The Child

13

I huff as I walk up the stairs to my old house. I wipe my feet against the rug and then knock.

I wait a few seconds, then the door unlocks and opens.

My father stands tall over me as he opens the door. I look at his feet as I speak.

"Hi papa."I say quietly.

"Hello Alice. Come on in."he steps aside and I see Cain sitting on the couch, his little rain boots hanging over the couch and he was dressed up in his yellow raincoat.

"Oh, and don't you look handsome."I smile, walking over to him.

"Papa took me to jump in puddles, I like jumping in puddles."Cain says, rubbing his eyes.

"Awe, are you all tuckered out?"I ask, cupping his cheeks as I kiss his face.

He nods and I chuckle as I stand up, helping him off that couch.

I turn back towards my father, looking down again.

"Thank you for watching him, dad."I say softly.

"It was no trouble."he says.

"Bring him back soon, yeah?"he says, walking past me and not making eye contact.

I huff as I take Cain's hand and walk him towards the door.

"Why don't you look at papa?"Cain asks.

"It's a long story, Cain."I say.

....

I walk into the house, holding Cain's sleeping body against my chest as I walk towards his bedroom.

As I walk over to his room, I push open the door and gasp, nearly screaming as I see Hades standing with another man who happened to look just like him.

"This is her? Is that the child?"his twin asks, walking over to me and Cain.

I step back, looking at him in fear.

"Yes, that's the child. "Hades huffs.

"H who is this?"I ask.

"My, idiot little brother."he says.

"L-like Zeus?"I say.

"Precisely, may I?"Zeus says before taking Cain out of my arms.

I gasp and go to reach for him but Hades stops me. Zeus begins sniffing my son and I shout.

"What the hell!"I ask.

"He doesn't smell of evil. He does smell of...power. He's very powerful to be so young."Zeus says before sniffing Cain's hair.

"He's been eating."

"Of course, right under our fucking noses."Hades says.

"Eating?"I question.

"Has the child been around any suspicious deaths? Anyone close to you missing?"Hades says as Zeus hands Cain back to me.

"I-i heard of an incident at his school, but Cain couldn't have possibly done that."I say.

"He is the son of Satan!"Hades snaps at me.

"You'd be stupid to underestimate him. What happened at the school?"

...

Cain slowly opens his eyes and looks around, finding himself in his room. He sits up, rubbing his eyes.

Once his eyes open he gasps as he sees a tall figure before him. He recognizes it as Johnathan.

"Oh, hi Mr. B."he says softly before yawning.

"I didn't see you at school today."he says.

"I spent the day with my Papa, we jumped around in puddles together.

"That sounds wonderful. I've brought you something."

Cain smiles, sitting up a bit more as Johnathan steps out of the way.

On his floor there was 2 men laying down, hands bound and heads hooded.

"I noticed you're unusually tired. Those kids didn't fill your tummy, did they?"Johnathan asks.

Cain glumly shakes his head.

"Well, one of these men can be your dinner, and the other..."he says, kneeling down next to Cain.

"Well, he's going to be your father's new vessel. Isn't that exciting? You get to pick what your father looks like."Johnathan explains.

"Vessel? Does he he not look the way he used to?"Cain asks, tired.

"Well, your father is a very powerful man. And in order for his power not to be squandered while he's here, it needs to be contained. Just like all of your little haunted boxes, they are vessels just as these men are."Johnathan says as he stands, taking the hoods off of the men's heads.

"So, what would you like him to look like?"

Cain examines both the men closely.

One of them was pale, muscular with medium length curly hair and bright blue eyes.

The other was a more tanned man, more muscular, and this one had tattoos all over his body, all the way up to his chin.

"He looks like that."he says, pointing to the tattooed man.

Johnathan smiles, placing the hood back over his head.

"Excellent choice."

He then pushes the remaining man forward towards Cain.

"Go on."Johnathan smiles.

Cain's eyes instantly turn yellow and he slowly stands, looking at the man.

The man begins to convulse on the ground as they both watch.

"You're getting very good at this, young Cain."Mr. B smiles.

Cain's pale cheeks become red again as he now felt as if he was slowly getting better.

The man on the floor begins to slowly turn grey, and Johnathan watches slightly worried.

Then, he begins to see Cain grow a bit taller.

"Stop, Cain."Johnathan demands.

Cain breaks his stare at the man and his eyes slowly fade back to blue, and he shrinks back down to size.

"Did I do something wrong?"Cain asks, worried and frightened.

"You mustn't drain a humans life force. We go only for the souls. If you continued you might've grown into a man the same age. Be careful not to overdo it when it comes to feeding yourself, Cain."he says.

"O-okay, I'm sorry. I won't do it again."Cain says softly, making Johnathan chuckle.

"No worries my dear boy. What is it that troubles you?"he asks, sitting on the ground next to where he stood.

"I..I'm worried."Cain says.

"About what?"

"I don't think mommy wants my daddy here."Cain says.

"Of course she does. Your mother is deeply in love with your father. He is her god, he is who she praises. No one comes before him."Johnathan says.

"But, I thought mommy loved me too."Cain frowns.

This makes Johnathan chuckle and pat his shoulder.

"Cain, you're mother's love for you is stronger than anything in the world I bet."He says.

This makes Cain smile.

"I love my mommy."Cain smiles.

....

Can't wait to see who the new Belial is gonna be, huh?