There are no Monsters outside

This Morning feels already different before you're even completely awake. A glance at your alarm clock through bleary eyes, reveals that it's just 5 minutes before 8am. That alone is pretty weird, as you normally stay in bed much longer than that. But you can't shake the feeling that something's clearly off. Maybe you got your period a week early again? With a small groan you get up and shuffle into the [[bathroom|bathroom]].

Note to self: Buy new pads before your period starts for real. After eliminating at least one source for the weird feeling, you... ... take a quick [[look in the mirror|Mirror]], maybe your skin decided to grace you with some more blemishes and somehow that's what woke you up. ... [[avoid the mirror|no mirror]]. There's seriously no need to mess up your mood even further with what will undoubtly be a new spot or zit right on top of your nose, or something equally as anoying.

HOLY SHIT Are those... [[HORNS|Horns]]?!?

After successfully dodging your own reflection you decide to go [[back to bed|back to bed]]. It's way too early anyway.

After almost bashing your skull in at the opposite wall, you take a step closer to the mirror again to examine those... //things//. There is definitely a set of horns on your head. And a nicely grown one too, if you might say so. They almost add a solid 20 centimeter to your rather meager height of 1.59, even though they're a bit twisted and the tips turn slightly outwards. They kinda remind you of goat horns, or maybe a ram? They look a little too sharp and pointy for that... The examiation feels pretty surreal (note to self: buy new band-aids), and after spending almost half an hour in front of the mirror, you... ... decide to [[leave the horns|back to bed +horns]] as they are and go back to bed. ... start to panic and search for something to [[get rid of the horns|try to get rid of the horns]].

A quick search of your apartment results in a handful of objects you could use to try to get rid of the horns. - a pretty big metal [[rasp|rasp]], that you have no clue where it came from. - the biggest kitchen [[knife|knife]] you could find - a pair of [[scissors|scissors]], you normally use to cut paper - a [[flamethrower|flamethrower]]

The rasp lies heavy in your hand as you start filing at the outward end of your left horn. Have you really begun thinking of them as //your// horns? Whatever... those things have to go! You increase your effort and dark dust starts falling into the sink. Suddenly your shirt gets much much tighter and in shock you let go of the rasp that clatters loudly onto the floor. You dive in front of the mirror again, the sudden movement tearing at the seams of your shirt. What you [[see|small wings]] gives you the second almost heart attack of the morning...

Right next to your head, the knife looks dangerously big. Also, big doesn't always mean better, and in your haste you managed to grab the one you normally use for chopping, which seems to be completely unsuitable for any kind of sawing-action. You carefully place the knife back down and instead grab the... ... [[scissors|scissors k1]] ... [[rasp|rasp]] ... [[flamethrower|flamethrower k1]]

Scissors? Really? You abandon that tool pretty fast, after a tentative try to cut a little piece off of the tip only results in an alarming creaking sound of the plastic handle. Instead you grab the... ... [[rasp|rasp]] ... [[knife|knife s1]] ... [[flamethrower|flamethrower s1]]

You hold the lighter awkwardly over your head near the base of the left horn. Strangely, the movement reminds you of the failed attempt at french braiding your own hair for your brothers wedding. Your hand-eye-mirror coordination was never that good... You quickly stop the struggle after you start smelling the distinct note of burnt hair. Instead you grab the... ... [[rasp|rasp]]. ... [[knife|knife f1]]. ... [[scissors|scissors f1]].

Right next to your head, the knife looks dangerously big. Also, big doesn't always mean better, and in your haste you managed to grab the one you normally use for chopping, which seems to be completely unsuitable for any kind of sawing-action. You carefully place the knife back down and instead grab the... ... [[rasp|rasp]] ... [[flamethrower|flamethrower s2]] (BURN!!)

You have trouble getting comfortable again, you're fighting your pillow and your own thoughts. Maybe you should have started this day early? But on the other hand, what is there to get up for? After some time of tossing and turning, you finally [[fall asleep|sleep again]].

Your fridge is rather empty, so you get yourself some cereals. The Milk's almost empty too. (Note to self: buy new milk. Actually, just go grocery shopping already.) Even a full stomach can't change your mood, and your head is strangely unbalanced. You're feeling way too odd to brace the outside world today. You can still get the grocery shopping done tomorrow. Instead you decide to [[go watch some TV|watch TV]].

You wake up again, and this time the muted lighting suggests a much later time. The additional sleep didn't do anything to disperse the weird feeling from earlier and you're still pretty tired. After counting the cracks in the ceiling for a while, you decide to get something to eat. You're not really hungry, but people should eat, so that's what you do. You get up and go to the [[kitchen|kitchen no horns]].

You waste a good part of your day sitting in front of the TV. None of the shows are particularly entertaining, but doing anything else sounds way too exhausting. After eating a small bowl of dry cereals and almost falling alseep on your couch, you decide it's time to say goodnight to your empty apartment and [[go to bed|go to bed day 1]]. Maybe you'll feel better tomorrow.

