Chereads / Way of Beasts: Chronicles / Chapter 18 - Cursed

Chapter 18 - Cursed

We arrived in a happier area, with several houses with symbols such as a meat, a hammer, a book, among others.

"I'm just going to take a look at what you have for today, okay?"

I respond excitedly

"Sounds good, since I'm looking forward to proving what you did today"

After a few hours I find myself holding almost 50 things in my hands and on my shoulders,

I hear a child talking to his mother while she laughs

"Look mom he looks like a mountain"

"pfft, true son"

'haha very funny'

I see Rosario look at me with fun in her eyes even with a serious face

I sulk as I go back to focusing on carrying all this stuff

"You can laugh"

"I don't want to, darling, I was just enjoying things I couldn't do before"

I feel sadness in your voice

"But now you can, and I can do it whenever I want"

Seeing my attempt to cheer her up

 I receive your half smile with maternal love

"thank you dear"

Finally arriving at Rosario's house

I smell something different when I try to smell it, it's like nothing I've ever seen

"What is that smell?"

puffing out her chest with pride she responds

"Does it smell good?, that's what I prepared for today, the ingredients are a little expensive but my husband can afford it"

'I feel bad for him,'

she goes to the kitchen and comes back with an orange "broth" with rice and some potatoes

'looks...

appetizing perhaps?'

Seeing his expectant look, I take the first bite to my mouth when my eyes widen.

I started eating faster so that the food wouldn't go away with how hungry I was feeling

I see her smile while I feel embarrassed for showing this side to my mother

"Calm down dear, there's still a lot more food in there"

Trying to compose myself, I try to get back to the main topic

"What's the name of this delicacy, I've never eaten anything like it and it's simply addictive"

looking thoughtful she said

"Something like strogo..."

After a while of trying to remember, she claps her closed hand against the palm of her open hand and says with a smile

"Stroganoff"

'I want to eat this forever-'

I look down when I remember my duties and I feel terrible

'I need to try harder to protect them'

I get up abruptly and give her a hug before leaving.

As I leave I walk a few steps when I look back and wave my hand goodbye as I walk away from what should have been my mother

When I hear footsteps I turn around and see her running towards me

When I noticed why she did this, my eyes started to water, but I stopped myself from crying in front of her again.

"You know... I don't know how to say this but"

Looking sad and afraid of my reaction she continued while with her empty hand she squeezed her own palm.

"You are like a son to me, before you I was lost, I was just a shell, I admit that at first I felt affection for you because you looked like my son, but now you are you, I feel bad for loving you so much how much I loved him, but I'm so happy that I could be the mother you never had."

Holding back her own tears she lifted the wooden toy towards me, it was new as if it had been bought and made today.

"So thanks for saving my life son"

She said as an indescribable smile covered her face along with some silent tears.

I accept the toy with one hand while hugging her with both

I feel my voice waver as I respond to her during the hug.

"Thank you mom... I'll never forget that"

we walked away after a few conversations to distract ourselves

She didn't seem to want it to end, she told me

"Well... I need to go"

"It's okay mom, go carefully."

After it turned into a low whisper because I couldn't hold back

"I love you"

I feel her trembling as she walks, as if I heard her, not wanting to know the answer I turn around and continue on my way to my house

When I see Cat and my friends having fun at a bar

'That would be cool...'

I look in another direction and continue my steps towards my home

'I need to go, I don't have time to have fun, they need me.'

I enter the house and flashbacks of visions begin to assault my mind when I feel danger and look towards the window.

an adult with black hair and red eyes staring at me in the window, static

I feel chills

'How long has he been there?'

"Hey? Can I help you?"

He doesn't respond and continues to stare at me blankly.

When I get angry I decide to see what he wants, I open the door and he starts running trying to get away from me, I accelerate with all my athleticism when I almost reach him, he avoids my hand, and on the bridge he throws himself towards the abyss

"HEY?"

When I look down to see if I wasn't delirious I see him fall while even though he is going to his death he stares at me as he falls

'What the hell?'

'Those eyes...'