8 CHAPTER 7

A week later, Leanna and I drove up to my mother's to tell her about the engagement. I was pretty nervous about it considering it's been weeks since we last spoke. Believe it or not, the argument was about Javier. My mother didn't like the idea that I was dating an atheist. And now that I was engaged to him… A stupid argument really. But I had gotten into one of my moods. And surprisingly enough, I got my temper from my mother. So you could imagine the blowout that had happened. I had thought that my mother would break first and call me a couple of nights later; but she must be pretty pissed since she hadn't. Nevertheless, it was time to put my pride aside and talk to her.

Great. Since when did I become a coward?

Sighing, Leanna parked the car as I worked up the courage to face my mother. Well, time to make a deal with the devil I thought. The irony was uncanny.

Leanna was a solid presence behind my back as I held the brass door knocker and knocked. Once. Twice. Thrice. You could hear shuffling noises coming from inside and several locks clicking open one after another. After what seemed like forever, the door finally swung open. Although aged, my mother looked pretty in her vintage short sleeved lavender dress. Her wrinkled forehead the only giveaway of her age.

"Hi Mother," I said, my voice wary.

My mother didn't say anything. She just stared and stared. I thought she was going to slam the door in my face but she did the most surprising thing. Throwing her arms around me, she wrapped me in a bear hug. My shoulders relaxed as I leaned down to hug her back. Breathing in, the familiar scent of powder and lily greeted me.

She pulled away far enough to take me in. Smiling, she didn't say anything. She just looked past me to see Leanna. They hadn't seen each other since the wedding. Leanna took the hint and prowled forward to hug Mother with such familiarity that it warmed something within me.

"You look good Claire," she said.

��Oh honey. It's nice to see you both. Come in, come in! I'll make tea," she said and scampered inside.

Stepping into the familiar room, it was like stepping back in time. The wallpaper of the world map encompassed an entire wall on the right. Adjacent to the wallpapered walls, dark oak shelves stood tall filled with books of various colours and sizes. The middle of the living room accommodated wooden sofa sets facing an old boxed television. Nevertheless, the left side of the room contained the real beauty of the place. The bambooed windows leading out to the well maintained garden outside were certainly a sight to behold. I missed being back here.

"Please have a seat, children," my mother's voice sounded from the kitchen past the living room.

We took our seats as Mother gently sat down and laid the tray at the table in the centre.

I opened my mouth to speak but my mother cut me off. "Honey, I'm extremely sorry about what happened the last time you visited. I hope you know I didn't mean it. You're old enough to decide what you want and I shouldn't get in the way of that. Can you forgive me?"

"Oh mother, there was nothing to forgive," I told her, touched.

Smiling, my mother asked, "so what brings you here?"

"Well, Daphne has something to tell you."

Way to put me in the spotlight Leanns. "Well Mother, before I say anything, I want you to know that we are taking things slow and we don't plan on -"

"You're pregnant. You're pregnant aren't you? And that bastard put a baby in you and ditched you didn't he?" She stated, her temper rising.

Trying to hold in my laughter I replied, "Mother! God no!"

Leanna on the other hand didn't bother with pleasantries and burst out laughing. Quickly clasping my mouth over my hand, I reined in my laughter while using the other to smack Leanna's leg as she sat beside me.

"What's so funny?" Mother said; still seething.

"Javier proposed! I'm not pregnant."

"Oh. Oh! Oh sweety, that's not so bad. I could live with that," she said as a matter of fact.

"You could live -" I said choking.

"Oh relax honey. I'm only teasing. I'm so happy for you!" She ushered and hugged me once more. Patting her back awkwardly, I looked towards Leanns. She gave me a thumbs up. Rolling my eyes at her response, Mother shot up in excitement.

"This calls for a celebration! Forget the tea! Let's break into my oldest bottle of wine!"

She disappeared away faster than I thought it was possible for her to move. The moment she was gone, Leanna and I burst into uncontrollable laughter.

"I… can't…. believe…. she… pregnant," Leanna said between her gasping breaks from laughter.

"Oh, hush now!"

The laughter went on for a while. Finally, finally we composed ourselves and noticed Mother was still not yet here. What could be taking her so long? I called out to her, "mother?"

There was a clang in the kitchen.

I shot to my feet. Leanna doing the same.

Slowly, we crept into the kitchen. All of a sudden, the lights went off. The only source of light coming from the open bambooed windows. I pushed Leanns behind me and slowly prowled forward.

The lights started to flicker back on.

Thud.

A blow to my head, and I was on the ground.

What the actual fuck?

I looked up. And what I saw completely took my breath away. There she was. My mother. But not my mother anymore. The whites of her eyes shone stark; her hair fell into clumps onto the floor; her back, hunched and her fingers ended in long sharp talons. No, my mother was gone. And in her place was some sort of monster.

The creature turned her hateful eyes towards Leanna. Iron teeth snapped down as she pounced on her. Leanna's scream trembled my very bones as she went down. I didn't hesitate. Uncurling to my feet, I grabbed a hold of the creature and threw it across the kitchen. My strength did not fail me. Leanna was frozen in shock, her pale cheek marred a scratch. Clutter sounded behind. I pivoted just in time to see the creature let out an inhuman bellow and charge towards me.

I decided on one thing right then and there. It wasn't walking out here alive.

It didn't matter who she was. She wasn't going to hurt Leanna that's for sure.

She isn't my mother in the first place. The pain wouldn't be so bad.

So, how do you defeat a monster?

Easy.

You have to out-monster the monster or be devoured.

I chose wisely.

Keeping my back to Leanna, I removed the hidden dagger from my battle black pants and poised to stab the beast. Releasing a savage bawl that rattled the ceiling, I plunged the dagger into the charging creature. Monster and demon tumbled onto the floor.

Expecting the creature to be dead, I tried to uncurl to my feet. But no. It was still alive. Its weight on me. I had missed its heart by an inch. Cursing, I summoned my strength to wield the dagger once again.

Shit.

I dropped the dagger, as my hand contorted in pain. Its steel had burned me.

What the fuck is happening?

Struggling under the creature, it snapped for me. I pushed my hands against it, trying to stop it from biting my head off. For a moment I thought it was over. For another moment I thought the Veritas would appear to save me from my doom. But no. I was alone.

Or so I thought I was.

Rising behind the creature, Leanna held a wooden mallet in her surprisingly steady hands. Delivering what should have been a death blow, she clogged the beast on its head. It shrieked in pain. Nothing sort of human in it. Before I could blink, the creature lunged onto Leanna once more. They went down ahead. Its talons, dripping blood.

I did not waver. Grabbing the fallen wooden mallet, I did a running leap and brought down my considerable strength onto my mother. She arched back and howled in pain. She seemed more human now. She choked out a cough as her trembling hand raised to Leanna's still stinging cheek. Her last words. Or so I thought.

"You know, you remind me more and more of your father every day."

I walked towards her half sprawled over Leanna. I expected her to be gone now but her hateful eyes turned towards me. It was not my Mother who spoke to me.

"I know what you are," she screeched.

She mouthed out the next few words that would have damned me. Had she have had any more strength, she might as well have.

With those final words, my mother took her final breath and closed her eyes.

She did not open them again.