I Think I’m Becoming Something Else - Written by : Sarah Sharp

Dear Mom and Dad,I'm sorry for what happened. I didn’t know what was going on at first. I shouldn't have gone into the cave—I know that now. Something was wrong with those bats. One of them bit me. I tried to brush it off, but after that, I started feeling really sick.

The next morning, my face felt like it was burning when the sun came out. It was like my skin was screaming. I ran all the way home and crawled under my bed into the dark. I called you a bunch of times, but you never picked up. I don't know if you're still on vacation or hiding somewhere in this empty house.

 It doesn't matter anymore. I started feeling... hungry. Not regular hungry, like food hungry. It's different. Deeper. 

Colder. Then you sent Jasmine. The babysitter. Even after I told you I was too old for one. I hate Jasmine. 

She talks to me like I'm five, not fifteen. But when she showed up, something snapped. I remember her walking in, and then everything went black. She’s not dead.I thought I killed her, but when she woke up, her eyes looked like mine now—glassy, glowing a little in the dark. Her voice got quiet. 

She looked scared. Then hungry. We didn’t say anything at first. Just sat in silence, listening to each other breathe. Then she asked if I could feel the night, too. Like it was a heartbeat.

We waited for the sun to go down. That was the first time we went out. Just walking through the streets felt... different. Everyone smelled like dinner. Every shadow felt like home.

 We didn’t hurt anyone. Not really. We just watched. Followed a couple people. I could hear their blood rushing.

I think I’m becoming something else. And Jasmine is too. We don’t sleep anymore. We hang out in the attic during the day, like rats. I don't even remember what I used to look like. 

My reflection in the mirror is fading. Literally. Like I’m not really there. We’re heading downtown tonight. Jasmine says there's more of us out there. Kids who slipped through the cracks. 

Bitten. Changed. Some live in the train tunnels. Some hang upside down in empty bell towers.Don't worry, though. We're not monsters. Not yet. Love you .(if I still know what that means)

• Me