Dark things

His eyes kept darting from the woman's face to her half body, someone should wake him from the nightmare, he screamed in his mind. When the woman tilted her head in amusement, Hampton felt his senses knocked back to him and his voice found, letting a loud shout of horror with all the strength in his body, erupt from his mouth.

The Jaguar-like beast snarled as if it communicated to him to shut up or it would devour him into pieces.

"Please - - please don't kill me- - I beg of you. I have gold- - - I - - I - - please - - please let me go, I beg of you. I would never venture in here again". The grown-up man begged, saying a series of words that made no meaning, letting the held tears stream down his cheeks.

The creature tilted her head again in amusement, taking her sweet time to crawl down the tree.

" For a slave trader? Ew". The creature said distastefully, staring at the man who would die from shock any moment soon. "Me, me, me, do you realize you sound like that? How about your partner? Do you want to get back to him? Or do you want to catch a glimpse of where he is?". The creature asked, waiting for a reply.

" I don't fucking give a damn care about him, he's a grownup who can find his way home, please free me. I have two kids to take care of and a master to pay off a debt. If I don't pay him off, he's going to sell my house, sending my kids to the streets". Hampton continued to beg helplessly, still struggling to wiggle out of the twig's hold.

The creature stayed silent for some seconds, staring at him before cackling out loud, her voice rough and noisy which made Hampton try to tighten his eardrums from the impact of the noise.

"Lying sack of shit". The creature mumbled, her expression hardening at the mortal.

" Alright then, you may go". The creature said, looking away from the man to her fingers, who felt the twigs release him immediately.

Hampton was about to immediately run when he felt his feet freeze and the creature's voice booming next to his ears.

"Oh silly me, I wasn't specific, was I?. I was referring to my pet going ahead with having you for some refreshments, please consider. The creature said, giving a wicked grin to him.

" No - - Not- - "

Hampton who was about to shout for mercy, saw the creature snarl before it pounced on him, pulling him down to the ground, digging its large elongated teeth into his neck before he could protest, tearing his head off his body. His blood, flowed on the wet ground, giving the creature satisfaction, as she turned to crawl back to a huge tree.

Back to the streets of Edgeville, a local carriage stopped at the deserted streets, its grounds wetted with water. Emmeline stepped down from the carriage, a hand holding her long gown from getting soaked in water and the other that steadied on the door to aid her to get down, waving at the other passengers before she watched the carriage move away.

She carried a basket filled with herbs and other vegetables, making her way through the dark hours to her home.

She met a sight of a halfway broken door and a light flickering into the house once she had gotten home, wondering if a burglar had broken into the house, turning alert. What had happened in the few hours of her absence?

Quickly stepping inside, the old lady met her husband who closed his eyes as he leaned on the wall, with no signs of stirring. The first thought that had occurred to her, had reflected of him dying, her heart jumped to her throat.

She quietly lowered the basket, her hands already shivering in fear as she knee-walked to her husband.

"Cyrus, Cyrus. Wake up, can you hear me?". She whispered, tapping his face, pulling his hands towards her to check his pulse.

Thank God, he was alive. She breathed out in relief. " Cyrus, wake up". She called, shaking him. Why was her husband sleeping like the dead?.

Cyrus groaned in pain, frowning his face as he tried to get away from the disturbance he was feeling.

"Would you wake up now? Or I could probably have you bathe with a pail of cold water". Emmeline said in a harsh voice, continuously shaking her husband, who groaned in pain, turning her anger into worry.

" Why are you even sitting and groaning like that? Are you sick?". Emmeline asked in a worried tone, placing her back palm on his forehead. "Where is Aurora?". She asked again, darting her eyes to their dimmed bedroom.

Cyrus opened his eyes, staring at her for some seconds before opening his mouth " Yes, I am sick. I am sick of having a pure abomination under the same roof with us, eating the same food with us and even daring to sleep on the same bed with us. That bastard child, I would murder her one day. Don't you even dare to question me about that witch of a child, who placed me in this condition. I can feel my bones dislocated and my waist broken. I can't stand up". Cyrus said, a groan erupting in his mouth.

"All thanks to you, whenever I try to highlight her mistakes, you quickly phrase me as a heartless and evil grandfather, now see?". Cyrus barked at his wide-eyed wife, flinching in pain.

Pointing at the door, he shouted. Take a look at the door, I just got fixed, last week, did you see how that which thumped it down?". Cyrus continued to shout, still groaning in pain, taking a hand to massage his waist.

" Can you hush already? Stop the never-ending usage of 'a witch' in this house or else, you want them to drag that innocent child to be staked. What did Aurora do? This time bring down your voice, we don't live alone in this neighbourhood".

"Ugh". Cyrus groaned in frustration. " I simply asked her not to venture into the dark forest alone, she was trying to sneak out when I caught her". Cyrus lied, avoiding his wife's eyes.

Emmeline frowned in confusion, analysing what she had heard. "But she had - - - "

"Here we go again, always pointing me as a liar". Cyrus cut her off, feigning to be infuriated. " She fucking pushed me to the ground, simply because I ASKED HER NOT TO LEAVE THE HOUSE!!". Cyrus shouted in anger, choking as he coughed out loud.