End of Days

Pleading

Key Nineteen: Pleading:

Ami had few weeks to go before her due date. She lay on her bed, holding her stomach. The baby started kicking again. Ami barely got any sleep anymore.

Someone keeps trying to talk to her at night.

Mama?

Ami turned her head. She couldn't see who was speaking in the darkness, but she knew she wasn't alone.

"I'm here," she whispered. Her hand didn't leave her belly. Ami didn't look up. Her eyes focused on Lavi's back. He seemed to distance himself from her. It was more like distancing himself from their child.

"Don't you want this baby?" she asked. Lavi had a pained look on his face.

"Lavi?" she asked. He turned and walked away.

"Lavi?" Ami asked again. She didn't know what to do.

Ami drew her eyes closed. So they were over. As soon as this baby was born, he would go back to Heaven or wherever he came from. She would try to get her life back. Ami frowned to herself.

What life did she have to get back? She hadn't seen her friends in months. Ami started to hear the whispers around her. Her clan might have to relocate due to a dying land. China was going to die? That didn't make any sense.

What's wrong, Mama?

Ami shook her head. "What's to become of me?" No answer came. There never is. She had come to accept that.

I don't want to die.

The mother-to-be opened her eyes. "What?"

He is going to kill me.

"Who is going to kill you?"

That old man. He hates me. He wants me dead.

"But why would he do that?"

He sees me as a monster.

"But that can't be."

Do you think I'm a monster?

Ami closed her eyes. "No."

Do you hate me?

"No." Then next question made her shiver.

Then why do you think I am ruining your life?

Ami froze. "No. It's not like that."

Liar! Suddenly, the room felt cold. Ami felt her chest tightening. Someone was breathing down her neck.

"Liar. Liar!" That didn't sound like a child. The voice turned deep and gravely. Almost like a demon's voice. Someone grabbed her by the shoulders. Ami let out a loud gasp. Her body felt cold all over.

"Please let me go," she whispered.

Don't let them kill! I don't want to die!

She only drew her eyes closed as tears ran down her cheeks.

In the morning, Ami felt a hand on her shoulder. She fluttered her eyes open. She looked up to see Lavi standing over her.

"Hey," he whispered. Ami blinked at first.

"Lavi?" she asked. The girl rested her hand on her stomach. She noticed that the angel had a worried look on his face.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Who were you talking to last night?" he asked. Ami shook her head.

"I... I don't know," she said. She noticed the look on his face. The color drained from her face as she shook her head.

"No..." Ami whispered. "Please don't look at me like that."

"Ami..." he said.

"Stay away!" she yelled. Lavi looked so confused.

"Ami, what's wrong?" he asked. She clutched her stomach as tightly as she could.

"You're going to kill him, aren't you?" she asked. "Aren't you?!" Lavi blinked as he looked confused.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. They looked up when they heard the door open. Bookman stood in the doorway. Ami's eyes widened in fear.

"You!" she screamed. "You want to murder our baby!" Lavi whipped his head around to his mentor.

"Old man?" he asked. Bookman didn't speak.

"Is this true?" Lavi asked. The older angel flicked out his cigarette.

"That child is not yours," he said.

"Murderer!" Ami screamed.

"That child has it's hold on her," Bookman said. "He's been talking in the night, hasn't he?" The young mother-to-be froze.

"H-H-How did you know that?" she asked.

"Do not believe his lies!" the older angel said.

"Can somebody tell me what's going on?" Lavi asked.

"He wants to kill our son!" Ami shouted.

"Is this true?" Lavi asked again. "Tell me it's not."

"I have to do what needs to be down," Bookman said.

"Old man!" the younger angel shouted.

"Monster!" Ami cried. Bookman had no emotion on his face. This child was about to be due in days. The only way to stop this was to kill this child seconds after birth. That might be complicated now.

"Get out!" the mother-to-be screamed. Lavi turned back to her.

"Ami..." he said.

"Get out, both of you!" Ami yelled. "Just get out!" Bookman grabbed Lavi by the wrist before he could say a word. They disappeared into thin air. Ami just broke down and cried. Her hands rested on her belly.