I set off towards Trident Square. The bustling Oceanside district was a maze of malls, parks, and high-rise apartments. If Olivia lived here, I had my work cut out for me.

I started with the malls, weaving through crowds of shoppers, my eyes scanning every face, hoping for a glimpse of her. But as the hours ticked by and the stores began to glue together, there really was no sign of her.

Undeterred, however, I moved on to the parks. I walked for miles, my feet aching, my throat beginning to grow parched, but I barely noticed. Every bench, every tree, every fountain, I was hoping against all odds that I might find her sitting there, waiting for me.

As the sun began to set, I realised I couldn’t go on anymore without a break. Exhausted, I ducked into a nearby coffee shop, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and baked goods wafting in the air.

I slumped into a chair, my body grateful for the rest. It was only then I noticed my phone, which had been buzzing nonstop in my pocket all day. I pulled it out and saw a flood of notifications — missed calls, unread texts, emails. Most of them were from Claude and Reyna.

“Where you at dude? You missed class today. That’s not like you.” Claude’s text read.

Reyna’s message was more to the point: “Darian we’re worried. Please let us know you’re alright.”

I stared at the screen feeling guilty. I had been so consumed by my search for Olivia that I had completely set aside my own friends and my responsibilities. They were probably freaking out, thinking something terrible had happened to me.

I started to type out a response, my fingers hovering over the keys. But what could I say? That I was chasing after some girl who may or may not be real? That I had been stabbed, died, and then woken up with a new body and burning need for answers? They’d think I had lost my mind.

Damn it.

I deleted the message, opting instead for a simple, “I’m okay. Just needed some time to myself. I’ll explain everything later.” I hit send before I could change my mind, then silenced my phone and shoved it back in my pocket.

I couldn’t deal with their questions, not now. Not until I had found her and gotten some answers. I took a long sip of my coffee, the sweetness of my mocha frappe hitting my taste buds.

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Feeling energised, I stood up and headed back out into the fading light of Trident Square. I hadn’t found her yet, but I wasn’t giving up. I would search all night if I had to.

I searched through the night, combing every inch of Trident Square, but to no avail. As the first rays of days began to paint the sky, I dragged myself back to my dorm room, exhausted.

The next day I did it all over again. I skipped classes, ignored the frantic messages from Claude and Reyna, and lost myself in the search for this girl. But as days wore on and my efforts yielded nothing, I grew desperate.

In a last-ditch attempt, I turned to the internet. I found myself on obscure forums, pouring out my story to faceless strangers, hoping someone, anyone, might have answers. I wrote about the attack, my miraculous recovery after she gave me her blood, the changes in my body. But the responses I got were far from helpful.

“Dude, lay off the drugs.”

“This isn’t a fantasy novel bro. Get some help.”

“Pics or it didn’t happen.”

I slammed my laptop shut. I was stupid for thinking chronically online people would be of any help. Was I really losing my mind? Was any of this even real? Fuck, I didn’t know anymore.

As the days turned into almost a week, I began to notice strange changes in myself. It started as a gnawing hunger, a pit in my stomach that no amount of food could fill. Then, I began to hear things — the steady thump of heartbeats, the rush of blood in veins. I could see the pulse under people’s skin, and for some reason could almost imagine the taste of their flesh.

What’s happening to me?

I tried to wave it off, to convince myself it was just stress, lack of sleep, my mind playing tricks on me. But the hunger only grew and grew, consuming my every waking thought.

By Sunday night, I was a wreck. I paced my dorm room, my hands shaking, my mind a complete mess. I wanted… no, I needed flesh. The thought both repulsed and excited me.

I curled up in bed, shivering and drenched in a cold sweat. My mind kept screaming at me: “flesh, flesh, flesh”. I clutched my head, trying to silence the thoughts but they only grew louder and louder.

The hunger was all-consuming, like a beat clawing at my insides begging to be let out. I wanted to tear into soft, yielding flesh, to feel the warm blood running down my chin.

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood. The pain helped me focus, helped me resits. I couldn’t give in. I wouldn’t allow myself to become… to become what? A monster? What was I now?

The sound of my door opening made me freeze. I looked up at whoever it was as they pulled my sheets off me. It was Olivia. She looked at me without saying a word, instead she reached into her bag and pulled out something wrapped in paper.

The scent hit me like a freight train. It was so… delicious, intoxicating, everything I had been craving. Before I knew what I was doing. I lunged forward, drool dripping from the sides of my mouth as I snatched the package from her hands.

I tore into it, revealing a hunk of raw, red meat. I didn’t care what it was, where it had come from. All that mattered was the taste, the feel of it in my mouth as I chewed. I devoured it, barely pausing to breathe.

As I ate, I could feel that voice in my head subside as my senses slowly returned. Slowly, the world came back into focus. I looked up at Olivia who was watching me with a smile.

“Are you done?” Olivia asked, watching as I finished the last few bites. I nodded, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand.

“Good. Come with me,” she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. I followed her out of my dorm.

Outside, a sleek black car was waiting for us. We got in, and the car sped off, taking us far from the city. I watched as the buildings gave way to trees, the road winding through a lush forest.