NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Beast Within Beauty
Jayden forced a smile back, feeling like a stranger in his own skin. He muttered a quick goodbye and hurried out the door, questions pounding in his mind, and the haunting certainty that this was only the beginning.Jayden’s mind was a storm of images and memories as he walked to school, barely aware of his surroundings. The scene from last night replayed over and over, haunting him. He hadn’t even realized how quickly he’d arrived until he looked up and saw the familiar school building looming ahead. But today, it looked different—police cars surrounded the entrance, their lights flashing, increasing tension. He felt a chill creep up his spine. This was about Felix. Deep down, he’d known he couldn’t escape the consequences, yet seeing it unfold before him brought a wave of dread.
As he got closer, he overheard fragments of conversations, students whispering in shock and fear. Felix’s body had been found, but it was unlike anything anyone expected. His lower half was missing, and the rest of him was horrifically torn, as though by some wild animal. The police presence wasn’t for investigation alone; they were there to reassure the students, to show they were safe from whatever creature had done this.
Rumors spread quickly. Someone claimed to have seen a massive, wild bear sprinting from the woods nearby. In a town this small, with the dense forest so close, sightings of wildlife weren’t unheard of. People from the city loved to camp in the woods, and stories of animal encounters were common. But this... this was different. This was brutal.
In the school canteen, Benjamin was positively joyful. When all four friends gathered at their usual table, he couldn’t hide his excitement. “It’s like a miracle!” he exclaimed with a wide grin. “God’s on our side!”
Ivy shot him a glare and whispered urgently, “Keep it down, idiot!” They were safe for now, the blame falling squarely on a bear. But Jayden was struggling to find comfort in their luck. His mind kept flashing back to his bloodstained clothes. No bear had done that.
His friends, sensing his unease, tried everything to lift his spirits. They cracked jokes, poked fun at each other, talked about anything they could think of to pull him out of his dark thoughts. But Jayden barely responded, a heavy silence hanging over him. They had no idea that it wasn’t just his mood that had changed—something deeper, something in his heart, had shifted. The memory of Felix’s death felt like a weight he couldn’t shake, and all he could think about was the punishment he felt he deserved.
In a last-ditch effort, his friends suggested a bonfire party. “Come on, Jayden, you need to unwind!” Ivy insisted. “This’ll be good for all of us.”
"Fine!" With irritation, Jayden threw his hands up.
That evening, they gathered at their favorite spot on the edge of the woods, where the trees cast long shadows in the fading light. They had everything ready: drinks, loudspeakers, and laughter, trying to drown out the memory of what happened. The crackling of the bonfire filled the air, and their laughter echoed through the trees, but for Jayden, the dark forest around them felt like it was watching, waiting.
Before this bonfire, Ivy and Jayden had hooked up a few times, usually after they’d had too much to drink. Though they weren’t in a relationship, their chemistry flared up in those hazy, drunken moments. But lately, Jayden had noticed Benjamin trying to get Ivy’s attention, throwing compliments her way and always eager to be near her. Tonight, under the low glow of the fire, Jayden watched as Benjamin and Ivy swayed to the music, both of them tipsy and laughing, lost in the rhythm together.
Jayden was about to look away when he caught the gaze of a girl across the fire. She was smiling, her eyes fixed on him, her friends giggling behind her. Feeling a glimmer of confidence, he gave her a small smile back and walked over, leaving his friends behind. The girl’s smile widened, and soon they were dancing, her soft voice barely audible over the music. When she said something he didn’t quite catch, he leaned in. “I love this song,” she repeated a little louder, a playful sparkle in her eyes.
They talked for a while, and with each sip of his drink, Jayden felt a bit of the weight from yesterday lift. For the first time all night, he felt normal, even happy. But just then, a loud rustle came from behind the trees, and someone leapt out with a roar. The girl dancing with him, started, stumbling back in terror. Jayden turned and saw Benjamin wearing a bear mask, stumbling out from the shadows with a triumphant laugh.
“Benjamin, what’s your problem?” Jayden shouted, stepping toward him as the girl backed away, trembling.
With a grin, Benjamin yanked off the mask and swung it playfully in his hand. “I’m Felix! Roar! Oh no, this bear is eating me!” He chuckled, throwing his arms up dramatically. But to Jayden, the joke wasn’t funny. It was cruel, sickening, a slap in the face of everything he’d been trying to bury.
“I said shut your mouth!” Jayden’s voice was cold, and before he knew it, his hands were around Benjamin’s throat, shoving him back against a tree with all his strength. His grip tightened, and he could feel Benjamin’s pulse racing beneath his fingers, his gasps getting weaker. Jayden’s heart pounded, his thoughts swirling with flashes of Felix’s face, Felix’s fear. He wanted to squeeze harder, wanted Benjamin to feel that same terror, that same helplessness.
“Jayden, let go!” Ivy’s voice broke through the haze, and she shoved him, forcing him back. He blinked, releasing Benjamin, who fell to his knees, gasping for air. Around him, his friends were staring, wide-eyed and speechless. The girl he’d been dancing with looked horrified, inching backward, her face pale.
Without a word, Jayden grabbed his jacket, threw it over his shoulder, and walked away from the fire and his friends, unable to bear their stares.
He was scared—not of them, but of himself. The rage that had surged through him, the twisted satisfaction he’d felt in Benjamin’s struggle for air—it was monstrous. He hated himself for feeling that, hated how much he’d wanted to keep going, to see Benjamin crumble under his grip, to hear that final gasp. The worst part was, a small part of him had savored it. And he couldn’t shake the thought that the person he’d become was something darker than he ever imagined.