Beyond His Evil

Two

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The village head bid me goodnight and made her way to her hut. I turned around and started walking towards my own hut.

There was a time when we didn't have to live in huts, when we all attended school, when I had a father, when we didn't have to hide in the forest, when our lives were normal.

However, everything changed after the war between the vampires and hunters. The war left destruction in its wake, families were torn apart, cities were burned down, and hopes and dreams were shattered.

I still remembered wanting to become a doctor like my father, but now, dreaming seemed impossible. It felt as if both God and the Demigods had abandoned us. Sometimes, I even doubted their existence, but my mother always dismissed those thoughts. The only thing we prayed for now was survival.

As soon as I entered the hut, the enticing smell of freshly baked beans filled the air, making my stomach growl. I hurried to the kitchen and thankfully, my mother had already set the table.

"I love you so much, Mom," I expressed.

She chuckled softly as she dried her hands. "You only love me when you see that I've set the table before you arrive."

I laughed and sat down on a wooden chair. I admired the delicious food in front of me and inhaled its aroma deeply. Just as I was about to dig in, my mother swatted my hand away with the large spoon she was holding. "Ouch!" I exclaimed, rubbing my now sore hand.

She took a seat across from me and gave me a disapproving look. "We give thanks to the gods before we eat," she reminded me.

I almost rolled my eyes. The gods didn't do anything when our lives were destroyed, when my father was killed by a vampire right in front of me. Yet, we were expected to thank them for the food we worked hard to grow and harvest. That thought made me angry.

"Close your eyes, Kira," my mother instructed. I complied. "Thank you, Lord, for..." I tuned out as my mother thanked the gods. It felt like an eternity before she finished, and I eagerly began eating.

"No matter what, Kira, always thank the gods," she lectured. I ignored her words and continued eating. "We're still alive when so many others are dead. That's something to be grateful for."

I dropped my spoon, losing my appetite completely. I stared directly into my mother's pale blue eyes. "The gods could have saved the many others who died," I said, my voice trembling with anger. "Instead, they watched us suffer and die. They watched us bury and mourn our loved ones. We couldn't even give my father a proper burial!" Her eyes briefly dropped, indicating that my words had struck a chord. "They watched us struggle to survive, and they continue to watch us. They never intervene, never help, and you expect me to thank them? For what?!" My voice shook with emotion.

"Kira!" my mother yelled. "They see everything, and they can hear us."

"Let them!" I screamed. "Let them hear me! They want praise and worship when they haven't done anything to deserve it..."

The table shook as my mother stood up. "We are still alive, Kira, we..."

"This isn't how being alive should feel, Mom," I interrupted. "There's no happiness here, nothing to celebrate, no joy. I hardly ever see you smile, and you still want me to thank the gods? For making us miserable? Fine, if that's what you want, go ahead. But I won't worship supreme beings who have done nothing to prove their supremacy. I'll do the dishes when you're finished eating. The meal was delicious." I stormed off to my room.

My mother didn't say anything or try to stop me. I closed the wooden door that one of the villagers had made for us and slid down against it, allowing the tears I had held back in front of my mother to flow freely down my face.

That night, I couldn't sleep, so I was fully aware when my mother entered my room. I didn't move, pretending to still be asleep. The bed dipped slightly as she sat down beside me and took my left hand in hers.

"My special little girl," she whispered, pressing a kiss to my knuckles. "I love you so much, and I hope you know that." I did know. "I would give my life a million times over to ensure your safety because having you in my life has been the greatest blessing."

I opened my eyes, and we locked gazes before I sat up and embraced her. She hugged me back tightly. "I'm so sorry, Mom," I apologized. "I didn't mean to yell at you."

She pulled away slightly and cupped my face in her hands. "Never apologize for speaking your mind, Kira, never. You are special. You are stronger than all the hunters combined. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. I love you, and I am so proud to be your mother."

I hugged her again. "I love you too."

"Forever," she murmured, stroking my hair gently.

"Forever," I whispered.

Little did we know, forever was nothing more than a fantasy.

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