teachers found their seats for the annual day program. Backstage, younger students slipped into costumes while seniors quietly snuck away to their classrooms, eager to drink and celebrate in their own way.

Joshua fidgeted, glancing around for Donna, who had yet to show up. He asked Enzo to go find her, and though Enzo didn't like the way things were going .Enzo slipped out, scanning the grounds for his cousin. 

The full moon, casting a pale, ghostly light over the dense forest. Shadows seemed to stretch and twist around her, and the chill in the air bit into her skin like the teeth of some unseen predator. She wrapped her arms around herself, struggling to keep up with Bonnie, who moved through the trees with unsettling purpose.

Donna's nerves tingled with unease. Bonnie was different tonight—her steps were calculated, her silence chilling. She seemed almost... distant. Donna forced a laugh, hoping to break the tension gnawing at her insides. "Bonnie, are you... drunk or something?"

Bonnie didn't look back. "I'm not drunk, Donna," she said, her voice steady but cold. "Just wait here. I need to show you something."

Donna's smile faltered, and a knot of anxiety twisted in her stomach. "Here? In the dark?" Her voice wavered as she glanced around, seeing nothing but trees and shadows that seemed to breathe.

Bonnie stopped suddenly, turning to her with an intensity that made Donna's skin crawl. "You trust me, don't you?" Bonnie's eyes glinted in the moonlight, a hint of something wild lurking just beneath the surface.

Donna nodded hesitantly, the words caught in her throat. She watched Bonnie disappear into the shadows, her footsteps fading until there was nothing but the sound of the trees whispering in the cold night air. She was alone.

Donna shivered, hugging herself tightly, but the chill was relentless. The air felt heavier, colder, as if the very forest had drawn its breath, waiting. Minutes slipped by, each one more unsettling than the last. The silence pressed against her, thick and suffocating.

A prickling sensation crept up her spine. She wasn't alone.

Her breath hitched, and she glanced around, eyes wide, straining to see through the dark. The shadows shifted, and there—two red, glowing eyes appeared between the trees, staring directly at her. They were close, too close, burning with a sinister hunger that made her heart stutter.

"Bonnie?" Her voice was barely a whisper, a plea swallowed by the silence. She took a step back, but her legs felt rooted, heavy, as if they'd been frozen to the ground.

The red eyes drew closer, slinking forward with a slow, deliberate menace. A low, guttural growl rumbled through the air, and Donna's blood turned to ice. The creature's eyes held an unnatural, insatiable hunger, and she could feel its gaze peeling away her courage, piece by piece, leaving only raw fear.

Bonnie's voice broke through the stillness, soft and eerily calm. "You can control this, Donna. It's in our blood."

Donna barely heard her, unable to process the words. All she could feel was the overwhelming terror as the creature advanced, its eyes burning into her, each step slow, deliberate.

But then, Bonnie felt it—a wave of bloodlust rolling off the creature, something wild and raw. Her stomach twisted as a realization hit her like a slap. This wasn't the same creature she had been with before; the thirst it radiated now was ferocious, uncontrolled. It was different. Dangerous. And it had locked onto her sister.

A flicker of panic crossed Bonnie's face as she whispered, "No... this isn't right."

The creature's breathing grew heavier, its eyes locked on Donna, hunger emanating from its every move. Bonnie's voice shook, the icy control slipping away. "Donna, run! RUN!"

But Donna stood frozen, paralyzed by fear, her eyes wide and locked on the advancing beast. Bonnie's heart hammered with guilt and terror. She had put her sister in this nightmare. She had underestimated the creature's nature, and now it was too late to take it back. 

Donna's breath caught, her instincts finally breaking free. She turned, but before she could take a step, another voice cut through the darkness, sharp and cold.

"Not yet." Evelyn stepped out from the shadows, her expression grim, her eyes fixed on Bonnie. "Not yet."

"No... this isn't right," Bonnie whispered, a look of realization dawning in her eyes. Panic laced her voice now, urgency flooding her tone as she turned to Donna. "RUN! Go! Now!"

After nearly searching the entire campus, Enzo found himself standing alone on the football field. The stadium lights were dim, casting long, eerie shadows over the wet ground. Rows of empty seats stretched out like ghostly watchers in the misty air, which was as cold as ice.