You wake up early again, still feeling weird. Maybe today the source really is your period? With a small groan you get up and shuffle into the [[bathroom|bathroom]].

Maybe you're still dreaming. And normally you're never up this early. After trying to find a comfortable position without impaling your pillow with the horns, you're slowly [[falling asleep|sleep again +horns]] again.

After waking up a second time, you immediatly feel for the top of your head and... yes. The horns are still there. After your heart rate calmed down a little bit, you decide to... ... go into the bathroom again and find something to [[get rid of the horns|try to get rid of the horns]]. ... [[ignore the Horns|kitchen +horns]] and go to the kitchen.

You try to ignore the added weight on your head as best as you can and open your fridge to get something to eat. It's rather empty, but you still have some milk left, so you make yourself a bowl of cereals. (Note to self: Go grocery shopping) To deviate your thoughts from the looming, dark problem on top of your head, you decide to [[go watch some TV|watch TV +horns]].

You wake up early again and the horns are still there. You decide to... ... ignore the problem until it goes away and [[go back to sleep|sleep again +horns]]. ... go into the bathroom and find something to [[get rid of the horns|try to get rid of the horns]].

There's something growing out of your back... You know it's not just sitting there, but actually a part of your body, because as you move to get rid of your shirt to see better, you can feel it... shifting... and your muscles are moving with it. Wings. The things on your back are tiny, folded wings. This is seriously getting creepy. As you continue staring over your shoulder to get a closer look at those new appendages, you shift your back muscles a little, which causes the wings to flutter and unfold a bit. They're in no way pretty, instead they remind you of some kind of bat-monster wings, leathery looking and dark. They're rather small, covering just parts of your shoulders and upper back, nowhere near big enough to enable you to fly. But when you try concentrating you can actually //feel// them and how the muscles of your back work to move them at your will. You're having a million questions at once... ... but one stands out the most. [[Why did those wings suddenly start to grow?|examine wings]] ... so you try to [[push the mess in your brain away|kitchen +wings]] for a while and go to the kitchen to get breakfast.

As you examine your wings further, you can't shake the feeling that maybe trying to get rid of the horns triggered their growth. You only managed to dull the tip of the left horn, maybe filing away more of it could make the wings grow bigger? [[What a stupid idea!|leave small wings]] Why would you want to grow even bigger monstrosities? [[Let's test this idea!|big wings]]

Your fridge is rather empty, so you get yourself some cereals. The Milk's almost empty too. (Note to self: buy new milk) You probably should go grocery shopping soon, but with you looking like this, there is no way that you could even consider stepping outside. You decide to [[go watch some TV|watch TV +small wings 1]].

You decide to not further mess around with those strange occurences and go to the kitchen to get some breakfast. Your fridge is rather empty, but you still have some milk left, so you get yourself a bowl of cereals. You really have to go grocery shopping soon. Actually, why not right now? You're slowly getting sick of only eating cereals, maybe you could get some bread and cheese, and some fresh fruit would be really nice too. But can you really go outside looking like this? Maybe you could [[try to disguise yourself|disguise +small wings]] and hide the horns under a hat?

This morning is either the weirdest thing you'll ever experience in your whole live, or a very realistic feeling dream. Either way, you think you should take advantage of it. Those horns are way too sharp anyway and the next time you want to go to bed they'll probably ruin your pillows. The left one is already dull enough, so you [[try filing down the right one|get big wings]].

While using the rasp on your right horn, you keep an eye on your wings. And really! They're growing! When they stop growing, they've already reached until a handbreath over the floor. You stop filing, but you wonder what else could happen if you just keep on filing... [[experiment further|experiment further]] [[stop experimenting|stop experimenting]]

The wings feel way too real and delicate to try experimenting on them, but filing the horns feels just like filing your fingernails, so you keep on rasping away at them. You don't even notice a big change in size, when you spot the next modification. Your reflection shows you a pair of big, yellow eyes, including a slitted pupil. Well, you never really liked your muddy grey-brown eye color anway. Nonetheless, this is enough self-testing for one day, and you decide to [[go to the kitchen|kitchen + eyes]] to get some breakfast.

You decide to not risk any further surprises and go to the kitchen to get some breakfast. Your fridge is rather empty, but you still have some milk left, so you get yourself a bowl of cereals. You really have to go grocery shopping soon. Maybe you should do it right now? You're slowly getting sick of only eating cereals, you could also get some bread and cheese, and a couple of fresh fruits would be pretty nice too. But can you really go outside looking like this? You could probably [[try to disguise yourself|disguise +big wings]] and hide the horns under a hat.

A quick look into your wardrobe reveals that you have exactly one coat that would be heavy enough to compeltely hide the wings, and zero hats that would fit over the horns. You also have a tank top that would leave room for the wings, which is actually much more appropriate for the warm summer weather outside. You decide to... ... [[stay at home|watch TV +small wings 1]]. Maybe all the weirdness will be gone tomorrow and you can go grocery shopping then. ... put on some pants and the tank top, [[go the store|go grocery shopping +small wings]] and leave the coat at home.

