I hung up the call and I was looking at my phone and turned and I bumped into someone

  “Ohhhh “

  “Ouch “

  I catch her and she's in my arms and quickly stands straight. We both say sorry at the same time with a sink .

  “I am so sorry “

  “No it’s my fault I am looking at my phone so I am sorry “.

  She said it’s okay and I head back towards our table and we start talking and the guy who invites us, his name is ray says to me,

  "Why are you wearing a mask and a cap, remove it bro and have some chill.

  “It’s my choice dude”

  “And we want to see your loser face, that's our choice “

  Everyone laughs

  “In your dreams “

  “Then let’s see if it’s in dream or in reality am i right guys “

  Everyone says in sync

  “Yes we want to see his face

  He looked straight into my eyes, and I didn’t look away.

  He stepped forward and tried to pull off my mask.

  I caught his wrist, twisted his arm behind his back, struck his shoulder, and pushed him back into place.

  Three seconds. That’s all it took.

  The group went silent.

  Shock spread across their faces — even Ray’s. Anger flashed in his eyes as he threw a full-force punch at me.

  I dodged easily and swept my leg under his feet.

  He fell to the ground.

  I offered him a hand to help him up.

  He ignored it.

  Instead, he grabbed the fork that had fallen during the fight. When he stumbled, he had tried to steady himself on a table, knocking a plate and the fork to the floor.

  Before I could react, he yanked my hand and pulled me down, raising the fork to stab.

  I caught his wrist mid-air.

  Still on the ground, I drove my forehead into him and used the momentum to flip us over.

  Now I was on top.

  I pinned him down, pressing my elbow against his throat just enough to stop him from moving.

  I leaned closer.

  “Never mess with me

  Everyone sees us, the manager comes and the people who are present see me with curiosity and shock .

  I got up and got going and left the hotel. But I feel like something is missing. I touched my neck and my necklace is missing. It's my 18th birthday gift that mom gave me .

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  It was important. I had to go back and get the pendant.

  But before I could enter, Ray stepped in.

  “Don’t let him inside,” he told the manager firmly.

  The manager hesitated for a second, then blocked my way.

  I was already calculating how to get past security without causing too much noise. I could break through if I had to.

  But before I made a move, a familiar voice spoke up.

  It was the girl I had bumped into earlier.

  She calmly walked up to the manager and said something I couldn’t hear. Within seconds, his attitude changed.

  He stepped aside immediately.

  That’s when I realized—she wasn’t ordinary.

  She was standing in the lobby of the most expensive hotel in the city, surrounded by bodyguards. The manager listened to her without the slightest hesitation.

  She had influence.

  And she was… unbelievably beautiful.

  For a moment, even I forgot about the pendant.

  I go to get the pendant

  “Thanks for all this”

  “It’s alright but your pendant is unique where did you get it “

  “Ohhhh this yeah it’s really unique my mom gave me this on my 18th birthday it’s precious to me “

  “I see “

  Phone rings*

  “Hello mom “

  “Kelix, where are you? It's dinner time and the weather does not also seem nice to come home as soon as possible. “

  “Okay mom I’ll be right there in just a minute “

  “Kelix, the weather is really bad and comes quickly and safely .”

  “Don’t worry mom, I'm coming.

  “Okay “

  “Okay see you”

  “Sorry I have to go and thanks again”

  I got out of the hotel and the weather is really not good. It's blowing out and I take my bike and head towards my home.

  I know already that they might plan something from the invite. That's why I came here to see what they wanna do actually for a little fun. I thought that how much they can do just maybe make fun of me but everything is unexpected.

  I easily got him because I train daily for being a cop. It's necessary and I am very good at it. But whatever, in the end I’ll go home and eat my moms hand made food. I am not at any loss but I don’t know what their behaviour will be tomorrow at college.

  It starts raining in the mid way and I’m drenched but I manage to reach home and I open the door, take off my shoes, leave it there to dry and say mom give me a towel I am drenched because of rain.

  “I told you that the weather is not good but you won’t listen “

  “Oh it’s the first time I see that mom scolding his favourite son”.

  “Well how’s your day at college and how’s your party going tell me brother .”

  “Eve stop, let Kelix change first. “

  “Okay as you say “.

