"You've got to be kidding me."
As if the weather felt her sarcasm, the sky started to gloom and dark clouds cover the small DevilLon Town. It was a bright sunny day but as if on cue, it started to get darker the moment her water broke.Â
She'going to give birth soon.
The hospital is now on sight, even though it is all dark and gloomy. It is one of the oldest and creepiest buildings in town, thus, a very historic one. Even its surroundings are quite creepy. Brown dead bushes and scary-looking dead trees were just left alone, not bothered to be replaced by new ones.
A long line of bedridden patients is the first thing that could be seen the moment you enter the building. Nurses were going back and forth from patient to another patient. Doctors are having a hard time deciding what they should do and which patient should they check-up first. Long, tired and annoyed faces of the cleaning staff are evident as they drowsily work.
All that commotion stopped for a couple of seconds when a piercing scream erupted through the busted door and in came the pregnant woman lying on a stretcher. A group of nurses are escorting her to the delivery room.
The woman reached out to the man who was trailing behind, with a camera on hand. "Don't worry, Darling...." he tried to comfort her, holding on to her hand. "I'm here. And soon, our little one will be too."
Touru tightens her grip, unable to bear the pain in her lower region. She's both scared and excited at the same time. For a long time they were struggling to have a baby. Just when they were about to give up, they tried one last time and a miracle happened; they were pregnant.
Her vision begins to blur but not entirely as she tries to keep herself awake. Her brows furrowed. It could be her imagination but she thought she saw a dark figure as she blinked. It disappeared when she shook her head and then entered the delivery room.
"Just push, darling! Push!"
Kyo was starting not to feel his left hand as his wife tightened her hold on his hand, giving in all of her strength. And with one last push as well as a nerve wracking, painful scream, they heard a baby cry.
He's finally born!
The miracle they have been praying for has finally arrived.
"Congratulations, you have a healthy baby boy."
Even with a tired face, Touru turned to the nurse who was holding her little angel with a small smile. But the joy in her eyes vanished when she noticed something behind the nurse, something dark. It was that figure she saw only this time with glowing red eyes. It gives off a sinister vibe that Touru didn't like.
It was towering over the nurse.... And it was looking straight at her baby!
She screamed and along came a loud boom of thunder and glaring strikes of lightning from outside of the hospital. Then, the power went out. Loud shrieks of other patients can be heard echoing through the halls. Seconds later, lights are flickering on and off. Gust of wind burst through the windows of the room, causing it to shatter to pieces.
"Oh my god, what's going on!"
"Everyone, remain calm."
"Careful, you're holding the baby!"
"Somebody, get the patient out of here!"
Kyo hurriedly let go of the camera, not caring if it broke. Panicking, he took the baby from the nervous nurse and moved to his frightened wife.
"My baby...." Touru ignored her pain as she called out for her little boy. Her husband handed her the baby and told the nurses to get them out of the room. Stress and fright is not a good combination when it comes to mothers who just gave birth.
Another strike of lightning flashes and it scares the new babe. When the baby started to cry, it all stopped. Everything just went dark. The noises of other people from the background slowly fade away.
The crying ceased and so did the flickering of the lights. In complete darkness, Touru hugs her boy more into her body. Kyo spread his hands around his wife and child, on instinct to protect them.
"Finally born."
They heard a voice whisper. It's not a voice that they recognized from any of the nurses. The lights suddenly turn back on and they notice that they are the only people in the now empty room. Where are the nurses? It became so silent and it scared the couple even more.
The baby cooed and let out a laugh. Then, the door split open and there the dark shadowy figure floats, advancing towards them. "Mine."
The mother let out a horrifying scream.
~~~~~
"-ling! Darling, wake up!"
Touru gasped, jolted awake from her sleep. She tried to remember that nightmare but couldn't. She was pretty sure it was only a bad dream but.... why did it feel so real? She felt a weight on her chest as she tried to sit up. She saw her baby sleeping on her so peacefully. And that's all it took for her to smile.
She placed a hand on the baby's head and the other on the back for support. Making sure she had a secure hold on her boy, she picked herself up to a sitting position. She never took her eyes from the little bundle of joy. Observing her little prince's features, she notices something on her son's neck.
It appears to be a birthmark in the shape of a flame of some sort.
"Darling, are you feeling unwell? You look horribly pale right now." Kyo stood near her, beside the bed. A worried look on his face. He was about to fall asleep when he heard his wife's whimpers. Not a second later, whimpers turned to sobs. He was unsettled with it.
"Do I?" Touru lightly scratched her cheek. "I'm sorry, Kyo, for giving you the scare. But you can relax now. It was just a dream." Who is she trying to console, her husband or herself? She had been having the same dream for days now. It started right after her childbirth.
Kyo gently took the baby from her arms. 'If it was only a dream, you wouldn't have that terrified look on your face. You would have forgotten all about it by now.' He forced himself to smile. "Well, we better get ready then. We're going home today."
