Who's the real monster?

It started off as a normal Friday the 13th. Me and my folks were doing a marathon for the day's name sake just for fun. When the opening for the first movie began my mom touched her very pregnant belly before saying, "Something is wrong." Dad heard the fear in her voice then ran to grab the keys for the pickup. I froze in place just looking at her. Never in my life had I seen mom look so scared. Hearing dad yell over his shoulder, "Get the bag!" On instinct I grabbed the go bag my mom had been filling with stuff all day. From what I knew it was called nesting. It's what expecting mothers do when the baby is about to be born.

Mom was barely on her feet when I heard the horn being honked. I gently took her arm leading us to the front room carefully. The wind was beginning to howl, the beginning of September yelling to us in the south that our Fall is coming in.

Once in the truck I could tell mom was trying to put on a brave face. She looked as scared at the both of us. Moving into the back seat dad barely waited for the door to close before peeling out of the driveway. The sound of thunder almost drowned out the classic rock station that was always on in dad's truck. I hadn't done much praying for a years now, yet in this moment I sent a silent prayer to my grandma. She and I had always been close until her life ended recently. Doing everything I could to keep the tears at bay I thought Grandma if you can hear me please look after mom, she needs help with the baby.

None of us knew what the baby would be branded with sex wise until they were born. Mom had a sneaking suspicion that it was a boy. Mom had good insight for pregnancies. She even told that me that she knew I'd be a girl. Funny that I'd come out to her and dad as non-binary by the age of 13. I'm blessed to have had them as parents, they accepted me wholeheartedly even though they still called me Mija (daughter) out of habit and love.

Having no idea how long I had been praying opening my eyes to see the rain had started to come down hard. Dad was speeding down the road I looked to mom to see that she was still in pain. Reaching a hand out to touch her shoulder I had to say something reassuring, "It's going to be ok." She looked to me with a weak smile. The same one she had whenever something really bad happened and she had to break the news to me. Looking away from her I saw something far too big to any natural animal getting close. It was coming right at the passenger side. Mom's side. I yelled, "Drive faster dad!!" Barely a second passed before the thing hit us so hard I lost consciousness.

~

Waking up with a jolt I gasped for air flaying my arms around like a lunatic. I couldn't see a thing in front of my face. As I reached for my eyes someone grabbed my arms. I struggled to get out of their grasp while repeating, "No, let go." "Tamara, honey it's ok. I need you to calm down. You're in a safe place now. We're in a hospital, the doctor will be in soon. Just breathe", it sounded like someone I knew. After taking in a few deep breaths I asked, "Aunt Patty?" She loosened her grip to hold my hands before responding, "It's me honey, I'm here." I pulled her in for a hug. She held me so carefully as if in any second I would break.

When I couldn't stand the smell of a pack a day cigarettes on her I asked, "What happened? Where's mom? Dad? The baby? What happened to the baby? Why can't I see?" She pulled away slowly. After a few second of deafening silence I asked in a shaky voice again, "What happened?"

"Honey, I'm so sorry to say this...none of them made it", hearing her voice break made the news even worse. Shaking my head as if that could null the truth I had just heard. I kept saying out loud over and over again, "They can't be." I felt a hand grab onto my shoulder to steady me and said, "You are the only survivor Tamara." Exhaling a shaky breathe I began to feel tears drip down my cheeks. Hearing Aunty Patty say, "What the?"

The sound of a tough guttural voice said, "Is that blood. Don't touch." In the process to swipe at my cheeks I stopped mid air. Aunt Patty said, "Doctor what's going on? Is she bleeding from her eyes?" I stiffed in her hold before responding, "What?" "Tamara my name is Dr. Payne I'm here to help. Are you currently in any pain?", he asked. Processing the question all I could do was shake my head in response. Dr. Payne said, "Ok that's something. I'm going to start taking the bandages off your eyes now. If you feel anything different tell me immediately." After pressing my lips into a line I said, "Ok Doctor."

His gentle touch did not match his voice at all. After a minute or two I felt Dr. Payne remove each layer of gauze so carefully. "Almost done now Tamara", he said. By the time I could feel my face begin to wince at the sight of light. Dr. Payne must've noticed to ask, "Tamara your face is betraying you. Are you in any pain right now?" Taking in a breathe I said, "The light hurts." Stopping mid roll he ordered, "Turn all the lights off and close those blinds." The sound of feet moving was followed by the tv shutting down. After a moment or so the sting began to fade I said, "Better." Dr. Payne took the wrapping gauze away along with the pads over my eyes. "When you're ready I want you to open your eyes slowly", he instructed.