A figure emerged from the woods, sprinting toward him. At first, he couldn't make out who it was. But as she drew closer, her wide, terrified eyes locked on him, he recognized Donna. She was glancing back over her shoulder with every step, her face pale and filled with horror.

Then he saw it—the creature chasing her, massive and monstrous. It looked like a wolf, but its size was unnatural, towering like a tiger with a feral hunger in its bloodshot eyes. No, it was more than just a wolf—it was a werewolf.

Enzo's heart pounded, but he didn't hesitate. He bolted toward a basket of cricket equipment nearby, grabbing two bats. With a swift motion, he smashed one against a metal bar, breaking it in half to create a jagged, makeshift weapon.

"Donna, dodge!" he shouted as he ran toward her. She was paralyzed, fear rooting her in place as the beast closed in, the distance between them shrinking with every heartbeat. Enzo yelled again, and this time, Donna managed to stumble to the side, just as the werewolf lunged.

Enzo leaped, sliding under the creature's massive body, and drove the sharp end of the bat into its throat. The werewolf let out a guttural roar, swiping its claws across Enzo's hand, drawing blood. They both fell in opposite directions—Enzo near Donna, and the werewolf, still standing, a gruesome injury at its neck.

Donna, trembling, clung to him, her voice a mere whisper. "Please, help me, brother."

Enzo tightened his grip on the second bat, his gaze never leaving the beast, which seemed to tower even larger under the darkened sky. Cold air wrapped around them as clouds slid over the moon, casting shadows across the field.

"Run, Donna," he said, his voice firm. "When I tell you, go. Don't look back."

The werewolf lunged again, its deadly focus shifting between Enzo and Donna. As Enzo yelled, "Now!", Donna took off, veering sideways. The creature turned its head toward her, but Enzo seized the moment, thrusting the bat into its mouth. The impact knocked him backward onto the wet ground, his glasses flying from his face. He held onto the bat, even as the beast's hot, rank breath washed over him, saliva dripping onto his hands.

With his free leg, Enzo kicked the broken bat deeper into the creature's throat, causing it to let out a horrific scream, blood spilling from its mouth and staining the grass. Furious, the werewolf snapped the bat into pieces with its jaws, its rage only intensifying. Enzo grabbed one of the sharp shards and thrust it into the beast's eye.

The werewolf howled, a deafening roar of agony, as blood poured down its face. Enzo tried to reach for another piece, but the creature slammed its heavy paw down on his arm, a sickening crack reverberating as the bone broke. Pain shot through him, and he gasped, his face splattered with the creature's blood as it loomed over him, one eye blinded, the other gleaming with deadly intent.

Enzo forced himself to look away from the agony in his arm, glancing to the side to make sure Donna had escaped. She was nowhere in sight, and he felt a wave of relief—she was safe. He turned his gaze back to the werewolf, gritting his teeth. "Come on, you overgrown mutt," he growled, defiance burning in his eyes.

A sudden gunshot echoed through the night, and both Enzo and the werewolf looked sideways. A group of black-uniformed figures had appeared at the edge of the field, their weapons trained on the creature. The werewolf snarled, momentarily distracted, and Enzo seized the chance, taking another shard and stabbing it into the creature's remaining eye.

The werewolf let out a final, blood-curdling scream before stumbling backward, momentarily blinded. It turned and fled into the woods, but the black-uniformed men took aim and fired, bullets tearing through the beast's fur and flesh. The werewolf fought, clinging to life even as its blood soaked the forest floor. Enzo knew it wouldn't survive, not with both eyes destroyed and its strength failing.

From the sidelines, Diego, who had heard the commotion, stood up, a flicker of fear crossing her face. She didn't know where the sound had come from, assuming it must be part of the speakers or some strange effect in the event.

The uniformed figures advanced, one of them—a man with a calm, detached expression—approaching Enzo as he was helped up by a medic. The man surveyed the scene with cold approval. "Well done," he said to his team, casting a glance at the wounded werewolf. "It wouldn't have survived the night anyway."

One of the medics examined Enzo's arm, murmuring, "He'll survive. But his right arm is shattered. It'll take at least a year to heal fully."

The man, dressed impeccably in black, nodded. "We're taking him with us. He's rare. Move fast, everyone—the annual day program is over."

As Enzo was led away, his mind raced with questions. He hadn't just faced a werewolf—he'd been pulled into a dark world lurking beneath the surface of his own. And it wasn't over. Not even close.