A 10-year-old boy with white blond hair, Ethan, trudged home from school, his uniform slightly rumpled after a long day. As he walked, he began to feel a strange dizziness, the world around him swaying slightly. He quickened his pace, eager to reach the comfort of his home.
Ethan changed out of his uniform, slipping into his pajamas with a sigh of relief. Exhausted, he lay down, hoping a good night's sleep would chase away the odd feeling. Yet, as he drifted off, the dizziness lingered, pulling him into a restless slumber.
Ethan awoke suddenly, his head spinning, his stomach churning with an intense pain that seemed to radiate from within. Confused, he stumbled out of bed, the moonlight illuminating his path as he collapsed onto the floor, clutching his middle.
In the throes of agony, Ethan arched his back, his body convulsing as if fighting an inner battle. He stamped his foot, the sound sharp against the wooden floor, his voice rising in a primal scream. As he tore at his shirt, his skin prickled and shifted, the transformation overtaking him.
Ethan lay unconscious, his breathing shallow, his clothes ripped and his body bare. The moon's glow seemed to cradle him, as though soothing him after the night's ordeal.
Emma had found Ethan crumpled on the floor, shirtless and in tatters, worry knitting her brow. She gently cradled his head in her lap, watching as he slowly stirred awake. "Ethan, what happened?" she whispered, her voice tinged with fear and relief.
"I... I don't remember," Ethan replied, the events of the night a hazy blur. He gazed at his sister, grateful for her presence, as the morning sun bathed them both in its reassuring warmth.