  “Mom, I'll go and get change. “

  I suddenly notice moms hand has a cut on the palm

  “Mom, are you okay? You got a cut and it’s bleeding .“

  “Oh I didn't notice it, maybe I get it when I was chopping veggies for salad”.

  “Eve you don't notice it .“

  “I was helping her in preparing dinner, but when she said I will cut the vegetables and told me to put the shopping bags inside, I just went. I see it now… I’m sorry.”

  “It’s okay.”

  “No, Mom. Let me give you first aid for the cut.”

  “Eve gets the first aid box “.

  “Mom sit first “

  I make her sit in the hall and open the first aid box and take the disinfectant and clean the wound.

  there isn't a bandage here it’s maybe in the drawer .

  I went to get the first-aid kit… and saw something unbelievable.

  I went to get the first-aid kit… and saw something unbelievable.

  The TV in the hall was on.

  On the screen, I saw Mom’s hand fall to the floor — detached from her wrist. Calmly, she slid it under the sofa. Eve then took some of the blood and shaped it into a new hand.

  A new hand.

  My breath stopped.

  The bandage slipped from my fingers and hit the floor.

  I slowly turned toward them, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. My breathing grew heavy. Tears blurred my vision. My hands were shaking.

  Mom and Eve noticed.

  They looked at the screen… then at me.

  Their brown eyes shifted to green.

  And they started walking toward me.

  I didn’t think. I ran.

  But something long and unnatural shot forward and wrapped around my leg, dragging me down. I grabbed a pair of scissors from the first-aid kit and slashed at the hand gripping me.

  It cut.

  It bled like a human’s.

  But it didn’t matter.

  Another one grew back instantly.

  My mind was spinning. None of this made sense.

  Then I remembered.

  The first time her hand fell… it was right after I poured disinfectant on the cut.

  With trembling hands, I grabbed the disinfectant bottle and threw it at them.

  They screamed.

  Not in anger.

  In pain.

  So it worked.

  I snatched the perfume bottle from the table, sprayed it toward them, and struck a match.

  Flames burst forward as their screams filled the hall.

  On the screen, I saw Mom’s hand fall to the floor — detached from her wrist. Calmly, she slid it under the sofa. Eve then took some of the blood and shaped it into a new hand.

  A new hand.

  My breath stopped.

  The bandage slipped from my fingers and hit the floor.

  I slowly turned toward them, my heart pounding so hard it hurt. My breathing grew heavy. Tears blurred my vision. My hands were shaking.

  Mom and Eve noticed.

  They looked at the screen… then at me.

  Their brown eyes shifted to green.

  And they started walking toward me.

  I didn’t think. I ran.

  But something long and unnatural shot forward and wrapped around my leg, dragging me down. I grabbed a pair of scissors from the first-aid kit and slashed at the hand gripping me.

  It cut.

  It bled like a human’s.

  But it didn’t matter.

  Another one grew back instantly.

  My mind was spinning. None of this made sense.

  Then I remembered.

  The first time her hand fell… it was right after I poured disinfectant on the cut.

  With trembling hands, I grabbed the disinfectant bottle and threw it at them.

  They screamed.

  Not in anger.

  In pain.

  So it worked.

  I snatched the perfume bottle from the table, sprayed it toward them, and struck a match.

  Flames burst forward as their screams filled the hall.

  I immediately rushed toward the door and got out of the house. My mind was blank. I don't know what’s happening .

  It's terrifying and I want to find where my mom and sister, i reach the police station in heavy pouring.

  I tell them everything while shivering and breathing heavily .They said okay let us show we will see.

  We went back home.

  But when I stepped inside… everything was normal.

  The furniture was in place. The floor was clean. No blood. No fire. No sign of anything.

  Mom was standing there.

  The cop began interrogating them.

  “Ma’am, your son says something unusual happened here.”

  Mom looked confused. “Officer, nothing happened. He must be mistaken.”

  I stared at them.

  Their eyes were brown again.

  Like nothing had ever changed.

  For a second… even I started doubting what I saw.

  “But your son tells us something else”.

  “I am so sorry for all the trouble but actually my son is having a party with his friends and he is a little drunk so I apologise for all this “.

  “It’s okay mrs storm keep your son in “

  I am shocked by what's happening .