The Demon's plaything

~Ava

I walked into the room and I sat at the edge of the bed. I was tired of mom pushing everyone away.

We are going through a lot already. She spends the whole day at home, drinking and thinking.

I can remember countless incidents when I'll come back from school with friends and find her wasted on the ground. Drunk and unconscious.

My friends made jest of me and called me the daughter of a drunkard.

Remembering it, my blood boiled.

I got off the bed and I walked back into the living room. "Mom, did you drink again?" I asked with my voice raised. I was breathing heavily and my eyes were welled up with tears.

But when my mother looked at me, my heart melted away.

She held the piece of paper in her hand and her hands were shaking. Her eyes streamed with tears and she shook her head.

"No. I didn't drink. You turned into something else last night, Ava. He didn't just torment you in your sleep last night. He turned you into a monster. You looked ….you looked deformed. Your eyes were completely white. You were on the ground like an animal, your head was twisted back…."

"Stop!" I screamed, interrupting her words. I just couldn't take it anymore.

I couldn't listen to her, telling me how that demon made he look.

My heart ached.

"I ..I am sorry Ava. I wanted to make us leave, but…he changed everything," mom added and I fell on the ground.

"Why didn't you just let me die? Huh? Why did you let him save me?" I asked, sobbing with my gaze narrowed towards the window.

"I didn't want you to die. I felt sorry for you," Mother answered.

I felt offended.

"You liar!" I screamed. Yes, I know she's my mother but…that is the truth.

"You were only being selfish. You didn't feel sorry for me you felt sorry for yourself! You just didn't want to go through the pain of having a dead daughter and that's why you sold me out to him!" I cried.

"I did it for the best, Ava!" She yelled. Her voice seizing at every word.

I shook my head and wiped the tears off my face.

She will never listen.

I held her hand and dragged her into my room. I opened the dust bin and a thick foul smell emitted from it.

Ignoring the smell, I turned it over and poured it on the ground.

"Ava, what are you doing?" Mother asked and she snatched her wrist from my grip.

"Look," I said, pointing at the trash.

It was filled with cloths and towels soaked in blood. Little pieces of flesh and magot.

"Is this the way the trash can should look like? Is this what is supposed to be inside it? Huh? Have you checked other houses?" I asked and she lowered her head.

"Ava," she mouthed.

I grabbed her hand again and dragged her into the bathroom….I felt pained as well, but I just needed her to see what she'd done.

"Look," I yelled, pointing at the zinc. Blood stains, abandoned tissues and magots were everywhere.

"I can't even use the restroom mom!" I cried.

"I'm sorry…I….I…I forgot to clean it up last night after I…" she stuttered.

"You forget to clean it up all the time. Is this was our restroom is supposed to look like? Huh? Mother, answer me!" I yelled.

She shook her head, sobbing.

I pulled down her sleeve and the sight of her magot filled wound made me want to throw up. The magots went in and out of her and I spent a minute, watching my mother's shoulder decaying while she's still alive.

"It'll kill you if you're not careful," was all that I could say before walking back into the room.

I reached the room and I heard mom's voice coming from the living room.

I turned back and the bathroom door was still open. I remember leaving her in the bathroom just few minutes ago.

I wiped off my tears. I was confused and my heart raced.

"Mom?" I called, walking towards the restroom and she was still standing there.

"Ava, Ava, Ava," the other voice called.

"Mom, if you're here, then, who is calling?" I asked, shakily. And before I could blink, my mother turned into a pile of magots.

I screamed and ran out of the bathroom. I fell on the ground and cried.

What's the meaning of this?

Things like this only happen in my dream but now…while I'm awake?

I closed my eyes and when I opened it, I found him standing in front of me.

The reason behind my misfortune.

Tharros.

My room was dark and he was all that I could see.

I was shivering and helpless.

"Just kill me," I mouthed and it's face, it suddenly curved. It had a smile thay traveled from cheek to cheek. It was the widest grin that I had ever seen.

I never knew a smile could be so terrifying. It's eyes dropped like it was flowing all the way down. It flowed until it reached the ground. I wanted to move backwards, stopping the liquid from reaching me, but I couldn't.

I was glued to the ground. It reached me and from his eyes, it flowed all the way down.

"Ava," It called me.

It's voice sounded like thunder.

I couldn't speak.

I couldn't move.

My eyes were open….I was helpless.

The liquid filled the whole place. It went all the way up. I was going to sink in it.

It was up all the way to my neck….I couldn't breathe.

*****

Heavy breathes...fast heart beat, closed eyes and my mother touched me.

"Ava, I'm right here, Ava. Look at me. I am right here," she fearfully spoke, holding tightly unto me. I hugged her and my whole body shivered.

"I saw him. I saw Tharros. He called my name. I saw him," I cried.

"Get your things Ava, were leaving," Mom spoke.