The rainy night brought with it heavy weather. The constant sound of water hitting the windows was the only thing that filled the silence inside his house. You were alone, your parents had gone away and the loneliness seemed even more palpable with the storm outside.

You couldn't stop thinking about Jeff, your childhood best friend. The memories of the days when you played in the park, exchanged secrets and laughed together were engraved in your mind. But that was before. Before he changed, before that terrible incident. Since then, no one knew for sure what happened to Jeff. He had disappeared and dark rumors began to circulate around the city.

Suddenly, a sound at the door made you startle. You froze, heart racing. You weren't expecting visitors. Slowly, you got up from the couch and walked to the door. You opened the door just enough to see who was there.

And there he was. Jeff. But he wasn't the same. His once-familiar face was now a mask of pale, misshapen skin, his eyes glowing disturbingly in the dim light. He smiled, or at least he tried, but the smile stretched grotesquely, as if his face were a distorted reflection of the boy you knew.

"Hello, I wanted to see you," he says, his voice now soft, almost sweet, but there was an underlying threat there. "I wanted you to know... that I've found peace with who I've become. And you can find it too.” He chuckled softly, a sound that made your skin crawl. "You'll soon understand. I just want you to be happy. But sometimes, happiness requires sacrifices."