CHAPTER 3: THE WITCH AND HER CHILD

Terina Myltken. This name was known many years ago. They say she is a witch and obsessed with things that she wants. She was married and had a daughter named Moresa. Moresa was a sweet kid. Creative in handicrafts and lovable as she is. They are happy until a tragedy begins. My mom, Terina, killed my dad in front of me.

"Moresa, always remember that your father is alive, okay?"

"Mom, I don't understand."

"You, my dear, and I will always be with you no matter what."

My mom hugged me tight while I was crying. I was angry at her because she killed my father. But I felt a bit of joy and fear. We live in Astarnian. I keep studying and studying about the world that we're living in. Astarnian is a well-known land for the events of the Great War of Gods and Demons. It caught my interest, so I planned to search for every detail about it until my mom discovered what I was doing.

"Moresa, what are you doing?"

"Mom, how did you get inside? I'm sure that I locked the door."

"Moresa, stop studying and don't go outside ever again."

"Ha? Mom, I don't understand. Why am I?"

"DON'T YOU EVER RETURN A WORD FROM ME!"

"...!"

I was scared of her after what I witnessed that day. Her face was not so good, her body was out of health, and something is getting on my nerves that a black smoke is coming out of her. One day, she was putting circles in every corner of our house. She said it was a sacred path for cleansing and protecting our souls from evildoers. It was creepy. The paint is not chemical but the true blood of an animal, or worse, a human. I'm always locked in my room and never go out because of my mom's indescribable actions. My mother went outside to check on something until someone visited our house.

"Hello. Anyone home?"

I kept on being silent and waiting for my mother to return. The girl outside still kept up her pace, shouting and knocking on the door. As I simply took a peek at my window, I saw her as a playful cat. Cheerful and adorable like an angel.

"I'm Grena. They say someone my age lives here."

As she introduces herself, she is doing weird things like kicking the door, knocking on the window, and making weird noises. It makes me laugh a bit, but again, I should not interact with others, just like my mother said.

"Hey!!!!!. Hello!!!!?"

She was so annoying. So I ended up opening the door and trying my best to talk to her.

"What do you want?"

"Be my friend!"

"What?"

"Please."

"I can't, and I don't want to."

"Why? Am I not qualified to be your friend?"

"No. It's not like that."

"I don't have friends, so..."

"So?"

"Can you be my friend?"

"...."

By looking into her eyes, she's a loner and can't even have motivation in life. Sighing is so annoying.

"Fine."

"What!?"

"Don't repeat myself."

"Yehey!!!! Haha. Thank you, Moresa!"

"How did you know my name?"

"Everyone said that was your name."

"Ahh....okay."

Grena hugged me with warmth. It was good and nice. I never felt this way before in my life. She is the one who opened my eyes to happiness. But that didn't last long. My mom knew that Grena was my friend. She is angry about the idea of having a friend. She punished me in the attic. She tied many ropes to my naked body and hit me with a whip covered in blood. Though my mom still feeds me, it is still suffocating and deeply hurting me because of how she treats me like a non-living creature. It took me 2 years in the attic. Grena always writes me letters instead of coming into our house. Mom read all of her letters to me for consideration of being separated from each other. Then her last letter said, "I want to be alone. I don't need them. They didn't know what I wanted. I want them to be gone." I was shocked.

'Grena, what happened to you? Why do you want to be alone?'

"It was all your fault, Moresa."

"What?"

"You're the one who made her like that."

"N-no, it was not my fault. She was just lonely because she couldn't see me because of you."

"Admit it, Moresa. It was you."

"NOOOOOO...…"

"Then make her wish come true, Moresa. Make it true, and you can go."

"Do what?"

"You know what I'm saying, Moresa. You are my child, and putting it to an end was the most wonderful feeling you can have. You know what to do, Moresa, my child."

So I did it. I killed her parents. I don't know why. It hurts. It hurts so bad that I can also kill myself. Something is letting me do this on purpose. And then I saw someone. She was smirking and glaring at the accident. I was going to throw up, but I can't. It was so terrifying, and I was unable to move. That "someone" was Grena and my mom whispering to her ears.

'No. What the heck?'

I came back home. Lying on my bed. I was so terrible, but my mom is more brutal than me. She killed Dad and now manipulates me and Grena. I was such a fool. Why is this happening to me?

"If only I could redo all of it. If only I didn't meet you. Everything is going to be okay."

"Good job, Moresa."

I looked around, and my mom was in front of my room. She was smiling happily and clapping her hands.

"You are truly my daughter, Moresa."

"Not anymore."

"Hmm?"

I grabbed the scissors on my table and stabbed her multiple times. Her final breath was out. I was covered in blood. It was disgusting. I loathed her. It was her fault all along. Then I realized I had killed three people in a day.

I visited the funeral of Mr. and Mrs. Bertylion. Everyone is staring at me. I was so awful. I walked through and saw Grena in front. I wanted to comfort her.

"Condolence Grena."

"Moresa."

'She is trembling with fear. I'm so sorry, Grena. It's all my fault.'

"How sad, Grena. You're just like me now."

'What?'

"What do you mean?"

"We lost the one we loved. Even though I didn't love them. Haha."

'No. I'm not the one who is talking but...'

"Moresa, when did your mother die?"

"Same day when your parents died. Coincidence, right? Hahahahah."

'Mom. It was you! '

"Anyway, Grena?"

" Y-yes?"

"Your wish? I already fulfilled it."

'Wish?'

"H-ha? What do you mean?"

"I want to be alone. I don't need them. They didn't know what I wanted. I want them to be gone."

"T-that was just..."

'Grena! Don't listen to me!"

"Happy dead day to them, and congrats for being alone now, haha."

"...."

"Gre- ugh…"

Then my life ended up in the hands of my first and last friend. If only she hadn't met me in the first place, the circumstances that she has may not have happened. If only I kill myself, everything will be settled. But it was not her fault, but my mom is. I'm sorry, Grena. Please forgive me.