Malachai woke up early with the first distant thunder. The sky was already black at 6 in the morning, even though the sun should have risen long ago. He looked out the window: low, heavy clouds, charged with electricity. The forecast had changed suddenly.
He went downstairs to the kitchen now without a hoodie or anything covering him. Cory was there, still in her thin silk robe that clung slightly to her body because of the humidity in the air. She was making coffee, but when she saw him come in, she stopped, cup halfway to her lips, and slowly scanned him from head to toe with an almost appraising look.
"Good morning, sweetheart…" She said in a soft voice, but with an undertone that wasn't purely maternal. "Malachai, are you… wow? Yesterday you were already impressive, but today… you look like a completely different man."
He poured himself coffee without reacting, though he noticed how her eyes lingered a second too long on his chest and the way the t-shirt stretched tight across his shoulders.
"I grow fast, Mom. I already told you." He replied naturally.
Cory set the cup down and stepped closer. She placed both hands on his shoulders, squeezed lightly, and slid her palms down his arms, feeling the hard muscles beneath the fabric.
"This isn't normal." She murmured, almost to herself. "Your arms… they're like steel. Your chest…" Her fingers brushed over his pectoral above the shirt, tracing a subtle circle. "What are you doing, Malachai? Steroids? Or is it something else… that you're not telling me?"
He looked her straight in the eyes, not backing away.
"It's not steroids, Mom. Just… changes." He lowered his voice. "Does it bother you?"
Cory swallowed audibly. Her hands stayed there a second too long. The air between them thickened.
"It doesn't bother me." She whispered. "It… impresses me." Her thumbs pressed a little harder. "But it worries me. If you're into something dangerous, tell me."
Malachai covered one of her hands with his own, large and warm.
"I'm not into anything dangerous." He gave a faint smile. "Quite the opposite. I'm safer than ever."
Cory bit her lower lip. For a moment it seemed like she might lean in closer. But she only stepped forward and kissed him on the cheek, very close to the mouth, lingering for a second and inhaling his scent.
"Take care today. There's a storm. And… if you need to talk about anything… I'm here."
She left the kitchen, the robe fluttering behind her, leaving a trail of perfume and tension in the air.
Malachai watched her go, noticing the slight quiver in her hips with every step she took.
"Soon." He thought. "But not today."
At school the atmosphere was heavy. Classes went on with thunder in the background and lightning flashes lighting up the hallways. During lunch, Malachai overheard conversations in the corridors and the cafeteria everyone was talking about Jhonny's party that night.
"It's gonna be awesome, Jhonny said there'll be alcohol and music till late." One guy told another.
"And with this storm, it might get even crazier." Another laughed.
Malachai leaned against a wall, pretending to check his phone, but listening to everything. He knew exactly what happened at that party in the movie: Andrew felt out of place, left early, Matt and Steve followed him, and Steve suggested going into the woods to check out "weird lights" he'd seen in an old video. That was where the crystal was.
He didn't need to go into the party. He just had to wait for the moment when the three of them left.
By the end of classes, a steady, fine rain was falling. Malachai left quickly, got into the truck, and parked on a side street near Steve's house. He waited with the lights off.
Near 10 p.m., Andrew came out first. Hood up, clearly annoyed, he walked toward the forest shortcut that led to his house.
Minutes later, Matt and Steve came out too. Steve was carrying a flashlight and talking excitedly.
"Come on, Matt. Andrew went through the woods. And I saw this old video of a guy saying there were weird lights out there on stormy nights. Maybe we'll see something epic."
Matt hesitated, but followed him.
Malachai got out of the truck and followed them on foot. The rain soaked him, but his body felt no cold. He moved through the trees with superhuman speed and stealth, getting ahead of them without being seen.
The three entered the woods near the lake. Andrew was in front, alone. Matt and Steve followed at a distance, flashlight in hand.
Malachai positioned himself on a hidden rise. He watched.
The rain intensified. A lightning bolt lit everything up. The thunder was deafening.
Then a white light fell from the sky like a small meteor. It struck the ground about 50 meters away, throwing up dirt and steam. The crater smoked under the rain.
Andrew froze.
Matt and Steve ran toward him.
"Let's go see what that was!" Steve shouted.
Malachai stepped out of the shadows. He walked calmly, letting the rain hit his face, and shone the flashlight he'd brought on them.
"Guys, you can't be here this is a restricted area." he said loudly, his voice deep and clear despite the storm's noise.
The three spun around. Steve stepped back and yelled.
"Run!"
Malachai stopped five meters away. He said nothing more. He just stared at them fixedly until all three turned and ran back toward town, stumbling in the mud.
Malachai looked at the crater stretching out in front of him. There was a tunnel an old, unstable tunnel. It looked like it could collapse at any moment.
Malachai approached the crater alone. He descended into the narrow tunnel that had opened. The crystal glowed at the far end, pulsing with bluish energy.
He knelt and touched its surface.
He felt an aura envelop him.
Raw energy surged through his body. He sensed his mind expanding: a nearby stone trembled and lifted a few centimeters off the ground before falling.
His brain began to throb and his nose started bleeding. He could feel the crystal trying to control him, demanding he bring it food, but suddenly, everything stopped.
The tunnel began to shake. Malachai rushed out without looking back. The entrance collapsed completely, sealing the tunnel. No one would ever know the crystal was down there. Even if someone found it, it wouldn't matter, because he knew that thing (the crystal) was already dead.
The crystal was buried once more beneath earth and water.
Malachai smiled darkly under the rain as he wiped the blood from his nose with his hand.
"Now yes… with this, I won't have any more restraints. This world, I will conquer it."
As Malachai began walking back home, elsewhere in town…
In the sewers beneath the center, a homeless man had gone down to take shelter from the storm. He turned on his flashlight. The beam lit up wet walls… and a tall clown figure with a red smile.
"Hello, floaters," Pennywise said in a high-pitched, raspy voice as drool dripped from his mouth. "Do you want a balloon?"
The man backed away in terror.
"No… I'm just… just passing through…"
The vagrant turned to leave, he wanted nothing to do with that madman.
Pennywise's mouth opened wide. Rows upon rows of razor-sharp teeth extended.
He took a brutal bite. Blood splattered the walls. The body fell. Pennywise chewed while laughing as the flashlight rolled away and went out.
IT had awakened…
Above, the rain kept falling.
Malachai arrived home soaked, but satisfied.
The crystal was his.
And the clown… would soon learn he was no longer the only hunter.