Without further struggles you manage to get both arms and wings into your tank top. You grab your keys and wallet and, for the first time in a week, step outside. Unexpectedly no one seems to pay you much attention as you walk the way to the next bus station. Only your neighbours cat, that usually flees on sight, stops to stare and hiss at you. But apart from that, everyone else acts completely normal. While riding the bus you notice that even though no one seems to be able to even see the strange changes you aquired over night, they still leave you more room than on any other day. You've never ridden the bus that [[peacefully|outside +small wings END]].

Finding sleep with a head full of worries and two tiny, but very squishable wings on your back, is not an easy task. You were just thinking about maybe getting a new mattress with a hole in the middle, when you finally fall asleep. The End.

Your fridge is rather empty, but you still have some milk left, so you get yourself a bowl of cereals. You really have to go grocery shopping soon. Actually, why not right now? You're slowly getting sick of only eating cereals, you could also get some bread and cheese, and a couple fresh fruits would be nice too. But can you really go outside looking like this? Maybe you could [[try to disguise yourself|disguise +eyes]] and hide the horns under a hat?

The cat-like eyes are easily dealt with with some sunglasses you still have lying around. The rest though is much harder. It's way too warm to put on the heavy winter coat, and none of your hats are big enough to hide the horns. But do you really want to hide? You never talk with your nighbours anyway. Most people from your street wouldn't recognize you if you would look normal and damn. You just don't want to hide! The horns have kinda grown on you, now that they're not razor sharp any more. And the Wings? Yeah maybe they look kind of like a mix of bat and dragon, but... dragon! Dragons are cool, and wings are cool! Actually, you should get to some kind of big open space to find out what those things can do. But first the milk. And some fresh ingredients. And maybe something nice for the way. You leave the coat at home, put on some pants and a loose tank top that fits just perfect with the wings on your back, grab your keys, wallet and the sunglasses and [[leave the house|leave +eyes]].

You haven't been outside in almost a week and the sun feels nice on your exposed skin. Strangely no one seems to pay you much attention as you walk the way to the next bus station. Only your neighbours cat, that usually flees on sight, stops to look at you. You slowly try approaching it, until it lets you pet it's head for a few minutes. Apart from that everyone else acts completely normal. While riding the bus you notice that even though no one seems to be able to even see the strange changes you aquired over night, they still leave enough room for them. You've never ridden the bus that [[peacefully|outside +eyes END]].

Finding a good disguise is not as easy as you thought. You could probably put on your heavy winter coat to disguise the wings, but it's the middle of summer and on top of that, none of your hats are actually big enough to completely hide the horns. And you kinda don't feel like hiding them anymore. Especially the wings are pretty cool. They remind you a little bit of a dragon. You should try making plans to get out into the open over the weekend, maybe somewhere out of the way where you could test what those wings can actually do. Between your older shirts you find a tank top that's loose enough that you can fit your arms and wings through the holes. You put on some pants, grab your keyes and wallet and [[leave the house|leave +big wings]].

You haven't been outside in almost a week and the sun feels nice on your exposed skin. Strangely no one seems to pay you much attention as you walk the way to the next bus station. Only your neighbours cat, that usually flees on sight, stops to stare at you. But apart from that, everyone else acts completely normal. While riding the bus you notice that even though no one seems to be able to even see the strange changes you aquired over night, they still leave enough room for them. You've never ridden the bus that [[peacefully|outside +big wings END]].

After getting enough fresh food to last you a week (and also some pads and band-aids) you make your way back home. During the bus ride you spot a nice looking park that would be ideal to test your wings, or maybe just sit around in the sun for a while. You decide to go there later after storing away your groceries. You catch yourself smiling at nothing, as you climb the stairs to your apartment and you wonder if that new found energy is also part of the transformation that started when you realized you suddenly grew a pair of horns over night. Anyway, it feels pretty good. The End.

After getting enough fresh food to last you a week (and also some pads and band-aids) you make your way back home. During the bus ride you spot a nice looking park that would be ideal to test your wings, or to just sit around in the sun for a while. Maybe you'll to go there later after storing away your groceries. You catch yourself smiling at nothing, as you climb the stairs to your apartment and you wonder if that new found energy is also part of the transformation that started when you realized you suddenly grew a pair of horns over night. Anyway, it feels pretty good. The End

After getting enough fresh food to last you a week (and also some pads and band-aids) you make your way back home. During the bus ride you spot a nice looking park that looks rather inviting for taking a walk, or just to sit around in the sun for a while. Maybe it would make a good place for a little trip in the future. As you climb the stairs to your apartment you wonder if that new found sense of excitement is also part of the transformation that started when you realized you suddenly grew a pair of horns over night. Anyway, it feels pretty good. The End

There are no Monsters outside //by Ria Delva// [[Start Playing|Start Playing]]