The Monkey King's Curse

Chapter 2: Unwanted Reflexes

The forest floor under his boots felt too soft, almost like walking on a layer of velvet, and the familiar sights of the campus walk felt alien. Jovan kept his eyes glued to his feet, his heart hammering against his ribs like a trapped bird. Every fiber of his being screamed that he shouldn't be here, that he should be miles away, hidden in a dark room.

"Hey, Jovan! Earth to space cadet!"

He jumped, his skin buzzing with that same erratic, humming energy. He turned to find Anisa jogging to catch up with him, her messenger bag swinging against her hip. She looked effortlessly normal—jeans, a faded university hoodie, and that look of casual concern she always wore when he spaced out.

"Oh. Hey, Anisa," Jovan said, his voice coming out a bit too raspy. He cleared his throat, trying to force his jaw to relax. "Sorry, I’m just... I didn't get much sleep."

Anisa slowed her pace to match his, her brow furrowing. "You look like you went ten rounds with a bear, man. What happened to your face? You look pale."

"Long night," he mumbled, clutching the strap of his backpack so hard his knuckles turned white. "Just a project. Got lost in the woods."

"In the woods? In those clothes?" She gestured toward his dust-covered jeans. "You look like you crawled through a briar patch. Did you fall?"

"Something like that," he said, forcing a tight, lopsided smile. "I’m fine. Really. Just need a coffee and a seat in the back of the lecture hall."

"You need a shower and a nap, is what you need. Come on, Dr. Aris is going to be on a warpath if we aren't there for the start of the lecture."

They moved into the lecture hall, a cavernous space filled with the low hum of student chatter. Jovan kept his head low, picking a seat in the very back row, tucked into the dimmest corner he could find. He felt like a live wire, every vibration of the room—the slamming of desk lids, the shuffling of paper, the distant hum of the AC—grating against his nerves.

"You okay? You’re vibrating," Anisa whispered, sliding into the seat next to him.

"I’m fine. Just nerves," Jovan whispered back. He felt that warmth under his skin again, a persistent, rhythmic pulsing in his lower back.

Dr. Aris strode to the front of the hall, his voice booming over the speakers. "Alright, everyone. Settle down. Today we discuss the limitations of biological adaptability."

Jovan leaned back, trying to breathe, but a stray particle of dust drifted through the air. His nose tickled. He tried to suppress it, but the pressure in his sinuses was building, the sensation sharp and volatile.

"Jovan?" Anisa poked his arm.

"Don't," he hissed, his muscles tensing.

"What?"

The sneeze came before he could stop it. It was violent, a sharp jerk of his entire body.

Hachoo!

As his body jolted, a sudden, searing pressure erupted from the base of his spine. It felt like something was being forced outward, a rapid, frantic growth of cartilage and muscle beneath his jeans. He gasped, his back arching, his hands gripping the underside of the desk so hard the wood groaned.

"Jovan? Your face..." Anisa’s voice dropped, laced with sudden alarm.

He felt it—a long, heavy weight pushing against the fabric of his clothes, snaking out from his lower back. It felt like a tail. A thick, muscular, living thing, twitching with a mind of its own.

"I need to go," he choked out, his face flushed with mortification.

"What is happening to you?" Anisa grabbed his arm, her grip firm, forcing him to look at her. "You’re shaking. You’re burning up."

"I... I can't explain it," Jovan stammered, feeling the phantom tail press against the seat cushion, straining against his denim. "I think I’m sick. Really sick."

"You’re not just sick. You’re... I don't know what you are, but you aren't sitting through this lecture," Anisa said, her tone shifting from concern to command. "Get up. Now."

"I can't. If I stand up, everyone will—"

"I don't care," she interrupted, standing up and pulling on his arm. "You look like you’re having a seizure. We’re leaving."

"Anisa, stop!"

"Move, Jovan! We’re going to the hallway. My car is right outside."

She didn't wait for his permission. She hauled him from his seat, her grip surprisingly strong. Jovan stumbled, his balance completely off-kilter, his mind racing to find a way to hide the protrusion that was currently trying to shove its way out of his pants. He hunched over, clutching his backpack against his lower back, acting as a makeshift shield.

They burst out of the lecture hall, the sound of the professor’s droning voice fading as the heavy door clicked shut behind them. The hallway was empty, bathed in the sterile, flickering light of overhead tubes.

"Okay," Anisa said, spinning him around to face her. "Start talking. What was that? I saw your back move."

Jovan leaned against the cool cinderblock wall, gasping for air. The tail was still there, a throbbing weight that made him feel heavy and unbalanced.

"I don't know," he wheezed, his eyes darting down the hall. "I found something in a cave. It was a bracelet. It... it just kind of went inside me."

Anisa stared at him, her expression unreadable. She walked closer, her voice dropping to a soft, rhythmic cadence. "A bracelet? You’re talking about an artifact?"

"It wasn't just metal," Jovan said, his chest heaving. "It was like liquid gold. It just absorbed into my skin. And now I feel like... like I'm not human anymore."

"Breathe, Jovan," she said, her voice dropping an octave, calm and steady. "Just breathe with me. You’re panicked. When you panic, the world gets louder, doesn't it?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because you're projecting," she said, taking a step closer. She didn't look scared; she looked focused, as if she were solving a complex puzzle. "Focus on my voice. Just listen to me. Don't worry about the noise. Don't worry about the back of your pants. It’s not real if you don't give it permission to be."

"That’s not how biology works," Jovan muttered, though his heart rate began to slow.

"Ignore the biology. Focus on the humming," she countered. "Feel it in your arm. Bring it back."

Jovan closed his eyes, centering his focus. He could feel the golden fire inside him, that predatory, ancient hum. He visualized it, pulling it back from his spine, reeling it in like a loose wire. The pressure in his back began to recede, a dull ache lingering where the tail had been moments before.

He slumped against the wall, the heavy weight vanishing, leaving him feeling drained and hollow.

"It’s gone," he whispered, opening his eyes.

Anisa didn't move away. She kept her eyes locked on his, her gaze intense. "It’s not gone. It’s just waiting."

Jovan stared at her, his throat dry. "What do you mean?"

Anisa looked down the hallway, ensuring they were still alone, then leaned in close, her voice a barely audible hum. "I mean I’ve been waiting for someone like you to show up, Jovan. I’ve seen the signs before."

"What are you talking about?"

"You think you’re the only one who found something in a cave?" She offered a small, knowing smile that didn't reach her eyes. "You’re hiding something big, something that shouldn't exist. And the good news is, you don't have to hide it from me."

Jovan felt a chill that had nothing to do with the air conditioning. "Who are you?"

Anisa reached out, her fingers brushing his arm—not where the gold had been, but a clean, steady touch. "I’m the person who’s going to help you survive what comes next. Because if you think the tail was the hard part, you haven't seen the half of it yet."