~~~~~
"Why can't he just stay asleep?" Touru groans as she forces her sleepy self to sit up. First night home, and it's already chaotic. She tapped Kyo on the shoulder. "Darling, the baby is getting cranky again. I might just sleep in the baby's room." She said, getting off of bed. She put on her robe and left the room, and into the baby's.
She turned on the lights when she walked in. "Hey, little man." She tenderly scoops him up, "My little prince, please don't give mommy a hard time." Letting out a small yawn, she tried her best to stay awake. She sang a lullaby to doze the baby off back to sleep.
The baby gave out a cute laugh and a small smile which the mother mimicked. Yes, Touru can admit being a mom is very difficult, more especially, if you are new. However, all that hardship vanishes the moment she sees her little angel.
Slowly, the baby drifted back to sleep which she is glad and thankful for. She carefully placed Eren back on his crib so as not to wake him up.
She gazed at him for a bit, mesmerized. She was grateful that this miracle had come into her life. Her eyes shifted on to the closet when she thought she saw something moved from the corner of her eye. There was nothing there. She slowly turned her head, not letting the closet out of her sight.
She looked around the room, there was nothing out of the ordinary. But she started to feel uneasy and her sleepiness faded away. Feeling scared for her baby and for herself, she decided to stay with her prince. She went to close the door and sat on the rocking chair just beside the crib.
The baby suddenly let out a small whine which scared her a bit. But her eyes widened in fear when she turned to look at her baby and saw that there was a literal dark shadow hovering over her baby. Everything about it is all black and dark except for its glowing turquoise eyes.
Like that dream....
Touru let out a terrifying pitch scream, successfully catching the entity's attention. The entity was about to touch her baby! "Get your filthy hands away from him!" She commanded. The lights started to flicker and the shadow figure growled slowly, almost giving out a warning.
"Touru!" Kyo suddenly busted through the door, running up to his wife and pulling her into a tight hug. "What's wrong?" He cupped her face to make her look at him straight in the eyes.
"T-there's someone here and —" She's surprised to notice the lights are now steady and her baby comes to mind. "My Eren!" She unintentionally shoves Kyo away and turns to the crib.
She let out a sigh of relief when she glimpsed Eren's sleeping form.
"Dear, are you sure you're alright?" Kyo asks with deep concern. "I've noticed you have been jumpy ever since we got back from the hospital. Is there something that keeps on bothering you?" He narrowed his eyes on her. It's not that he is angry, he just didn't like it when his wife wouldn't tell him what was wrong.
Touru was saddened when she realized that she had caused Kyo trouble and worry by not telling him anything. She needs to pull herself together. She doesn't want to worry him more than she should.
"I'm really sorry for worrying you, Kyo." She hugged him while looking at him. "I had this scary dream going on for a while when we were still at the hospital. My mind keeps on bringing up that memory that I became paranoid. But I'm fine now." She gave him a kiss on the lips. "Thank you for always being there for me."
Kyo smiled at her and kissed her forehead. "Of course. Remember: for better or for worse, we'll always be together 'til death do us part."
~~~~~
(Years later….)
"Enji-chan, Enji-chan, look!"
A 7-year-old redhead boy twirls around on his bed as to show-off his new red-and-black checkered haori. "Do you like it? Mother made it for me. It's wonderful, isn't it?" He asked, face filled with excitement. His eyes sparkled more when he felt a pat on the head.
His visitor agreed with him.
"Eren?" A voice rang from the doorframe. Little Eren looked at his mother with a wide grin as she entered the room. She sat down on the bed and the boy sat beside her. "Why are you still awake? It's already past midnight, you know. If you're still awake when the clock strikes at three in the morning, the Devil might come and get you. Or so the story says." Touru covers her lips, containing a small laugh.
The boy just giggled at his mother's failed attempt to scare him to sleep. "Mother, stop that. You know, I don't get scared that easily. And I was talking to Enji-chan." Eren said with enthusiasm. "I slept hours ago like you told me to. But I want to wake up at this hour because Enji-chan said that he could only visit me at this time of the night."
Touru was perplexed by what her son had said. Enji-chan? Is that a nickname? And he said visit. It's impossible for his father to come to his room all on his own. Kyo had been bedridden due to an illness months ago.
Then, who could be visiting Eren at this hour without us knowing?
"Dear,who is this Enji-chan?" She suddenly feels a chill down her spine along with an uneasy feeling. She didn't like what she is feeling right now.
"Enji-chan is my friend." Eren claimed, "He's always with me since I can remember."
Always with him? Her eyes widened, "What do you mean by that?" She asked in a low voice, having the impression like they are being watched.
"He is always with me, Mother. Even now." He pointed, "Look, he's standing right behind you."
What! Touru quickly turns to see if there really is someone in the room with them. To her horror, there's nothing. When she looks back at her child, he just flashes her a smile.
"He says he is my friend and that I am someone very special to him. He says that he will make me his when the time is right, and that he will take me with him to his home in Hell."