Althea and her family had taken up residence in a grandiose mansion situated on the prestigious Oxford Street in the United Kingdom. She was currently enrolled in grade 10 and her father, a renowned cardiologist, and her mother, a successful pediatrician. Though she had a younger sister who often proved to be a nuisance, they led a life of opulence and excess. The family was blessed with immense wealth and was all in the pinnacle of good health. Indeed, a life of luxury and wellness, what more could one ask for?
It was a dreary December morning, and the bitter chill had all but numbed the limbs of the students, who were bundled up in layers of clothing as they looked forward to the impending Christmas holidays. Althea was tardily making her way to school once again, her footsteps echoing through the deserted corridors as she hastened towards her biology class. As she took her seat, her teacher, Ms. Tam, announced that in light of their current lesson on genetics, the class would be required to bring photographs of themselves along with a strand of hair from each family member. Lab technicians were set to arrive the following day to conduct DNA testing. The hours trudged by, and finally, the school day came to a close. Althea and her best friend, Evie, made their way back home, their thoughts occupied with the impending DNA testing.
But as Althea approached her front door, she was met with an eerie silence. She called out for her family, but there was no response. Her eyes scanned the surroundings, and her gaze settled on a piece of paper peeking out from under the doormat. With a sense of foreboding, she picked it up and read its contents.
"Dear Althea, We have some pressing matters that require our immediate attention. The key to the house can be found beneath the doormat, and I have left some provisions on the kitchen table for you. We will not be back until the evening meal, and Amy has gone to a friend's party, so she will not return until later in the evening unless there are unforeseen circumstances. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require assistance. You are welcome to invite Evie over, should you so choose.
Yours truly,
Mom "
Althea retrieved the key from under the doormat and unlocked the door. She extended an invitation to Evie and soon enough, the doorbell rang, signaling the arrival of her friend. As they settled in, Althea turned on the television and selected a horror film for them to watch. She drew the blinds and curtains, while Evie switched off the lights, and the two of them nestled onto the sofa, immersing themselves in the eerie ambiance of the movie. The movie they had chosen to watch was permeated with an air of foreboding, and the creaking of doors and unexpected knocks at the door added to their unease. As they sat engrossed in the film, a loud thudding sound startled them, causing Althea to become agitated, and Evie to shriek in alarm. They muted the speakers, but the sound persisted. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door, and Althea peered through the keyhole to see three shadows, which she soon recognized as her sister, Amy, and her friend's parents.
She breathed a sigh of relief and opened the door, only to find that there was nobody outside. As she called out, she suddenly heard someone exclaim, "Althea? Althea?", and before she knew it, she had lost consciousness. Evie quickly sprinkled some water on her face, and it was then that Althea realized that she had been dreaming the entire time. As she woke up, she heard another knock at the door and sent Evie to answer it this time As Evie reached for the door handle, she saw Amy and her friend's parents standing outside. Suddenly, Althea's voice called out from behind her, "Who is it? It's your sister and her friend's parents. Don't open the door, I'm coming." Althea rushed to the door and opened it, allowing the group to enter. Amy's mother explained that Amy was experiencing a stomach ache and they had come to drop her off.
Althea nodded understandingly as the night began to set in and the sound of the front door lock clicked shut, signaling the arrival of her own parents. As they sat down for dinner,Althea nervously broached the topic of the DNA test with her family.But when she asked for a strand of hair from each of them to be used as a sample, her parents hesitated and fumbled with their excuses. They explained that they were experiencing hair loss and their hair often got stuck in their combs. But Althea was determined to find out the truth. As they retired to bed that night, she snuck into the bathroom and took a few strands of hair from her parent's comb without them noticing.
Althea's parents had always been busy with work, and it was nothing new when they left her alone in the house for a few days. Althea was used to it, but she couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched. Every corner of the house seemed to hide a shadowy figure, and every creaking floorboard made her jump.
The next day, Ms. Tan announced the results of their DNA test in class. Althea was surprised to find out that everyone in the class was real. She had never thought about it before, but the news made her feel like she was living in a dream world.
Later that day, someone threw a stone through Althea's window. Attached to it was a note that read, "You're adopted." Althea was stunned. She felt like she was living in a nightmare, and she couldn't escape the feeling that something sinister was lurking in the shadows.
Feeling overwhelmed, Althea decided to take a stroll in the forest. As she walked, she noticed an unusual flower and reached out to touch it. Suddenly, the flower turned to ashes in her hand, and she felt a strange sensation throughout her body. She could see her veins, pulsating with an otherworldly energy. Her body turned purple, and she felt like she was being consumed by a dark force.
Althea ran home, but she knew that she couldn't escape the horror that had taken hold of her. However, the next day, she noticed that her ears had become slightly pointed, like those of an elf, and her complexion had changed. Her lips had turned a sickly shade of pink, and her cheeks had a light blush. Her classmates couldn't stop staring at her, and Althea didn't know how to react. She felt like a monster, trapped in a body that wasn't hers.
After school, Althea decided to take another stroll in the forest to clear her head. She walked for a while, but soon she realized that she had lost her way. The trees seemed to stretch towards her, their branches gnarled and twisted like the claws of a demon.
As she touched an old oak tree, she felt herself becoming faint. She tried to stand up, but her legs wouldn't cooperate. Suddenly, everything went black.
When Althea woke up, she felt water on her feet. As she opened her eyes, she realized that she was standing in the middle of a lake. The water was murky and black, and it seemed to be alive with dark creatures. Althea was scared and didn't know what was happening to her. She could feel something tugging at her, pulling her down into the abyss.
As she disappeared into the water, Althea felt her body changing again. She felt like she was being reborn into something more sinister and powerful than ever before. She knew that her life would never be the same again. Althea was no longer just a regular girl; she was something else entirely, something that belonged to the shadows and the darkness.
