The beautiful beast.

Chapter 8.

She played guitar loudly and unexpectedly threw it on the bed while bursting out in tears. Blevine wiped her tears and stood up while staring at herself in the mirror. She had been rejected several times from playing in the public and when she got the chance to play to the public, her friend betrayed her by using her name instead. She had moved in three days ago to this apartment just to stay away from things that reminded her of bad memories but it wasn't working Blevine inhaled and faked a smiling while telling herself it was all fine, she placed her guitar in the bag and hung on her bag while locking her door to leave, she suddenly bumped into a man who was dressed like a pope.

"Oh I'm so sorry" she apologized sincerely sorry for not looking.

"I'm Eric, nice to meet you" he muttered accepting her apology as her eyes met his bible. He stretched his hand for a handshake but she refused.

"I'm sorry my hands are covered in smokes, it's unholy right" she said gnashing her teeth as she glanced at what she was wearing. Her appearance made her look like a whore to him but he never looked at her like that and she walked pass him. Eric glanced at her, it happens they were taking the lift together and he felt like preaching the gospel to her but she didn't seem interested in anything that has to deal with godliness.

"I'm not a missionary miss just trying to pass the good message that Jesus loves you" he said with a warm smile that suddenly got her tensed to leave the elevator immediately but the door had closed.

"Wow, you must be really soaked to this religion of a thing" she mocked avoiding her gaze from him.

"Yes, because it's God's will" he responded. Again with his smiles that send chills to her that she seemed lost in them.

"Even the bad?" She asked referring to all she had been through her stages of life.

"What's your name?" He asked interested in knowing her and she shyly responded while waiting patiently for the lift to slide open. Just immediately the door was opened, they were confronted by a monster which got them startled to close back the lift.

"What was that?" Blevine asked him while holding on to his arm petrified.

"I have no idea" he responded holding his bible tightly with probing eyes.

***

Ethan had managed to get a hold of these kid who haven't gone far from him. They hugged him for keeping to his words as he carried them back to the old man who he had informed was returning. The old man groaned and allowed them inside and the kids thanked him. Ethan observed this place which was filled equipment, he guessed this man was an engineer as he was making weapons of destructions.

"Please what's going on?" Ethan asked as he directed the kids to seat on the bed.

"Humans are becoming monsters" the old man snapped rolling his wheels to a large table that had implements. The little boy cried the more as he said;

"Our dad died killing one". Ethan glanced at the boy sadly as he hugged the boy consoling him. The old man beckoned on the little girl to check the kitchen for food as he perceived the children would be hungry.

"I guess I'm running a kindergarten class" he muttered aloud that Ethan could hear him.

"What's the cause?" Ethan furthered with his interrogations.

"When one yields to their deepest desires and the government made mention of symptoms which are hallucinating, itchy skin and..." The old paused and glanced at Ethan who was suddenly shaking as those symptoms were similar.

"Dark eyes" the old man completed while putting on his glasses to bind two rods together. Ethan swallowed hard and glanced at the boy who had buried his head on his chest.

"Is it the end of the world?" The girl asked coming out with a meal that could satisfy she and her brother.

"Perhaps" the old man responded with no emotions. Ethan wondered about other neighbors who had no idea of what was happening. Everything was happening so quick before his eyes that he couldn't concentrate, he just couldn't understand how Monsterization just turned up out of the blue and it happens that humans were the monsters themselves. No where happens to be safe because monsters could just pop out of anywhere. Certainly the world might have ended and it happens when he had a day to live because the next day he was planning on committing suicide.

"Is there a cure?"

"It's a curse boy, I guess the government has also abandoned us" the old man replied even though fed up by Ethan's unending questions. Who knew that this boy could risk his life to save others mostly when everyone regarded him as a devil living in a human clothing over the incident that happened earlier about Mrs Anna's death.

"What are your names" the old man continued and the kids were the first.

"Bella, Philip and..." He stressed waiting for Ethan who said his name sharply.

"I'm engineer Edward" the old man replied smiling for the first time at them which made the two kids relax as they thought he was a grumpy old man.

"Can I call you grandpa?" Philip said with a swollen face as he had cried his eyes out"

"Yes dear" he responded laughing as it seem to make him joyous on hearing that.

"Ethan feel free, we all need each other at this time" the old man suggested as he called him to help out. This old man might appear grumpy at time but was friendly to all and open his door to all who asked for help; besides he believes life was too short to hate or segregate anyone especially in this era that monster were gradually lurking in. Ethan dragged his legs slowly while frighten as the cardigan he wore was stain with blood, he would have collasped due to fear but held himself yet this old understood how it felt killing something strange for the first time.