By the time I awoke, it was a peaceful Sunday morning. It was about 6 am and during Spring, and when I looked out of the window, I was met with a brilliant blue sky.
Even though it was early enough to see a visible purple tinge on the bottom of the horizon, one could still hear the chirps of birds, the rustling of trees, and the sounds of the city walking up from its slumber.
Slowly, I pushed off my blanket and got out of my bed, looking at myself in the mirror.
The most noticeable thing was my extremely scruffy bed hair. My eyes, which had deep grey pupils, contrasted my pale face, much like my mother's. As a 5-year-old, I didn't have the greatest build or physique, but I was lean enough to seem quite healthy.
As I examined myself, out of the corner of my eyes, I noticed two horn-like clusters, sticking out from my jet-black, messy hair in the mirror. Staring in disbelief, I widened my eyes and pondered.
'This has never happened before.'
Believing that I was still half asleep, I immediately rubbed my eyes and ruffled my hair. Panic settled within my mind. For some unknown reason, my heart beat violently, almost as if I had seen something I was not meant to see.
As I opened my eyes again, I peered back into my reflection, and my uncanny bed hair seemed to be back to what it was supposed to be.
My heart settled as fast as it had awoken. The mirror that was in my room was a personal gift from my father, who rarely had the time to stay with me. He would constantly be burdened with admin work and incoming intruders back in his demon domain, so he left me a present every time he could visit. I could never resent him for it, as he always managed to put a smile on my face whenever I saw him.
'Something... seems off today.' That was the conclusion I decided to believe in.
My father had to made a risk for every time he came to the Human land, and he had especially given me the mirror, as it was from the Demon Castle's treasury. My mother did scold him each time he came, however, she eventually gave in after he would play with me in the garden. Anyway, I loved and trusted my father with all of my heart, so I could never accuse him of trying to play with me.
"Haaaaaa, I should go get ready," I reassured myself aloud.
Cautiously, I left the room to go to the bathroom, looking behind me just before I shut the creaking door. 'The room feels eerily quiet,' I thought, finally closing off the doorway.
*****
"Naomi, this is the last day I can push staying in the Human Realm." declared Desmond.
"Huuuuu... Tomorrow, I also must go to prepare our forces."
"Have you sorted out the situation with our little Ray yet?" inquired father, coincidentally at the same time I arrived at the living room.
"What do you mean π΄π°π³π΅π¦π₯ π°πΆπ΅ π΅π©π¦ π΄πͺπ΅πΆπ’π΅πͺπ°π―?" I asked while running to hug father.
"Ray... I would like a hug too..." whined my mother, impersonating a spoiled baby.
Silence filled the room. I had to blink a few times, before being able to comprehend the strange situation before me.
"Babe... just... answer his question..." said Desmond embarrassingly, with his whole face flushed red.
'Why was she acting like this?'
"*Cough Cough* Uhmm, so, " stalled mother, "Your father and I will be leaving for a bit, to sort out some... business. And thus, I won't be able to see you for a long time."
'Ah, so she was sad at leaving me.'
"Don't worry mum, take as long as you need to, I will always be waiting, just promise that you take a proper rest after you are finished," I assured her.
With a few salty tears starting to drip from her eyes, she carried on explaining, "This evening, aunty Mary will come to pick you up to bring you to her house, so be a good boy, and listen to her."
"WAIT WHAT!?" cried Father and I in unison, although for different reasons.
"Desmond, don't worry, she is my sister, she wouldn't try pulling anything funny. And besides, I have already gone out of my way to complete a background and information check on everyone in the family, and Mary isn't on the list of people who are likely to betray me," promised Naomi. "My head still hurts from then, there was so much information, I had to selectly remember everything I needed to know."
"Now hang on, why do I need to stay with aunt Mary?" I interrupted.
"Please just wait for me, I will come to pick you up as soon as I can."
Sighing, I reluctantly agreed to what my mother had to say, she was someone who was soft and sweet as a person, and fearful and strong-willed when she needed to.
And so began my dreadful stay with Aunt Mary.
*****
It has been three days since that conversation, and two days have passed since mother said she would leave.
Aunt Mary lived in a place vastly different to what I was used to. She owned a massive mansion, with soldiers, butlers, chefs and staff.
When I first entered the mansion with my parents, the first thing that I saw, was the grand imperial staircase at the back of the reception area. The entire lobby room alone was bigger than our house, with grand doorways on either side leading to more rooms. The handrails on the staircase were made from polished marble, and the sides of the floor were decorated with ornaments. It was breathtaking.
On the upper floor, we were introduced to the various rooms used by guests and told that only the servants and staff actually stayed on the lower floor. There were various hallways and corridors, leading to different parts of the mansion. It was like an incredible maze.
Unfortunately, it was already midnight by the time the tour was finished, and my parents said their final farewells.
And finally, the gates of the mansion were shut closed again with a loud BANG.
Aunt Mary stood next to me and turned her head to face me. She looked deep into my ash-grey eyes, without moving a muscle or blinking.
Sweat trickled down my body.
"Alright!" she beamed, startling me with a deafening clap.
"You can go and head to bed for today. As you know, I will always be in the office if you need me!" she cheerfully said as she already was walking back.
Before I knew it, I was escorted by the servants to my room. They also fed me a weird red pill, watching me swallow them down.
"Those are vitamins that are really good for your body, kindly given to you to be eaten every day before going to bed, by the order of Lady Mary Steelheart."
I watched as they walked out and turned off the lights, already feeling drowsy.
*****
The next day, I simply wandered around the mansion, exploring everywhere and meeting everyone I could find. I studied the portraits on the wall and finally did some writing in my diary. It was boring.
It had only been a day, and I was already missing my parents. Luckily, the time passed just as quickly, and after eating dinner alone, I decided to head to bed.
Staring at the silver moon, from beside my bed, I pondered at what mother and father must have been doing right now, and deluded myself within my imagination, thinking about how they would respond to me staying up so late.
Just before the servant was going to hand me some medicine, she said,
"Lady Mary Steelheart is calling for you in her office."
Suddenly, my heart started beating faster at the sound of her name. Leaving the room and being escorted with my hand by the servant, I noticed how each step I took, made me feel slightly more nauseous.
Right now, it felt like a whole hour had passed walking here.
Heart pumping violently, I pushed the door open and sat down in her office.
It was just me and her.
Slowly, she turned her rotating chair and placed her left hand on her chin.
Cocking her head to the side, she bluntly said,
"Your. Parents. Are. Dead."