Following his instructions I slowly began to open my eyes. Seeing everything in black and white spread fear all throughout my body. It got worse when I saw the fear in both Dr. Payne and Aunt Patty's eyes. "Something is wrong? I can't see colors", I said. Aunt Patty said, "That's not normal." All Dr. Payne could do in response was shake his head. He lifted a finger in front of me before saying, "Follow." I did as ordered. He asked, "What color is my skin?" I took a good look at him before guessing, "Are you black by any chance?" He replied with a nod. I looked to Aunt Patty and she took a step back as if she was scared of me. "Can I see myself in a mirror?", I asked looking to Dr. Payne. Aunt Patty ruffled through her purse to bring out the small sugar skull mirror I had bought her during Dia De Los Muertos (Day of the Dead). Taking it I opened it up to see that my eyes were completely different that just a few hours ago.

Looking back up to Aunt Patty I said without thinking, "I'm scared." Instead of coming to my side to comfort me she decided to make a call instead. Dr. Payne barely waited a few seconds before saying, "I'll be right back, you stay here and don't move out of that bed."

The sound of footsteps marching in the hallways sent a chill down my spine. Remembering that Aunt Patty had been a scientist who worked for the armed forces ever since she graduated college made it worse. Knowing they were coming in here for me I went into the bathroom that was adjected to the room. Locking the door behind me I kept the light off bracing myself against the door to give me some time to think. Pulling the IV needle out of my arm stung. Looking down at the blood drip out of my arm didn't appear to be red. It looked black. My blood looked black. Must be my eyes I thought. A flash of red caught me by surprise. Looking into the mirror I saw that bit of red follow my line of sight. Getting closer I finally realized the red was in my eyes. Inches away from the glass I saw that the red in my eyes was what used to be my iris. There was a black slit where the pupil used to be round followed by more black where the sclera is supposed to be white. That's when I noticed the scars around my eyes were black.

Aunt Patty's voice sounded hollow in the room, "She was just here a moment ago." Her words froze me in place. She had lead them in here. To get me. Hearing the handle being jingled startled me. In a fright I grabbed the top of the toilet getting ready to hit anyone who came through the door. Feeling my heart beat so quickly in my chest I thought I'd break a few ribs in a matter of seconds.

The door was kicked down with such force that it fell off its hinges. A few men dressed in all black came into the small room of the bathroom blocking the only chance I had to escape. Lights flashed in my eyes. The stinging was unbearable. Dropping my only weapon to cover my eyes. I felt one of them reach out to grab my arm. "Don't touch me!", I yelled with a kick in the direction of the hand. Hearing the sound of bodies falling I pushed my way through to the room I was just in. The sound of orders being shouted out by someone smells like they used way too much Aqua Velva, "Get her, we have to bring her in!"

While keeping my eyes closed I ran out of the room and pushed everyone out of my way. Shouting and boots being stomped followed after me. Having no idea where the hell I was going the feeling of a door stopped me. The sound of boots were hot on my heels. Finding the lever of the door I shoved with my shoulder until the door gave way. Feeling my way around the staircase I decided to go up. It barely took a moment for the boots to following me upward. Picking the pace up I noticed that I didn't feel any ache aside from the one in my eyes. Keeping them firmly closed I kept both my arms on either side of the stairwell. I could only stop at the feeling of another door in front me. Hope this leads to the roof I thought. With another hard push I came out into the cool air of the night.

Turning to push the door hard behind me I used all the force in my arms to break the handle. Hearing a metallic crunch I moved away to slowly walk to the end of this roof. My mind began to race. I had no idea what I was doing or why they wanted me aside from the black blood that is currently running through my veins. This can't be happening, it's unheard of I thought. My foot thudded against the edge of the roof. The sound of the door being pounded into set my nerves of fire. Taking in a deep breathe I stood on top of the edge of the hospital.

After hearing the door being pounded in a few times for the door to open. The sound of boots trying to run out only to come to a hard stop. Aunt Patty yelled, "Move I need to talk with her! Tamara what the hell are you doing?!" Keeping my back to everyone I replied, "I don't know what's going on. I'm scared. My eyes and blood are weird. Why are you and these people trying to take me away?" The same man who gave orders spoke this time, "We came here to take you away for your own safety. Something unnatural attacked both you and your parents. We need you to come with us so we can figure out what's going on and if you're safe to be in society. If you don't come willingly we'll have to take you by force. This is your only chance."

Letting those words sink in, my mind wandered to what they would do to me if I let them. Hearing some steps getting closer to me I knew that the last thing he said was a threat. Taking in a deep breathe I made my decision. "I'd rather be free and dead." Bending my knees I jumped from the roof to what I thought would've been my death.