Secrets That We Keep

November 6, 1866

They both ran fast while cautiously looking around the forest, deep in where they are, though no one was there, they have to be careful for them to be able to do what they have to do in peace and in the right way as promised. Mrs. De Loughrey grabbed her husband's rough hand in fear as they heard demonic laughs and screams getting nearer as they go deeper into the dark mysterious forest.

"It's going to be fine, my lady. We're going to be fine." Her husband assured her with a loving smile, they both stopped running and hugged each other tightly while he was delicately caressing his wife's hair.

His words didn't calm her down as she was greatly aware of what will occur and what will happen afterward but they have no choice. They shall have their child no matter what. They can't live without a child to protect and to love with all their hearts. Everyone at their age has their own except for them.

They gave each other one last glance, eyes filled with care before they passionately kissed each other and they proceeded on running towards where the exaggerated laughs and screams were coming from.

Both so young at the age of 24 yet they weren't blessed to have their own child and they're willing to be servants of the Devil by selling their pure souls. They've made a deal with the demons and there they were, running in a hurry to meet the devil before it's too late. In the state of fear and excitement, they run fast not planning to stop and back out of their plans because all they have in their heads was that they both have no other choice but to do this. They were desperate for a child or else people would think wrongly of them for not having one.

Second by second, they got nearer as their feet scurried them away towards the center of the forest, their hearts were pounding loudly not knowing what will happen if they fail. They held each other's shaky hands while they stopped and looked around in fear, seeing the different demons disguised as different horrifying creatures. Some sheep, some with the body of a man but with large smiles and dark eyes, and some with the head of a sheep while their bodies were creepily disguised as a human. They looked at them and their laughs and screechy screams immediately become louder and wilder, making the couple's ears bleed. They instantly covered their ears while their eyes widened and their lips trembled.

"You're behind our schedule of meeting, Mr. and Mrs. De Loughrey." A different demon suddenly appeared behind them with a low and inhuman raspy voice that lacked of any emotions.

"W-we're sorry. W-we-" The demon laughed loudly but with a deep tone that no one else would hear from just any human unless they're faced with the same demon.

The demon shuffled and stood beside them, leaning down to match their heights. "We're just joking fools. Now, let's begin."

They began chanting that made their ears bleed more and as if they're drowning in their blood, the demons kept the couple hallucinated while they were calling their King--the Devil that's called by many names. The couple was easily convinced by the demons' doings and the demons find them amusing and they thrive for their blood and souls while their chanting grows louder and louder. They hungrily looked at the couple that's screaming and yielding from being hallucinated in their heads that no can see except for them. They needed to be hallucinated or they'll be dead just from hearing the chants of the demons. The couple thought that they're drowning in their blood so when the demons stopped chanting and the hallucinations were gone, they're still screaming and crying out for help which made the demons laugh at them for being idiots and being easily deceived by them.

The couple looked around in fear and held each other in their arms while their lips were trembling and whimpering, silencing when they realized how the demons deceived them, they were finally regretting selling their souls to the Devil however, they cannot turn away now and forget about what happened because they're always there with them no matter where they go. The pact was done and no one can do anything about it now.

They all turned to look at the middle of the messy circle that they're in because the devil has appeared and shown himself with his sadistic face that made the couple crawl back in fear while the demons were laughing loudly, feeling thrilled about what's going to happen.

"Ah, look at the poor souls, such idiots." The devil started while joining in the laughter of his demons while gesturing to the frightened couple.

The devil didn't waste any time on getting inside and through them to get their souls because all of them were striving for it and couldn't wait any longer. The couple was parted away from each other and their eyes rolled back in their head, unconscious while the devil was taking their souls with the faint laughs and manic screams of the demons. The couple struggled to speak but you could hear their murmurs and stuttering but after a while, the devil released them after he took their souls in exchange for a child that the devil promised.

All of them stopped, all that's left was the heavy breaths and pants of the humans while they were conscious already. They didn't waste any time hugging each other once more while they looked around with wide eyes and they could already feel the lightness inside of them as they didn't have their souls anymore, both of them belong to the devil now.

"Now that you are one of us, let us rejoice." The laughter and screams were back after the devil's excited announcement and they even locked arms with the couple that were no longer humans while they danced around.

"W-what about our deal? Where is our child?" Mr. De Loughrey screamed while he held his wife in his muscular arms.

The devil laughed, sending nervous chills down their spine. "You can have your child now, demons, don't worry."

The devil threw the baby into the air which thankfully, Mrs. De Loughrey caught and she cried in happiness as soon as she saw the beautiful baby. The two admired the adorable and innocent child in their arms but while their teary eyes were roaming all over the beautiful baby they noticed the peculiar red and black spot on the nape of the child.

