The evening sun painted the living room in warm hues as Alex anxiously waited for his mother, Maria, to return home. The events of the past days weighed heavily on him, the mysterious changes in his body, and the unsettling hunger he couldn't comprehend.
Alex decided to eat some food from the fridge to satiate his unrelenting appetite, hoping it would bring relief. However, as soon as he finished eating, he felt a wave of nausea overwhelming him.
He rushed to the bathroom as he vomited whatever he had eaten. He washed his mouth on the bathroom basin and lifted his head. His skin had turned pale and eyes had sunken.
"What the hell? " Alex exclaimed, surprised at his own appearance. He looked like he was only a step away from death.
Feeling weak and unsettled, Alex returned to the living room and turned on the TV, trying to distract himself from the turmoil inside. Just then, the front door opened, and Maria walked in, her face softening with relief upon seeing her son. But her smile faded as she noticed Alex's pale complexion.
"Alex, are you alright? What happened?" Maria asked with concern, approaching him.
"I'm fine, Mom, just a bit tired," Alex replied, trying to brush off his discomfort.
Maria's worried gaze lingered on her son for a moment, but she didn't press further. Instead, she decided to cook something light for dinner, thinking it might help Alex feel better. As she prepared the meal, Alex's thoughts kept drifting to his father, the man he knew so little about.
Finally gathering the courage, Alex decided to confront his feelings and find answers. "Mom, can I ask you something about Dad?" he said hesitantly.
Maria turned to face him, her eyes filled with a mix of emotions. She knew this day would come when Alex would inquire about his father. "Of course, Alex," she replied, sitting down at the table with him.
Alex took a deep breath, feeling the weight of his question. "How did you and Dad meet? Why did he leave?" he asked, trying to sound composed.
Maria's face softened, and a hint of sorrow crept into her eyes. She started to share the story of how she met Alex's father while they were both in college. They fell in love and dated for some time, and then one day, they discovered she was pregnant. The news brought them joy, and they decided to get married and build a life together.
"But, about a month before the wedding, he vanished without a word," Maria continued, her voice tinged with pain. "I tried to find him, but he was gone, and I had to move on on my own."
As she spoke, Alex's heart ached for his mother, feeling the burden she had carried silently for all these years. "I'm sorry, Mom," he said softly, reaching out to hold her hand.
Maria managed a sad smile, appreciating her son's empathy. "It's okay, Alex. We've always had each other, and that's what matters," she said, grateful for the love and support they shared.
Suddenly, Maria hesitated before getting up to retrieve a small wooden box from a hidden shelf. "Your father left this behind," she said, handing the box to Alex. "I don't know what's inside, but it's all that remains of him."
Alex held the box in his hands, feeling a mix of curiosity and trepidation. Slowly, he opened it, revealing old photographs, letters, and trinkets from their past. As he sifted through the contents, memories of a father he never knew and a life they could have had together flooded his mind.
Maria's eyes filled with tears as she watched her son quietly explore the remnants of a past that was lost to them both. Alex reached over to hug his mother tightly, offering her comfort in their shared sorrow.
"I wish I could've given you a better life, Alex," Maria whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.
"No, Mom," Alex replied, holding back his own tears. "You've given me the best life I could ever ask for. We have each other, and that's all that matters."
Their embrace lingered, allowing them to share their unspoken emotions and find solace in their bond. After a while, Alex retreated to his room, clutching the box close to his heart. Alone in the dimly lit space, he sat by the window, allowing the memories of his father and the revelations of the past to wash over him.
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The night was calm as Alex sat by the window, the pale moonlight casting a soft glow in his room. Contemplating the revelations of the past, he clutched the wooden box his father had left for him, its secrets weighing on his mind. Gently opening the box once more, he went through the old photographs and letters, seeking some clarity amid the mysteries.
As he sifted through the contents, something caught his eye—a letter with 'to my child' written on the front. Curiosity piqued, he opened it, only to find a single sentence written on the entire letter: "Flip the box."
Intrigued, Alex quickly flipped the box over, searching for any hidden compartments or clues. At first, everything seemed ordinary, but as he meticulously examined each part of the box, his eyes fell on a small hole that resembled a keyhole. His heart raced with excitement and anticipation. He scoured the box for a key and eventually found a delicate, thin key hidden amidst the memorabilia.
With trembling hands, he inserted the key into the small hole, and to his amazement, a hidden compartment was revealed. Inside, he found an ancient-looking book with a blood-red lettering on its cover that spelled out the words "Sanguine Lord."
Curiosity mixed with a hint of trepidation washed over Alex. The book appeared to be centuries old, and its eerie aura sent a chill down his spine. Hesitating for a moment, he finally mustered the courage to open the book.