"The Turning Point" Written by : Spokes Malone

In the dimly lit cave, the faint glow of a distant fire flickered against the stone walls, casting long shadows. His breath was shallow, steady, as his hand hovered over hers. She lay motionless, her skin pale as moonlight, her chest rising and falling in uneven rhythm. The sickness had ravaged her body, leaving her a fragile shell of the woman she once was.Kalen stood over her, his sharp fangs barely visible beneath his lips. His heart — if it could still be called that — clenched with every pained breath she took. He had known death, embraced it once himself. But now, it had returned to claim the one person who still tethered him to his fading humanity.Elara had been strong once. Vibrant. Her laughter used to fill the night air as they danced beneath the stars. But time had a way of breaking even the brightest souls. Now, time was his enemy.His red eyes glistened, glowing faintly in the dark as he weighed the decision that had plagued him since the illness took hold. He had the power to save her. The power to make her like him. But was it truly saving her? Or would he be damning her to an eternity of darkness and blood?Her eyelids fluttered, a weak moan escaping her lips. She was in pain. Every second he hesitated was another moment closer to losing her forever.“Please,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “Don’t… let me go.”Kalen’s jaw tightened. He had vowed never to turn anyone. He had seen the curse of his kind – the thirst, the endless hunger that gnawed at the soul. But watching her suffer, watching her fade, was worse than any eternal torment he could imagine.Tears he thought he could no longer shed began to blur his vision. His hand trembled as he reached for her, his fingers brushing against her cold cheek. The moment hung in the air like a final breath.“If I do this…” he murmured, his voice breaking, “you won’t be the same. You’ll be like me.”Elara’s eyes opened, glassy but filled with love. “I’d rather be with you in darkness than leave you alone in the light.”He closed his eyes, the weight of her words crashing down on him. Could he condemn her to this life? Could he live with himself if he didn’t? Kalen’s fangs lengthened, and with a heavy heart, he leaned down. Her pulse was weak, her life slipping away.“I’m sorry,” he whispered, before sinking his teeth into her neck.As her blood flowed into him, the bond was sealed. There was no going back. She would live… but at what cost?