"Remember, demons, by the day you die, you will go straight into hell and you'll be my servants, you can never escape. Not even the angels can save you." The devil walked around them, his head turning into a fat man's head. "I also added a little extra something to satisfy myself and my demons, you see...if you're going to make a deal with the devil, you won't always get what you expected. The girl is sick and can never be cured unless the girl is guided by my two great demons."

"Then it shall be like that. Your demons can guide our baby." Mr. De Loughrey stated firmly, feeling suddenly fearless but furious at the devil but he couldn't do anything at all that's why he's also angry at himself for putting his and his wife's life in the merciless hands of danger.

The rest of the night became more frightful but that's what they chose to do, they selfishly chose to make a deal with the sinful one and even put their daughter's life in danger forever. Nonetheless, they were parents that would love their child immeasurably even though they secretly regretted their actions and stupid decisions. Their souls and whole bodies belong to the devil now and once they die, they will be forever trapped in the darkness that they chose to be in. They decided to put a never meant-to-be-born child in the universe that will make everything complicated and dangerous. The two demons will forever be by the girl's side which are the great leaders of the demons, next by the devil's side and his favorites. Until that one day which made it all change painfully slowly yet as fast as the day ends.

***

September 30, 2020

Layla walked inside her prestigious school that only rich kids have the privilege to go to. The students were smart and rich which they all inherited from their parents but most of them were nice. She changed her shoes as she headed in and replaced her white rubber shoes with the black flat shoes that everyone was required to wear inside the buildings. She smiled as soon as she saw her old classmates that have always been her schoolmates since kindergarten. Layla wasn't bullied in her school, despite her being an orphan and she has to work her butt off to be able to have enough money to spend but she didn't any have friends, she only has schoolmates. They were kind to her and they respect her especially when she's intelligent and as kind as them. She was the best when it comes to major subjects. She was always at the top of the class even if the kids were all smart.

"Hello, welcome back to our school! We hope you have a great school year!" Their old class president, Zoey, greeted Layla with a cheerful voice and she handed her the same flyer that they receive whenever it's the first day of school.

"Thanks, Zoey," Layla acknowledged her while smiling at them. Zoey was accompanied by her long time friends.

Zoey has blonde hair with brown highlights, she's slightly smaller than Layla and she's intelligent enough to always win at the presidential election that they have every year. She's very pretty and that made boys in their school to fall for her and she has always used it as an advantage to win the election. Her friends were two identical twins who were also very pretty. They dreamed of being veterinarians after they had rescued animals and that also made their attitude change. They're brunettes but they change the color of their hair every school year, they currently possessed blue hair which suited them very well.

"Stay at the top of the class, babe." The twins said and winked at her before they walked off to greet the other students in their grade to give flyers. Layla, undoubtedly, was fond of her classmates but she didn't trust them enough to be her friends. She'd rather be alone.

Layla just walked away towards their classroom. She made sure to dispose of the flyer in the trash can, secretly while she walked inside her new room because it's not like she needed it anyway and it was no longer a secret that most of the students discard theirs too. She spotted her old classmates, class number one as always. They're the most intelligent students in their batch. They're now 10th grade and they have two more years to be with each other before they separate. Layla didn't mind if she won't have any friends until the day she dies because she likes being alone and just how her classmates treat her, all of that's fine with her. She's very quiet but confident in other situations.

She was greeted by her classmates once they noticed her and she smiled back at them, she walked towards the front of the class. She stood right in front of the teachers' table and all of them quiet down as they looked at her.

"Hello, Good luck to all of us, classmates. Remember to always keep our class number one!" They cheered and they run to her pulling her into a tight embrace. She smiled and laughed at them because they acted as if they haven't seen each other for a very long time.

"Come sit with us first," Kim said to her while dragging her to the second row of the seats. She nodded and she followed her and her friends.

Kim and her friends were the most intelligent ones in the class and they were always persuading Layla to join their group but she kindly refused every time they bring up the subject. They were also the kindest ones and they always helped their classmates who were left behind in the class in grades. They also like to keep to themselves and they're always in one corner while others act all crazy and wild when the teachers were gone. Kim was very cute and she was also 5'2 in height as well as Layla and her hair was dark golden brown that's always tied into Dutch braids, she has worn the same wayfarer glasses and she attracted the similar type of guys. She's always the vice president in their class since they've known each other.

The class soon started and their new homeroom teacher temporarily arranged their seats, making Layla sat next to a new student and Liv who was very bubbly and always loved making jokes while they're in the middle of the class, and the new student to her left but Layla didn't mind being sat next to them because she was fine with them and she didn't really care. All she cared about was to simply be left alone in peace.