The Boy Next DOOR.

Rebecca's eyes widened in terror as she watched Kelvin transform. She had never seen him like this before—he was monstrous, towering over her by at least six times. Her instincts screamed at her to flee, but she knew she couldn't escape. Kelvin was no longer himself; he was something else entirely.

Kelvin could hear the frantic heartbeat of another person besides Rebecca, but he couldn't pinpoint its source. Kelvin was fixated on the other heartbeat, which was coming from somewhere nearby and, from the sound of it, belonged to someone who was asleep.

Scanning the surroundings, Kelvin's gaze locked onto the house next door. He could feel the heartbeat was coming from within that house. Rebecca's eyes followed his line of sight and realized with growing horror what was about to happen. As Kelvin moved toward the door, Rebecca's fear escalated.

"No, Kelvin! You can't go there!" she screamed, lunging to hold onto his fur in a desperate attempt to pull him back. Her strength was no match for his, and a single swipe of his paw sent her crashing across the room.

Groaning in pain, Rebecca clutched her stomach as she struggled to stand. She knew she had to stop him but was unsure how. Summoning her own powers, she transformed and tried to strike Kelvin, but her blows were ineffectual.

She couldn't let him reach Dave—if he did, Dave would be killed. Kelvin growled in response to her attack and swatted her away, his gaze focused solely on his target. He was supposed to maul and tear her apart, but something within him restrained him from causing her harm.

Desperate, Rebecca recalled the magic spells she had learned. She recited them with precision, casting a barrier spell over the door to prevent Kelvin from leaving. To her shock, Kelvin simply ripped the door off its hinges in one swift motion.

Determined, Rebecca cast another spell to create a protective barrier around Dave's house, ensuring Kelvin couldn't get in. Once she was certain the spell had taken effect, she turned and fled, with Kelvin in pursuit.

"Kelvin, come back to your senses!" she called out, her voice echoing through the night.

A deep, commanding voice resonated from the woods, grabbing Kelvin's attention. "Snap out of it now!" the voice commanded, and Kelvin's focus shifted.

Rebecca watched as a figure emerged from the shadows, approaching them. Kelvin's growls intensified as he turned toward the newcomer.

"Who are you?" Rebecca demanded, eyeing the stranger with suspicion. Was he a threat to Kelvin?

"I'm Sebastian, the commander of Silverfur," the man said, drawing his sword.

Kelvin charged at Sebastian, but the seasoned warrior deftly dodged the attack, landing on Kelvin's back.

"Kelvin, are you listening to me?" Sebastian shouted over the chaos. Kelvin thrashed violently, slamming his body against the walls in an attempt to dislodge Sebastian.

Sebastian reached out a hand to grab Kelvin, but Kelvin's wild, frenzied movements made it difficult. "Are you stupid, Kelvin? Snap out of it! You want to kill Dave, don't you? Do you really want to kill him?!"

Kelvin's furious growls faltered at the mention of Dave's name. He slowed, his rage momentarily subdued by the realization of who was at risk.

"Yes, Dave, your lover," Sebastian continued, his voice piercing through the tumult. "Is that what you want? To kill him? What will you gain from it? Will it bring you happiness? You're under a spell. Snap out of it before you regret your actions."

As Sebastian's words sank in, Kelvin's growls subsided. Sebastian jumped off Kelvin's back, his words having an impact.

"That's all I have to say. If you still want to kill him, the door is right there, and his room window is up above," Sebastian said, pointing. Kelvin's eyes followed his gesture.

"The choice is yours," Sebastian concluded before vanishing into the night.

Rebecca watched in silence as Kelvin sank to his knees, his monstrous form slowly retreating back to his human self.

"Kelvin, Kelvin, my child, are you okay?" she asked, rushing to his side as he returned to his normal state.

Tears streamed down Kelvin's face. "Mother, I don't want to live anymore. I don't want this," he sobbed, and Rebecca embraced him, her own tears mingling with his.

"Don't say that," she comforted him, stroking his back gently. "It's not your fault. It's not your fault."

"Did I hurt you?" Kelvin asked, his voice filled with concern.

"No, you didn't hurt me," she assured him. "You did well. You didn't kill anyone this time. Keep it up."

"Dave, is he alright?" Kelvin asked, his worry evident.

"He's perfectly fine," Rebecca replied, helping him to his feet.

"Let's go inside; it's late," she said as they entered the house. Before closing the door, Rebecca lifted the barrier she had placed around Dave's house.

The Next Day

Dave awoke the next morning, ready for school. After his bath and getting dressed, he went to Kelvin's house and rang the doorbell twice before it was answered.

"Good morning, Dave," Haymen greeted him.

"Good morning, sir. I'm here to pick up Kelvin. We're heading to school together," Dave said.

"Oh..., Kelvin? Well, he's going to meet you at school," Haymen replied with a hesitant smile.

Dave frowned. "Sir, are you sure Kelvin is alright?" His concern was palpable.

"Yes, Dave. Everything is fine. Don't worry. Kelvin just has some things to take care of. He won't be able to join you today," Haymen reassured him.

"Okay, but please let him know I stopped by," Dave said, and with that, he headed to school.

A Few Hours Later

Dave was already in class, chatting with Rihanna. The classroom buzzed with activity as everyone chatted, waiting for the lecture to begin.

"Good morning, everyone," a male lecturer greeted as he entered.

"Good morning, sir," the students responded.

"Today, we have a new classmate joining us," the lecturer announced, gesturing for the newcomer to step forward. The new student, a tall young man, introduced himself.

"Hello, everyone. My name is Ortho... Ortho Grimwood. I'm looking forward to getting to know all of you and working together," Ortho said with a friendly smile as he looked at Dave.