Darkness Within by Isabel Lucero

The moment it happens, everything in me changes. Imagine somebody was able to fit inside of your body. Their arms are the same length as yours. You’re both the same height. Everything is exactly the same. Now imagine that person not being a person at all. That thing inside of you is a shadow. Darkness. A silhouette of you, only living on the inside of your body. It doesn’t have a conscious. It doesn’t have a heart. Nothing within that darkness is remotely human. Its only goal is to take over your body. It fights against your muscles. It tries breaking through the skin. It wants to replace you.

That’s what it feels like when the darkness that lives inside me starts trying to get out. I feel it happening. The pressure builds. My skin prickles. And the only thing that tames it, getting it back to resting peacefully inside me, is to unleash it. I have to let it wreak havoc, and I quite enjoy the mayhem.

Analeigh Price comes into my life and does the one thing I hate; question me about my past. She can pretend she wants to get to know me all she wants, but she’s not ready for the truth. I won’t become a better person for her, because I am who I am. She can’t fix me, because my wounds are unfixable.

You see, I’m not like everybody else. Oh, no. I’m different. My humanity was stripped from me long ago, and those who are responsible are about to be paid a visit. You’ve never heard a story like mine, because I’m unlike anyone you’ve ever met. I’m no hero. I’m the guy you don’t want to piss off, because once the darkness within me is unleashed, it’ll be too late to get away. What’s my name? It’s Donovan. Donovan James. But the darkness is taking over, and it’s only good at one thing, so I must go.